Oklahoma
'Unreasonable': $250,000 for Okla. public schools inhaler funds stalled in OSDE
TULSA, Okla. — With thousands of kids headed back to class some state lawmakers are frustrated that every school won’t have emergency inhalers as those funds stalled in the Oklahoma State Department of Education.
The lawmakers said they approved the money to cover the cost of emergency inhalers for all Oklahoma public schools. It was sent to Governor Stitt’s office where he signed it into law.
But since then it’s struggled to actually go anywhere. For one Oklahoma family, it’s personal.
“Brendon was just an overall awesome kid. He grew up in Perry Oklahoma a small town. Loved sports, loved his faith and his family, but he tragically passed away at the age of 16 years old of an asthma attack,” said Brendon McLarty’s aunt Jennifer Blair.
She is also the executive director of the Brendon McLarty Memorial Foundation which helped sponsor the legislation.
“The lives and the hearts that have been affected as a result of something that we can fix. That we have funded that we have the ability to make these inhalers available so when these episodes happen,” said State Senator Chuck Hall.
He is one of the Oklahoma lawmakers trying to put inhalers in public schools with the help of the Brendon McLarty Memorial Foundation.
But the $250,000 allocated to the foundation stalled in the state Department of Education.
2 News talked to one of the bill’s authors Representative Mickey Dollens (D-Oklahoma City).
“Unreasonable for the Department of Education to hold up this money. Especially now that schools are going back into the classroom and that kids need this medicine without notice it needs to be on hand,” said Dollens.
After the bill was drafted it gained bipartisan support.
That approved the appropriation of a quarter of a million dollars to be given to the Brendon McLarty Foundation through OSDE.
However, that money was never distributed. Blair is not sure why the funds are being held.
“I honestly don’t know. We’ve been doing this for five years now. Providing inhalers, providing education, and out program really works. I mean last school year our inhalers were used 2,800 times in one school year,” said Blair.
In a letter to Attorney General Genter Drummond, State Superintendent Ryan Walters said he wants some clarity on distributing the funds.
Including whether to give the money all at once or in installments.
Walters also questions whether the legislature is favoring the Brendon McLarty Memorial Foundation over that of others.
Because he said the state can’t give any vendor preferential treatment.
LETTER TO AG DRUMMOND:
Oklahoma State Department of Education Oklahoma State Department of Education
Representative Dollens wasn’t surprised by the delay.
“They’ve had nine months, but this is a pattern of repeated behavior. Slow-playing elected officials not fulfilling grants. Not appropriating dollars where they should go. And it’s just an ongoing dysfunction that we’ve experienced unfortunately with the department of education,” said Rep. Dollens.
Blair hopes they get everything sorted out quickly and that no family has to lose their kid like they lost Brendon.
“I mean it’s been an honor to carry on Brendon’s legacy and to raise awareness about asthma,” said Blair.
2 News will continue to follow this story as it develops.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere —
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.
StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership of Oklahoma’s public radio stations which relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online.
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