Oklahoma
Influential Oklahoma lawmaker presses Ryan Walters to buy inhalers for schools after delay
The Oklahoma Senate’s budget chairman had a terse message for state schools Superintendent Ryan Walters on Thursday: Show him the money.
Sen. Chuck Hall, a Republican from Perry, made the point in a brief letter to Walters just one day after Attorney General Gentner Drummond issued a “letter of counsel“ to Walters regarding the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s yearlong delay in purchasing emergency asthma inhalers for public schools.
In his letter, Drummond told Walters and Education Department officials to act quickly to make sure public school students have access to the inhalers. “Waiting more than a year to ask for guidance, changing procurement methods multiple times and now requiring school districts to individually procure emergency inhalers is neither speedy or responsible,” Drummond wrote.
Hall cited Drummond’s message, as well as the numerous attempts by lawmakers to get the agency to buy the inhalers. Hall wrote that Walters had “a clear opportunity and pathway to do the right thing that will benefit everyone.” He added that “there is now no excuse to not execute the delivery of these funds as expeditiously as possible.”
The Legislature funded the inhalers for every Oklahoma school district through a law passed in 2023, but Education Department officials have not spent the money.
‘I continue to be disappointed in the lack of action’
Hall also took issue with agency spokesman Dan Isett’s statement to The Oklahoman on Wednesday which said the “OSDE has been distributing funds for inhalers for the past two years.”
“My concern is the timeline of this statement,” Hall wrote. “The law to provide the $250,000 for the program only took effect last year. If this statement is accurate, I would also appreciate information on the vendor you used to distribute the inhalers.”
Hall said he believed a single supplier, the Brendon McLarty Memorial Foundation, was the lone entity in the state that could distribute inhalers to schools and train administrators and teachers on proper inhaler use.
More: Oklahoma attorney general criticizes Ryan Walters, OSDE over delayed inhaler purchase
“I have been in communication with the foundation after reading your spokesman’s statement, and they said they are unaware of OSDE distributing any funding for school inhalers,” Hall said.
For several years now, lawmakers have been trying to ensure emergency asthma inhalers are in schools.
In 2019, lawmakers passed legislation that allowed the state to partner with the McLarty Foundation to buy emergency asthma inhalers. That measure, Senate Bill 381, authorized schools to stock emergency albuterol inhalers in the event that a child goes into respiratory distress and required at least two staff members at the school be trained on how to use the inhalers.
In 2023, lawmakers, again partnered with the McLarty Foundation to develop and pass legislation that earmarked $250,000 to buy albuterol inhalers and spacers for all Oklahoma school districts.
While Hall told Walters he respected his diligence in asking for guidance, he said he was disappointed by the yearlong delay in processing the funds.
“I continue to be disappointed in the lack of action as this money has been available for over a year,” he wrote. “Please end the delays and distribute this funding immediately.”
UPDATE: Power has been mostly restored in the wide area of Midtown Tulsa. Nearly 500 customers remain without power.
PSO says a car hit a pole near 2800 S Lewis Avenue, and a substation in the area may have shorted out as a result.
Investigation ongoing.
Public Service Company of Oklahoma Statement:
PSO Oklahoma is currently working to restore power to a wide area of Midtown Tulsa. Crews are on site, and working to restore service.
Residents can track outage updates and report outages at https://outagemap.psoklahoma.com/
If you or someone you know needs adequate heat, our warming shelters are open. Locations are:
All shelter beds are based on available capacity of the shelter.
Please share this information with neighbors who may need it and check on those who are most vulnerable during this cold weather.
Stay safe and warm.
Original Story:
The Public Service Company of Oklahoma Outage Map shows thousands in Tulsa are without power after reports of multiple downed power lines and a power flash, affecting customers starting near the area of Riverside Drive out past the Mingo Valley Expressway, all the way near East 21 Street to E 81 Street.
News On 6 has received reports of the location of multiple power lines down near 2800 South Lewis Avenue, so it is best to avoid the area.
Crews are currently out addressing the outage, and a time of restoration has not been published at this time.
PSO Communications Manager Matt Rahn said teams are still trying to figure out the specific cause of the outage and will update after an investigation is conducted.
After a quick shot of arctic air, things warm up quickly this week
Emergency Info: Outages Across Oklahoma:
Northeast Oklahoma has various power companies and electric cooperatives, many of which have overlapping areas of coverage. Below is a link to various outage maps.
- PSO Outage Map
- OG&E Outage Map
- VVEC Outage Map
- Indian Electric Cooperative (IEC) Outage Map
- Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Outage Map — (Note: Several Smaller Co-ops Included)
This is a developing story. Refresh for updates.
Oklahoma is looking to make some history when it takes on Alabama on Friday in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.
The Sooners and Crimson Tide square off at 7 p.m. Friday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The game will be televised on ABC.
A win would not only boost the Sooners into the quarterfinals, but would give them three consecutive victories over the Crimson Tide.
OU beat Alabama 24-3 last season in Norman and 23-21 earlier this season in Tuscaloosa.
Since 1960, only 12 programs have beaten the Crimson Tide in three consecutive meetings and only one such streak included a win over Alabama following Nick Saban’s first season in 2007 when the Crimson Tide went 7-6.
That streak?
Another Sooners’ winning streak in the series, which included pre-Saban wins in 2002 and 2003 and the Trevor Knight-led Sugar Bowl win as part of the 2013 season.
In the last 65 seasons, the Sooners were only the second non-conference team to knock off Alabama in three consecutive meetings, joining Texas, which beat the Crimson Tide in 1981, 1972 and 1964.
Read More Oklahoma Football
Now, OU has a chance to repeat the streak, but this time as part of the SEC and in a do-or-die situation.
The other most recent three-game winning streaks against the Tide were Auburn (six consecutive from 2002-07), LSU (five straight from 2003-07) and Georgia (three straight in 2003-03 and 2007).
Alabama had won 10 or more games every season since that 2007 season before last year’s team finished 9-4.
OU is 5-2-1 against the Crimson Tide all-time.
Only a handful of other programs that have played Alabama more than once have a winning record against the Tide.
Texas is 8-2-1 vs. the Crimson Tide, while Notre Dame is 5-3 and Michigan is 4-3.
The only other programs with a winning record against Alabama in more than one meeting are the Birmingham Athletic Club (3-2), Boston College (3-1), Louisiana Tech (3-2), Rice (3-0), TCU (3-2) and UCLA (2-1).
Alabama is, by any measure, one of the most successful programs in college football history, claiming 18 national championships and four Heisman Trophy winners.
Of course, the Sooners are one of the few programs that can measure up to that, with several national titles and seven Heisman winners.
No team has beaten Alabama twice in the same season.
“Obviously we have tendencies. They have tendencies,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said. “They have certain matchups they like. We have certain matchups we like. At the end of the day, you can throw all that out. It’s time to start completely over. All that matters is what you do here moving forward.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are taking on the San Antonio Spurs in the Semi Final of the 2025 NBA Cup tournament. This is the third year of the event and second straight trip for the OKC Thunder to the Semi Final.
This is set to be a barn burner, as the Oklahoma City Thunder enter this contest 24-1 and the San Antonio Spurs sit at 17-7. Though, the even better news for both sides is the injury report. The Spurs get back generational talent Victor Wembanyama from his multi-week stint on the injured list and the Isaiah Hartenstein returns for Oklahoma City after missing the Thunder’s last five games.
With Oklahoma City only missing Isaiah Joe (knee contusion) in this contest, it gives them a rare treat. The Thunder for the first time all season will have their fully healthy starting five at their disposal. Many believe Mark Daigneault will deploy superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Defensive ace Lu Dort, All NBA swingman Jalen Williams, Rising star Chet Holmgren and Hartenstein.
This was the first time all season the Thunder have had the chance to prove that thought process right. It can be hard to navigate such a talent filled roster especially as well as Cason Wallace played as a spot starter and leading the league in steals.
In the end, the Oklahoma City Thunder weren’t the ones to throw a curveball with the starting lineup. It was the San Antonio Spurs who will bring Victor Wembanyama off the bench according to the official injury report submitted to the league before tip off.
This makes sense as Wembanyama has missed three weeks of action with a calf strain. San Antonio head coach Mitch Johnson revealed that his star center was going to be restricted in his first game back, especially against this historically great defense.
OKC Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs Starting Lineups
OKC Thunder Starters
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G
- Lu Dort, G
- Jalen Williams, F
- Chet Holmgren, F
- Isaiah Hartenstein, C
San Antonio Spurs Starters
- De’Aaron Fox, G
- Steph Castle, G
- Devin Vassell, F
- Harrison Barnes, F
- Luke Kornet, C
The Oklahoma City Thunder will have to be mindful of their rotations to counter Wembanyama off the bench and stagger the likes of Holmgren and Hartenstein to counter it.
Up next, the Oklahoma City Thunder will either take on the New York Knicks on Tuesday in the NBA Cup Championship game with a win or resume their regular season with a loss. Falling to the Spurs would snap the Thunder’s 16 game winning streak, but issue Oklahoma City four days off leading into Thursday’s clash with the L.A. Clippers.
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