Oklahoma
Stitt order creates an advisory council to develop guidelines to prevent terrorism
New Orleans looks to normalcy as it mourns New Year attack victims
Normalcy has begun to return to a stricken yet defiant New Orleans – after a U.S. Army veteran drove a truck into dozens of New Year’s Day revelers.
In the wake of the New Year’s Day terrorist attack on the famed Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued an executive order creating an advisory council of first responders and intelligence personnel in hopes of better protecting Oklahomans and state infrastructure from such an attack.
Stitt issued an executive order on Monday concerning the Secure Oklahoma NOW (Not on Our Watch) Initiative. He said Oklahoma Commissioner of Public Safety Tim Tipton would lead the advisory council.
In one of the largest domestic terrorist attacks in U.S. history, 168 people and three unborn children died as a result of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995, something Stitt noted.
“Sadly, Oklahomans are familiar with the devastating impact terrorists can have on our communities,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to stay vigilant and prepared. The Oklahoma Department of Public Safety will bring together experts from law enforcement, emergency management, and public safety to develop a comprehensive guide to protect our high-value targets and major events, ensuring we are always one step ahead.”
In addition to Tipton, the advisory council will feature the state’s secretary of public safety, Tricia Everest, who will supervise the initiative. Other members will be a sheriff from a county with a population above 500,000, a sheriff from a county with a population below 500,000, a police chief from a town or city with more than 100,000 residents, a police chief from a town or city with fewer than 100,000 residents, a chief from a university police department and a representative from the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security.
The only two counties with a population of more than 500,000 are Oklahoma and Tulsa counties. Only four Oklahoma cities — Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman and Broken Arrow — have a population above 100,000.
The 12-person council also will include the president of the Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association or their designee, the director of the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management or their designee, the director of the Oklahoma Counter Terrorism Intelligence Center or their designee and one at-large member appointed by the governor.
The council will create and publish a written guide of minimum security and safety protocols for use by public and private stakeholders responsible for managing large-scale events. According to Stitt’s order, the guide should reflect best practices and emerging strategies in public safety.
The first meeting of the council must be by Feb. 27, according to the order, and the first edition of the guide is scheduled to be published and submitted by May 30, with updates to be made annually.
“In our world today, it’s more important than ever to make sure our law enforcement is prepared for any situation,” Everest said. “We have been able to mitigate multiple threats with our effective partnerships between local, state and federal law enforcement. I appreciate the governor’s efforts to streamline those partnerships and ensure Oklahomans are safe regardless of the situation.”
Oklahoma
6 Oklahoma Sooners earn AP All-SEC Honors
The Oklahoma Sooners are readying themselves for the most crucial game of the season, and perhaps the Brent Venables era, when they host the Alabama Crimson Tide next Friday in the first round of the College Football Playoff. After a 10-2 season, which included a 6-2 mark in SEC play, six Sooners were named to the AP All-SEC teams.
That comes after 10 Sooners earned 11 All-SEC Honors as voted on by the coaches, and kicker Tate Sandell was named SEC Special Teams Player of the Year.
Selected to the first team were Sandell, punter Grayson Miller, and wide receiver Isaiah Sategna.
Sandell has the highest field goal percentage in the conference and has made all seven field goal attempts of 50 yards or more.
Miller is fourth in the nation, and first in the SEC, in punts downed inside the 20-yard line. Like Sandell, he’s been a special teams weapon for Brent Venables, helping Oklahoma win the field position battle in a number of their wins this season.
Sategna is tied for second in the SEC receptions with 65, yards with 948, and tied for fourth in the conference touchdowns. He’s been a big-play threat for the Sooners, especially in recent weeks. Sategna closed the season with back-to-back 100-yard days, giving him four on the season. He had more than 60 yards receiving in nine of Oklahoma’s last 10 games.
Earning second team honors for the Sooners were linebacker Owen Heinecke, defensive end R Mason Thomas, and defensive tackle Gracen Halton.
Thomas leads the Sooners with 6.5 sacks despite missing the final three games of the regular season, three and a half quarters vs. Tennessee (injury), and a half vs. Auburn (targeting suspension). He’s been a force each of the last two seasons, earning All-SEC second-team honors in 2024, and was a first-team selection as voted on by the league’s coaches this season.
Halton, like Thomas, was a member of Brent Venables first recruiting class in the 2022 cycle. He’s been awesome again this year, recording 3.5 sacks, seven tackles for loss, and 31 total tackles. He’s been a force in the middle, making life difficult in the running game and providing an interior pass rush for the Sooners.
Heinecke has been one of a number of breakout stars for Oklahoma as part of a great linebacker rotation. Heinecke is second on the team in total tackles and tackle for loss, behind only Kip Lewis, and has two sacks to his ledger as well. He’s come up big in key moments for Oklahoma, including the sack and forced fumble against Tennessee, which led to R Mason Thomas’ long touchdown return that changed the momentum of the game, and perhaps the season.
The Oklahoma Sooners have a talented roster and a number of players like Peyton Bowen, Kip Lewis, Eli Bowen, Courtland Guillory, Jaren Kanak, Febechi Nwaiwu, Taylor Wein, and David Stone who deserved inclusion on the All-SEC teams. Even still, six players and a host of players worthy of mention is a great thing for the Sooners as they get set to take on an Alabama Crimson Tide team that earned just three selections to the AP All-SEC teams.
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Oklahoma
Person dies after jumping from bridge near I-40 and I-35 in Oklahoma City
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) says a person died Tuesday after jumping from a bridge near the I-40 and I-35 interchange in Oklahoma City, prompting an ongoing law enforcement investigation.
Troopers say the response created traffic delays in the area as law enforcement worked the scene.
Drivers should expect delays and consider alternate routes until the scene is cleared, officials said.
OHP says more information will be released as the investigation continues.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Contemporary to host free ‘Polar Party’ event with winter activities
Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center is inviting families, children and community members to participate in its monthly Second Saturday program.
Organizers say Second Saturday is a free afternoon of hands-on art-making and gallery exploration held on the second Saturday of each month.
Families can enjoy guided activities, family-friendly gallery chats and take-home art experiences designed for all ages. Materials are provided at no cost, and no advance registration is required.
Periodically, the center expands the event into Second Saturday XL, which is a larger celebration featuring multiple art stations, performances and seasonal programming across the Oklahoma Contemporary campus.
The upcoming Second Saturday XL: Polar Party is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 13, from 1 p.m. 5 p.m.
Guests can take part in winter-themed projects, including wreath making, cookie decorating and snow-globe crafting, along with music, treats and additional family activities throughout the center.
See the full lineup of activities here.
All programming is free and open to the public.
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