Oklahoma
Oklahoma County jail is running out of money
The Oklahoma County Criminal Justice Authority announced Friday it is projecting a $5.8 million budget shortfall, which it expects will leave the county jail without operating funds by August 1.
The news simmered among trustees during a meeting Friday morning. Trustee Derrick Scobey was among the most vocal.
“The community criticism we have endured is not unwarranted,” he said. “It reflects the legitimate concerns of taxpayers and citizens who expect competent professional management of public institutions.”
While Scobey acknowledged he had considered moving to dissolve the jail trust, he said he wouldn’t do it. He believed returning the jail’s operations to the sheriff’s office would be saddling the agency with a major problem.
“We simply do not have enough resources to properly fund and operate this jail to the standards that public safety and human dignity demands,” he said.
The facility’s projected annual revenue is $38.8 million, whereas the projected expenses are $44.7 million.
“These numbers are not abstract accounting exercises,” wrote Paul Timmons, interim chief executive officer of the Oklahoma County Detention Center, in a news release. “This is about whether we can pay our staff, maintain basic safety and sanitation, and meet the legal obligations to everyone housed in our facility. Our dedicated team of detention officers, medical staff, and support personnel work hard every single day under extremely challenging conditions. They deserve to know that we will fight to secure the resources needed to support them and keep everyone safe.”
The operational funding issues compounds the existing problem the county faces: unable to fund construction for a new county jail. County commissioners previously indicated they will likely ask voters next year to approve more funding for a future jail; to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
“I support the trust and think they have done good work in a number of areas. I always welcome opportunities to review and see if additional improvements can be made. As always, I’m grateful to the citizens who serve for free on the jail trust. We are fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers,” wrote District 2 Commissioner Brian Maughan in a statement to News 9.
“I support the trust and think they have done good work in a number of areas. I always welcome opportunities to review and see if additional improvements can be made. As always, I’m grateful to the citizens who serve for free on the jail trust. We are fortunate to have such dedicated volunteers,” wrote District 1 Commissioner Jason Lowe in a statement to News 9.
“Today’s announcement from the jail trust regarding a projected budget shortfall is deeply concerning. As stewards of public funds and public safety, we must ensure that the jail is managed transparently, responsibly, and sustainably,” wrote District 3 Commissioner Myles Davidson in a statement to News 9.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State outlasts UCF in overtime, Houston next
The Oklahoma State Cowboys men’s basketball bounced back in a big way Tuesday night.
Anthony Roy scored 27 points and Kanye Clary added 23, including seven in overtime, as Oklahoma State defeated the UCF Knights men’s basketball 111-104 in Orlando.
The Cowboys controlled the extra period, finishing overtime on an 11-4 run and outscoring UCF 17-10.
Clary played a major role in closing it out. He hit a key 3-pointer and went 4-for-4 from the free throw line in overtime to help seal the win.
The victory moves Oklahoma State to 18-12 overall and 6-11 in the Big 12, and gives the Cowboys two wins in their last three games after snapping a five-game losing streak. UCF, now 20-9 (9-8 Big 12), has dropped two straight.
Roy and Clary led a balanced offensive effort. Jaylen Curry and Christian Coleman each added 16 points, while the Cowboys shot 49% from the field (35-of-72) and 80% from the free throw line (32-of-40).
Themus Fulks led UCF with 22 points, while Riley Kugel added 18.
Late-game drama forces overtime
The final seconds of regulation were chaotic.
With 24 seconds remaining, Isaiah Coleman threw down a dunk to give Oklahoma State a 94-91 lead.
But UCF answered quickly when Chris Johnson hit a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left, tying the game at 94-94.
Oklahoma State had a chance to win it at the buzzer, but Jaylen Curry missed a shot, and John Bol blocked Roy’s attempt, sending the game to overtime.
Cowboys respond after tough loss
The Cowboys showed resilience after Saturday’s lopsided loss to Cincinnati.
The team traveled directly to Orlando following that defeat and was pushed through two intense practices by head coach Steve Lutz and the coaching staff.
The response was clear.
Led by Roy’s scoring and Clary’s clutch overtime performance, Oklahoma State delivered a gritty win and swept the season series against UCF
Oklahoma
Oklahoma City police are investigating after a man was shot near Yukon
YUKON, Okla. (KOKH) — Oklahoma City Police are investigating after a man was shot near Yukon Monday night.
The shooting happened near Northwest 10th Street and South Yukon Parkway near the border of Yukon and Oklahoma City.
Police are on the scene, and officials said the victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the hip.
OKCPD said they have at least one person in custody.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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Oklahoma
Oklahoma lawmakers consider bill to require annual fee for transmission lines on private property
As consumer electricity needs grow, lawmakers are discussing strategies to ease the burden on landowners who don’t want the towers and wires carrying that energy on their property.
As it’s written now, the bill would require transmission owners to pay landowners $2 per foot of line annually. During the committee meeting, Murdock said he introduced the legislation to “start a conversation.”
“ This is an idea of, maybe moving forward, if the landowners are getting a royalty off of the power being pushed across their property, it may make it a little more palatable for someone to have a transmission line go across their property,” he said.
Landowners can enter into easement agreements with companies to set aside portions of their land for the builds. But in some cases, eminent domain is used to obtain a right-of-way.
“ I’m not saying that this is going to do away with eminent domain,” Murdock said. “What I’m hoping is this just makes it a little more palatable.”
Murdock said he spoke with utility companies about the legislation, though he didn’t name them. The bill’s language could change after creating an alternative rate based on conversations with the companies, he said.
Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, said the bill could raise utility rates for consumers living in Oklahoma’s most populous counties if companies charge more to make up for the annual fee.
Murdock pushed back, noting the lines are necessary to deliver electricity to other counties.
“You understand that you flip that light on because — and have that ability to have electricity because — the people in my district have a transmission line that goes across them, getting you that power,” he said.
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