Oklahoma
Oklahoma Senators Pass Preliminary 2025 Budget
The state senate has approved the preliminary state budget for 2025.
The $12.3 billion figure is the first number that will spark negotiations between the Senate, House, and Governor.
This is a major milestone of the state senate’s push for budget transparency this year.
Each state agency got the chance to meet with state senators this year, in an open meeting, to discuss their individual budget requests. In the past, these meetings have taken place behind closed doors.
Today, senate committee chairs read line-by-line the senate resolution continuing the preliminary state budget for 2025. “Today I’m not asking for a vote on the budget this year, I’m asking for a vote of confidence that we’ve done our due diligence, that these numbers are within our balanced budget and they are our beginning numbers,” said Sen. Roger Thompson, ( R) Senate Budget Chair.
Senators have laid out a preliminary state budget of $12.3 billion. The figure includes the $300 million that the grocery tax cut will cost the state and put $1.2 billion into the state’s savings account. “It is time that we look at the need to have a balanced budget recognizing there are other needs within the state,” said Sen. Thompson.
The budget had bipartisan support on the Senate floor, but still had three ‘no’ votes from Senate democrats.
“I do however remain concerned about protecting our key investments in education, public safety and mental health, and childcare,” said Sen. Carri Hicks, (D) OKC. “I believe this budget falls short of reducing maternal mortality, tackling the housing crisis, and ending child hunger.”
Senators Julia Kirt and Carri Hicks say they don’t think the budget meets the needs of Oklahomans. “Unfortunately, agencies were artificially constrained to tell us what they really need, we did see the executive branch limited what those agencies could request so saw a lot of flat budgets,” said Sen. Kirt, (D) OKC.
But, with overwhelming support from the Senate majority, the resolution is headed to the state house where the real negotiations begin. “Now we will turn and start finding where there is agreement on the budget with the other legs of the stool between the house, the governor, and the Senate to come up with a budget agreement,” said House Speaker Charles McCall.
Highlights from Senate budget proposal:
- Total Education: $5,705,903,603
- Total General Government and Transportation: $1,269,769,640
- Total Health and Social Services: $2,211,397,036
- Total Human Services: $923,744,407
- Total Natural Resources and Regulatory Services: $470,876,292
- Total Public Safety and Judiciary: $1,046,702,444
- Total State Agencies: $607,800,000
- Total FY’24 Supplementals: $92,450,000
The full Senate budget resolution document can be read below:
Oklahoma State and Houston have an odd tradition dating back to their matchup in 1986. Neither team has won two games in a row.
Since that game in Stillwater in 1986 the Cougars and the Cowboys have alternated victories. Houston won that game in Stillwater, 28-12. The Cowboys followed that with a win in Houston in 1987.
Then the Cougars won in 2006 in Houston, followed by an Oklahoma State win in Stillwater in 2008. The two teams met again in 2009 in Stillwater and Houston won.
That was followed in 2023 by Oklahoma State’s first visit to Houston in Big 12 action with the Cowboys claiming the victory. And, of course, there was Oklahoma State’s loss to Houston last year in Stillwater.
If things hold the form, Oklahoma State will beat Houston this October. But the Cowboys are going to have to overcome something that Houston does better than them.
What Houston Does Better Than Oklahoma State
Given that both teams have talented offenses and have the potential to dominate in the passing game, it’s safe to say that’s a draw. Same for the running game with Caleb Hawkins at Oklahoma State and the incoming Makhi Hughes at Houston.
So, it could come down to who can defend the pass the best. In that area, Houston would have a clear advantage.
In terms of yards allowed in the air last year Houston was No. 10 in the Big 12 and Oklahoma State was No. 13. There wasn’t much separating the pair. But Houston had 12 interceptions to Oklahoma State’s six, and much of that production is coming back in the form of three returning starters. Plus, the Cougars managed to replace some of the lost production with an impressive transfer.
Will James was an All-Big 12 cornerback last year who returns with three interceptions and five pass breakups in what was a breakthrough season for the junior. Both safeties are back after last season as well. Kentrell Webb is more of a ball-hawkish type safety who can also tackle (71 tackles, one interception) while Jordan Allen had 48 tackles and broke up two passes.
New corner Jalen Mayo replaces much of the lost production on the back end. The Stephen F. Austin transfer helped the Lumberjacks win the Southland Conference and an FCS playoff game as he picked off four passes. He’ll combine with James to build a formidable group of cornerbacks that can also count on another transfer, Javion White, in a 4-2-5 formation.
Game planning will be a bit easier for Oklahoma State since it plays the same 4-2-5 scheme. But, on paper, Houston’s secondary looks much better than Oklahoma State’s, which only has one returning starter in LaDanian Fields, who is a sophomore. Fields has two interceptions as a redshirt freshman. But transfers will make up for what else was lost last season.
Given the continuity on Houston’s side, it’s easy to see why their secondary is the thing they do better than Oklahoma State. Of course, the Cowboys have enough runway to nullify that advantage before they meet in October.
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Kentucky fans have been waiting all night to hear the name Otega Oweh called in the 2026 NBA Draft, and the wait is finally over. Oweh just went with the 41st pick to the Miami Heat, but his draft rights were traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder. This means Oweh will be joining Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Cason Wallace, who just two seasons ago won the NBA Championship.
The Thunder still have one of the best young cores in the NBA, and now they have added to it by bringing in the Kentucky star Oweh. This season for the Wildcats, Oweh led the team in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game to go with 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.8 steals.
When watching Oweh play, some might wonder how he didn’t go higher in the draft, but the goal for him early into his pro career will be to see if he can continue to develop his jump shot. Last year at Kentucky, Oweh shot 33.3% from deep, but fans felt a lot more confident when Oweh would shoot the three-point shot.
Oweh is a great defender who is going to thrive playing for the Thunder, who are a team that works harder than any other team on the defensive end of the floor. Oweh can be a player for the Thunder who can come off the bench and play really hard on the defensive end of the floor, taking away steals and getting to the rim.
When it comes to getting to the rim, there was no player in college basketball better than Oweh last season. He will be able to do this in the league, and if there is nothing there, he can kick the ball out to an open shooter. Being able to drive and kick in the NBA is very important, and I believe Oweh will do this at a high level.
The goal now for Oweh will be to play really well in the NBA Summer League to prove to the Thunder that he has to be on the team next season. While Oweh’s shooting issue doesn’t make him a prototypical NBA guard, BBN knows this kid can play. He will prove in the NBA Summer League that no team can stop him from getting to the rim. It will be great to see him paired with SGA and Wallace. The fit between the Thunder and Oweh makes a ton of sense, and he could make this roster.
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KOKH) — Oklahoma City fire crews responded to a commercial fire in SW Oklahoma City on Wednesday afternoon.
The Oklahoma City Fire Department said crews responded to a fire at a vacant restaurant near SW 29th and South Miller Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.
Crews extinguished the flames, which were shooting up through the roof, according to OKCFD.
No injuries were reported, and OKCFD is working to determine the cause of the fire.
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