Oklahoma
Flush with cash, Oklahoma governor expected to push tax cuts
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — With state financial savings accounts and income collections at all-time highs, tax cuts are anticipated to be a high precedence for Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Republican-controlled Legislature when it begins the 2023 session on Monday.
Stitt, who simply received reelection in November, will current his govt price range proposal to lawmakers and ship his fifth State of the State handle at midday to a joint legislative session.
The governor final 12 months urged the Home and Senate to ship him payments to remove the state gross sales tax on groceries and scale back the person and company earnings tax charges, however none of these proposals made it into regulation. All of these are anticipated to be a part of the price range negotiations once more this 12 months.
After the Federal Reserve enacted one other rate of interest hike, final week Stitt tweeted that “we have to reduce taxes and that begins with eliminating our state’s grocery tax.”
Oklahoma at present has about $1.4 billion in its constitutional Wet Day Fund and a separate income stabilization fund, and the amount of cash out there for lawmakers to spend on this 12 months’s price range is predicted to extend by one other $950 million, primarily based on December figures accredited by the state Board of Equalization.
Lawmakers are also more likely to go a pay elevate for lecturers, though the main points will probably be hammered out through the session. State Sen. Adam Pugh, the chairman of the Senate Schooling Committee, unveiled a plan final month to offer an across-the-board trainer pay elevate of between $3,000 and $6,000, primarily based on years of service. However the governor’s Secretary of Schooling and new State Superintendent Ryan Walters has put forth a plan to offer merit-based pay raises to lecturers.
The Legislature is also more likely to take into account once more a plan endorsed by Stitt and Walters for a voucher-style plan to divert public schooling funds from public faculties to personal faculties, though the proposal stays unpopular with many Home Republicans, notably these in rural areas.
Numerous payments even have been launched by Republicans this 12 months to revive a number of the abortion restrictions that had been imposed final 12 months, together with a invoice that may permit abortions in instances of rape or incest which have been reported to regulation enforcement and clarifying the definition of when an abortion is allowed in instances of medical emergencies that threaten the lifetime of the mom.
“That invoice is supported and endorsed by Oklahomans for Life, so I might anticipate (it) has an opportunity of passing,” mentioned Rep. Jon Echols, majority ground chief within the Home. “I positively suppose it’s going to get thought of.”
A number of payments even have been launched to ban gender-affirming medical care for younger individuals. These proposals come after the governor signed payments final 12 months to stop transgender women from taking part in on women sports activities groups and requiring college students in public faculties to solely use bogs that correspond with their gender at start.
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Observe Sean Murphy at www.twitter.com/apseanmurphy
Oklahoma
What will the weather be like on Christmas Day in OKC? See 2024 Christmas forecast
Watch mom’s happy tears when her son delivers a snowy Christmas surprise
The weather outside is frightful but the feeling’s so delightful when a son surprises his mom for the holidays.
USA Today
Oklahoma City won’t have a white Christmas in 2024, but we also won’t be breaking any high temperature records.
Here’s what you need to know about the Christmas forecast in OKC and across Oklahoma.
Oklahoma Christmas 2024 forecast
According to the National Weather Service, it will be cloudy but dry on Christmas Day in Oklahoma.
A chance of rain will increase in the late evening hours.
Here are the forecasted highs and lows across central, western and northern Oklahoma:
- Oklahoma City: Low of 44°F, high of 52°F
- Enid: Low of 36°F, high of 50°F
- Lawton: Low of 46°F, high of 57°F
- Woodward: Low of 30°F, high of 52°F
- Ada: Low of 46°F, high of 56°F
Oklahoma
Former Oklahoma State DC Bryan Nardo Expected to Join Charlotte Staff
Oklahoma State’s former defensive coordinator is wasting no time finding another gig.
On Monday, Doug Samuels of FootballScoop reported that Bryan Nardo is expected to join the defensive staff at Charlotte. One of the most recent teams to jump to the FBS level, Charlotte could soon be adding a coach with Big 12 experience.
Nardo spent the past two seasons in Stillwater as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator. While his first season wasn’t necessarily the most impressive, it seemed his adjustments and overall scheme were key in OSU’s ascension to a 10-win season and Big 12 Championship appearance.
However, everything fell apart for Nardo in year 2. With the Cowboys ranking among the bottom 10 in the FBS in most statistical categories, OSU’s defense was the main issue in the team’s winless Big 12 campaign.
However, not all of the blame for OSU’s three-win season can be placed on Nardo. OSU’s offense also struggled mightily throughout the season, but the injuries piling up for the OSU defense sealed Nardo’s fate.
With future NFL players Collin Oliver and Nick Martin not playing a snap after September, the Cowboys were without their anchors and other injuries piled up from there. With a myriad of backups and players not playing in their natural positions, Nardo had no true opportunities to run his desired scheme. Still, OSU’s horrendous rankings and results on the field were still too much to overlook as the team overhauled virtually its entire staff this offseason.
With Nardo heading east, the Cowboys hired Todd Grantham as his replacement shortly after the position opened. Nardo is also not the first former OSU defensive coordinator to head to Charlotte.
After being let go following the 2017 season, Glenn Spencer went to Charlotte and was its defensive coordinator for the 2018 season.
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Oklahoma
Navy Midshipmen Keys to Beating Oklahoma Sooners in Armed Forces Bowl
The Armed Forces Bowl is the Navy Midshipmen’s kind of bowl game. As they prepare to take on the Oklahoma Sooners, they are familiar with the surroundings at Amon G. Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, Texas.
Kickoff on Friday is at noon eastern on ESPN.
This is Navy’s (9-3) third appearance in the Armed Forces Bowl, as they beat Middle Tennessee in 2013 and then played a highly-dramatic affair with Louisiana Tech in 2016, which Navy lost 48-45.
At stake for the Midshipmen is their first 10-win season under second-year coach Brian Newberry and their sixth 10-win season in program history. Also with the win the Midshipmen can double their win total from a season ago in Newberry’s debut.
All in all, it would be the capper for a successful second year under their former defensive coordinator.
Oklahoma (6-6) is coming off a sluggish debut in the SEC, where at times the Sooners struggled to score points but scored a huge elite season win over Alabama, a victory that likely kept the Crimson Tide out of the College Football Playoff.
Third-year coach Brent Venables is also dealing with losing players to the transfer portal and two potential defensive stars who may not play in the game as they prepare for the NFL.
How does Navy win? Here are three keys to watch.
Wanna see a simple cause-and-effect relationship?
In Navy’s nine wins, the Midshipmen have outscored teams 104-7 in points off turnovers. The only team to score any points off a Navy turnover in those nine games? Incredibly, it was Bucknell in the season opener.
In the Midshipmen’s three losses, Navy has been outscored 48-0 in points off turnovers.
Navy needs to avoid turnovers, avoid giving up points when it turns the ball over. It also needs to force turnovers and score points off those turnovers.
Yes, that’s rather simple. But the Midshipmen are polar opposite teams in this category, which means that first turnover of the game, whoever commits it, could be telling.
It’s not as if Navy is going to become a different team than it was against Army West Point, and certainly quarterback Blake Hovarth’s ability to throw the ball as a differentiator. But, the Midshipmen just need to be who they are.
Navy is averaging 249.3 rushing yards per game, the seventh-best average in FBS and the program’s best since 2019.
Navy hasn’t played Oklahoma in decades comma but Army played the Sooners recently in Norman. Back in 2018, OU needed overtime to beat Army, 28-21. Oklahoma doesn’t see option teams at all during the season. That’s an edge for Navy.
Oklahoma has had some turnover at quarterback since the end of the regular season. Starter Jackson Arnold transferred to Auburn and another quarterback is in the portal.
The Sooners expect to start Michael Hawkins Jr. behind center, who actually began the season as the starting quarterback. So Navy’s defensive staff will need to break down some tape from earlier in the season.
He has 536 passing yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He’s a solid runner. But he was benched for fumbling the ball multiple times against South Carolina. Ball protection is key against Navy, which does a good job of creating turnovers. Pressure on Hawkins will be a difference-maker in the game.
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