ABSOLUTELY SCRUMPTIOUS.

OH, WHAT?

SUNDAY EVENING AT SEVEN ON OETA.

THE FAMILIES OF MORE THAN 900 INDIVIDUALS CONSIDERED MISSING IN OKLAHOMA GATHERED TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER.

YOU LEARN TO LIVE IN SPITE OF IT, BECAUSE OF IT, AND IN HONOR OF IT.

AND THAT'S HOW YOU SURVIVE.

THE LATEST ON A 20 YEAR OLD LAWSUIT INVOLVING THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA AND THE POULTRY INDUSTRY.

I HAVE TRIED TO INTERVENE IN THIS LAWSUIT.

I'VE TRIED TO GET IN.

I WOULD SETTLE THIS LIKE THAT.

I WOULD GET THIS THING SETTLED, DISMISSED.

42 DEGREE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING 15 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, WIND UP ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.

I THOUGHT, THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S TRUE.

THERE'S NO WAY THEY JUST DELETED ALL THE FRENCH DEGREES, ALL THE ARABIC, ALL THE GERMAN.

THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN'T JUST DO THAT.

CELEBRATING THE CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SONGS WRITTEN OR PERFORMED BY OKLAHOMANS.

I'M NOT GOING TO PLAY THIS SILLY SONG OF A REINDEER WITH A RED NOSE.

EVERYBODY'S GOING TO LAUGH AT ME.

OUR ANNUAL IN-DEPTH REPORTER ROUNDTABLE TO DISCUSS THE YEAR THAT WAS AND THE YEAR TO BE.

WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT 2026 IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

PLUS, A BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT THE ANGEL TREE DISTRIBUTION WAREHOUSE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M RICH LENZ.

THE HOLIDAY SEASON CAN BE A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME FOR FAMILIES OF MISSING OKLAHOMANS.

IN MOST CASES, THE GRIEVING PROCESS IS INTERRUPTED BECAUSE THERE'S NO SENSE OF CLOSURE OR CERTAINTY THAT A LOVED ONE IS DEAD OR PERHAPS STILL ALIVE.

BUT THERE ARE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO HELP FAMILIES COPE.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW WITH THE DETAILS.

STEVE.

RICH.

ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE 954 PEOPLE MISSING IN OKLAHOMA.

A NEWSWEEK REPORT LAST YEAR SHOWED OKLAHOMA HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF MISSING PEOPLE PER CAPITA IN THE U.S.

THIS JUST RIPS YOUR HEART OUT.

IT IS.

I MEAN, MY DAUGHTER, IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, THREE AND A HALF YEARS AND SHE'S STILL OCCASIONALLY WHERE'S DADDY?

I WISH WE COULD FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO DADDY.

BILLY TREECE MARRIED HER HUSBAND, GREG TREECE, IN TULSA IN 2013.

NINE YEARS LATER, ON JULY 24TH, 2022, GREG DISAPPEARED IN CREEK COUNTY, SO HE HAD LEFT WITH HIS BROTHER TO GO OUT TO HIS MOM'S HOUSE.

THAT'S WHERE HE WAS LAST SEEN.

SHE LIVES OUT IN RURAL SAPULPA, SAPULPA AREA OFF OF 33 HIGHWAY.

BILLY SAYS GREG'S MOTHER HAD BEEN VERY SICK.

SHE BELIEVES THERE WAS SOME SORT OF DISPUTE BETWEEN GREG AND HIS BROTHER AT THE HOUSE.

IT'S A HOUSE THAT HASN'T BEEN LIVED IN SINCE GREG'S MOTHER DIED A YEAR AFTER HE DISAPPEARED.

I MEAN, IT'S SOMETHING HORRIBLE HAPPENED TO HIM.

OR WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED?

THAT IS MY BELIEF, JUST BASED OFF OF SOME OF THE EVIDENCE, THAT THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER SOME OF THE CHANGING STORIES FROM HIS BROTHER.

I DO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED ON JULY 24TH, 2022, THERE AT HIS MOM'S HOUSE, AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO RECOVER HIS REMAINS AT THIS POINT.

WHAT MAKES THIS EVEN MORE TRAGIC IS GREG TREECE WAS A CANCER SURVIVOR.

BILLY SAYS GREG HAD BEEN DEALING WITH NON-HODGKIN'S LYMPHOMA FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAD UNDERGONE A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT A YEAR BEFORE HE DISAPPEARED.

GREG WANTED TO LIVE.

HE DID.

I MEAN, HE WENT THROUGH YEARS OF TREATMENT.

HE SPENT A MONTH IN THE HOSPITAL AT O.U.

GETTING THE STEM CELL TRANSPLANT, BECAUSE THAT WAS PRESENTED AS HIS BEST CHANCE TO FIGHT THE CANCER.

SO HE WAS DOING ALL HE COULD TO BE THERE.

WE HAD YOUNG CHILDREN.

OUR DAUGHTER WAS ONLY FIVE AND OUR SON WAS 11 WHEN HE DISAPPEARED.

BILLY TREECE WAS ONE OF MANY FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS OF MISSING PEOPLE WHO ATTENDED A MISSING IN OKLAHOMA EVENT NOVEMBER 15TH IN TULSA.

THE GATHERING WAS SPONSORED BY MISSING PERSONS ADVOCATES, INCLUDING THE OKLAHOMA STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, OR OSBI.

THE TECHNOLOGY THAT WE HAVE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE WHAT WE CAN OFFER NOW IN TERMS OF GENETIC GENEALOGY, RAPID DNA, STUFF LIKE THAT, OSB SPOKESMAN HUNTER MCKEE SAYS OSBI HAS ITS OWN MISSING PERSONS CASES, BUT THEY'RE QUICK TO ASSIST OTHER POLICE AGENCIES WHEN CALLED.

HE SAYS EVENTS LIKE THE RECENT ONE IN TULSA GO A LONG WAY.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS.

IT IS A FRUSTRATING PROCESS.

IT'S A LONG PROCESS.

IT'S VERY CHALLENGING.

I MEAN, I YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE IF YOU'RE FAMILY MEMBER, SOMEONE WHO YOU LOVE IS GONE AND YOU DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS TO WHY THEY'RE THEY'RE GONE.

IT'S IT'S UNDER UNDERSTANDABLE TO WHY THEY THEY WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED.

BUT WHAT I CAN SAY IS THAT FROM THE OSBI STANDPOINT, ALL THESE MISSING PERSONS CASES THAT WE HAVE, WE NEVER STOP.

DOCTOR MAGGIE ZINGMAN IS A TRAUMA PSYCHOLOGIST WHO WORKED WITH OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING SURVIVORS AND STILL WORKS WITH COMBAT VETERANS AND FAMILIES OF MURDER VICTIMS.

HER DAUGHTER, BRITTANY PHILLIPS, HAD HER WHOLE LIFE IN FRONT OF HER.

THREE DECADES AGO, BRITTANY WAS A TULSA UNION HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE AND HAD EARNED A COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP.

BUT ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2004, BRITTANY WAS FOUND MURDERED IN HER APARTMENT IN THIS TULSA APARTMENT COMPLEX THAT USED TO GO BY A DIFFERENT NAME.

THIS IS A HARD THING TO ASK YOU, BUT HAD SHE BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED?

YES SHE WAS.

DOCTOR ZINGMAN SAYS SHE FINDS HOPE IN THE FACT INVESTIGATORS ARE RIGHT NOW ANALYZING NEW DNA EVIDENCE THAT WAS TAKEN FROM UNDERNEATH HER DAUGHTER'S FINGERNAILS.

AS FAR AS WE KNOW, WE HAVEN'T BEEN TOLD THAT.

THEY'VE GONE BACK AND LOOKED AT ALL THOSE OLD SUSPECTS THAT WE ORIGINALLY RULED OUT WITH THE FIRST DNA.

SO SHE FOUGHT HIM, SUPPOSEDLY, FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL, SHE WASN'T FOUND IN HER BED.

YOU KNOW, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHERE THE ASSAULT OCCURRED, BUT, YEAH, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT SHE HAD FOUGHT.

DOCTOR ZINGMAN HAS HER VEHICLE WRAPPED EVERY FEW YEARS AS A BILLBOARD TO OTHERS, AND A REMINDER OF WHAT HAPPENED TO HER DAUGHTER.

ZINGMAN AND BILLY TREECE MET FOR THE FIRST TIME AT THE TULSA MISSING PERSONS EVENT.

NO RULE BOOK.

THERE'S NO TEXTBOOK ON HOW TO DO THIS.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE MORE YOU CAN CONNECT WITH OTHER SURVIVORS, WHETHER IT'S MISSING COLD CASE, WHATEVER, THE MORE POWER YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE.

THAT'S BIG.

IT IS VERY BIG, AND IT'S VERY BIG FOR ANOTHER REASON.

YOU KNOW, I'VE HAD BOTH WORLDS.

I'VE HAD JUST LIKE BILLY HAD A VERY SUPPORTIVE THE FIRST FROM 2004 TO 2013, I HAD THE BEST DETECTIVES, I HAD THE BEST HEAD OF HOMICIDE.

I HAD EVERYBODY, THEY BROUGHT ME INTO THE FOLD.

THEY TAUGHT ME WHAT I COULD SHARE, WHAT I COULDN'T SHARE.

AND IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS, I'VE EXPERIENCED THE OTHER SIDE OF IT, WHERE IT'S SHUT DOWN.

ON COMMUNICATION, SHE SAYS MANY RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS WOULD LIKE TO HELP INVESTIGATE COLD CASES.

THE ONE BIG LESSON THAT I LEARNED IS YOU CAN'T LIVE IN THE WHYS AND THE WIDOWS AND COULD'VE AND SHOULD'VE, WHETHER IT'S MISSING OR MURDERED, THAT CAN JUST TORTURE YOU BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING.

MAYBE IF I HAD TALKED TO HIM BEFOREHAND, MAYBE IF I HAD, YOU KNOW, INTERVENED AT AN EARLIER TIME.

WE THINK OF ALL THESE MAYBES, THINKING MAYBE WE COULD HAVE STOPPED IT FROM HAPPENING AND THAT CAN TORTURE SOMEBODY.

SO YOU REALLY.

WHEN I WORK WITH FAMILIES, I REALLY TRY TO HELP THEM.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T DO THE SELF-BLAME.

YOU CAN'T ASK THE WHYS OR WHATEVER.

YOU HAVE TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO GRIEVE.

AND AS I TELL MANY PEOPLE, YOU LEARN TO LIVE IN SPITE OF IT, BECAUSE OF IT AND IN HONOR OF IT.

AND THAT'S HOW YOU THRIVE.

HUNTER MCKEE TELLS ME THE FBI'S NEXT MISSING PEOPLE EVENT WILL BE IN THE SPRING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA IN EDMOND.

RICH, STEVE.

THANK YOU.

GREAT REPORT.

THE STATE BOARD OF ELECTIONS SAYS DEMOCRATS MISSED THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER INDEPENDENTS TO VOTE IN THEIR PRIMARIES.

BUT OKLAHOMA'S NEW DEMOCRAT PARTY CHAIR ERIN BREWER SAYS THAT'S INACCURATE.

BREWER SAYS THE PARTY VOTED TO INCLUDE INDEPENDENT VOTERS BACK IN JUNE AND NOTIFY THE ELECTION BOARD VIA EMAIL.

HOWEVER, THAT INFORMATION NEEDED TO BE SUBMITTED BY NOVEMBER, WHICH THE BOARD SAYS WAS NOT DONE.

DEMOCRATS ARE CONSIDERING LEGAL ACTION TO CHANGE THAT.

THEIR ROLE AS HELPING OKLAHOMANS HAVE ACCESS TO SECURE, ACCURATE, ACCESSIBLE ELECTIONS, AND OUR ROLE IS TO PROVIDE CANDIDATES ON BALLOTS, AND WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE VOTERS GO TO THE POLLS AND KNOW WHO THEY'RE VOTING ON.

AND WE'VE BEEN LOOKING TO THEM FOR GUIDANCE ON HOW WE FULFILL THEIR REQUIREMENTS.

AND I THINK ON THIS ONE, THEY'VE REALLY LET US DOWN.

WE ARE TALKING TO SOME REPUTABLE ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE REACHED OUT TO US AND HAVE SOME IDEAS.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT MIGHT GO, BUT WHAT I WANT INDEPENDENT VOTERS TO KNOW IS THAT OKLAHOMA DEMOCRATS VALUE YOUR VOICES.

WE THINK YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO VOTE, AND WE'RE PURSUING EVERY OPTION WE CAN TO GIVE YOU THAT OPTION.

IN OUR PRIMARIES, THERE ARE ALMOST 500,000 REGISTERED INDEPENDENT VOTERS IN OKLAHOMA, AND THAT NUMBER CONTINUES TO GROW.

THE GOP PRIMARY IS OPEN ONLY TO REGISTERED REPUBLICAN VOTERS.

WHEN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA FIRST SUED THE POULTRY INDUSTRY IN 2005, BRAD HENRY WAS GOVERNOR, DREW EDMONDSON, ATTORNEY GENERAL, AND A WHOLE CHICKEN COST AT $1 SIX PER POUND.

WHILE ALL OF THAT HAS CHANGED, THE LAWSUIT REMAINS BOGGED DOWN IN THE COURTS.

COULD THAT FINALLY CHANGE IN 2026?

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH THE LATEST JASON RICH.

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT IS CALLING FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL GARDNER DRUMMOND TO SETTLE THE CASE WITH MAJOR POULTRY PRODUCERS.

MEANWHILE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO FEAR IF SOMETHING ISN'T DONE SOON, THEY COULD LOSE THEIR FARMS.

IF YOU IF YOU REMEMBER ANYTHING THAT I SAY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM GOING TO STAND WITH OUR CHICKEN PRODUCERS, GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT, PROMISING TO BACK OKLAHOMA'S POULTRY PRODUCERS AS HE CALLS FOR OKLAHOMA ATTORNEY GENERAL GOVERNOR DRUMMOND, TO SETTLE THE LONG STANDING FEDERAL LAWSUIT DURING A POULTRY GROWERS MEETING PUT ON BY THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU THIS WEEK.

ONE OF THOSE GROWERS ATTENDING THE MEETING TO VOICE HER CONCERNS ABOUT THE LACK OF PROGRESS ON A SETTLEMENT IS LOU ANN HAYES.

WE CHOSE THIS LIFE, MY HUSBAND AND I, DELIBERATELY.

THE REALITY IS, IF THEY DO NOT COME TO A REASONABLE AGREEMENT IN FIVE YEARS BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE AN FSA LOAN, A GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED LOAN, WE WILL HAVE TO FILE BANKRUPTCY THERE.

THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION BECAUSE OUR FARM IS OUR INCOME.

LARGE PRODUCERS LIKE TYSON ARE CALLED POULTRY INTEGRATORS.

THAT IS THE PRACTICE OF A COMPANY CONTRACTING OUT THE RAISING OF THEIR LIVESTOCK TO LOCALLY OWNED FARMS.

LIKE LOU ANN AND HER HUSBAND'S FARM ARE THREE FARMS YOU CAN GROW FOR WHOEVER YOU CAN GET THE CONTRACT WITH.

BUT TYSON IS WHO OUR CONTRACTS WITH.

THEY'VE THEY'VE BEEN GOOD TO US.

WE'VE BEEN HAPPY GROWING FOR TYSON.

OUR FIGHT IS NOT WITH TYSON.

OUR FIGHT RIGHT NOW IS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF OKLAHOMA.

THE ISSUE IS WE'VE GOT AN ATTORNEY GENERAL THAT'S ATTACKING FARMERS RIGHT NOW IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA FOR THE BENEFIT OF TRIAL ATTORNEYS.

STITT HAS BEEN PUSHING TO HAVE THE LONG LASTING LAWSUIT SETTLED SO THAT FARMERS IN EASTERN OKLAHOMA CAN HAVE MORE CERTAINTY WHEN IT COMES TO WORKING WITH THE MAJOR POULTRY PRODUCERS.

HE CONTENDS THAT DESPITE WAITING YEARS FOR RESOLUTION, LOCAL PRODUCERS ARE STUCK IN THE MIDDLE BETWEEN THE STATE AND THE COMPANIES.

THEY LOVE THE ENVIRONMENT.

THIS IS WHERE THEY GREW UP.

THIS IS WHERE THEY LOVE.

THEY'RE RAISING THEIR FAMILY HERE AND THEY'RE FOLLOWING.

I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THEY'RE FOLLOWING THE EPA AND THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA'S PERMITTING PROCESS.

THEY HAVE BEEN FOR DECADES, AND WE'VE GOT TRIAL ATTORNEYS COMING IN SAYING, WELL, IT'S NOT ENOUGH.

YOU OWE US ALL THIS MONEY.

IT'S RIDICULOUS.

ATTORNEY GENERAL DRUMMOND SAYS THAT ISN'T EXACTLY THE CASE.

IN A STATEMENT TO OETA, A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE AG SAID, QUOTE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS BEEN IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR SETTLEMENT SINCE THE COURT RULED IN FAVOR OF THE STATE NEARLY THREE YEARS AGO.

WE STILL STRONGLY BELIEVE AGREEMENTS CAN BE REACHED.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL IS A PRODUCTION AGRICULTURALIST WHO UNDERSTANDS EVERY COMPONENT OF PRODUCTION AGRICULTURE.

SADLY, GOVERNOR STITT DOES NOT SEEM TO BE AWARE OF THE ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS OCCURRING ON BEHALF OF HIS OWN STATE.

WHILE CERTAIN OUT-OF-STATE BIG POULTRY HAS ATTEMPTED TO ESCAPE ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTIMIDATE HARDWORKING FARMERS, ATTORNEY GENERAL DRUMMOND HAS REMAINED COMMITTED TO FIGHTING FOR ALL OKLAHOMANS.

THE ISSUE AT HAND IS RESOLVING A 20 YEAR OLD LAWSUIT TO ENFORCE STATE LAWS THAT PROTECT OUR WATER QUALITY.

WE'VE SIMPLY BEEN ASKING THESE COMPANIES TO FOLLOW THE LAW.

CLEAN WATER AND A THRIVING POULTRY INDUSTRY CAN AND SHOULD BOTH EXIST FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERY OKLAHOMAN.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHO ORIGINALLY FILED THE CASE AGREES WITH DRUMMOND.

I THINK HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN GETTING IT OFF HIGH CENTER AND GETTING THE COURT TO FINALLY RULE ON IT.

THE RULING WAS IN OUR FAVOR.

FORMER OKLAHOMA ATTORNEY GENERAL DREW EDMONDSON SAYS THAT THE FEDERAL JUDGE OVERSEEING THE CASE WANTED THE STATE AND POULTRY PRODUCERS TO COME TO A SETTLEMENT.

WHEN THE JUDGE ISSUED HIS FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW, HE SAID, NOW YOU ALL SIT DOWN AND FIGURE OUT A FINAL JUDGMENT CONSISTENT WITH MY FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW.

LOOKING BACK, EDMONDSON BEGAN INVESTIGATING REPORTS OF PHOSPHORUS POLLUTION IN THE ILLINOIS RIVER WATERSHED, WHICH IS SHARED BY WESTERN ARKANSAS AND EASTERN OKLAHOMA.

THE ILLINOIS RIVER ENDS AT LAKE TENKILLER.

THAT INVESTIGATION STARTED IN 2001 AND LASTED THREE YEARS.

IN 2005, EDMONDSON FILED THE FEDERAL LAWSUIT AGAINST MAJOR POULTRY COMPANIES AFTER NEGOTIATIONS WITH AREA WATER TREATMENT PLANTS TO STOP THEIR PART OF THE POLLUTION.

IT WAS JANUARY 2023 WHEN JUDGE FRIZZELL FOUND FOR THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA AND ORDERED NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH ARE ONGOING.

EDMONDSON SAYS IF THE JUDGE MAKES THE DECISION INSTEAD OF THE SIDES SETTLING, IT WOULD LENGTHEN THE LEGAL BATTLE.

THERE'S NO RULING OR SETTLEMENT THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW THAT THEY WON'T APPEAL.

I JUST MADE THE KIDS HELP ME, AND WE CLEANED OUT THE CHICKEN COOP AND WE GOT ALL THE DROPPINGS.

CHICKEN LITTER MAKES GREAT FERTILIZER.

STITT CLAIMS HE WOULD BE ABLE TO SETTLE THINGS IF HE WAS ALLOWED TO INTERVENE, BUT THE COURT TOLD HIM NO, I HAVE TRIED TO INTERVENE IN THIS LAWSUIT.

I'VE TRIED TO GET IN.

I WOULD SETTLE THIS LIKE THAT.

I WOULD GET THIS THING SETTLED, DISMISSED.

THE UNCERTAINTY THAT'S GONE ON FOR OVER TWO DECADES, 20 YEARS.

THESE FAMILY FARMS DON'T KNOW IF THEY SHOULD EXPAND, IF THEY SHOULD MOVE, WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?

THE UNCERTAINTY IS UNBELIEVABLE FOR BUSINESS.

WHILE THE STATE AND POULTRY INTEGRATION COMPANIES IN THE LAWSUIT ARE INCHING TOWARD A SETTLEMENT, LOU ANN HAYES AND HER HUSBAND ARE PREPARING FOR THE WORST AND HOPE FOR THE BEST SO THAT IF THEIR KIDS WANT TO CONTINUE TO BE PART OF OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURE, THEY CAN.

WE WANTED TO GIVE OUR KIDS THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW UP IN RURAL OKLAHOMA AND TO BE PART OF SMALL COMMUNITIES, AND TO HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE A FARMER IF THEY WANTED TO.

LOU ANN HAYES ALSO TELLS ME THAT SHE'S NOT AFRAID OF THE ILLINOIS RIVER, BECAUSE PRODUCERS LIKE HER HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING RULES GOVERNING THE REMOVAL OF CHICKEN WASTE FROM THEIR FARM, LEAVING THE RIVER MUCH CLEANER THAN WHAT IT WAS WHEN THE LAWSUIT STARTED.

RICH, JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

EACH YEAR IN DECEMBER, WE CONVENE A REPORTER ROUNDTABLE FEATURING SOME OF THE STATE'S FINEST JOURNALISTS TO DISCUSS THE YEAR THAT WAS AND WHAT THEY EXPECT TO BE COVERING IN 2026.

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR TAELYR JACKSON, ALONG WITH JENNIFER PALMER, SEAN ASHLEY AND PAUL MONEZ.

OBVIOUSLY, ONE OF THE BIGGEST STORIES OF 2025 WAS HIS RYAN WALTERS SURPRISE RESIGNATION.

HE STILL HAD 15 MONTHS IN HIS TERM, AND SO STITT APPOINTED LINDEL FIELDS.

I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A TOTAL VIBE CHANGE OVER AT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

THIS IS OUR BUSIEST ELECTION, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICES ARE UP THIS YEAR.

ALL EIGHT OF THOSE, AS WELL AS THE FULL OKLAHOMA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND HALF THE STATE SENATE.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IN THE SENATE.

I THINK WE'LL ALSO SEE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF INTERIM STUDIES THAT DEALT WITH HOME INSURANCE RATES AND KIND OF SKYROCKETING.

OKLAHOMANS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT WHO ARE HOMEOWNERS AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH THOSE RATES.

AND SO WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME CONTINUED DISCUSSION ON THAT.

THERE'S ALREADY BEEN THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT HAS KIND OF A LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE ON STUFF THAT IT'S CALLING KIND OF MAYBE MORE CONSUMER REFORMS.

THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP A LITTLE BIT LATER ON IN THIS NEWSCAST, ALL CLASSES AND EXAMS HAVE BEEN CANCELED AT THE OU NORMAN CAMPUS FOR FRIDAY BECAUSE OF A HISTORIC FOOTBALL GAME TO BE PLAYED UNDER THE LIGHTS.

ESPN'S GAME DAY IN TOWN ON THURSDAY, PREPPING FOR OU'S FIRST EVER COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF GAME FEATURING THE SOONERS AND THE ALABAMA CRIMSON TIDE.

LOTS OF EXCITEMENT ON CAMPUS AS OU TRIES TO ROLL THE TIDE FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SEASON.

BACK ON NOVEMBER 15TH, THEY BEAT BAMA, 2321, IN TUSCALOOSA.

AND WE'RE TWO AND OH AGAINST BAMA.

WE PLAYED THEM FIRST TIME HERE LAST YEAR AND BEAT THEM.

AND WE BEAT THEM AT THEIR HOME.

AND NOW WE GOT THEM AGAIN HERE.

SO IT'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF HYPE FOR FOR THE GAME TO BE FUN.

ENVIRONMENT SOLD OUT STADIUM TOO.

IT'S GOING TO BE REALLY COOL TO EXPERIENCE.

THE WINNER OF THIS GAME WILL ADVANCE TO FACE NUMBER ONE RANKED INDIANA IN THE ROSE BOWL ON JANUARY 1ST.

WELL, IT TURNS OUT SOME CLASSES AND DEGREES WILL BE CANCELED PERMANENTLY AT OU IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

15 DEGREES ARE BEING ELIMINATED FOLLOWING A VOTE OF THE OKLAHOMA BOARD OF REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.

IN ALL, 42 ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AT SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE WILL BE DISCONTINUED, INCLUDING SIX AT OSU.

NOAH MACK JOINS US FROM OUR NEWSROOM WITH WHY THIS IS BEING DONE AND THE STRONG REACTION TO IT.

NOAH.

RICH.

ALMOST HALF OF THESE DEGREES BEING CUT AT OSU ARE LANGUAGE DEGREES, CAUSING CONFUSION AND LETDOWN AMONG MANY LANGUAGE STUDENTS.

SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE BEING RESHAPED, WHILE OTHERS WILL DISAPPEAR COMPLETELY.

EMPTY CLASSROOMS IS WHAT YOU'LL FIND AS OU'S WINTER BREAK BEGINS AND SOME CLASSES WILL STAY EMPTY, REDIRECTING MANY STUDENTS AS COLLEGIATE CAREERS.

LIKE FRENCH SENIOR BENJAMIN BLIGHT.

AT FIRST I WAS PRETTY SHOCKED.

I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT.

I HAD HEARD ABOUT IT FROM SOME PEOPLE ON CAMPUS, AND I THOUGHT, THERE'S NO WAY THAT'S TRUE.

THERE'S NO WAY THEY JUST DELETED ALL THE FRENCH DEGREES, ALL THE ARABIC, ALL THE GERMAN.

THERE'S NO WAY THEY CAN'T JUST DO THAT ACROSS THE STATE, 42 COLLEGE DEGREE PROGRAMS ARE BEING ELIMINATED, PER A REQUEST FROM THE OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.

WE ASKED ALL THE UNIVERSITIES TO LOOK AT ALL THEIR LOW PRODUCING REPORTS.

JUST GIVE THEM A HARD LOOK AT THAT KIND OF RECALIBRATE.

STATE COLLEGES REVIEWED ALTOGETHER 357 DEGREES IN OKLAHOMA THAT DID NOT MEET ENROLLMENT AND GRADUATION BENCHMARKS SET BY THE STATE.

WE ASKED FOR THE PLAN, BUT THEN WE LEAVE A LOT OF LEVERAGE UP TO THEM TO MAKE THAT LOOK HOW THEY WANT TO LOOK.

SOME OF THE PROGRAMS WILL BE RESTRUCTURED, WHILE OTHERS WILL BE CUT COMPLETELY.

THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA TOOK THE LARGEST BITE OUT OF ITS DEGREE ROSTER, WITH 15 PROGRAMS BEING PHASED OUT.

DOCTOR JOEL KENDALL, VICE CHANCELLOR FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS, SAYS SHAVING OFF LOW PRODUCING PROGRAMS IS A ROUTINE PRACTICE.

IT'S A HARD DECISION TO MAKE, BUT THE UNIVERSITY, WHEN IT GETS TO THAT POINT, JUST SAYS THE OKLAHOMA WORKFORCE IS NOT CALLING FOR THIS AND WE'RE NOT PRODUCING ENOUGH GRADUATES IN THIS PROGRAM.

SO AS IT IS, IT NEEDS TO GO AWAY.

ARGUABLY, THE DELETIONS THAT CAUSED THE MOST COMMOTION WERE BACHELOR PROGRAMS FOR SEVERAL WORLD LANGUAGES, A GROUNDSWELL OF SUPPORT AND CONCERN.

I MEAN, WE WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN AND IT'S VERY GRATIFYING IS, AGAIN, THE SENSE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN TAKING LANGUAGES.

THERE'S A LOT OF SUPPORT, BOTH WITHIN THE UNIVERSITY AND IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY.

HOWEVER, UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, THESE PROGRAMS WOULD NOT EXACTLY BE VANISHING.

THE REALLY IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO GET OUT IS THAT WE'RE ALL STILL HERE, RIGHT?

THAT ANY STUDENT WHO WANTS TO PURSUE A DEGREE IN ARABIC, CHINESE, FRENCH, GERMAN AND ITALIAN STILL CAN.

THOSE LANGUAGES WILL BE CONSOLIDATED INTO ONE WORLD LANGUAGES DEGREE.

THE NEW DEGREE WILL FEATURE ARABIC, CHINESE, FRENCH, GERMAN AND ITALIAN AS INDIVIDUAL DEGREE CONCENTRATIONS, WHILE JAPANESE, RUSSIAN AND SPANISH WILL REMAIN SEPARATE BA DEGREES.

THEY GAVE EACH LANGUAGE PROGRAM THE CHOICE OF WHETHER OR NOT TO JOIN THE NEW CONSOLIDATION.

MANY STUDENTS WELCOMED THE CHANGES, LIKE GERMAN STUDENT LUKE BIRD.

I THINK IT MAKES SENSE TO WORK TOGETHER AS LANGUAGES TO SHARE RESOURCES, BOTH FINANCIAL AND IN TERMS OF STAFF.

THE NEW CONSOLIDATION LOOSENS UP DEGREE REQUIREMENTS AND REDUCES CREDIT HOURS IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE DOUBLE MAJORING EASIER, SOMETHING ITALIAN MINER MACKENZIE TODD IS PLANNING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF.

I ONLY HAVE TO TAKE FOUR EXTRA COURSES ONCE I FINISH MY MINOR TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE ITALIAN MAJOR, SO IT'S KIND OF LIKE A NO BRAINER IN THE LONG RUN.

THIS REVAMPED DEGREE WILL AID HER IN HER CAREER ASPIRATIONS.

WITH A MAJOR IN PUBLIC RELATIONS, MACKENZIE HOPES TO GET A JOB ABROAD, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT IT'S A WORLD LANGUAGE AND CULTURE ON A RESUME FOR LIKE A PUBLIC RELATIONS DEGREE THAT'S GOING TO LOOK VERY GOOD, LIKE IT'S GOING TO BE MORE WELL-ROUNDED.

SENIOR AVA POND, WHO HAS A MINOR IN CHINESE, WISHES THIS CONSOLIDATION CAME ALONG A LOT SOONER.

I THINK IF THEY HAD JUST CHANGED IT EARLIER, I THINK I WOULD HAVE DEFINITELY DOUBLE MAJORED JUST BECAUSE A LOT OF THE SPECIFICALLY CHINESE CLASSES, THEY CONFLICT WITH A LOT OF MY LINGUISTIC CLASSES.

SO ALL IN ALL, MOST LANGUAGE STUDENTS DREW A SIGH OF RELIEF WHEN THEY HEARD THEIR PROGRAMS WOULDN'T BE SLASHED ENTIRELY, AS THE PASSION AMONG THESE STUDENTS RUNS DEEP.

THEY EVEN TAUGHT THIS OETA REPORTER HOW TO SAY OKLAHOMA EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION AUTHORITY IN THREE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES OKLAHOMA.

ZHOU.

JIAO.

GUANYU ZHOU WEN AUF DEUTSCH.

IS HEISST THE OKLAHOMA FOR BILDUNG?

FERNSEHEN IN FRANCAIS.

AUTORITÉ DE LA TELEVISION EDUCATIVE THE LOCAL ROMA, SO THESE BAS WILL BE TAUGHT OUT UNTIL THESE STUDENTS GRADUATE, BEFORE THEY ARE CONSOLIDATED FULLY INTO THIS NEW WORLD LANGUAGES DEGREE.

BUT THERE ARE TWO FRENCH DEGREES THAT WILL BE GOING AWAY COMPLETELY.

AS FAR AS I KNOW, OSU DOES NOT OFFER THE SAME TYPES OF PROGRAMS THAT OU OFFERED FOR FRENCH.

AND SO NOW THAT THOSE HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED, IT'S MY BELIEF THAT THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE IN THE STATE TO GO.

AND SO PEOPLE ARE KIND OF FORCED TO GO OUT OF STATE TO PURSUE THOSE REALLY HIGHER LEVEL DEGREES IN FRENCH OR FRENCH PHILOSOPHY, MASTER OF ARTS IN FRENCH AND DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN FRENCH WILL NO LONGER BE OFFERED AT OSU, WHICH WAS A LITTLE UNFORTUNATE HERE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE SOME PROGRAMS THAT I REALLY FELT PASSIONATE ABOUT AND WANTED TO WANTED TO PURSUE ONCE I GRADUATED.

SINCE I LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND I LOVE, I LOVE BEING HERE.

CURRENT STUDENTS ON TRACK TO GRADUATE WITH THESE DEGREES WILL DO SO, BUT THOSE IN A SLEW OF OTHER DEGREE PROGRAMS WILL NO LONGER BE OFFERED AT OU.

WHEN STUDENTS RETURN FROM WINTER BREAK.

I WILL NOTE THAT THE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN ITALIAN WASN'T ON THE INITIAL LIST OF DEGREE ELIMINATIONS, BUT OU CONFIRMING IT WILL BE DELETED AND CONSOLIDATED INTO THIS NEW WORLD LANGUAGES DEGREE.

RICH, NOAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WELL, IT'S BEGINNING TO SOUND AND LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS.

THE HALLS ARE DECKED, THE TREES ARE TRIMMED, RADIO STATIONS ARE ROCKING, CHRISTMAS CAROLS AROUND THE CLOCK.

AND SOME OF THOSE CLASSIC TUNES HIT ESPECIALLY CLOSE TO HOME.

TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN TAELYR RICH OKLAHOMA HAS PRODUCED GRAMMY WINNING MUSIC IN ALMOST ALL GENRES COUNTRY, ROCK, R&B, JAZZ, EVEN NOVELTY SONGS, AND THAT INCLUDES SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY TUNES.

I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS.

FOR NEARLY 72 YEARS AGO, TEN YEAR OLD GAYLA PEEVEY RECORDED I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS.

HERE SHE IS PERFORMING ON THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW TOAST TO THE TOWN ON CBS.

LITTLE DID SHE KNOW THAT SONG WOULD BEGIN HER UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO.

SO THE ZOO, KNOWING THAT THE SONG WAS POPULAR AND BUILDING A LOT OF TRACTION, SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO, WELL, MAYBE WE CAN GET GAYLA A HIPPO FOR FOR CHRISTMAS.

THE SONG WAS A HIT.

IT PEAKED AT 24 ON THE BILLBOARD CHART AND SOLD MORE THAN 300,000 COPIES.

I WANT A HIPPOPOTAMUS FOR CHRISTMAS BECAME THE SOUNDTRACK OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO'S FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO BUY ITS FIRST HIPPO.

OKLAHOMANS WERE INSPIRED TO SEND IN THEIR NICKELS AND DIMES AND PENNIES AND ANYTHING THEY COULD AT THE TIME TO HELP GET THE OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO ITS FIRST HIPPO.

MORE THAN $3,000 WERE DONATED TO PURCHASE GAYLA AND THE ZOO.

THEIR FIRST HIPPOPOTAMUS.

OUR FIRST HIPPO WAS MATILDA, A NILE HIPPOPOTAMUS THAT ARRIVED IN OKLAHOMA CITY ON CHRISTMAS EVE 1953, AND GAYLA, AS A LITTLE GIRL, WAS THERE TO GREET HER NEW HIPPO AT THE AIRPORT AND THEN ACTUALLY COME WITH IT TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO, WHERE SHE GAVE HER HIPPO TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO.

ALMOST SEVEN DECADES LATER, AND GAYLA STILL COMES BACK TO VISIT THE ZOO EVERY NOVEMBER.

GAYLA NOW RESIDES IN CALIFORNIA WITH HER FAMILY, BUT SHE STILL HAS A LOT OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY HERE IN OKLAHOMA AND LOVES TO COME BACK TO THE OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO AND SHARE HER EXPERIENCES RECORDING THE SONG.

BUT PEEVEY ISN'T THE ONLY OKIE TURNING OUT CHRISTMAS HITS AS YOU COZY UP WITH A HOT CUP OF COCOA TO WATCH CHRISTMAS MOVIES THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, YOU MIGHT HEAR A SONG OR TWO WRITTEN BY BROKEN ARROW NATIVE RALPH HUNZIKER, BEST KNOWN AS RALPH BLANE.

HIS FATHER OWNED A GROCERY STORES AND ACTUALLY HAD ONE HERE ON MAIN STREET IN BROKEN ARROW.

AND HE WAS BORN HERE IN BROKEN ARROW, AND WE HAD A COUPLE THEATERS HERE ON MAIN STREET.

ONE OF THEM WAS THE CRYSTAL THEATER, AND RALPH'S MOM ACTUALLY PLAYED THE ORGAN FOR THE SILENT MOVIES AT THAT TIME.

AND SO RALPH WAS THERE, EVEN IN HIS CRIB LISTENING TO THE MUSIC, AND IT WAS REALLY HIS MOM THAT KIND OF INSPIRED HIM TO LEARN ABOUT MUSIC, LEARNED HOW TO SING.

WHILE WORKING AS A VOCAL ARRANGER IN NEW YORK CITY, HE MET COMPOSER HUGH MARTIN.

THE PAIR WENT ON TO CO-WRITE TWO MEMORABLE SCORES FOR THE 1944 CLASSIC FEATURING JUDY GARLAND, MEET ME IN SAINT LOUIS.

THOSE SONGS INCLUDE THE TROLLEY SONG, DING DING DING WENT THE BELL, AND HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS.

HAVE YOUR A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS.

WE PLAY THE SONG QUITE A BIT.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR MUSIC CHRISTMAS SONGS EVER RECORDED, SO THE CITY PLAYS IT.

WE HAVE SPEAKERS ON OUR MAIN STREET SO YOU CAN HEAR IT PLAYING THROUGH THE HOLIDAY SEASON, AND OBVIOUSLY WE PROMOTE IT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE HERE BECAUSE WE'RE VERY PROUD OF RALPH AND EVERYTHING THAT HE DID IN HIS CAREER.

BLAINE HAD A 50 YEAR CAREER BEFORE RETURNING HOME TO BROKEN ARROW TO RETIRE IN THE 90S.

ABOUT 40,000 MATERIALS HERE ON SITE.

SO OKAY POP MUSEUM CREATIVE DIRECTOR RYAN ALLEN SAYS OKLAHOMA HAS CONTRIBUTED MANY ARTISTS TO THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

WE LIKE TO SAY OKLAHOMA!

WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYWHERE, NOT NOWHERE, BUT THAT THIS CROSSROADS OF CREATIVITY REALLY HAPPENED HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF AMERICA, THAT WE REALLY PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT WHEN IT COMES TO OUR CREATIVE EXPORT AS A STATE.

ALLEN CURATED A PLAYLIST CONTAINING CHRISTMAS SONGS WITH CONNECTIONS TO THE SOONER STATE.

HERE AT OAK POP, WE ARE TELLING THE STORY OF OUR KIND OF CREATIVE OUTPUT AS A STATE, SO MUSIC IS A HUGE PART OF THAT IN OUR PLANS.

AND WE CREATED THAT PLAYLIST TO MOSTLY LET FOLKS KNOW ABOUT ALL THE AMAZING OKLAHOMA CREATIVES THAT HAVE IMPACTED THESE INDUSTRIES.

AND CERTAINLY THE HOLIDAY MUSIC IS A HUGE GENRE IN ITS OWN RIGHT.

CAN YOU GUESS WHAT OKIE IS PLAYING ON DARLENE LOVES PLEASE BABY COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.

PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE THAT'S NONE OTHER THAN LEON RUSSELL.

WELL, A BIG PART OF THE FUN HERE IS DISCOVERING ALL THE BEHIND THE SCENES PLAYERS, MUSICIANS THAT IMPACTED THESE SONGS, THESE WORLDS THAT PEOPLE MIGHT NOT KNOW THEY WERE ON.

SO THAT WAS A PERFECT EXAMPLE.

LEON RUSSELL WAS ON THAT SESSION.

HE WAS PART OF THE WRECKING CREW.

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT.

HE WAS THERE IN THE STUDIO PLAYING ON THOSE FAMOUS RECORDS AND SONGS.

CONTEMPORARY OKLAHOMA ARTISTS HAVE ALSO MADE A FEW HOLIDAY TUNES.

SOME OF MY FAVORITES ARE J.D.

MCPHERSON HAS A CHRISTMAS ALBUM CALLED SOCKS MY I HAVE A LITTLE DAUGHTER.

HER FIRST CONCERT WAS SEEING JD MCPHERSON AT CAIN'S BALLROOM PLAYING THE SOCKS ALBUM, THE CHRISTMAS ALBUM.

SO WE PLAY THAT EVERY YEAR.

IT'S REALLY SPECIAL FOR US IN OUR HOUSEHOLD, OBVIOUSLY OUR NEIGHBORS DOWN THE STREET.

HANSON, CHRISTMAS.

WHAT CHRISTMAS MEANS TO ME BY HANSON IS A HUGE SONG WE LOVE TO PLAY HERE AT THE OFFICE.

EVERY YEAR, FLAMING LIPS HAS CHRISTMAS AT THE ZOO FOR SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT WEIRD AND WACKY.

ANOTHER WELL-KNOWN FACE WITH OKLAHOMA TIES IS AMERICA'S SINGING COWBOY, GENE AUTRY.

IN THE 50S, HE RELEASED HIS CHRISTMAS ALBUM FEATURING HITS LIKE HERE COMES SANTA CLAUS AND RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER.

WHERE THAT STARTED WAS THAT JOHNNY MARKS WAS THE ONE, I BELIEVE, WHO WROTE THE SONG, AND GENE DIDN'T LIKE IT.

HE SAID HE WANTED THEM TO PLAY IT.

HE SAID, I'M NOT GOING TO PLAY THIS SILLY SONG ABOUT A REINDEER WITH A RED NOSE.

EVERYBODY'S GOING TO LAUGH AT ME.

ALTHOUGH AUTRY WAS BORN IN TEXAS, HE WAS RAISED IN SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA.

AFTER HIS FAMILY RELOCATED TO THE SOONER STATE IN THE 1920S, HE WAS WORKING AS A TELEGRAPHER FOR THE RAILROAD.

WHEN WILL ROGERS.

WILL ROGERS HAPPENED TO BE COMING THROUGH AND DISCOVERED HIM SINGING OFFLINE, SO TO SPEAK, AND THAT'S KIND OF WHERE HE RECOMMENDED TO GO TO CHICAGO AND TRY OUT, SEE IF HE COULD MAKE IT IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.

BUT AUTRY DIDN'T BECOME A STAR OVERNIGHT.

HE DIDN'T QUITE MAKE IT THEN, BUT THEN HE TRIED AGAIN LATER AND DID LIKE THE SONG.

YES.

AND HE'S THE ONLY FELLOW THAT HAS FIVE STARS ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME.

HE WENT ON TO RECORD OVER 600 RECORDS AND STAR IN MORE THAN 60 FILMS BEFORE RETIRING FROM SHOW BUSINESS IN 1964.

OKLAHOMANS HAVE IMPACTED EVERY CREATIVE INDUSTRY YOU CAN IMAGINE.

THE MUSIC IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST, AND WE'VE HAD IMPACT SINCE EVEN BEFORE STATEHOOD.

IF YOU'D LIKE TO HEAR MORE CHRISTMAS SONGS PERFORMED BY OKLAHOMANS, CHECK OUT OKAY POPS AND OKLAHOMA CHRISTMAS PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY.

RICH TAELYR THAT WAS A GREAT STORY, I LOVED IT.

THANK YOU.

OKLAHOMA'S ATTORNEY GENERAL IS ACCUSING A RIDESHARE COMPANY OF MISLEADING CONSUMERS, SO HE'S SUING.

THAT TOPS THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW WITH JASON DOYLE, OKLAHOMA ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND IS ENTERING INTO A MULTI-STATE LAWSUIT AGAINST UBER TECHNOLOGIES AND UBER USA, LLC, FOR ALLEGEDLY USING DECEPTIVE AND UNFAIR PRACTICES IN SELLING UBER ONE SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES.

THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION INITIATED THE LAWSUIT ON MONDAY.

THE RIDE SHARING APP COMPANY IS ACCUSED OF MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CANCEL A FREE TRIAL FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, AND MISLED CONSUMERS ABOUT THE AMOUNTS THEY COULD SAVE THROUGH A SUBSCRIPTION.

THE CASE WILL BE HEARD IN A CALIFORNIA FEDERAL COURT.

OKLAHOMA INDUSTRIAL ENERGY CONSUMERS AND AARP OKLAHOMA ARE ASKING THE OKLAHOMA CORPORATION COMMISSION TO REJECT OGE'S APPLICATION TO RECOVER FINANCING COSTS RELATED TO THE ONGOING CONSTRUCTION OF NEW POWER PLANTS AT THE UTILITY'S HORSESHOE LAKE FACILITY.

OGE AND E IS APPLYING TO RECOUP $100 MILLION IN FINANCING COSTS.

THE CORPORATION COMMISSION RECENTLY REJECTED A $500 MILLION PREAPPROVAL CASE, THE CHOCTAW NATION ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK IT IS TEAMING UP WITH ROSETTA STONE TO HELP PRESERVE THE CHOCTAW LANGUAGE.

THE TEAM UP WILL RESULT IN AN IMMERSIVE DIGITAL COURSE OFFERED BY ROSETTA STONE.

IT WILL INCLUDE THE CHOCTAW LANGUAGE'S SOUND, RHYTHM AND SPIRIT.

THIS IS PART OF ROSETTA STONE'S ENDANGERED LANGUAGES PROGRAM TO HELP PRESERVE NATIVE LANGUAGES.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE THUNDER.

THE RESIGNATION OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS.

THOSE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF THE BIG STORIES IN OKLAHOMA AS WE WRAP UP 2025.

AND WHAT ABOUT 2026?

WE'LL ELECT A NEW GOVERNOR NEXT YEAR.

AND THE CANDIDATES ARE ALREADY LINING UP WITH MORE ON ALL OF THAT.

WE INVITED SOME OF OUR STATE'S MOST RESPECTED JOURNALISTS TO SIT DOWN WITH MODERATOR TAELYR JACKSON FOR AN IN-DEPTH REPORTER ROUNDTABLE.

TAELYR, THANK YOU SO MUCH, RICH, JOINING US FOR OUR 2025 YEAR END REPORTER ROUNDTABLE IS SEAN ASHLEY WITH THE PUBLISHER OF QUORUM CALL.

WE HAVE JENNIFER PALMER, THE EDUCATION REPORTER FOR THE OKLAHOMA WATCH, AND OF COURSE, PAUL MONEZ, WHO IS ALSO WITH THE OKLAHOMA WATCH.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR JOINING US BACK HERE AGAIN.

GREAT TO BE HERE.

THANK YOU.

YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE KIND OF GOING OVER EVERYTHING FROM THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, IT'S BEEN A LOT GOING ON IN 2025.

I KNOW WE WERE JUST KIND OF DISCUSSING THAT.

IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR.

WHAT FOR YOU DO YOU THINK IS MAYBE ONE OF THE TOP STORIES OR ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STORIES FOR HERE IN OKLAHOMA?

SEAN, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WELL, SINCE I FOCUS PRIMARILY ON THE LEGISLATURE, I LIKE TO LOOK BACK AT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

AND I THINK THE FACT THAT SOME 450 BILLS BECAME LAW THIS YEAR, BUT MORE THAN 300 OF THOSE WERE NOT SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR.

IF THE GOVERNOR DOESN'T ACT ON A BILL DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, IT BECOMES LAW AFTER FIVE DAYS.

AND HE CHOSE NOT TO ACT ON MORE THAN 300 OF THOSE.

I ASKED HIM ABOUT THAT IN MAY, AND THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS SIGNING THOSE THINGS THAT HE THOUGHT MOVED THE STATE FORWARD.

IF A BILL REALLY DIDN'T SEEM TO DO THAT, HE WAS LETTING IT IN.

AS LONG AS IT DID NOT HURT THE STATE, HE WAS LETTING IT GO ON TO BECOME LAW.

SO APPROXIMATELY 75% OR MORE OF THE BILLS THAT TOOK EFFECT THIS YEAR DID SO WITHOUT THE GOVERNOR'S SIGNATURE, WHICH IS VERY INTERESTING, AS YOU SAID.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THOSE MEASURES AND WHAT DOES THIS SUGGEST ABOUT POWER BALANCES IN THAT 23RD OF LINCOLN?

WELL, AS WE ENTER THE GOVERNOR'S FINAL LEGISLATIVE SESSION, YOU'LL RECALL EARLY ON THAT HE OFTEN BATTLED WITH THE LEGISLATURE OVER PARTICULAR THINGS, TRYING TO PERHAPS GET MORE THAN HIS OFFICE ALLOWED.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE HE'S COME TO UNDERSTAND THE PROCESS MAYBE MORE FULLY THAN A LOT OF OTHER GOVERNORS, BECAUSE HE REALIZES NOW THAT HE DOESN'T HAVE TO INTERACT WITH THE LEGISLATURE ON EVERY ISSUE.

HE CAN PURSUE THOSE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO HIM, PUSH THOSE BILLS AND SIGN THOSE PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND LET THOSE OTHER THINGS COME THROUGH HIS OFFICE.

AND IF THEY'RE NOT BIG DEALS AND AS HE SAID, DON'T HURT THE STATE.

HE CAN LET THEM BECOME LAW, BUT FOCUS ON MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES.

AND, JENNIFER, I'M SURE WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION, A LOT OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS WILL PROBABLY SAY THE TRANSITION IN POWER FROM SUPERINTENDENT, FORMER SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS TO NOW SUPERINTENDENT LINDEL FIELDS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS TRANSITION?

TRANSITION KIND OF STANDS OUT FOR YOU?

YEAH, I MEAN, THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST STORIES OF 2025, WAS HIS RYAN WALTERS SURPRISE RESIGNATION.

HE STILL HAD 15 MONTHS IN HIS TERM.

AND SO STITT APPOINTED LINDEL FIELDS.

I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A TOTAL VIBE CHANGE OVER AT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

I'M HEARING FROM A LOT OF FOLKS THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE THEY'RE GETTING A LOT OF THE MUNDANE KIND OF TASKS DONE AND ADDRESSING SOME BACKLOGS AND SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

YOU KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT FIELDS HAS SAID HE WILL NOT RUN FOR SUPERINTENDENT.

AND SO HE IS REALLY FOCUSED ON GETTING THINGS IN ORDER FOR THE NEXT SUPERINTENDENT, WHO COMES IN IN 2026.

AND US EDUCATION REPORTERS HAVE DEFINITELY STAYED PRETTY BUSY UNDER THAT ADMINISTRATION.

DO YOU THINK YOU'LL MISS SOME OF THAT BREAKING NEWS THAT THEY PROVIDED AT THAT TIME?

YOU KNOW, I WAS REALLY, YOU KNOW, GLAD TO BE ABLE TO FOCUS ON SOME POLICY ISSUES THAT I THINK KIND OF WERE SET ASIDE.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'LL TAKE THAT HEALTHY DOSE OF SKEPTICISM NO MATTER WHO'S IN IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S POSITION, SEAN OR EXCUSE ME, PAUL, I KNOW THAT OKLAHOMA WATCH IS REALLY DEDICATED A LOT OF TIME TO DIGGING INTO GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY.

WHAT STORIES DO YOU FEEL REALLY CAPTURES HOW STATE LEADERS ARE HANDLING SOME OF THESE IMPORTANT ISSUES?

WELL, YEAH, ONE OF THE BIG, BIG THINGS THAT THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR WAS KIND OF A SURPRISE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE WAS THE FUNDING ISSUES THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES, THAT KIND OF CAME OUT OF NOWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF SESSION.

AND IN FACT, IT GOT SO, SO EXTREME THAT THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT POSSIBLY MAKING PAYROLL.

OF COURSE, MENTAL HEALTH IS A HUGE ISSUE IN OKLAHOMA, FUNDING FOR IT AND ALL THE PROVIDERS THAT ARE CONTRACTED FOR IT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SEEING CUTS IN THEIR CONTRACTS AS WELL.

AND SO WE SAW A LOT OF THAT AT LEGISLATURE, A LOT OF ATTENTION, DEFINITELY ON THE SECOND PART OF SESSION WAS SPENT ON THAT TO TRY AND RIGHT.

THE SHIP LEGISLATURE WAS WAS SO UPSET WITH THE LEADERSHIP THAT THEY ACTUALLY TOWARD INTERSESSION EFFECTIVELY FIRED THE LEADER, ALI FRIESEN.

AND SO NOW THERE IS A NEW ADMINISTRATION THERE.

STITT APPOINTED GREG SLAVONIC, WHO HAS BEEN IN OTHER PLACES BEFORE, TO KIND OF RIGHT THE SHIP AND OTHER AGENCIES.

AND SO THAT IS GOING ALONG.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL SOME ISSUES AND THERE'S STILL A LOT OF FUNDING PROBLEMS.

AND IN FACT, THEY'VE REQUESTED A LOT OF MORE MONEY FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR AS WELL.

AND I WAS DEFINITELY GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THAT LEADERSHIP CHANGE.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT, OR WHY DO YOU THINK THAT WAS SUCH A BIG MOMENT?

WELL, THE LEGISLATURE ITSELF HELD SEVERAL KIND OF HEARINGS THAT THEY CONVENED AND VERY KIND OF AD HOC, QUICK KIND OF KIND OF PROCESS.

BUT THEY DIDN'T GET A LOT OF STRAIGHT ANSWERS FROM LEADERSHIP.

THEY GOT A LOT OF PASSING THE BUCK ON, LIKE, THIS PERSON WILL HAVE THIS ANSWER AT THE NEXT MEETING.

AND IT JUST SHOWED THE FRUSTRATION THAT NOBODY REALLY KNEW EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY THE DEPARTMENT HAD AND HAD IN ITS RESERVES TO EVEN MAKE SOME PAYROLL ISSUES.

TO SEAN, THE COURTS PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN THE 2025 SAINT ISIDORE CASE RULINGS.

I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN HEARING ABOUT FOR QUITE OFTEN HERE.

WHY ARE THOSE DECISIONS MADE?

WHY ARE THOSE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE WERE SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR EVERYDAY OKLAHOMANS?

WELL, IN THE CASE OF SAINT ISIDORE, IT DETERMINES WHETHER OR NOT A PRIVATE RELIGIOUS SCHOOL WOULD BE RECEIVING STATE FUNDS.

AND IN THIS CASE, THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT SAID NO.

THAT WAS APPEALED TO THE US SUPREME COURT, WHICH CHOSE NOT TO TAKE UP THAT CASE.

AND IT'S ONE OF SEVERAL CASES THIS YEAR THAT THAT THE COURT HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN.

ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES OF THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND AGAIN IN 2025, WAS GOVERNOR STITT'S CALL FOR BUSINESS COURTS.

THEY PASSED THE ORIGINAL LEGISLATION SETTING THE GROUNDWORK IN 2024.

THEY PUT THE TOPPER ON THAT, IF YOU WILL, IN 2025, THE MEAT ON THE BONE.

BUT THOSE WERE CHALLENGED AND THE COURT SAID THAT THOSE COULD NOT GO FORWARD.

AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF OTHER CASES LIKE THAT IN THE ALICIA STROBEL CASE RELATED TO NATIVE AMERICANS AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY HAVE TO PAY INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX IN OKLAHOMA.

THE COURT SAID, IN FACT, THAT THEY THAT THEY DO, BUT THAT MAY THAT IS ALSO BEING APPEALED TO THE US SUPREME COURT, AND WE DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL TAKE THAT CASE UP.

SO THE COURT HAS PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE THIS YEAR, AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER CASES STILL PENDING BEFORE THE COURT.

JENNIFER, I KNOW YOU'VE ALSO COVERED THIS, OF COURSE, WITH WHAT WE'VE SEEN HERE WITH THE SAINT ISIDORE CASE.

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU THINK?

MAYBE WE'LL SEE WITH HOW LAWMAKERS AND POLICYMAKERS ARE KIND OF GOING ABOUT EDUCATION WITH RELIGION.

YEAH.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SUPERINTENDENT WALTERS, WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE, YOU KNOW, HAD SEVERAL INITIATIVES RELATED TO BRINGING BIBLES TO CLASSROOMS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

I DIDN'T SEE A LOT OF SUPPORT FOR THAT IN THE LEGISLATURE.

THEY PRETTY MUCH JUST, YOU KNOW, SET THOSE ASIDE AND IGNORED SOME OF THOSE REQUESTS.

AND NOW THE COURT HAS STEPPED IN.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST RECENTLY, THE SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARDS, WHICH HAD QUITE A FEW BIBLE REFERENCES AND RELIGIOUS REFERENCES TO IT, THE COURT HAS SAID THAT THOSE NEED TO BE REDONE LIKE THOSE ARE THOSE ARE NO LONGER VALID.

SO, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF THE LEGISLATURE, I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THEY REALLY HAD MUCH OF AN APPETITE FOR, FOR SOME OF THOSE THINGS.

AND I BELIEVE ALSO I SAW SOMETHING ABOUT A POSSIBLE JEWISH SCHOOL.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

THERE'S A NEW APPLICATION COMING TO THE STATEWIDE CHARTER SCHOOL BOARD.

OF COURSE, THAT'S A SEPARATE STATE AGENCY THAT LOOKS AT CHARTER SCHOOLS.

AND THEY WERE THE ONES THAT THAT APPROVED SAINT ISIDORE.

AND AND NOW THEY'RE SET TO POSSIBLY CONSIDER THIS, THIS JEWISH SCHOOL, WHICH WOULD HAVE A VERY SIMILAR ISSUE.

ANOTHER BIG THING THAT DEFINITELY HAS HAPPENED THIS YEAR THAT'S IMPACTED QUITE A BIT OF OKLAHOMANS WAS THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.

AND, PAUL, WHAT HAVE YOU KIND OF SEEN?

HOW HAS THAT IMPACTED OKLAHOMANS?

YEAH, THAT REALLY HIT A LOT OF OKLAHOMANS, DEFINITELY IN THE FALL WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY SHUT DOWN AND THERE WERE SHUT DOWN FOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS.

BUT A LOT OF THAT KIND OF MADE ITS WAY.

OBVIOUSLY, LOTS OF DIFFERENT FUNDING STREAMS COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO OKLAHOMA.

ONE OF THE LARGEST IS A STRAIGHT PASS THROUGH IS THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

SNAP, KIND OF COMMONLY CALLED FOOD STAMPS.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND OKLAHOMANS THAT GET THOSE BENEFITS EVERY WEEK.

AND SO THAT WAS KIND OF A BIG, YOU KNOW, ISSUE FOR THE STATE HAD TO DEAL WITH IT A LITTLE BIT.

IN FACT, THE LEGISLATIVE CONTINGENCY REVIEW BOARD, I THINK, MET AND SAID, WE'RE GOING TO GIVE SOME EXTRA FUNDING TO SOME OF THE FOOD BANKS ACROSS THE STATE TO KIND OF MAKE UP SOME OF THE SHORTFALL FROM THOSE FOLKS NOT GETTING SNAP BENEFITS IN THEIR CARDS.

AND SO THAT WAS A HUGE DEAL.

AND SOME OTHER STATES DEALT WITH A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.

YOU KNOW, SOME ARGUMENTS IN THE STATE WERE, YOU KNOW, THE STATE HAS A PRETTY SIZABLE SURPLUS.

COULD IT MAKE UP THE SHORTFALL?

LEGISLATIVE LEADERS AND THE GOVERNOR WERE NOT REALLY INCLINED TO DO THAT.

THEY SAID, WE'LL NEVER GET PAID BACK FROM THE FEDS, EVEN IF IT COMES BACK FAIRLY QUICKLY.

AND SO YOU SAW OTHER STATES DO IT THAT WAY.

BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, WE'RE STRUGGLING AND THAT'S HAD SOME KNOCK ON EFFECTS.

WE'VE HAD STORIES SINCE THEN ABOUT PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO MAKE RENT AND GETTING EVICTIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT PUT ON THEM.

SO, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WERE STILL DEALING WITH THAT, THAT NEED THAT KIND OF SUPPORT ACROSS THE STATE.

SO WE'VE DEFINITELY SEEN SOME PRETTY SERIOUS HARD THINGS HAPPENING THIS YEAR.

BUT WE'VE ALSO SEEN SOME PRETTY FUN THINGS HERE IN OKLAHOMA, THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER, OF COURSE, I THINK THAT THAT WAS I THINK THE BIGGEST STORY IN SPORTS PROBABLY.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE THUNDER MEMORIES THAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO SHARE WITH US?

I GUESS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO MY MEMORY.

I'M A FAN, BOY, I'LL ADMIT IT.

AND WE I WOULD ASSUME THE THUNDER WILL BE RECOGNIZED IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR AND WILL BE ON THE FLOOR OF THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE, SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL HAVE SOME MEMBERS OF THE TEAM ROAMING THE STATE CAPITAL THAT I CAN SIDLE UP TO AND GET A PHOTOGRAPH WITH.

YEAH, I DEFINITELY THINK WE'LL SEE THAT.

AS SOMEBODY WHO GREW UP IN OKLAHOMA, IT'S BEEN PRETTY INTERESTING.

I THINK THEY GOT HERE WHEN I WAS ABOUT IN THIRD OR FOURTH GRADE.

SO IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

AND AS A THUNDER FAN, I THINK ALL OF OKLAHOMA HAS DEFINITELY BEEN ENJOYING WATCHING THEM AND MOVING FORWARD.

AS WE'RE GETTING READY TO GO INTO THIS NEW YEAR, I DEFINITELY HAVE TO ASK.

YOU KNOW, SEAN, WE'RE SEEING THE ELECTIONS ARE COMING UP FOR SOME OF THE OKLAHOMANS THAT MIGHT NOT EVEN BE PAYING ATTENTION, AND THEY'RE NOT SURE WHO'S RUNNING.

MAYBE WHO SHOULD THEY KEEP AN EYE ON?

OH, WELL, WE HAVE A THIS IS OUR BUSIEST ELECTION, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALL OF OUR STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICES ARE UP THIS YEAR.

ALL EIGHT OF THOSE, AS WELL AS THE FULL OKLAHOMA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND HALF THE STATE SENATE.

WE ALSO HAVE OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION IN THE SENATE OF THE US SENATORS UP ON THE BALLOT AS WELL.

SO THEY'LL BE A LOT OF CANDIDATES VYING FOR THEIR ATTENTION COME THIS NEXT YEAR.

WE'LL KNOW FOR SURE IN APRIL WHO THOSE CANDIDATES ARE, BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN FILING TAKES PLACE.

BUT IT'S BEEN AMAZING ALREADY.

THE DIRECTOR OF THE BOARD OF OF THE BOARD OF THE ETHICS COMMISSION POINTED OUT DURING AN INTERIM STUDY EARLIER THIS YEAR THAT MORE THAN $4 MILLION HAD ALREADY BEEN SPENT ON THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION IN TERMS OF TELEVISION ADS IN 2025, A YEAR BEFORE THE ELECTION.

SO WE CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT 2026 IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

PAUL, I KNOW LAWMAKERS ARE GETTING READY TO HEAD BACK TO THE CAPITOL.

WHAT ARE SOME MAJOR ISSUES OR DEBATES THAT MAYBE ARE ALREADY KIND OF STARTING TO DEVELOP, DEVELOPING?

YEAH, WELL, AS AN ELECTION YEAR, NO ONE'S GOING TO GET TOO FAR INTO SOME OF THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES, PROBABLY, BUT WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME OF THE CONTINUATION WITH MAYBE SOME MORE EFFORTS ON, YOU KNOW, THE LAST THE TAX CUT, WE HAD A QUARTER POINT TAX CUT IN THE LAST SESSION AND A PATH TO ZERO EVENTUALLY, IF FINANCIAL STUFF KIND OF KEEPS GOING THE WAY IT HAS BEEN IN THE PAST.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF CHATTER, AT LEAST AMONG SOME, SOME CONSERVATIVE GROUPS, ABOUT PROPERTY TAXES.

AND SO WE COULD KIND OF SEE THAT POSSIBLY IN THE FORM OF A LEGISLATIVE STATE QUESTION THAT GETS PUSHED OUT TO THE PEOPLE TO MAKE SOME CHANGES FOR PROPERTY TAXES.

YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'LL ALSO SEE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF INTERIM STUDIES THAT DEALT WITH HOME INSURANCE RATES AND KIND OF SKYROCKETING.

OKLAHOMANS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THAT WHO ARE HOMEOWNERS AND HAVING TO DEAL WITH THOSE RATES.

AND SO WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME CONTINUED DISCUSSION ON THAT.

THERE'S ALREADY BEEN THE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT HAS KIND OF A LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE ON STUFF THAT IT'S KIND OF MAYBE MORE CONSUMER REFORMS IN TERMS OF LIKE SHORTENING THE TIME FRAME AND RESPONSES FROM INSURANCE COMPANIES.

AND THEN WE'LL PROBABLY SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, ENERGY ISSUES.

IN THE LAST SESSION, WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT SETBACKS FROM WIND TURBINES AND SOLAR DEVELOPMENTS.

WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME OF THAT COME A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE FOREFRONT THIS TIME.

THERE WAS A LOT OF DISCUSSION THIS LAST SESSION.

THOSE SOME OF THOSE BILLS ARE STILL ALIVE.

WE'LL PROBABLY SEE SOME MORE BILLS BEING FILED ON THAT ISSUE.

AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A HUGE ISSUE IN PARTS OF RURAL OKLAHOMA AS WELL.

AND, JENNIFER, I KNOW YOU KIND OF TOUCHED ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RACE, AND WE OF COURSE KNOW THAT SUPERINTENDENT FIELD SAYS HE'S NOT GOING TO RUN, BUT WHO IS RUNNING FOR OKLAHOMANS THAT AREN'T AREN'T AWARE?

YEAH, IT'S A PRETTY CROWDED FIELD ALREADY.

THERE'S SIX CANDIDATES SO FAR.

YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF FORMER SUPERINTENDENTS WHO ARE ARE IN THAT RACE.

A LOT OF FOLKS WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEBODY IN THERE WHO HAS THAT EXPERIENCE, YOU KNOW, RUNNING A SCHOOL SYSTEM.

AND THOSE ARE ROB MILLER AND CRAIG MCVEIGH.

YOU KNOW, YOU ALSO HAVE SENATOR ADAM PUGH, WHO IS ALSO RUNNING.

HE'S THE EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN IN THE SENATE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF OTHER FOLKS.

YOU HAVE JOHN COX, JEANETTE MARSHALL, AND JERRY GRIFFIN.

SO SIX SO FAR.

YEAH.

AND JENNIFER, I DO WANT TO TOUCH ON THIS REAL QUICK BECAUSE IT DID END UP KIND OF BECOMING A BIG TOPIC HERE.

AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE HAVE THE SAMANTHA FULNECKY SITUATION AT OU.

HAS THAT KIND OF DEVELOPED ANY FURTHER?

WHAT SHOULD OKLAHOMANS KNOW ABOUT THAT SITUATION?

YEAH, I MEAN, THAT'S NOT REALLY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE WRITTEN ABOUT VERY MUCH, BUT I MEAN, IT DEFINITELY RAISES SOME FREE SPEECH ISSUES.

I KNOW THERE WERE SOME SOME PROTESTS THERE DOWN IN NORMAN ON THAT CAMPUS.

AND IT'S DEFINITELY A BIG ISSUE.

ALL RIGHT.

AS WE HEAD INTO 2026, WHAT'S ONE OF THE FINAL THINGS THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR OUR VIEWERS TO KIND OF KNOW OR KEEP IN MIND, MOVING INTO THIS NEXT YEAR?

IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR, SO IT WILL BE FUN, BOTH DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND WHEN THEY GO OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL.

AND THERE WILL BE LOTS AND LOTS OF CANDIDATES TO WATCH.

ALL RIGHTY.

WELL, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN, ONCE AGAIN FOR JOINING US.

I KNOW WE ALWAYS ENJOY WHEN YOU GUYS COME BACK AND KIND OF ARE ABLE TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST YEAR.

SO I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

AND TAELYR, THANK YOU.

LOUISIANA IS FAMOUS FOR ITS FESTIVALS JAZZ FEST, MARDI GRAS, YOU NAME IT.

IT'S ALWAYS A PARTY DOWN ON THE BAYOU.

IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO TRAVEL TO ACADIANA IN SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA TO LEARN MORE ABOUT A FAMOUS FOLK ARTIST PAINTER NAMED CLEMENTINE HUNTER AND HER GRANDSON.

AND THAT STORY, COURTESY OF OUR FRIENDS AT LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING IN BATON ROUGE.

AS MY GRANDMOTHER'S FUNERAL AT SAINT AUGUSTINE CHURCH IN MELROSE, LOUISIANA.

THAT WAS THE FUNERAL OF MY GRANDMOTHER.

NOW, THAT WAS MY OWN FOLK ART STYLE.

UP A FUNERAL.

JAMES HUNTER PAINTED THIS FUNERAL SCENE OF HIS GRANDMOTHER, FAMED FOLK LIFE PAINTER CLEMENTINE HUNTER.

HE'S THE LIVING PROTEGE OF THIS NATCHITOCHES BORN ARTIST WHO PAINTED LIFE ON MELROSE PLANTATION, WHERE SHE LIVED AND WORKED.

I WAS WITH MY LEGS CROSSED, WATCHING HER PAINT, JUST WATCHING HER.

AND THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE CHARACTERS IN THE IN THE IN THE PAINTING.

IT ALWAYS STRUCK ME FOR SOME REASON, BECAUSE I ALWAYS WONDERED WHO THE CHARACTERS WAS.

JAMES IS STAYING IN A COTTAGE AT MASON, STEPHANIE SURROUNDED BY HIS PAINTINGS WHICH HANG ON THE WALLS AND THE BLACK KEYS.

AND MY GRANDMOTHER WAS FOND OF PAINTING THOSE, PRETTY MUCH.

HE'S STAYING AT THE BED AND BREAKFAST IN ARNAUDVILLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL FESTIVAL DES ARTS.

DID YOUR GRANDMOTHER CLEMENTINE, TEACH YOU HOW TO PAINT?

NO, MA'AM.

I WAS JUST WATCHING HER.

AND LIKE I SAY, I LIVE WITH HER.

WHEN I WAS I TURNED 18, I LIVED WITH HER AND SHE.

THIS TIME SHE MOVED IN A TRAILER AND.

AND EVERY EVENING I GET OFF OF WORK, TAKE MY BATH AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND I GO BACK THERE IN THE BACK AND AND WATCH YOUR PAINT.

HIS ART CONVEYS AND CAPTURES HIS GRANDMOTHER'S STYLE WITH HIS OWN INTERPRETATIONS.

WHAT DO YOU THINK IT IS ABOUT YOUR GRANDMOTHER CLEMENTINE HUNTER'S WORK AND YOUR WORK THAT SPEAKS TO PEOPLE?

WELL, FOR HER WORK, WHAT SPEAKS TO PEOPLE'S IS SHE.

SHE PAINTED HER LIFE AND WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH DOING LIFE AND LIFE ON A PLANTATION.

AND SOMETIMES WHEN I PAINT HER STUFF AND, AND I PAINT CERTAIN SCENES, I SAY TO MYSELF, WHEN SHE PAINTED THIS PICTURE, YOU KNOW WHAT SHE FELT IN HER HEART WHEN SHE WAS PAINTING?

BECAUSE SOME SCENES IS FUN.

SOME OF THEM IS SAD, AND IT'S JUST LIKE IN THE WORLD TODAY.

YOU GOT GOOD AND BAD, YOU GOT SADNESS AND YOU GOT FUN.

HIS BOOTH IS A BIG DRAW AT THE FESTIVAL, WHERE PEOPLE CAN MEET ARTISTS AND CONNECT WITH LOCAL CULTURE AND HERITAGE.

THE ARTISTS LOVE IT, THE VISITORS LOVE IT.

THEY CAN SEE 30 PLUS ARTISTS EACH YEAR, MAKE PURCHASES.

THE ARTISTS GET A CHANCE TO GET REACQUAINTED.

THE COMMUNITY LOVES IT AND WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE.

JERRY HALE IS A FOURTH GENERATION COTTON PLANTER AND THE LARGEST GROWER OF ACADIAN BROWN COTTON IN LOUISIANA.

HE MAKES TEXTILES USING THE WEAVING METHODS AND HERITAGE PATTERNS OF HIS CAJUN ANCESTORS DATING BACK TO THE 1800S.

THE ACADIANS MADE TWO TYPES OF TEXTILES.

THEY MADE A SOLID TEXTILE, WHICH WAS BROWN COTTON OR WHITE COTTON, AND THEN THEY MADE A STRIPED COTTON, AND THAT WAS ANY COMBINATION OF BROWN COTTON, WHITE COTTON, AND WHITE COTTON DYED IN INDIGO.

THOSE ARE THE ONLY PATTERNS THAT THEY USE.

AN ACADIAN FAMILY WOULD GIVE THEIR DAUGHTERS A TROUSSEAU WHEN THEY GOT MARRIED.

OF SO MANY TEXTILES.

AND IT WOULD TAKE THEM 4 TO 7 YEARS TO MAKE THIS TROUSSEAU, TO GIVE TO THEIR DAUGHTERS.

JERRY IS THE KEEPER OF THE ACADIAN BROWN COTTON SEED, WHICH HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THROUGH ACADIAN FAMILIES FOR 200 YEARS.

THE SEED WAS SLOWLY DYING BECAUSE NO ONE SPINS AND WEAVES LIKE THEY USED TO.

AND WHAT WE DO IS WE HAND, PLANT, CULTIVATE, AND HANDPICK.

BECAUSE ACADIAN BROWN COTTON IS UNLIKE WHITE COTTON, IT KEEPS GENERATING LIKE OKRA.

SO WE PICK IT 10 TO 12 TIMES A YEAR, AND WE GIN OUR OWN COTTON.

WE SEND THE FIBER TO NORTH CAROLINA, THEY SPIN IT INTO YARN, AND THEN WE SHIP OUR YARN TO OUR HISTORICAL WEAVER IN NORTH IN NEW YORK.

HAND-CARVED SINKER, CYPRESS, HAND-HEWN LOOFAHS, DUCK DECOYS, METALWORKS AND JEWELRY ALL ON DISPLAY.

THE REGION IS HOME TO A CONCENTRATION OF ARTISANS CARRYING ON HERITAGE CRAFTS.

THERE WAS AN ARTS COMMUNITY ALREADY BEFORE WE STARTED THIS PROJECT, AND IT SEEMS TO BE GROWING, AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME INCREDIBLE LOCAL ARTISTS, INCREDIBLE LOCAL TALENT.

WELL, IF YOU'VE NEVER TAKEN PART IN THE ANGEL TREE PROGRAM, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU DO.

IT'S A HEARTWARMING OPPORTUNITY TO FULFILL A YOUNG CHILD OR SENIORS CHRISTMAS WISH LIST.

THIS WEEK, OETA GOT A BEHIND THE SCENES TOUR OF THE SALVATION ARMY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA'S JOY CENTER IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

THIS IS WHERE THE THOUSANDS OF GIFTS FOR CLOSE TO A THOUSAND FAMILIES ARE GATHERED AND DISTRIBUTED DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.

THIS IS MY 16TH CHRISTMAS DOING THIS, AND EVERY YEAR IT DOESN'T FALL SHORT ON ME ON WHAT IS TAKING PLACE AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND IT IS A BLESSING TO SEE THE GENEROSITY OF A COMMUNITY RALLY AROUND SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

WE'VE HAD A COUPLE WHERE THEY'VE JUST BROKE DOWN AND CRIED TEARS OF JOY AND RELIEF AND JUST, I CAN DO CHRISTMAS NOW.

WE WEREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO IT.

I MEAN, BEING ABLE TO BE A PART OF THAT IS INCREDIBLE.

THIS YEAR, AROUND 2400 ANGELS PURCHASED AND DONATED GIFTS TO ABOUT 1000 FAMILIES IN CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.

AND NOW THAT WE'VE GOT YOU IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, WE'RE GOING TO STAY SO LONG WITH A LOOK AT HOLIDAY LIGHTS IN OKLAHOMA CITY PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA LEGACY OTEP.

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.

CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE.

JACK FROST NIPPING AT YOUR NOSE.

YULETIDE CAROLS BEING SUNG BY A CHOIR AND FOLKS DRESSED UP LIKE ESKIMOS.

EVERYBODY KNOWS A TURKEY AND SOME MISTLETOE.

HELP TO MAKE THE SEASON BRIGHT.

TINY TOTS WITH THEIR EYES ALL AGLOW.

WILL FIND IT HARD TO SLEEP TONIGHT.

THEY KNOW THAT SOME US ON HIS WAY.

HE'S LOADED LOTS OF TOYS AND GOODIES ON HIS SLEIGH.

AND EVERY MOTHER'S CHILD IS GONNA SPY.

TO SEE IF REINDEER REALLY KNOW HOW TO FLY.

AND SO I'M OFFERING THIS SIMPLE PHRASE.

TO KIDS FROM 1 TO 92.

ALTHOUGH IT'S BEEN SAID MANY TIMES, MANY WAYS.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU.

THE COMPANY WAS STARTED BY MY GREAT UNCLES.

THEY WERE IMMIGRANTS LOOKING TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILY.

AND SO THEY PICKED A CRAFT.

WHY NOT FLOWERS?