>> Rich: LAWMAKERS WELCOME AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS.

>> Lowe: INSTEAD OF JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS RIGHT OFF THE BAT, YOU GET AN INVESTIGATION AND FIND OUT THE TRUE FACTS.

>> Walters: THIS HAS BEEN A COORDINATED ATTACK TO CRUCIFY MY CHARACTER.

>> Rich: ADVOCATING FOR BETTER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE POLICY FOR THE CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS.

>> Joseph: I TOOK A VOW, AND I MEANT THE VOW, AND IT'S SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH, GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD, AND ALL THE REST OF THAT.

>> Rich: BUILDING BETTER HOUSING OPTIONS FOR OKLAHOMA'S DISABLED CITIZENS.

>> Gomez: AND IT REALLY AIMED AT ADDRESSING A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY NEED, THE LACK OF SAFE AND AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

>> Rich: THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF HIGH HEAT THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF.

>> Robbie: SO HEAT INTOLERANCE REALLY IS JUST YOUR BODY'S INABILITY TO ACCLIMATE TO THE HEAT, AND SO SOME MEDICATIONS CAN MAKE THAT WORSE.

>> Rich: KEVIN STITT ASSUMES A LEADERSHIP ROLE IN THE NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION.

>> Stitt: EVEN A SHY PASTOR'S KID FROM NORMAN, OKLAHOMA, CAN BECOME GOVERNOR.

>> Rich: PLUS, AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ON PRESERVING NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES.

NEXT ON OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

Captioning Provided By AV Captioning www.avcaptioning.com >> Rich: HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M RICH LENZ.

WE BEGIN WITH A SERIES OF REPORTS ON THE PROGRESS BEING MADE BY DISABLED OKLAHOMANS SINCE THE PASSAGE OF THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT IN 1990.

FIRST UP A DEEP DIVE INTO THE EFFORTS OF A MAN WHO MAKES IT HIS MISSION TO ADVOCATE FOR THE CAREGIVERS OF DISABLED VETERANS.

NOAH MACK JOINS US NOW WITH THAT STORY.

NOAH?

>> Noah: RICH, JOSEPH KAVANAGH IS A VETERAN HIMSELF AND CARES FOR HIS WIFE, WHO SUFFERS FROM A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY.

LIFE HAS THROWN ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING AT JOSEPH, AND THROUGH IT ALL, HE'S LEARNED HAPPINESS ISN'T HANDED OUT.

HAPPINESS IS CULTIVATED LIKE A GARDEN.

>> THERE'S A LOT OF MEDICATIONS TO TRACK HERE.

IT'S 2:10, 2:00, WE HAVE 2:30 MEDS JUST A LITTLE BIT EARLY, RIGHT?

>> YEAH.

I'M GOING TO HAVE A HARD TIME SWALLOWING -- >> Joseph: SWALLOWING, AGAIN?

JUST TAKE IT EASY.

SHE'S ON 29 MEDICATIONS OVERALL.

THERE ARE SOME THAT DO CHANGE AND THEN THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE, YOU KNOW, LIKE CLOCKWORK.

>> Noah: JOSEPH KAVANAGH SERVED IN THE ARMY AND THE NAVY FOR OVER TEN YEARS AND ON TOP OF THAT, HE HAS A TOTAL OF EIGHT COLLEGE DEGREES.

WHERE DO YOU START WITH A LIFE LIKE THAT?

THIS IS WHERE HE THOUGHT TO START.

>> Joseph: IT WAS A COLD DECEMBER NIGHT IN CHICAGO.

I WAS THERE WITH SOME BUDDIES, AND NEXT THING YOU KNOW, WE CAUGHT THE LAST TRAIN OUT OF CHICAGO AND THERE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME WAS THIS LOVELY YOUNG LADY WHO, IRONICALLY ENOUGH, THE GUY WHOSE BIRTHDAY IT WAS INTRODUCED ME TO BECAUSE HE KNEW HER, AND THAT WAS THE START OF EVERYTHING.

>> Noah: JOSEPH AND JERRIE, WHO WAS ALSO IN THE NAVY, MET IN 1990 AND QUICKLY BECAME FRIENDS.

AND SEVERAL YEARS LATER, JOSEPH POPPED THE QUESTION.

>> Jerrie: AND HE JUST LOOKED AT ME AND HE GOES, DO YOU WANT TO SHARE MY GRAVE?

>> Noah: NEARLY 30 YEARS LATER, BOTH ARE RETIRED FROM THE MILITARY AND JERRIE LIVES WITH TWO TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES AND HAVE LED TO MEMORY ISSUES.

>> Jerrie: WHEN I GET CONFUSED AND CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT I'M DOING, THEY HELP ME REMEMBER WHAT I'M DOING, OR I GET FRUSTRATED WITH, WITH WHAT I -- WELL, YOU KNOW.

NOT BEING ABLE TO REMEMBER SOMETHING.

SORRY, LIKE THAT.

I JUST LOST MY TRAIN OF THOUGHT, AND THAT HAPPENS A LOT.

>> Noah: AND HER HUSBAND NEVER LEFT HER SIDE, AND AS LONG AS HE CAN HELP IT, NEVER WILL.

>> Jerrie: HE IS MY EVERYTHING.

MY WORLD DOES NOT MOVE WITHOUT HIM IN IT.

>> Joseph: I TOOK A VOW AND I MEANT THE VOW, AND IT'S SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH, GOOD TIMES AND IN BAD, AND ALL THE REST OF THAT.

AND THERE'S BEEN A HECK OF A LOT OF SICKNESS AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES OF HEALTH, BUT BELIEVE ME, WHEN I SAID IT, I MEANT IT.

>> Noah: AMONG VETERAN CAREGIVERS IN THE U.S., JOSEPH IS A UNIQUE CASE BEING A VETERAN HIMSELF.

THAT'S WHY HE WAS A PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR A FELLOWSHIP WITH THE ELIZABETH DOLE FOUNDATION.

>> Steve: SO JOSEPH'S HELPING US LINK WITH FAMILIES.

THE BEAUTY OF THE FELLOWSHIP IS THEY'RE NOT JUST ADVISORS, THEY'RE CAT CAL LISTS IN THEIR -- CATALYSTS IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITY.

>> Noah: CEO OF THE FOUNDATION STEVE SCHWAB SAYS OKLAHOMA RANKS SIXTH HIGHEST AMONG STATES WHERE VETERANS WHO NEED AT-HOME CARE DON'T HAVE THAT CARE.

>> Steve: HE'S ALSO HELPING US MAKE THE CASE TO OKLAHOMA STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES TO ADVANCE.

WE PASSED A GIGANTIC PIECE OF LEGISLATION LAST YEAR THAT'S TRANSFORMING THE WAYS THAT V.A.

AND DOD ADMINISTER CARE TO SERVICE MEMBERS AND VETERANS, TO INCLUDE THEIR CAREGIVERS.

>> Noah: THE FOUNDATION REFERS TO CAREGIVERS LIKE JOSEPH AS HIDDEN HEROES.

HE TENDS TO EVERY DAY-TO-DAY NEED THAT JERRIE HAS, WHICH IS WHY FOR THE KAVANAGHS, LAST NOVEMBER WAS DIRE.

>> John: YOU KNOW, HE HAD HAD SOME ISSUES LEADING UP TO IT, AND WE WERE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.

AND THEN WHEN THEY FINALLY ZEROED IN AND IT'S LIKE, OKAY, IT'S YOUR LIVER, AND THINGS STARTED GOING DOWNHILL FAST.

IT WAS PRETTY STRESSFUL.

>> Noah: JOSEPH'S LIVER FAILED, AND HE WAS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A TRANSPLANT.

>> Joseph: IT WAS DICEY.

IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE I WAS GOING TO LIVE.

>> Noah: HE TOLD ME THE SCARIEST THOUGHT WAS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO JERRIE.

>> Steve: CAREGIVERS LIKE JOSEPH ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF HEALTH, PREVENTION -- HOMELESS PREVENTION, SUICIDE PREVENTION, BEYOND HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONERS.

THEY'RE ON THE VERY FRONT LINES OF THAT.

>> Noah: FORTUNATELY, JOSEPH RECEIVED A TRANSPLANT AND WASTED NO TIME BEFORE HE WAS OUT AND ABOUT LENDING HIS CARING NATURE TO HIS COMMUNITY OF TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA.

>> Shana: TWO MONTHS OUT POST-OP OF HAVING HIS LIVER TRANSPLANT, HE IS OVER AT THE WARMING CENTER AT NIGHT AND TAKING HIS SHIFT VOLUNTEERING.

>> Noah: ASIDE FROM VOLUNTEERING AT THE HOMELESS SHELTER, JOSEPH AND HIS FAMILY SPEND A LOT OF TIME AT THE OKLAHOMA AQUARIUM, BUT THEY DON'T JUST COME TO SEE THE FISH.

THEY COME TO SWIM WITH THEM.

JOSEPH VOLUNTEERS TO CLEAN THIS 58,000-GALLON TANK THAT HOUSES SEYMOUR THE SEA TURTLE AND DOZENS OF OTHER SPECIES.

>> Joseph: CAN'T LEAVE THE SQUEEGEE IN THE TANK.

SOME OF THE FISH AND SEYMOUR REALLY LIKE NIBBLING ON THINGS.

>> Noah: HAS THAT HAPPENED BEFORE WHERE -- >> Joseph: OH, WHERE THEY'VE BASICALLY STOLEN SOMETHING FROM THE DIVER?

YES, IT HAS.

>> Noah: JERRIE ALSO DIVES, ALTHOUGH AFTER A RECENT SURGERY, HER APPROVAL TO GET BACK IN THE WATER IS STILL PENDING.

BUT THE DOCTORS SAY FOR JERRIE, DIVING IS A GREAT ACTIVITY.

>> Joseph: THE WATER'S BASICALLY A ZERO GRAVITY ENVIRONMENT, SO IT'S ACTUALLY A LOT EASIER ON THE JOINTS TO MOVE IN THE WATER THAN IT IS TO MOVE OUT OF THE WATER.

>> Noah: JOSEPH HAS SERVED IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.

>> Joseph: YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE CREATE THAT KEEPS US GOING.

MY MOM LISTENED TO A SONG IN THE '70s, I REMEMBER, GROWING UP, "I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN."

>> Noah: AND RIGHT OUTSIDE OF THE AQUARIUM'S GARDEN, JOSEPH AND JERRIE EACH HAVE A BRICK COMMEMORATING THEIR SERVICE.

>> Joseph: IT TOOK ALMOST DYING FOR ME TO REALIZE THAT, YES, LIFE NEVER PROMISED ME A ROSE GARDEN, BUT I HAVE THE ABILITY TO PLANT MY OWN ROSE BUSHES.

>> Noah: AND SO PLANT HE DID, AND NURTURE IS WHAT HE'LL BE DOING UNTIL HIS LAST BREATH.

STEVE URGES ANYONE AT HOME CARING FOR A VETERAN TO GET CONNECTED WITH THE ELIZABETH DOLE FOUNDATION TO RECEIVE SUPPORT AND COMMUNITY.

RICH.

>> Rich: NOAH, THAT WAS A GREAT STORY.

>>> PRESIDENT GEORGE H.W.

BUSH SIGNED THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT INTO LAW ON JULY 26th, 1990.

LAST FRIDAY HERE IN OKLAHOMA, PEOPLE GATHERED AT THE OKLAHOMA HISTORY CENTER TO CELEBRATE THE 35th ANNIVERSARY OF ITS PASSAGE.

THE ADA PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION AGAINST INDIVIDUALS IN ALL AREAS OF PUBLIC LIFE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO EMPLOYMENT.

>> Pinnell: MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE EQUITY WHEN IT COMES TO OUR WORKFORCE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OVER FOUR MILLION PEOPLE IN OKLAHOMA, BUT OVER 17% OF OUR STATE POPULATION HAS A DISABILITY, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THE OKLAHOMA WORKFORCE.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOUR BACKGROUND IS, WHETHER YOU HAVE A DISABILITY OR NOT, THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA SHOULD BE INTERESTED, SHOULD BE PROACTIVE WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA THAT HAVE A DISABILITY.

>> Nancy: SO WHAT'S THE IMPORTANCE FOR ME IS WHEN YOU TALK TO SOMEBODY, YOU'RE INTRODUCED TO SOMEBODY, THE FIRST THING THEY DO IS THEY ASK YOU WHAT YOUR NAME IS, AND THEN THE NEXT THING THEY ASK IS, WHAT IS YOUR JOB?

BECAUSE OF THE ADA, A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WERE ABLE TO GET JOBS, SO THAT'S WHY IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> Rich: IT'S ESTIMATED THAT WORLDWIDE, THERE ARE 1.3 BILLION PEOPLE, OR ONE IN SIX PEOPLE, LIVING WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES.

>>> FOR THE DISABLED, AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF LEADING A FULFILLING LIFE IS HAVING A HOME TO CALL YOUR OWN THAT FITS YOUR CAPABILITIES AND LIMITATIONS.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH THE PROGRESS BEING MADE IN DISABLED HOUSING.

JASON?

>> Jason: RICH, BETHANY CHILDREN'S HEALTH CENTER IS STARTING A PROGRAM TO DESIGN AND BUILD ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO, WHILE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE LOOKING TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

>> THREE, TWO, ONE!

[ CHEERING ] >> Jason: IT'S MOVE-IN DAY TO DUANE POLLARD A FORMER PATIENT OF BETHANY CHILDREN'S'S HEALTH CENTER.

HIS JOURNEY TO THIS DAY WASN'T AN EASY ONE.

WHILE HE WAS A TEENAGER, HE WAS INVOLVED IN A MAJOR LIFE-CHANGING ACCIDENT.

>> HI.

MY NAME IS DUANE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DID NOT KNOW.

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO AND HERE IN MY HOMETOWN, ALTIS, OKLAHOMA.

I WAS EJECTED 75 FEET AND I BROKE MY NECK.

>> Jason: AFTER HIS INITIAL TREATMENT FOR THE TRAUMA HE SUFFERED IN THE ACCIDENT, DUANE STARTED HIS REHABILITATION AT BATHE ETHAN CHILDREN'S HEALTH CENTER.

>> I REMEMBER RIDING IN THE AMBULANCE ON THE WAY OVER HERE JUST THINKING, OH MY GOD.

OH MY GOSH.

BUT WHEN I GOT HERE, ALL THE PEOPLE, THIS WERE SO NICE.

THEY WERE SO WELCOMING.

>> Jason: OVER THE YEARS, DUANE STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THE BETHANY CHILDREN'S STAFF, AND THEN THEY ASKED FOR HIS HELP TO DESIGN THE FIRST MADDIE HOUSE MEANT TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING, FOR THOSE DEALING WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES OR LIMITATIONS.

>> WE STARTED TALKING AND NICO WAS LIKE, HEY, WE HAVE THIS VISION, WE HAVE THIS PLAN.

WE THINK IT CAN HAPPEN, AND WE WANT YOUR HELP WITH IT.

AND TO BE HONEST, LIKE WHEN HE FIST ASKED ME, I WAS LIKE, I'M NOT THE PERSON.

>> Jason: AFTER THINKING ABOUT IT, DUANE DECIDED HE WAS THAT PERSON FOR THE PROJECT AND PROVIDED CRUCIAL INPUT ON THE DESIGN.

TODAY IS A SPECIAL DAY FOR DUANE BECAUSE HE GETS TO COME HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME, THIS HOME, AND THIS HOME WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SPREADING MORE ACCESSIBLE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THROUGHOUT THE METRO.

>> AND IT AIMED AT ADDRESSING A SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY NEED.

THE LACK OF SAFE AND AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES.

>> Jason: NICO GOMEZ SAYS THE MADDIE PROGRAM WAS NAMED AFTER THE FOUNDER.

>> THERE WAS AN INDEPENDENT FOR INDEPENDENT HOUSING FOR PEOPLE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING IT.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE CELEBRATING TODAY.

WE NAME IT OUR MADDIE HOME PROJECT AND THE FIRST MODEL IS THE DUANE MODEL NAMED AFTER ONE OF OUR FORMER PATIENTS WHO IS GOING TO BE OUR FIRST TENANT AND HELPING US LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE WHAT IT MEANS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, INDEPENDENT HOUSING FOR THOSE WITH DISABILITIES.

>> IT WOULD JUST COME DOWN AND I COULDN'T USE MY WHEELCHAIR IN FRONT, LIKE FOR INSTANCE IF I WANTED TO OPEN IT, IT WOULD OF TO COME DOWN.

AND I HAD TO, LIKE, LEAN OUT GO, OVER HERE, MOVE IT DOWN A LITTLE BIT AND THEN MOVE MY CHAIR.

A LOT OF TIMES I HAVE TO POSITION FOR MY ARMS AS WELL BECAUSE MY CORE IS NOT THE SAME THROUGHOUT.

I CAN DO SOME THINGS ON MY LEFT SIDE BETTER THAN I CAN DO ON MY RIGHT, VICE VERSA.

>> Jason: DUANE'S NEW HOME WAS BUILT AND DESIGNED BY IRON-BIKETON HOMES.

>> WE WENT DOWN AND GOT TO VISIT DUANE AT HIS HOME IN WESTERN OKLAHOMA AND WE WERE BLOWN AWAY WITH NOT ONLY SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT DUANE LIVES WITH ON A DAILY BASIS THAT MANY OF US DON'T EVEN HAVE TO THINK ABOUT, BUT WE WERE JUST EVEN MORE INSPIRED AND BLOWN AWAY BY THE WAY HE HAD OVERCOME THOSE THINGS.

>> Jason: PRESIDENT O'BRIEN SAYS THE EXPERIENCE BUILDING THIS MADDIE HOME FOR BETHANY CHILDREN'S WILL INFLUENCE HIS COMPANY GOING FORWARD.

>> FROM THE ARRANGEMENT OF LIGHT FIXTURES, THE PLACEMENT OF ELECTRICAL PLUGS AND THE HEIGHT THOSE ARE, COUNTERTOP HEIGHTS, THE AREAS IN WHICH IN THE KITCHEN AND BATHROOM THAT WE PUT APPLIANCES AND FIXTURES AND ALL THOSE THINGS.

SO IT'S ABSOLUTELY OPENED MY EYES TO THE POSSIBILITIES ON A TRADITIONAL HOME.

>> Jason: THIS IS NOT A HANDOUT.

DUANE STILL PAYS RENT FOR THE HOME.

GOMEZ SAYS THE PLAN IS TO LEARN FROM DUANE AND REPLICATE WHAT WORKS ON FUTURE HOMES THE HOSPITAL PLANS TO BUILD.

AND HE HOPES OTHER WILL FOLLOW SUIT.

>> WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BUILD HOMES HERE IN BETHANY AND MAYBE BEYOND, BUT UNTIL THAT TIME, WE KNOW THE DEMAND IS STILL THERE, SO FOR US, IT'S THE ONE, BEGINNING OF OUR MADDIE HOME PROJECT AND WHAT I PRAY AND HOPE WILL BE MANY, MANY MORE COMING EITHER BY US DIRECTLY OR BY OTHERS INVESTED IN THIS SPACE.

>> Jason: ANOTHER ORGANIZATION TRYING TO HELP IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THOSE FACING DISABILITIES IS NEW VIEW IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

>> ONE, TWO, THREE!

>> YAY!

[ APPLAUSE ] >> Jason: IT'S A NEW MUSIC ROOM DESIGNED WITH PEOPLE EXPERIENCING BLINDNESS OR IMPAIRED VISION IN MIND.

SOME OF THE NEW VIEW CLIENTS GAVE A QUICK DEMONSTRATION.

[ PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS PLAYING ] >> WHETHER YOU'VE NEVER PICKED UP AN INSTRUMENT BEFORE AND JUST WANT TO MAKE SOME COOL NOISES OR IF YOU'RE A TRAINED MUSICIAN, YOU CAN COME INTO OUR MUSIC ROOM AND HAVE A GREAT TIME AND BE ABLE TO INTERACT IN A REALLY MEANINGFUL WAY WITH EVERYTHING IN THE ROOM.

>> Jason: THE MUSIC ROOM IS OPEN TO ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, NOT JUST THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS.

>> ONE THING THAT WE WANT TO HAPPEN IS FOR DISABILITY TO BE NORMALIZED, RIGHT?

AND SO YOU DO THAT BY ENGAGING WITH COMMUNITY AND HAVING PEOPLE WORK TOGETHER, PLAY TOGETHER, HAVE FUN TOGETHER, INTERACT TOGETHER.

>> Jason: HAILEY MENTOR IS A NEW VIEW CLIENT AND GOT A SNEAK PEEK BEFORE THE RIBBON CUTTING.

>> WE'VE BEEN IN THE MUSIC ROOM A FEW TIMES OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS BECAUSE WE ARE DOING A KEYS TO WORK CAMP AND IT'S GOTTEN A LOT OF FUN.

IT'S BEEN A GREAT TEAM-BUILDING EXPERIENCE.

WE'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT.

>> Jason: PROJECTS LIKE THIS AND OTHERS AROUND OUR STATE ARE MEANT TO RAISE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

FOR DUANE POLLARD, HE'S LOOKING FORWARD TO COOKING HIS FIRST MEAL IN HIS NEW HOME.

>> PROBABLY SOME TILAPIA WITH FRIES, MASHED POTATOES, OR SALMON.

I'M A REALLY BIG SEAFOOD PERSON.

>> Jason: NICO GOMEZ WITH BETHANY CHILDREN'S SAYS THAT THE HOSPITAL OWNS SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL LOTS IN THE BETHANY AREA AND WILL BE PLANNING THE NEXT BUILD IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

RICH.

>> Rich: JASON, GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU.

>>> TWO-TERM GOVERNOR GEORGE NIGH PASSED AWAY AT HIS HOME WEDNESDAY MORNING.

HE WAS 98 YEARS OLD.

NIGH ACTUALLY SERVED AS GOVERNOR ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, AN OKLAHOMA RECORD.

BORN IN 1927 IN McALESTER, NIGH WAS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR BEFORE BEING ELECTED TO THE STATE'S HIGHEST OFFICE IN 1978.

HE WAS THE FIRST GOVERNOR TO APPOINT WOMEN TO THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT.

NIGH WILL LIE IN STATE ON MONDAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

>>> A DEFIANT RYAN WALTERS IS DISMISSING A STARTLING ALLEGATION MADE BY TWO MEMBERS OF THE OKLAHOMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

THEY CLAIM THEY SAW DISTURBING IMAGES ON A TELEVISION IN WALTERS' OFFICE DURING A CLOSED-DOOR MEETING LAST WEEK, AND THAT'S NOW LED TO AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION BY THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.

AFTER RYAN WALTERS RECESSED THE MONTHLY MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ON JULY 25th, THE SUPERINTENDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD GATHERED IN WALTERS' OFFICE FOR A CLOSED-DOOR EXECUTIVE SESSION.

TWO BOARD MEMBERS, RYAN DEATHERIDGE AND BECKY CARSON, TOLD LAWMAKERS THAT THEY SAW VIDEO IMAGES OF NUDE WOMEN ON A TELEVISION IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE.

WALTERS, WHO SERVES ON THE OETA BOARD BY VIRTUE OF HIS ELECTED POSITION, VEHEMENTLY DENIED THE ALLEGATIONS DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE ON TUESDAY.

>> Walters: I CANNOT BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE DISGUSTING NATURE OF THE LIES LEVELED AGAINST ME BY BOARD MEMBERS, BY THE MEDIA, AND BY THE TEACHERS UNION.

THIS HAS BEEN A COORDINATED ATTACK TO CRUCIFY MY CHARACTER.

>> Rich: THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND THE OKLAHOMA STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION HAVE LAUNCHED AN OFFICIAL PROBE AT THE REQUEST OF THE STATE'S OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND ENTERPRISE SERVICES.

HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN DICK LOWE ALSO ATTENDED THE CLOSED-DOOR SESSION.

HE SAYS HE DID NOT SEE THE IMAGES DESCRIBED BY DEATHERIDGE AND CARSON, BUT AGREES THE ALLEGATIONS WARRANT AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY.

>> Lowe: THE KEY THING IS RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT AN INVESTIGATION STARTED AND THAT'S THE ONE THING YOU DO.

INSTEAD OF JUMPING TO CONCLUSIONS RIGHT OFF THE BAT, YOU GET AN INVESTIGATION, FIND OUT THE TRUE FACTS, .

YOU KNOW, IF THERE'S AN INNOCENCE ON THERE, LET'S BE OPEN AND CLEAR ABOUT THAT AND WE'LL FIND THAT INNOCENCE, AND THAT'S GREAT AND THAT'S WHAT INVESTIGATORS DO.

>> Rich: SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE KYLE HILBERT ALSO RELEASED A STATEMENT URGING A IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION BE CONDUCTED.

"FROM THE START, I HAVE STATED THE NEED FOR A TRANSPARENT THIRD-PARTY REVIEW OF THIS SITUATION.

REGARDLESS OF ONE'S THOUGHTS ON THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, HE DESERVES TO BE TREATED AS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, THE SAME AS ANYONE IN THIS SITUATION.

AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, MY DESIRE IS TO LET THE INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION PLAY OUT AND WHEREVER THAT INVESTIGATION LEADS, THE HOUSE STANDS READY TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION, IF ANY IS NEEDED."

HOUSE MINORITY LEADER CYNDI MUNSON WEIGHED IN ON MONDAY, SAYING DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS HAVE MADE SIX CALLS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS REQUESTING A BIPARTISAN COMMITTEE INVESTIGATE WALTERS CONCERNING OTHER ISSUES.

SHE ADDED, "THESE NEW ALLEGATIONS ARE SERIOUS AND TROUBLING, AND WHILE WE WAIT FOR THE INVESTIGATION TO BE FINISHED, I THINK IT'S PRUDENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE HAS BEEN A DIRE NEED FOR CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP AT THE OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOR A LONG TIME."

>> Lowe: YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE ONE THING I'VE TOLD PEOPLE EVER SINCE THIS, THIS HAPPENED AND THE STORY BROKE ON THIS.

THE LOSERS ARE THEIR KIDS.

LET'S DON'T DISTRACT FROM EDUCATION.

WE NEED TO HELP OUR KIDS MOVE FORWARD.

>> Rich: THAT MAY BE THE ONE ASPECT OF THIS INCIDENT THAT WALTERS AND LOWE AGREE ON.

THE SUPERINTENDENT IS CALLING FOR BOARD MEMBERS DEATHERIDGE AND CARSON TO IMMEDIATELY RESIGN, AND HE ALSO CALLED OUT THE PERSON THAT APPOINTED THEM TO THE BOARD.

>> Walters: THESE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE A LOT TO ANSWER FOR, AND SO DOES THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

DID HE DIRECT THESE BOARD MEMBERS TO LIE ABOUT ME?

>> Rich: WALTERS CLAIMS THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT HAS ALREADY CONCLUDED NONE OF HIS DEVICES WERE CONNECTED TO THE TELEVISION, BUT THEIR INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AND UNFINISHED.

>> Walters: GO ASK THE BOARD MEMBERS WHY THEY WOULD CREATE SUCH A FABRICATION.

GO ASK THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE HOW INVOLVED THEY WERE IN THIS.

THIS IS AN OUTRIGHT LIE THAT IS NOW PROVEN TO BE FALSE.

>> Rich: AS OF FRIDAY MORNING, GOVERNOR STITT HAD NOT RESPONDED TO WALTERS' COMMENTS.

>>> SPEAKING OF THE GOVERNOR, KEVIN STITT HAS BEEN NAMED THE NEW CHAIRMAN OF THE NATIONAL GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION.

STITT SUCCEEDS COLORADO GOVERNOR JARED POLIS AND WILL SERVE A ONE-YEAR TERM.

THE ASSOCIATION'S THEME, RE-IGNITING THE AMERICAN DREAM.

>> Stitt: WE LIVE IN A NATION FOUNDED ON THE BELIEF THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE ANY DREAM GOD PLACES ON YOUR HEART, AND YET NEARLY 250 YEARS LATER, THAT DREAM DOESN'T ALWAYS SEEM SO CLOSE.

NEARLY 50% OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT THE AMERICAN DREAM IS OUT OF REACH.

DOES THAT MEAN THE AMERICAN DREAM IS DEAD?

CAN I HAVE A SATISFYING CAREER?

CAN I AFFORD TO BUILD A -- TO BUY A HOUSE?

CAN I GIVE MY KIDS A BETTER LIFE THAN I HAD?

AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE FREEDOM TO GET AN EDUCATION, TO BUILD A BUSINESS OR PURSUE A CAREER, THE AMERICAN DREAM IS NOT DEAD.

>> Rich: GOVERNOR STITT ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT DEMOCRAT GOVERNOR WES MOORE OF MARYLAND WILL SERVE AS HIS VICE CHAIR.

>> CALLING IT AN IRREPLACEABLE LOSS TO OUR HERITAGE, THE CADDO NATION RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE DEATH OF EDMUND JOHNSON, THE LAST FLUENT SPEAKER OF THE CADDO LANGUAGE.

KEEPING NATIVE LANGUAGES ALIVE IS AN ONGOING CHALLENGE TO ALL OF OKLAHOMA'S 38 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES.

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD, COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

>> Hills: WELL, OUR FLUENT SPEAKERS ARE A CRITICAL LINK BETWEEN OUR PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE, AND CARRY JUST AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE.

IN ADDITION TO KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE ITSELF.

>> Tahlate: IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION THAT THE -- WITHIN THE, THE FIELD OF LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION, WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF HELPING LANGUAGES TO BE REAWAKENED FROM A PERIOD OF SLEEP OR REST.

WHEN WE SAY THAT A LANGUAGE DIES, IT EITHER CAN BE ONE OF TWO THINGS, DEAD OR ALIVE, AND THERE'S NO IN-BETWEEN.

>> Neely: YOU KNOW, THESE TEACHINGS, THESE WAYS, THIS CULTURE, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR LANGUAGE, THERE'S A HEALING THAT GOES ON WHEN YOU LEARN YOUR LANGUAGE.

THERE'S A, A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF YOURSELF, YOUR OWN SELF-IDENTITY.

>> Rich: WE'LL CONTINUE THAT CONVERSATION IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

>>> LOOKS LIKE WE'RE GOING TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF A BREAK FROM THE HIGH HEAT FOR A FEW DAYS, BUT NO DOUBT IT WILL BE BACK, AND WITH IT COMES SOME SURPRISING HEALTH IMPACTS THAT YOU MIGHT NOT BE AWARE OF.

TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH SOME GOOD INFORMATION FOR YOU TO KNOW WHEN THE HEAT INDEX HITS TRIPLE DIGITS.

TAELYR?

>> Taelyr: RICH, PEOPLE THAT TAKE DAILY MEDICATIONS NEED TO BE AWARE THAT A SUSTAINED HEAT WAVE CAN IMPACT HOW YOUR BODY REACTS TO CERTAIN DRUGS.

>> Robbie: SO IT'S NOT JUST PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.

IT'S ALSO OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS.

>> Taelyr: CLINICAL PHARMACY SPECIALIST ROBBIE HARRINGTON SAYS YOU SHOULD BE EXTRA CAREFUL IN THE HEAT IF YOU ARE TAKING MEDICATIONS.

>> Robbie: SO HEAT INTOLERANCE REALLY IS JUST YOUR BODY'S INABILITY TO ACCLIMATE TO THE HEAT, AND SO SOME MEDICATIONS CAN MAKE THAT WORSE.

>> Taelyr: SOME COMMONLY USED MEDICATIONS THAT INTERFERE WITH THE BODY'S COOLING PROCESS INCLUDE ANTIHISTAMINES, ANTIPSYCHOTICS, AND ANTIDEPRESSANTS.

>> Robbie: I WOULD SAY REALLY, YOU KNOW, THE DIURETICS COMES TO MIND RIGHT AWAY.

OBVIOUSLY THE WAY THEY WORK IN YOUR BODY, YOU'RE LOSING WATER.

THEN YOU ADD TO THAT HEAT AND SWEATING, YOU CAN REALLY BE PREDISPOSED TO -- IT CAN DEHYDRATE WORSE.

BETA BLOCKERS ARE COMMON MEDICINES FOR BLOOD PRESSURE, FOR HEART TO KEEP YOUR HEART RATE RHYTHM -- I'M SORRY, TO KEEP YOUR HEART RHYTHM NORMAL.

A VERY COMMON MEDICINE FOR THAT.

AND THAT CAN AFFECT YOUR ABILITY ON YOUR SKIN TO DILATE APPROPRIATELY AND HELP REDUCE OR EXPEL HEAT THAT WAY.

>> Taelyr: HE SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPEAK WITH YOUR HEALTH PROVIDERS TO KNOW THE DETAILS OF THE DRUGS YOU TAKE REGULARLY.

>> Robbie: SO TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN, TALK TO YOUR PHARMACIST.

FIND OUT IF YOU'RE ON ANY MEDICATIONS THAT WOULD PREDISPOSE YOU TO HAVING HEAT INTOLERANCE, AND THEN HAVE A PLAN FOR THAT.

>> Taelyr: SO WHAT SYMPTOMS SHOULD YOU LOOK OUT FOR?

>> Robbie: SO DIZZINESS.

PEOPLE OBVIOUSLY WILL GET A DRY MOUTH AT FIRST.

THEY'LL START SWEATING LATER ON.

THAT TYPICALLY DEVELOPS WHERE YOU DON'T SWEAT ANYMORE.

VERY HOT, FLUSH, CAN EVEN HAVE FAINTING SPELLS.

>> Taelyr: OTHER SYMPTOMS INCLUDE RAPID HEARTBEAT COUPLED WITH CONFUSION, SPELLS OF EXHAUSTION, FATIGUE, AND NAUSEA WHEN OUTSIDE FOR EXTENDED PERIODS, AND MUSCLE CRAMPING OR WEAKNESS.

>> Robbie: IF YOU'RE ON MEDICATIONS, HAVE A CURRENT LIST.

WE ALL HAVE WALLETS WITH US OR A PURSE OR PHONES.

WE ALL HAVE AN APP ON OUR PHONE, NOTES APPLICATION.

>> Taelyr: RECENT STUDIES SHOW PROLONGED EXPOSURE TO EXTREME HEAT CAN ALSO ACCELERATE THE AGING PROCESS, PARTICULARLY IN OLDER ADULTS.

BUT EVEN IF YOU'RE YOUNGER, SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME OUTDOOR CAN PREMATURELY AGE OUR SKIN.

>> Collins: SO THE SUN ACTUALLY CAN HAVE A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON YOUR SKIN AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW ABOUT THIS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE SPENDING A SIGNIFICANT TIME OUTDOORS.

SO BOTH UVA AND UVB RAYS FROM THE SUN IMPACT THE SKIN.

>> Taelyr: UVA AND UVB RAYS ARE FORMS OF ENERGY CALLED ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION.

>> Collins: UVA IS WHAT CAUSES SKIN AGING, AND UVB IS WHAT ACTUALLY LEADS TO MUTATIONS IN THE DNA IN THE SKIN CELLS THAT LEAD TO SKIN CANCERS.

>> Taelyr: OU HEALTH'S MOH SURGEON, DR. LINDSEY COLLINS, SAYS YOU SHOULD CHECK YOUR SKIN FREQUENTLY FOR SIGNS OF POSSIBLE SUN DAMAGE.

>> Collins: SO BROWN SPOTS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SUN ARE CALLED E.S.E., OFTENTIMES THAT YOU SEE AFTER YOU'VE BEEN OUT IN THE SUN FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, AND THEY ARE PHYSICAL SIGNS THAT YOU HAVE HAD SUN DAMAGE.

AND THEN MOST IMPORTANTLY IS WATCHING FOR DEVELOPMENT OF SKIN CANCERS.

THE MOST COMMON TYPE THAT WE SEE ARE MELANOMA, BASAL CELL CARCINOMA, AND SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA.

AND THESE ARE USUALLY LESIONS THAT DEVELOP ON THE SKIN THAT YOU NOTICE THAT ARE NEW.

THEY DON'T GO AWAY.

AND THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SKIN CANCERS HAVE DIFFERENT SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THAT YOU WATCH FOR, BUT VERY IMPORTANT TO WATCH FOR THESE NEW SPOTS THAT DEVELOP.

>> Taelyr: SHE RECOMMENDS SEEING A DERMATOLOGIST AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR.

>> Collins: BUT MORE FREQUENTLY IF YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF SKIN CANCERS, AND ALSO IF YOU KNOW -- IF YOU HAVE A HISTORY OF SIGNIFICANT SUN EXPOSURE.

IF YOU ARE A FARMER, IF YOU'VE, YOU KNOW, WORKED AS A LIFEGUARD IN THE PAST OR BEEN OUT IN THE SUN A LOT, YOU'RE AT SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER RISK OF DEVELOPING SKIN CANCER.

>> Taelyr: AND BE SURE TO WEAR SUNSCREEN WITH AT LEAST SPF 30 OR ABOVE ON ALL SUN-EXPOSED AREAS.

>> Collins: IN ADDITION TO SUNSCREEN, SUN PROTECTIVE CLOTHING IS VERY IMPORTANT.

BROAD BAND HATS WHEN YOU'RE OUTDOORS.

A LOT OF MEN THAT ARE BALD DON'T THINK ABOUT PUTTING IT ON THEIR SCALP OR PROTECTING THEIR SCALP, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY ONE OF THE MOST COMMON PLACES THAT I TREAT SKIN CANCER.

SO YOU NEED EVERY SUN-EXPOSED AREA, REAPPLIED EVERY TWO, TWO HOURS WHEN YOU'RE OUTDOORS.

>> Taelyr: WITH HEAT INDEXES ABOVE 100 MOST OF THIS WEEK, EMSA IS ASKING CITIZENS TO BE VIGILANT AND LIMIT THEIR TIME OUTDOORS.

>> Thompson: TRY TO STAY IN THE SHADE, WEAR LIGHT CLOTHING, HYDRATE.

THOSE ARE THE THREE MAIN COMPONENTS.

>> Taelyr: AN EMSA MEDICAL HEAT ALERT HAS REMAINED IN EFFECT FOR BOTH OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA FOR MOST OF JULY.

PARAMEDIC TORI THOMPSON SAYS THE ALERT WENT INTO EFFECT DUE TO THE NUMBER OF HEAT-RELATED CALLS THEY RECEIVE.

OKC HAS SEEN MORE THAN 150 SUSPECTED HEAT-RELATED CALLS THIS YEAR, AND IN TULSA, MORE THAN 180.

>> Thompson: IF WE HAVE MORE THAN FIVE HEAT-RELATED TRANSPORTS IN 24 HOURS, THEN THEY, YOU KNOW, PUT A -- PUT 'EM ON NOTICE OR PUT US ON NOTICE THAT WE DO HAVE A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S MORE HEAT THAN NORMAL, MORE HUMIDITY THAN NORMAL, AND THAT WE NEED TO BE LOOKING OUT FOR THOSE THINGS.

>> Taelyr: EMSA ALLOWED THE MEDICAL HEAT ALERT TO EXPIRE, THANKS TO THE COLD FRONT THAT MOVED IN ON THURSDAY, BRINGING RELIEF TO PARTS OF THE STATE.

METEOROLOGISTS SAY THE HEAT WILL RETURN.

RICH.

>> Rich: TAELYR, GOOD INFORMATION.

THANK YOU.

>>> WHEN OKLAHOMA'S HISTORIC BLACK TOWNS WERE THRIVING, IT WAS LARGELY DUE TO THEIR SUCCESS IN AGRICULTURE, AND WHILE MOST OF THE TOWNS TODAY ARE STRUGGLING TO DEVELOP NEW ECONOMIC ENGINES, LANGSTON UNIVERSITY IS PROVIDING TRAINING FOR A NEW GENERATION OF BLACK FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

STEVE SHAW HAS OUR REPORT.

>> WELL, THERE'S A LOT OF THEM RIGHT THERE.

A COUPLE OF THEM.

>> Steve: THERE'S NEVER ENOUGH HOURS IN THE DAY FOR MIKAH ANDERSON, WHO'S THE LONG TIME AGRICULTURE EXTENSION EDUCATOR AT LANGSTON UNIVERSITY.

ANDERSON'S MADE A CAREER OUT OF TRAVELING THE STATE, HELPING FARMERS WHO NEED IT.

>> I THINK THE BIGGEST KEY IS GOING THE AVENUE OF BEING ABLE TO GROW YOUR OWN FOOD.

YOU KNOW, YOU WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO SELL AND MAKE SOME MONEY, BUT IT'S ALSO A PASSION, SO I THINK JUST HAVING -- GOING AT THE ANGLE THAT IT'S GOING TO MAKE YOU HEALTHIER AND YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE PEOPLE AROUND YOU HEALTHIER BECAUSE YOU'RE SELLING THEM GOOD STUFF, AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST ANGLE TO GO AT.

BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

>> Steve: SINCE JUST BEFORE MEMORIAL DAY, TWO STUDENTS FROM OTHER HISTORIC BLACK UNIVERSITIES HAVE BEEN IN LANGSTON HELPING ANDERSON WITH A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING.

>> WE DIDN'T HAVE THAT AT HOME.

IT WAS CRAZY TO ME.

I'M DEFINITELY -- OKLAHOMA'S LUCKY.

I GOT SOME REALLY GOOD ICE CREAM.

>> Steve: CHI AN-WILLIAMS WILL BE A CENTER IN FALL AT NORTH CAROLINA A AND T IN GREENSBORO.

SHE AND TALIA, ALSO A SENIOR AT TUSK KEY UNIVERSITY, HAVE BEEN IN OKLAHOMA SINCE MAY.

>> Brown: THIS PROJECT AND THIS OPPORTUNITY, I REALLY WANTED TO LOOK AT OUR HISTORICAL BLACK TOWNS BECAUSE THEY ARE RURAL COMMUNITIES, AND A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES ARE DIFFERENT.

SOME OVERLAPPING, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF UNIQUE CHALLENGES THESE COMMUNITIES HAVE.

>> Steve: BROWN SAYS THIS RESEARCH IS TARGETED TO LEARN THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF OKLAHOMA'S HISTORIC BLACK TOWNS AND HOW TO GET PEOPLE TO MOVE HERE.

>> Brown: I THINK WE ARE IN A REALLY UNIQUE TIME NOW.

IT SEEMS THAT JUST BECAUSE OF A LOT OF POP CULTURE, HOW IT REALLY INFLUENCES JUST GENERAL POPULATION DECISION-MAKING, AND I THINK WE HAVE A LOT MORE BLACK COMMUNITIES IN MAINSTREAM MEDIA THAT ARE EMBRACING THE COUNTRY SIDE OF OUR HISTORY.

SO I THINK IT IS A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO JUMP ON THAT AND JUST ALLOW PEOPLE TO SEE THE CONNECTION WE HAVE AS BLACK AMERICANS TO OUR ROOTS IN AGRICULTURE.

THE RESILIENCE IN THAT, THE BEAUTY IN THAT, THE STRENGTH IN THAT.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY THAT WILL DRIVE A LOT OF US TO GO BACK TO THOSE COMMUNITIES, LEARN ABOUT OUR HISTORY, AND SEE IF WE CAN SUPPORT THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO STAYED THERE.

>> Steve: PEEBLES IS AN ANIMAL SCIENCE MAJOR AT TUSKEGEE AND WANTS TO EVENTUALLY RUN HER OWN CATTLE OPERATION.

FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS, SHE IS FOCUSED ON LISTENING TO BLACK FARMERS HERE.

>> Peebles: A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS JUST REVOLVE AROUND THEIR NEEDS.

>> Steve: WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS?

>> Peebles: I WOULD SAY COMMUNITY.

COMMUNITY IS THE BIGGEST THING BECAUSE WITHOUT THE COMMUNITY, THE BRIDGE OF INFORMATION GOING TO ONE ANOTHER IS KIND OF LIMITED AND RESTRICTED.

AND I FIND THAT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST SETBACKS BETWEEN FARMERS IN THIS STATE.

>> Steve: BACK IN JUNE, TANIA AND CHYANNE HELPED ANDERSON PLANT WATERMELON AND ZUCCHINI HERE AT THIS RESEARCH GARDEN IN LANGSTON.

>> Anderson: SO MANY PEOPLE THINK THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE NO INTEREST IN AG ANYMORE, AND THEY -- PEOPLE HERE SEEN THAT.

THESE YOUNG KIDS, YOUNG GIRLS STILL GOT ONE MORE YEAR OF COLLEGE, THAT THEY HAVE A PASSION, THEY WANT TO BE HOMESTEADERS AND THEY DON'T WANT TO -- THEY DON'T MIND GETTING OUT AND DOING SOME WORK.

>> Steve: WILLIAMS IS PROUD TO SAY SHE'S VISITED FARMERS IN SEVEN OF OKLAHOMA'S 13 HISTORIC BLACK TOWNS.

>> Williams: BOLEY, GRAYSON, CLEARVIEW, SUMMIT, RENTIESVILLE, LANGSTON.

OH, I'M GOING TO FORGET ONE!

PLEASE DON'T GET ME.

TATUMS, MY FAVORITE!

FOR ME, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO DO THIS WORK.

I AM FROM APPALACHIA, WHICH IS THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTH CAROLINA.

A LOT OF TIMES, OUR HISTORY ISN'T EXPLORED.

A LOT OF IT IS WRITTEN OVER.

SO COMING TO OKLAHOMA, A LOT OF PEOPLE HEAR ABOUT TULSA, BUT EVEN ME MYSELF, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE 13 HISTORICAL BLACK TOWNS.

AND SO ONCE I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE PROJECT, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO COME HERE.

>> Tania: I HEARD OF THE FOUNDATION AND AS FAR AS THE WORK, IT DOESN'T SCARE ME.

I'M WILLING TO TAKE THE RISK.

STILL IN THE BUSINESS.

>> Steve: DR. JAMES ARATI IS AN EXTENSION AGRIBUSINESS SPECIALIST AT LANGSTON.

>> Arati: HAVING GONE OUT WITH THEM AND SEEING THEM AROUND, I LIKE FIRST THAT THEY ARE VERY DEDICATED IN DOING THEIR WORK, AND THAT'S BEEN A BIG BENEFIT FOR US.

AND ALSO, I SEE THEM AS ACTUALLY POTENTIAL EMPLOYEES FOR US.

IF THEY WISH TO COME BACK TO US, WE'LL GLADLY HIRE THEM TO WORK WITH US.

>> THIS IS OUR ONE ROOM JAIL CELL.

IT HAS A CORNERSTONE OF 1935.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1935, AND IT IS A REGISTERED HISTORICAL PROPERTY.

>> Steve: THERE'S ALL KINDS OF THAT STUFF AROUND THIS CAMPUS.

>> UH-HUH.

WE HAVE -- WE ONLY HAVE ABOUT FOUR.

WE ARE TRYING TO REGISTER SOME MORE.

>> Steve: JAQUITA BRUNER IS TRUSTEE FOR THE CITY OF LANGSTON.

>> Bruner: THAT IS MY QUESTION.

THAT IS, WELL, HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE TO MOVE BACK?

WELL, WE NEED SOMETHING ATTRACTIVE, SOMETHING TO OFFER.

YOU KNOW, EVERYONE WHO COMES TO THIS TOWN, WHEN THEY STEP IN IT, THEY SAY I FEEL THE PEACE, I FEEL THE -- BUT WHAT KEEPS THEM HERE?

BUT RIGHT NOW, WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH THAT.

>> Steve: HOW DO YOU DO IT?

>> Bruner: INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE'VE GOT TO HAVE BUSINESSES.

BUT WE HAVE TO HAVE HOMES BEFORE WE HAVE BUSINESSES.

>> Steve: DO YOU HAVE INTERNET?

DOES EVERYBODY HAVE INTERNET AROUND HERE?

>> Bruner: NOT EVERYBODY, BUT I BEEN RUNNING ACROSS THAT AND WORKING ON THAT AS WELL.

>> Steve: STEVE SHAW, THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

>> Rich: STEVE, THANK YOU.

>>> U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT GIVING HIGH MARKS TO OKLAHOMA CITY.

THAT STORY TOPS THIS WEEK'S STATEWIDE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW WITH JASON DOYLE.

>> Jason: OKLAHOMA CITY TOPS U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT'S BEST BIG CITIES TO LIVE LIST IN 2025-2026.

THE MAGAZINE SAYS OKLAHOMA CITY'S COST OF LIVING IS A MAJOR FACTOR FOR THE RANKING WITH HOMEOWNERSHIP AND RENTALS LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

THE CAPITAL CITY'S COMMUTE TIMES AT JUST UNDER 21 MINUTES IS ALSO LESS THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE COMMUTE.

ONE KNOCK ON OKLAHOMA CITY IS THAT ITS AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME OF $67,188 IS MORE THAN $12,000 LESS THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

>>> OKLAHOMA CITY-BASED SOFTWARE COMPANY PAYCOM HAS LAUNCHED A NEW AI H.R.

SYSTEM CALLED IWANT.

IT ALLOWS EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES TO SIMPLY ASK FOR CERTAIN INFORMATION LIKE HOW MUCH ANNUAL LEAVE AN EMPLOYEE HAS AVAILABLE.

THE AI WILL SEARCH THE SINGLE DATABASE WHICH HOLDS A COMPANY'S HUMAN RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL INFORMATION.

IT IS CONSIDERED THE H.R.

INDUSTRY'S FIRST COMMAND-DRIVEN AI ENGINE.

>>> OGE ENERGY, THE PARENT COMPANY OF OG&E, SAW ITS SECOND QUARTER NET INCOME INCREASE TO $107.5 MILLION COMPARED TO THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2024'S $102.3 MILLION PROFIT.

STRONG DEMAND IN OKLAHOMA AND ARKANSAS HAS THE COMPANY BUILDING OUT CAPACITY WITH 550 MEGAWATTS OF NEW NATURAL GAS-POWERED ELECTRIC GENERATION.

MOST OF THE COMPANY'S PROFIT CAME FROM ITS UTILITY SERVICES.

>>> A FULL-SCALE LIQUIDATION AUCTION FOR CANNO'S OKLAHOMA CITY EV PRODUCTION FACILITY IS SCHEDULED TO START ON OCTOBER 2nd.

THE THREE-DAY LIVE WEBCAST AUCTION WILL FEATURE ITEMS FOR THE EV AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.

THE AUCTIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED BY BIDITUP AUCTIONS WORLDWIDE.

CANOO FILED FOR CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY IN FEBRUARY.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>> Rich: JASON, GREAT, THANK YOU.

>>> MANY OF OKLAHOMA'S 38 FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES HAVE PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO TEACH THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGES TO FUTURE GENERATIONS BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOSE YOUR LANGUAGE, YOU LOSE A VITAL PART OF YOUR SHARED HERITAGE.

WITH MORE ON WHAT'S BEING DONE, HERE'S IN-DEPTH MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD AND THIS WEEK'S PANEL OF GUESTS.

CASSIDY?

>> Cassidy: THE UNITED NATIONS ESTIMATES THAT ONE INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE DIES EVERY TWO WEEKS, AND WITHOUT ACTION, UP TO 90% OF NATIVE LANGUAGES WORLDWIDE COULD DISAPPEAR BY THE END OF THIS CENTURY.

AND HERE IN OKLAHOMA, IT'S NO DIFFERENT.

WITH US TODAY TO DISCUSS THEIR EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE NATIVE LANGUAGES IS ALAINA TAHLATE, A LANGUAGE REVITALATIONIST AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE LANGUAGE PROGRAM AT THE CADDO NATION OF OKLAHOMA.

WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY ADRIENNE LALLI HILLS, THE LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR FOR THE FIRST AMERICANS MUSEUM, AND FINALLY, WE'RE JOINED BY JUSTIN NEELY, THE LANGUAGE DIRECTOR FOR THE CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US HERE ON IN-DEPTH.

TO START THIS OFF, AS WE DISCUSSED BEFORE, A LANGUAGE DOES NOT DIE, BUT IT GOES TO SLEEP.

>> YES, I WOULD SAY IT'S PART TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION THAT THE -- WITHIN THE FIELD OF LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION, WE'RE IN THE BUSINESS OF HELPING LANGUAGES TO BE REAWAKENED FROM A PERIOD OF SLEEP OR REST.

WHEN WE SAY THAT A LANGUAGE DIES, IT EITHER -- IT CAN BE ONE OF TWO THINGS.

DEAD OR ALIVE, AND THERE'S NO IN-BETWEEN.

>> Cassidy: AND THERE'S ALWAYS AN IN-BETWEEN.

IT'S NOT JUST BLACK AND WHITE.

IT'S SLEEPING.

AND ADRIENNE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR A NATION TO LOSE ITS LAST FLUENT SPEAKER?

>> OUR FLUENT SPEAKERS ARE A CRITICAL LING BETWEEN OUR PAST -- LINK BETWEEN OUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE, AND CARRY JUST AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE, IN ADDITION TO KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE ITSELF.

FOR MY TRIBE, THE LAST KNOWN SPEAKER WILL ACTUALLY FROM MY WYANDOTTE FAMILY, OUR LAST SPEAKER PASSED AT THE TURN OF THE LAST CENTURY.

AND HE ACTUALLY SPOKE BOTH WYANDOTTE AND FRENCH IN ADDITION TO ENGLISH.

SO THEY WERE TRI-LINGUAL PEOPLE IN ADDITION TO INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE SPEAKERS.

AND THAT IS AN ENORMOUS LOSS.

IT HAPPENED WELL BEFORE EVEN MY GRANDPARENTS WERE BORN.

>> Cassidy: I REALLY WANT TO START THIS OFF BY DISCUSSING AND HONORING EVAN JOHNSON.

WHAT DID HE MEAN TO YOUR COMMUNITY AND HOW IS HIS LEGACY LIVING ON THROUGH YOUR WORK?

>> EDMUND JOHNSON WAS OUR LASTED A VANSED -- LASTED A VANSED SPEAKER OF THE CADDO LANGUAGE.

HE WAS 95 YEARS OLD, VIETNAM VETERAN, A FATHER, UNCLE, GRANDFATHER, AND BELOVED BY MANY, MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT WAS A HUGE LOSS WHEN HE WENT BACK HOME.

WHENEVER I WORK -- I WORKED WITH HIM FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS AT THE CADDO NATION OF OKLAHOMA, AND IN THOSE THREE YEARS, HE ALWAYS ENCOURAGED ME TO DO MY BEST AND KEEP GOING, EVEN THOUGH WE MAY FEEL AFRAID OF WHAT WE STAND TO LOSE, WE CAN'T LET THAT GET IN THE WAY OF US JUST CONTINUING FORWARD.

AND SO EFFORTS TO REVITALIZE AND WAKE UP THE CADDO LANGUAGE ARE ONGOING.

WE STILL HAVE DOZENS OF PARTIAL SPEAKERS IN OUR COMMUNITY, SO ALTHOUGH OUR LAST MASTERFUL SPEAKER HAS GONE ON, THERE'S STILL MANY PEOPLE, MOSTLY THE CHILDREN OF FLUENT SPEAKERS, WHO KNOW QUITE A BIT AND STILL HAVE YET A LOT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE CONTINUATION OF OUR LANGUAGE.

>> Cassidy: JUSTIN, YOU HELPED THE CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION DEVELOP ONE OF THE MOST ROBUST LANGUAGE PROGRAMS IN THE UNITED STATES.

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT STEPS WERE TAKEN TO BUILD SUCH A FOUNDATION?

>> I THINK STARTING OUT, I REALLY FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN LANGUAGE DIRECTOR FOR MY TRIBE FOR 20 YEARS NOW, SO ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I SOUGHT WAS ACCESS TO THE LANGUAGE.

WE'VE 33,000 TRIBAL MEMBERS, BUT ONLY ABOUT 10,000 LIVE IN OKLAHOMA.

A LOT OF OUR TRIBAL MEMBERS WENT OUT TO CALIFORNIA DURING THE DUST BOWL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO WE HAVE TRIBE MEMBERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND ACCESS TO LANGUAGE WAS ONE BIG FACTOR.

SO WE REALLY TRIED TO MAKE A LOT OF INNOVATIVE TOOLS.

WE HAVE ONLINE PLATFORMS FOR TEACHING THE LANGUAGE, SELF-PACED TYPE CLASSES.

WE HAVE AN ONLINE DICTIONARY AT POTTAWATOMIEDICTIONARY.COM, BEWOOLS HAVE CLASSES.

WHEN WE TEACH CLASSES IN SHAWNEE, WE LIKE TO DO A LIVE VERSION SO PEOPLE CAN JOIN US FROM AFAR AT THE SAME TIME, BUT REALLY CREATING A LOT OF TOOLS LIKE TO HELP SPREAD THE LANGUAGE.

>> Cassidy: AND HOW MANY FLUENT SPEAKERS DO WE HAVE AT CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION?

>> WE HAVE ONE NATION WHO IS A FIRST LANGUAGE FLUENT SPEAKER.

NOW, THERE'S ACTUALLY SEVEN UNIQUE GROUPS OF POTTAWATOMIES THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, BUT EVEN THROUGHOUT ALL THE SEVEN GROUPS, THERE'S LESS THAN FIVE TOTAL SPEAKERS.

WE HAVE ABOUT EIGHT THAT ARE CONVERSATIONALLY FLUENT SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

WE HAVE QUITE A FEW OTHERS THAT ARE COMING UP BEHIND US.

>> Cassidy: ADRIENNE, FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT KNOW, HOW TO WE GET TO THIS POINT WHEN WE'RE SEARCHING FOR LANGUAGES TO REVITALIZE?

>> WE GOT THERE POINT AS A RESULT OF GOVERNMENT POLICIES.

A KEY EXAMPLE OF THAT WAS BOARDING SCHOOLS AND THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTION WAS TO ASSIMILATE NATIVE CHILDREN INTO THE DOMINANT AMERICAN CULTURE AND AT THOSE BOARDING SCHOOLS, CHILDREN WERE OFTEN PROHIBITED FROM SPEAKING THEIR LANGUAGES.

AND I DON'T KNOW A PERSON IN INDIAN COUNTRY TODAY WHO DOES NOT HAVE A PERSONAL FAMILY STORY ABOUT BOARDING SCHOOLS BECAUSE IT WAS SUCH A PROFOUND AND PERVASIVE EXPERIENCE.

AND THAT HAD A REALLY CHILLING EFFECT ON CULTURAL AND LANGUAGE PRACTICES THROUGH THE GENERATIONS.

AND SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THESE LANGUAGES AS SLEEPING BECAUSE IT'S INCUMBENT ON US TO REAWAKEN THEM.

>> Cassidy: DURING MY DISCUSSION WITH SURVIVORS OF THE INDIAN SCHOOL, THEY SAID, LIKE YOU JUST MENTIONED, EVEN TODAY AS THEY'RE OLDER, THEY'RE IN THEIR 80s, 90s, THEY'RE STILL SCARED TO SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.

THEY HAD A LOT OF STRUGGLES TEACHING THEIR CHILDREN THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE OF THE TRAUMA AND THE FEAR.

HOW DO WE BREAK THAT GAP?

>> OKAY.

>> Cassidy: IT'S A TOUGH QUESTION.

>> I THINK I KNOW HOW TO ANSWER THAT.

YEAH.

THERE'S A COUPLE WAYS THAT I WOULD SAY THAT WE AS A SOCIETY CAN HELP BRIDGE THE GAP WITHIN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES.

I THINK THAT LEARNING OUR LANGUAGES, SHARING AND NORMALIZING THE VISIBILITY AND USAGE OF OUR LANGUAGES CAN BE EXTREMELY HEALING, TRANSFORMATIVE, BUT ON THE OUTSIDE, I THINK THAT THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAS AN OBLIGATION TO REMEDY PAST VIOLATIONS ON NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S HUMAN RIGHTS BECAUSE THE RIGHT TO BE ABLE TO USE YOUR LANGUAGE IS AN INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED HUMAN RIGHT, AND THE U.S. GOVERNMENT MIGHT SPEND A -- AT LEAST THE SAME AMOUNT THAT THEY SPENT TO TRY TO INTENTIONALLY DESTROY NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES, SO IN BETWEEN 1877 AND 1918, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT SPENT $2.81 BILLION, ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, ON INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS.

>> Cassidy: AND JUSTIN, HOW ARE WE DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE, THE TRAUMA, THE ANXIETY OF MAYBE SPEAKING THAT LANGUAGE?

I KNOW THE CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION IS REALLY FOCUSED ON HELPING CHILDREN LEARN THE LANGUAGE.

HOW ARE WE SEEING THAT WORK OUT?

>> THE IMPORTANT THING TO KEEP IN MIND IS, LIKE ALAINA SAID, I THINK THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THEY SPENT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TOER RAD INDICATE NATIVE LANGUAGES AND I THINK THAT'S ONE THING THAT THE GOVERNMENT COULD DO BETTER, BUT FROM OUR OWN PERSPECTIVE, THERE IS THAT HISTORICAL TRAUMA THAT DEFINITELY GOES WITH US, BUT THERE'S ALSO HISTORICAL STRENGTH.

YOU KNOW, THESE TEACHINGS, THESE WAYS, THIS CULTURE, OUR UNDERSTANDING OF OUR LANGUAGE, THERE'S A HEALING THAT GOES ON WHEN YOU LEARN YOUR LANGUAGE.

THERE'S A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING OF YOURSELF, YOUR OWN SELF-IDENTITY.

AND I THINK FOR US, YOU KNOW, WORKING WITH OUR CHILDREN AND TRYING TO REINTRODUCE THE LANGUAGE INTO A HOUSEHOLD.

YOU KNOW, I HAVE EIGHT CHILDREN OF MY OWN AND I SPEAK THE LANGUAGE TO THEM EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND IT'S THOSE KIND OF THINGS THAT CREATE THAT HEALING EFFECT.

WHEN YOU SEE YOUR CHILDREN AND YOUR YOUNG PEOPLE USING THE LANGUAGE, NOT AFRAID TO SPEAK IT, IT CREATES A HEALING I THINK FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE, I BELIEVE.

>> Cassidy: ADRIENNE, TELL US ABOUT THE WORK THAT'S BEING DONE NOW AND ARE WE COMING UP AGAINST ANY CHALLENGES?

>> FIRST I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE REALLY CREATIVE WAYS THE DIFFERENT TRIBES ARE SUPPORTING NEW GENERATIONS OF LANGUAGE LEARNERS.

FOR EXAMPLE, THERE IS COMANCHE ECONOMY, AN IMMERSION LANGUAGE PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS AS PART OF THEIR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLING PROCESS.

DUE TO THE ADVOCACY OF THE TRIBAL NATIONS, INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES LIKE OSAGE CAN BE COUNTED AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR A WORLD LANGUAGE CREDIT, AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY CAN BE ACCREDITED TO TEACH THAT IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, THAT'S MADE MORE COMPLICATED BY THERE NO LONGER BEING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION.

THE FUNDING, I THINK, COMES FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SOURCES, WHETHER THAT'S THROUGH REVENUE THAT THE TRIBE GENERATES THROUGH ITS OWN ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES.

IT CAN COME FROM GRANTS FROM THE GOVERNMENT.

AND I WILL MENTION THAT THERE IS AN INCREDIBLY STRONG RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT WITH OUR YOUTH, AND POSITIVE MENTAL HEALTH, PHYSICAL HEALTH, SPIRITUAL HEALTH OUTCOMES, AND SO THERE IS AN EMERGING UNDERSTANDING OF LANGUAGE AND CULTURE AS MEDICINE FOR OUR YOUTH.

AND SO ALSO, THERE ARE DOLLARS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SPHERE, THE PUBLIC HEALTH SPHERE THAT CAN SUPPORT THESE INITIATIVES AS WELL.

>> Cassidy: WHAT DO YOU THINK, ALAINA?

WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THAT RESPECT?

WHAT ARE YOU SEEING?

>> WHEN TRIBES TRY TO REVIVE THEIR LANGUAGES, THEY'RE NOT ONLY REVIVING A LANGUAGE, THEY'RE REVIVING THE LIFE WAYS THAT GO ALONG WITH THAT LANGUAGE.

AND SO WHEN A TRIBE REVIVES THEIR LANGUAGE, IT HELPS WITH THE SURFACE LEVEL CULTURE AND ALSO THE DEEPER CULTURAL UNDERSTANDINGS, OUR VALUES, OUR WORLD VIEWS, OUR BELIEFS ABOUT WHY THE WORLD IS THE WAY IT IS AND HOW IT WAS CREATED, DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT.

WHEN YOU'RE ABLE TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICES LIKE THAT, THEY ARE EMBEDDED WITHIN THE LANGUAGE, AND I THINK THAT IT SERVES TO BENEFIT NOT ONLY TRIBAL CITIZENS, BUT OTHER PEOPLE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN, THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF WHO NATIVE AMERICAN NATIONS ARE AS A PEOPLE.

>> Cassidy: WELL, WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME HERE.

I WANTED TO PUT THIS QUESTION UP FOR EVERYONE, BUT WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE MAYBE NON-NATIVE OR JUST LISTENING IN RIGHT NOW, HOW CAN WE HELP?

ADRIENNE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> YOU KNOW, THE LANGUAGE REVITALIZATION AND SUSTAINING IS SOMETHING THAT COMES FROM THE TRIBES AS AN EXPRESSION OF THEIR INHERENT SOVEREIGNTY, AND NON-NATIVE PEOPLE ACROSS OKLAHOMA, JUST THE UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU ARE ON SOVEREIGN NATIVE LAND IS CRITICAL.

AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN ALL WORK TOGETHER TOWARDS THE BETTERMENT OF ALL OKLAHOMANS IS IMPORTANT.

ONE THING THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT FOR NON-NATIVES TO UNDERSTAND AND TO SHARE AMONG THEMSELVES IS THAT THERE IS NO ONE NATIVE LANGUAGE, RIGHT?

MANY VISITORS TO FIRST AMERICANS MUSEUM COME AWAY WITH THIS SUDDEN DISCOVERY THAT THAT IS THE CASE, BUT THERE ARE DOZENS OF LANGUAGES IN OKLAHOMA JUST AS THERE ARE 39 TRIBES HERE.

>> Cassidy: JUSTIN, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

>> YEAH, I THINK -- BOY, SHE HIT SOME GREAT POINTS.

I THINK JUST CREATING SPACE FOR US, REALIZING THAT, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT WERE HERE FIRST.

YOU'RE ON NATIVE LAND AND RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND THAT AND I THINK SHE ALSO MENTIONED ABOUT THE SCHOOLS, GIVING US ACCESS TO SCHOOLS, ALLOWING THIS.

WE HAVE A COURSE THAT WE ALSO OFFER ONLINE IN THE ZOOKDS, BUT LIKE -- SCHOOL DISTRICTS, BUT LIKE SHE WAS SAYINGWORK THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT DISAPPEARING, THAT MAY DISAPPEAR.

BIT ALLOWING US SPACE INSIDE THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND ELEMENTARIES AND EVEN ACKNOWLEDGING THE NATIVE PEOPLE WITH SIGNAGE IS GREAT.

I'VE SEEN OTHER STATE DEVELOP OUT OF THEIR WAY TO DO DUAL SIGNAGE.

HERE IN OKLAHOMA, IT'S MORE COMPLICATED BECAUSE WE HAVE SO MANY TRIBES.

IN FACT, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE JURISDICTIONS THAT OVERLAP, BUT I'M SURE THERE'S WAY THAT WE CAN FIND TO -- AGAIN, WHEN YOU MAKE THE LANGUAGE VISIBLE AND PEOPLE SEE THE LANGUAGE ON A DAILY BASIS, IT MAKES IT MORE REAL AND IT MAKES PEOPLE THAT WE ARE STILL HERE, WE ARE STILL A UNIQUE PEOPLE, WE'RE STILL SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE, WE STILL KNOW OUR CULTURE.

SO YEAH.

>> Cassidy: ALAINA, FINAL THOUGHTS.

>> YEAH, THERE ARE 33 LANGUAGES SPOKEN IN OKLAHOMA AND ALL OF THEM ARE SOME DEGREE OF EITHER ASLEEP AND ABOUT TO BE REAWAKENED, OR CRITICALLY ENDANGERED.

SO OKLAHOMANS WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF A NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE MIGHT SUPPORT LANGUAGE EFFORTS BY SIMPLY UNDERSTANDING THAT NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES ARE PART OF OKLAHOMA'S HERITAGE, THAT THEY BELONG HERE.

SOME OF OUR TRIBAL LANGUAGES WERE SPOKEN HERE THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEFORE AMERICAN ENGLISH WAS SPOKEN HERE, AND THAT IF YOU EVER ENCOUNTER A NATIVE AMERICAN PERSON, WHETHER THEY'RE A CHILD OR AN ELDER, WHO IS A BOARDING SCHOOL SURVIVOR, TO ALLOW THEM TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE AND NOT CAST ANY NEGATIVITY OVER THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE -- THEY'RE TRULY SOLDIERS IN LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL REVITALIZATION BY CHOOSING TO SPEAK THEIR LANGUAGE EVERY DAY NO MATTER HOW MUCH OR HOW LITTLE THEY MAY KNOW.

>> Cassidy: WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US AND THANK YOU FOR THE WORK, THE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT WORK YOU'RE ALL DOING.

THANK YOU.

>> Rich: WONDERFUL CONVERSATION.

>>> IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO MOTOR UP TO BEMIDJI, MINNESOTA, TO MEET A YOUNG LADY WHO HAS RACING IN HER VEINS AND A BURNING DESIRE TO KEEP THE FAMILY LEGACY ALIVE.

THAT STORY COURTESY OF OUR PBS PARTNERS AT LAKELAND PBS.

>> Reporter: 16-YEAR-OLD LILY KNUTE HAD AN ITCH FOR RACING, A NEED FOR SPEED, AND IT'S IN HER BLOOD.

>> Knute: I LOVE THE ADRENALINE.

FEELING THE HORSEPOWER, JUST BEING ABLE TO BE OUT THERE.

>> Reporter: ON HER FATHER'S SIDE, HER GRANDPA DWIGHT KNUTE IS A BEMIDJI SPEEDWAY HALL OF FAMER, AND HER DAD SKY RACED AS WELL.

OR SO SHE'S HEARD.

>> Knute: I WAS NOT ALIVE YET, SO I DIDN'T SEE ANY RECORDINGS OR ANYTHING.

>> Reporter: HER UNCLE QUINTON, WHO WORKED IN THE PITS FOR BOTH DWIGHT AND SKY, NOW HELPS WITH LILY'S CAR AND ISN'T SURPRISED SHE TOOK TO RACING.

>> Quinton: IT'S KIND OF FUNNY HOW THAT ALL COMES OUT IN THE END.

NO RECOLLECTION OF IT AT ALL, BUT STILL HAS IT IN HER BLOOD THAT SHE WANTS TO RACE AND GO FAST.

SO THAT'S WHAT SHE'S DOING.

>> Reporter: ON HER MOTHER'S SIDE, GRANDPA TWEED RACED SNOWMOBILES, AND LILY CUT HER TEETH POWDER PUFF RACING AT THE GARFIELD ICE RACES.

BUT IT WAS THE DIRT TRACK SHE YEARNED FOR.

>> Brittany: I WAS NOT READY FOR THAT, BUT MY DAD GOT INVOLVED AND IT WAS OFF TO THE RACES.

LITERALLY!

>> Knute: I GIVE ALL THE CREDIT TO HIM.

HE BUILT THE CAR, HE MADE IT START.

HE PUT IN THE MONEY AND THE TIME AND THE EFFORT TO DO IT.

>> Tweed: AS A GRANDFATHER, YOU KNOW YOU'RE JUST GONNA DO IT FOR THE KIDS.

AND I LOVE IT, TOO, SO IT'S BOTH OF US.

WE'VE GOT IT IN OUR BLOOD, I GUESS.

>> Reporter: ON MAY 31st, LILY LOST SOME OF HER BLOOD, GRANDPA DWIGHT.

>> Knute: HE PASSED AWAY A WEEK BEFORE I STARTED RACING, ACTUALLY, SO THAT WAS KIND OF SUCKY.

>> Reporter: ADDING TO THE ADVERSITY, HER DAD SKY HAS TO CHEER HER ON FROM PRISON.

>> Knute: HE WANTS ME TO DO THIS SO BAD.

HE'S SO HAPPY FOR ME, EVEN THOUGH HE CAN'T BE HERE FOR ME.

BUT YES.

>> Reporter: LILY STILL HAS PLENTY OF SUPPORT IN THE STANDS FROM HER AUNT AND HER MOTHER BRITTANY, DESPITE THE RISK OF INVOLVED.

>> Brittany: EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT SHE GETS IN HER CAR, I WORRY.

>> Reporter: IN JUST HER SECOND RACE, BRITTANY'S WHOLE WORLD TURNED UPSIDE DOWN.

>> Brittany: I GOT DOWN TO THE TRACK AS FAST AS I COULD, AND I WAS ON MY KNEES AND I WAS PRAYING THAT MY LITTLE GIRL WAS OKAY.

>> Reporter: RELIEF CAME IN THE FORM OF TWO THUMBS UP.

MOM COULD BREATH AGAIN, UNTIL THAT RACING BLOOD KICKED IN.

>> Knute: I LITERALLY WANTED TO BE OUT THERE THE NEXT SECOND AND WANTED TO GET BACK ON THE TRACK.

>> Tweed: ARE YOU NERVOUS?

>> Reporter: GRANDPA TWEED WOULD NEED TO FIX THE CAR FIRST, BUT TWO WEEKS LATER ON SUNDAY RACE DAY, LITERAL HOURS AFTER GRANDPA DWIGHT'S MEMORIAL SERVICE, LILY WAS BACK ON THE DIRT.

BECAUSE IT'S IN HER BLOOD.

>> Reporter: IF HE COULD SEE ME, I THINK HE'D BE PROUD, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT -- OBVIOUSLY I'M NOT UP TO HIS LEVEL.

I'M HOPING I CAN BE.

BUT YES, I DO THINK ABOUT HIM.

>> Brittany: HE WOULD BE SO PROUD OF HER.

WE KNOW THAT HE'S UP THERE CHEERING FOR HER RIGHT NOW, EVEN THOUGH HE CAN'T BE HERE WITH US.

>> Reporter: AND NOW, BECAUSE OF LILY, A KNUTE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE THE TRACK AT THE BEMIDJI MOTOR SPEEDWAY.

>> Knute: I DEFINITELY WANT TO PURSUE THIS AS FAR AS I CAN.

A LOT OF THE WOMEN I KNOW ARE WAY OLDER, IN THEIR 40s, AND I WANT TO DO THAT TOO.

I WANT TO BE AS BRAVE AS THEM.

STICK THROUGH IT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S NOT ALWAYS A GOOD YEAR.

JUST LIKE HOW I ROLLED MY CAR LAST WEEKEND.

>> Rich: ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ELIMINATES INCENTIVES TO BUY ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

HOW WILL THAT IMPACT SALES AND THE BUILDING OF EV CHARGING STATIONS IN OKLAHOMA?

STEVE SHAW REPORTS.

>>> WE'LL SAY SO LONG THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AT A NEW EXHIBIT AT THE BOB DYLAN CENTER IN TULSA, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA'S JASON STEWART.

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS NEWSCAST ON THE AIR EACH WEEK, I'M RICH LENZ.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

♪♪ ♪ [ SINGING ] ♪ ♪♪ Captioning Provided By AV Captioning www.avcaptioning.com