Oklahoma
Oklahoma County officials ‘extremely worried’ as they try to find site for new jail
Oklahoma County still hopes to build a new jail near Will Rogers World Airport.
But county officials are once again actively exploring where else they might locate the jail as an end-of-2024 deadline approaches to spend $40 million in federal funds to also build a mental health center as part of the project.
Brian Maughan, chairman of Oklahoma County’s Board of County Commissioners, discussed the county’s dilemma Tuesday after meeting in executive session to obtain a status update on where negotiations stand between the county and city.
The county has offered to buy 51 acres from Oklahoma City’s Airport Trust just south of the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard and Newcastle Road for $2.5 million.
While Oklahoma City’s director of airports and the chairman of the airport trust previously have said locating a jail there may not be in the city’s best interests, Maughan said Tuesday Oklahoma City remains a willing partner in helping the county find a location for the jail.
The airport site the county has offered to buy remains a possibility, provided the Federal Aviation Administration agrees to allow the city to pursue that deal and provided the city and county can agree on a price, Maughan said.
Plus, he said senior city staff members are working with Steve Mason, chairman of Oklahoma County’s Citizens Bond Advisory Oversight Board, the new jail’s architect and other county officials to evaluate other potential locations, including these still officially on the county’s list:
- 71 acres of land located at 1901 E Grand Boulevard and offered for sale to the county by Willowbrook Investments LLC and Garrett & Company Resources LLC for $5.14 million.
- 89 acres of land located at NE 10 and Interstate 35 and offered for sale for an undisclosed amount by Oklahoma’s Commissioners of the Land Office and Oklahoma City’s Water Trust.
- The existing jail site located at 201 N Shartel Ave.
More: Commissioner: New jail to be ‘night and day’ improvement from current jail’s problems
Other ideas are being discussed, Maughan said.
Typography and geology, access to utilities and potential impacts on nearby schools, neighborhoods and businesses all must be evaluated, Maughan said.
“Everybody’s trying. We appreciate the city’s efforts to work with us to resolve conflicts with the site we want and to help us evaluate other potential locations,” he said. “But this may take longer than we can spare.”
It is unlikely Oklahoma County would reopen a process it already went through that gave private land owners chances to offer properties to it for use as a jail location, Maughan said Tuesday.
“We just don’t have the time.”
Maughan said the process the county followed to select a new jail location proved to be more difficult than he anticipated.
“I am extremely worried we don’t have the luxury to wait, and we may have to go and explore other options.”
How time is pressuring Oklahoma County as it seeks new jail location
Oklahoma County voters authorized the sale of $260 million in bonds to build the new jail/mental health center in June 2022.
Beyond the end-of-2024 deadline to spend the federal dollars, ballot language voters approved to build the jail requires the county to spend 85% of funds raised through any given bond sale connected to the project within three years of when those bonds are sold
The county sold $45 million of those bonds to investors in March, the same month five private land owners offered potential locations to build the new facility.
In June, Oklahoma County accepted additional offers from governmental entities that gave it two potential locations near Will Rogers World Airport, among others that included locations near NE 10 and I-35, near NE 50 and Lincoln and near Lake Hefner Parkway’s interchange with the Kilpatrick Turnpike.
More: OKC’s airport is applying for $4.3 million in federal grant funding. Here’s why.
Then in August, another private landowner offered the county 77 acres of land near Britton Road and Kelley Avenue at no cost to the county.
But commissioners quickly abandoned that plan after various school administrators and community advocates objected.
The current county jail has experience problems since opening in 1991, and issues there have remained problematic since Oklahoma County created a jail trust to assume control of the operation in July 2020.
The building’s condition, short staffing, guard misconduct, relatively poor medical care, lax mental health services and a thriving drug economy all have played roles in dozens of inmate deaths since the trust began operating the jail.
Oklahoma
What time, TV channel is the Oklahoma Sooners vs Auburn football on today? Free live stream, spread, game odds
The No. 21 ranked Oklahoma Sooners face the Auburn Tigers with a true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. being named the starter after an impressive second half in a loss to Tennessee last week. This game kicks off at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 28 with a live broadcast on ABC, and streaming live on ESPN Plus.
• WATCH: Auburn vs. Oklahoma football live for FREE with Fubo (free trial), or stream this game and more on the cheap with one month of ESPN+ (costs $10.99/month, cancel anytime).
The betting odds for this game have moved all over the place, originally opening with the Sooners as the favorites. However, most sportsbooks now have Auburn as slight favorites over Oklahoma in this matchup.
What TV channel is the Oklahoma vs. Auburn game on?
When: Kickoff takes place at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday, September 28.
Where: Jordan-Hare Stadium | Auburn, AL
TV Channel: ABC, and streaming on ESPN Plus
How to watch live stream online: If you don’t have cable, you can still watch this game live for FREE with Fubo (free trial). If you are out of free trials, the cheapest and best way to watch this game and more football this month is by signing up for one month of ESPN+ (costs $10.99/month, cancel anytime).
If you already have a cable or satellite subscription already, you can watch the game on Watch ESPN or the ESPN app by signing in with your provider information.
You can find out more about which channel ABC is on in your area by using the channel finders here: Comcast Xfinity, DIRECTV, Dish, Verizon Fios, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice.
Oklahoma vs. Auburn spread, betting odds
Point Spread: OU: +1 | AUB: -1
Moneyline: OU: -105 | AUB: -115
Over/Under: 44.5
The list of unavailable players for the Sooners just keeps growing.
Oklahoma linebacker Dasan McCullough will not be available for OU’s game against Auburn at 2:30 pm. Saturday, according to the most recent SEC availability report that was released Friday night. McCullough also missed last week’s game against Tennessee after being listed as doubtful most of last week. He was listed as questionable this week until Friday.
McCullough joined a list of 10 other Sooners that will be unavailable for Week 5. The only other OU player included on the availability report was offensive lineman Jake Taylor, who was listed as probable. Unless he’s considered a game-time decision, Taylor’s status will be known when the final availability report is released 90 minutes before OU and Auburn kicks off.
The bright side of this week’s report is that it looks like Geirean Hatchett, who is out for the season, will be the only offensive lineman the Sooners will not have available.
Those unavailable include five of OU’s top receivers in Jayden Gibson, Jalil Farooq, Nic Anderson, Andrel Anthony and Deion Burks. Gibson has already been ruled out for the season, while Farooq is expected to miss 6-8 weeks after breaking his foot in the Sooners’ season opener against Temple. Anderson made his first appearance of the season last week but was injured during the opening drive.
Burks was the newest receiver added to OU’s injured reserve on Thursday after also suffering an injury against Tennessee. Burks is the Sooners’ leading receiver with 26 receptions for 201 yards and three touchdowns. The next leading pass catcher is tight end Bauer Sharp with 14 catches and 116 yards.
So many injuries to OU receivers even influenced Brent Venables to switch cornerback Jacobe Johnson to wide receiver. And the Sooners are enduring all these injuries at receiver as freshman Michael Hawkins Jr. is set to make his first career start Saturday.
Freshman running back Taylor Tatum and defensive back Kendel Dolby were also injured last week. Tatum was ruled out on Thursday, while Dolby, who plays the cheetah position, will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on Wednesday. Fellow defensive back Gentry Williams was also ruled unavailable for Saturday.
The biggest shock of this week was kicker Tyler Keltner, who will be unavailable after an emergency appendectomy. Zach Schmit will presumably take over all kicking duties after participating in only kickoffs so far this season.
As for Auburn, the Tigers’ list is much shorter. Auburn will be without defensive backs Tyler Scott and Champ Anthony, as well as tight end Brandon Frazier. Defensive lineman Isaiah Raikes, kicker Alex McPherson and offensive lineman Izavion Miller are listed as probable.
WR Jayden Gibson, Out
LB Dasan McCullough, Out
WR Jalil Farooq, Out
WR Nic Anderson, Out
WR Andrel Anthony, Out
WR Deion Burks, Out
RB Taylor Tatum, Out
DB Gentry Williams, Out
DB Kendel Dolby, Out
OL Geirean Hatchett, Out
K Tyler Keltner, Out
OL Jake Taylor, Probable
DB Tyler Scott, Out
DB Champ Anthony, Out
TE Brandon Frazier, Out
DL Isaiah Raikes, Probable
K Alex McPherson, Probable
OL Izavion Miller, Probable
Veteran quarterback Payton Thorne will start for Auburn when No. 21 Oklahoma visits Jordan-Hare Stadium Saturday afternoon, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel Friday.
Thorne, the former Michigan State transfer, started 13 games for the Tigers last fall. He returned as the program’s starter in 2024 before he was replaced by redshirt freshman Hank Brown in Week 3. In Thorne, Auburn will have an experienced starter under center in Week 5 against a Sooners defense that leads the nation in turnovers (12) and ranks 28th in total defense this fall.
Auburn initially turned to Brown after Thorne threw a career-high four interceptions in a 21-14 home defeat to Cal on Sept. 7. Brown led the Tigers past New Mexico in his first career start in Week 3, but struggled against Arkansas last Saturday, completing 7-of-13 passes for 72 yards with three interceptions. After Auburn went scoreless before halftime, Thorne took over at quarterback in the second half of the 24-14 home loss, finishing 13-for-23 for 213 yards with two touchdowns and interception.
Both quarterbacks turned in strong weeks of practice ahead of this weekend’s visit from Oklahoma, but Auburn will go with Thorne Saturday, banking on his experience and the momentum he built in his relief work against Arkansas as the Tigers chase their first SEC win of 2024.
Auburn hosts the Sooners at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC in Oklahoma’s first SEC road game.
Friday’s Arkansas high school football scores (9/27/2024)
Colorado Golfer Intentionally Hits Balls At Elk
Honor Flight Connecticut brings 70 veterans to Washington, DC
Delaware Lottery Mega Millions, Play 3 Day winning numbers for September 27, 2024
ESPN College GameDay: Picks for Week 5, Georgia at Alabama
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
FLASHBACK: Arizona Dem Senate candidate called Trump voters 'dumb': 'Worst people in the world'
Eight killed in Russian drone attacks on medical centre in Sumy, Ukraine
A weakened Helene brings 'catastrophic' flooding as it crosses southern Appalachians
NC gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson hospitalized following 'incident' at campaign event
State of the Union: Zelenskyy's attempts to drum up new support
-
News1 week agoToplines: September 2024 Inquirer/Times/Siena Poll of Pennsylvania Registered Voters
-
Business1 week agoVideo: Federal Reserve Cuts Interest Rates for the First Time in Four Years
-
Business1 week agoCheaper Mortgages and Car Loans: Lower Rates Are on the Horizon
-
Politics1 week agoHouse committee to demand 'stonewalled' memo detailing Biden agency's 'curious' voter registration work
-
News7 days agoVideo: Who Are the Black Swing Voters?
-
Politics1 week agoDem lawmakers push bill to restore funding to UN agency with alleged ties to Hamas: 'So necessary'
-
Politics1 week ago'I've never seen this': Top Republican details level of Secret Service 'lack of cooperation'
-
News1 week agoElection 2024 Polls: Florida