Oklahoma

Weigh in: Readers respond with post-election priorities ― both state and national

Published

1 year ago

November 16, 2024

Weigh in: Readers respond with post-election priorities ― both state and national

Last week we asked readers to weigh in after the Nov. 5 election and offer their thoughts on what should come next.

President-elect Donald Trump is already busy naming members of his Cabinet and developing plans for when he takes office in January. The Oklahoma Legislature will be back in session in February.

On the national level, we asked about expectations for a second Trump presidency? What challenges should the president and Congress put first on their priority list?

On the state level, we asked for reader thoughts about more tax cuts, more money appropriated to improve prison conditions, provide more support for health and mental health care agencies and improve public schools.

Here are some of the comments we received:

What Trump should do

You asked what President Trump and the new congress should prioritize. Here is my list:

1. Close the border, we can’t afford massive immigration

2 .Drill, make the U.S. energy independent again and export oil

3. Strangle Iran financially

4. Stop massive spending that caused inflation

5. Back Israel with all they need to defeat Iranian proxies.

That’s enough though I could go on.

―Richard Perkins, Bethany

More money to improve highways

If 100% of state gasoline tax went to highways we could have better and possibly some new roads instead of being held hostage by the turnpike authority. Another thought would be to eliminate ODOT and hire a decent company to run the highway department. Maybe then every project would not end up with a bottleneck.

―Ken Seibel, Oklahoma City

Eliminate food insecurity

Oklahoma is one of the hungriest states in the nation. We need solutions! Food insecurity in Oklahoma affects all types of citizens: children, seniors, rural communities, and people living in food deserts. This is an important issue, as food insecurity can directly correlate to increased health issues costing our local economy money. Children suffer in school by not being able to focus due to hunger, and lack of economic growth in certain geographic locations. It is believed that Oklahomans facing food insecurity are needing more than $470 million in resources.

I spent two years working at the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in the childhood hunger programs. I have seen firsthand the impact that after school and summer feeding programs can benefit not only children but their families. Families shared that it was a stress relief knowing their child was being fed a healthy, nutritious meal and not have to worry where dinner was coming from. I have also seen firsthand how the rules and regulations set into place by United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE), the governing agencies of said programs, have limited who can participate, leaving out hungry Oklahomans.

Oklahomans deserve better. We must do better! I believe we need to gain support from OSDE to show Governor Stitt the importance of summer feeding programs and the need for Oklahoma to opt-in to the federal Summer EBT (electronic benefit transfer) program. The program would allow eligible households to receive up to $40 per summer month per eligible child. Oklahoma has two food banks in the state, so I believe they also need to lobby and advocate for the program so Governor Stitt has no choice but to opt-in. In July 2024, Gov. Stitt stated he did not opt-in to the program due to not having enough information on it and already giving $20 million in state money to local food banks. I believe if Gov. Stitt met with these families or came to these programs and saw firsthand how it impacts families, he would have to say yes to the program.

Being a social worker means we advocate for all our clients. Social workers see firsthand the impact that food insecurity can have on other aspects of life: work, school, and health. If social workers continue to advocate for a better Oklahoma, we will see a better tomorrow.

―Bethany McGarry, Edmond

Thoughts on the election

Nationally:

For me the top priority was the economy. Lower inflation and trying to bring down current prices. Does no good to lower inflation and keep current elevated grocery (and everything else) prices.

Woman for President: I have fought the “glass ceiling” for my whole career. Nothing would please me more than to vote for a strong, intelligent, capable, politically moderate woman for president. Sadly, the two candidates we have had come nowhere near an acceptable candidate given my criteria.

Goal for Trump in my view should be to help people manage by stopping people and drugs at the border, improving the economy for all and improving our defense against China, Russia and Iran.

Oklahoma:

I voted Democratic for state offices because the Republicans have turned on women and are too far right for my taste.

Goals for our state government should be to stop making hundreds of new laws each year, enforce the ones we have, trust and let women make their own decisions, keep church and state separated and IMPROVE public school education in this state. I realize that here with such a far-right Legislature, these goals will be hard to reach. But I can hope.

―Suzanne M. Rogers, Edmond

We’d welcome more of your thoughts. Send your commentary to yourviews@oklahoman.com. Please include your name and hometown.

Source link

Click to comment

Oklahoma

Neighbors sift debris, help each other after suspected Purcell tornado

Published

6 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Neighbors sift debris, help each other after suspected Purcell tornado

PURCELL — Jennifer Fox had just fed the pigs behind her house early in the morning Thursday, Jan. 8, and began getting ready for work before she and her two sons heard something hit her bedroom window.

“I said, ‘Is it hailing?” she said. “My oldest looked out the window and he saw our awning across the back. He said, ‘Mom, the awning’s gone.”

Fox looked out the window and saw debris everywhere. She said she didn’t hear tornado sirens, but she and her sons immediately took shelter in a closet. By that time, the suspected tornado had already passed through her neighborhood off of Johnson Avenue in Purcell.

At first, Fox didn’t think there was a tornado and attributed the damage and debris to strong winds.

But just one street over, the roof of one house had been destroyed. When she looked at the house behind hers, Fox said she knew a tornado had hit her neighborhood.

“I was thankful at the time,” she said. “I told my kids, I said, ‘It could’ve been a lot worse.’ We weren’t prepared, obviously. I really felt like it just barely missed us.”

Severe weather passed through central Oklahoma early Thursday morning, bringing reports of damage from a possible tornado in Purcell. The National Weather Service in Norman reported on social media that survey teams have found at least EF1 tornado damage in the Purcell area.

The Purcell Fire Department reported a tornado touched down in the city, causing roof damage to nine homes, a semi truck rollover accident on Interstate 35 with one injury and widespread power outages, downed trees and powerlines.

On Norte Street in Purcell, the suspected tornado wiped out the roof of a newly-built home, throwing debris onto the road, including a Christmas tree and blue ornaments. The houses across the street and next door were untouched.

Community members and local high school students gathered pieces of trash, plywood, insulation and other debris and hauled them off.

Next door to Fox, a man and a woman removed debris from their yard that appeared to have blown over from Fox’s house. Like a puppy, a tall brown horse followed the man as he picked up each piece of trash. Across the street, cattle laid in the middle of a field and watched as one person after another drove into the neighborhood to lend a hand.

About five miles northeast of Fox’s house, the suspected tornado knocked over a few powerlines near Purcell’s football stadium. A tree fell onto a small white house and took the tin roof off a large warehouse.

Ron Musgrave, the warehouse’s owner, lives six miles north of Purcell. He said he learned his property was damaged through a local news broadcast.

“They had the people out front and they had the helicopters, so I could see it,” Musgrave said. “They were flying over here. There’s a football field, and I thought, ‘Oh my gosh. If that’s the football field, that’s my warehouse.”

The retired home builder and property owner said he keeps building supplies in his warehouse and a black and white cat who’s in charge of exterminating any trespassing mice.

The cat was happy to see Musgrave as he surveyed the water damage inside of the warehouse. Though there was some wet spots, the roof took most of the impact.

“It’s a project,” Musgrave said with a smile. “I am down for it.”

Severe weather damage reported in Shawnee, Norman

Tree damage was reported in Cleveland County at 156th Street and East Tecumseh Avenue, according to Alyse Moore, Cleveland County communications director, along with damage to a car port and barn at 800 Moffatt Road north of Lexington.

Storm damage was also reported in Shawnee. Social media posts show damage to the Holiday Inn Express and Walmart Supercenter off of Interstate 40.

Source link

Oklahoma

Oklahoma Sooners add transfer portal offensive lineman to the roster

Published

18 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma Sooners add transfer portal offensive lineman to the roster

The Oklahoma Sooners made an under-the-radar transfer portal addition on Wednesday, bringing back a player who spent two seasons in Norman before transferring out last year.

Former Central Oklahoma offensive lineman Kenneth Wermy will be returning to play for OU out of the portal. Wermy played for the Sooners in 2023 and 2024 before spending 2025 at the NCAA Division II level with the Bronchos. He’ll add depth to an offensive line group that is in need of it after recent portal departures.

Wemry is a local product from Cache, Oklahoma, and he stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 315 pounds. The Sooners have been busy adding big names in the transfer market, but with a week and a half left until the portal closes, the focus may soon turn to retention and building back depth on the roster.

Oklahoma had a busy portal day on Wednesday, adding Wermy and former Michigan linebacker Cole Sullivan. However, Oklahoma also lost three players to the portal, in linebacker Sammy Omosigho, defensive back Jaydan Hardy, and wide receiver Zion Ragins.

Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Aaron on X@Aaron_Gelvin.

Source link

Oklahoma

Oklahoma bill aims to ban obscene materials in public school libraries

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Oklahoma bill aims to ban obscene materials in public school libraries

A local lawmaker is introducing a bill to prohibit obscene materials in Oklahoma public school libraries.

Rep. Chris Banning, R-Bixby, filed legislation this week, House Bill 2978, that would update state law and prohibit the acquisition of materials that meet Oklahoma’s legal definition of obscenity.

The bill removes references to subjective community standards and relies on established statute, according to Banning.

“This legislation provides a straightforward statewide rule that helps ensure school libraries stay within the definition of education,” Banning said. “According to Black’s Law Dictionary, education is defined as providing proper moral, intellectual and physical instruction.”

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Source link