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Oklahoma County Jail fails another health inspection

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Oklahoma County Jail fails another health inspection


OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma County Jail has failed another health inspection, now totaling eight straight inspections the jail has failed dating back to 2019.

During the latest inspection, the jail staff wouldn’t even let inspectors through the doors and told them it is unsafe, due to not having enough staff to accommodate them around the jail, which has many in the community worried.

“They said, we don’t have enough people, that’s what it said there on the official report,” Christopher Johnston, Member of People’s Council for Justice Reform said. “That is terrifying.”

It has been five years since the Oklahoma County Jail has passed a state health inspection.

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The listed issues range from bed bugs, unsanitary areas, staffing issues, and mold amongst many other things.

“Hygiene; a building doesn’t clean itself,” Johnston said. “It doesn’t grab a bar of soap and start scrubbing itself. A building doesn’t not conduct site checks. A building doesn’t keep people from coming into it. That is management, that is the staff running it.”

Johnston says the district attorney and attorney general need to step in.

“He’s got to step in,” Johnston said. “He knows what’s going on. It’s happening near his office. So, the attorney general needs to to really evaluate.”

The Oklahoma State Department of Health agrees, telling us in a statement that when a jail fails an inspection:

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We are actively communicating with the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office.

For enforcement following an inspection or follow-up inspection of a facility determined to be not in compliance with the applicable statutory and regulatory standards, OSDH will evaluate and assess appropriate next steps based on all available tools and statutory authority. Such next steps may include a complaint filed with the Attorney General, a complaint filed with the local District Attorney, the assessment of administrative penalties, or any combination thereof.

Oklahoma State Department of Health

We reached out to both offices; the AG’s office said because it is not a state facility, they are not involved unless brought in by the State Department of Health.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Zemp Behenna sent News 4 this letter, written by Assistant District Attorney Aaron Etherington.

In the letter, Etherington tells the Department of Health it “exceeded its lawful authority” in attempting to inspect the jail this week, and called the notice of non-compliance “void.”

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News 4 asked how the DA’s office came to that conclusion, but never heard back.

Johnston says if action isn’t taken soon, things will only get worse.

“It’s a ticking time bomb,” Johnston said. “There is a high probability that something horrible will happen.”

Of course, all of this comes as Oklahoma County tries to build a new jail.

Those efforts are still up in the air after the City of Oklahoma City voted no on the proposed jail location.

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The Board of County Commissioners for Oklahoma County has since filed a lawsuit against the City of Oklahoma city over sovereignty of the land.



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SEC Shorts Wastes No Time Roasting Texas, Oklahoma in 2024 Premiere

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SEC Shorts Wastes No Time Roasting Texas, Oklahoma in 2024 Premiere


FRISCO, Texas – Over the past several years, especially since Texas and Oklahoma announced they were coming to the SEC, the team over at SEC Shorts has rarely missed an opportunity to include them in their comedy sketches.

So, with a new football season technically underway with the official entry of the Longhorns and Sooners early this morning and SEC Media Days in Dallas in a couple of weeks, the Alabama based comedic team wasted no time in offering its 2024 season premiere Monday morning. With Texas and Oklahoma the clear focal point of this year’s opening skit, enjoy what will probably be the first of many jabs the group takes at their expense with a slight hint of Arkansas on the side.

Just try to not get too worked up on who officially inducts them into the league.

HOGS FEED:

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• Razorbacks add more to U.S. Olympics track team

• Pittman’s pitfalls overshadow successful athletic department

• Arkansas loses key commitment in 2026 recruiting class

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Federal judge grants preliminary injunction halting controversial Oklahoma immigration law

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Federal judge grants preliminary injunction halting controversial Oklahoma immigration law


OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — On Friday, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction that puts a pause on House Bill 4156, a controversial law enabling Oklahoma law enforcement to arrest individuals on the basis of immigration status.

The new law, which was scheduled to go into effect on July 1, has been met with opposition from many different organizations, including The Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police and Metro Law Enforcement Agency Leaders, and state legislators.

On May 15, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to Governor Kevin Stitt and Attorney General Gentner Drummond, threatening legal action if HB 4156 was enforced.

Drummond sent a letter in response, reaffirming the state’s intention to enforce the immigration law. As a result, the DOJ filed a lawsuit against the state on May 21.

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“Oklahoma may have understandable frustrations with the problems caused by illegal immigration…but the State may not pursue policies that undermine federal law.’ Arizona, 567 U.S. at 416. Should more explicit guidance foreclose that conclusion, this Court will listen,” the conclusion of the preliminary injunction order says.

Drummond issued a statement on Friday afternoon expressing his disappointment in the ruling.

“While today’s court ruling is disappointing, I will not stop fighting for Oklahoma and our right to protect our borders,” Drummond said. “The Biden Administration’s complete failure to enforce federal immigration laws made House Bill 4156 a necessity. We intend to appeal today’s decision and defend one of the most powerful tools we have to fight the criminal activity largely being fueled by illegal aliens in Oklahoma.”



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OSU Basketball: JUCO Transfer CJ Smith Announces Commitment to Oklahoma State

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OSU Basketball: JUCO Transfer CJ Smith Announces Commitment to Oklahoma State


On Saturday night, former Putnam City North (OK) standout CJ Smith announced his commitment to Oklahoma State.

After finishing his career with the Panthers in 2023, Smith spent the 2023-24 season at Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, KS. In his lone year at the junior college level, Smith played in 30 games, making 21 starts while logging 23.4 minutes per game.

The Putnam City North product averaged 8.3 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 40.5% from the floor and 30.8% from 3-point range as a true freshman. Smith scored a season-high 16 points against Seward County Community College in February, getting to the free throw line 13 times to help lead the Red Ravens to a 90-79 victory.

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Smith followed up the aforementioned performance with a 14-point outing against Barton Community College that saw the athletic wing shoot 4-of-7 from the field, 1-of-2 from beyond the arc and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.

The former Team Griffin EYBL standout knocked down multiple 3-pointers in five different games as a true freshman, four of which came in an eight-game span.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 195 pounds, Smith is a good athlete and has great size and length on the wing. The Oklahoma City native’s combination of size, length and athleticism gives him the potential to become a solid defender a the Division I level.

Additionally, there is a chance that Smith improves as a shooter under the tutelage of Steve Lutz and company in Stillwater.

If Smith is able to develop into a decent shooter and defender, he could eventually serve an important role for the Cowboys as a “3&D” wing.

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