SEVEN ON OETA.

ENJOY OETA FOR FREE ANYTIME.

TUNE IN OVER THE AIR OR VISIT OETA.

LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES SET WITH THE START OF THE SESSION NOW LESS THAN TWO WEEKS AWAY, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN TEACHERS.

WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS PROFESSION ATTRACTIVE TO OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST.

TO ENTER THIS PROFESSION, WE HAVE TO PUT PEOPLE OVER POLITICS, THAT BUILDING.

WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE, NUMBER ONE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON WHAT OKLAHOMANS NEED.

OKLAHOMA COMMUNITIES ARE RALLY AGAINST AI DATA CENTERS BEING BUILT IN THEIR BACKYARD.

WHEN YOU SIT AND YOU LISTEN TO US SAY THESE THINGS, DO YOU GUYS ACTUALLY REALIZE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING TO YOU DON'T GET TO VOTE ON THIS?

THE CHALLENGES OF SOLVING COLD CASE CRIMES IN OKLAHOMA, LOCATING WITNESSES, GOING BACK THROUGH THE CASE FILE, SEEING WHO'S BEEN TALKED TO WHO HAS NOT, AND TRYING TO BASICALLY START OVER 21 HONOREES AT THIS YEAR'S 46TH ANNUAL GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARDS.

WE CAN'T BE A TOP TEN STATE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UNLESS WE SUPPORT OUR ARTS AND OUR ARTISTS AND THOSE STORYTELLERS IN IN DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THE ENDURING LEGACY OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING.

WHEN I THINK OF DOCTOR KING, I THINK OF HIS PRINCIPLES AS BEING TIMELESS.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

I'M RICH LENZ.

BETWEEN NOW AND FEBRUARY 2ND, LEADERS OF MANY STATE AGENCIES WILL MAKE THEIR APPROPRIATION PITCHES BEFORE LAWMAKERS.

MORE THAN 2600 BILLS HAVE BEEN FILED FOR CONSIDERATION.

AND WE BEGIN OUR NEWSCAST WITH TEAM COVERAGE OF THE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA AHEAD.

EDUCATION REPORTER TAELYR JACKSON WILL TACKLE THE EDUCATION PRIORITIES OF BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS.

QUORUM CALL PUBLISHER SEAN ASHLEY TAKES AN OVERVIEW OF KEVIN STITT'S FINAL SESSION AS GOVERNOR, AND WE BEGIN WITH REPORTER NOAH MACK AND POTENTIAL LEGISLATION CONCERNING AI DATA CENTERS.

AND NOAH, IT'S NO SECRET THAT THESE CENTERS GOBBLE UP LOTS OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND THAT HAS LAWMAKERS ATTENTION.

YEAH, RICH, NOT ONLY HAVE DATA CENTERS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF LAWMAKERS, BUT THEY'VE DRAWN HUGE CROWDS AT TOWN HALLS.

MANY RESIDENTS OF THESE RURAL AREAS SOUGHT OUT FOR DEVELOPMENT ARE UNHAPPY.

HERE.

HOW QUIET IT IS.

THIS IS ONE OF OUR CONCERNS.

THIS IS OUR PIECE.

IT'S SO QUIET.

YOU CAN HEAR THESE COWS EATING.

RIGHT OVER THIS RIDGE IS WHERE GOOGLE IS HOPING TO PUT ITS NEXT DATA CENTER IN MIKE BENNETT'S BACKYARD.

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS IS A DIVIDE THAT WE FACE A LOT.

MOST OF THOSE CITY COUNCILORS, THEY LIVE IN TOWN.

I WOULD BRING ANYONE OUT HERE AND DO THE SAME THING AND SEE WHAT IT IS, SEE WHAT THIS LIFE MEANS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO US.

I WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO COME OUT, BUT I THINK THAT THAT RIGHT NOW THAT THE DATA CENTERS, THAT GOOGLE KIND OF HAS THEM BLINDED WITH THE NUMBERS THAT THEY'RE PROJECTING.

TUESDAY NIGHT, SAND SPRINGS RESIDENTS SHOWED UP IN DROVES TO A SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

NO VOTES WERE BEING TAKEN.

THE ONLY THING ON THE DOCKET WAS A Q AND A ABOUT GOOGLE'S PROPOSED DATA CENTER.

I KNOW MOST OF US ARE NOT WALKING AROUND EVERY DAY WITH A NOISE METER, SO THE DECIBEL REFERENCE WE DO WALK AROUND WITH NO NOISE AT ALL.

THAT'S GREAT.

I APPRECIATE THAT TOO.

GOOGLE REPRESENTATIVE KATE FRANCO FIELDED QUESTIONS FROM SANDITES AND PLUGGED THE BENEFITS A DATA CENTER WOULD BRING.

WE TRY REALLY HARD TO EMPLOY LOCAL PEOPLE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES AT THE MANAGERIAL LEVEL FOR TECHNICIANS DOING SERVER WORK, WORKING ON HVAC, AND THERE ARE JOBS LIKE SECURITY, FOOD SERVICE, LANDSCAPING, EVEN.

THERE ARE JOBS FOR EVERYBODY HERE.

DATA CENTERS ARE THE PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE INTERNET AND SUCK UP A LOT OF RESOURCES LIKE ELECTRICITY AND OFTEN WATER AS A WAY TO COOL THE EQUIPMENT THAT AMONG A LAUNDRY LIST OF OTHER CONCERNS IS WHY PEOPLE ARE PROTESTING THIS DATA CENTER.

THERE'S OTHER WAYS TO GROW SAND SPRINGS.

THERE'S OTHER WAYS.

AND I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THAT THERE WAS A CLEAR DIVIDE BETWEEN THE PEOPLE IN THE ROOM AND THE PEOPLE AT THE FRONT OF THE ROOM.

WE REMIND YOU AGAIN, YOU NICE LADY, WHEN YOU SIT AND YOU LISTEN TO US SAY THESE THINGS, DO YOU GUYS ACTUALLY REALIZE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE TALKING TO YOU DON'T GET TO VOTE ON THIS?

AND THE DISTRUST WAS PALPABLE.

WE LISTENED TO ALL THIS STORY OVER HERE ABOUT MONEY.

WE DON'T HAVE NO GUARANTEE ABOUT ANY OF THIS.

IT'S NOT IN WRITING.

WE DON'T KNOW.

SAND SPRINGS IS NOT ALONE IN THIS CONTROVERSY.

THE TULSA METRO IS A FLASHPOINT FOR THIS ONSLAUGHT AGAINST DATA CENTERS.

THERE ARE 27 CENTERS IN THE TULSA AREA, WITH SEVERAL MORE ON THE WAY.

AND WITH EVERY NEW PROJECT, THE MOVEMENT GROWS, AND IT ALL COMES BACK TO CHECKING THAT BOX OF PUBLIC SUPPORT.

IT'S JUST NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

IT'S JUST NOT THERE.

SO TRY SOMEWHERE ELSE.

TULSA RESIDENT DARREN BLANCHARD SHARES THE BELIEF WITH MANY OF HIS NEIGHBORS THAT CITY LEVEL OFFICIALS ARE NOT LISTENING TO THEIR CONSTITUENTS.

THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN TAKEN UP BY STATE LEVEL OFFICIALS AS THE LEGISLATURE PREPARES TO MEET IN FEBRUARY.

HAD A LOT OF CONSTITUENTS REACH OUT ALL ACROSS OKLAHOMA SAYING, HEY, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING TO ENSURE THAT OUR RATES DON'T GO UP BECAUSE OF THESE PROJECTS?

REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE BRAD BOLES IS PRIMING A BILL THAT SEEKS TO PLACE ANY ANCILLARY COSTS ONTO DEVELOPERS.

WE'RE GOING TO ENSURE THAT THEY PAY FOR THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE COSTS WITHOUT SHIFTING THAT COST TO THE EVERYDAY OKLAHOMANS AND RATEPAYERS, SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS, DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE AMANDA CLINTON HOSTED AN INTERIM STUDY ON DATA CENTERS.

IN THAT INTERIM STUDY, AGAIN, MY CONCERNS SHIFTED FROM BEING ALARMED ABOUT THE WATER USAGE TO, YOU KNOW, CONCERNED.

AND I WENT FROM BEING CURIOUS ABOUT THE ELECTRICITY TO, YOU KNOW, ALARMED.

CLINTON SUPPORTS BOLES BILL AND HAS A FEW OF HER OWN.

THEY'RE REALLY JUST TRANSPARENCY MEASURES THAT WOULD REQUIRE DATA CENTERS TO REPORT HOW MUCH WATER THEY USE, HOW MUCH ELECTRICITY THEY USE, WHO RUNS THEM AND WHERE THEY ARE.

I THINK THAT WE AS OKLAHOMANS DESERVE TO KNOW WHO OUR NEIGHBORS ARE, AS EVIDENCED BY CLINTON AND BOLES.

THIS ISSUE BLURS POLITICAL LINES.

DARREN HAS BEEN TO COUNCIL AND PLANNING COMMISSION MEETINGS ACROSS THE METRO FIGHTING THESE DATA CENTERS, AND HE'S NOTICED THIS GOING BEYOND PARTY POLITICS.

WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE, PEOPLE THAT ARE VERY LIBERAL, THAT ARE ON THE SAME PAGE, AND WE SEE THAT WE HAVE COMMON VALUES.

AND IN A BIT OF IRONY, THESE SHOULDER TO SHOULDER MEETINGS GET PEOPLE OFF THE INTERNET.

A LOT OF TIMES IT'S KIND OF TAKEN AWAY THE FABRIC OF COMMUNITY TOGETHERNESS.

AND THEN WHEN YOU GET AN ISSUE LIKE A DATA CENTER BEING PROPOSED TO THE COMMUNITY OF SAND SPRINGS, YOU JUST START TO SEE THAT COHESIVE BOND REFORM.

A MAJOR REASON DATA CENTERS ARE GROWING IS BECAUSE OF THE ARMS RACE OVER ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, A TECHNOLOGY THAT DIRECTLY AFFECTS MIKE'S SIDE HUSTLE.

BETWEEN VISITING WICHITA THUNDER AND YOUR TULSA OILERS.

I AM A VENUE ANNOUNCER.

PROFESSIONAL SPORTING EVENTS, NATIONAL EVENTS, GAME SHOWS.

HE USED TO BE A VOICE ACTOR AND HAS WATCHED BUSINESSES CUT COSTS WITH AI VOICE OVERS.

SAME THING STARTING TO HAPPEN WHERE IN LARGE VENUES THAT THEY CAN ELIMINATE ANNOUNCERS AND USE AI SYSTEMS AND TYPE IT IN.

AND MIKE BROUGHT US OUT TO HIS PROPERTY, WHICH IS ABOUT A HALF MILE, AS THE CROW FLIES FROM THE PROPOSED DATA CENTER LOCATION.

AND HE SAYS THIS HAS GALVANIZED HIS FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS.

I DO THINK THAT IF THERE'S A PLUS OUT OF THE DATA CENTER, IT'S THAT WE ALL KIND OF PUT OUR BUSY LIVES ON HOLD.

AND WE GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANT THIS CHANGE.

MIKE SHOWED US THE PARK WHERE HE AND HIS WIFE AND ALL OF HIS NEIGHBORS GATHER FOR QUIET TIME AWAY FROM THE FARM.

THEY SAID, YOU WON'T SEE IT FROM THE ROAD, SO THAT MEANS THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SHIFT THIS DIRECTION BEHIND ME FROM THE ROAD, WHICH PUTS IT OVER HERE.

GOOGLE INSISTS THEY WILL NOT BE USING WATER TO COOL THE SAND SPRINGS DATA CENTER, RATHER AIR COOLING.

HOWEVER, RESIDENTS ARE STILL WARY GOOGLE MAY CHANGE THEIR MINDS FURTHER DOWN THE LINE.

GOOGLE HAS INVESTED $9 BILLION FOR DATA CENTERS IN OKLAHOMA.

RICH NOAH, GREAT REPORTING.

THANK YOU.

WELL, LEADERS OF BOTH PARTIES HAVE PUBLICLY LAID OUT WHAT THEY BELIEVE LAWMAKERS SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION SPENDING.

EDUCATION REPORTER TAELYR JACKSON CONTINUES OUR TEAM COVERAGE WITH THE DETAILS ON THAT.

TAELYR RICH.

KEY EDUCATIONAL FOCAL POINTS FOR THIS NEXT SESSION LOOK SIMILAR TO LAST SESSION.

OKLAHOMANS CAN EXPECT LAWMAKERS TO FOCUS ON TEACHER RETENTION AND RECRUITMENT.

WE'RE GOING TO ENTER THAT STATE CAPITOL, ROOTED IN THESE STORIES FROM OKLAHOMANS THAT WE'VE HEARD ALL YEAR.

ON TUESDAY, SENATE DEMOCRATS MET AT URBAN AGRARIAN IN SOUTH OKC TO ANNOUNCE THEIR PRIORITIES FOR THE UPCOMING SESSION.

WE'VE BEEN SPENDING THAT TIME HAVING PEOPLE TELL US WHAT THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH, WHAT BIGGEST PROBLEMS ARE THAT THEY'RE FACING RIGHT NOW.

AND FROM THAT, WE HAVE ROOTED OUR PRIORITIES FOR OUR AGENDA, AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE GO INTO THAT STATE CAPITOL, WE KEEP THOSE PILLARS AT HAND.

NUMBER ONE, PUTTING OKLAHOMANS FIRST, WE HAVE TO PUT PEOPLE OVER POLITICS.

THAT BUILDING, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE, NUMBER ONE, WE'RE FOCUSED ON WHAT OKLAHOMANS NEED.

SENATE DEMOCRAT AGENDA PRIORITIES INCLUDE INCREASING MINIMUM WAGE, FIXING THE HOUSING MARKET, AND, OF COURSE, EDUCATION.

WE KNOW WHAT THE STATISTICS SAY ABOUT WHERE OUR KIDS ARE CURRENTLY PERFORMING, AND THAT IS ABSOLUTELY OUT OF TOUCH WITH WHAT WE KNOW TO BE TRUE ABOUT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR HEART FOR CHILDREN.

SO THIS SESSION, WE WILL BE LASER FOCUSED ON CREATING A GREAT EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERY STUDENT IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

SENATOR KERRY HICKS SAYS ONE WAY TO HELP OKLAHOMA STUDENTS IS TO PREVENT CORRUPTION AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

WE ARE ALSO FOCUSED ON PREVENTING A SITUATION WHICH WOULD ENABLE ANOTHER RYAN WALTERS TO OCCUR IN OUR STATE.

HICKS FILED A PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT FOCUSES ON THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT POSITION.

SHE SAYS IT WOULD BE A STATE QUESTION TO ENSURE ALL OKLAHOMANS GET A SAY.

THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AROUND A STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION ARE ENSHRINED IN OUR STATE CONSTITUTION.

SO THIS WOULD GIVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OKLAHOMANS ACROSS THE STATE TO BE ABLE TO VOICE WHETHER THEY ARE IN SUPPORT OF THAT INDIVIDUAL.

ALSO, HOLDING A SUPERINTENDENT CERTIFICATION.

HICKS BELIEVES WHOEVER HOLDS THE POSITION SHOULD HAVE SIMILAR PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN ORDER TO GET THE JOB.

WHAT WE CAN SEE IN THE MILITARY, OBVIOUSLY, IS THAT YOU HAVE A DEFINITE HIERARCHY, AND THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I THINK SOMETIMES ARE MISSED IN, IN OTHER THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING.

WE KNOW THAT SUPERINTENDENTS ACROSS THE STATE WANT TO DO GOOD FOR THEIR STUDENTS, AND SO WE SHOULD HAVE A STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION THAT ALSO HAS BEEN IN THOSE POSITIONS TO MAKE THE BEST DECISIONS FOR ALL OKLAHOMA STUDENTS.

DEMOCRATS FROM BOTH THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO EXAMINE THE AUTHORITY OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

HICKS SAYS SHE AND HER COLLEAGUES ARE OPEN TO HAVING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT CHANGING THE WAY STATE SUPERINTENDENT IS SELECTED, AFTER FORMER SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS RESIGNED FROM HIS POSITION LAST OCTOBER, GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE BELIEVES THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

THE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE A POSITION APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR.

WE'RE ONLY THERE'S ONLY 12 STATES IN THE US THAT ELECT THE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, AND THERE'S REALLY ZERO CORRELATION BETWEEN OUTCOMES WITH THOSE 12 STATES.

WHAT WE KNOW BY LOOKING ACROSS THE STATES IS THAT WHETHER THAT PERSON IS ELECTED OR APPOINTED, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TRANSLATE TO ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT.

WE DEFINITELY NEED TO HAVE CHECKS AND BALANCES IN GOVERNMENT.

AND SO IF WE'RE APPOINTING THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION, THEN THOSE STATE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WOULD NEED TO BE ELECTED.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE PATHWAYS.

ONE THING LEADERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE HAVE IN COMMON IS THAT THEY WANT BETTER PAY FOR OKLAHOMA TEACHERS.

WE TALK A LOT ABOUT WHAT IS THE MARKET TELLING US.

AND WE KNOW THIS JOB MARKET IS TELLING US THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN TEACHERS.

WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THIS PROFESSION ATTRACTIVE TO OUR BEST AND BRIGHTEST, TO ENTER THIS PROFESSION AND TO STAY.

PART OF THAT IS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT THE BASELINE BENEFITS.

REPUBLICAN SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR ADAM HUGHES SAYS THE COMMITTEE WILL TAKE UP A $2,500 PAY RAISE.

WE'VE GOT SOME IDENTIFIED FUNDING SOURCES WHICH, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO ALLOW THE APPROPRIATIONS TEAM OVER THE NEXT FEW WEEKS TO TALK ABOUT WITH ALL OF YOU AS WE BEGIN TO SOCIALIZE OUR ACTUAL PLAN FOR WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO COME FROM.

PEW HAS ALSO FOUND OTHER PIECES OF LEGISLATION AIMED AT INCREASING TEACHER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IN THE STATE.

THOSE BILLS INCLUDE SENATE BILL 1176, WHICH WOULD ALLOW A $10,000 TAX CREDIT FOR EDUCATORS WHO HAVE TAUGHT AT THE SAME SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR MORE THAN SEVEN YEARS.

SENATE BILL 1617 WOULD EXPAND THE OKLAHOMA TEACHER EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM, AND SENATE BILL 1337 WOULD ALLOW FOR PATERNITY LEAVE FOR FULL TIME PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES AS WELL AS TECH INSTRUCTORS.

WE'VE GOT TO WORK ON THE TEACHER RETENTION, TEACHER RECRUITMENT BECAUSE WE CAN'T BE STATIC AND WE CAN'T BE STAGNANT.

IT'S YOUR IT'S YEAR OVER YEAR, AND I AND I UNDERSTAND FOR SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT MAY SEEM EXHAUSTING, BUT IT'S MY JOB TO CHAMPION THE THINGS WE NEED TO MOVE EDUCATION FORWARD IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I'M STANDING BEFORE YOU TODAY TO CHAMPION THOSE THINGS.

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE VICE CHAIR SENATOR ALI WANTS TO IMPROVE STUDENT MATH SKILLS WITH SENATE BILL 1360.

SENATOR PUGH FILED A SIMILAR BILL RELATING TO LITERACY.

WHAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT THIS BILL IS THAT IT ALSO IF SOMEONE ISN'T MEETING WHERE THEY NEED TO BE AT MATH, THEY'RE THERE ARE INTERVENTIONS, BUT ALSO IF THEY'RE EXCELLING IN MATH, WE PROVIDE FOR ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.

SEIFRIED ALSO FILED AN EXTENSION FOR CELL PHONE RESTRICTIONS TO BE PERMANENT.

WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEHAVIORAL ISSUES GOING DOWN, DISCIPLINE ISSUES GOING DOWN, NEW FRIENDSHIPS BEING MADE, KIDS LOOKING AT EACH OTHER IN THE EYES, DEVELOPING THOSE SOCIAL SKILLS THAT ARE SO, SO IMPORTANT.

A PERMANENT BAN ON CELL PHONES IN SCHOOLS IS ANOTHER ISSUE THAT ENJOYS BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.

WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON THOSE ISSUES WE CAN AGREE ON, AND FINDING THAT COMMON GROUND.

WE ALWAYS REACH ACROSS THE AISLE TO FIND THOSE THINGS THAT WE CAN TRULY SOLVE TOGETHER.

AND AGAIN, AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER ON, QUORUM CALL PUBLISHER SEAN ASHLEY WILL JOIN US LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST TO GIVE HIS TAKE ON THE UPCOMING LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

BACK TO YOU.

THAT'S RIGHT.

TAELYR.

THANK YOU.

BUT FIRST, MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY WAS CELEBRATED ON MONDAY, AND THAT WILL BE THE FOCUS OF OUR IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION THIS WEEK.

MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD HAS A SPECIAL PANEL OF GUESTS TO REFLECT ON THE CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS IMPACT HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC BARRIERS AND JUST NOT HAVING ACCESS TO CAPITAL, NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THE KNOWLEDGE THAT'S NECESSARY TO BE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

SO ALL OF THOSE BARRIERS ARE PRESENTED TO OUR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES, OUR BLACK AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES.

WHEN I THINK OF DOCTOR KING, I THINK OF HIS PRINCIPLES AS BEING TIMELESS.

AND THEY ARE UNIVERSAL, AND THEY CERTAINLY INFORM EDUCATION.

DOCTOR KING SPENT HIS LIFE IN SERVICE, AND HE SAID THAT EVERYBODY CAN LEAD BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN SERVE.

OKAY.

AND SO NOW WHEN WE HAVE THESE PARADES AND CELEBRATIONS AND THINGS, WE DON'T WANT TO GET THE THE MESSAGE LOST.

SO THAT FULL CONVERSATION STILL AHEAD IN THIS NEWSCAST.

SOLVING A COLD CASE CRIME CAN BE ONE OF THE MOST GRATIFYING ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR AN OSBI INVESTIGATOR, ENSURING THE GUILTY ARE PUNISHED AND PROVIDING CLOSURE FOR GRIEVING FAMILIES.

BUT IT'S NOT EASY.

TIME IS RARELY A DETECTIVE'S FRIEND.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON WHAT GOES INTO SOLVING A CRIME WHEN THE TRAIL IS TURNED COLD.

JASON RICH.

HUNDREDS OF CASES, SOME DECADES OLD, HAVE REMAINED UNSOLVED IN OKLAHOMA, AND THERE ARE SUPPORT GROUPS ASSISTING LAW ENFORCEMENT WITH GATHERING CLUES WHICH MAY LEAD TO A CLOSED CASE.

I FEEL LIKE I KNOW SOMETHING BAD HAS HAPPENED HERE AND I JUST MAKES ME WANT TO PURSUE IT.

KINGFISHER COUNTY DEPUTY LIEUTENANT MIKE SCHULTZ IS REFERRING TO A COLD CASE HE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON.

IT TOOK PLACE NEARLY 50 YEARS AGO AT THIS FARMHOUSE JUST NORTH OF THE CITY OF KINGFISHER.

MARY HARRISON WAS KILLED ON JANUARY 8TH, 1977.

THE NATURE OF THE CRIME, THE BRUTALITY OF THE CRIME.

IT'S A VERY.

IT'S A VERY BRUTAL CRIME THAT STUCK OUT TO ME.

I KNOW THAT THAT WAS SOMEBODY VERY ANGRY.

HARRISON WAS FOUND STABBED 42 TIMES.

CHALLENGE OF FACING.

WHO?

STILL HERE 49 YEARS LATER.

LOCATING WITNESSES GOING BACK THROUGH THE CASE FILE, SEEING WHO'S BEEN TALKED TO WHO HAS NOT, AND TRYING TO BASICALLY START OVER.

IT'S ONE OF THE TWO COLD CASES IN KINGFISHER COUNTY.

THIS WAS A REAL SHOCK TO OUR IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AND AND THE COUNTY IN GENERAL BECAUSE WE JUST, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THIS JUST NEVER HAPPENED IN OUR AREA.

THAT'S MARY HARRISON'S NEPHEW, RALPH HARRISON, WHO REMEMBERS WHAT THE WIDOW, WHO RAISED TWO CHILDREN ON THAT KINGFISHER FARM WAS LIKE.

SHE WAS A VERY STRONG WILLED, INDEPENDENT LADY.

AGAIN, HER HUSBAND HAD PASSED AWAY IN THE EARLY 1950S, SO SHE REMAINED LIVING ON THE FARM BUT WORKING IN KINGFISHER.

HARRISON SAYS THE NEWS OF MARY'S MURDER NEARLY FIVE DECADES AGO SHOOK HIS FAMILY AND THE KINGFISHER AREA.

MY DAD HAPPENED TO BE OUT CHECKING ON FARM THINGS ON A SATURDAY MORNING, AND HE'S THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY FOUND HER.

AND LATER IN THE DAY, WHEN THINGS KIND OF SETTLE DOWN, HE HE CALLED MY BROTHER'S HOME IN AMARILLO AND GAVE US THE NEWS, AND WE WERE JUST ALL DUMBFOUNDED AT THE TIME.

IT A REAL SHOCK.

MARY HARRISON'S COLD CASE IS GETTING EXTRA ATTENTION LATELY BECAUSE OF THE EFFORTS OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED OKLAHOMA COLD CASES.

WE'RE A VICTIM ADVOCACY AGENCY, THAT IS.

THAT'S OUR MAIN ROLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE STORIES LIKE MARY HARRISON'S THAT SIT ON A SHELF, SOMETIMES OF NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN, YOU KNOW, OR REALLY ANYBODY'S.

IT JUST HAPPENS.

COLD CASES DO, IN FACT, HAPPEN.

MARY HARRISON'S CASE IS THE FEATURED CASE FOR THE ORGANIZATION FOR 2025 AND 2026, HOPING THAT A CLUE MAY SURFACE THAT COULD SOLVE HER MURDER.

NEWLAND DAVIS SAYS CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY, LIKE SPREADING THE WORD THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, HAS HELPED CLOSE SOME COLD CASES OVER RECENT YEARS TO SEE THE TOOL OF POWER, OF THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS, ESPECIALLY COME INTO PLAY, ESPECIALLY WITH COLD CASES IS REALLY BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING.

OF COURSE, THAT'S NOT THE ONLY COLD CASE IN OKLAHOMA.

SARAH BOURDIN'S SON WAS MURDERED MORE THAN A DECADE AGO AND REMAINS UNSOLVED.

THE FIRST YEAR IS YOU'RE JUST IN DISBELIEF.

THE SECOND YEAR, ALL SORTS OF THINGS MIGHT HAPPEN.

MY SECOND YEAR, I WAS JUST ANGRY.

JUST ANGRY.

AND THE LONGER WE WENT WITHOUT RESOLVING MY SON'S CASE, THE MORE ANGRY I GOT.

SARAH BURDINE TELLS ME THAT IT WAS ABOUT 13 YEARS AGO THAT CYR, HER SON, WAS ENJOYING A NIGHT ON THE TOWN WITH FRIENDS JUST ACROSS THE STREET.

AND THEN TRAGEDY STRUCK.

SHOTS RANG OUT AND SEARS CAR ENDED UP OVER HERE, REVEALING HE HAD JUST BEEN SHOT TO DEATH.

THERE WERE 200 WITNESSES.

THE MEDIA IS ON THIS.

LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS OUT THERE AND I KEPT WAITING FOR THE PHONE CALL.

WE'VE MADE AN ARREST, AND THE PHONE CALL NEVER CAME.

BURDINE IS STILL WAITING FOR THAT CALL.

BUT ANOTHER CALL CHANGED THE DIRECTION OF HER LIFE.

BECOMING AN ADVOCATE FOR PEOPLE WHO LOST A LOVED ONE TO MURDER.

SHE'S NOW THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE OKLAHOMA HOMICIDE VICTIMS SUPPORT GROUP.

I NEED TO KNOW THAT MY WORK IS NOT IN VAIN, THAT I CAN BE HELPFUL TO OTHER PEOPLE THROUGH ANY STAGE, JUST GETTING THEM PLUGGED INTO RESOURCES OR TALKING THEM OUT OF A, YOU KNOW, A POTENTIAL SUICIDE.

YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH AND HOW THIS AFFECTS THEM.

RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 449 OPEN COLD CASES THAT THE SBI IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING.

AT THIS TIME.

THE SBI HAS BEEN HANDLING COLD CASES FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY NOW, AND HAS DEVELOPED IDEAS AND TECHNIQUES TO BRING IN NEW LEADS, INCLUDING A SPECIALIZED DECK OF CARDS WITH COLD CASE INFORMATION ON THEM.

INVESTIGATORS ALSO HAVE TURNED TO GENETIC GENEALOGY TO HELP FIND ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WHO MIGHT KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT THE VICTIM OR THE SITUATION, WHICH COULD LEAD TO A BREAK.

IN THE CASE YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A FAMILY TREE THAT COVERS AN ENTIRE AN ENTIRE BLACKBOARD, PER SE, OF JUST DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

MAYBE WE NEED TO, YOU KNOW, CHECK THIS.

THIS PERSON LIVED HERE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST DIFFERENT AREAS WHERE YOU'RE LIKE, WE CAN NOW UNCOVER DIFFERENT AREAS AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO THIS VICTIM MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH.

AND MAYBE THAT WILL HELP SOLVE THIS SPECIFIC CASE.

THE EVOLUTION OF DNA TESTING ALSO HELPS BRING A NEW LIGHT TO COLD CASES.

WE'VE SOLVED A LOT OF COLD CASES OVER THE YEARS, BUT WHEN I SAY THAT NUMBER OF 449 THAT ARE STILL UNSOLVED, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO DO.

BUT WE'RE HOPING THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP US GET THERE.

GOOD OLD FASHIONED TIPS FROM THE PUBLIC ARE A MAJOR HELP TOO.

VERY MUCH APPRECIATE OUR LOCAL POLICE AND AND THE OKLAHOMA COLD CASE GROUP THAT IS PUSHING THIS AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP THE KEEP IT ALIVE AND IN FRONT OF THE PUBLIC IN HOPES THAT THERE WILL BE A RESOLUTION, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH A PUBLIC TIP OR TECHNOLOGY.

LIEUTENANT SCHULTZ IS READY TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY BEHIND MARY HARRISON'S MURDER.

I THINK IT WOULD MEAN A GREAT DEAL TO THE FAMILY, A GREAT DEAL TO THIS COMMUNITY, THAT THEIR SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT NEVER GAVE UP AND WOULD GIVE MARY CLOSURE.

SHE COULD REST IN PEACE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ABOUT MARY HARRISON OR SEAR BURDINE'S CASE OR ANY OTHERS, YOU'RE ENCOURAGED TO CONTACT THE OSBI AT 1-800-522-8017 OR EMAIL THEM AT TIPS AT OSBI DOT DOT GOV.

JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT.

THE 46TH ANNUAL GOVERNOR'S ARTS AWARDS WERE HANDED OUT AT A SPECIAL CEREMONY AT THE STATE CAPITOL ON TUESDAY.

21 INDIVIDUALS OR ORGANIZATIONS WERE HONORED IN AN EVENT HOSTED BY LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MATT PINNELL.

THE WINNERS CAME FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE, FROM TISHOMINGO TO MUSKOGEE AND ALL POINTS IN BETWEEN.

IN HIS KEYNOTE ADDRESS, LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR EXPLAINED WHY ARTISTS WILL PLAY AN EXTRA SPECIAL ROLE IN OKLAHOMA THIS YEAR.

IT'S A MESSY HISTORY, AMERICA, BEAUTIFUL HISTORY, BUT IN A LOT OF TIMES VERY MESSY.

AND WE SHOULD BE HONEST ABOUT ALL OF THAT HISTORY.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY.

AND WHEN WE DO AND WHEN WE TELL THOSE STORIES THROUGH OUR ARTISTS, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO HAVE A MORE HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE WANT TO BE.

AND I THINK IT'S IT'S SO POWERFUL AND SO BEAUTIFUL THAT, AGAIN, THIS 100 YEAR BIRTHDAY OF THE MOST FAMOUS ROAD IN THE WORLD COINCIDES WITH A ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT BIRTHDAY, OUR 250TH BIRTHDAY.

AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE WE HAVE THE BACKS AND WE SUPPORT, AGAIN, YOUNGER GENERATIONS OR OLD.

ANYBODY CAN BE AN ARTIST, ANYBODY CAN BE A STORYTELLER.

AND I JUST LOVE IT THAT WE SUPPORT THE ARTS AT THIS LEVEL, BECAUSE THE VISION AND THE VALUES OF FUTURE GENERATIONS ARE GOING TO BE SET WITH MEETINGS JUST LIKE THIS.

AND TO COMMEMORATE THE UPCOMING 250TH BIRTHDAY OF OUR COUNTRY, TWO STATE REPRESENTATIVES, ARDMORE, IS TAMMY TOWNLEY AND JAY STEAGALL OF YUKON PERFORMED AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.

IF THE NUMBER OF BILL FILINGS IS ANY INDICATION, OKLAHOMA LAWMAKERS HAVE PUT FORTH AN AMBITIOUS AGENDA FOR THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEGINNING ON MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND.

TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT.

IT'S TIME TO CRANK UP OUR OETA CAPITOL STUDIO AND WELCOME BACK SEAN, ASHLEY AND SEAN.

THERE ARE MORE THAN 2600 BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS FILED THIS YEAR.

PUT THAT INTO HISTORICAL CONTEXT FOR US.

WELL, THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT, RICH.

NOW LET'S REMEMBER A LEGISLATURE IS TWO YEARS IN ODD NUMBERED AND EVEN NUMBERED SESSION.

A FIRST AND SECOND SESSION.

NORMALLY SECOND SESSION BILLS ARE LOWER THAN FIRST SESSION BILLS, BUT THE APPROXIMATELY 2650 BILLS FILED FOR THIS SECOND SESSION ARE A RECORD NUMBER FOR A SECOND SESSION.

BUT I ALSO DID SOME DIGGING.

AND IF YOU LOOK BACK AT 2009, FEWER THAN THAT WERE FILED FOR THE FIRST SESSION OF THE 52ND LEGISLATURE.

SO THERE ARE CERTAINLY A LOT OF BILLS AND A LOT OF ISSUES FOR THE LEGISLATURE TO ADDRESS THIS YEAR.

YEAH.

AND YOU TWO, YOU'RE GOING TO BE VERY, VERY BUSY.

EDUCATION ALWAYS RECEIVES THE HIGHEST FISCAL APPROPRIATION.

AND THIS YEAR THERE ARE DOZENS OF EDUCATION RELATED BILLS.

WHAT STANDS OUT TO YOU?

WELL, ONE OF THE MAIN PROPOSALS SEEMS TO DEAL WITH LITERACY.

AND THE CHAIRS OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEES ARE BOTH BRINGING FORTH PROPOSALS THAT WOULD REQUIRE STUDENTS TO READ AT THIRD GRADE LEVEL IN ORDER TO ADVANCE ONTO FOURTH GRADE.

AND IN FACT, THE BILLS PUT FORTH BY THOSE TWO MEN WOULD ALSO CREATE THE POSSIBILITY THAT STUDENTS COULD BE HELD BACK IN FIRST AND SECOND GRADE.

WE'RE ALSO BEGINNING TO SEE SOME SIMILAR EMPHASIS IN THE MATH AREA.

A OF COURSE, THERE ARE CALLS FOR TEACHER PAY RAISES AND OTHER FUNDING ISSUES ADDRESSING COMMON EDUCATION IN OKLAHOMA.

AND SEAN, ONE LAWMAKER WANTS TO GIVE VOTERS THE FINAL SAY ON PAY RAISES FOR LEGISLATORS.

DO YOU THINK HER BILLS ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY?

WELL, I'M NOT SURE.

REPRESENTATIVE MOLLY JENKINS BILLS AS CURRENTLY WRITTEN WILL ADVANCE, BUT THOSE BILLS REFLECT A CONCERN THAT I'VE HEARD FROM A NUMBER OF OTHER LAWMAKERS WHO WERE NOT HAPPY WITH THE WAY THE LEGISLATIVE COMPENSATION BOARD HANDLED LAWMAKERS PAY RAISES BACK DURING THE FALL.

IF VIEWERS WILL RECALL, WE SAW THEM HAVE THREE MEETINGS.

THE FIRST TWO MEETINGS, THEY REFUSED TO RAISE PAY.

BUT AT THE THIRD MEETING, AFTER SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD HAD CHANGED AND THEY HELD AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, THEY PROVIDED FOR A $7,400 PER YEAR INCREASE IN THE BASE PAY.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER PROPOSALS OUT THERE THAT WOULD MAKE CHANGES TO HOW THAT THAT BOARD OPERATES, AND REPRESENTATIVE JENKINS HAS ALSO REQUESTED AN ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OPINION ON THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MATTER, WHICH COULD INFORM LEGISLATION GOING FORWARD.

SEAN, THERE'S ALSO A HANDFUL OF BILLS DESIGNED TO REGULATE AI.

TO WHAT END?

WELL, A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT AREAS.

THERE'S ONE PROPOSAL THAT WOULD IMPOSE A MORATORIUM ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF LARGE OR THESE HYPERSCALE DATA CENTERS THAT ARE THE BACKBONE FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.

OTHERS EMPHASIZE HOW COUNTIES AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS CAN, CAN REGULATE AND ZONE THESE FACILITIES.

AND THEN THERE'S THE USAGE SIDE SIDE OF THE ISSUE.

IN THE CASE OF STATE GOVERNMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE'S A BILL THAT PROPOSES THAT YOU AND I WOULD KNOW IF WE ARE INTERACTING WITH SOME FORM OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AS WE SEEK INFORMATION ON A STATE AGENCY WEBSITE OR PERHAPS ON A PHONE CALL.

AND OTHERS, OF COURSE, DEAL WITH CHILDREN AND THEIR INTERFACE WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND ATTEMPT TO IMPOSE LIMITS.

THERE.

A PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON BILLS RELATED TO THE PENNY?

THAT'S RIGHT.

THE US MINT HAS STOPPED MINTING THE PENNY, AND AS A RESULT, A NUMBER OF RETAILERS ARE FINDING IT HARD TO GET HOLD OF THE COIN.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT STATE GOVERNMENT OVER TIME.

THE CHAIR OF THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE, SENATOR CHUCK HALL, HAS PROPOSED A BILL THAT WOULD ROUND THE COST OF STATE SERVICES, LICENSES AND FEES TO THE NEAREST $0.05 SO THAT THOSE WHO WILL BE PAYING CASH AND DON'T HAVE PENNIES WOULD BE ABLE TO PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES.

THOSE USING CREDIT CARDS OR DEBIT CARDS WOULD STILL BE ABLE TO PAY THE PENNY COST, IF YOU WILL, THE $0.03 OR $0.02.

WE'VE GOT ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT HERE, BUT I WANTED TO ASK YOU ABOUT KEVIN STITT.

THIS WILL BE HIS FINAL SESSION AS GOVERNOR.

HOW DOES HE AVOID BEING PERCEIVED AS A LAME DUCK GOVERNOR?

WELL, THAT WAS A QUESTION I ACTUALLY ASKED THE GOVERNOR A YEAR AGO, AND HE SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE HE WOULD BE A LAME DUCK LAST YEAR OR IN HIS FINAL YEAR.

AND HIS REASONING FOR THAT WAS HE WAS HE EXPLAINED, HE HAD DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS WITH LEGISLATORS AND HAD ALSO LEARNED THE SYSTEM AND KNEW HOW THINGS WORK.

AND PERHAPS HE PROVED THAT TO BE TRUE LAST YEAR, AS LEGISLATION WAS PASSED THAT WOULD EVENTUALLY ELIMINATE THE INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX, ONE OF HIS TOP PRIORITIES.

AND OF COURSE, HE KICKS THINGS OFF WITH HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS COMING UP ON FEBRUARY 2ND.

SEAN ASHLEY, PUBLISHER OF QUORUM CALL, WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN IN A FEW SHORT WEEKS FROM NOW.

THANK YOU.

YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

THE MUSKOGEE NATION IS LAUNCHING A NEW GAMING APP, BUT THERE'S A CATCH.

JASON DOYLE EXPLAINS IN THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW, THE MUSKOGEE NATION HAS TEAMED WITH SOFTWARE DEVELOPER EVER TO LAUNCH A CLASS TWO MOBILE GAMING APP.

CLASS TWO GAMING INCLUDES GAMES LIKE BINGO AND NON BANKED CARD GAMES.

THE APP IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD AND INCLUDES MORE THAN 30 GAMES.

THE CATCH WITH THE PHONE APP IS THAT IT MUST BE USED WITHIN THE MUSKOGEE NATIONS RESERVATION BOUNDARIES.

SPEAKING OF TRIBAL GAMING, THE CHOCTAW NATION HAS ENTERED A BRANDING DEAL WITH WYNDHAM HOTELS FOR THE CHOCTAW CASINO AND RESORTS PROPERTIES.

THE EXPANSION GIVES THE TRIBE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WYNDHAM HOTELS UPSCALE AND LIFESTYLE OFFERINGS.

THE HOTEL CHAIN WAS INTERESTED IN THE DEAL BECAUSE OF INCREASED TRAVEL TO NATIVE AMERICAN CASINO RESORTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

OKLAHOMA IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE FASTEST GROWING MARKETS FOR TRIBAL GAMING REVENUE.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT PROFESSIONALS INCREASED ITS PRESENCE AROUND THE NATION BY SIGNING MORE THAN 50 NEW AND RESALE FRANCHISE AGREEMENTS, BRINGING THE NUMBER OF LOCATIONS TO NEARLY 900.

38 NEW FRANCHISEES JOINED THE EXPRESS EMPLOYMENT SYSTEM, WHILE FIVE EXISTING FRANCHISEES EXPANDED THEIR LOCATIONS.

EXPRESS SAYS ITS EXPANSION INCLUDES SEVEN NEW CITIES, WHICH DIDN'T HAVE THEIR SERVICES AVAILABLE BEFORE 2025.

TULSA BASED ONE GAS WILL BE PAYING A QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.68 A SHARE.

THAT'S A PENNY MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS DIVIDEND.

INVESTORS WILL NEED TO HAVE THE ONE GAS STOCK IN THEIR PORTFOLIO BY THE CLOSE OF BUSINESS ON FEBRUARY 20TH.

THE PAYOUT IS SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 6TH.

THE PARENT COMPANY OF PUBLIC SERVICE OF OKLAHOMA WILL BE PAYING OUT A QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.95 A SHARE.

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS PLANS TO PAY THE DIVIDEND ON MARCH 10TH FOR THOSE WHO OWN THE STOCK BY FEBRUARY 10TH.

FOR THE GOLFERS IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR GOOD WEATHER TO GET IN 18 HOLES.

THAT'S BECAUSE LAND RUN LINKS HAS OPENED ITS NEW INDOOR GOLF FACILITY IN MOORE.

THE VIRTUAL GOLF COURSES CAN BE USED BY BOTH BEGINNERS AND EXPERIENCED GOLFERS USING A COMPANION APP.

THE SYSTEM CAN ANALYZE MECHANICS AND OFFER TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR GAME.

THERE ARE SEVERAL WORLD RENOWNED COURSES WHICH ARE OFFERED BY THE VIRTUAL REALITY FACILITY.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

THE MARTIN LUTHER KING NATIONAL HOLIDAY WAS CELEBRATED HERE IN OKLAHOMA ON MONDAY, AND IT'S WORTH REMEMBERING HIS TIES TO OUR STATE.

IN THE EARLY 1950S, DOCTOR KING PREACHED AT THE CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND EVEN APPLIED TO BE THE PASTOR THERE.

WITH MORE ON HIS LIFE AND ENDURING LEGACY, HERE'S MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD WITH THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION.

CASSIDY WITH US THIS EVENING IS BERNARD ALLEN BEY, THE STATE CONFERENCE OF BRANCHES PRESIDENT FOR THE OKLAHOMA NAACP.

DOCTOR EMILY PATTERSON HARRIS, THE DEAN AND MATRIARCH OF LANGSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES AND EDUCATION.

AND FINALLY, WE'RE JOINED BY DOCTOR CARLOS ROBINSON, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US HERE ON IN DEPTH.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU.

BEFORE WE DIVE IN, CAN EACH OF YOU BRIEFLY SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE WORK YOU DO AND HOW IT CONNECTS TO WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING?

DOCTOR PATTERSON HARRIS WILL START WITH YOU.

I AM THE RECENTLY RETIRED DEAN AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, WHERE I WAS PRIVILEGED TO SERVE FOR 44 YEARS.

SO EDUCATION, OF COURSE, IS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND CERTAINLY RELEVANT TO OUR DISCUSSION TODAY.

DOCTOR ROBINSON, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

ABSOLUTELY.

SO, DOCTOR CARLOS ROBINSON, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

AND SO, DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JUNIOR, HE TALKED ABOUT ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

AND SO WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF PROVIDING ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR BLACK AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

AND IT REALLY STRETCHED BEYOND THAT.

AND SO SUPER, SUPER EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.

BERNARD, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

HI.

MY NAME IS BERNARD ALLEN BEY.

I'M THE STATE CONFERENCE PRESIDENT FOR THE NAACP CONFERENCE OF BRANCHES.

AND I WAS VERY HAPPY TO SEE THE PARADE BE SUCH A SUCCESS.

I'M NOT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN IT, BUT I IT'S KUDOS TO THOSE WHO ORGANIZED IT AND DID IT.

AND IT'S THE THIRD LARGEST IN THE ENTIRE NATION.

YES.

THAT IS INCREDIBLE.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

WELL, SOMETHING INCREDIBLE ALSO THAT MANY PEOPLE MIGHT NOT REALIZE IS THAT OKLAHOMA IS ACTUALLY AN EARLY PART OF DOCTOR KING'S STORY.

IN THE EARLY 1950S, HE PREACHED AT THE CALVARY BAPTIST CHURCH IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND EVEN APPLIED TO BE A PASTOR THERE.

BERNARD, WHAT DOES THIS TELL US ABOUT OKLAHOMA'S ROLE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT?

YEAH, WELL, I THINK OKLAHOMA'S GROUND ZERO IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY THAT WE HAVE OF BEING A LATE STATE, NOT EVEN ORGANIZED UNTIL 1907.

THE HISTORY OF THE TRIBES WHO WERE ALREADY HERE, THE BLACK FREEDMEN WHO CAME WITH THEM, AND THE STRUGGLE THAT WE'VE HAD SINCE THAT TIME.

SO DOCTOR KING WAS NOT OPENLY RECEIVED BY THE CLERGY IN OKLAHOMA, AND THAT'S WHY HE DID NOT TAKE THE JOB HERE.

SO IT WAS THERE'S SOME CONTROVERSY.

MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE HISTORY.

BUT HE WASN'T HE WAS NOT.

THERE WAS A CLERGY THAT FELT LIKE HE WAS A LITTLE TOO RADICAL AT THAT TIME.

AND THEY WERE THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THEM, REALLY.

AND IT'S INCREDIBLE HOW HE ENDED UP TURNING, HOW IT ENDED UP TURNING OUT AFTER THIS.

BUT DOCTOR PATTERSON HARRIS, KNOWING THAT DOCTOR KING HAD EARLY TIES TO OKLAHOMA CITY BEFORE HE BECAME A NATIONAL CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT HOW THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WAS ALREADY TAKING SHAPE IN COMMUNITIES HERE IN OKLAHOMA?

WELL, ACTUALLY, IT WAS TAKING PLACE IN COMMUNITIES, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST AND THE SOUTH.

AND WHEN I PERSONALLY THINK OF OKLAHOMA, I THINK OF REVEREND BEN HILL HERE IN TULSA, YOU KNOW, WHO WAS SO INVOLVED IN THAT MOVEMENT.

AND WE ACTUALLY HAVE A CLASS AT LANGSTON UNIVERSITY CALLED THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEADERSHIP, IN WHICH NOT ONLY DO WE LOOK AT THE STRATEGIES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT, BUT THE MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE INVOLVED AND WERE SO BRAVE, YOU KNOW, SUCH AS CLARA LUPER.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STRATEGIES THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT WERE INVOLVED IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT?

WELL, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT STRATEGIES THAT DOCTOR KING USED AND HOW WITH CHANGING TIMES OR CHANGING OBJECTIVES, YOU KNOW, HE WOULD DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND HOW HE USED HIS PRINCIPLES TO GUIDE THOSE STRATEGIES.

IT IT'S AMAZING TO ME, YOU KNOW, WHAT HE, WITH SO MANY OTHERS, WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE?

STRATEGY IMPLIES WARFARE AND NONVIOLENCE WAS HIS STRATEGY THAT THAT WAS HIS STRATEGY.

LOOKING AT OUR COMMUNITY, THE STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, OPPORTUNITIES, THREATS, WE WERE NOT IN A POSITION TO EMPLOY ANOTHER STRATEGY.

OKAY, SO NONVIOLENCE IS THE STRATEGY.

AND DOCTOR ROBINSON, AS YOU MENTIONED BEFORE, DOCTOR KING OFTEN SAID THAT CIVIL RIGHTS ALSO MEANT ECONOMIC JUSTICE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OKLAHOMA TODAY, WHERE ARE WE STILL SEEING ECONOMIC BARRIERS AND WHERE ARE WE SEEING PROGRESS?

ABSOLUTELY.

SO WHEN IT COMES TO ECONOMIC BARRIERS IN NOT HAVING ACCESS TO CAPITAL, NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THE KNOWLEDGE THAT'S NECESSARY TO BE A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

SO ALL OF THOSE BARRIERS ARE PRESENTED TO OUR BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES, OUR BLACK AND MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES.

A LOT OF THEM ARE FIRST GENERATION BUSINESS OWNERS, AND THEY'RE LOOKING TO NAVIGATE THE LANDSCAPE.

BUT IF THEY DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HOW TO NAVIGATE THAT LANDSCAPE OR HAVE ACCESS TO THE THINGS, THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM SCALE, MORE TIMES THAN NOT, THEY'RE SHUT DOWN.

AND, YOU KNOW, 2 TO 3 YEARS.

AND SO SOME OF THE PROGRESS IS IT IS A RECOGNITION THAT WE ARE NEEDED.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE BLACK CHAMBER, THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

WE GO OUT AND BE ADVOCATES FOR THAT.

WE SIT AT THE TABLES NECESSARY TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS OF IT'S NOT JUST BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES, IT'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

SO INVESTING IN THOSE BUSINESSES, SUPPORTING THOSE BUSINESSES, YOU'RE SUPPORTING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

SO CONNECTIONS, PARTNERSHIPS AND EVERYBODY BEING TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY ON THE SAME ACCORD TYPICALLY IS THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING.

AND SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIPS WE'VE CREATED THUS FAR.

AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S AN ECONOMIC BOOST FOR ALL OF OKLAHOMA.

ABSOLUTELY.

IT IS FOR EVERYBODY.

SO HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY, WE DOCTOR PATTERSON HARRIS MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, BUT CLAIRE LOOPER AND HER STUDENTS WERE LEADING SIT INS THAT CHALLENGED SEGREGATION BACK IN 1958.

BERNARD, HOW IMPORTANT WAS HER LEADERSHIP IN CHALLENGING AND CHANGING WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE?

IT WAS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, SHE SERVED AS THE NAACP YOUTH ADVISOR AND A LOT OF THE ACCOLADES THAT GO TO HER, THEY GO TO HER.

PERSONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NAACP YOUTH COUNCIL MORE RECOGNIZED.

AND AS FAR AS THE STRATEGY OF USING CHILDREN TO PROTEST THAT, THAT STRATEGY ALSO WAS.

THOUGHT OUT BY MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE LOSING THEIR JOBS.

THEY WERE GOING TO JAIL.

AND SO ONE OF THE STRATEGIES WAS THAT TO SHAME THE PEOPLE AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T BE SO APT TO TO CLUB A CHILD OVER THE HEAD OR SIC A DOG ON A CHILD.

SO THAT STRATEGY WAS A NATIONAL STRATEGY.

AND, YOU KNOW, CLAIRE LUPER AND MANY, MANY, MANY OTHERS WERE PART OF MAKING THAT A REALITY.

SHE WAS A VERY BRAVE WOMAN.

YES.

I WAS YOUTH COUNCIL PRESIDENT UNDER HER LEADERSHIP.

SO IT WAS SUPER EXCITING TO JUST SEE HOW SHE NAVIGATED THE COMMUNITY AND PUSHED FOR ECONOMIC JUSTICE FOR ALL FOLKS JUST BEING SEEN.

AND SO WATCHING HER LEADERSHIP, THOSE STRATEGIES WERE WERE KEY AND THEY MADE SENSE TO US.

IT MADE SENSE BECAUSE SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

YOU CAN TELL THAT WHAT SHE NAVIGATED WAS BIGGER THAN HER, AND SHE KNEW THAT THE STUDENTS ARE THE FUTURE.

AND SO HERE I AM AS A PART OF THAT FUTURE.

AND LUCKILY, I GET TO STAND BEFORE YOU AS THE FIRST DOCTOR IN MY ENTIRE FAMILY'S HISTORY BECAUSE OF LEADERSHIP LIKE THAT.

AND BERNARD AND DOCTOR PATTERSON HARRIS, THAT'S ALL POURING INTO OUR YOUTH TODAY AS WELL.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

I'M SURE YOU'RE VERY IS AMAZING.

IT IS AMAZING WHEN YOU THINK OF YOUTH AND INVOLVEMENT AND YOU THINK THAT DOCTOR KING WAS 26 YEARS OLD, YOU KNOW, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS, AND THEN YOU THINK OF THE DIFFERENT CHILDREN DESEGREGATING SCHOOLS AND YOUNG PEOPLE SEGREGATING UNIVERSITIES AND PARTICIPATING IN MARCHES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S QUITE AMAZING.

IT TRULY IS.

AND, DOCTOR PATTERSON HARRIS, YOUR EXPERIENCE SHOWS US JUST HOW DEEPLY EDUCATION CAN CHANGE LIVES, FROM HELPING STUDENTS TO GRADUATE, CONNECTING THEM WITH JOB OPPORTUNITIES.

HOW DO YOU SEE EDUCATION TODAY SHAPING LONG TERM OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS HERE IN OKLAHOMA?

ONE OF, I THINK, THE GEM GEMS OF LANGSTON UNIVERSITY ARE THE LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.

DOCTOR ROBINSON IS IS FAMILIAR ALSO WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO STEP INTO LEADERSHIP ROLES, AND THEN IT'S QUITE FULFILLING TO SEE THEM GO ON AND HAVE SUCCESSFUL CAREERS IN DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES.

AND WE ARE ALSO KNOWN FOR A STUDENTS THAT COME FROM OUT OF STATE BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCE HERE, THAT STAY IN OKLAHOMA AND A HALF CAREERS HERE.

SO I COULD TALK ABOUT EDUCATION.

FOR A LONG TIME, BUT BUT THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THINGS.

WELL, IT'S INCREDIBLE TOO, BECAUSE IT GOES RIGHT INTO ECONOMICS TOO, BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO STAY HERE WORKING IN OKLAHOMA.

AND IF WE HAVE LANGSTON UNIVERSITY GIVING PEOPLE THESE RESOURCES, HOW MUCH EASIER?

AND DOCTOR ROBINSON, GOING BACK TO THAT LEADERSHIP POINT, I MEAN, THAT WAS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOU AND YOUR CAREER.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY?

ABSOLUTELY.

SO WHEN YOU GET TO SIT AMONGST THE LEGEND, A LOT OF TIMES YOU DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT YOU'RE SITTING AMONGST THE LEGEND UNTIL LATER ON IN LIFE, BUT YOU JUST YOU FEEL THAT LOVE AND THAT PUSH TOWARDS EXCELLENCE.

AND SO, LIKE DOCTOR PATTERSON HARRIS SAID AT LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT THEY DO.

THAT'S WHAT YOU KNOW, I USED TO BE THE DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS THERE, SO I GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING STUDENTS IN AND SEE THEM BE SHAPED AND PUSHED OFF INTO THE WORLD, A BETTER PERSON.

AND SO THAT WAS JUST A BEAUTIFUL SIGHT TO SEE.

SO SITTING UP UNDER DOCTOR CLARA LUPER, SHE WAS AN HONORARY DOCTOR FROM MY ALMA MATER, FROM OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY, AND I GOT TO WITNESS THAT.

BUT THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT YOU CAN TOUCH IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND YOU CAN SEE FIRSTHAND THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING SUCCESSFUL.

SO IT JUST REALLY EMPOWERED ME TO SAY, I CAN BE GREAT AS WELL.

I CAN DO GREAT THINGS.

AND SO LUCKILY, MY STORY IS TURNING OUT AND SHAPING THE WAY GOD HAS INTENDED IT TO SHAPE AND WITHOUT ME CAUSING ANY DISTRACTIONS.

AND IT WAS GOOD TO SEE SEE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY DOING GREAT THINGS.

ABSOLUTELY.

AND IT JUST YOUR EXPERIENCE SERVES AS HOPE FOR OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL.

I THINK THAT'S JUST WONDERFUL.

THANK YOU.

WELL, MOVING ON TO THE PARADE.

THIS WAS THE 46TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY MLK PARADE WITH THE THEME WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE THERE, THE THIRD LARGEST IN THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.

BERNARD, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU, AND WHAT DO YOU HOPE PEOPLE TAKE WITH THEM ONCE THESE CELEBRATIONS ARE OVER?

THE REMEMBRANCE OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING IS WHAT'S IMPORTANT, AND THE REASON THAT WE MUST REMEMBER IS BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT HE DID, SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO REDO THEM.

AND HE CAME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT THAT THE SHIFT NEEDED TO GO AWAY FROM SOCIAL TO ECONOMIC.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO MENTION, SINCE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT EDUCATION SO MUCH, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LANGSTON UNIVERSITY, SO MUCH OKLAHOMA ENABLING ACT, THE SECTION 13 FUND, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SET ASIDE MONEY EVERY SECTION 13 OF EVERY TOWNSHIP TO BE GRANTED TO OKLAHOMA WAS TO BE USED FOR FUNDING HIGHER EDUCATION, BUT THAT LAW IS STILL IN EFFECT.

SO LANGSTON UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN INTENTIONALLY UNDERFUNDED SINCE 1907.

NOW, THIS DOES NOT WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT THE FUNDS THAT COME FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, OKAY, WHICH EVERYBODY MAY HAVE HEARD ABOUT THAT RECENTLY, THE $470 MILLION, THEY WERE UNDERFUNDED, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

BUT MY POINT IS, DOCTOR KING SPENT HIS LIFE IN SERVICE AND HE SAID THAT EVERYBODY CAN LEAD BECAUSE EVERYBODY CAN SERVE.

OKAY.

AND SO NOW WHEN WE HAVE THESE PARADES AND CELEBRATIONS AND THINGS, WE DON'T WANT TO GET THE THE MESSAGE LOST, THE MESSAGE TO OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO BE IF YOU WANT TO LEAD, SERVE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T SIT BACK AND AND AND EXPECT PEOPLE TO DO FOR YOU IF YOU'RE THE ONE THAT'S IN LEADERSHIP.

SO, YOU KNOW, OUR PEOPLE NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S OKAY.

I MEAN, EVERYBODY STRUGGLES FOR THEIR FOR THEIR THEIR OWN BEST INTEREST.

YOU GOT THE FREEDMEN PUSHING FOR THEIR RIGHTS.

YOU GOT THE STATE PUSHING, YOU KNOW, FOR, YOU KNOW, MORE REVENUE TO TRIBES ARE PUSHING FOR SOVEREIGNTY.

OUR COMMUNITY NEEDS TO GET OUT THERE AND PUSH.

AND ONE OF THOSE PUSHES THAT WE HAVE TO PUSH FOR IS WE HAVE TO PROPERLY FUND LANGSTON UNIVERSITY JUST BY JUST BY HONORING THE LAW THAT WAS WRITTEN AND BEING FAIR AND EQUITABLE IN HOW THAT LAW IS ADMINISTRATED.

WELL, WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME.

AND HE MADE I MEAN, BERNARD MADE A LOT OF PHENOMENAL POINTS, BUT IF YOU COULD COMMENT ON WHAT HE SAID AND THEN FINAL THOUGHTS, DOCTOR ROBINSON.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

SO THAT THAT IS TRUE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY THE BLACK CHAMBER EXISTS.

MOST BLACK ORGANIZATIONS WERE CREATED BECAUSE WE'RE OFTEN LEFT OUT OF THE PICTURE.

AND SO THOSE INSTITUTIONS ARE NOW IN PLACE TO TO BRING BACK THE STORIES THAT NEED TO BE HEARD AND SEEN.

AND SO WE'RE ALL ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

WE'RE ALL ABOUT EMPOWERING OUR BUSINESSES, UNITING THE COMMUNITY AND COMING TOGETHER AND MAKING IT A BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR US ALL TO STAY.

AND SO OKLAHOMA HAS SO MUCH GREAT POTENTIAL, SO MANY GREAT THINGS THAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIKE.

AND EVERYBODY JUST WANT THEIR FAIR SHARE OF JUST A HEALTHY LIVING.

AND SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE MOMENTUM THAT WE GOT.

I'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE 50 MOST INFLUENTIAL OKLAHOMANS, WHICH I WAS SUPER EXCITED TO HEAR.

BUT THAT SHOWS THAT OUR COMMUNITY IS BEING RECOGNIZED.

AND SO I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE PEOPLE JOIN THE CHAMBER AND JOIN THE MOMENTUM AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO CREATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.

ABSOLUTELY.

DOCTOR PATTERSON HARRIS, FINAL THOUGHTS?

WELL, LANGSTON UNIVERSITY IS, OF COURSE ALL ABOUT EMPOWERMENT AND HAS BEEN SINCE ITS INCEPTION.

AND WHEN I THINK OF DOCTOR KING, I THINK OF HIS PRINCIPLES AS BEING TIMELESS.

AND THEY ARE UNIVERSAL AND THEY CERTAINLY INFORM EDUCATION AND EDUCATION, YOU KNOW, SHOULD ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO OUR CITIZENS AND BE UNIVERSAL.

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

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

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

GREAT CONVERSATION.

IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO BE HEADING NORTH TO MICHIGAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT A FISH STOCKING PROGRAM THAT KEEPS THEIR LAKES AND RIVERS FULL OF BIG TROUT.

THAT STORY, COURTESY OF OUR PBS PARTNERS AT CMU PUBLIC MEDIA.

ODEN STATE FISH HATCHERY IS ONE OF SIX FISH HATCHERIES IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN THAT'S RUN BY THE STATE OF MICHIGAN.

WE ARE A BROODSTOCK FACILITY AND A PRODUCTION FACILITY WHERE WE RAISE WE RAISE PRODUCTION FISH TO PLANT IN THE STATE OF MICHIGAN, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE RAINBOW TROUT AND BROWN TROUT.

BROODSTOCK BROODSTOCK ARE THE ADULT FISH.

WE SPAWN THEM, TAKE THE EGGS OUT OF THE FEMALES AND THE MILT OUT OF THE MALES, CROSS THEM AND AND MAKE FISH PRODUCTION.

HATCHERIES HELP TO SUPPLEMENT AND RESTORE FISH POPULATIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

THERE IS A LOT OF NATURAL REPRODUCTION THAT IS OCCURRING, AND WE'RE HAPPY FOR THAT.

BUT SOMETIMES WE NEED TO ADD FISH.

IF THERE'S PRESSURE FROM ANGLERS, THAT MEANS PEOPLE ARE FISHING IN AN AREA, THERE'S HABITAT LOSS AND A BIG ONE IS INVASIVE SPECIES.

WE MIGHT ADD FISH IN THOSE AREAS IN ORDER TO CREATE WORLD CLASS FISHING AND KEEP THAT THE FISHING INDUSTRY BRINGS ABOUT, I WOULD SAY, $4 BILLION TO THE MICHIGAN ECONOMY.

SO IT'S A WIN WIN.

WE HAVE THIS REALLY GREAT PLACE, HEALTHY RESOURCE, AND PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM ALL OVER THE STATE AND IN-STATE TO ENJOY WHAT THEY WE HAVE IN MICHIGAN AND OFFER.

MICHIGAN'S FISH STOCKING STORY BEGAN MORE THAN 150 YEARS AGO IN THE MID 1800S, INVASIVE SPECIES AND WIDESPREAD LOGGING TOOK A TOLL ON RIVERS AND SPAWNING GROUNDS.

BY 1870, THE STATE REALIZED THE FISH POPULATION WAS IN TROUBLE, SO IT FORMED THE MICHIGAN FISH COMMISSION AND BUILT A FIRST HATCHERY IN CASS COUNTY TO HELP RESTORE BALANCE TO THE WATERS.

SO THE HATCHERY HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 1920, SO THE ORIGINAL HATCHERY IS NOW THE VISITOR CENTER.

BUT 2002 IS WHEN WE BUILT THE NEW FACILITY THAT'S STANDING.

AND SO IT'S RELATIVELY NEW COMPARED TO HATCHERIES.

AND WE HAVE SIX HATCHERIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

AT THE VISITOR CENTER WE HAVE A RAILCAR.

SO WHEN HATCHERIES WERE FIRST PRODUCED AND STARTED PRODUCING FISH, THE EASIEST WAY FOR US TO TRANSPORT THOSE FISH WAS THROUGH RAILWAY.

SO ALL OF OUR HATCHERIES HAD TO BE LOCATED BY A GOOD WATER SOURCE AND THE RAIL SYSTEM.

AND SO WE HAVE A REPLICA OF THE LAST FISH CAR, THE WOLVERINE, THAT HAS SOME INTERPRETIVE HISTORY IN THERE AND HOW WE USED TO TRANSPORT THE FISH.

SO IF VISITORS COME AND THEY GO INTO, THEY'LL SEE MILK CANS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE FISH WERE ACTUALLY HOUSED WHEN THEY'RE ABOUT FINGERLING SIZE.

AND THEY WERE RELEASED FOLLOWING UP THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

TODAY, TECHNOLOGY HAS VASTLY IMPROVED THE WAY FISH ARE RAISED AND DELIVERED ACROSS MICHIGAN.

IT'S A MULTI-YEAR PROCESS THAT BEGINS WITH TINY EGGS AND ENDS UP WITH HEALTHY, MATURE FISH READY TO BE RELEASED INTO THE WILD, HELPING TO KEEP MICHIGAN'S WATERS THRIVING.

WE'RE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR FISH STOCKING SEASON.

WE GENERALLY STOCK 700 OR 800,000 PRODUCTION FISH PER YEAR.

WHAT WE DID TODAY IS WE HAD THREE FOUR COMPARTMENT TRUCKS THAT WE LOADED TO GO TO DIFFERENT LAKES AROUND THE STATE.

SO THE TECHNICIANS WERE IN THE RACEWAYS OF FISH.

THEY JUST WALK AROUND WITH THE FISH.

WE HAVE TO TAKE A SAMPLE TO SEE HOW BIG THE FISH ARE.

WE WEIGH A SAMPLE, WE COUNT HOW MANY FISH ARE IN THAT SAMPLE, AND THEN THAT CAN TELL US HOW MANY FISH PER KILOGRAM THAT WE USE AT THE HATCHERY.

AND ONCE WE FIGURED THAT OUT, THEN WE JUST WEIGH THE FISH ONTO THE TRUCK BASED ON HOW MANY THE HOW MANY FISH THE LOCAL BIOLOGIST WANTS IN A PARTICULAR LAKE OR STREAM, PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW THAT HATCHERIES ARE RAISING FISH AND RELEASING THEM IN LAKES, RIVERS AND STREAMS THROUGHOUT MICHIGAN.

AND MOST PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THAT OUR FUNDING COMES FROM THE SALE OF HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES.

THAT'S WHAT FUNDS PRODUCTION, HATCHERIES AND ALL THE WORK THAT WE DO IN THE FIELD.

THE FISHERIES DEPARTMENT CLOSELY TRACKS EACH DELIVERY, ENSURING THE RIGHT NUMBER OF FISH ARE STOCKED TO SUPPORT HEALTHY POPULATIONS.

AFTER AN ORDER FORM IS SUBMITTED, STAFF LOAD SPECIALIZED TRANSPORT TRUCKS AND SEND THE FISH ACROSS THE STATE.

YET NOT EVERY FISH LEAVES.

SOME REMAIN AT THE HATCHERY.

SO BEHIND ME WE HAVE OUR YOUTH FISHING PROGRAM, WHERE WE HAVE SOME YOUTH AGES 8 TO 14, BUT WE'RE KIND OF ACCEPT ALL AGES AND THEY'RE LEARNING HOW TO FISH.

THESE PONDS HOLD RAINBOW TROUT AND BROWN TROUT THAT WE PUT IN HERE FOR THE VISITORS TO ENJOY.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY HOPEFULLY TRYING THEIR HAND AT CATCHING SOME FISH.

AND WE'VE HAD A FEW SUCCESSES THIS MORNING, BUT IT'S NOT EASY TO CATCH RAINBOW TROUT AND BROWN TROUT.

AND THE KIDS ARE LEARNING THAT.

BUT THEY ALSO LEARN SKILLS ON HOW TO CAST, HOW TO BAIT THE HOOK, HOW TO RELEASE THEIR FISH SAFELY.

SO IT'S A REALLY GOOD PROGRAM FOR COOPERATING AND HOPEFULLY WORKING AT MORE PEOPLE FISHING IN THE FUTURE.

MY FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB IS CONNECTING KIDS TO NATURE.

LIKE A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE ALWAYS ON THEIR PHONES AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND WE CAN STOP THEM AND SLOW THEM DOWN AND REALIZE THAT THERE'S SO MUCH OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM.

THAT'S WHAT I REALLY, REALLY ENJOY.

YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT COULD BE A FLOWER, WHETHER IT COULD JUST BE SITTING QUIETLY AND WRITING IN A JOURNAL AND REALIZING THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN DO AT HOME.

A LOT OF KIDS DON'T GET EXPERIENCE TO BEING OUTSIDE, AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE A LITTLE BIT SCARED AT BEING OUTSIDE, BUT THEN THEY REALIZE WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE IT IS.

MY SON MAXIMUS CAME ALONG FOR THIS SHOOT AND SPENT THE MORNING CASTING A LINE.

I THINK HE MIGHT HAVE HAD THE CATCH OF THE DAY, BUT IT'S THAT SMILE THAT REALLY TELLS THE STORY.

I THINK THAT THE THAT THIS VISITOR CENTER AND THE OLD STATE FISH HATCHERY IS THIS HIDDEN GEM THAT WE HAVE IN NORTHERN MICHIGAN.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS SAY, I'VE GONE BY AND I'VE NEVER STOPPED.

WELL, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO STOP HERE.

AND THEY FIND OUT IT'S LOVELY AND THEY RETURN YEAR AFTER YEAR WITH THEIR FAMILIES.

SO THIS IS A GREAT PLACE THAT YOU'RE GOING TO FIND SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, THE AFTERMATH OF A POTENTIALLY HISTORIC WINTER STORM DESTINED TO IMPACT MOST OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

WILL IT BE ONE FOR THE RECORD BOOKS?

WE WILL REPORT FRIDAY AT 7 P.M.

WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AT MONDAY'S MARTIN LUTHER KING PARADE IN DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY.

SHOT AND EDITED BY OETA LEGACY KOTO.

NOW, KEEP IN MIND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH ANY OF THESE REPORTS IN THIS NEWSCAST AGAIN, THEY WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE TO YOU NO LATER THAN TUESDAY NIGHT ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL.

YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS MORE OF OUR CONTENT BY VISITING THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT FACEBOOK PAGE.

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

LENZ.

EVERYONE STAY SAFE THIS WEEKEND.

REMEMBER MLK, REMEMBER MLK.

HE TRIED TO LEAD THE WAY.

HE TRIED TO LEAD THE WAY, BUT HE WAS SHOT ONE DAY.

HE WAS SHOT ONE DAY IN THE EARLY MORNING.

IN THE EARLY MORNING.

IT'S ALRIGHT, IT'S ALRIGHT, IT'S ALRIGHT, IT'S ALRIGHT, IT'S ALRIGHT, IT'S OKAY, IT'S ALRIGHT, IT'S OKAY.

I'VE SEEN BETTER DAYS, I'VE SEEN BETTER DAYS.

HEY HEY HEY.

ON THE NEXT GALLERY, AMERICA, WE HIT ROUTE 66 TO MEET ARTISTS USING THEIR WORK TO PRESERVE ITS HISTORY.

FIRST WE MEET JERRY MCCLANAHAN, WHO