THE ARTIST BEHIND THE WORK WITH GALLERY AMERICA THURSDAY EVENINGS AT SEVEN.

TULSA'S DEMAND PROJECT IS GIVING HOPE TO VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

THEY ARE VERY FOCUSED ON BRINGING AWARENESS AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE, NOT JUST HERE IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.

IT'S NOT THE NFL, BUT IT'S THE NEXT BEST THING.

COMING TO OKLAHOMA CITY IN 2028.

WHAT WERE THEY WERE BLOWN AWAY BY?

IS WHAT THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY AND THE MAPS FOR PROJECT WAS DOING WITH ECHO AND BUILDING THIS NEW DOWNTOWN STADIUM.

OKLAHOMA.

AUTHORS AND WRITERS ARE BEHIND THE PUSH FOR BETTER LITERACY RATES.

YEAH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IT TOO.

I MEAN, I THINK ANYBODY THAT'S TEACHING WRITING SEES IT.

OKLAHOMA SPACEPORT GETS A NEW NAME AS IT PREPARES TO TAKE FLIGHT IN TWO YEARS.

A VEHICLE LIKE AURORA GIVES YOU JUST THE TASTE OF SPACE.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN GET A FEW MINUTES OF MICROGRAVITY.

AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON HOW OIL VOLATILITY MIGHT IMPACT OKLAHOMA'S ECONOMY.

IT'S HAVING A DRAMATIC IMPACT.

WE'VE GONE FROM FAMINE TO FEAST, AND THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR US.

THOSE STORIES PLUS ROUTE 66, GETS THE BIG BOOT TO CELEBRATE ITS CENTENNIAL.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

HELLO EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M TAELYR JACKSON.

RICHLANDS WILL RETURN NEXT WEEK.

THE DEMAND PROJECT IS A TULSA NONPROFIT THAT HELPS THE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING RECLAIM THEIR LIVES.

AND NOW THEY'LL HAVE MORE SPACE TO HELP MORE PEOPLE.

ONR C SHAW HAS THE STORY.

WHENEVER I TALK TO STUDENTS AND I SAY, HOW MANY OF YOU IN HERE HAVE BEEN ASKED TO SEND NUDES?

ALMOST ALL OF THEM RAISED THEIR HANDS, AND THEN THEY'D TELL ME STORIES ABOUT HOW IT HAPPENS.

YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME.

I'M NOT KIDDING.

AS YOUNG AS TEN, 11 YEARS OLD.

KRISTEN WEISS CO-FOUNDED THE DEMAND PROJECT IN TULSA 13 YEARS AGO.

SHE SAYS HER DISGUST AND OUTRAGE INSPIRED HER TO ACT WHEN SHE SAW A TV NEWS STORY ABOUT A TWO YEAR OLD BOY IN COLORADO WHO WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED BY HIS FATHER, A FATHER WHO THEN SHARED PHOTOS OF IT ON THE INTERNET.

WHAT IS GOING ON?

WE KNOW ABOUT SEXUAL ABUSE, BUT WHO ARE THESE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WATCHING THIS AND FUELING THIS ONLINE?

ONLINE?

AND THAT WAS THE BIRTH OF THE DEMAND PROJECT.

WE WANT TO STOP THE DEMAND FOR KIDS, FOR SEX.

AND IN ORDER TO DO THAT, YOU HAVE TO STOP MEN AND WOMEN USING THEM AS A PRODUCT FOR SEX.

THIS PAST TUESDAY, THE DEMAND PROJECT OFFICIALLY MOVED INTO A NEW 7000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY ON SOUTH 78TH EAST AVENUE.

WEISS SAYS THE EXTRA SPACE NOW ALLOWS HER TO GIVE LARGER PRESENTATIONS TO SCHOOL KIDS, PARENTS, TEACHERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT ABOUT HOW TO MINIMIZE THE DISGUSTING PRACTICES OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO USE THE INTERNET TO SPREAD CHILD SEX.

I FEEL LIKE WE'RE IN THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, WHERE IN THE BIBLE BELT, THAT DOES NOT MEAN THERE'S NOT A LOT OF TROUBLE IN THE BIBLE BELT.

MAJOR HIGHWAYS RUNNING.

WE GOT MAJOR HIGHWAYS THAT GO ALL THE WAY AROUND IT.

THERE'S SUCH A CENTRALIZATION OF TULSA IN OKLAHOMA.

I'VE LEARNED TO REALIZE IT'S VERY PIVOTAL FOR US TO BE HERE.

VERY RECENTLY, THE TULSA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAID HIS OFFICE HANDLED ABOUT 50 CHILD SEX CASES A MONTH.

NOW THEY'RE HANDLING ABOUT 50 A WEEK.

WE'RE HANDING OUR CHILDREN THE WORLD WIDE WEB AND WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, HONEY, GO BE SAFE.

GO HAVE A GOOD DAY.

BUT YET WE'RE NOT SUPERVISING WHAT THEY'RE DOING ONLINE.

OUR SYSTEM IS SO STRESSED.

WE HAVE SO MUCH HAPPENING.

I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A POSITIVE WITHIN THAT HORRIFIC NEGATIVE BECAUSE THAT MEANS WE'RE IDENTIFYING IT MORE.

WEISS SAYS THE DEMAND PROJECT PARTNERS WITH THE SBI STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, AND THE TULSA COUNTY SHERIFF.

WHEN I FIRST BECAME SHERIFF, I ACTUALLY CREATED OUR CHILD PREDATOR UNIT TO DEAL EXCLUSIVELY WITH ONLINE PREDATORS.

AND I WILL TELL YOU, THEY FEEL ABOUT 400 CASES A MONTH.

AND THAT'S THAT'S BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE.

AND, YOU KNOW, SO IT'S A IT'S A PROBLEM THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

BUT IF WE DON'T START TAKING BABY STEPS, EVEN IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD OR DON'T HAVE THE PERSONNEL TAKE BABY STEPS.

I STARTED WITH ONE.

WE NOW HAVE THREE, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE BUILDING ON THAT DEAL.

THE SHERIFF SAYS THE DEMAND PROJECT, WHICH IS FUNDED BY PRIVATE DONORS, SPONSORSHIPS AND CAMPAIGNS, IS A VALUABLE RESOURCE.

IN THE PAST, WE WOULD MAKE ARRESTS ON THINGS LIKE THIS, BUT WE HAD NOWHERE TO TAKE THE CHILDREN.

WE HAD NOBODY WHO COULD TALK TO THE CHILDREN.

WE WEREN'T TRAINED FOR THAT.

AND SO IT'S EVOLVED.

WEISS SAYS THE DEMAND PROJECT HAS FIVE HOMES AND A CAPACITY OF 30 BEDS FOR GIRLS AGES 11 TO 17 WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

SHE SAYS RIGHT NOW, ONLY ONE OF THOSE FIVE HOUSES IS BEING USED WITH FIVE BEDS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH QUALIFIED STAFF MEMBERS.

I'M COMING TO THE COMMUNITY AND I'M ASKING FOR THE COMMUNITY TO DIG DEEP AND TO HELP US FIND THAT QUALITY STAFF, NOT QUANTITY.

I'M NOT INTERESTED IN FILLING THAT CAMPUS FULL OF BROKEN, ABUSED KIDDOS WITH BROKEN ABUSE STAFF.

THAT DOESN'T SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS.

THAT'S ONLY GOING TO CREATE MORE PROBLEMS.

SO I'D RATHER NOT FILL THE BEDS AND WAIT FOR THE QUALITY STAFF THAN FILL THE BEDS WITH THE WRONG STAFF.

ERICH ZÖLLNER IS AN OUTREACH OFFICER FOR THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

ARGUABLY, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE HELPS TO BRING MORE ATTENTION TO THIS SUBJECT THAN THE DEMAND PROJECT.

THEY ARE VERY FOCUSED ON BRINGING AWARENESS AND THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE STATE, NOT JUST HERE IN NORTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.

BRANDON BERRYHILL IS THE RECENTLY RETIRED POLICE CHIEF IN BROKEN ARROW.

AND REALLY ONLINE IS WHERE THE PREDATORS ARE.

I'M NOW TEACHING AT NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY, AND WE'VE HOSTED SEVERAL HUMAN TRAFFICKING EVENTS ON CAMPUS TO RAISE AWARENESS, INCLUDING THE THE PROJECT DEMAND.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF US PARENTS AREN'T AWARE THAT THROUGH GAMING SYSTEMS, THROUGH TABLETS AND CELL PHONES, THESE PREDATORS ARE REACHING OUT TO THESE KIDS AND MAKING CONTACT AND ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS.

IF I HAD A KID THAT WAS STILL IN SCHOOL, I WOULD SIT DOWN AND TALK TO THEM ABOUT WHERE THEY'RE GOING AND WHO'S TALKING TO THEM.

COMMUNICATION IS SO IMPORTANT AND SUPERVISION, YOU DON'T HAND THE KEYS TO A CAR TO YOUR 12 YEAR OLD AND SAY, GOOD LUCK ON THE HIGHWAYS OUT THERE.

AND YET WE HAND THE ENTIRE WORLD.

EVERY PREDATOR HAS ACCESS INTO A HOME NOW.

STEVE SHAW, THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT OIL PRICES CONTINUE TO RIDE A ROLLER COASTER UP ONE DAY, DOWN THE NEXT.

HOW IS THAT UNCERTAINTY IMPACTING OKLAHOMA'S OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY?

AND COULD A U.S.

BLOCKADE THOUSANDS OF MILES AWAY POTENTIALLY HELP ENERGY PRODUCERS HERE?

WELL, THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH MODERATOR SUSAN CADOTTE.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

A LOT OF THE SMALLER FLEETS THAT ARE GETTING SURCHARGES, THEY WILL GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

AND THEN WHEN IT DOES RETURN TO A NORMALIZED DIESEL MARKET, WHAT WILL HAPPEN THEN IS MORE OF A LONG TERM IMPACT.

FROM THIS RECENT CONFLICT.

YOU WILL HAVE A SUPPLY DEMAND IMBALANCE OF TRUCKS ON THE ROAD.

THOSE TRUCKS WON'T BE ABLE EXCUSE ME TO COME BACK OVERNIGHT.

YOU PAY IT ON THE WAY TO THE GROCERY STORE AND YOU PAY IT AT THE GROCERY STORE AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE TRUCK THAT WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO THE FIRST PLACE YOU MIGHT SEE THIS IN THE GROCERY STORE IS PROBABLY IN YOUR PERISHABLES.

YOU HAVE TOMATOES THAT, FOR INSTANCE, ARE COMING FROM SOUTH AMERICA, COMING ALL THE WAY UP, GOING THROUGH A PORT, GETTING ON A TRUCK THAT USES DIESEL THAT'S NOW EXORBITANT.

I MEAN, THIS IS SUCH A DRAMATIC EVENT, HISTORICAL.

IT'S NEVER HAD THIS BIG A SWING IN HISTORY.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMIC.

THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP LATER IN THE NEWSCAST ON APRIL 7TH, TULSA VOTERS APPROVED A $600 MILLION BOND PROPOSAL FOR THE TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT.

WELL, THIS WEEK I SPOKE WITH TPS LEADERS TO LEARN HOW THE FUNDS WILL BE USED.

TULSA HAS SPOKEN.

TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR EBONY JOHNSON AND HER TEAM HAVE SPENT THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE $609 MILLION BOND PROPOSAL.

IT'S MY FIRST BOND AS SUPERINTENDENT, BUT JUST KNOWING THAT TULSA HAS SUPPORTED OUR BONDS IN THE PAST GAVE ME A REASSURANCE THAT TULSA SUPPORTS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

THEY SUPPORT THE LARGEST SCHOOL DISTRICT IN TULSA.

AND SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT ENOUGH INFORMATION WAS OUT THERE SO THAT OUR PUBLIC COULD HAVE AN INFORMED DECISION, SHE SAYS.

THE DISTRICT DEVELOPED THE BOND PACKAGE WITH THE HELP OF THE COMMUNITY.

WE PUT OUT DATES FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO HOST US TO BE ABLE TO COME TO MEETINGS THAT ARE ALREADY CONDUCTED.

WE HELD OUR OWN MEETINGS AS WELL.

OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBERS ALSO CONDUCTED MEETINGS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, GATHERING INFORMATION BOTH ABOUT THE BOND AND STRATEGIC PLANNING WORK AND JUST WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WE DID A SURVEY OUT TO THE COMMUNITY, OUR OWN TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS TEAM MEMBERS, ALL OF OUR STAFF.

WE ALSO SURVEYED OUR FAMILIES.

THEY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUBMIT INFORMATION AS WELL AND COME TO ANY OF THE LISTENING SESSIONS AND OR FEEDBACK SESSIONS.

DURING THOSE COMMUNITY SESSIONS, STUDENTS MADE IT CLEAR THEY WANTED DRIVER'S EDUCATION CURRICULUM BACK IN SCHOOLS.

IT'S LIFE CHANGING FOR OUR STUDENTS.

DRIVER'S EDUCATION IS CRITICAL.

IT'S IMPORTANT.

WE USED TO HAVE IT, AND SO IT'S GOOD TO BRING IT BACK.

AND WE KNOW THAT OUR STUDENTS NEED THEIR LICENSES IN ORDER TO DO A LOT OF THINGS, NOT ONLY DRIVE, BUT ALSO FOR WORK AND FOR MANY OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'RE ATTEMPTING TO DO IN THEIR LIVES.

DRIVER'S ED IS A PART OF PROPOSITION FOUR, WHICH ALLOCATES 27.2 MILLION FOR TRANSPORTATION LIKE BUSSES AND SUPPORTING FLEET VEHICLES, 104.7 MILLION WILL BE USED FOR TECHNOLOGY NEEDS FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS, AS WELL AS CYBERSECURITY, DATA STORAGE AND OTHER SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY.

TODAY IS ONE THING.

AND THEN IN A FEW DAYS IT'S CHANGED AND SO WE HAVE TO KEEP UP WITH IT.

OUR STUDENTS DO A MUCH BETTER JOB OF KEEPING UP WITH ALL THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENING WITH TECHNOLOGY, AND THAN WE DO.

SO WE HAVE TO LIKE GET CAUGHT UP TO SPEED.

SO FOR AN EXAMPLE, WE KNOW THAT AS THEY USE THE EQUIPMENT THAT THEY'RE USING NOW, THEY USE CHROMEBOOKS IN OUR BUILDINGS.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT THEY HAVE REFURBISHED AND BRAND NEW, YOU KNOW, CURRICULUM AND MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY IN ORDER TO JUST KEEP UP.

WE KNOW OUR TEACHERS NEED VARIOUS TECHNOLOGY PIECES AS THEY'RE TEACHING.

AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO TURN ANY TEACHER DOWN FROM WHAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO TAKE OUR STUDENTS TO THE NEXT LEVEL, 276 MILLION IS ALLOCATED FOR IMPROVING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AROUND THE DISTRICT, AND 200.9 MILLION WILL GO TOWARDS STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE INSTRUCTIONAL LEARNING MATERIALS, STEM LABS, AND POST-SECONDARY READINESS AND CAREER ACADEMICS.

WE'RE EXCITED TO BE HAVING THESE CAREER PATHS NOW, AND A LITTLE MORE SPECIALTY IS WHAT WE'RE GOING TOWARD AT EACH ONE OF OUR HIGH SCHOOLS.

I THINK NOT ONLY WILL THAT DRAW STUDENTS INTO THE SCHOOLS THAT THEY'RE MOST INTERESTED IN WHAT THEY YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY OFFER.

BUT I ALSO THINK IT JUST GIVES KIDS A SENSE OF DIRECTION.

EARLIER, TULSANS VOTED YES FOR ALL FOUR PROPOSITIONS OF THE DISTRICT'S BOND PACKAGE.

AS OF JANUARY 2026, NEARLY 395,000 PEOPLE WERE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN TULSA COUNTY.

FOLKS ON THE OPPOSING SIDE HAVE ARGUED THAT THE DISTRICT MIGHT NOT BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL ISSUES IN THE PAST THAT WERE BROUGHT TO LIGHT IN AN AUDIT LAST YEAR BY STATE AUDITOR CINDY BIRD.

BUT BOARD MEMBER STACEY WOOLLEY SAYS TRANSPARENCY IS IMPORTANT TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.

WE STARTED WHAT WE CALL A STUDENT OUTCOMES FOCUSED GOVERNANCE MODEL IN TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN 2020, I BELIEVE, AND IT HAS REALLY HELPED US TO TIGHTEN IN ON WHAT THE FOCUS IS FOR THE ADMINISTRATION.

BUT IT HAS ALSO MADE US HAVE VERY PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING EVERY SINGLE MONTH AT OUR BOARD MEETINGS.

SO FOR PEOPLE WHO TRULY ARE PAYING ATTENTION, THEY WILL SEE THAT THE TRANSPARENCY IS THERE AND THE DISTRICT IS DOING THEIR PART IN PROVIDING MORE TRANSPARENCY TO THE PUBLIC AS WELL.

WE JUST REPORTED A LOT MORE.

WE CHANGED SOME OF OUR PROCESSES.

WE MADE A LOT MORE PUBLIC WITH OUR BOARD MEETINGS AND, AND, AND SO JUST DOING THOSE THINGS MATTERS SO MUCH TO THE PUBLIC AND THE COMMUNITY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE PEOPLE THAT DON'T ALWAYS HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND THE FACTS.

AND SO JUST TO CONTINUE TO REMIND EVERYONE OF THE CHANGE, THE CHANGES THAT ARE HAPPENING AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY IN TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

NOW, THE DISTRICT IS WORKING ON THE NEXT STEPS TO BRING THE PROJECT TO LIGHT.

OVERALL, TULSA LEADERS ARE OVERWHELMED BY THE SUPPORT THE DISTRICT HAS RECEIVED FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ARE EXCITED TO SEE THE IMPACT THIS WILL HAVE ON STUDENTS AND STAFF.

IT'S EXCITING THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO INVEST IN FOR OUR KIDS.

THE TEN FINALISTS FOR THE 2026 OKLAHOMA TEACHER OF THE YEAR RECEIVED A NICE SURPRISE WHEN THEY GATHERED AT THE STATE CAPITOL A WEEK AGO TODAY, THE MASON CHARITY FOUNDATION GAVE EACH OF THEM A CHECK FOR $1,500, AN UNEXPECTED BONUS AS THEY CONTINUE TO WORK HARD TO IMPROVE OKLAHOMA'S NATIONAL RANKING IN EDUCATION.

I FEEL GOOD ABOUT OKLAHOMA EDUCATION WHEN I GOT THESE KIND OF PEOPLE BEHIND ME.

I KNOW OUR KIDS ARE GETTING CARED FOR.

I KNOW THE PASSION THEY HAVE.

YOU KNOW, WE YES, WE'RE TIRED OF HEARING THE WORD 50TH.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT?

THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO TAKE US OUT OF THAT.

WE'RE WORKING HARD WITH THEM AND I KNOW THEY ARE TOO.

SO WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

BUT THIS WAS A GREAT GROUP.

IT WAS A GREAT TIME TO BE ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO THE PASSION, TO THE IDEAS AND THE PLANS THAT THEY HAVE FOR THEIR CLASSROOMS AND THEIR SCHOOLS.

MELISSA YVONNE, A CONSUMER SCIENCE TEACHER AT ELGIN HIGH SCHOOL, IS THE CURRENT OKLAHOMA TEACHER OF THE YEAR, AND THE 2026 TEACHER OF THE YEAR WILL BE REVEALED AT A GALA ON JUNE 5TH.

HERE'S A LIST OF ALL THE TEN FINALISTS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY COME FROM DISTRICTS LARGE AND SMALL ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, AND THEY ALSO TEACH A WIDE VARIETY OF SUBJECTS, INCLUDING STEM GEOMETRY, BIOLOGY, SPECIAL EDUCATION, AND MANY OTHERS.

THE FINALISTS HAVE ALSO BEEN SELECTED FOR THE 37TH ANNUAL OKLAHOMA BOOK AWARDS.

THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON MAY 16TH AT THE OKLAHOMA HISTORY CENTER.

NOAH MACK JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON WHY HONORING GREAT WRITERS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.

NOAH.

WELL, TAELYR, THE HOUSE PASSED A BILL THIS WEEK TO STRENGTHEN LITERACY RATES IN OKLAHOMA, AND WITH YOUNG PEOPLE BEING LESS AND LESS INCLINED TO READ, THESE OKLAHOMA AUTHORS AND EDITORS WEIGH IN ON THE HOPES FOR A WIND OF CHANGE.

IT'S VERY MUCH THE BRIDGE APPEARS AS YOU BEGIN TO WALK ACROSS IT.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW A PLOT DEVELOPS.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT ON THE BRIDGE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THAT SERENDIPITY, THOSE MOMENTS OF THINGS OCCURRING TO YOU THAT ONLY HAPPEN WHEN YOU'RE DEEP IN A STORY.

HUMANS MAKE SENSE OF THEIR WORLD THROUGH STORIES.

AND THE 37TH ANNUAL OKLAHOMA BOOK AWARDS IS RECOGNIZING A SLATE OF STORIES THAT MAKE SENSE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

I THINK THE THING THAT FICTION DOES THAT NOTHING ELSE CAN DO IS PUT YOU INSIDE THE HUMAN BODY IN A MOMENT.

ACROSS SIX CATEGORIES, THE OKAY BOOK AWARDS FINALISTS FEATURE OKLAHOMA WRITERS AND STORIES LIKE LOW APRIL SUN, A FICTION NOVEL ABOUT THE 1995 BOMBING OF THE ALFRED P MURRAH BUILDING THAT CHRONICLES THE GRIEF OF TWO PEOPLE WHO SEEMINGLY LOST A LOVED ONE IN THE BOMBING AND THE MYSTERY SURROUNDING THAT DEATH.

IT'S NOT JUST SORT OF A HISTORICAL OVERVIEW OF THE EVENT, IT'S BEING WITH PEOPLE AS THEY WOKE UP THAT MORNING NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

AND EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD PICTURE BOOK.

IN THE ILLUSTRATION, PHOTOGRAPHY AND DESIGN CATEGORY, SHANNON SHORE DUTY AND THE OSAGE NEWS TEAM ARE NOMINATED FOR THEIR PHOTO BOOK DOCUMENTING THE OSCAR NOMINATED FILM KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON.

THIS IS THE COVER THE BOOK TAKES YOU BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE HOLLYWOOD FILM THROUGH THE LENS OF THE OSAGE PEOPLE, AND FOR SHANNON AND MANY OTHERS, THE BOOK IS A RECLAMATION AND REINVIGORATION OF OSAGE ICONOGRAPHY.

OUR PEOPLE HAVE BEEN PHOTOGRAPHED AND PAINTED FOR OVER 100 YEARS.

SINCE WE DIDN'T DOCUMENT OURSELVES IN ANY WRITTEN FORM.

YOU KNOW, PRIOR TO, YOU KNOW, THE THE LATE 1800S, WE THIRST FOR IMAGES OF US BEFORE WE WERE IMPACTED BY COLONIALISM, BY WESTERN CULTURE.

THE CATEGORY STACKED WITH THE MOST FINALISTS IS NONFICTION, WITH EIGHT CONTENDERS.

TULSA WORLD REPORTER RANDY KREBS.

TULSA 2021 IS A SNAPSHOT OF THE CITY AMIDST BROILING POLITICS DURING A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC AND THE ADVENT OF A HUNDRED YEARS SINCE THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE.

I WOULD HOPE THAT ONE THING IT WOULD DO IS GET PEOPLE INTERESTED IN HOW THINGS THAT HAPPENED LONG AGO INTERTWINE THAT WITH THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING NOW OR IN THE RECENT PAST, IT KIND OF GOES BACK TO THE FAULKNER LINE ABOUT THE PAST IS NEVER PAST.

THAT SENTIMENT IS TRUER THAN EVER IN THE CASE OF RACHEL CAROLINE EATON, OR, AS THE EDITORS OF HER BOOK LIKE TO CALL HER AUNT CALLIE.

CALLIE WROTE THE MANUSCRIPT, SENT IT TO YOU, UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS, AND IT WAS DECLINED.

IT WAS, AMONG OTHER THINGS, IT WAS CONSIDERED TOO PRO CHEROKEE.

EATON IS WIDELY CONSIDERED THE FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN FROM OKLAHOMA TO HOLD A PHD AND PUBLISHING HER BOOK, THE HISTORY OF THE CHEROKEE NATION IS THE RESULT OF A MULTIGENERATIONAL EFFORT SPANNING CLOSE TO 90 YEARS.

THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT WAS PASSED DOWN HER LINEAGE TO MARTHA BERRY.

SHE MARRIED HER HUSBAND, DAVID BERRY, A NEWSPAPER EDITOR, AND IN THE 90S, THEY STARTED THE TASK TO DIGITIZE EATON'S WORK.

YEARS LATER, THEY EVENTUALLY GOT IN TOUCH WITH ANOTHER DESCENDANT, PATRICIA DAWSON, A PROFESSOR OF NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY WHO HELPED FINE TUNE THE BOOK.

IT'S JUST BEEN REALLY GREAT TO BE WORKING WITH Y'ALL ON THIS PROCESS, AND I KNOW ANNE KELLY WOULD BE VERY, VERY HAPPY.

I TRULY WOULD BE.

YEAH.

IT DETAILS THE CHEROKEE PEOPLE BEFORE COLONIAL CONTACT THROUGH TO OKLAHOMA STATEHOOD, AND EVEN INCLUDES EATON'S OWN ACCOUNTS ON THE STRUGGLES OF CHEROKEE SOVEREIGNTY.

WHEN SHE WROTE IT, SHE WAS WRITING IT FROM A PERSPECTIVE OF SEEING THE CHEROKEE NATION FADE INTO OBSCURITY, AND I THINK SHE'D BE BLOWN AWAY BY THE THE FACT THAT IT'S COMING OUT NOW, ALL THESE YEARS LATER, AND IT'S BEING RECOGNIZED THAT PEOPLE ARE READING IT AND SAYING, THIS IS VALUABLE.

AS VALUABLE AS READING IS, A GROWING NUMBER OF OKLAHOMA STUDENTS ARE FAILING TO READ AT A BASIC LEVEL, AND THE STATE REMAINS AT THE BOTTOM OF EDUCATION RANKINGS.

TO ADDRESS THIS, THE OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE IS STEPS AWAY FROM APPROVING A BILL AIMED AT BUMPING UP LITERACY RATES.

27% OF OKLAHOMA THIRD GRADERS CANNOT READ AT A THIRD GRADE READING LEVEL.

AND FRANKLY, THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.

AUTHORED BY SPEAKER KYLE HILBERT, SENATE BILL 1778 OVERWHELMINGLY PASSED THE HOUSE ON MONDAY BY A VOTE OF 87 TO 5.

THE BILL SEEKS TO IDENTIFY AND IMPROVE READING DEFICIENCIES EARLIER THROUGH SCREENING, TEACHER TRAINING AND MORE AT HOME RESOURCES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS WHO CAN'T READ, AND SO IF YOU SEND A BOOK HOME WITH A STUDENT WHO'S IN THE FIRST GRADE AND THE PARENTS CAN'T READ IT TO THEM, WHAT GOOD IS THAT BOOK?

RIGHT?

BECAUSE THE CHILD CAN'T READ IT AND THE ADULT CAN'T READ IT.

HOWEVER, IF WE'RE ABLE TO SEND HOME MATERIALS THAT ARE IN THE CHILD'S READING RANGE WHERE THEY CAN READ, THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE BETTER ADVANCEMENTS AND ALSO MAKE THOSE ADVANCEMENTS AT HOME.

AND DETERIORATING LITERACY RATES IS SOMETHING DOCTOR SQUIRES SEES FIRSTHAND.

AS A CREATIVE WRITING PROFESSOR.

YEAH, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IT TOO.

I MEAN, I THINK ANYBODY THAT'S TEACHING WRITING SEES IT FOR THESE LITERARY ENTHUSIASTS.

THEY STILL SEE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL.

WE SEE THE WORLD THROUGH STORIES, AND THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT FOUNDATION FOR OUR EDUCATION.

AND IN INDIGENOUS EDUCATION, LIKE AROUND THE FIRE, LIKE WITH WHAT AUNT CALLIE TALKED ABOUT WITH HER GRANDMA BEING A FIRESIDE HISTORIAN, YOU KNOW, TELLING THOSE STORIES AT NIGHT.

AND THAT'S HOW SHE BECAME AN EDUCATOR AND HISTORIAN.

YOU CAN WATCH A MOVIE, YOU CAN WATCH SHOWS, BUT THEY CAN'T TAKE YOU INSIDE A CHARACTER IN THE SAME WAY.

AND PEOPLE NEED THAT.

THAT'S WHY WE THAT'S WHY WE NEED STORY.

SO I'M ULTIMATELY OPTIMISTIC.

IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE REST OF THE FINALISTS, YOU CAN SEARCH FOR THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARIES WEBSITE.

THE OKLAHOMA BOOK AWARDS WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, MAY 16TH, TAELYR NOAHH.

THANKS AS WE DO EACH WEEK DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IT'S NOW TIME TO RECAP THE ACTIVITY AT 23RD AND LINCOLN.

JASON DOYLE IS TEAMING UP THIS WEEK WITH QUORUM CALL PUBLISHER SEAN ASHLEY AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

TAELYR.

THANK YOU, SEAN ASHLEY, JOINING US FROM OUR OETA STUDIO ON THE GROUND FLOOR.

AND, SEAN, THIS WEEK, LAWMAKERS APPROVED SWEEPING REFORMS TO LITERACY STANDARDS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WHAT CHANGES?

THIS HAS BEEN A CENTRAL FOCUS OF LAWMAKERS THROUGHOUT THE SESSION.

AND SENATE BILL 1778 IS THE FRUIT OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS.

THE BILL INCLUDES EARLY IDENTIFICATION OF READING DEFICIENCIES THROUGH REGULAR STATEWIDE SCREENING, TARGETED INTERVENTIONS BASED ON THE SCIENCE OF READING.

CLEAR COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS ABOUT THEIR CHILD'S READING PROGRESS AND AVAILABLE AT HOME SUPPORTS ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURES TO ENSURE STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE READING ABILITY BEFORE ADVANCING TO THE NEXT GRADE.

EXPANDED TEACHER TRAINING AND NEW REQUIREMENTS AND ACCOUNTABILITY FOR COLLEGES OF EDUCATION.

PREPARING FUTURE TEACHER CANDIDATES.

GOVERNOR STITT PUT PEN TO PAPER AND SIGNED THE NEXT STATE BUDGET ON WEDNESDAY.

WHAT'S LEFT TO COMPLETE THE JOB?

WELL, THAT'S RIGHT, THAT GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL, SENATE BILL 1177, INCLUDES FUNDING FOR THE LITERACY PROGRAM.

WE WERE TALKING ABOUT WHAT LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN DOING THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS IS PUTTING IN PLACE THE BUDGET LIMIT BILLS THAT TELL THE VARIOUS AGENCIES HOW TO SPEND THE MONEY THAT THEY RECEIVE IN THE GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILLS.

THOSE BILLS WERE HEARD TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, AND ALL OF THOSE ARE NOW HEADED TO THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS CONSIDERATION AS WELL.

SEAN, A HOUSE BILL IS ADVANCED THAT WOULD CREATE DREAM ACCOUNTS FOR CHILDREN UNDER 18.

EXPLAIN WHAT THOSE ARE AND WHY SOME DEMOCRATS HAVE CONCERNS.

WELL, THESE ARE ACCOUNTS THAT WORK HAND IN HAND WITH THE SO-CALLED TRUMP ACCOUNTS THAT WERE CREATED BY HOUSE RESOLUTION ONE.

THE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL THAT PASSED THAT WAS PASSED BY FEDERAL LAWMAKERS LAST YEAR.

UNDER THE STATE LEGISLATION, PARENTS OF NEWBORNS MAY APPLY TO CREATE AN ACCOUNT, AND THEY WILL RECEIVE $250 FROM THE STATE TO BE PLACED IN THEIR TRUMP ACCOUNT, WHICH THEIR CHILD WILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS WHEN THEY TURN 18 YEARS OLD.

LAWMAKERS APPROPRIATED $12.5 MILLION FOR THE PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS.

DEMOCRATS ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE SOME OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE PROGRAM AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL HAVE NOT BEEN WORKED OUT, AND THE STATE IS DEPENDING ON THAT FOR ITS OWN PROGRAM.

ONE OF THE QUESTIONS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS EXACTLY WHO WILL HOLD THAT MONEY?

CURRENTLY, THE PROGRAM IS BEING RUN THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY AND THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE.

BUT EVENTUALLY IT'S ASSUMED THAT FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS WILL BE HOLDING THOSE FUNDS.

AND DEMOCRATS WONDERED WHICH ONES WOULD BE DOING THAT.

OVER IN THE SENATE, LAWMAKERS PASSED TWO BILLS WHICH ASK VOTERS TO CHANGE THE MEDICAID EXPANSION.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO?

WELL, ONE OF THE BILLS PULLS MEDICAID EXPANSION OUT OF THE OKLAHOMA CONSTITUTION AND PUTS IT IN STATUTE, WHICH GIVES LAWMAKERS THE ABILITY TO AMEND IT IF THEY WANT TO DO SO.

THE SECOND PROPOSAL WOULD ALLOW LAWMAKERS TO REDUCE THE STATE CONTRIBUTION TO MEDICAID EXPANSION.

IF THE FEDERAL MATCH DROPS BELOW 90%.

NOW, THERE WAS SOME HUBBUB IN THE SENATE WITH THE SPECIAL ELECTION CALL ON ONE OF THOSE BILLS.

SO CURRENTLY, IT LOOKS LIKE ONLY ONE OF THE PROPOSALS WILL ACTUALLY BE ON THE BALLOT THIS YEAR.

SEAN, STAYING IN THE SENATE, THE SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE APPROVED A REFORM TO THE FELONY THEFT LIMIT.

WHAT HAPPENED THERE WHEN VOTERS APPROVED STATE QUESTION 780 IN 2016, THEY INCREASED THE LIMIT FOR FELONY THEFT TO $1,000.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE EVERY YEAR SINCE, THERE HAVE BEEN PROPOSALS TO MOVE THAT TO A LOWER LEVEL.

HOUSE BILL 4106 CONTAINS THE LATEST EFFORT TO DO THAT, WHICH WOULD REDUCE IT DOWN TO $900.

THE BILL PASSED THE SENATE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE AND IS NOW HEADED TO THE FULL SENATE FOR POSSIBLE CONSIDERATION.

SEAN ASHLEY, PUBLISHER OF QUORUM CALL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US AND KEEPING US INFORMED ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE CAPITOL.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

THE OKLAHOMA SPACE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS RENAMED AND REBRANDED ITS FLAGSHIP PROPERTY IN BURNS FLAT.

IT WILL NOW BE KNOWN AS THE INFINITY ONE OKLAHOMA SPACEPORT.

THE FACILITY WILL BE FULLY OPERATIONAL BY 2027, AND WILL ALLOW COMPANIES AND UNIVERSITIES TO CONDUCT RESEARCH ABOARD THE AURORA SPACE PLANE OPERATING AT THE EDGE OF SPACE.

HOW CAN WE ENSURE THAT OUR RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, OUR UNIVERSITIES, OUR OTHER RESEARCH PROGRAMS ACROSS THE STATE HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAP INTO THIS NEW SPACE FLIGHT ACTIVITY THAT'S GOING TO BE COMING TO OKLAHOMA IN 2027.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS RUNWAY TO SPACE COMPETITION THAT WE ARE PARTNERING WITH DON ON THESE FIRST 25 FLIGHTS.

THEY'RE GOING TO BE OFFERED TO OKLAHOMA INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS AS THE LEAD ENTITY.

YOU KNOW, HUMANITY'S NEVER BEEN ABLE TO ACCESS OVER 100KM ALTITUDE MULTIPLE TIMES A DAY.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH THAT?

YOU CAN DRAMATICALLY ACCELERATE THE RATE OF, OF SCIENCE.

YOU KNOW, THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION ALREADY HAS A LOT OF SCIENCE GOING ON UP THERE, BUT IT TAKES YEARS TO GET ON STATION AND TENS OF MILLIONS, IF NOT HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS GOES INTO THOSE SORTS OF EXPERIMENTS EVERY YEAR.

POWELL SAYS THE COMPANY IS AIMING FOR 100 AURORA SPACE FLIGHTS IN ITS FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION.

WELL, IT'S NOT THE NFL, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL, IT'S THE NEXT BEST THING.

IN THE SPRING OF 2028, THE UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE WILL DEBUT A TEAM HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN WHY 2028 IS SHAPING UP TO BE A HISTORIC YEAR FOR SPORTS IN OUR CAPITAL CITY.

JASON TAELYR OKLAHOMA CITY IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST EXPANSION TEAM FOR THE UFL, WHICH WAS FOUNDED IN 2023 WHEN THE NEW PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM TAKES THE FIELD IN 2028, IT WILL BE ONE OF SEVERAL SPORTS EVENTS BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE STATE.

WE FIRST GET TO THE STATION, WE DO TRUCK CHECKS, SO WE GO OVER, MAKE SURE THERE'S FUEL, WATER EQUIPMENT'S OPERATIONAL.

THAT'S ARCADIA FIRE CHIEF BRIAN PAUL OUTLINING WHAT IT TAKES TO GET READY TO FIGHT FIRES IN THIS NORTHERN OKLAHOMA COUNTY TOWN.

HE LOVES THE JOB.

I REALLY ENJOY BEING FIRE CHIEF OUT HERE.

THE THE WE'VE GOT A GREAT, GREAT CREW OF 17 MEMBERS NOW, VERY SUPPORTIVE TOWN HALL.

THEY JUST SUPPORT US AND THE CITIZENS ARE GREAT.

BUT JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, PAUL WAS WEARING A DIFFERENT KIND OF UNIFORM.

I PLAYED TIGHT END FOR OKLAHOMA CITY JAGUARS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

ARCADIA FIRE CHIEF WAS A SEMI-PRO FOOTBALL PLAYER AND STARTED PLAYING AT THE AGE OF 44 YEARS OLD.

I WENT AND TRIED OUT AND JUST I MADE THE TEAM AND THE REST IS HISTORY.

I WAS THE THE OLDEST PLAYER FOR THAT.

PLAYED FOR THE OKLAHOMA CITY JAGUARS IN THE TEAM'S HISTORY.

PAUL GOT EXCITED WHEN HE HEARD THAT OKLAHOMA CITY WAS GETTING AN EXPANSION TEAM IN THE UFL.

I THINK A NEW PROFESSIONAL TEAM COMING TO OKLAHOMA CITY IS JUST A GREAT THING FOR THE.

FOR THE CITY AS WELL AS THE STATE.

THE UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT APRIL 9TH THAT IT WAS COMING TO OKLAHOMA CITY.

THE IDEA HAD BEEN IN THE WORKS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE FROM MY TIME IN NEW YORK CITY CALLED AND SAID, HEY, WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT DISCUSSING OKC AND THE IDEA OF HAVING A A UFL TEAM COME PLAY IN THE NEW DOWNTOWN STADIUM.

AND THAT STARTED A ALMOST TWO YEAR COURTSHIP THAT WE SPENT TIME WITH THE LEAGUE OFFICE.

CORTREZ IS THE PRESIDENT OF OKC FOR SOCCER AND SAYS DURING THOSE TWO YEARS, THERE WERE LOTS OF VISITS BY LEAGUE OFFICIALS FROM NEW YORK.

EVEN BOB STOOPS HELPED CONVINCE THE UFL THAT OKLAHOMA CITY WAS A GREAT PLACE TO GROW.

WHILE HE WAS THE HEAD COACH FOR THE NFL'S DALLAS RENEGADES, HE SAYS OKLAHOMA CITY'S INVESTMENT INTO CAPITAL PROJECTS LIKE THE MAPS FOR MULTI-PURPOSE STADIUM AND ITS FOOTBALL FAN BASE, CLOSED THE DEAL.

THOSE TWO INGREDIENTS DID THE SELLING FOR US WHEN THE UFL EXECUTIVES, THE PRESIDENT, THE LEADERSHIP, DARYL MOOSE JOHNSON AND RUSS BRANDON CAME TO TOWN, THEY ALREADY KNEW OF THE PASSION THAT OKLAHOMA HAS FOR FOOTBALL.

BUT WHAT THEY WERE BLOWN AWAY BY IS WHAT THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY AND THE MAPS FOR PROJECT WAS DOING WITH ECHO AND BUILDING THIS NEW DOWNTOWN STADIUM.

ECHO INVESTMENTS IS THE OWNERSHIP GROUP OF OKC FOR SOCCER AND THE INCOMING UFL FRANCHISE.

IT'S ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY TO DEVELOP THE AREA AROUND THE MULTI-PURPOSE STADIUM.

WE'LL BREAK GROUND OFFICIALLY AND IN JUNE LATER THIS YEAR, AND THEN IT WILL BE A VERY QUICK BUILD UNTIL WE OPEN IN THE WINTER OF 2027 2028.

THAT STADIUM WILL OPEN A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THE CONTINENTAL COLISEUM, WHICH IS ALSO UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

IT WILL BE WHERE THE THUNDER PLAY STARTING IN 2028.

OKLAHOMA CITY ALSO WILL HOST SOFTBALL AND CANOE SLALOM EVENTS DURING THE 2028 SUMMER OLYMPICS.

I THINK 2028 IS GOING TO BE A PHENOMENAL CELEBRATION YEAR FOR THE STATE.

IN PARTICULAR, I HAVE TO GIVE CREDIT TO MAYOR HOLT AND THE VISION OF THE MAPS FOR COMMITTEE IN OKLAHOMA CITY TO INVEST IN THEMSELVES AND INVEST IN THIS DOWNTOWN STADIUM THAT IS MORE THAN A HOME FOR SOCCER.

THIS IS A HOME FOR THE UFL, FOR CONCERTS, FOR PBR RODEO.

IF IT FITS IN A RECTANGULAR BUILDING, WE'RE GOING TO BRING IT TO OKLAHOMA CITY.

ONCE I SAW THE UFL, I GO, OKAY, THIS MAKES SENSE.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT DEFINITELY OKLAHOMA CAN HANDLE.

SPORTS JOURNALIST MICHAEL KINNEY HAS BEEN FOLLOWING OKLAHOMA SPORTS FOR YEARS.

HE SAYS THE SPRING FOOTBALL SEASON OF THE UFL IS A GOOD FIT.

THE UFL IS ACTING LIKE IT'S A HOME RUN, AND I BELIEVE THE RIGHT.

I THINK IT'S A. THAT IT'S THE RIGHT MODEL CITY FOR THE TYPE OF TEAM THAT THEY'RE TRYING TO BRING IN.

KINNEY NOTES THAT ECHO INVESTMENTS AND THE OKC FOR SOCCER ORGANIZATION IS ON ITS WAY TO CREATE A SYNERGY, WHICH WILL PROMOTE BOTH SOCCER AND FOOTBALL IN DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY.

I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO HELP EACH OTHER, BECAUSE THOSE WHO MAY HAVE BEEN STRICTLY SOCCER FANS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ALL INTO FOOTBALL, AMERICAN FOOTBALL.

AND SO NOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE POSTERS UP AT THE STADIUM FOR BOTH.

CAN I TWIST YOUR ARM INTO MAYBE LETTING US KNOW WHAT THE MASCOT AND THE NAME OF THE TEAM IS GOING TO BE?

WELL, I APPRECIATE IT, JASON, BUT YOU LIKE THE THOUSANDS OF FANS THAT GAVE INPUT WHEN WE ASKED THEM ABOUT NAMING THE TEAM.

WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL LATER THIS YEAR, BUT BUT BE ASSURED THAT THE NAME, THE NEW BRANDING, THE IMAGERY THAT GOES WITH IT WILL BE OUT INTO THE PUBLIC LATER THIS YEAR, HE SAYS.

FANS CAN REST ASSURED THE OKLAHOMA CITY FOOTBALL TEAM WILL PRODUCE A HIGH QUALITY PRODUCT ON THE FIELD.

THE UFL HAS FOUND A PHENOMENAL SPOT.

IT IS FULLY PROFESSIONAL.

THESE ARE GREAT PLAYERS, THE BEST PLAYERS IN COLLEGE THAT DON'T QUITE MAKE THE NFL.

OR MAYBE THEY WERE ON AN NFL ROSTER BUT DIDN'T MAKE IT THE NEXT TIME AROUND.

OUR FRIEND CHIEF PAUL IS READY FOR THE NEW BRAND OF FOOTBALL COMING TO OKLAHOMA CITY IN TWO YEARS, AND BELIEVES IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FOOTBALL PLAYERS IN OKLAHOMA.

JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO PLAY A GAME THAT THEY LOVE AND ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS.

YOU KNOW, DOING DOING THAT I THINK IS GOING TO BE A DREAM COME TRUE FOR A LOT OF YOUNG, YOUNG MEN HERE THAT THAT JUST LOVE TO PLAY FOOTBALL.

THE UFL WAS FORMED BY A MERGER OF THE XFL AND THE UNITED STATES FOOTBALL LEAGUE IN 2023, PLAYING THEIR FIRST SEASON IN 2024.

THE LEAGUE CURRENTLY HAS EIGHT TEAMS AND OKLAHOMA CITY SO FAR IS THE ONLY NAMED EXPANSION TEAM.

AND IN BUSINESS NEWS, AN OKLAHOMA CITY COMPANY WINS A GRANT TO HELP DETECT LUPUS IN EARLIER STAGES.

DETAILS IN THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED PROJECTTECH DIAGNOSTICS HAS BEEN AWARDED A GRANT FROM THE OKLAHOMA CENTER FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, OR CAST, TO HELP BRING A LUPUS BLOOD TEST TO MARKET.

THE INDUSTRY INNOVATION GRANT WILL HELP THE COMPANY FURTHER DEVELOP ITS LUPUS CLASSIFICATION RISK BLOOD TEST, WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN EARLIER DIAGNOSIS.

FOR SOME PEOPLE, THE AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE IS OFTEN DIAGNOSED AFTER ORGANS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY LUPUS.

ELMORE CITY BASED OLD GLORY BANK IS REPORTING THAT MARCH BROUGHT A 350% INCREASE IN HOME LOAN CLOSINGS FOR THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTION.

THAT'S COUNTER TO A NATIONWIDE DECLINE IN MORTGAGE LENDING ACTIVITY.

THE INCREASED LOAN ACTIVITY COULD PUSH OLD GLORY BANK TO RECORD MORTGAGE LENDING VOLUMES THIS YEAR, OKLAHOMA CITY BASED BANK SEVEN CORPORATION REPORTS.

THE FIRST QUARTER OF THIS YEAR, THEY REACHED RECORD EARNINGS PER SHARE AND RECORD NET INCOME.

PROFITS TOTALED MORE THAN $12 MILLION FOR THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR.

THAT'S MORE THAN A 16% INCREASE FOR THE COMPANY.

EARNINGS PER SHARE INCREASED BY 15.74%.

BANK SEVEN ALSO SAYS ITS TOTAL ASSETS, TOTAL LOANS AND TOTAL INTEREST INCOME ALSO INCREASED DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026.

ELENA LIPSETT IS THE NEW PRESIDENT FOR THE BANK OF AMERICA'S OKLAHOMA CITY LOCATIONS.

SHE'S REPLACING TONY SHIN, WHO IS RETIRING AFTER BEING WITH THE COMPANY FOR 20 YEARS.

LISETTE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONNECTING CLIENTS, TEAMMATES, AND COMMUNITIES TO BANK OF AMERICA'S EIGHT LINES OF BUSINESS.

SHE'LL ALSO HELP PUSH AN EFFORT TO GROW MARKET SHARE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

SHE MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS BANK OF AMERICA'S GLOBAL COMMERCIAL BANKING MARKET EXECUTIVE.

WALMART ANNOUNCED IT'S PLANNING TO REMODEL 25 STORES IN OKLAHOMA THIS YEAR, AS PART OF AN EFFORT TO MODERNIZE IN-STORE AND DIGITAL SHOPPING EXPERIENCES.

OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, WALMART HAS SPENT MORE THAN $478 MILLION TO UPGRADE ITS STORES IN THE SOONER STATE.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAYS THE U.S.

BLOCKADE IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ IS RESULTING IN COUNTRIES SENDING THEIR OIL TANKERS TO THE UNITED STATES TO BUY AMERICAN OIL.

IS THAT TRUE?

AND WHAT IMPACT MIGHT THAT HAVE ON OKLAHOMA'S ENERGY INDUSTRY?

THAT'S THE TOPIC OF THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR SUSAN CADOTTE.

THANKS, TAELYR.

JOINING US NOW IS DOCTOR TRAVIS ROACH, A PROFESSOR OF ECONOMICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.

MIKE CANTRELL, AN OKLAHOMA OIL AND GAS CONSULTANT.

AND FINALLY, ROBERT RAGAN, WHO IS CHAIRMAN OF THE OKLAHOMA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION AND THE CFO OF MELTON TRUCK LINES, IS JOINING US VIA ZOOM.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

GOOD TO BE HERE.

WELL, THERE'S LOTS OF ACTION GOING ON THAT IS AFFECTING EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOUR INDUSTRIES.

AND I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU, MIKE.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY AND WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

HOW CLOSELY IS THAT IMPACTING THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY HERE AT HOME?

IT'S HAVING A DRAMATIC IMPACT.

WE'VE GONE FROM FAMINE TO FEAST AND THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR US.

BASICALLY, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY.

AND THE GIST OF WHAT I HAVE TO SAY TODAY IS THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT US AS OIL AND GAS PRODUCERS.

IT SHOULD BE ABOUT ALL OF US BECAUSE WE'RE INEXTRICABLY LINKED.

WHAT'S GOOD FOR AMERICA LONG TERM IS GOOD FOR THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY IN AMERICA LONG TERM AND VICE VERSA.

AND THAT'S THE POINT I'D MAKE.

SO THIS IS THIS HAS BEEN A WINDFALL, SO TO SPEAK, AND NONE OF US HAVE ENJOYED IT YET BECAUSE WE WON'T GET OUR CHECKS FOR THE HIGHER PRICES UNTIL THE END OF THIS MONTH.

EXPLAIN.

FAMINE TO FEAST.

YEAH, WELL, DONALD TRUMP'S ENERGY POLICY HAS BEEN CHEAPEST ENERGY.

AND THE IDEA THAT DRILL, BABY, DRILL, WE CAN HAVE PLENTIFUL AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE AND AND GROW THE AMERICAN ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE AND DO IT ON CHEAP OIL IS AN OXYMORON.

IT CANNOT HAPPEN.

YOU CAN HAVE ONE OR THE OTHER.

YOU CAN HAVE CHEAP OIL, OR YOU CAN HAVE A THRIVING INDUSTRY.

BUT AT $60 A BARREL, BELOW IS WHICH IS WHERE WE WERE.

YOU'VE GOT AN INDUSTRY THAT'S IN DECLINE.

IN FACT, OUR PRODUCTION NUMBERS ARE DOWN FROM THE YEAR BEFORE HE CAME INTO OFFICE.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE'RE BOOMING AND WE WERE ON THE VERGE OF HAVING A REAL CONTRACTION IN OUR INDUSTRY WHEN THIS ALL HAPPENED.

SO IN A WAY, THE IRONY IS THAT THE GUY THAT THAT REALLY PUT US INTO A TAILSPIN AS AN INDUSTRY HAS BASICALLY GIVEN US NEW LIFE BY ATTACKING ANOTHER COUNTRY.

DOES ANY OF THIS RING TRUE FOR YOU WITH THE ECONOMIC IMPACT?

I MEAN, WHERE GOES OIL AND GAS?

I FEEL LIKE GOES EVERYTHING BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO TALK TO ROBERT IN A MINUTE ABOUT THE IMPACT ON THE TRUCKING INDUSTRY, WHICH SUPPLIES THE NATION.

RIGHT.

SO CONSUMERS, OBVIOUSLY, THEY SEE THE PRICE AT THE PUMP AND THEY NOTICE AN IMPACT NEARLY OVERNIGHT.

AND THIS FILTERS INTO EVERYDAY PRICES.

WE'LL TALK THROUGH TRUCKING AND HOW THIS IS GOING TO START HITTING GROCERY PRICES AS WELL.

BUT YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE OXYMORON OF DRILL BABY, DRILL WHILE ALSO HAVING A DYNAMIC ENERGY INDUSTRY IN OKLAHOMA.

AND THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE MISMATCH BETWEEN WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO PRODUCE AND WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO REFINE DOMESTICALLY.

AND SO THAT EVEN IF WE HAD A TWO FOLD INCREASE IN DOMESTIC PRODUCTION, THAT DOES NOT NECESSARILY HELP PRICES AT THE PUMP HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

OKAY, ROBERT, I WANT TO TURN TO YOU NOW.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MELTON TRUCK LINES.

WE WERE TALKING EARLIER.

IT IS NOT A SMALL ENTERPRISE.

NO, NO.

WE CURRENTLY HAVE 1300 TRUCKS ON THE ROAD THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES.

AND AFTER LABOR COSTS, DIESEL IS OUR SECOND LARGEST EXPENSE SINCE THE CONFLICT BEGAN, OUR PRICE PER GALLON HAS INCREASED BETWEEN 50 AND 60%.

AND TO PUT THAT IN TERMS OF REAL DOLLARS FOR YOU, THAT'S ABOUT $175,000 EXTRA IN DIESEL EXPENSE EVERY DAY.

SO IT'S HAD A MATERIAL IMPACT TO US.

NOW, OBVIOUSLY, TO STAY IN BUSINESS, WE HAVE TO PASS THAT ON TO OUR SHIPPERS, OUR CUSTOMERS, AND WE HAVE FUEL SURCHARGES BAKED INTO OUR CONTRACTS THAT ARE ADJUSTED WEEKLY BASED ON THE DIESEL PRICES.

SO OUR COSTS ARE UP 170 TO 180,000 A DAY.

WE'RE PASSING A LOT OF THAT ON TO OUR TO OUR SHIPPERS, WHO WILL ULTIMATELY PASS IT ON TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AS WELL.

SO PRICES HAVE STARTED COMING DOWN A LITTLE BIT.

ARE YOU ALSO SEEING ANY KIND OF IMPROVEMENT YET?

DO YOU EXPECT TO SEE MORE OF AN IMPROVEMENT THERE DOWN OFF THEIR HIGH, BUT THEY'RE STILL EXTREMELY VOLATILE.

THE THING WE WANT IN THIS INDUSTRY IS, IS LACK OF VOLATILITY, STABILITY.

BOTH THE SHIPPERS WANT IT AND THE CARRIERS WANT IT.

WE ARE SEEING BIG SWINGS AT THE PUMPS, SOMETIMES $0.20 A DAY ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, WHICH IS MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT TO RUN A BUSINESS WITH THAT LARGE OF A VARIANCE IN YOUR IN YOUR COSTS.

I WILL ALSO SAY THIS THERE ARE A LOT OF SMALLER.

SOME PEOPLE USE THE TERM MOM AND POP TRUCKING COMPANIES IN OKLAHOMA AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

THEY DO NOT HAVE THE NEGOTIATING LEVERAGE THAT THE LARGER FLEETS DO TO NEGOTIATE THESE SURCHARGES, AND THEY LIVE AND DIE BY DIESEL PRICES.

IF YOU GO BACK 50 YEARS IN OUR INDUSTRY, FAILURES AND BANKRUPTCIES ARE TIED MORE CLOSELY TO DIESEL PRICES THAN IT IS THE GENERAL ECONOMY.

SO IT'S HURTING CARRIERS IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, SOME OF THEM NOT ABLE TO SUSTAIN THIS MUCH LONGER.

TRAVIS, I'M GOING TO COME TO YOU REALLY QUICKLY BEFORE I GO BACK TO MIKE.

BUT WHEN YOU HEAR THAT THE SUPPLIES $175,000 A DAY.

YEAH, THAT AND THEY CHARGE THE SHIPPERS THAT THE SHIPPERS ARE GOING TO CHARGE THE CUSTOMERS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO ADD ON, AND IT GOES TO THE CUSTOMER.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE'S NO HELP FOR CONSUMERS.

WE'RE GETTING SMACKED AROUND ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

YEAH.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU PAY IT ON THE WAY TO THE GROCERY STORE AND YOU PAY IT AT THE GROCERY STORE AGAIN, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THE TRUCK THAT WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO THE FIRST PLACE YOU MIGHT SEE THIS IN THE GROCERY STORE IS PROBABLY IN YOUR PERISHABLES.

YOU HAVE TOMATOES THAT, FOR INSTANCE, ARE COMING FROM SOUTH AMERICA, COMING ALL THE WAY UP, GOING THROUGH A PORT, GETTING ON A TRUCK THAT USES DIESEL THAT'S NOW EXORBITANT, AND THAT HAS TO GET FILTERED THROUGH TO PRICES.

AND SO IN OUR MOST RECENT INFLATION REPORT, THAT'S NOT GOING TO CAPTURE THAT PRICE INCREASE YET.

THAT IS YET TO COME.

AND THEN ONCE IT FILTERS THROUGH FROM OUR, YOU KNOW, OUR TOMATOES, OUR PERISHABLES, THAT STARTS GETTING INTO EVERYDAY GOODS.

WE'VE EVEN SEEN THE POSTAL SERVICE HAVE TO INCREASE THEIR PRICES ON STAMPS BECAUSE THEY ARE A LARGE USER OF FUEL.

I THINK ONE LAST THING TO SAY ON THIS IS THAT ONE DOES NOT NECESSARILY CAUSE THE OTHER, BUT OFTENTIMES WHEN WE HAVE AN ENERGY PRICE SHOCK TO THIS DEGREE, THERE'S A LOT OF RECESSIONARY PRESSURE WITH THAT.

EXPLAIN RECESSIONARY PRESSURE TO ME AS IF I DON'T UNDERSTAND BECAUSE I DON'T FARE WELL.

SO THINK ABOUT YOUR MOM AND POP WHO IS AT THE MAKE OR BREAK.

CAN I CONTINUE WITH MY BUSINESS AT THESE PRICES?

THEY MIGHT DECIDE THAT THEY CANNOT AND THEY'RE THEN OUT OF A JOB AND THEN THEIR SPENDING GOES DOWN AND THAT SPENDING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY GOES DOWN.

AND SO IT'S ONE OF THESE THINGS WHERE IF WE ALL FACE HIGHER PRICES, SAY, EVEN JUST FILLING UP OUR CAR, THEN WE CAN'T SPEND IT GOING AND DOING SOME OF THE MORE FUN THINGS, LIKE GOING TO A MOVIE OR GOING TO OUT TO EAT.

HOW CLOSELY, MIKE DOES THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY, HOW CLOSE ATTENTION DO YOU PAY TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN YOUR INDUSTRY?

PROBABLY HOURLY.

I MEAN, THIS IS SUCH A DRAMATIC EVENT, HISTORICAL.

IT'S NEVER HAD THIS BIG A SWING IN HISTORY.

AND SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMIC.

AMERICA IS THE LARGEST ENERGY PRODUCER IN THE WORLD, THE UNITED STATES.

WE DO NOT HAVE MORE THAN RUSSIA AND CHINA AND RUSSIA AND SAUDI COMBINED CLOSE.

BUT WE DON'T.

WE PRODUCE 13 TO 14 MILLION BARRELS A DAY, AND THEN WE ADD ANOTHER SIX POINT SOMETHING MILLION BARRELS IN REFINED REFINING LIQUIDS AND IN NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS.

SO YOU COULD SAY, WE ARE ENERGY INDEPENDENT BECAUSE OF THAT.

IRONICALLY, THAT WHEN 60, YOU KNOW, 12 YEARS AGO, WE WERE IMPORTING ABOUT 60% OF OUR CRUDE, THE SHALE REVOLUTION HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR AMERICA.

THAT IS TRUE.

AND SO WE HAVE WE HAVE NOW BECOME ENERGY INDEPENDENT, BASICALLY, BECAUSE THAT REVOLUTION.

BUT BUT THE INTERESTING PART OF THAT, THAT 60% THAT WE WERE IMPORTING WAS HEAVY, CRUDE.

AND ALL THE, ALL THE OIL THAT WE STILL IMPORT IS HEAVY CRUDE.

SO LET'S TALK STRAIT OF HORMUZ THEN.

SO AS OF WEDNESDAY MORNING, RIGHT, 20 SHIPS GOT THROUGH, NOT IRANIAN SHIPS SHIPS.

HOW DOES IT AFFECT THE WORLD OIL MARKET WHEN IRAN IS TAKING OUT TAKEN OUT AS A PLAYER, IRAN PRODUCES 2 MILLION BARRELS A DAY.

OKAY.

SO THE IDEA THAT WE CAN REPLACE THAT, THAT YOU'VE HEARD THE STORY ABOUT TANKERS ALL COMING TO GET OUR OIL.

WELL, THEY BRING THEY BRING HEAVY CRUDE AND TAKE BACK LIGHT CRUDE TO REFINE.

THAT'S A NORMAL PROCESS THAT'S BEEN GOING ON 4 OR 5 MILLION BARRELS A DAY.

NOW WE'VE WITH IRAN OUT OF THE MARKET, IF THEY'RE OUT OF THE MARKET, 2 MILLION BARRELS, WE CAN RAMP UP AND DO ANOTHER MILLION BARRELS AT THE MOST.

WE CAN'T SUPPLANT WHAT IRAN IS TAKING OUT OF THE MARKET.

SO IT'S GOING TO LEAVE THE MARKET A MILLION BARRELS SHORT, WHICH WILL BE COMING FROM THE ESPRO, THE STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE, OR IT COULD COME FROM OTHER PEOPLE'S STORAGE.

SO IN THE SHORT RUN, LOSING IRAN'S OIL SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT BIG AN IMPACT, JUST A MINIMAL IMPACT.

BUT I THINK IT'S GOING TO STILL RANGE IN PRICES OF OIL BEING FROM, YOU KNOW, 80 TO TO $90 A BARREL, PROBABLY.

OKAY.

IN THE LONG RUN, THESE PRICES ARE GOING TO GO BACK DOWN.

THE GOOD NEWS FOR THE CONSUMER AND FOR ALL OF US REALLY IS THIS IS SHORT LIVED, PROBABLY UNLESS WE HAVE CATASTROPHE AND WE DON'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM, WHICH I THINK ALL THE FUTURES TRADERS, WHETHER IT'S GASOLINE OR WHETHER IT'S CRUDE OIL, ARE ALL SAYING THIS IS TEMPORARY.

IT'S GOING TO GO BACK DOWN BY NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE PRICES NOT AS LOW AS THEY WERE, BUT LOWER BASED ON $70 RATHER THAN 60.

WHAT'S THE SWEET SPOT ON A BARREL?

THE SWEET SPOT, I THINK FOR AMERICA IS BETWEEN 70 AND 80.

OKAY.

AND THAT WAY WE CAN WE CAN CONTINUE TO DRILL, CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR PRODUCTION UP.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO GROW IT BY A GREAT DEAL OF AMOUNT IN THAT RANGE, BUT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IT UP AND THAT SWEET THAT THE CONSUMER CAN STILL HAVE GASOLINE UNDER $3 A GALLON AND IT'LL BE GOOD FOR EVERYBODY.

WELL, WE'RE NOT THERE YET.

AND ROBERT, I WANT TO COME TO YOU.

I CHECKED TRIPLE A GAS PRICES THIS MORNING.

OKLAHOMA IS THE LOWEST AT 3.44 AVERAGE PER GALLON OF GAS.

CALIFORNIA IS THE HIGHEST.

THEY'RE AT 5.87.

THEY'RE HIGHER THAN HAWAII.

HIGHER THAN ALASKA.

AS YOU LISTEN TO WHAT MIGHT JUST SAID, WHAT ARE YOUR PROJECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE?

I KNOW YOU HAVE TO DO THAT IN YOUR INDUSTRY.

DO YOU THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE A LONG TERM DECREASE IN GAS PRICES?

LONG TERM?

YEAH, THE VOLATILITY WILL END.

IT'S JUST A MATTER OF WHEN.

YES.

AND WE DO TRY TO PLAN OUT FOR THE FUTURE.

THAT'S WHY WE DO HAVE THESE SURCHARGES IN OUR CONTRACTS THAT DO GO UP TO A HIGH LEVELS IN CASE OF INSTABILITY IN THE CYCLE LIKE WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING NOW.

AND YOU MENTIONED THE THE GEOGRAPHIC DIFFERENCE IN PRICE, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU LIVE IN THE COUNTRY, ARE SURCHARGES, OF COURSE, ARE TAILORED TO WHERE OUR TRUCKS ARE OPERATING IN CALIFORNIA, AS OPPOSED TO OKLAHOMA OR GEORGIA, SOMEWHERE WHERE IT'S CHEAPER.

THOSE SURCHARGES ARE HIGHER.

SO CONSUMERS AND PEOPLE IN THE HIGHER REGULAR GASOLINE STATES ALSO WILL FEEL IT MORE AT THE GROCERY STORE, BECAUSE THE SURCHARGES HAVE TO BE HIGHER FOR US TO BE PROFITABLE ON THAT LOAD IN AND OUT OF LA.

ROBERT, I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION FOR YOU.

AND WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

SO THIS WILL BE FINAL THOUGHTS THAT I'LL GET FROM EACH OF YOU.

BUT I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

HOW MUCH MORE COULD FUEL COSTS RISE BEFORE IT REALLY STARTS TO HINDER THE WORK YOU DO UP THERE IN TULSA?

YEAH.

WELL, I'M NOT SURE IF I CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER OF HOW HIGH IT CAN GO.

IF IT DOES GO HIGHER, ONE OF TWO, A COUPLE THINGS WILL HAPPEN.

ONE IS A LOT OF THE SMALLER FLEETS THAT AREN'T GETTING SURCHARGES, THEY WILL GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

AND THEN WHEN IT DOES RETURN TO A NORMALIZED DIESEL MARKET, WHAT WILL HAPPEN THEN IS MORE OF A LONG TERM IMPACT.

FROM THIS RECENT CONFLICT.

YOU WILL HAVE A SUPPLY DEMAND IMBALANCE OF TRUCKS ON THE ROAD.

THOSE TRUCKS WON'T BE ABLE TO COME BACK OVERNIGHT, SO YOU'LL HAVE DEMAND FOR TRUCKS IN A MUCH REDUCED CAPACITY, WHICH WILL KEEP IN GENERAL FREIGHT RATES ELEVATED FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

ALL RIGHT, TRAVIS, FINAL WORDS FROM YOU ON THE ECONOMY.

WHAT SHOULD PEOPLE BE LOOKING FOR AS WE MOVE THROUGH THESE?

I'M GOING TO SAY TUMULTUOUS TIMES ECONOMICALLY.

YEAH, VERY TUMULTUOUS TIMES BECAUSE THIS IS ALSO IN THE CONTEXT OF TARIFFS.

THIS IS IN THE CONTEXT OF FERTILIZER PRICES THAT ARE GOING UP.

THIS IS IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR FARM ECONOMY BEING HARMED BY THESE TARIFFS AND HAVING WEAKENED MARKETS ABROAD.

AND SO WE'RE ON A VERY FEEBLE POSITION BEFORE ANY OF THIS HAPPENED.

AND THEN SUDDENLY WE HAVE A WAR OF CHOICE THAT STARTS, AND WE'VE KICKED OUT ONE OF THE FINAL STOOLS HOLDING THIS ECONOMY UP.

I'M A LITTLE BIT MORE BEARISH ON THIS.

I'M NOT SURE THAT OIL PRICES FALL AS QUICKLY AS MY COLLEAGUES HERE DO, IN PART BECAUSE A LOT OF CAPACITY HAS BEEN DAMAGED AND IN PART BECAUSE IF YOU EXPECT PRICES TO FALL, THEN YOU DON'T NECESSARILY GO OUT AND START DRILLING, WHICH KEEPS THOSE PRICES ELEVATED.

AND SO IF EVERYONE'S KIND OF HOLDING BACK THEIR CARDS OR INVESTING IN STOCK BUYBACKS, WHATEVER THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE, PRICES STAY HIGHER FOR LONGER.

AND THEN THAT KEEPS EATING INTO AMERICAN'S WALLETS AND OKLAHOMA'S WALLETS.

AND MIKE, WHAT ARE YOUR FINAL WORDS BASED ON WHAT THESE TWO GENTLEMEN HAVE SAID?

I THINK THEY'RE BOTH RIGHT.

AND I THINK THE POSSIBILITIES ARE IN A RANGE.

WE SHOULD LOOK AT THIS AS A RANGE.

IF THE PRESIDENT IS POLITICALLY IF HE CARES MORE ABOUT THE MIDTERMS THAN HE CARES ABOUT GETTING RID OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR CAPABILITY, FOR EXAMPLE, OR WHATEVER OTHER OBJECTIVES, THEN THEN I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SHORT LIVED DEAL BECAUSE MIDTERMS ARE COMING UP.

AND I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY WAY PRICES GO BACK TO WHERE THEY WERE BY THE MIDTERMS.

SO POLITICALLY, HE'S GOT A PROBLEM POLITICALLY.

SO I THINK THE FINAL THOUGHTS I WOULD HAVE NUMBER ONE IS DEMAND DESTRUCTION.

THIS THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR ANYBODY.

WHAT'S HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, EVEN IN MY BUSINESS I'M 95% DEPENDENT ON THE PRICE OF OIL FOR MY LIVELIHOOD.

AND THIS IS NOT GOOD FOR ME BECAUSE OF THE DEMAND DESTRUCTION, CHINA IS EXPORTING A STORAGE AMOUNT OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

NOW.

THEIR ELECTRIC VEHICLES SUPPOSEDLY ARE BETTER THAN TESLA.

AS FAR AS GETTING BATTERY LIFE.

WE DON'T HAVE THEM HERE YET, BUT THAT'S JUST A MATTER OF TIME.

PROBABLY DEMAND DESTRUCTION MATTERS.

AND I THINK IN THE LONG RUN WE ARE GOING TO GET EXACTLY WHERE MR.

REAGAN AND TRAVIS SAYS WE'RE GOING TO GET, AND THAT IS LOWER ENERGY PRICES, WHICH I JUST DON'T THINK THIS HAS BEEN GOOD FOR ANYBODY.

AND THE BETTER IT CAN, WE CAN AS, AS MR.

REAGAN SAYS, GET RID OF THE VOLATILITY, THE BETTER OFF WE ALL ARE FOR EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE WORLD.

AND IT'S IT'S A WORLD ECONOMY THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.

AND WHAT'S GOOD FOR EVERYBODY MATTERS.

ALL RIGHT.

WHAT A GREAT CONVERSATION.

THE TIME HAS FLOWN BY FOR ME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR EXPERTISE AND INSIGHT.

AND I HOPE TO HAVE YOU BACK SOON WITH A LOWER GAS PRICES.

BACK TO YOU TAELYR.

GREAT DISCUSSION SUSAN.

UP UNTIL MARCH, THE LATE CESAR CHAVEZ WAS CONSIDERED AN ICON OF THE AMERICAN FARM WORKERS MOVEMENT.

THEN ALLEGATIONS SURFACED ACCUSING HIM OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST MULTIPLE WOMEN.

NOW HIS NAME IS BEING ERASED FROM THE UNION HE CO-FOUNDED.

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW SEGMENT FROM REPORTER ALEXANDRA NGUYEN AT KPBS.

IN SAN DIEGO, A STATUE OF CESAR CHAVEZ USED TO STAND ON THE STEPS LEADING TO THE CENTRAL PLAZA AT CAL STATE SAN MARCOS, GREETING STUDENTS AS THEY HEAD TO CLASS.

IT WAS THE IDEA WHEN IT WAS PUT HERE, I THINK, TO HELP MOTIVATE STUDENTS.

BUT NOW ONLY DISCOLORED BLOTCHES OF CEMENT REMAIN WHERE THE STATUE USED TO BE.

THE STATUE THAT HAD BEEN SUCH AN INTEGRAL PART OF CAMPUS LIFE, PEOPLE WOULD ACTUALLY RUB HIS SHOULDERS FOR GOOD LUCK OR LIKE, LEAVE LITTLE GIFTS FOR FINALS WEEK.

IN A STATEMENT, THE UNIVERSITY SAYS IT REMOVED THE STATUE BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME A SYMBOL OF PAIN FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS.

BUT I'M GLAD THAT IT'S GONE.

BUT HAYLEY SOTO ALSO FEELS CONFLICTED AT HOW FAST THE UNIVERSITY ACTED AFTER ALLEGATIONS CAME TO LIGHT ON WEDNESDAY.

SOME PEOPLE WERE THINKING LIKE, INTERESTING HOW IT'S A PERSON OF COLOR COMPARED TO LIKE, HOW CONFEDERATE STATUES TOOK A LONG TIME, LIKE YEARS TO TAKE OUT.

GRADUATE STUDENT JONATHAN HAMMOND SAYS EVERYONE HE'S TALKED TO AGREED THE STATUE SHOULD BE REMOVED, BUT THAT THE ACTION OF ONE MAN SHOULDN'T TARNISH THE FARM WORKERS MOVEMENT.

I THINK THE SCHOOL'S DECISION TO LIKE DIVORCE THE IDEAS FROM THE MAN IS LIKE A GOOD MOVE TO BASICALLY SAY THAT THE MOVEMENT THAT HE STARTED IS BIGGER THAN HIM.

NOW, HERE AT SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE, CESAR CHAVEZ'S NAME HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM THE STUDENT SERVICES BUILDING, AND HIS NAME COVERED UP ON THE WAYFINDER BEHIND ME.

CHAVEZ'S NAME USED TO BE ON TOP OF THE BUILDING AND ON THE PLACARD IN FRONT, AND WHAT COULDN'T BE REMOVED IS NOW COVERED UP.

GENESIS DOMINGUEZ HAS MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT THAT.

I FEEL VERY COMPLICATED ABOUT IT JUST BECAUSE AS A STUDENT, WE HEAR A LOT ABOUT CESAR CHAVEZ AND SO MANY GREAT MEXICAN HISTORICAL FIGURES IN HISPANIC HISTORICAL HISTORICAL FIGURES.

SO IT BEING REMOVED IS A BIT HEARTBREAKING.

SOUTHWESTERN CHIEF OF STAFF ANITA ENCARNACION SAYS THE DECISION TO REMOVE CHAVEZ'S NAME WAS MADE AFTER FEEDBACK FROM STUDENTS AND STAFF.

WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO KNOW THAT THEY'RE ON A CAMPUS THAT RESPONDS PROACTIVELY, THAT THEY CAN COME HERE AND KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE SAFE, AND THAT WE'RE NOT WAITING FOR THEM TO TELL US THEY NEED TO BE SAFE.

SHE SAYS THE REACTION ON CAMPUS HAS BEEN OVERWHELMINGLY POSITIVE.

AS FOR WHOSE NAME SHOULD REPLACE CHAVEZ, SHE SAYS THAT DECISION WILL COME LATER.

BACK AT CAL STATE SAN MARCOS, THE UNIVERSITY SAYS IT WILL CONVENE A CAMPUS GROUP TO DETERMINE WHAT WILL REPLACE THE STATUE.

BUT STUDENTS ALREADY HAVE SOME IDEAS.

I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A STATUE OF LIKE A WOMAN.

I THINK THEY SHOULD PUT UP DOLORES.

SHE WAS ONE OF THE CO-FOUNDERS.

ALEXANDER NGUYEN, KPBS NEWS.

THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA HAS AWARDED $22 MILLION IN GRANTS TO SPRUCE UP ROUTE 66.

AS THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MOTHER ROAD DRAWS NEAR, AND ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION.

IT'S A 35 FOOT TALL COWBOY CREEK COWBOY BOOT CREATED BY ARTIST CAMERON EAGLE.

THE ALUMINUM ARTWORK, WHICH WILL WEIGH ABOUT SIX TONS WHEN IT'S FINISHED, WILL BE PLACED ON A PEDESTAL AT THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM.

THIS IS NOT A DEAL THAT'S GOING TO BE THERE FOR A WEEK OR A MONTH.

IT'S.

WE'RE BUILDING IT FOR 100 YEARS PLUS.

AND SO.

MY, MY WISH AND, AND HOPE IS THAT THAT BRINGS A SMILE TO EVERYONE'S FACE.

WE ALL COULD USE SOME SMILES.

THE MUSEUM IS LOCATED NEAR THE JUNCTION OF I-44 AND I-35 IN OKC HIGHWAYS THAT REPLACED MUCH OF THE TRAFFIC THAT ONCE TRAVELED ON ROUTE 66.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, SAYING GOODBYE TO MR.

OETA NEXT WEEK, BOB ALLEN IS BEING LAID TO REST, AND WE'LL HEAR FROM THOSE IMPACTED BY HIS LEGACY.

FRIDAY AT SEVEN.

WE'LL LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AT A RAINY NIGHT IN DOWNTOWN OKC, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA BRANDON DOWNIE.

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS NEWSCAST ON AIR EACH WEEK.

I'M TAYLOR JACKSON.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

NEXT TIME ON ANTIQUES ROADSHOW.

AMERICAN TREASURES SPANNING THE HISTORY OF THE USA ARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

THIS PIECE COMBINES A GREAT FOLK DESIGN WITH GREAT HISTORY.

THIS LAMP IS THE STUFF THAT TIFFANY DREAMS ARE MADE OF.

IT HAS EVERYTHING GOING FOR IT.

I GUESS IT'S NOT A SECRET TO ANYONE THAT THIS IS A LIGHT BULB, BUT IT'S A VERY SPECIAL KIND OF LIGHT BULB.

WATCH ANTIQUES ROADSHOW 250 YEARS OF AMERICANA.

MONDAY EVENING AT SEVEN ON OETA.

CAN YOU FEEL THE MOMENT THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION CHANGED THE WORLD?

UNFOLD?

EVERYBODY HAD THE SENSE OF