CareerTech director begins official duties

By David Arnett

Oklahoma CareerTech State Director Brent Haken

Today Oklahoma CareerTech State Director Brent Haken begins official duties.

Haken was named to the position in November by the Oklahoma State Board of Career and Technology Education. He is the ninth director in ODCTE’s history.

“I am honored to begin serving the state of Oklahoma in meeting the educational, training and workforce development needs of our state,” Haken said. “Oklahoma has the nation’s premier system for career and technical education due to a foundation laid by passionate and dedicated Oklahomans,” Haken said in a press release.

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Oklahoma’s national challenge

By Bob Linn, President, OCPAC

Analysis: It was Oklahoma’s steadfast and unshakable commitment to Christian and conservative ideals last November that made possible some lofty moments on the capitol steps last Monday as Governor Kevin Stitt delivered his second inaugural address.

November’s voters remained unmoved by over 50 million dollars of combined campaign money from outside organizations including the teacher’s union (NEA/OEA) begging us to shun both Governor Kevin Stitt and Education Superintendent Ryan Walters. 

None of this was lost on the Governor, as he said, “Because it was you – the voter – who rejected special interests last November that were fighting to stop our Top Ten agenda. You recognized that these hidden groups were fighting to preserve their monopolies, their control and unfair advantage.“

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OK AG agreement with St. John Health System

By Staff Report

Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor has announced a conciliation agreement with St. John Health System resolving allegations that St. John Health System violated the Oklahoma Anti-Discrimination Act and the Civil Rights Act. 

“In defending the religious freedoms of our healthcare heroes, our job is to ensure that Oklahomans’ civil rights are upheld, and they are made whole,” said Attorney General O’Connor. “And we are pleased that St. John Health System has agreed to take the measures necessary to make that happen.”

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New bill to increase gov’t transparency

By Christine Kuglin, Director, Truth in Accounting

For decades, the goal of increased government financial transparency has been widely shared across political parties and stakeholder groups. The Financial Data Transparency Act (S.4295), proposed by Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, takes a major step toward openness and accessibility by directing seven financial regulators, including the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board, to develop “machine-readable” data standards that accurately reflect the existing reporting standards. So, it is surprising that this transparency measure has attracted stiff opposition when it has proven so successful in corporate reporting. A webinar is upcoming on topic.

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Deer Harvest on record pace

By OK Wildlife Conservation Commission

Deer hunters are on track to rack up an all-time record harvest for the 2022-23 seasons, based on raw numbers submitted to the online E-check system as reported during the regular January meeting Monday of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Chief of Wildlife Bill Dinkines of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation said preliminary numbers show 128,786 harvested deer had been reported by hunters as of Monday. The previous record high for Oklahoma’s deer harvest was set in 2020-21, when 126,290 animals were taken.

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