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Oklahoma County jail trust member resigning, leaving two open seats

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Oklahoma County jail trust member resigning, leaving two open seats


The number of empty seats on Oklahoma County’s jail trust is back to two.

Chad Alexander, who was appointed to the trust in October 2021 by then-Commissioner Kevin Calvey to fill a seat formerly held by Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb, is stepping down.

Alexander, who has missed several recent trust meetings, submitted his resignation earlier this month to Joe Allbaugh, chairman of the trust.

More: The Oklahoma County Jail under the Jail Trust. A timeline of trouble

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Allbaugh notified Commissioner Myles Davidson of Alexander’s resignation on April 12. Davidson’s office will appoint a replacement.

“I must regretfully resign my position on the Oklahoma County Jail Trust. Family and work commitments are not allowing me the time needed to fulfill the position,” Alexander wrote. “I appreciate the trust put in me to help move the detention center forward.”

Who makes up the Oklahoma County jail trust, who appoints them and how long do they serve?

Oklahoma County’s jail trust consists of nine members, seven of which are appointed by Oklahoma County commissioners (the other two trust members are an elected commissioner who is willing to serve — currently Commissioner Davidson — and Oklahoma County’s sheriff, currently Tommie Johnson III).

The commissioners each get to fill a single trust seat representing his or her district. The other four are considered at-large positions and require at least two commissioners to support their appointments.

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When the trust was initially formed, appointees’ lengths of terms — either two, four or six years — were determined by a random drawing. However, all trust seats will transition to six year terms in 2025.

None of the original trust members appointed in 2019 are still on the board.

More: Jail’s troubled history leads to its being removed from sheriff’s management

There have been numerous recent changes to the board.

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Attorney Shelly Perkins attended her first trust meeting earlier this month. She succeeded Sue Ann Arnall, who resigned from her at-large position in February after nearly five years.

Rochelle Gray, a manager in Deloitte Consulting’s government and public services practice, was appointed in January to succeed former state Sen. Ben Brown, who submitted his resignation from the trust in June of 2023.

Gray, however, couldn’t serve after her employer raised potential conflict of interest concerns that might create because of contracts it had with various state agencies, said Brian Maughan, chairman of Oklahoma County’s board of county commissioners. Brown’s seat, which Maughan will fill, remains vacant. Maughan hopes to appoint someone to the post soon.

James Johnson Jr., a criminal justice/social work professor at Rose State College, was appointed to the trust in August 2023 by Commissioner Carrie Blumert to fill a seat previously held by M.T. Berry. Berry resigned in June 2023 after serving about four years.

Meanwhile, Allbaugh rejoined the trust in June 2023 after leaving in 2022 to seek elected office in Kay County.

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Allbaugh succeeded Adam Luck, a former member of Oklahoma’s Pardon and Parole Board. Luck had resigned from his seat on the trust in March 2023, just months after accepting an appointment in September 2022.

Steven Buck was appointed to the trust in February 2023, succeeding Jim Couch, Oklahoma City’s retired city manager. Couch resigned from the trust in December 2022.

Maughan said serving out a full term as a trust member isn’t easy to do because the appointment brings additional responsibilities (mostly through reading requirements and occasional meetings with jail staff) that most appointments don’t require.

No trust member has been forcibly removed by a county commissioner because they have the power to serve an entire term once they are appointed without fear of removal.

“It’s like a judge,” Maughan said.

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Commissioners also configured the trust to make it possible for someone to serve even if they don’t live inside of Oklahoma County.

Because businesses located in Oklahoma County have a vested interest in the jail’s operation, just being one of those entities’ employees qualifies a willing individual to serve, Maughan said.

“The business community wants to partner with us in terms of figuring out a long term solution” with jail-related problems, Maughan said. “There are a number of people who have long-standing ties to Oklahoma County, but live outside of its borders.”



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Xzayvier Brown’s 24 points not enough as Oklahoma drops home game against Florida

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Xzayvier Brown’s 24 points not enough as Oklahoma drops home game against Florida


NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Thomas Haugh scored 21 points, Rueben Chinyelu had 19 points and 12 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season, and No. 19 Florida beat Oklahoma 96-79 on Tuesday night.

Boogie Fland added 15 points for Florida (12-5, 3-1 Southeastern Conference), which has won three straight since dropping its conference opener to Missouri.

The Gators dominated in the paint, outscoring the Sooners 60-22 behind the 6-foot-10 Chinyelu, who came in averaging 10.9 points and 10.6 rebounds.

Xzayvier Brown scored 24 points and Tae Davis and Kirill Elatontsev each had 17 for Oklahoma (11-6, 1-3), which has lost three straight since beating Mississippi to open conference play.

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Nijel Pack, who had 24 points in the Sooners’ loss to Texas A&M on Saturday, was limited to five points on 2-of-8 shooting. He picking up three fouls in the first half and played only 21 minutes.

The Sooners made only five of their first 19 shots (26%) but finished with 10 3-pointers in 16 attempts (63%).

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The defending national champion Gators beat ranked opponents Georgia and Tennessee last week after dropping briefly out of the AP Top 25. They led all but 14 seconds against Oklahoma.

Florida shot 54% from the field (38 of 71) but converted just 6 of 22 3-pointers (27%).

Oklahoma took a 7-6 lead on a four-point play by Brown. From there, Florida outscored the Sooners 40-17 for a 46-24 halftime lead.

The Gators extended their advantage to 72-45 midway through the second half on a 3-pointer by Urban Klavzar.

Up next

Florida: Visits No. 10 Vanderbilt on Saturday.

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Oklahoma: Hosts No. 18 Alabama on Saturday.

2026 NCAA football transfer portal: Tracking moves for Texas Tech, SMU, other area schools

Find updates for Baylor, North Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and SMU.

Texas transfer commit Cam Coleman (left) and Texas Tech transfer commit Brendan Sorsby...
2026 transfer portal rankings: How high do classes of Texas, Texas Tech, A&M, others rank?

See where each transfer portal class ranks for local schools as transfer season rolls on.

Find more Oklahoma coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.



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Local film society plans 3-night retrospective for Oklahoma director

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Local film society plans 3-night retrospective for Oklahoma director


OKLAHOMA CITY –

Oklahoma has served as a backdrop for some of the biggest names in Hollywood. The state has seen its fair share of talent from Sylvester Stallone to Martin Scorsese, but one accomplished filmmaker has roots right here in Oklahoma.

Oklahoma City filmmaker Mickey Reece has directed dozens of shorts and feature films, receiving acclaim at festivals across the world. River Lunsford of the Oklahoma Film Exchange says Reece hasn’t forgotten his origins in the heartland.

“He is always…pushing the artistic boundaries of what film can be,” Lunsford said. “Always staying true to that local filmmaker vision…never forgetting where he’s come from.”

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Lunsford said that Reece has received retrospectives in New York and Los Angeles, but never in his home state. The Oklahoma Film Exchange wanted to change that.

“A couple of us have either worked with Mickey or are really good friends with him,” Lunsford said. “He has a filmography of over 30 films, and this is the first time he’s ever had a retrospective in Oklahoma City. Just no one has seemingly given him the opportunity…so we’re really excited to be able to do that.”

Lunsford and the team at the Oklahoma Film Exchange aim to boost the city’s film community with regular screenings and discussions. When Reece showed up to a recent screening, they knew he would be an ideal choice for a retrospective.

“He came out to one of our screenings a couple weeks ago,” Lunsford said. “We always try to host or moderate post-screening discussions where people can share their thoughts. And he was certainly an active voice. Just him being in that space, like, interacting in the ways that we have set that space up to be, it’s perfect. It’s the perfect match.”

The Mickey Reece retrospective is a part of The Oklahoma Film Exchange’s ongoing fundraising campaign, “Keep Film on Film Row.” This project aims to preserve the iconic Film Row screening room (which has been renamed the Oklahoma Film Exchange).

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This space was established over a century ago to distribute film reels. The Oklahoma Film Exchange is the last film exchange left in the country.

Lunsford said events like the Mickey Reece retrospective help raise awareness about this important cultural cornerstone. “This is a serious project for us to keep this very important piece of history and art in the city operational, and keep it as it has been for 100 years,” Lunsford said. “(The fundraiser) is going to continue in perpetuity…until Film Row has been saved…and we can 100% guarantee its longevity.”

The retrospective will run from January 15 to 17 at the Oklahoma Film Exchange. Lunsford encouraged Oklahoma City residents to get out of the house and celebrate a local artist in person.

“I think there’s a little something for everybody in this retrospective,” Lunsford said. “This is a really big opportunity for us to celebrate this local filmmaker and build these roots in the community.”

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Oklahoma football loses LB to UCLA in transfer portal

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Oklahoma football loses LB to UCLA in transfer portal


Oklahoma football has lost a key defensive presence, as linebacker Sammy Omosigho has officially committed to UCLA through the College Football Transfer Portal. The move represents a notable offseason development for the Sooners while providing UCLA with an experienced addition ahead of the 2026 season.

The Sooners had hoped to retain the veteran linebacker’s presence heading into a pivotal year, but he instead opted for a fresh opportunity on the West Coast with the Bruins.

The Bruins, eager to strengthen their front seven, saw Omosigho as an ideal fit due to his versatility, leadership, and proven track record against top-tier offenses in the SEC.

UCLA sought defensive reinforcements following multiple transfers and NFL departures, and Omosigho’s arrival immediately strengthens the Bruins’ linebacker corps. He brings SEC playoff experience and consistent production, positioning himself as a key piece of the depth chart when spring practice arrives. His decision highlights the growing competitiveness of the transfer portal as major programs retool their rosters.

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The transfer was first reported by On3Sports’ and Rivals’ Hayes Fawcett on X (formerly known as Twitter) confirming Omosigho’s move and noting his career production with the Sooners.

“BREAKING: Oklahoma transfer LB Sammy Omosigho has Committed to UCLA, his agent tells @On3Sports

He totaled 97 tackles, 4 PD, 2 sacks and 1 FF in his time with the Sooners”

Omosigho developed steadily during his time in Norman, earning a starting role in 2025 after contributing in rotation earlier in his career. He finished that season with 50 tackles, two sacks, and three pass breakups, emerging as one of Oklahoma’s most dependable defenders during its 10–3 run to the College Football Playoff. His ability to read offenses pre-snap and adjust on the fly made him a vital communicator in Oklahoma’s defense.

His departure marks a turning point for both programs—Oklahoma must fill a key void, while UCLA gains a battle-tested leader. As transfer decisions increasingly reshape rosters, Omosigho’s move reflects the high-stakes nature of modern college football recruitment.

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