>>> GOVERNOR STITT LAYS OUT A PLAN TO GET OKLAHOMA BACK TO WORK.

>> RE-OPENING WILL NOT BE LIKE FLIPPING A LIGHT SWITCH ON AND GOING BACK TO NORMAL; OUR PLAN IS A MEASURED APPROACH, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH THE DATA EACH DAY, AND WE'LL PULL BACK IF WE NEED TO.

>> FEARS OF A RECESSION OR >> FEARS OF A RECESSION OR WORSE SENDING PROTESTORS INTO THE STREETS.

>> I DON'T BLAME ANYBODY FOR BEING FRUSTRATED THAT BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED.

I'M FRUSTRATED THAT BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED.

>> ELECTIVE SURGERY IS LEGAL AGAIN IN OKLAHOMA FOLLOWING A VERY FRUSTRATING MONTH FOR SIDELINED SURGEONS.

>> PATIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HAVING CHRONIC PAIN FOR MANY MONTHS YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM, HEY YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT, WITH YOUR PAIN.

>> THOSE STORIES, PLUS THE ROLE OKLAHOMA DRONES WILL PLAY IN BATTLING THE PANDEMIC.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT!

CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY CAPTION SOLUTIONS LLC www.captionsolutions.com >> HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THIS REMOTE EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M RICH LENZ.

FOR THE NEXT HALF HOUR, WE WILL LOOK BACK, DAY BY DAY, AT A WILD WEEK THAT SAW THE FIRST PROTESTS IN OKLAHOMA, THE PRICE OF OIL CRASH TO MINUS $35 A BARREL.

AND THE GOVERNOR UNVEILING A PLAN TO GET OKLAHOMANS BACK TO WORK THAT RECEIVED PRAISE FROM SOME MAYORS AND PUSHBACK FROM OTHERS.

ALL THAT WHILE THE NUMBER OF DEATHS IN THE STATE FROM COVID-19, SHOWED LITTLE SIGNS OF ABATING.

THE NUMBERS ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

52 MORE DEATHS IN A SEVEN-DAY PERIOD.

LAST WEEK, THERE WERE 48; THE WEEK BEFORE, 50.

TOTAL NUMBER OF POSITIVE CASES: 3,121.

THAT'S 656 MORE THAN LAST FRIDAY.

THERE ARE 310 PEOPLE CURRENTLY HOSPITALIZED - A SLIGHT JUMP FROM EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

ON A POSITIVE NOTE, ALMOST 2,000 PEOPLE HAVE RECOVERED FROM THE CORONAVIRUS IN OKLAHOMA.

AND WITH THAT INFORMATION AS A BACKDROP, WE TAKE YOU BACK TO MONDAY MORNING, WHEN SOME OF THE REVENUE PROJECTIONS ANNOUNCED AT A MEETING OF THE EQUALIZATION BOARD WERE DOWNRIGHT ALARMING.

>> THE 2021 REVENUE IS 6.87 MILLION.

THAT'S A 1.3 BILLION - EXCUSE ME, A 1.366 BILLION DECLINE.

FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022, IF WE ASSUME A RECOVERY OF - WE ASSUME A RECOVERY A LITTLE BIT GOING INTO 2022, WE'RE STILL LOOKING AT BETWEEN 6.6 TO 7.2 BILLION WHICH IS A 1 TO $1.6 BILLION DECLINE OVER WHAT WE WERE, WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD BE.

WE'VE AGREED TO USE 459 MILLION FROM OUR BILLION-DOLLAR SAVINGS ACCOUNT THE WHOLE FISCAL YEAR 2020 FLAT.

IF WE USE ALL THE REMAINING SAVINGS THAT WE HAVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021, IT WILL TAKE A 7.5% CUT AND GET US DOWN TO AROUND A $7.5 BILLION BUDGET.

THEN IN 2022, IF - IF THINGS HOLD OR IMPROVE JUST A LITTLE BIT, WE'RE ESTIMATED ABOUT A $6.9 BILLION REVENUE NUMBER.

IT WOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL 8.2% CUT.

WE WOULD HAVE NO SAVINGS LEFT.

WITH THIS NEW INFORMATION, WOULD ALSO SUPPORT THE LEGISLATURE TRYING TO SAVE 100 MILLION FOR THE 2020 YEAR.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE 2020 COLUMN, IF WE SAVED 100 MILLION, USE 359 MILLION IN SAVINGS, WE WOULD TAKE A 1.2% CUT FOR THESE TWO YEARS, AND WE WOULD MAKE IT A LITTLE SMOOTHER WHEN WE GET INTO 2021 AND 2022.

IT WOULD BE THE SAME AMOUNT IN 2021, 7.52 BILLION.

AND THEN - AND THEN IN 2022, IT'S REALLY WHERE YOU WOULD SEE THE PICKUP.

IT WOULD ONLY BE A 5% CUT, OR 7.1 BILLION.

THE LEGISLATURE WRITES THE BUDGET.

I JUST WANT OKLAHOMANS TO KNOW THAT OUR BUDGET WON'T RECOVER OVERNIGHT, AND WE'LL HAVE TO GET CREATIVE ABOUT HOW WE PROTECT OUR CORE SERVICES FOR THE LONG-TERM.

THERE ARE SOME STIMULUS MONIES THAT WE HOPE TO BE ABLE TO USE TO PLUG THE COVID-RELATED EXPENSES THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING.

HOWEVER, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR THAT THEY WON'T LET US USE THAT MONEY TO - TO PLUG REVENUE SHORTFALLS.

I SENT A LETTER TO OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION ASKING FOR MORE FLEXIBILITY WITH HOW WE USE THE CARE FUNDS AND FROM THIS THIRD STIMULUS.

SO THERE'S STILL A - WE'RE NOT THE ONLY STATE THAT IS EXPERIENCING THIS; ALL OTHER STATES ARE HAVING A BUDGET DOWNTURN RIGHT NOW.

SO I'M COMMITTED TO SAFELY REOPENING AND STRATEGICALLY REFORMING OUR ECONOMY.

SO, ON REOPENING, WE - MY GOAL FROM THE VERY BEGINNING HAS BEEN TO PROTECT THE HEALTH AND LIVES OF OKLAHOMANS, AND POSITION THE STATE TO RECOVER AS FULLY AS POSSIBLE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO TIGHTEN OUR BELT JUST LIKE OKLAHOMA HOUSEHOLDS ARE, BUT WE'RE IN THIS TOGETHER.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REIMAGINE HOW WE DELIVER STATE SERVICES.

>> AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME ON MONDAY, PROTESTORS PEACEFULLY DEMANDING THAT TULSA RE-OPEN FOR BUSINESS, GATHERED OUTSIDE CITY HALL.

AND MAYOR G.T.

BYNUM TOOK NOTICE.

>> ALL THE PROTESTING I'VE SEEN TO DATE HAS BEEN A VERY RESPECTFUL AND SAFE, AND THAT'S A RIGHT THAT AMERICANS HAVE TO DO.

AND I DON'T BLAME ANYBODY FOR BEING FRUSTRATED THAT BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED.

I'M FRUSTRATED THAT BUSINESSES ARE CLOSED.

BUT THE ALTERNATIVE THAT WE HAD IN GOING INTO THIS WAS TO HAVE OUR NEIGHBORS POTENTIALLY DYING - THOUSANDS MORE THAN WE'RE GOING TO END UP WITH.

BUT I DON'T BLAME ANYBODY FOR BEING FRUSTRATED.

AND CERTAINLY IF THERE'S A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY AND AN OUTLET FOR THEM TO GO ABOUT EXPRESSING THAT, I SUPPORT THEIR RIGHT TO DO THAT 100%.

>> WE'RE EXPECTING OUR PEAK SOMETIME THIS WEEK, AND WE WANT TO START TO SEE THAT - THAT THOSE CASES GO DOWN.

AND I THINK THE GUIDANCE FROM -- FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.

IS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE 14 DAYS OF THOSE NUMBERS GOING DOWN BEFORE WE START TALKING ABOUT SLOWLY AND GRADUALLY OPENING THINGS UP.

NOW, THAT MEANS WILL NOT REACH PEAK HOSPITALIZATIONS UNTIL EARLY TO MID-MAY, DUE TO THE TIME BETWEEN BECOMING INFECTED AND WHEN SYMPTOMS WOULD BE SEVERE ENOUGH TO NEED TO BE HOSPITALIZED.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REOPENING, THERE'S NO MAGIC DAY RIGHT NOW.

WE JUST NEED TO HAVE THE DATA CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE CONVERSATION.

>> WE SHOULD EXPECT AN INCREASE IN POSITIVE TEST CASES AS MORE PEOPLE START TO COME OUT OF THEIR HOMES AND SPEND MORE TIME AROUND ONE ANOTHER.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT I KNOW WE AT THE CITY AND, I BELIEVE, THE STATE AS WELL ARE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THOSE TYPES OF PRACTICES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE THAT HELP PREVENT OR AT LEAST HELP MINIMIZE THE ABILITY FOR THIS VIRUS TO SPREAD.

THE BIG THING FOR US IS TO PUT IN THOSE MECHANISMS IN PLACE AND THOSE PRACTICES THAT ALLOW US THOSE PRACTICES THAT ALLOW US TO ADVANCE BEYOND WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS VERY EXTREME AND IS EXTREME ON PURPOSE.

AS WE START TO ADVANCE BETWEEN WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND WHERE WE WERE IN FEBRUARY, THERE'S A LOT OF SPACE IN BETWEEN THERE TO NAVIGATE IN A PHASED WAY THAT KEEPS OUR RISK REDUCED.

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND DOES COME WITH SOME RISK.

THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THE TULSA REGIONAL CHAMBER AND I HAVE ESTABLISHED THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, SO THAT WE CAN HEAR FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS WHO ARE HERE IN TULSA, WHAT THEY'RE HEARING FROM THEIR PEERS ALL AROUND THE COUNTRY AND AROUND THE WORLD AS FAR AS BEST PRACTICES FOR US TO INCORPORATE IN OUR COMMUNITY, TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE WHILE HELPING OUR ECONOMY RE-ENGAGE.

>> WHILE THIS IS A VERY DIVERSE 22-MEMBER COMMITTEE CONSISTING OF VETERANS, CEOs, AND BUSINESS LEADERS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE -- IT HAS REPRESENTATION FROM BANKING, FROM RETAIL, FROM ENERGY, UTILITIES, CONSTRUCTION, MANUFACTURING, SALONS, RESTAURANTS, HOSPITALS, HOTELS, ATTRACTIONS, FINANCE, AEROSPACE, SENIOR LIVING, PUBLIC HEALTH, EDUCATION, NON-PROFITS, AND, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, THE CITY COUNCIL.

I THINK A LITTLE BIT OF THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE IN TULSA IS THAT NOT ONLY ARE WE FACING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BUT WE'RE ALSO FACING UNPRECEDENTED ALSO FACING UNPRECEDENTED RECORD LOW LEVELS FOR OIL AND THE PRICE OF OIL.

>> FRANKLY, IT'S OKAY TO NOT BE OKAY.

YOU NEVER WANT TO IGNORE OR DENY HOW YOU FEEL.

AND IT'S OKAY TO GO THROUGH A WIDE RANGE OF EMOTIONS.

IT'S OKAY TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT THE LOSS OF LIFE, THE CONDITIONS OF OUR ECONOMY, AND IT'S OKAY TO BE SCARED AND FRUSTRATED AND FEEL DOWN.

WHAT I WANT TO CAUTION EVERYBODY IS THAT YOU DON'T JUST WANT TO STAY THERE TOO LONG AND ALLOW THESE FEELINGS THAT TAKE YOU DOWN INTO A SPIRAL STAIRCASE AND DEPRESSION AND DESPAIR.

HOPE IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING.

>> AND THERE IS GREAT HOPE THAT DRONES CAN BE USED TO FACILITATE HOW WE RESPOND TO THE COVID PANDEMIC IN THE FUTURE.

O. N.

R.

'S JASON DOYLE SPOKE WITH RESEARCHERS DOING THAT WORK RIGHT NOW IN OKLAHOMA.

>> REPORTER: RIGHT OUTSIDE OF STILLWATER, A TESTING GROUND FOR DRONE TECHNOLOGY.

ORIGINALLY THIS TEST FOR VIGILANT AEROSPACE AND OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY WAS MEANT FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE.

BUT SINCE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC STARTED TAKING HOLD IN THE U.S., THE MISSION TOOK A PIVOT.

>> SO WE WERE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE WITH OSU AND MAX Q AND A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT OF A DRONE THAT HAS BEEN SPECIALLY DESIGNED AND CUSTOMIZED TO DO MEDICAL-SUPPLY DELIVERY FOR DISASTER RELIEF AND PANDEMIC RELIEF.

WE PROVIDE THE SAFETY SYSTEM THAT TRACKS THAT DRONE AND TRACKS ALL THE OTHER AIR TRAFFIC THAT MIGHT BE AROUND IT.

SO THE DRONE LIKE THAT COULD BE USED ON THE VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT OF THE PILOT TO DO THINGS LIKE DELIVERY.

SO YOU COULD DELIVER A VIRUS TEST KIT.

YOU COULD DELIVER A PLASMA, OR OTHER MEDICAL SUPPLIES.

SO OUR SYSTEM IS DESIGNED WITH THAT SAFETY ASPECT TO BE ABLE TO FLY BEYOND VISUAL LINE OF SIGHT.

>> REPORTER: VIGILANT AEROSPACE IN OKLAHOMA CITY HAS LICENSED NASA TECHNOLOGY TO CREATE A SOFTWARE SYSTEM THAT WILL ALLOW DRONES TO AVOID CRASHING INTO OTHER AIRCRAFT, BUILDINGS OR OTHER OBSTACLES.

>> OUR COMPANY PRODUCES A PRODUCT CALLED "FLIGHT HORIZON" THAT'S BASED ON A NASA PATENT, AND IT IS A SYSTEM THAT ACCEPTS DATA FROM MULTIPLE SENSORS, UM, AND DATA SOURCES AND TURNS THAT INTO A PICTURE OF THE AIRSPACE SO THAT UNMANNED AIRCRAFT PILOTS, DRONE PILOTS, CAN KNOW ABOUT OTHER AIR AIRCRAFT AND IN FACT RECEIVE AN ALERT IF THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR A CONFLICT WITH MANNED AIRCRAFT.

>> REPORTER: EXTENDING DRONE TECHNOLOGY IS THE PURPOSE OF OSU'S UNMANNED SYSTEMS RESEARCH INSTITUTE.

>> WE'VE BEEN WORKING IN THE UNMANNED SYSTEMS ARENA FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS.

WE ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE WERE DOING DRONES BEFORE DRONES WERE COOL.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF BACKGROUND CAPABILITIES BOTH IN TERMS OF FLIGHT TESTING OF DRONES, BUT ALSO OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS OR DOING THESE TESTS OUTSIDE AT OUR UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS FLIGHT FIELD JUST EAST OF STILLWATER.

>> REPORTER: OSU AND VIGILANT AEROSPACE ARE WORKING FOR THE DAY DRONES CAN SAFELY FLY OUT OF THE SIGHT OF AN OPERATOR.

>> SO WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE ASPECT OF WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO INTEGRATE UNMANNED AIRCRAFT INTO THE NATIONAL AIRSPACE, SO PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON DEVELOPING SYSTEMS THAT CAN BE USED AT THE END OF THE DAY FOR REAL-WORLD COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS.

SO THIS COULD BE SOMETHING LIKE EMERGENCY DELIVERY, A PIPELINE INSPECTION.

>> SO BEING ABLE TO REACH PLACES THAT ARE CUT OFF, INFRASTRUCTURE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY TORNADO OR FLOODING OR OTHER BARRIERS IS GOING TO BE WHERE DRONES ARE VERY USEFUL.

SO RIGHT NOW THERE ARE LIMITS AND RULES ABOUT HOW FAR YOU CAN FLY A COMMERCIAL DRONE IN THE U S BUT THE FAA GRANTS WAIVERS TO THOSE RULES.

>> REPORTER: THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OTHER REGULATORS AROUND THE WORLD ARE SEARCHING FOR WAYS TO SAFELY INTEGRATE DRONE ACTIVITY INTO COMMONLY USED AIR SPACE.

>> SO THE FAA IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE THAT THE SAFETY OF THE AIRSPACE IS MAINTAINED BECAUSE FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO ENSURE THAT IT'S SAFE FOR TRAVELERS TO FLY FROM ONE CITY TO ANOTHER CITY.

WE SEE THIS AS USING DELIVERY OF EMERGENCY MEDICAL SUPPLIES.

IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT IN THE FIELD, YOU HAVE AN AMBULANCE ON SITE, THEY NEED SOMETHING RAPIDLY, MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE A PINT OF BLOOD, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TOO MUCH TIME FOR A GROUND VEHICLE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, GET FROM POINT A TO POINT B, THEY COULD RAPIDLY SEND AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT OUT TO MAKE THAT DELIVERY.

IN THE ERA OF COVID-19, BEING ABLE TO DELIVER THINGS SUCH AS TESTING KITS REALLY IN A CONTACTLESS WAY, AND DO THAT NOT ONLY QUICKLY BUT ALSO MORE EFFICIENTLY, SO MUCH LOWER COST THAN WITH A GROUND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

>> REPORTER: AS WITH ANY DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY, THE FUTURE LOOKS MUCH DIFFERENT FOR DRONE FLIGHT.

>> IT'LL PROBABLY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT IN 24 MONTHS AND THEN IN FIVE YEARS OR LESS, HAVING LONG RANGE OF DRONES DOING REALLY IMPORTANT WORK AND WILL PROBABLY BE COMMONPLACE.

>> JASON DOYLE, THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

>> SAYING THE STATE HAD MET WHITE HOUSE GUIDELINES TO BEGIN.

ON WEDNESDAY, GOVERNOR STITT OUTLINED A 3-TIERED PLAN TO BRING OKLAHOMA'S ECONOMY BACK TO LIFE.

PHASE ONE STARTING ON FRIDAY, WITH BARBER SHOPS, BEAUTY SALONS AND SIMILAR BUSINESSES ALLOWED TO OPEN IF SPECIFIED SAFETY PRECAUTIONS ARE OBSERVED, SUCH AS WEARING MASKS AND FREQUENT CLEANING.

THEN ON MAY 1ST, CHURCHES, RESTAURANT DINING ROOMS, MOVIE THEATERS, SPORTS COMPLEXES AND GYMS CAN OPEN WITH PROPER SOCIAL DISTANCING IN PLACE.

FOR PHASE-2 TO BE TRIGGERED, OKLAHOMA'S HOSPITALIZATION RATE MUST REMAIN MANAGEABLE FOR 14 DAYS.

IF THAT HAPPENS, ORGANIZED SPORTING EVENTS AND OTHER GATHERING PLACES COULD BEGIN TO OPEN.

THEN, IF HOSPITALIZATION RATES REMAIN UNDER CONTROL FOR AN ADDITIONAL TWO WEEKS, PHASE-3 COULD BEGIN.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS HE'LL RELEASE MORE DETAILS ON THAT WHEN OKLAHOMA ENTERS PHASE-2.

>> WE THINK MOST MAYORS WILL LINE UP WITH OUR ORDERS ON MAY 1ST, AND WE'LL CROSS THAT BRIDGE ON MAY 1ST IF WE'RE SEEING SOME MORE RESTRICTIONS BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE GONNA LET SOME MUNICIPALITIES MAKE SOME DECISIONS BEFORE MAY 1ST, AND THEN AFTER MAY 1ST IT'S REALLY OUR INTENT TO MOVE TO PHASE 1 ALL ACROSS THE STATE.

WE FEEL WE HAVE PRETTY MUCH BROAD BUY-IN.

SO THERE'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE CRITICS ON WHEN YOU CAN OPEN UP AND SHOULD YOU DELAY FURTHER SO THAT'S WHY IT'S ABOUT A MEASURED APPROACH.

AND MAYORS HAVE A TOUGH JOB TOO, AND THAT WHY WE WANT TO GIVE EVERYBODY GUIDANCE UP UNTIL MAY 1ST, BUT AT THAT POINT WE REALLY WANT TO MOVE INTO PHASE-1.

>> CITIES LIKE BROKEN ARROW AND MOORE ARE GUNG-HO TO FOLLOW THE MAYOR'S TIMETABLE, WHILE OTHERS ARE TAKING A MORE CAUTIOUS APPROACH.

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY, OIL PRICES REBOUNDED TO ALMOST $20 DOLLARS A BARREL FOLLOWING MONDAY'S CRASH.

O.N.R.

'S JASON DOYLE DISCUSSED THAT WITH JOURNAL RECORD EDITOR RUSSELL RAY.

RUSSELL, CRAZY WEEK FOR OIL PRICES.

WHAT ARE OKLAHOMA'S ECONOMISTS SAYING ABOUT IT?

>> THEY'RE SAYING IT'S A RESULT OF THE PAPER MARKET.

IT'S THE FUTURES MARKET.

THAT LED TO THE NEGATIVE PRICING FOR OIL.

BUT IT DIDN'T MEAN OIL HAD A NEGATIVE VALUE; IT MEANS THE CONTRACTS HAD NEGATIVE VALUE AS MANY OF THE INVESTORS WANTED OUT.

>> IS THIS A WORST-CASE SCENARIO FOR OIL PRODUCERS?

>> OIL PRICES HAVE REBOUNDED, AND OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS ARE LOOKING AT LIMITING OIL PRODUCTION TO PRESERVE ITS VALUE FOR PRODUCERS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FUTURES MARKET, MANY OF THOSE PRICES ARE IN LINE WITH THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS PROVIDED BY FORECASTERS.

>> ARE WE IN FOR QUICK OR LONG RECOVERY IN OKLAHOMA?

>> WELL, THE OKLAHOMA TAX COMMISSIONER JAY DOYLE SUGGESTED IT MAY TAKE LONGER FOR OKLAHOMA THAN OTHER STATES.

HE POINTED TO THE LAST THREE MAJOR ECONOMIC DOWNTURNS.

IT TOOK OKLAHOMA LONGER, LIKE THE COLLAPSING GAS AND OIL REVENUES, THEY'RE EXPECTED TO DECLINE 65% NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS A BIG FACTOR IN THE PRODUCTION FOR THE REVENUE LOSS NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

>> RUSSELL, THERE WAS AN ELABORATE CEREMONY IN THE STATE CAPITOL'S BLUE ROOM ON WEDNESDAY WELL GOVERNOR STITT SIGNING TWO NEW GAMING COMPACTS WITH TWO TRIBES.

TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT IT.

>> THERE IS DISAGREEMENT WITH TWO TRIBES.

THE ISSUE IS FEDERAL LAWSUITS BETWEEN THE TRIBES AND THE STATE.

THESE NEW COMPACTS WOULD ALLOW THE TRIBES TO OFFER SPORTS BETTING AT THEIR GAMING FACILITIES, BUT STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL MIKE HUNTER SAYS THE NEW COMPACTS MAY NOT BE LEGAL, ARGUING THE GAMING ACTIVITIES INCLUDED IN THOSE COMPACTS ARE NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE STATE TRIBAL GAMING.

>> THANKS FOR JOINING US.

>> MY PLEASURE, THANK YOU.

>>> SWITCHING GEARS TO SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE UPLIFTING, ON THURSDAY "GALLERY AMERICA" HOST ROBERT REID SHARED THE STORY OF OKLAHOMA ARTIST MARILYN ARTUS AND HER ONGOING PROJECT - HER FLAG.

>> Reporter: MOST OF US CELEBRATE A BIRTHDAY OR ANNIVERSARY BY SENDING A CAR, BAKING A CAKE, MAYBE SENDING A WEIRD-LOOKING SWEATER, BUT THIS YEAR MARKS THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RATIFICATION OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT, WHICH GAVE WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE IN THE USA, AND MARILYN ARTUS IS GOING ALL OUT.

>> I CAME UP WITH THIS IDEA OF TRAVELLING ALL 36 STATES TO RATIFIED THE 19TH AMENDMENT AND COLLABORATED WITH A WOMAN ARTIST IN EACH STATE.

THEY HAVE CREATED ARTWORK THAT HAS BEEN TURNED INTO A STRIPE.

>> I DID A HISTORICAL FREESTYLE.

>> WE HAVE 36 STRIPES, ONE FOR EACH OF THE RATIFYING STATES.

>> Reporter: LOCAL MUSICIANS DANCERS, HISTORIANS JOINED IN.

>> I JUST WANTED TO DO SOMETHING REALLY BIG.

A LOT OF PEOPLE LOOKED AT ME LIKE, "WOW, OKAY, LADY, GOOD LUCK TRAVELLING TO 36 STATES."

IT WAS LIKE A BAND ON TOUR, IS WHAT IT WAS, BASICALLY.

I'D ROLL IN, PERFORM, ROLL OUT.

THE PEOPLE THAT DID SHOW UP WERE REALLY INTO IT, AND OFTENTIMES PEOPLE WOULD START TO CRY AND I WAS LIKE I CANNOT LOOK AT YOU PEOPLE OR I'M GOING TO START TO CRY.

>> Reporter: SHE CALLS THIS A MAJOR MOMENT OF PRIDE FOR ALL, AND SHE WANTS HER FLAG TO CARRY UNITY AND POSITIVITY FOR EVERYBODY.

>> I DIDN'T WANT TO BE A PART OF THE NEGATIVE ENERGY ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER.

I FELT LIKE EVERYBODY NEEDED TO BE DOING SOMETHING FOR THEIR COUNTRY IN A POSITIVE WAY AND I COULD CHANNEL MY ENERGY CELEBRATING THIS ANNIVERSARY AND NOT RELYING ON SOME BIG NEW YORK CITY ARTIST TO DO THIS.

WHY CAN'T A GAL FROM OKLAHOMA HAVE THE LARGEST PROJECT TO CELEBRATE THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY?

AND I HAVE DONE RESEARCH, I HAVE DONE THE LARGEST PROJECT I KNOW OF TO CELEBRATE THIS ANNIVERSARY.

>> Reporter: MARILYN FIRST BEGAN USING THE AMERICAN FLAG AS A SCENE FOR ART AFTER SEEING THE ORIGINAL STAR SPANGLED BANNER THAT INSPIRED THE NATIONAL ANTHEM.

>> IN MY WORK, I'VE USED THE UNIVERSAL WOMAN THAT'S ON BATHROOMS THAT SIGNIFIES WOMAN IN SO MANY PLACES, AND I'VE USED MUD-FLAP GIRL TO [ INDISCERNIBLE ] WITH HER IN A FEMINIST WAY, AND THE AMERICAN FLAG, AND I LOVE ALL OF THE COMPLICATED FEELINGS WE HAVE TOWARD THE AMERICAN FLAG, AND THAT LAYERED ON TOP OF THIS POSITIVE MESSAGE JUST CREATES A RICHER, MORE INTERESTING STATEMENT.

>> Reporter: MARILYN MADE IT TO 25 OF THE STATES BEFORE THE QUARANTINE, BUT NOW SHE STREAMS THIS PROCESS FROM HER OKLAHOMA CITY LIVING ROOM.

>> THE FLAG, I'M GEEKING OUT OVER WEIRD SUFFRAGE HISTORY WHILE I'M SEWING.

YOU'LL PROBABLY LEARN SOMETHING IF YOU TUNE IN.

>> Reporter: WATCH AS THE NEXT STATES ADD THEIR STRIPES -- IDAHO, ARIZONA, AND NEW MEXICO.

JUNE 13TH IS A PARTICULARLY BIG DAY FOR MARILYN.

>> OH, MY GOSH, THE DAY THE OKLAHOMA STRIPE GOES ON, YEAH, I'M -- I HOPE I DON'T CRY THROUGH THE WHOLE THING.

>> Reporter: YOU CAN FOLLOW THE PROCESS OF THE FLAG AT HERFLAG.COM, ON FACEBOOK AT FACEBOOK.COM/HERFLAG2020.

STAY ARTY, OKLAHOMA!

♪ >>> AND THAT BRINGS US TO FRIDAY, APRIL 24TH - THE DAY THAT THE PROHIBITION ON ELECTIVE SURGERY ENDED.

I SPOKE WITH DR.

FERNANDO VILLAMIL, A SPINE SURGEON, TO FIND OUT WHAT THE LAST MONTH HAS BEEN LIKE FOR PHYSICIANS AND HOSPITALS THAT RELY ON ELECTIVE SURGERIES TO PAY THE BILLS.

HOW FRUSTRATING WAS IT TO TELL PATIENTS "FOR NOW YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE PAIN"?

>> WE'VE BEEN TRAINED ALL OUR LIVES TO HELP HEAL PEOPLE IN PAIN.

THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY - FACED WITH PAIN, JOINT PAIN AND BACK PAIN.

SO LEARNING THAT WE WERE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO TAKE OUR PATIENTS WAS FRUSTRATING.

TO TELL A PATIENT, "HEY, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH YOUR PAIN FOR GOD KNOWS HOW LONG," ESPECIALLY BACK SURGERY.

SO IN MY CASE, I'M A SPINE SURGEON.

MY PRACTICE IS ALL ABOUT PAIN, BACK PAIN AND THEN LEG PAIN OR SCIATICA.

>> AND YET YOU AS A SPINE SURGEON WERE ALLOWED TO DO SOME SURGERIES DURING THIS PROHIBITION?

>> WHEN IT COMES TO SPINE SURGERY, THERE ARE SOME EXCEPTIONS BECAUSE OF A SPINE SURGERY AND THE SPINE IN GENERAL INVOLVING NERVES, IT BECOMES A LITTLE DIFFERENT.

SO WITH THE POTENTIAL OF PERMANENT NERVE DAMAGE, THERE'S ONE SUCH THING AS AN ELECTIVE SURGERY, BUT THEN THERE ARE SEMI-URGENT SURGERIES WHEN IT COMES TO THE SPINE, BECAUSE THAT'S POTENTIAL FOR PERMANENT NEUROLOGIC DEFICITS.

>> SO YOU WERE ALLOWED TO DO SOME SURGERIES, BUT YOUR COLLEAGUES WHO WORK ON ELBOWS AND KNEES BASICALLY, THEY WERE BASICALLY OUT OF WORK.

IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> YEP, THAT'S ACCURATE.

PATIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN HAVING CHRONIC PAIN FOR MANY MONTHS, YOU HAVE TO TELL THEM, HEY YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT, WITH YOUR PAIN, BUT BECAUSE OF THE WHOLE COVID-19 SITUATION.

WHY RISK PUTTING -- EXPOSING A PATIENT IN THE OPERATING ROOM WHEN THAT PATIENT CAN WAIT A COUPLE MORE MONTHS?

I GUESS WE ARE, WE'RE OUR OWN BOSSES IF YOU WILL.

BUT, YEAH, I MEAN BEING WITHOUT WITHOUT WORK, IT IS LIKE BEING LAID OFF OR FURLOUGHED.

CHALLENGING TIMES FOR SURE.

>> MAY SEEM LIKE A STRANGE QUESTION- BUT THE OLD ADAGE ABOUT RIDING A BIKE, IF YOU DON'T DO SURGERY FOR A MONTH, DOES A SURGEON KIND OF FEEL A LITTLE RUSTY WHEN THEY GET BACK INTO THE OPERATING ROOM OR NOT?

>> INTERESTING QUESTION.

YEAH.

SO -- I GUESS IF YOU PUT US -- SHUT IT DOWN FOR -- I WAS GOING TO SAY A YEAR, BUT MAYBE SIX MONTHS OR SO, YOU MAY LOSE YOUR EDGE BECAUSE IF YOU DON'T USE IT, YOU LOSE IT, RIGHT?

IF YOU'RE SHUT DOWN FOR A MONTH, MAYBE TWO MONTHS, MAYBE, MAYBE EVEN THREE MONTHS YOU THAT WON'T HAPPEN.

AFTER THE FIRST 15 MINUTES INTO THE CASE, EVERYTHING GOES BACK TO NORMAL, COMES BACK LIKE MAGIC.

>> DR.

FERNANDO VILLAMIL, I'M ACTUALLY VERY GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

>> NO, IT'S MY PLEASURE.

HOPEFULLY GOOD TIMES ARE TO COME BY YET.

>> ONE NOTE: ALL PATIENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE TESTED FOR COVID-19 AND CLEARED PRIOR TO THEIR SURGERIES.

>>> ON THE NEXT EDITION OF O.N.R., OKLAHOMA'S DELEGATION REACTS TO LEGISLATIVE NEWS OUT OF WASHINGTON D.C.

WE'LL SPEAK WITH REPRESENTATIVES KENDRA HORN AND TOM COLE.

WE'LL END OUR NEWSCAST WITH A PHOTO ESSAY BY PHOTOGRAPHER JOHNATHAN THOMPSON, OF WHAT SOON HOPE WILL BE BUSTLING CITY STREETS AGAIN.

FOR ALL OF US HERE ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, I'M RICH LENZ.

STAY WELL, OKLAHOMA!

♪ ♪ LOCAL FUNDING PROVIDED BY: