Oklahoma
Oklahoma broadband board approves $374 million in grants for internet projects
Broadband projects to provide faster and more reliable internet for 55,000 underserved and unserved locations in Oklahoma are moving forward.
Oklahoma’s Broadband Governing Board approved 142 grants totaling $374 million in its monthly meeting. Mike Sanders, the Oklahoma Broadband Office’s executive director, said in his opening remarks the amount of projects exceeded expectations.
“Over the past several months, especially the last few weeks, we have absolutely burned the midnight oil,” Sanders said. “Many of our staff spent their Christmas holidays here, and that’s part of the process because we’re all called to serve.”
The money for the projects are through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and Local Fiscal Recover Funds, and 31 internet service providers provided $90 million in matching funds.
All projects must be complete before the end of 2026.
“This has been a great first step. Far from over,” Sanders said. “We’re making a difference in people’s lives, and you all were part of that.”
There are about 728,000 Oklahomans without access to reliable high-speed internet, and many of them live in rural areas. This led to high demand for grants when they became available.
Last year, the office was slammed with broadband grant applications worth $5.1 billion dollars. But only $374 million dollars were available for this round of grants.
The Oklahoma Broadband office is tasked with ensuring 95% of the state has internet access by 2028.
Although Jim Meek, the board’s chairman, left the room for voting because of a potential conflict of interest, he returned to the meeting once the projects were approved. Meek touted the grants approved as the most important work the state has done in a while in his closing comments.
“Of all the work that’s taken place, the real work starting right now,” Meek said. “We’ve got a lot of people depending on us and looking to us for guidance, and counting this becoming a reality.”
This is not the only broadband grant opportunity through the office. Its next program will give about $159 million from the ARPA Capital Projects Fund to expand high-speed internet in the state.
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Oklahoma
Oklahoma lawyers to offer free legal advice
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma lawyers will be providing free legal advice to the community to celebrate Law Day later this week.
The Oklahoma Bar Association says over 100 attorneys will be volunteering statewide for the event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 1.
Most frequently asked questions are expected to be on topics of estate planning, landlord issues, bankruptcy, divorce, child custody, child visitation, Social Security, immigration, and small claims court.
To submit a question online, click here.
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You can also call during the event (405) 900-5299 or (918) 340-5297.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Supreme Court hears arguments on attorney general role in insurance claims case
Oklahoma City, Oklah. — A dispute over a denied roof claim for a Tulsa family has landed before the Oklahoma Supreme Court in a case that could reshape how insurance companies handle claims across the state and determine whether the state attorney general can intervene.
State Farm argues the case is unconstitutional.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond says it is not and has joined the case, saying the state needs enforcement power when policyholders cannot pursue claims on their own. “If the insurance commissioner cannot enforce these laws and the attorney general cannot enforce these laws then we have created a chasm in the state of Oklahoma through which foreign corporations can come in and injure Oklahomans with reckless disregard,” Drummond said.
State Farm is accused of improperly denying hail and wind damage claims, affecting thousands of Oklahomans.
Billy Hursh, identified as a Tulsa police officer who sued State Farm after his roof claim was denied, said he believes the company’s conduct went far beyond his family’s case.
Asked about State Farm’s “like a good neighbor” branding, Hursh responded, “Show me. Prove it.”
An attorney representing Drummond is using RICO, a law often used in organized crime cases, to argue the company carried out a coordinated pattern of wrongdoing.
Drummond said his involvement is aimed at representing policyholders who cannot afford legal help. “This is the attorney general representing all of the State Farm policy holders who cannot afford or don’t have access to an attorney. That’s why I’m in,” Drummond said.
During arguments, justices weighed whether the case is a consumer protection issue or a contract dispute that belongs in district court.
Hursh alleges it’s widespread misconduct. “This was a pervasive scheme that wasn’t just done to us it was done to thousands of people across Oklahoma to the tune of millions or maybe even billions of dollars,” Hursh said.
State Farm told FOX 25 it has paid more than $1 billion in Oklahoma wind and hail claims over the past two years and strongly denies any wrongdoing.
Drummond said his investigation could expand beyond State Farm. “There is smoke and I’m following the smoke to find the fire,” he said.
The court’s decision could expand or limit the attorney general’s power to intervene in private lawsuits and could affect how insurers handle claims statewide.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma judge rules in favor of cannabis farm, lifts suspension
PRYOR, Okla. (KOKH) — A judge has ruled in favor of one of Oklahoma’s largest outdoor cannabis farms after the grow had its license suspended.
On Monday, an administrative law judge for the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority lifted an emergency order that had shut down Cedric Gardens Inc. since late February.
The ruling restores the licensed commercial grower’s ability to operate and lifted the Emergency Order of Summary Suspension.
OMMA issued the emergency order on Feb. 24, 2026, alleging that 348 totes and bags containing 1,923 pounds of flower and 5,742 pounds of shake were “untagged” and “unreconcilable.”
Cedric Gardens challenged that claim and argued its practices complied with OMMA rules and did not pose a public safety risk.
“We proved that there was no public safety threat, and that Cedric Gardens’ business practices were approved by OMMA every year without ever citing or disciplining the business,” said Dana L. Kurtz of Wirth Law Office, who represents Cedric Gardens. “We also established that all of the product was completely reconcilable in Metrc, which OMMA did not even bother to check before suspending the license without any evidence.”
Susan Brosky, a co-owner of Cedric Gardens, said the company was relieved by the judge’s decision.
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“We are elated that the ALJ found that OMMA’s emergency summary suspension should be lifted,” Brosky said. “We have never provided product to the public that posed a public safety risk, all of our product is safe!”
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