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IN OKLAHOMA.

LAWMAKER WANTS TO CHANGE THE CRITERIA ON HOW DHS REMOVES A CHILD FROM THEIR HOME.

THE BIGGEST THING THAT IT DOES AT THE HEART OF IT IS IT CHANGES THE LEGAL STANDARD FROM WHICH, WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OR THE COURTS CAN KEEP A CHILD AWAY, RAMPING UP THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY IN OKLAHOMA TO MEET THE CHINA CHALLENGE.

I'M EXCITED TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OKLAHOMA.

I THINK WE ARE A HIDDEN GEM.

A NEW LAW MAKING DIAGNOSING DYSLEXIA EASIER FOR OKLAHOMA EDUCATORS.

I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE DYSLEXIA WAS NOT A RECOGNIZED DISABILITY.

SPEEDERS BEWARE.

KIDS ARE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM AND POLICE ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THOSE SCHOOL ZONES.

WE'LL HAVE OFFICERS WHO PATROL THOSE AREAS WHEN THEY'RE NOT ON CALLS.

THEY'LL GO BY THERE AND AND CHECK ON IT, BUT WE GIVE THEM EXTRA ATTENTION IN IN DEPTH DISCUSSION ON A PLAN TO SHIFT OHP TROOPERS FROM URBAN TO RURAL AREAS.

SO HAVING THEM LEAVE OUR AREA WILL IMPACT SAFETY IN TULSA.

THOSE STORIES PLUS O U HEALTH EXPANDS STATE OF THE ART CANCER CARE IN NORMAN.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M RICH LANDS IN OKLAHOMA LAWMAKER IS PROPOSING CHANGING THE RULES OF HOW THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES REMOVES A CHILD FROM A HOME IT DEEMS UNSUITABLE.

THE CHANGES WILL BE DISCUSSED IN AN UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE INTERIM STUDY AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

BUT THE WAGONER COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAYS THERE IS MORE TO THE STORY.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN.

STEVE RICH GABE WOOLLEY REPRESENTS HOUSE DISTRICT 98, WHICH IS BROKEN ARROW.

THE BILLS HE WANTS TO PUSH THROUGH WOULD NOT ONLY MAKE IT HARDER FOR DHS TO TAKE CHILDREN OUT OF SUSPECTED ABUSE SITUATIONS, DHS WORKERS COULD FACE KIDNAPING CHARGES IF THEY RESIST AN ORDER TO RETURN A CHILD TO A HOME, WHERE IT WAS PROVEN ABUSE DID NOT EXIST.

WOOLLEY CLAIMS THAT WAS THE CASE WITH HIS PARENTS.

NO DNA.

I MEAN, THEY TESTED FOR DNA TWICE ZERO, NO DNA.

THEY TOOK ALL OF OUR MEDIA CHECKING FOR PORNOGRAPHY.

NONE.

EVERYTHING WAS CLEAN.

THEY REALLY HAD NOTHING.

NOTHING?

NOTHING?

NOTHING.

LISA WOOLLEY IS STATE REPRESENTATIVE GABE WOOLLEY'S MOTHER.

ON MARCH 30TH, SEVEN YEARS AGO, LISA AND HER HUSBAND BILL, HAD CUSTODY OF THEIR TWO GRANDSONS WHEN SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAPPENED TO THE YOUNGER BOY, ELIJAH, IN A BEDROOM.

MRS. WOOLLEY SAYS THE BOYS SHARED IN THE FAMILY HOME.

YOU KNOW, I WENT IN TO FEED HIM THAT MORNING.

ARE YOU THE ONE THAT FOUND HIM?

I FOUND HIM, I FOUND HIM, LISA WOOLLEY SAYS HER DAUGHTER, DESIREE, IS THE BOY'S BIOLOGICAL MOTHER.

LISA SAYS HER DAUGHTER STRUGGLED WITH DRUGS AND SMOKED METH, MARIJUANA AND CIGARETTES WHEN SHE WAS PREGNANT WITH ELIJAH.

LISA SAYS THOSE FACTORS ARE WHY ELIJAH WAS BORN UNDERWEIGHT AND HAD REAL HEALTH PROBLEMS.

AND HE HAD BECAUSE HE HAD ONGOING STRUGGLES WITH SEVERE CONSTIPATION.

WE HAD TO USE THIS LAXATIVE STUFF AND EVERY ONE OF HIS BOTTLES, IT WAS TEN HOURS BETWEEN THE TIME HE WENT TO BED AND THE TIME YOU FOLKS FOUND HIM.

IT WAS A TEN HOUR, A TEN HOURS, PRETTY CLOSE TO TEN HOURS.

IS THAT NORMAL?

IT IS WHEN YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL.

AND WHEN YOU DIDN'T HAVE A NAP THE DAY BEFORE.

A STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER FROM TULSA CONDUCTED ELIJAH WOOLLEY'S AUTOPSY, AND THE FIRST PAGE FLIES OFF THE PAGE.

PATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS.

ASPHYXIA DUE TO SUFFOCATION.

MULTIPLE PENETRATING BLUNT IMPACT INJURIES TO THE RECTAL AREA.

THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER CLASSIFIED IT AS A HOMICIDE.

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THAT?

OH, IT'S NOT VERY HARD.

WELL, HE SAYS SHE AND HER HUSBAND SERVED EIGHT MONTHS IN JAIL.

WHILE DEFENSE ATTORNEYS AND THEIR MEDICAL EXPERTS MOUNTED A DEFENSE, OUR CHARGES WERE CHANGED LIKE, 26 TIMES.

BUT THEY DISMISSED THEM.

ALL OF THEM.

THIS IS A MATTER THAT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION, RIGHT?

THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS I CAN TALK ABOUT.

JACK THORPE IS DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR ADAIR, CHEROKEE, SEQUOYAH AND WAGNER COUNTIES.

HE SAYS HE DID IN 2021, DISMISSED THE MURDER AND CHILD SEX ABUSE CHARGES AGAINST LISA AND BILL WOOLLEY.

BUT THEY'RE STILL, HE SAYS, PLENTY GOING ON.

WE HAVE ACTIVELY WORKED ON RECEIVING MORE REPORTS.

WE HAVE SOUGHT RECORDS, SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF RECORDS, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE FILES OVER HERE.

AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK ON THIS CASE.

I WAS WORKING ON THIS CASE UNTIL ALMOST MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT.

REPRESENTATIVE GABE WOOLLEY SAYS THE TWO HOUSE BILLS HE FILED EARLIER THIS YEAR ESSENTIALLY WOULD PREVENT DHHS OVERREACH.

THE BIGGEST THING THAT IT DOES AT THE HEART OF IT IS IT CHANGES THE LEGAL STANDARD FROM WHICH, WHEN THE GOVERNMENT OR THE COURTS CAN KEEP A CHILD AWAY.

IT DOESN'T INTERFERE WITH THEM BEING ABLE TO TAKE A CHILD IF THERE'S ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT, HOWEVER, IT WOULD CHANGE THE LEGAL TERM.

THE PREPONDERANCE OF THE EVIDENCE, WHICH IS A 51% LIKELIHOOD THAT SOMETHING MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE HAPPENED AND IT DOESN'T REQUIRE PROOF.

IT WOULD CHANGE THAT STANDARD UP TO ONE ABOVE IT, WHICH IS CLEAR AND CONVINCING EVIDENCE, WHICH MEANS THEY WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TO PROVE THAT THERE'S ABUSE AND NEGLECT TO KEEP THE CHILD AWAY.

JOE DORMAN IS CEO OF THE OKLAHOMA INSTITUTE FOR CHILD ADVOCACY.

I REACHED OUT TO REPRESENTATIVE WOOLLEY, AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL CONVERSATIONS I'VE EXPRESSED TO HIM.

WE DON'T NEED TO CRIMINALIZE DHS WORKERS.

THEY ARE SIMPLY STATE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE DOING THE BEST JOB THEY CAN.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS PROVIDE THE RIGHT TRAINING AND THE RIGHT RESOURCES TO HELP THOSE WORKERS ASSESS THE SITUATION, TO MAKE SURE THAT KIDS ARE PUT INTO THE SAFEST SITUATION POSSIBLE.

THE WOOLLEY CASE IN WAGONER COUNTY IS FAR FROM ANY SORT OF CONCLUSION.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY THORP SAYS THIS PHOTO IS ABOUT A MONTH OLD.

IT'S ELIJAH WOOLLEY'S OLDER BROTHER, WHO'S NOW 13 AND LIVING IN FOSTER CARE WITH A DISTANT RELATIVE.

THE MOTHER OF THIS CHILD SIGNED OVER A PERMANENT GUARDIANSHIP TO THIS FOSTER MOM.

AND THIS CHILD HAS BEEN WITH THAT FOSTER MOM EVER SINCE.

SO THERE'S LOTS OF ATTACKS ON DHS.

BUT THE REALITY IS, IS THAT THE MATERNAL MOTHER SIGNED A GUARDIANSHIP OVER, HAD AN ATTORNEY, HAD A HEARING, AND SO IT WASN'T DHS KEEPING THIS CHILD AWAY.

THAT'S IMPORTANT, I BELIEVE, BECAUSE IT'S INCONSISTENT WITH THIS CONSTANT ATTACK ON DHS.

LISA WOOLLEY SAYS HER FAMILY WANTS THE OLDER GRANDSON, WHO'S NAME SHE SAYS IS CLAYTON BACK?

CLAYTON.

OH MY GOSH, WITH ALL MY HEART.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE FIGHT FOR OR LIVE FOR.

BREATHE FOR EVERY SINGLE DAY.

THAT'S WHY WE'VE POSTED BILLBOARDS ALL OVER THE CITY, AND WE HAVE RALLIES AND WE'VE.

WELL, THE DA TOLD ME THIS MORNING THAT HE'S IN A GOOD HOME AND THAT HE'S BEING TAKEN CARE OF.

HE'S.

I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT HE'S LYING.

HE KNOWS.

HE KNOWS BETTER.

THERE'S BEEN A CONCENTRATED POLITICAL CAMPAIGN REGARDING THE FAMILY'S DESIRE TO RECEIVE THE CHILD BACK.

THE DA'S WHOLE HOUSE OF CARDS IS GOING TO COME TUMBLING DOWN IF HE HAS TO.

IF HE ENDS UP HAVING TO ADMIT THIS AND ADMIT THAT HE.

THEY TOTALLY SCREWED THIS UP, AND NOW IT'S EMBARRASSING FOR THEM.

WHAT, DID THEY SCREW UP THE WHOLE THING?

I MEAN, WE WERE FALSELY ACCUSED ON EVERY COUNT.

AS FOR THE ALLEGATION THAT HE'S A LIAR, DISTRICT ATTORNEY THORP SENT THIS.

OUR INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING AND CERTAINLY IS NOT A HOUSE OF CARDS.

WHILE I WILL NOT COMMENT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THIS ONGOING INVESTIGATION, EVERY CRIMINAL CASE IS DIFFERENT, AND THIS CASE IS CERTAINLY NOT PERSONAL, OTHER THAN I FEEL A DUTY TO PROSECUTE CRIMINAL OFFENSES IF AND WHEN SUFFICIENT ADMISSIBLE EVIDENCE IS AVAILABLE TO PROVE THE CASE BY PROOF BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT.

THERE'S NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS FOR MURDER, AND ULTIMATELY, OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE THAT JUSTICE PREVAILS.

VERY EYE OPENING TO HOW A JUSTICE SYSTEM CAN BE WEAPONIZED AGAINST THE PEOPLE, AND HOW PEOPLE'S BIAS AND THEIR PRIDE CAN CAUSE THEM TO CAUSE HARM TO OTHER PEOPLE.

THAT'S MY MY UNDERSTANDING.

THAT'S MY THEORY.

LISA WOOLLEY ALSO CLAIMS THE MEDICAL EXAMINER WHO PERFORMED HER GRANDSON'S AUTOPSY WAS BANNED FROM DOING PEDIATRIC AUTOPSIES AFTER HER GRANDSON'S CASE.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY THORP TELLS ME THAT IS INCORRECT.

HE SAYS THAT MEDICAL EXAMINER CONTINUES TO BE A VALUABLE PART OF THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE IN TULSA.

RICH, STEVE, THANK YOU.

TWO VERY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.

THE OU HEALTH STEPHENSON CANCER CENTER IS PARTNERING WITH THE NORMAN REGIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM TO OPEN A NEW ONCOLOGY CLINIC AT THE NORMAN REGIONAL HOSPITAL CAMPUS.

THE NEW 50,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY WILL EXPAND ACCESS TO STATE OF THE ART CANCER TREATMENTS AND SUPPORT SERVICES FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

NONE OF US CAN GET THE JOB DONE ALONE.

THE DISEASE IS TOO POWERFUL.

IT CLAIMS WAY TOO MANY LIVES.

IT CREATES WAY TOO MUCH SUFFERING.

BUT TOGETHER THERE IS AN ANSWER AND IT'S HERE, IT SEEMS.

JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, I WAS SITTING IN A VERY COLD TENT BREAKING GROUND.

A LOT HAS CHANGED IN 24 MONTHS OR SO IN TERMS OF BOTH TEMPERATURE AND THIS FACILITY.

IT'S REALLY AN INCREDIBLE AND IT REALLY DOES REPRESENT A NEXT CHAPTER OF CANCER CARE IN NORMAN.

THE BURDEN FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES WITH CANCER IS IMMENSE.

I THINK IT'S STILL UNDERRATED AND UNDERPLAYED AND HOW DRAMATIC IT IS.

THAT'S EVEN BEFORE YOU HAVE TO NAVIGATE HUNDREDS OF TESTS, IMAGES, CHEMOTHERAPY, RADIATION THERAPY.

WE'RE VERY PROUD TO PARTNER WITH OU HEALTH AND STEPHENSON CANCER TO BRING THESE ENHANCED TREATMENTS AND THERAPIES TO NORMAN.

COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CARE IN ONE BUILDING IS VERY, VERY UNUSUAL.

THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE RANKED THE OU HEALTH STEPHENSON CANCER CENTER AMONG THE TOP 2% OF ALL CANCER TREATMENT CENTERS IN THE UNITED STATES, AND U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT IS HONORING THE OKLAHOMA HEART HOSPITAL AS ONE OF THE NATION'S HIGHEST PERFORMING HOSPITALS.

THE PHYSICIAN OWNED FACILITY HAS NORTH AND SOUTH CAMPUSES IN OKLAHOMA CITY, AND SPECIALIZES IN HEART AND LUNG SURGERIES AND OTHER HEART RELATED TREATMENTS.

THE OKLAHOMA HEART HOSPITAL WAS FOUNDED IN 2002.

BEGINNING NOVEMBER 1ST, THE OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL WILL SHIFT TROOPER PATROLS FROM OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA AND RELOCATE THEM INTO RURAL AREAS.

COMMISSIONER OF PUBLIC SAFETY TIM TIPTON SAYS MORE HELP IS NEEDED IN RURAL COUNTIES, AND THAT THE STATE'S TWO LARGEST CITIES HAVE ENOUGH PERSONNEL TO COVER FOR THE DEPARTURE OF OHP.

BUT NOT EVERYBODY AGREES WITH THE PLAN, AND THAT'S THE FOCUS OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR KASSIDY MUDD.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

WELL, I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S PUTTING THE CITIES AT RISK, BECAUSE DOES TULSA HAVE 800 OFFICERS?

600,000?

I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S A LOT.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY OUT HERE PATROLLING OUR ROADS.

SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A CRASH THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK FOR US.

I'D IMAGINE FOR THE LARGER AGENCIES WHO DO RELY ON THEIR SERVICES, WHO WILL HAVE A DEFICIT, AND FOR THE COMMUNITIES LIKE US AND OKLAHOMA CITY WHO WILL SEE, YOU KNOW, CRIMES THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE PROSECUTED AND ARRESTED WON'T BE.

SO THEY'LL BE AN INCREASE OF DUIS.

THEY'LL BE AN INCREASE OF TRAFFIC VIOLATORS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE IN RESERVE TO COVER THE DEFICIT LEFT BY THOSE TROOPERS LEAVING OUR AREA.

THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES OVER THE SUMMER BREAK, WE MIGHT TEND TO FORGET ABOUT THE SPEED LIMITS IN SCHOOL ZONES.

BUT NOW THAT ALL THE KIDS ARE BACK IN THE CLASSROOM, IT'S TIME FOR A LITTLE REFRESHER COURSE.

WHO KNOWS?

IT COULD SAVE A LIFE AND AT THE LEAST MIGHT SAVE YOU A FEW HUNDRED BUCKS.

EDUCATION REPORTER TAYLOR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH THE INFORMATION YOU NEED TO KNOW.

TAYLOR.

THAT'S RIGHT.

RICK.

WE VISITED MULTIPLE SCHOOL ZONES IN THE METRO WHILE THE SCHOOL ZONES WERE ACTIVE.

AND YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED ABOUT HOW MANY CARS WERE SPEEDING IN THE AREA.

LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS ARE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR DRIVERS LIKE THIS ONE, CLEARLY SPEEDING THROUGH A SCHOOL ZONE.

AND WHILE THIS DRIVER WAS NOT CAUGHT AND TICKETED, OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT PIO MASTER SERGEANT GARY KNIGHT URGES CAUTION WHEN APPROACHING SCHOOL ZONES.

PAY EXTRA ATTENTION BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU GOT REALLY LITTLE KIDS.

THEY'LL DART OUT FROM BETWEEN CARS AND YOU DON'T SEE THEM UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE.

SO WE WANT THEM TO SLOW DOWN.

AND THAT'S WHAT THE SCHOOL ZONES ARE FOR.

WITH THE LAST GROUP OF TULSA AREA SCHOOLS STARTING CLASSES THIS WEDNESDAY, THE TULSA POLICE DEPARTMENT USED A PSA ON FACEBOOK TO ADDRESS LOCAL DRIVERS.

DRIVERS, I'D LIKE YOU TO BE EXTREMELY VIGILANT AS OUR CHILDREN MAKE THEIR WAY TO AND FROM SCHOOL.

WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP OUR KIDS SAFE.

BOTH DEPARTMENTS SAY THE LAW IS SIMPLE.

IF YOU SEE SCHOOL ZONE SIGNAGE AND LIGHTS ARE FLASHING, SLOW DOWN TO THE SPEED POSTED ON THE SIGN.

WELL, WE WORKED THE SCHOOL ZONE, SO OBVIOUSLY WE'LL HAVE OUR EITHER OUR MOTORS UNITS OUT THERE, OUR MOTORCYCLE UNITS, OR WE'LL HAVE OFFICERS WHO PATROL THOSE AREAS WHEN THEY'RE NOT ON CALLS.

THEY'LL GO BY THERE AND CHECK ON IT, BUT WE GIVE THEM EXTRA ATTENTION.

AND IF YOU DISOBEY THE LAW, IT COULD COST YOU.

IN OKLAHOMA CITY, A SCHOOL ZONE TRAFFIC VIOLATION FEE IS $213.

IN EDMOND, THE FEE IS $280, AND IN TULSA, THE FEE IS UP TO $500.

BECAUSE EVEN IF YOU'RE IN A HURRY, IT'S ONLY GOING TO SLOW YOU DOWN 10 OR 15 SECONDS.

SO JUST TAKE THE TIME, SLOW DOWN, LET THE KIDS CROSS THE STREET, AND THEN GO ON.

THE CITY OF MOORE DECIDED TO EXTEND ACTIVE SCHOOL ZONE LIGHT HOURS FOR MOORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THAT ARE IN THE CITY OF MOORE'S CITY LIMITS.

THAT DECISION WAS MADE AFTER MOORE PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT REQUESTED TO EXTEND HOURS.

THE SCHOOL ZONES NOW REMAIN ACTIVE DURING SCHOOL HOURS.

THE MOORE POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHO ENFORCES THE SCHOOL ZONE, SAYS THEY HAD 28 TRAFFIC STOPS FOR SPEEDING IN SCHOOL ZONES ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL ALL ACROSS THE CITY.

WE HAVE FAMILIES AND STUDENTS WHO ARE COMING TO SCHOOL.

THEY'RE WALKING, RIDING BIKES, AND IT'S ALL AGES.

MANY OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, SO DISTRICT OFFICIALS WANT DRIVERS TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION IN THOSE AREAS.

SO WE ARE BUILDING THE FUTURE IN OUR SCHOOLS THROUGH BOND PROJECT IMPROVEMENTS.

SO THERE'S CONSTRUCTION GOING ON ALL OVER THE CITY OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

SO SOME OF OUR SCHOOL ZONES, THEY MAY CHANGE, THEY MAY HAVE TEMPORARY SIGNAGE.

SO I WOULD JUST ASK TO BE AWARE OF THOSE SITUATIONS.

OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT DIRECTOR OF SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT BRANDI FARIS, ENCOURAGES PARENTS TO TALK WITH THEIR CHILDREN ABOUT ROAD SAFETY.

I WOULD HAVE CONVERSATIONS.

TALK TO YOUR STUDENTS ABOUT WHAT THE CROSSWALKS LOOK LIKE, WHAT THEY'RE INTENDED FOR, EVEN SHOW THEM WHAT THE SIGNS LOOK LIKE.

I WOULD SAY FOLLOW YOUR LEADERS.

LOOK FOR THE CROSSING GUARDS TO GIVE INSTRUCTIONS.

REMIND THEM TO LOOK AND LISTEN.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THAT.

LOOK LEFT, LOOK RIGHT.

LOOK BACK LEFT AGAIN.

MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH DRIVERS BEFORE YOU STEP OUT INTO THE STREET, AND BE SURE THAT YOU'RE IN A SCHOOL ZONE OR A CROSSWALK BEFORE YOU CROSS TO FIND THE SAFEST LOCATION TO CROSS THE STREET.

AND FOR OLDER STUDENTS, BE SURE TO PUT THOSE ELECTRONIC DEVICES AWAY.

ACCORDING TO SAFE KIDS WORLDWIDE, 44% OF TEENS ARE LIKELY TO BE WEARING HEADPHONES AND 31% OF TEENS ARE LIKELY TO BE TEXTING.

LIKE MANY OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE, OKC IS IN NEED OF CROSSING GUARDS.

SO I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR OUR COMMUNITY TO KNOW THAT WE NEED HELP WITH CROSSING GUARDS.

MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS NEED CROSSING GUARDS AND A LOT OF OUR SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY THE SCHOOL HERE AT WILSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

THE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL SPENT HER MORNING AS A CROSSING GUARD, AND IT WOULD BE GREAT IF SHE COULD.

SHE COULD BE GREETING OUR STUDENTS, WELCOMING THEM, HELPING PARENTS AND STUDENTS GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.

SO WE NEED HELP WITH CROSSING GUARDS.

IF IF YOU HAVE TIME, IT'S ABOUT AN HOUR IN THE MORNING AND AN HOUR IN THE AFTERNOON.

WE ACTUALLY DON'T HIRE CROSSING GUARDS, BUT YOU CAN GO TO THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY WEBSITE AND APPLY THERE.

PEDESTRIANS AREN'T THE ONLY THING YOU SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR DURING YOUR MORNING AND AFTERNOON COMMUTE.

IT'S ILLEGAL TO PASS A SCHOOL BUS WHEN THEY ARE PICKING UP OR DROPPING OFF STUDENTS.

IF YOU SEE THAT STOP SIGN COMING, COME OUT.

WHETHER YOU'RE BEHIND THE BUS, GOING THE SAME DIRECTION OR GOING THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, YOU MUST STOP TO ALLOW THOSE KIDS TO GET OFF AND SAFELY CROSS THE STREET.

ON A TWO LANE ROAD, YOU MUST STOP IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.

IF YOU SEE A SCHOOL BUS STOPPED WITH LIGHTS AND SIGNAGE, A ROAD WITH FOUR OR MORE LANES THAT HAS BARRIERS OR A MEDIAN DOES NOT REQUIRE YOU TO STOP ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE STREET, BUT IT'S BEST TO USE CAUTION.

AND SO WE JUST WANT THE KIDS TO ARRIVE THERE SAFELY.

WE WANT THEM TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS.

WE WANT THE PARENTS TO TAKE PROPER PRECAUTIONS AND DRIVERS AS WELL.

SO IF IT ALL COMES TOGETHER PROPERLY, IT'S GOING TO WORK OUT GREAT.

NOBODY'S GOING TO GET HURT.

BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, WE'LL HAVE AN ACCIDENT LIKE THAT.

AND AND SO WE JUST WANT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PREVENT THAT.

AND IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK IS IS DANGEROUS, IF THERE'S A LOT OF SPEEDERS IN A SCHOOL ZONE, YOU'RE NOTICING A SIMPLE CALL TO 911 WILL REMEDY THAT.

WE'LL WE'LL GET SOME EXTRA OFFICERS OUT THERE.

WE ALSO HAVE A SAFE LINE.

IT'S 405 FIVE, EIGHT, SEVEN SAFE WHERE YOU CAN CALL AND REPORT SAFETY CONCERNS.

LOOK, THE BOTTOM LINE IS STAY ALERT.

WATCH FOR STUDENTS, BUSSES AND CROSSING GUARDS.

AND BE SURE TO OBEY THE SCHOOL ZONE SPEED LIMIT.

POSTED.

RICH TAYLOR THANK YOU.

THE TERM DYSLEXIA WAS FIRST USED BY A GERMAN OPHTHALMOLOGIST IN 1877.

IT HELPED EXPLAIN WHY THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS HAVE STRUGGLED TO UNDERSTAND WHY THEY COULDN'T COMPREHEND BASIC READING, WRITING AND ARITHMETIC LIKE THEIR FELLOW CLASSMATES.

DIAGNOSING DYSLEXIA IS THE FIRST STEP IN IMPROVING THE ABILITY TO LEARN, AND A NEW OKLAHOMA LAW IS DESIGNED TO HELP EDUCATORS DO JUST THAT.

NOAH MACK HAS OUR REPORT.

WELL, RICH, THE NEW LAW AWARDS SOME OKLAHOMA TEACHERS MICRO-CREDENTIALS, WHICH REFLECT AREAS OF SPECIALIZED EDUCATION ON THEIR TEACHING LICENSE, IN THIS CASE ALLOWING THEM TO PINPOINT SIGNS OF DYSLEXIA IN THE CLASSROOM TO BETTER SERVE THOSE STUDENTS.

WE'RE GOING TO WORK ON THIS FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 2 OR 3 MINUTES.

AND IF YOU'RE NOT DONE, IT'S OKAY.

FIRST GRADE.

ABOUT THE TIME A KID STARTS TO COLOR INSIDE THE LINES, THEY'RE ALSO BEGINNING TO GRASP HOW TO READ.

AND MISS ERICKSON'S CLASS ARE AN EAGER BUNCH.

DO YOU GUYS LIKE READING?

YEAH, I LOVE READING.

BUT AMONG THE STEADFAST READERS, THERE ARE SOME WITH LESS CONFIDENCE.

WHAT IF I AM RUINING EVERYTHING?

ARE THEY DOUBTING THEMSELVES BIG TIME NOW?

YES.

ARE THEY TALKING KINDLY TO THEMSELVES?

NO.

NOT REALLY, ARE THEY?

I'VE YET TO MEET A STUDENT THAT COMES IN STRUGGLING IN THE LITERACY REALM.

THAT COMES IN THINKING THEY'RE AMAZING.

THEY ALL COME IN ALREADY.

FIRST GRADE, SIX YEARS OLD, THINKING.

AND IT'S THIS HARSH TO SAY, BUT THINKING I'M DUMB, I'M STUPID.

I CAN'T DO THIS.

MANY OF THESE KIDS MAY BE GRAPPLING WITH A LEARNING DISORDER LIKE DYSLEXIA, AND THE PATH TO GET THESE OKLAHOMA STUDENTS PROPER SUPPORT CAN BE MURKY.

BUT WITH THE NEW STATE LAW, THE HOPE IS THE PATH WILL GET A LOT CLEARER.

I MEAN, THERE WAS A TIME WHERE DYSLEXIA WAS NOT A RECOGNIZED DISABILITY.

DEMOCRAT SENATOR KERRY HICKS, AN EDUCATOR HERSELF, AUTHORED THE BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION.

THE LAW OFFERS MICRO-CREDENTIALS TO TEACHERS WHO HAVE RECEIVED THE PROPER TRAINING, EITHER A CERTIFICATE, CERTIFIED ACADEMIC LANGUAGE THERAPIST, OR CERTIFICATE CENTER FOR EFFECTIVE READING INSTRUCTION.

ACCORDING TO THE STATUTE, ONCE THEY HAVE THESE MICRO-CREDENTIALS, TEACHERS SHALL BE AUTHORIZED TO SCREEN STUDENTS FOR AND IDENTIFY CHARACTERISTICS OF DYSLEXIA.

IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE WE'RE VERY FAR BEHIND IN BEING ABLE TO GET IT NOT ONLY RECOGNIZED, BUT NOW PUTTING INTENTION BEHIND THE TEACHERS THAT HAVE THAT SPECIALIZED TRAINING, MAKING SURE IT'S RECOGNIZED ON THEIR THEIR TEACHER LICENSE AND THEIR CERTIFICATION SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO CREATE THE DATA THAT SHOWS HOW EFFECTIVE THESE FOLKS ARE IN THE CLASSROOM.

THE SENATOR WANTS TO AWARD TEACHERS WITH THESE QUALIFICATIONS A STIPEND OR INCREASED SALARY.

THAT'S HER LONG TERM GOAL.

SO IF YOU HAVE SOMEONE WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE WHO HAS GONE THROUGH SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO ADDRESS A NEED AND A DISABILITY IN THE CLASSROOM, THEN THE TEACHER SHOULD BE REWARDED FOR THAT PREPARATION AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN THE CLASSROOM AT BEING ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT DISABILITY WITH THE STUDENTS THAT THEY RECEIVE.

TEACHERS LIKE KRISTIN ERICKSON PUT THEIR OWN TIME AND MONEY INTO GETTING A CERTIFICATE, AND ONCE SHE GETS HER MICRO-CREDENTIALS, HER TEACHING LICENSE WILL REFLECT THAT EXPERTISE.

ALTHOUGH SHE CAN'T PROVIDE AN OFFICIAL DIAGNOSIS, SHE CAN WORK TO OFFSET CHALLENGES THOSE STUDENTS MAY FACE.

I THINK WE TALK ABOUT LIKE, KIDS WITH DYSLEXIA NEED SOMETHING SPECIFIC, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK LIKE, OH, THEY NEED THIS DIFFERENT KIND OF FONT, OR THEY NEED THINGS IN THESE SPECIAL COLORS AND IT'S LIKE THIS VOODOO KIND OF THING.

AND IT'S NOT THAT'S NOT IT.

THEY NEED SOMETHING VERY STEP BY STEP, VERY SYSTEMATIC, VERY EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION COMBINED WITH SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED MULTI-SENSORY TEACHING.

MULTI-SENSORY TEACHING IS EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE.

THIS PEDAGOGICAL METHOD INCORPORATES SEVERAL DIFFERENT SENSES IN TANDEM TO BOOST COMPREHENSION.

AND SHE DOES IT WITH THE WHOLE CLASS.

TAG.

TAG.

TIGER.

TIGER.

WHAT SOUND?

NOT LETTER.

WHAT SOUND DID YOU HEAR?

THAT WAS THE SAME.

TELL ME EVERYONE.

ALL RIGHT, I WANT YOU TO PICK UP YOUR MIRROR.

AND I WANT YOU TO LOOK AT YOUR MOUTH.

AND I WANT YOU TO WATCH WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHEN YOU SAY THAT SOUND.

SO IF I'M JUST SAYING IT AND THEY'RE JUST TAKING IT IN BY HEARING, WELL, IT MIGHT TAKE A THOUSAND TIMES, RIGHT?

BUT IF I'M SAYING IT AND THEY'RE SAYING IT AND THEY'RE DOING IT AND WE'RE INCORPORATING BODY MOVEMENTS, THEN THAT BRAIN PATH THAT WE'RE CREATING IS GOING TO BE CREATED MUCH QUICKER AND MUCH STRONGER.

SHE ALSO WORKS ONE ON ONE WITH STUDENTS WHO REALLY NEED IT, AND MISS ERICKSON'S INTERVENTIONS LEAVE LASTING IMPRINTS ON KIDS AS THEY LEAVE FIRST GRADE LIKE HAWKINS.

NIGHT, HAWKINS.

WHEN YOU MOVED ON FROM MISS ERICKSON'S CLASS, DID YOU START TEACHING YOUR TEACHERS HOW TO TEACH YOU?

YES.

KIND OF.

IN DIFFERENT WAYS, YES.

SO YOU YOU SHOWED THEM THE METHODS THAT HELP YOU LEARN BEST.

AND THEY STARTED TO IMPLEMENT THOSE METHODS?

YES.

HIS MOTHER, JESSICA KNIGHT, SAYS EARLY ON, THE DYSLEXIA INDICATORS WERE THERE, BUT HAWKINS TEACHERS WERE HESITANT TO BE DIRECT.

TEACHERS HAD A REALLY HARD TIME BEING ABLE TO SAY THEY WOULD CALL IT THE D WORD, LIKE THERE ARE SIGNS OF IT.

WE CAN'T TELL YOU THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

AS A PARENT, WE WERE LIKE, WELL, WHY?

IF THAT'S WHAT IT IS, THEN LET'S JUST DO YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO START MAKING STEPS TO HELP HIM.

HAWKINS IS DIAGNOSED WITH DYSLEXIA NOW, BUT A DIAGNOSIS DOESN'T DO MUCH WITHOUT HELP IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE NEED PEOPLE LIKE MISS ERICKSON AND THE TRAINING THAT SHE GOT TO.

LIKE I KEEP SAYING, BRIDGE THAT GAP BETWEEN WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT HE NEEDS.

YES.

RIGHT.

HAWKINS IS IN FOURTH GRADE NOW, AND HE'S COME A LONG WAY.

SO HAWKINS MADE THIS FOR ME IN FIRST GRADE.

HE LEFT A LITTLE NOTE FOR ME, AND I FRAMED IT AND KEPT IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WAS INTERESTING HOW HE WROTE I LOVE YOU, AND I JUST ALWAYS WANTED TO REMEMBER HIM AND HIS LITTLE HIS LITTLE WORDS.

WE DID NOT KNOW THEN THAT HE WAS DYSLEXIC, BUT I CAN MAKE SENSE NOW.

HOW DO YOU THINK YOU'VE EVOLVED?

SINCE FIRST GRADE.

LIKE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU'VE.

YOU'VE COME A LONG WAY.

I HAVE AND JUST FELT REALLY GOOD.

IT'S FELT GOOD.

OUR CONFIDENCE AND OUR SELF-WORTH LITERALLY AFFECTS EVERY OTHER AREA OF OUR LIFE.

SO IF I CAN SEND THEM OUT, IF I CAN, YOU KNOW, MAKE UP AS MUCH LOST TIME AS POSSIBLE FOR THEM ACADEMICALLY.

BUT IF I CAN MAKE UP LIKE THE REST OF IT SOCIALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEMSELVES, THEN THAT CARRIES THEM SO FAR.

TEACHERS LIKE MISS ERICKSON GIVE DYSLEXIC STUDENTS THE ABILITY NOT ONLY TO READ, BUT TO WRITE THEIR OWN STORY THE REST OF THE WAY.

THE COMMISSION FOR EDUCATIONAL QUALITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IS CURRENTLY IRONING OUT RULES FOR THESE MICRO-CREDENTIALS.

SENATOR HICKS HOPING TEACHERS CAN LOG ON AND SIGN UP SOMETIME THIS SCHOOL YEAR.

RICH NOAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE COVID PANDEMIC EXPOSED GAPS IN AMERICA'S SUPPLY CHAIN, ESPECIALLY IN THE MANUFACTURING OF MEDICINE AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS LIKE FERTILIZER.

TOO MUCH OF IT WAS BEING MADE IN CHINA AND SHIPPED OVERSEAS.

THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE IT A PRIORITY TO HAVE MORE BIOTECH PRODUCTS BE MADE IN AMERICA.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THOSE EFFORTS HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

JASON RICH, THIS WEEK, OKLAHOMA CITY'S BIOTECH INDUSTRY TOOK THE SPOTLIGHT FOR A FEDERAL COMMISSION LOOKING TO BRING THAT KIND OF MANUFACTURING TO AMERICAN SHORES.

IT WAS A CHANCE TO SHOWCASE THE RECENT INVESTMENTS MADE BY OKLAHOMA CITY AND THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

I'M EXCITED TO HIGHLIGHT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OKLAHOMA.

I THINK WE ARE A HIDDEN GEM.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE STEPHANIE BICE IS A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMISSION ON EMERGING BIOTECHNOLOGY.

OKLAHOMA CITY IS ONE OF THE STOPS ON A NATIONAL ROADSHOW TOUR FOR THE COMMISSION TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE ASSETS, WHICH COULD BUILD UP THE NATION'S BIOTECH INDUSTRY.

I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD TO SHOWCASE THE AMAZING WORK BEING DONE HERE IN OKLAHOMA, PARTICULARLY OKLAHOMA CITY, IN THIS SPACE.

WE ARE PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN BIOTECH.

THERE ARE OVER 500 LIFE SCIENCE BUSINESSES THAT ARE EMPLOYING OVER 75,000 OKLAHOMANS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THE INDUSTRY IS GROWING.

WE NEED TO HAVE A I THINK, ALL OF THE ABOVE STRATEGY FOR ADDRESSING SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE FROM NATIONAL SECURITY IN OKLAHOMA CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THAT, AND THAT'S WHY I'M EXCITED TO HAVE HIM HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY TODAY.

THE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMISSION ON EMERGING BIOTECHNOLOGY IS HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

AND THAT INCLUDES A TRAINING LAB RIGHT HERE IN THE INNOVATION DISTRICT.

YOU'RE SEEING ABOUT $8 MILLION OF INDUSTRY STANDARD EQUIPMENT JUST WITHIN THIS FACILITY TO DELIVER THAT TYPE OF HANDS ON SKILL.

SKILLS BASED LABOR TRAINING IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR THE BIOTECH OKLAHOMA LAB.

HE SAYS IT WAS BUILT TO BE FLEXIBLE WHILE PROVIDING TRAINING IN THE BIOTECH FIELD.

WE CAN SIMULATE NOT ONLY WET LAB SKILLS FOR LIKE A BSL LEVEL TWO LAB THAT CAN ACTUALLY WORK WITH HUMAN PLASMA AND MATERIALS, BUT ALSO WE CAN RESET THIS LAB AND DO GOWNING PROCEDURES THROUGH THE THE VESTIBULES THAT YOU GUYS CAME IN THROUGH TO ACTUALLY SIMULATE A CLEAN ROOM, GMP CLEAN ROOM ENVIRONMENT AS WELL.

KEELAN ADDS IF THE COUNTRY FACES ANOTHER PANDEMIC AND NEEDS TO QUICKLY TRAIN LAB TECHNICIANS, THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED AT BIOTECH.

WE CAN ACTUALLY START OUR CURRICULUM WITH A COHORT OF TEN IN HERE ONCE THEY GET THROUGH THEIR UPSTREAM TRAINING IN A WEEK OR A WEEK AND A HALF, THEY CAN MOVE OVER TO DOWNSTREAM.

WE COULD SEPARATE THE COHORTS, RESET THIS LAB AND START ANOTHER COHORT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING BEHIND THAT, WE COULD TRAIN 30 PLUS PEOPLE THROUGH HERE AT ANY GIVEN TIME.

OKC INNOVATION DISTRICT PRESIDENT AND CEO JEFF SEYMOUR TOLD THE COMMISSION.

MEMBERS EFFORTS IN OKLAHOMA CITY ARE MEANT TO MAKE BIOTECH MANUFACTURING MORE FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.

I THINK THE THINGS THAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOLISTICALLY IS HOW DO WE CONTINUE TO OFFSET RISK, COST AND TIMING TO STRENGTHEN AMERICA'S BACKBONE HERE IN A PLACE THAT ALSO HAS A COST FACTOR THAT CAN BE REALLY ADDITIVE TO THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO SOLVE IN THE NATIONAL MARKET?

ONE OF THOSE CHALLENGES IS FINDING A WAY TO SCALE UP MANUFACTURING.

THAT'S WHERE OKLAHOMA CITY'S WHEELER BIO COMES INTO PLAY.

WE SERVICE THE BIOTECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY SO INNOVATIVE BIOTECH COMPANIES WILL COME TO WHEELER BIO AFTER THEY DISCOVER THEIR MOLECULE OF INTEREST.

AND WE ASSIST THEM IN DEVELOPING A MANUFACTURING PROCESS, SCALING THAT MANUFACTURING PROCESS UP TO SUPPLY CLINICAL TRIALS OR COMMERCIAL SUPPLY.

WHEELER BIO PRESIDENT AND CEO PATRICK LUCEY BELIEVES THE EMERGING BIOTECH COMMUNITY IN OKLAHOMA CITY IS PRIMED TO GROW INTO WHAT THE U.S.

NEEDS TO KEEP ITS ADVANTAGE.

THERE'S A GREAT ECOSYSTEM IN OKLAHOMA CITY AROUND BIO MANUFACTURING THAT'S FLOURISHING RIGHT NOW, AND WE'RE STANDING IN A BIOTECH TRAINING CENTER RIGHT HERE THAT WAS OPERATIONALIZED LAST YEAR.

AND WHEELER BIO HAS ACTUALLY HIRED, PUT PEOPLE THROUGH THIS TRAINING CENTER AND HIRED THOSE INDIVIDUALS INTO WHEELER.

SOME BIOTECH SOLUTIONS DON'T NECESSARILY FOCUS ON MEDICATIONS OR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, BUT INSTEAD FIND ALTERNATIVES TO THINGS LIKE PLASTICS.

UTOPIA PLASTICS IS A PLANT BASED ALTERNATIVE TO YOUR TRADITIONAL PETROLEUM BASED PLASTICS, WHERE A DROP IN REPLACEMENT SO A MANUFACTURER DOESN'T HAVE TO RETOOL OR CONVERT THEIR EQUIPMENT IN ANY WAY.

UTOPIA PLASTICS FOUNDER SHARINA PERRY BELIEVES OKLAHOMA HAS WHAT IS NEEDED TO BECOME A MAJOR PLAYER IN THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY.

FROM THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT TESTING TO THE DEPLOYMENT AND EVEN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, OR THE LABS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE TECHNOLOGIES, OKLAHOMA IS POSITION TO EXPAND IN A WAY, BECAUSE YOU HAVE KEY STAKEHOLDERS THAT ARE HERE THAT ARE PART OF THAT VALUE CHAIN.

ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WASHINGTON, DC, WANTS TO SOLVE THROUGH THE BIOTECH INDUSTRY IS IMPROVING THE U.S. SUPPLY OF CRITICAL AND RARE EARTH MINERALS, WHICH ARE VITAL FOR MODERN LIFE.

WE ARE DEPENDENT ON CHINA FOR A MAJORITY OF THEM.

THEY'RE IN EVERYTHING FROM OUR CELLPHONES TO OUR COMPUTERS TO OUR WEAPONS SYSTEMS.

WE NEED TO MAINTAIN A DOMESTIC SUPPLY, AND BIOTECHNOLOGY CAN PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THAT.

COMPANIES AND RESEARCHERS ARE INCLUDING SOME RIGHT HERE AT THE TABLE WITH US, ARE INNOVATING AROUND CREATING BIOTECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS THAT CAN EXTRACT RARE EARTH ELEMENTS FROM PLACES WHERE THEY EXIST IN THE UNITED STATES.

THAT'S DOCTOR MICHELLE RUSSO, WHO IS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMISSION ON EMERGING BIOTECHNOLOGY.

WE ARE NEARING THIS INFLECTION POINT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY WITH THE INTERSECTION OF LIFE SCIENCES AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AUTOMATION.

I LIKE TO SAY WE'RE BEGINNING TO BE ABLE TO PROGRAM BIOLOGY LIKE WE PROGRAM COMPUTERS, BUT THE OUTCOMES ARE GOING TO HAVE MUCH MORE OF A WIDE REACHING EFFECT THAN WHEN YOU PROGRAM COMPUTERS.

THE COMMISSION ISSUED A REPORT EARLIER THIS YEAR MAPPING OUT AN ACTION PLAN USING BIOTECH FOR AMERICAN SECURITY AND PROSPERITY, SOMETHING THAT DOCTOR RUSSO SAYS WILL REQUIRE PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO SUCCEED.

BECAUSE CHINA ALSO HAS ITS EYES ON BEING THE BEST IN BIOTECH.

AND WHAT I FOUND TODAY IS THE BLUEPRINT OF HOW THAT IS HAPPENING IN OKLAHOMA ACROSS EVERY ASPECT OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, OF INNOVATION, MANUFACTURING, SCALE UP.

ALL OF THAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE DEMAND SIDE FROM INDUSTRY HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

IT'S A GREAT BLUEPRINT TO BRING BACK TO WASHINGTON OF HOW WE IMPLEMENT THOSE PRIVATE PUBLIC PARTNERSHIPS NATIONALLY.

BY SAYS THERE IS INCREASED INTEREST BY OKLAHOMA INVESTORS TO FURTHER DEVELOP THE STATE'S BIOTECH INDUSTRY.

WE SAW TODAY THAT WE HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS FOCUSED ON VENTURE CAPITALISM HERE IN THE STATE, AND THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE IN THE PAST.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE SORT OF HAD TO GO TO TEXAS OR OTHER LARGE STATES TO SORT OF DRAW PEOPLE IN.

AND NOW PEOPLE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE'S A HUGE OPPORTUNITY HERE AND THEY WANT TO INVEST, WHICH MAKES IT EVEN MORE OF A SHAME.

OKLAHOMA CITY IS THE ONLY STOP FOR THE NATIONAL SECURITY COMMISSION ON EMERGING BIOTECHNOLOGY WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.

ALL THE STOPS ARE MAJOR BIOTECH HUBS IN THE EASTERN HALF OF THE US.

AND NOW TURNING TO BUSINESS.

THIS WEEK, A REPORT SHOWS HOUSEHOLD BILLS IN OKLAHOMA ARE MORE AFFORDABLE THAN MUCH OF THE COUNTRY.

THAT STORY TOPS THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

THE AVERAGE OKLAHOMA HOUSEHOLD IS CURRENTLY PAYING ABOUT $1,571 A MONTH TO COVER HOUSEHOLD BILLS.

THAT IS 24% LOWER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, ACCORDING TO DOXO INSIGHTS.

THAT MAKES OKLAHOMA THE 48TH MOST EXPENSIVE STATE WHEN COMPARED TO THE COST OF LIVING IN ALL 50 STATES.

OKLAHOMANS SPEND ABOUT 28% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSEHOLD BILLS, COVERING COSTS LIKE UTILITIES AND MORTGAGE PAYMENTS.

CALIFORNIA IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE STATE FOR HOUSEHOLD BILLS.

WEST VIRGINIA IS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT.

FOR THREE STRAIGHT MONTHS, OKLAHOMA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STANDS AT 3.1%.

THAT'S WHILE THE NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE TICKED UP IN JULY TO 4.2%.

THE NUMBER OF NEW WORKERS JOINING THE OKLAHOMA WORKFORCE IS UP BY A 10TH OF A PERCENT FROM JUNE TO JULY, ADDING 1910 PEOPLE.

NEARLY 2500 OKLAHOMANS FOUND A NEW JOB LAST MONTH.

THAT'S UP BY A 10TH OF A PERCENT.

IN JULY, 900 JOBS WERE ADDED BY EMPLOYERS IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, WHILE 400 JOBS WERE CREATED IN THE EDUCATION AND HEALTH SERVICES SECTOR.

WHILE STILLWATER BASED USA RARE EARTH REPORTS A SECOND QUARTER NET LOSS OF NEARLY $143 MILLION.

IT'S STILL IN ITS DEVELOPMENT PHASE.

THE COMPANY PLANS TO START FULL PRODUCTION OF RARE EARTH MAGNETS EARLY NEXT YEAR.

IT HAS A SLEW OF PRODUCTION AGREEMENTS ONCE THE PRODUCTION LINE GETS STARTED.

USA RARE EARTH ALSO REPORTS MORE THAN $128 MILLION OF CASH ON HAND, WITH NO SIGNIFICANT DEBT ON THE BOOKS.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR TULSA BASED AON HAS DECLARED A QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.10 A SHARE FOR ITS INVESTORS.

THE STOCK MUST BE IN THE PORTFOLIO BY SEPTEMBER 5TH TO RECEIVE THE PAYOUT ON SEPTEMBER 26TH.

INVESTORS IN OKLAHOMA CITY'S BANK SEVEN STOCK WILL GET A BOOST IN THEIR QUARTERLY DIVIDEND.

THE BANKING COMPANY INCREASED IT BY 12.5% TO $0.27 A SHARE.

THAT'S THE SIXTH QUARTER IN A ROW THAT THE PAYOUT WAS INCREASED.

INVESTORS MUST OWN THE BANK SEVEN STOCK BY SEPTEMBER 19TH TO RECEIVE THE DIVIDEND ON OCTOBER 7TH.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW, JASON.

THANK YOU.

LEADERS IN RURAL COUNTIES ARE WELCOMING A POLICY CHANGE SET TO TAKE EFFECT ON NOVEMBER 1ST, THAT WILL RELOCATE OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPERS FROM OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA AND SHIFT THEM TO RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE.

IS THAT A GOOD IDEA?

WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU TALK TO.

AND THIS WEEK, IN DEPTH MODERATOR KASSIDY MUDD DISCUSSES THE ISSUE WITH HER PANEL OF GUESTS.

KASSIDY RICH, LIKE YOU SAID, IT DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK.

TODAY WE'RE SPEAKING WITH LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF KEVIN GARRETT, AND JOINING US VIA ZOOM IS THE TULSA POLICE DEPARTMENT'S CAPTAIN, RICHARD MEULENBERG.

WE INVITED OKLAHOMA PUBLIC SAFETY COMMISSIONER TIM TIPTON TO JOIN US IN THIS DISCUSSION, BUT HE DECLINED OUR INVITATION.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US HERE ON IN DEPTH.

THANKS FOR INVITING US.

SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

NOW, CAPTAIN MUILENBURG, ONCE THESE CHANGES TAKE EFFECT IN NOVEMBER, HOW WILL THE TULSA POLICE DEPARTMENT MANAGE INTERSTATE CALLS WITHOUT THE OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL'S REGULAR PRESENCE?

AND DOES THIS MEAN THAT RESPONSE TIMES WILL BE CHANGING?

YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY NEEDS MORE RESOURCES.

WE ALL DO.

SO THIS THEY OFFER A RESOURCE IN OUR AREA THAT WE DON'T HAVE AN ABILITY TO SUPPLEMENT THAT.

SO WHATEVER DUI ARRESTS THEY MAKE NOW WE CAN'T COVER THAT.

WHATEVER WRECKS THEY WORK NOW WILL HAVE TO HAVE OUR PEOPLE DO THOSE WRECKS, BUT TAKES LONGER.

SO HAVING THEM LEAVE OUR AREA WILL IMPACT SAFETY IN TULSA, YOU KNOW.

HOWEVER, WE RECOGNIZE THAT RESOURCES ARE SCARCE.

SO THIS IS JUST A DECISION MADE AT A LEVEL MUCH HIGHER THAN US.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF OUR CITIZENS THE VERY BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN.

BUT THEY SHOULD KNOW THINGS LIKE DUI ARRESTS AND WAITING FOR RESPONDERS TO COME TO YOUR WRECK ON THE HIGHWAYS COULD TAKE LONGER.

IT ALSO IMPACTS OUR ABILITY TO DO INVESTIGATIONS FOR SEMI TRACTOR TRAILERS AND THOSE COMMERCIAL VEHICLES.

WE DON'T HAVE THE TRAINING OR EQUIPMENT TO DO THAT.

HOWEVER, WE'VE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WILL COME AND WORK THOSE.

WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOK LIKE JUST YET, BUT WE CAN PRETTY MUCH COUNT ON THE FACT THAT IT WILL TAKE LONGER, SO WE WILL BE LESS EFFICIENT.

AS FAR AS LAW ENFORCEMENT IN GENERAL IN TULSA AS A RESULT OF THIS MOVE.

SHERIFF GARRETT, YOU'VE SAID BEFORE THAT THIS PLAN IS A HUGE PLUS FOR RURAL COUNTIES, FROM WHAT YOU UNDERSTAND.

WILL WE BE SEEING MORE TROOPERS MOVE IN TO LINCOLN COUNTY?

AND HOW MANY WILL THAT BE, AND WHAT KIND OF GAPS DO YOU THINK THAT THEY'LL BE FILLING IN?

WELL, CURRENTLY TROOP A COVERS LINCOLN COUNTY.

MY UNDERSTANDING WHEN THE CHANGE COMES IN NOVEMBER, THE FIRST CAN'T BE TOO SOON FOR ME.

I WILL BE PART OF TROOP OUT OF PERRY.

I THINK THAT'S TROOP K, OKAY.

AND CURRENTLY IN LINCOLN COUNTY, WE HAVE ZERO TROOPERS THAT LIVE IN LINCOLN COUNTY THAT WORK LINCOLN COUNTY.

AND I WAS TOLD WE SHOULD GET BETWEEN 4 AND 5 THAT WILL BE ASSIGNED TO US.

SO CURRENTLY I WAS HEARING WHAT RICHARD WAS SAYING JUST A SECOND AGO.

WE HAVE A WRECK ON ANY OF OUR ROADS OUT HERE.

WE ARE TIED UP FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR OR SO BEFORE TROOPER.

SOME HAVE COME FROM EL RENO AND THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD DRIVE, YOU KNOW, TO GET THERE.

SO OUR RESOURCES ARE TIED UP, YOU KNOW, ALSO AND WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, WORK WITH THEM.

YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME WE GET COWS REPORTED OUT.

YOU KNOW, I TRY TO GET OUR DISPATCH TO BE SURE AND CALL TROOP A BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S CALLS, EVEN THOUGH WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME BECAUSE THEY CAN'T, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SO FAR AWAY, WE'RE GOING TO STEP IN AND DO THAT.

BUT THEY PROBABLY STILL NEED THE STATISTICS.

I TRIED TO GET TWO DEPUTIES ON THIS LAST BUDGET THAT WE JUST WORKED THROUGH LAST WEEK.

SO IT WAS A NO.

I MEAN, IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT TO GET MONEY.

I'M SURE TULSA HAS THE SAME ISSUES, WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO GET FOR YOUR DEPARTMENT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF WE HAVE 4 OR 5 MORE PEOPLE THAT ARE TROOPERS THAT ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT, THAT'S A HUGE PLUS FOR US.

WE'VE GOT THREE DRUG DOGS AND THEIR HANDLERS ARE TRAINED, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CERTIFIED.

AND I THINK THAT WE CAN DEFINITELY PARTNER TOGETHER WITH THAT.

BACK IN JANUARY, WE HAD A GROUP THAT WAS ROBBED OFF OF 62 AND 177.

WE ACTUALLY CAUGHT FIVE SUSPECTS FROM MASSACHUSETTS THAT HAD CAME DOWN TO COMMIT THAT THAT ACT, THAT THAT ROBBERY.

AND IT TAKES EVERYBODY IN THE RURAL SETTING WORKING TOGETHER.

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT EIGHT DEPARTMENTS IN THE COUNTY PLUS US.

WE HAVE THREE TRIBES IOWA, KICKAPOO AND SAC AND FOX.

AND, YOU KNOW, AT 132, 30 IN THE MORNING TO GET PEOPLE OUT.

IT REALLY IS NICE THAT WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP LIKE THAT.

AND I CAN SEE WE WOULD HAVE THE SAME THING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.

YOU KNOW, IF WE CAN GET THEM TO BE IN LINCOLN COUNTY.

WELL, CAPTAIN MUILENBURG, COMMISSIONER TIPTON DID SAY THAT THE SHIFT COULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A BURDEN FOR LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS.

WHAT WILL THAT BURDEN LOOK LIKE FOR TULSA?

AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU AND YOUR OFFICERS ARE ALREADY UP AGAINST.

SO LIKE EVERY OTHER DEPARTMENT, WE'RE SHORT ABOUT 140 OFFICERS HERE.

SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT RESOURCE ALLOCATION.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN WORK OFFICERS OVERTIME.

WE CAN HAVE THEM COME IN.

WE CAN BRING MORE OFFICERS IN.

THE QUESTION FOR US, FORTUNATELY, ISN'T SO MUCH ABOUT CAN WE FUND ACADEMIES.

IT'S GETTING CANDIDATES TO COME ACTUALLY DO THE JOB.

SO LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE STRUGGLING JUST TO FIND QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

EVERY PLACE FOR TULSA.

OUR FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY.

WE HAVE ABOUT 415,000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN TULSA.

AND IF YOU LOOK AT IT, JUST GENERALLY DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE ABOUT HOW WE AS A STATE AND AS A CITY CAN BEST PROTECT THESE PEOPLE.

SO THE SMALLER JURISDICTIONS, THEY HAVE, THEIR PEOPLE THEY'RE TRYING TO PROTECT AS WELL.

SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE RATIO.

SO TULSA 415,000 PEOPLE, 800 POLICE OFFICERS ARE FOR US.

HALF OF THEM ARE IN DETECTIVE DIVISION.

HALF ARE IN THE FIELD.

SO, YOU KNOW, OUR RATIO IS PRETTY LOW AND IT HAS BEEN FOR A WHILE.

SO ANY HELP THAT WE GET FROM THE TROOPERS FROM TULSA COUNTY OR ANYBODY ELSE FOR THAT MATTER, OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO HELP BOLSTER THE SAFETY FOR OUR TULSANS.

SO WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR SAFETY.

YOU KNOW, WORK IS WORK.

YOU KNOW, COPS ARE USED TO WORKING.

WE'RE USED TO WORKING OVERTIME.

BUT REALLY THE DIFFERENCE IS HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR SOMEONE TO GET THERE?

JUST LIKE THE SHERIFF SAYS, SOMETIMES THEY TAKE A WHILE.

SO FOR US, WE HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF RESOURCES LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE DOES AS WELL.

SO IF WE'RE TIED UP ON SOMETHING THAT NORMALLY, YOU KNOW, THE TROOPERS WOULD HANDLE, THEN THAT'S GOING TO TAKE LONGER FOR US TO GET TO THE NEXT THING, BECAUSE WE ONLY HAVE X AMOUNT OF RESOURCES NO MATTER HOW YOU SPLIT IT UP.

SO THIS MOVE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE NOT LED INTO THEY DIDN'T DISCUSS IT WITH US ABOUT THEIR STRATEGY.

THEY JUST TOLD US THEY'RE PULLING THEM OUT.

SO FOR US WE'RE NOW TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO COMPENSATE FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, DEFICIT NOW BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE DISCUSSIONS, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PROMISES OF MOVEMENT AND NOT MOVEMENT.

WE WERE JUST TOLD IT'S HAPPENING.

SO FOR US, I THINK THEY JUST MADE SOME ASSUMPTIONS THAT SINCE WE'RE LARGER MUNICIPAL AGENCY, THAT WE'LL JUST FIGURE IT OUT.

AND PRETTY MUCH THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO DO.

SO WE HAVEN'T SEEN HOW THE IMPACT WILL ACTUALLY AFFECT CITIZENS JUST YET.

BUT WE'RE GOING TO AND I HOPE THAT IT'S NOT TOO BIG OF A DEFICIT AND THAT CITIZENS AREN'T PUTTING FURTHER HARM'S WAY BECAUSE OF IT.

I DID WANT TO ASK.

IT WAS INTERESTING THAT COMMISSIONER TIPTON ANNOUNCED THIS PLAN MONTHS AND MONTHS AND MONTHS IN ADVANCE BEFORE IT ACTUALLY GOES INTO EFFECT IN NOVEMBER.

WHY DO WE THINK THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CAME SO EARLY, CAPTAIN?

I WOULD I WOULD HOPE THAT HE PUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT OUT THERE SO EARLY JUST TO GET PEOPLE PREPARED.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S AS NECESSARY TO PREPARE PEOPLE THAT YOU'RE GETTING MORE PEOPLE, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST LIKE IT'S IT'S A BONUS.

HEY, YOU KNOW WHAT?

YOU GET DESSERT FOR FREE.

THAT'S GREAT FOR US.

I'D IMAGINE FOR THE LARGER AGENCIES WHO DO RELY ON THEIR SERVICES, WHO WILL HAVE A DEFICIT, AND FOR THE COMMUNITIES LIKE US AND OKLAHOMA CITY WHO WILL SEE, YOU KNOW, CRIMES THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE PROSECUTED AND ARRESTED WON'T BE.

SO THEY'LL BE AN INCREASE OF DUIS.

THEY'LL BE AN INCREASE OF TRAFFIC VIOLATORS BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE IN RESERVE TO COVER THE DEFICIT LEFT BY THOSE TROOPERS LEAVING OUR AREA.

SHERIFF, YOU SAID BEFORE, DURING OUR DISCUSSION THAT THIS CHANGE COULD NOT COME SOON ENOUGH FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT YOU AND YOUR DEPUTIES ARE FACING IN LINCOLN COUNTY?

WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 966 MILES OF ROAD IN THE COUNTY NOW.

THERE'S A LOT OF DIRT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE 66 HIGHWAY, 99, HIGHWAY 102, 105, 18.

I MEAN, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW ROADS THAT COME THROUGH US.

PERSONALLY, I'VE STOPPED AT LEAST THREE VEHICLES DRIVING OVER 85 MILE AN HOUR.

NOW, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE YOU GO.

AND I THINK RICHARD WOULD AGREE THAT'S PRETTY FAST, YOU KNOW.

AND HOW MANY FOLKS ARE YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DO DUI STOPS, CHECKPOINTS LIKE THEY USED TO DO BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE MANPOWER.

AND IF YOU'RE THE PERSON GETTING A TICKET, I GET IT.

YOU DON'T WANT TO GET A TICKET.

I UNDERSTAND, BUT I THINK AS LAW ENFORCEMENT, WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO BE SAFER, TO BE SMARTER.

EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THAT YOU DO NOT IN 2025, DRINK AND DRIVE.

WOULD YOU AGREE, RICHARD?

I MEAN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW IT SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING AND WE HAVE THAT HAPPEN.

MY COUNTY OUR BIG ISSUES IS METHAMPHETAMINE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A PROBLEM IN TULSA.

I THINK IT'S EVERYWHERE.

NO ONE'S IMMUNE AND STEALING.

AND THAT'S PROBABLY 90% OF OUR REPORTS ARE GOING TO BE BETWEEN THE THEFTS AND WITH THE DRUG.

IT'S THE SAME GROUP AND WE HAVE 85 PEOPLE IN OUR JAIL CURRENTLY.

AND, YOU KNOW, THAT NUMBER FLUCTUATES QUITE A BIT.

WE'RE GOING THROUGH A REMODELING.

SO I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT NORMAL IS AT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

AND PROBABLY LIKE RICHARD COULD SAY, IS THAT, YOU KNOW, MY YEARS BEFORE YOU ARREST SOMEBODY, YOU TAKE THEM TO THE JAIL AND YOU LEAVE.

IT'S A WHOLE NEW SET OF ISSUES WHEN YOU'RE ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THOSE THOSE EMPLOYEES AT THE JAIL, THE INMATES AT THE JAIL.

AND WE HAVE COUNTING ME, I THINK WE HAVE 20 COMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE INVESTIGATORS.

WE HAD TO CALL THE OSBI AND TO HELP US THE OTHER DAY WITH THE SUSPICIOUS DEATH, BECAUSE YOU JUST CAN ONLY RUN SO HARD.

I MEAN, IT'S AMAZING.

AND I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE BOTH COMING TO HERE, CAPTAIN AND SHERIFF, IS THAT WE JUST NEED MORE HELP OVERALL, REGARDLESS OF THE OHP RULE.

REDISTRICTING CHANGES.

CAPTAIN, WHAT CAN WE DO?

HOW CAN WE ENCOURAGE MORE PEOPLE TO STAND UP FOR THEIR COMMUNITY AND, YOU KNOW, JOIN TULSA PD, JOIN THE LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE.

WHAT CAN WE DO HERE?

YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE'VE BEEN FACING FOR, OH, WE SAW A PLUME.

BUT OVER THE LAST DECADE, THERE HAS BEEN THIS SENSATION WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT WASN'T A FIELD THAT PEOPLE WANTED TO GO INTO.

AND WE'RE SLOWLY, VERY SLOWLY TICKING BACK UP AGAIN, BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT THE MARKET NOW AND LOOK AT EMPLOYMENT AND LOOK AT THE THE NATURE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

I'VE BEEN A COP FOR 29 YEARS NOW, AND WHAT I DID 29 YEARS AGO IS FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT.

AND THE EXPECTATIONS IN LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE SO DIFFERENT TODAY THAT IT COULD ACTUALLY APPEAL TO A MUCH BROADER AUDIENCE, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT JUST OUT THERE CHASING BAD GUYS.

WE HAVE SO MUCH MORE REQUIRED ON US, YOU KNOW, WITH MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

REALLY, THE ISSUE IS GETTING PEOPLE IN THE MINDSET THAT THIS IS A GREAT JOB.

IT'S FANTASTIC JOB.

I LOVE IT, AND MOST PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN DOING IT FOR A WHILE, THEY ALSO LOVE IT.

SO IT'S JUST GETTING THE RECRUITMENT UP AND GETTING PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU CAN COME OUT HERE AND BE A CONTRIBUTOR TO HELP SOCIETY, BECAUSE REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE IS HOW CAN WE MAKE SOCIETY BETTER, HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR HUMAN BEINGS BETTER?

AND IT'S A TWO WAY STREET.

WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH PEOPLE EVER.

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE ENOUGH COPS, SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES TO HANDLE ALL THE ISSUES.

IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT BETWEEN US AND THE COMMUNITY, SO A WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY GET THEM TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HAVE THEM HELP.

THEY CAN NO LONGER JUST BE BYSTANDERS AND JUST WATCH.

THEY NEED TO CALL US.

THEY NEED TO BE MORE ENGAGING.

AND THEN HAVING THAT ENGAGEMENT WILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SMALL PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE THEMSELVES.

THEY WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE, GET THOSE PEOPLE INTERESTED, GET THEM IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND GET THEM TO BE THE CHANGE THAT WE'RE ALL LOOKING FOR.

SHERIFF, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?

WELL, THERE'S A HANDICAP BETWEEN MY DEPARTMENT AND HIS DEPARTMENT, WHERE I'M PAYING $46,000 A YEAR FOR A DEPUTY, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY STARTING OUT AT, WHAT, 65, 67?

AND YOU COULD STEP UP TO 100.

I PROBABLY HAVE TO BE LOOKING MORE AT THE ASPECT THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M TRYING TO FIND PEOPLE WITH CHARACTER, PEOPLE WITH MORALS, PEOPLE THAT ARE HONEST.

AND THAT'S NOT THAT EASY TO FIND, IS IT, RICHARD?

IT'S A JOB.

AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE ME, I RETIRED OSBI, BUT I STILL HAVE ENERGY LEFT AND EXCITED ABOUT.

I'VE HAD MORE FUN, RICHARD, DOING THIS THAN I EVER HAVE.

THE OTHER 38 YEARS TOTAL IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.

SO IT'S A BLAST.

AND I THINK THE ENTHUSIASM THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO TRY TO ATTRACT PEOPLE WITH US AND TO TRY TO TREAT YOUR EMPLOYEES THE BEST YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, BUT TO KNOW THAT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, PUT UP WITH ANY NONSENSE.

AND I THINK THAT'S PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, IF I CAN DO THAT IN THREE AND A HALF YEARS WHEN I HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GET REELECTED, IT'LL MAKE MY JOB EASIER.

AND IT'S SAD TO SAY THAT I'M ALREADY LOOKING AT THREE AND A HALF YEARS, BUT I THINK CONSTANTLY YOU HAVE TO KIND OF ALWAYS BE, YOU KNOW, OPEN MINDED TO THAT.

AND WE TRY TO WORK HARD, TRY TO FIND THE BEST PEOPLE WE CAN AND TRY TO BE PROFESSIONAL.

WE'VE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME HERE, BUT I JUST WANTED TO SEE BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD HERE.

SO, SHERIFF, AS YOU KNOW, SOME SAY THAT THIS IS PUTTING CITIES AT RISK WHILE BENEFITTING BENEFITING RURAL COUNTIES.

WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THAT AND WHERE IS THE MIDDLE GROUND HERE?

I THINK WE FOUND IT.

IT'S JUST WE NEED MORE HELP OVERALL.

WELL, I REALLY DON'T KNOW HOW IT'S PUT IN THE CITIES AT RISK BECAUSE DOES TULSA HAVE 800 OFFICERS 600,000 I DON'T KNOW.

IT'S A LOT.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY OUT HERE PATROLLING OUR ROADS.

SO I MEAN, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR A CRASH THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK.

AND I'D BE REALLY KIND OF CURIOUS.

I THINK I MIGHT HAVE MENTIONED THAT TO YOU.

DOES TULSA EVER WRITE ANY CITATIONS OUT ON, ON THE SIX LANE, FOUR LANE ROAD OR NOT?

OKLAHOMA CITY, I'VE SEEN THEM OUT THERE BEFORE.

THE MOTORCYCLE POLICEMAN WRITES CITATIONS.

SO I MEAN, IF WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT, CAN WE ALSO NOT WORK A WRECK?

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, THEY DO TAKE SOME TIME, YOU KNOW, AN HOUR.

BUT I DID WATCH THE COMMISSIONER'S NEWS ARTICLE THAT HE HAD PUT OUT.

AND THEY'RE STILL OFFERING, YOU KNOW, THE BURLEIGH DOWNLOADS WITH THEIR SIGNAL 30 GROUP SIZE AND WEIGHTS IS STILL AVAILABLE.

SO I MEAN, THERE'S I MEAN, WE WE COULD ARGUE THIS ALL DAY LONG.

YOU KNOW, THE THING OF IT IS WE NEED HELP.

THEY NEED HELP.

WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE?

YOU NEED MORE TROOPERS OR YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, IT'S WHERE THE BUDGET GOES.

IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY, TOO.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE MAKING THESE DECISIONS, TULSA'S GOING TO HAVE THE SAME ISSUE, YOU KNOW?

SO I GUESS END OF THE DAY, WE'LL FIND OUT WHERE IT GOES.

CAPTAIN MEULENBERG FINAL THOUGHTS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

YOU KNOW, I'D SAY IF WE TAKE THE ANECDOTAL FEELINGS OUT OF THE SITUATION BECAUSE EVERYBODY FEELS A CERTAIN WAY.

WE NEED TO GET THE NUMBERS OUT.

THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT POPULATION DENSITY AND ALLOCATING RESOURCES BASED ON WHERE PEOPLE ARE.

YOU KNOW, SHERIFF, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE IN YOUR COUNTY, BUT WE DO HAVE 450,000 PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN TULSA.

AND ABOUT ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, THREE QUARTERS OF A MILLION WHO ARE CONSTANTLY IN AND OUT BASED ON OUR SURROUNDING AREAS.

SO IF WE'RE LOOKING AT ALLOCATING RESOURCES, JUST LIKE WE ALLOCATE OUR OFFICERS, THE STATE SHOULD BE DOING THE SAME THING AND DETERMINING WHERE THEY CAN BEST, YOU KNOW, FULFILL THE NEEDS OF ALL OF OKLAHOMA RESIDENTS.

SO AND IF THAT HAPPENS TO BE SPREAD OUT THROUGHOUT COUNTIES, OR IF THAT HAPPENS TO BE WHERE YOU HAVE HUGE, DENSE POPULATION AREAS, WHILE WE DO HAVE LOTS OF OFFICERS, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD DECADES LONGER THAN THAT OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IN HERE.

SO WHEN WE CALCULATE HOW MANY OFFICERS WE NEED, THAT WAS IN OUR CALCULATION OF WHAT IS BEING TAKEN CARE OF IN THE HIGHWAYS AND THE ENFORCEMENT THEY DO.

BUT REALLY, THE QUESTION ISN'T HOW WE FEEL.

IT'S WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS?

SAY, WHERE DO THE PEOPLE LIVE AND WHO NEEDS THE HELP?

WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US, AND THANK YOU FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY TO PROTECT OKLAHOMANS ACROSS THE STATE.

THANK YOU.

THANKS.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD CONVERSATION.

WELL, AS LONG AS THERE HAVE BEEN ARTISTS, THERE HAVE BEEN ART THEFT.

BUT IN THE OLD DAYS THERE HAVE BEEN FORGERIES OR MUSEUM BURGLARIES.

NOW THE CULPRIT IS OFTEN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

AND IN MANY CASES, IT'S NOT EVEN ILLEGAL.

WHAT CAN ARTISTS DO TO PROTECT THEIR WORK?

IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE HEAD TO SAN DIEGO FOR A REPORT FROM OUR PARTNERS AT KPBS, SAN DIEGO ARTIST JOSE ITURRIAGA TAPS HIS IMAGINATION TO CREATE MOODY IMAGES OF DARK SKIES AND LANDSCAPES OF MAGICAL HORROR.

HIS STYLE HAS ALLOWED HIM TO WORK AS AN ILLUSTRATOR AND A MOVIE SET DESIGNER, BUT SOMETHING IS TRYING TO COPY HIS DISTINCT ARTWORK.

THE COPYCAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

WHAT THE AI TRAINING MODELS DO IS BASICALLY SCRAPE ALL OF THE INTERNET, LIKE EVERYTHING UP AND DOWN, AND BASICALLY STEAL ALL THIS ART AND THEN PUT IT INTO A BLENDER, AND THEN SOMETHING ELSE COMES OUT.

WHAT COMES OUT OF THE AI BLENDER CAN BE THE VERY SAME IMAGES, OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT COPIES THE ARTIST'S STYLE, THE SOFTWARE THAT COMBS THE INTERNET FOR DATA ARE CALLED AI CRAWLERS, AND THERE ARE WAYS TO BLOCK THEM.

A PROGRAM BY CLOUDFLARE REARRANGES THE DATA SO AI DOESN'T RECOGNIZE AN IMAGE.

BUT ELISA LUO, A CYBERSECURITY RESEARCHER AT UC SAN DIEGO, SAYS TECHNOLOGY IS NOT A LONG TERM SOLUTION.

IT WILL, OF COURSE, ALWAYS BE A CAT AND MOUSE GAME.

LIKE IF CLOUDFLARE COMES OUT OUT WITH THIS NEW FEATURE THAT IS MORE EVEN MORE COMPREHENSIVE AND SOPHISTICATED THAN THE MORE MALICIOUS AI CRAWLERS, AND WILL TRY TO ADAPT TO THIS AND TRY TO CIRCUMVENT IT.

SAN DIEGO ARTIST PATRICK BALLESTEROS IS AN ARTIST WHOSE WHIMSICAL, CHILDLIKE IMAGES HAVE MADE HIM WELL KNOWN TO VISITORS AT COMIC-CON.

HE SAYS THE THEFT OF IMAGES IS A REAL PROBLEM, BUT A.I.

CAN PLAY A ROLE IN THE INDUSTRY.

FOR INSTANCE, HELPING AN ANIMATION ARTIST DO IN BETWEEN POSES.

YOU'RE MAKING AN ANIMATED MOVIE.

THERE'S SOMEONE THAT DOES LIKE KEY POSES, LIKE, MY ARMS ARE UP, MY ARMS ARE DOWN, RIGHT.

AND THEN THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE THAT COMES IN THAT HAS TO ANIMATE EVERY LITTLE POSE THAT GOES IN BETWEEN IT.

RIGHT?

THAT'S CALLED THE IN-BETWEENS.

MANY ARTISTS DON'T LIKE TO DO THAT BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, OH, THAT'S BORING WORK.

THAT COULD BE A JOB FOR AI, HE SAYS.

AS LONG AS THE KEY ARTISTS ON A PROJECT KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE CONCEPT ART ASSOCIATION HAS LOBBIED FOR A BILL IN CALIFORNIA THAT WOULD REQUIRE THAT ARTISTS BE TOLD IF THEIR WORK HAS BEEN PUT INTO AN AI DATA SET.

DINA JULSRUD, THE ASSOCIATION'S LOBBYIST, SAYS IT COULD BE ONE WAY TO PREVENT ARTISTS FROM LOSING WORK AND BEING REPLACED AS THE CRAWLERS STEAL FROM THEM IN THE PRESENT.

THE DATA THAT THEY TAKE IS THEN USED TO REPLACE THEM AND DEVALUE THEM IN THE FUTURE.

THE ISSUE IS IN THE COURTS.

DISNEY HAS SUED MIDJOURNEY AND ITS AI POWERED IMAGE GENERATOR FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT, ALLEGING THEY COPIED DISNEY CHARACTERS WITHOUT PERMISSION.

THOMAS FUDGE, KPBS NEWS.

AND BACK HERE IN TULSA, MAYOR MONROE NICHOLS, ALONG WITH LEADERS IN THE GREENWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD, OFFICIALLY DEDICATED THE PATHWAY TO HOPE PUBLIC ART TRAIL ON TUESDAY.

THERE ARE SIX ART INSTALLATIONS IN ALL CELEBRATING THE PEOPLE, CULTURE AND HISTORY OF THE GREENWOOD DISTRICT.

THE PIECE IS FOCUSED ON SIX DIFFERENT THEMES CREATIVITY, RESILIENCE, VISION, JUSTICE, HOPE AND REMEMBRANCE.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, THE FIRST MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION SINCE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS DEMANDED TWO BOARD MEMBERS RESIGN IMMEDIATELY, SAYING THEY WERE TRYING TO CRUCIFY HIS CHARACTER.

THAT REPORT FRIDAY AT SEVEN, AND WE'RE GOING TO SAY SO LONG THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AND LISTEN TO THE WHEELER DISTRICT'S SUMMER CONCERT SERIES IN OKLAHOMA CITY, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA'S LEGACY KOTEL.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN ACCESS ADDITIONAL NEWS CONTENT BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, DOT TV.

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH ANY OF OUR REPORTS AGAIN IN THIS SHOW, THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL BY MONDAY EVENING.

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

LUNZ HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

I PROMISE I'LL SING TO YOU A LITTLE BIT.

ONLY WHEN YOU GET LOST.

AND FAITH IS THE LOVE YOU TAKE.

COME TO ME AND SHAME.

AND WHAT CAUSED ALL THE PAIN.

TRUST ME UP AND BREAK ME UP AND JUST SINCE I LOST EVERYTHING.

QUESTIONING YOURSELF.

ARE YOU?

SOMEBODY HAS TO BE DONE.

WELL, I'M JUST A SHARE OF MYSELF.

THIS I KNOW I.

FROZEN.

SINK, I SWIM AND YOU KNOW I'M NOT WINNING THE WAY THAT YOU DID IT WHEN I'M SINKING OR SWIMMING BACK TO THE BEGINNING.

STORY.

IN THIS STORM AND ALL OF YOU KNOW IT'S TIME TO OPEN MY COINCIDE.