Oklahoma

Oklahoma County hires contractor to build new jail; considers new sites

Published

2 years ago

January 3, 2024

Oklahoma County hires contractor to build new jail; considers new sites

Oklahoma County has hired a contractor to work with architects to build the new county jail, despite not knowing where it will be built or exactly how it will be designed.

On Tuesday, the Board of County Commissioners followed staff’s recommendation to hire Flintco to work with HOK to get the project built within budget. The amount Flintco will be paid is still being negotiated.

Commissioners on Tuesday also voted to eliminate two potential locations from a list of five currently being considered after hearing from landowners in Luther and Stockyards City. The board also heard from elected officials and residents who told commissioners they would prefer the jail stay downtown.

More than a dozen people addressed commissioners, with many arguing locations near where they live and work are just too far away to provide adequate services jail detainees need after they are released from the facility.

Commissioners voted unanimously to remove 60 acres of land located at 17501 NE 150, not far from Luther, from its list.

They also voted 2 to 1 to adopt a motion by Commissioner Carrie Blumert to eliminate 1901 E Grand Blvd. as a potential site. The land had been offered for about $5.42 million by Willowbrook Investments LLC and Garrett & Co. Resources LLC.

Blumert cited concerns aired by Del City and Crooked Oak schools officials and various residents when making her motion. Commissioner Myles Davidson supported her, remarking he felt Oklahoma City was trying to force the county into using that land.

Commission Chairman Brian Maughan voted no, saying he wanted to keep the site because he believed Oklahoma City likely would rezone that land for use as a jail.

More: Del City officials: Proposed jail location would ‘cripple’ and ‘tarnish’ city

Residents, leaders push back against new Oklahoma County jail locations

Most addressing the commission Tuesday criticized either proposed jail locations far away from the city’s center or building the jail within Stockyards City.

Residents like Dustin Lashley, of Newalla, said the location the county is considering at SE 29 and Kickapoo Turnpike makes no sense, comments echoed by Choctaw Mayor Chad Allcox.

“Residents of Choctaw and Harrah have a tough time as it is getting support for infrastructure needs and emergency services,” said Lashley, who added costs to get detainees to and from court and to get them away from the jail after their release would be “significant and wasteful.”

That issue — where detainees might go after their release — was mentioned by many Luther area residents who spoke Tuesday. Others said jail deaths might increase because a jail there would be so far away from emergency medical services.

The NE 150 site was 6 miles away from the nearest convenience store, Luther area resident M.E. Nelson said.

“What are you all going to do? Just pack them a lunch and give them a bottle of water and tell them to have a good day?”

As for Stockyards City, Oklahoma National Stockyards President Jerry Reynolds told commissioners his company has no interest in selling land it owns between the cattle sales facility and May Avenue to Oklahoma County for use as a jail.

“The property currently is slated for future projects that are critical to our long-term growth and success,” Reynolds said. Several other business owners in that area also argued against putting a jail there.

After Tuesday’s votes, sites still active on the commissioner’s list included up to 192 acres of land located between S Newcastle Road and SW 54 offered for sale by the Oklahoma City Airport Trust (though, Oklahoma City’s Airport Trust on Dec. 21 rejected an offer from Oklahoma County to buy a portion of that land for $2.5 million), the Stockyards City land and the land at SE 29 and the Kickapoo Turnpike.

Before taking votes to eliminate the other two locations, Commissioner Maughan joined other commissioners in thanking those who took time to address the group before it retired into executive session to consider its options.

But he also warned it could be difficult for Oklahoma County to find a location that would please everyone, given it needs to find a willing seller with assurances the land can be properly zoned.

Schools will be a tough issue to avoid, given there are public, private, charter and even home schools spread across the county, Maughan said.

“I’ve never considered the presence of nearby schools to be a kill switch,” he said. “No matter where we end up going, it is likely there will be a school nearby.”

Oklahoma City suggestions of other potential jail sites could change potential list

Maughan also said Tuesday the county’s list of potential locations could change, based in part upon a list of 10 other sites Oklahoma City provided to the county it believes might be suitable for jail locations.

The county has worked since getting the list to identify property owners to see if they have any interest in selling, Maughan said.

“Some of these are owned by LLCs, and we have been attempting to get to an actual person who could be an influencer or a decision maker,” he said.

Certified letters to those parties have been mailed, Maughan said.

Oklahoma City identified 20 undeveloped and/or underdeveloped sites encompassing a mix of private and public properties inside of Oklahoma County using parameters of minimum parcel sizes of 30 acres, contiguous undeveloped land under similar ownership and a travel time of about 15 minutes or less from Oklahoma County’s courthouse, then cut that list to 10 based upon how adjacent properties were used, how close they were to schools and flooding concerns.

It further classified those 10 properties into two tiers.

Tier 1 sites were ones the city deemed most suitable for zoning purposes, while Tier 2 sites might be more difficult to zone or could be harder to use because of flooding, access or environmental issues.

Maughan stressed this week that none of those landowners yet responded to inquiries about whether they might be willing to sell their properties.

Tier 1 sites include:

About 67 acres owned by Oaks Technology Park, LLC. Its owner previously offered to sell the land to Oklahoma County as a jail location for about $37.8 million. It was later stricken from the county’s list.
About 450 acres owned by the city of Oklahoma City bordered by Sooner Road, NE 50, Air Depot and NE 36. About 300 acres of the land is unused and often floods during high-water events. The southeast quarter-mile section currently is used by the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office as a training site.
About 109 acres owned by HL American Investments LLC bordered by Newcastle Road and SW 59 on the south, Rockwell Avenue on the east and State Highway 152 on the north. Much of that land is inside of a 100-year flood plain.
About 147 acres owned by the Huston Family Revocable Trust on the south side of Newcastle Road and SW 59, bordered on the east by Rockwell Avenue.

Tier 2 sites include:

134 acres owned by 1948 Cornerstone LLC on the northwest corner of Britton Road and Eastern Avenue. This location most recently was the planned site for Kimray’s new production facility before that project was shelved. Millwood Public Schools’ campus is less than two miles away.
About 78 acres owned by Wimpy 25 LLC on the east side of Interstate 35 bordered by Thomson on the north, Coltrane Road on the east and Britton Road on the south. Part of the land is within the 100 year flood plain and another portion is a designated flood zone during heavy rain events. The land is less than 1.5 miles away from Oakdale Public Schools’ campus.
About 118 acres owned by Naija Development Group LLC, Plethora Investment LLC and the Barker Terry L Trust on land bordered by Sooner Road on the west and NE 63 on the north.
About 56 acres owned by Northcutt Jacob Properties Inc. and DL Holdings LLC on land bordered by a creek that runs into the Oklahoma River on the west side of Bath Avenue, Reno Avenue on the south, railroad tracks on the north and N Martin Luther King Avenue on the east. A truck wash, hotel and restaurant fronting Reno and Martin Luther King already exist on the southeast corner of that mile section, while a recycling facility operates near the railroad tracks on its northeast side. An OG&E substation exists on its west side. Douglas High School is just a half mile away from the location.
About 155 acres owned by TBP Holdings bordered by SW 74 on the north and Rockwell Avenue on the east. The site could be problematic for sewer services and is about two miles away from an elementary school in Mustang.
About 690 acres owned by the city of Oklahoma City on land bordered by Air Depot on the west and Interstate 240 on the north. The land, part of which is used as a training center for Oklahoma City’s police department, is close to Tinker Air Force Base.

The county remains willing to consider other locations Oklahoma County landowners offer, even ones that might have been previously considered and eliminated but are resubmitted with lower sales prices, Maughan said.

“It is just not up to someone who receives this in the mail room to wad it up and throw it away. These things that come seemingly out of nowhere or things you feel like have already dealt with, there is a reason those things have re-entered the conversation here,” he said.

As for building a new jail downtown, Maughan said Oklahoma County would have to use eminent domain to take the land it would need and said building a new jail there would leave it facing the same types of long-term issues that plague the current jail, which has logged numerous health and safety violations and detainee deaths.

“What I am opposed to is going back to another tower. What the public may not understand is that so many of the problems you hear about with our current jail are tied to the fact that we currently are in a high-rise facility,” he said.

“It wouldn’t matter if you built a brand new one, you would be back into elevator issues and all kinds of things, from the quality of the food and its temperature by the time it arrives to the inmates, something the Health Department cares about — I mean, it is just stuff you never would have even thought about.

“Across the country, best practices have been to try — if land is available — to try to do one-story jail, and that is something I am committed to, personally,” Maughan said.

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Oklahoma

Nick Saban sends strong message after Alabama beats Oklahoma

Published

2 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Nick Saban sends strong message after Alabama beats Oklahoma

The road to the national championship began Friday night in Norman with the Alabama Crimson Tide facing a significant early test against the Oklahoma Sooners.

Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer saw his team fall into a massive hole early in the first half of this College Football Playoff first-round matchup. The atmosphere was electric and hostile as the home team jumped out to a quick lead that threatened to end the season for the visitors right out of the gate.

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson and the rest of the offense struggled to find rhythm during the opening quarter while the defense had trouble containing Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer. The scoreboard read 17-0 in favor of the Sooners midway through the second quarter and left the crowd in a frenzy. It appeared the momentum had fully swung toward the home sideline before a sudden shift changed the trajectory of the game entirely.

A furious rally sparked by the defense and special teams helped the Crimson Tide score 27 unanswered points to stun the crowd. Simpson found Alabama freshman receiver Lotzeir Brooks for crucial scores while Alabama defensive back Zabien Brown provided a spark with a defensive touchdown. The 34-24 victory secured a spot in the quarterfinals and drew high praise the following morning from a legendary figure in the program’s history.

Former coach praises resilience shown by Alabama in playoff win

The turnaround began when the Crimson Tide defense tightened up and forced mistakes from an Oklahoma offense that had been dominating early. Brown stepped in front of a pass from Mateer and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown to tie the game before halftime.

The Alabama defense held strong in the second half while the offense found its footing. Brooks finished the night with five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns after not finding the end zone during the regular season.

Alabama head coach Kalen Deboer and the Tide are advancing to the CFP semifinal to face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Special teams played a massive role in the comeback as well. Alabama defensive lineman Tim Keenan III blocked a punt that set up a field goal to cut into the deficit. Meanwhile Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell struggled down the stretch.

Sandell had connected on a 51-yard field goal earlier in the game but missed two crucial kicks in the fourth quarter that would have kept the Sooners alive. The collapse allowed Alabama to bleed the clock and secure the victory.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) delivered against Oklahoma, passing for 232 yards and two touchdowns. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Saturday morning on ESPN’s College GameDay, former Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban shared his thoughts on the gritty performance. Saban highlighted the mental toughness required to win in such a loud environment.

“Well, you know, I said they’re going to have the heart of a lion to be able to sustain in that atmosphere, but they drove through the smoke and ‘Baby, I feel good. I knew that I would,’” Saban said while (poorly) singing the famous hook to James Brown’s hit I Feel Good.

Saban admitted it was difficult to predict a Crimson Tide victory given the circumstances in the stadium.

“It was a great win for Alabama, great. I’m so proud of that team because that atmosphere was something.”
Nick Saban was feeling good after Alabama beat Oklahoma ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JEUffnJiub
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— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) December 20, 2025

“It was a great win for Alabama. And I’m so proud of that team because that atmosphere was something, man,” Saban said. “And it was hard to sit there and pick Alabama last night sitting in that stadium knowing the energy in that stadium. But sometimes, I think the emotion of the game can work against you. You know Oklahoma was really way up here but as the game went on you could see that that emotion didn’t sustain.”

The Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday, Jan. 1.

Alabama vs. Oklahoma CFP takeaways: Crimson Tide roar back from 17-0 hole to advance to Rose Bowl

Published

14 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Press Room

Alabama vs. Oklahoma CFP takeaways: Crimson Tide roar back from 17-0 hole to advance to Rose Bowl

NORMAN, Okla. — Momentum can be a powerful force. It sure was early on Friday night: Oklahoma started as hot as it finished the regular season. Alabama looked very much like the team that wheezed down the stretch, set to be run quickly out of a College Football Playoff many thought it didn’t belong in anyway.

Then momentum swung, right on the field. A clutch fourth-down touchdown. A dropped punt attempt. A pick six.

A stunning reversal, and then momentum basically kept going as Alabama rallied past Oklahoma, 34-24, in the first round of the CFP. Alabama advanced to face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl/CFP quarterfinals on Jan. 1.

Alabama won after trailing 17-0, early in the second quarter. It was the largest comeback in a CFP game since 2018 — also against Oklahoma, which lost a 17-point lead to Georgia in the Rose Bowl.

“The game came back to us,” Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said. “All of a sudden we found opportunities we could attack, and more plays were made. This is something hopefully we can build off of for the next two weeks.”

Oklahoma’s defense, one of the best in the country, dominated early on, with Alabama not even getting a first down on its first three drives. The Crimson Tide finally got going on the fourth drive, but even then needed a fourth-down conversion: Ty Simpson’s pass to Lotzeir Brooks on fourth-and-3, with Brooks finishing it off for a short touchdown play.

Then things unraveled for the Sooners: The punter dropped the ball as he prepared to punt, leading to an Alabama field goal. Then quarterback John Mateer made an ill-advised throw in the two-minute drill that was picked off by Zabien Brown and returned for a score-tying touchdown.

When the second half started, Alabama kept it going. Simpson finished the game with 232 passing yards and two touchdowns, making up for an Alabama running game that continues to be almost nonexistent. And the Crimson Tide defense sacked Mateer four times, while clamping down on the Sooners’ run game.

That was enough for Alabama (11-3) to avenge a regular-season loss to Oklahoma (10-3), part of a second half that put the Crimson Tide’s postseason hopes in jeopardy. But the CFP selection committee put the Tide in the Playoff anyway, and for one night that decision was validated.

Asked about the criticism of this team coming off the 28-7 SEC title game loss to Georgia, Simpson flipped it around.

“I guess we can thank you guys,” Simpson said to reporters. “Y’all kind of wrote us off. Appreciate that.”

Alabama’s got roses and “Going back to Cali” blares from the locker room. pic.twitter.com/jMo9sEBG5c
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) December 20, 2025

OU’s turnovers and special teams mistakes make difference

In its previous two wins over Alabama, Oklahoma had a 6-1 turnover edge (including two pick sixes) and dominated special teams. On Friday night, that finally flipped back in Alabama’s direction.

It was the Crimson Tide who got a pick six, tying the score late in the first half. And it was Oklahoma’s No. 1-ranked special teams that faltered. There was a dropped punt snap by punter Grayson Miller, which led to a blocked kick and an eventual Alabama field goal. And in the second half, the Sooners committed a bad late hit penalty on a punt, giving the Tide 15 free yards, which they turned into a touchdown. A poor punt in the fourth quarter helped set up another Alabama touchdown, with the Tide starting the drive at the OU 35.

Oklahoma kicker Tate Sandell, who won the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top kicker, missed two field goals in the fourth quarter as the Sooners tried to cut it to a one score game. Meanwhile, Alabama kicker Conor Talty, who struggled this year with 13 field goals on 20 attempts (including a blocked miss in the first Oklahoma game), went two-for-two this time around.

Oklahoma: Work to do as a program

This season was a step forward for the Oklahoma program under Brent Venables. But this showed there’s still maturing to do.

When Alabama made its run, Oklahoma wilted. The Sooners lost composure in all three phases: Mateer’s pick six, defensive struggles, special teams penalties and mistakes. And when the Sooners did get off the mat, it was only brief: They didn’t have it in them to keep momentum going.

This wasn’t a case of a team lucky to be ahead in the first place: Oklahoma was dominating, outgaining Alabama 236-100 in the first half, with 75 of those yards coming on one drive. But that drive turned the game, and things snowballed. Even during his halftime interview, Venables seemed more shell-shocked than confident, and his team’s play reflected that.

Oklahoma was used to big postseason games under Bob Stoops and Lincoln Riley, but this was the first CFP trip under Venables, who took over in 2022, and the first since 2019. While it’s a huge disappointment to go out this way, especially at home and especially after the way the game started, it can also be chalked up to inexperience on the big stage, and a needed moment of growth.

Narrative busters

The first round of this year’s CFP is already better than last year’s.

The first year of the expanded CFP saw four blowouts in the first round, all by the home team. And for a quarter it looked like it was about to happen again.

But Alabama’s comeback, then Oklahoma’s touchdown to make it 27-24, meant a close game well into the fourth quarter. It also showed that as valuable as home-field advantage is, the visitors have a chance.

Last year’s games had an average margin of victory of 19.25 points. The 8 vs. 9 game saw Ohio State rout Tennessee, 42-17.

Of course Friday night’s game doesn’t guarantee that any of Saturday’s games will be close. Alabama and Oklahoma was supposed to be a close game per the betting lines, and it was, but on Saturday, Oregon is a 20-point favorite over James Madison and Ole Miss is a 17.5-point favorite over Tulane.

Texas A&M, however, is only a 3.5-point favorite over Miami. And even if that doesn’t end up being competitive, at least the second year of the new format has provided a game that had some drama — and a road winner.

Rose Bowl early look

While the programs’ histories are polar opposites, they meet in this contest from directions that belie their tradition. Unbeaten Indiana (13-0) is led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza and boasts the nation’s most complete profile. It ranks No. 5 in scoring offense (41.9) and No. 2 in scoring defense (10.8). It sits in the top 15 in rushing and passing offense and defense.

Alabama (11-3) ranks 121st nationally in rushing yards per game (109.9) and has given up 29 sacks. Indiana’s defense sits third in rushing yards allowed (77.6) and has 39 sacks to rank fourth nationally.

There are a ton of connections among the coaching staffs. Curt Cignetti was Alabama’s wide receivers coach under Nick Saban and won a national title in 2009. DeBoer was Indiana’s offensive coordinator in 2019, and three other Alabama assistants coached in Bloomington within the past five years.

50 Cent sparks OU briefly

Oklahoma this season adopted 50 Cent’s “Many Men” as its fourth-quarter song. Then heading into Friday’s fourth quarter, the Sooners brought him out for a surprise appearance. The quality wasn’t great, both because of the microphone and 50 Cent’s effort — and the crowd was out of it, thanks to 27 consecutive Alabama points.

But two plays later, Oklahoma was in the end zone thanks to a pass interference penalty and a 37-yard Mateer touchdown pass. But the musician’s boost wasn’t enough to help OU to its own rally.

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Oklahoma

How to Watch Tonight’s Alabama vs. Oklahoma Playoff Game Online

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Press Room

How to Watch Tonight’s Alabama vs. Oklahoma Playoff Game Online

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The 2025 College Football Playoff is officially underway on Friday when the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide faces the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The SEC programs put on a great show back in November when the Sooners beat the Crimson Tide 23-21 in Alabama. The winner will face the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl.

At a Glance: How to Watch Alabama vs. Oklahoma Playoff Game

Don’t have a way to watch the Alabama vs. Oklahoma playoff game tonight? Read on. Ahead is a quick guide on where to livestream the Alabama vs. Oklahoma game without cable, including ways to watch the Alabama vs. Oklahoma game for free.

How to Watch Alabama vs. Oklahoma Playoff Game Online

The Alabama vs. Oklahoma playoff game is airing on ESPN and ABC. If you don’t have cable, the best way to livestream the game is to get a live TV streaming service that carries either channel. Here are four of the best options:

editor’s Pick

DirecTV

➤ $39.99/month
➤ Five-day free trial
➤ Up to 185+ channels

DirecTV carries both ESPN and ABC in a few of its plans. All DirecTV packages start with a five-day free trial, and plans with ABC start at $39.99 a month after that. The service is our favorite overall, offering a range of packages for different budgets and viewing needs.

Fubo

➤ $55.99/month
➤ Free trial
➤ Up to 300+ channels

Fubo is another top cable streaming solution, and it carries ESPN and ABC in all of its packages. Plans start at $55.99 a month, but you get a free trial and a discount on your first month.

Sling
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➤ $45.99/month
➤ Short-term passes available
➤ Up to 46 channels

Sling carries ESPN in its Orange plan, which starts at just $45.99 a month. Even better: Sling offers short-term passes, getting you access for one, three, or seven days, starting at just $4.99. Sling does not offer a free trial, however.

Hulu + Live TV

➤ $89.99/month
➤ Three-day free trial
➤ 95+ channels

Another way to watch the Alabama vs. Oklahoma game is with Hulu + Live TV. The service delivers access to both ESPN and ABC, as well as more than 90 other channels. Pricing starts at $89.99 a month, but you get a three-day free trial to start.