ONLINE TODAY.

THE CUSHING OIL HUB IN SERIOUS NEED OF A TOP OFF.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE SITTING AT ABOUT 21.6 MILLION BARRELS.

SO WE'VE DEPLETED ABOUT 70 MILLION BARRELS OF THAT FACILITY UP THERE AT CUSHING, MAKING THE DREAM OF OWNING A HOME A REALITY FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE FOR US.

IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE FOR EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST AREN'T ABLE TO AFFORD THE INCREASED HOUSING COSTS.

AMERICA'S BEST GYMNASTS COMPETING FOR NATIONAL TITLES IN TULSA.

IT'S REALLY THAT LAUNCHING POINT TO GETTING ON THE NATIONAL TEAM AND THEN MAYBE MOVING ON TO THE OLYMPIC TEAM IN 2028, THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY FOR A CAMP FOR YOUNG ARTISTS AT QUARTZ MOUNTAIN.

LEARNING FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE BEFOREHAND, JUST LEARNING TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND REALLY JUST BE CREATIVE IN EVERYTHING.

AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON A CRITICAL BLOOD SUPPLY SHORTAGE IN OKLAHOMA.

WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PRODUCT THAT YOU CAN DERIVE FROM 7% OF THE POPULATION, BUT GIVE TO 100% OF THE POPULATION, YOU CAN SEE WHERE A SHORTAGE CAN DEVELOP QUITE EASILY.

THOSE STORIES, PLUS MORE SOONER MAGIC IN OMAHA.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

I'M RICH LENZ.

THE NATION'S LARGEST COMMERCIAL OIL STORAGE FACILITY IS IN CUSHING, OKLAHOMA.

AND RIGHT NOW, THEIR STORAGE TANKS NEED A REFILL TO REMAIN OPERATIONAL.

HOW DO WE GET TO THIS POINT?

HOW WILL IT BE FIXED?

AND WHAT, IF ANYTHING, DOES IT MEAN FOR YOUR SUMMER DRIVING PLANS?

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH SOME OF THE ANSWERS.

JASON.

RICH OIL PRICES HAVE BEEN COMING DOWN SINCE PEACE TALKS WITH IRAN HAVE BEGUN.

WEST TEXAS INTERMEDIATE CRUDE PRICES AT CUSHING, OKLAHOMA, ENDED THURSDAY AT $71.92 A BARREL.

THAT'S A DROP OF MORE THAN 11% SINCE LAST WEEK.

AND THAT'S A SIGN PRICES AT THE PUMP COULD BE COMING DOWN TO.

OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS, HEARING THAT SOUND ALSO MEANT YOU WERE DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER INTO YOUR POCKETBOOK.

CUT YOUR TRAVEL DOWN.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEREVER YOU'RE GOING IS IMPORTANT.

MOST OF THE TIME IT'S WORK AND HOME OR TO SOME TYPE OF ACTIVITY.

BUT YOU CUT BACK ON YOUR BUDGET BIG TIME.

WHEN WHEN PRICES WAS $354.

OH MAN, IT HURT IN MY POCKET.

ALTON HARKEY SAYS HE ALSO FOCUSES ON WHAT HE NEEDS TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO SAVING ON GASOLINE, LIKE LOOKING FOR THE BEST PRICE KIND OF HIGH.

I MEAN, I REMEMBER BACK WHEN THEY WERE $0.99 BACK IN THE 90S.

BUT SO WHAT I DO, I PRICE, I PRICE SHOP, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AT THE LOWEST PRICE.

ANYTHING UNDER $3.

I'M GOOD WITH THAT.

OF COURSE, THE IRAQ CONFLICT HAS IMPACTED GASOLINE PRICES SINCE THE FIRST MISSILES WERE FIRED ON FEBRUARY 28TH.

WHAT MAY KEEP PRICES HIGHER IS THAT THE NATION'S SUPPLY OF CRUDE OIL IN STORAGE IS NEARING HISTORIC LOWS.

THE MAXIMUM STORAGE CAPABILITY FOR CRUDE OIL AT CUSHING IS ABOUT 91 MILLION BARRELS.

AND RIGHT NOW, WE'RE SITTING AT ABOUT 21.6 MILLION BARRELS.

SO WE'VE DEPLETED ABOUT 70 MILLION BARRELS OF THAT FACILITY UP THERE AT CUSHING.

WITH THE CLOSURE OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ BY IRAN, AMERICAN OIL BECAME THE BACKUP FOR GLOBAL MARKETS.

IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY, WE CONSUME ABOUT 100 MILLION BARRELS A DAY, OKAY.

AND THERE WERE ABOUT 13 MILLION BARRELS A DAY MOVING THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ WHEN THE WAR STARTED.

SO ABOUT 13% OF THE WORLD'S OIL SUPPLY WAS COMING THROUGH THAT STRAIT, AND THAT GOT CUT OFF.

THERE WAS A LOT OF OIL ON THE OCEAN, TOO.

BEFORE THE WAR STARTED, THERE WAS ABOUT 800 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL IN TANKERS ON THE OCEANS.

WHEN THIS WAR STARTED, 800 MILLION BARRELS.

AND THAT STUFF, OF COURSE, BEEN DRAWN DOWN TO EARLY THIS WEEK, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP SAID DURING AN ECONOMIC SPEECH IN PENNSYLVANIA THAT THE STRAIT IS OPEN AS PEACE TALKS CONTINUE.

AS YOU KNOW, WE JUST ACHIEVED A HISTORIC PEACE AGREEMENT WITH IRAN TO END THE CONFLICT IN THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ.

AND BY THE WAY, YESTERDAY, 19 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL FLOWED OUT OF THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ, A VERY BEAUTIFUL PLACE, HE ADDS.

GAS PRICES ARE COMING DOWN.

THE AVERAGE PRICE OF GASOLINE NATIONWIDE IS DOWN $0.60 A GALLON JUST FROM A SHORT WHILE AGO, DEPENDING HOW A SHORT WHILE AGO IS DEFINED.

PRESIDENT TRUMP IS RIGHT.

ACCORDING TO TRIPLE A, OKLAHOMA.

THE CURRENT PRICE FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR UNLEADED IN OUR STATE IS $3.43 A GALLON, WITH NATIONAL AVERAGE AT $3.93 A GALLON.

IT WAS $0.09 HIGHER IN OKLAHOMA A WEEK AGO AND $0.58 HIGHER A MONTH AGO.

JUST A YEAR AGO, OKLAHOMA MOTORISTS WERE FILLING UP AT $2.83 A GALLON.

THE HIGHER PRICES ARE SIMPLY A FACTOR OF CLASSIC ECONOMICS.

WHEN SUPPLY IS LOW, PRICES GO UP.

IN THIS CASE, SUPPLY HAS BEEN REDUCED BECAUSE ABOUT 13 MILLION BARRELS A DAY IS NOT COMING THROUGH THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ.

SO THERE'S LESS OIL SUPPLIED TO THE WORLD MARKET.

AND AS A RESULT, THE PRICE OF CRUDE OIL HAS GONE UP.

AND THUS THE PRICE OF GASOLINE HAS GONE UP.

NEGOTIATORS, INCLUDING VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE, ARE WORKING ON A PLAN TO KEEP THE TRANSIT OF SHIPS SAFE, WHILE A PERMANENT PEACE PLAN IS BEING WORKED OUT.

WE ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ACTUALLY SET UP THE COORDINATION MECHANISM SO THAT WE COULD DE-MINE THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ SO THAT WHEN THERE ARE THE CONFLICTS THAT INEVITABLY COME UP, WE CAN MAKE SURE WE WORK THROUGH THEM RATHER THAN THAT LEADING TO ESCALATION.

EVEN IF THINGS WENT BACK TO PRE-WAR SHIPPING LEVELS, THE RELIEF WOULD NOT BE FELT IMMEDIATELY.

WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY BE DEALING WITH A SHORTAGE IN SUPPLY FOR PROBABLY THE REMAINDER OF 2026 AND LIKELY INTO 2027.

PETROLEUM ALLIANCE OF OKLAHOMA PRESIDENT BROOKS SIMMONS SAYS THE STORAGE AND CUSHING STARTED 2026 AT A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL.

WE ENTERED 2026 OVERSUPPLIED ON CRUDE OIL, AND NOW WE'RE UNDERSUPPLIED ON CRUDE OIL, SO IT TAKES ABOUT 4 TO 6 MONTHS TO SORT OF CHANGE THE TRAJECTORY, SECURE THE DRILLING RIGS THAT ARE NECESSARY, DRILL THOSE WELLS, COMPLETE THOSE WELLS, AND BRING THAT PRODUCTION ONLINE.

THE WAY THINGS APPEAR NOW, MORE PRODUCTION COULD BE COMING TO OKLAHOMA.

THE TRENDS ACTUALLY SUGGEST, BASED UPON WHERE WE'VE BEEN HEADED, THAT THERE WILL BE RENEWED INTEREST IN OKLAHOMA AND OTHER PLACES.

MORE PRODUCTION DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT MORE OIL WILL GO INTO STORAGE RIGHT AWAY.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO STEVE AGEE.

EVEN IF THEY OPEN UP THE STRAITS OF HORMUZ NOW AND THIS, IT'S GOING TO TAKE WEEKS.

OKAY.

IT WILL TAKE ACTUALLY PROBABLY MONTHS FOR THIS OIL TO MOVE ITS WAY BACK AROUND TO THE WORLD MARKETS.

AND FOR THAT TO STABILIZE.

IF ANOTHER DISRUPTION HAPPENS, IT COULD ALSO SLOW A RETURN TO HIGHER OIL INVENTORIES IN THE U.S.

YOU KNOW, WITH THESE LEVEL OF INVENTORIES, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO SORT OF HANDLE ANY SORT OF NEAR-TERM CRISIS, LIKE A HURRICANE THAT AFFECTS THE GULF COAST REFINERIES OR STOCK, OR THIS CREATES A SUPPLY DISRUPTION OR SOME OTHER SORT OF NEAR TERM MILITARY CONFLICT.

AS OIL PRICES COME DOWN, IT WILL BE LIKELY MORE CRUDE OIL WILL MAKE IT INTO STORAGE.

I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT WILL HAPPEN, BOTH IN TERMS OF CUSHING AND IN TERMS OF THE STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE.

WHEN THOSE PRICES COME DOWN, YOU KNOW, IT'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO JUST SHIFT YOUR PRODUCTION INTO STORAGE.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO SELL IT ON THE OPEN MARKET.

OUR FRIEND AT THE PUMP, ALTAN, HOPES THEY GET THINGS FIGURED OUT SOON.

WE GET BACK TO 2052152 50 IS GOOD.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAY, GAS, OIL, OIL PRICES AND STUFF LIKE THAT GOES UP, GAS GOES UP.

SO BUT I CAN DEAL WITH 250 OR BELOW THAT, THAT 289 $3 AND PLUS IS ROUGH.

THIS WEEK, PRESIDENT TRUMP ALSO STATED THAT HE BELIEVES OIL COMPANIES ARE PRICE GOUGING AND IS THREATENING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE LIKES OF EXXON AND CHEVRON.

RICH.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

WELL, ANOTHER VITAL FLUID THAT IS RUNNING LOW IN OKLAHOMA IS OUR BLOOD SUPPLY.

AND THE BLOOD INSTITUTE IS SOUNDING THE ALARM, DECLARING AN EMERGENCY SHORTAGE WITH O-NEGATIVE BLOOD AT A CRITICALLY LOW LEVEL.

IN OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION, MODERATOR SUSAN GOUDEAU WILL SPEAK WITH OB, I AND OTHERS TO DISCUSS WAYS TO GET MORE OKLAHOMANS TO DONATE MORE OF THIS LIFESAVING LIQUID.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

THAT HOUR THAT YOU SPEND.

IF THAT BLOOD GOES TO A CHILD IN TRAUMA AND THERE ARE 2000 KIDS WHO DIE IN TRAUMA, CAR ACCIDENTS, MOSTLY WHO COULD BE SAVED IF THAT BLOOD, THAT O-NEGATIVE WHOLE BLOOD, THAT O-POSITIVE WHOLE BLOOD WAS AVAILABLE.

COME AND TOUCH THE LIFE OF SOMEBODY WHO CAN LIVE INTO THE 22ND CENTURY AT OU HEALTH.

AT OUR TRAUMA CENTER, WE GET OVER 9000 TRAUMA PATIENTS A YEAR, A VERY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THESE USE BLOOD.

OUR HIGHEST TRAUMA MONTHS ARE CERTAINLY IN THE SUMMER.

THIS WEEK ALONE, WE HAVE GIVEN TO A TRAUMA PATIENTS OVER 40 UNITS OF BLOOD.

THIS O-NEGATIVE BLOOD THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THIS UNIVERSAL DONOR IS NO MORE THAN 7% OF THE POPULATION.

WOW.

AND SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PRODUCT THAT YOU CAN DERIVE FROM 7% OF THE POPULATION, BUT GIVE TO 100% OF THE POPULATION, YOU CAN SEE WHERE A SHORTAGE CAN DEVELOP QUITE EASILY.

THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

OKLAHOMANS THROUGHOUT THE STATE ARE FIXING UP DAMAGE LEFT BEHIND BY A RARE DERECHO THAT SWEPT IN FROM THE NORTHWEST INTO SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA ON SUNDAY NIGHT.

SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT WIND DAMAGE WAS IN CANADIAN COUNTY.

OFFICIALS SAY NEARLY A DOZEN HOMES WERE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED.

THE WINDS REACHING MORE THAN 100MPH IN SOME AREAS, KNOCKING OUT POWER TO MORE THAN 83,000 HOMES AND BUSINESSES.

NOW, LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED.

GOVERNOR SAID EXTENDED A STATE OF EMERGENCY TO INCLUDE COUNTIES IMPACTED BY THE STORM.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE GREAT AMERICAN DREAM, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT COMES TO MIND IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE YOUR VERY OWN HOME.

BUT FOR TOO MANY FIRST TIME BUYERS, THAT DREAM IS CURRENTLY OUT OF REACH.

OKLAHOMA CITY IS TRYING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

AND STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW WITH THE DETAILS, STEVE.

RICH, LAST FALL, OKLAHOMA CITY VOTERS APPROVED A BOND THAT CREATED $50 MILLION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IT'S EIGHT MONTHS LATER, AND THE CITY SAYS THERE ARE SIGNS OF PROGRESS.

BUT DID THE GUY THAT USED TO LIVE HERE WAS A WORLD WAR TWO PRISONER OF WAR?

AMBER MANGUS HAS BEEN LOOKING TO BUY HER FIRST HOUSE FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS.

AMBER IS A MANAGER AT BIG TRUCK TACOS IN NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA CITY.

I'VE KIND OF ALWAYS DREAMED OF OWNING A HOME, AND I DIDN'T REALLY SEE THAT AS POSSIBLE.

WITH MY INCOME AND WITH MY CURRENT JOB, I DO FEEL A LOT MORE FINANCIALLY STABLE.

SO I HAVE A LITTLE NEST EGG, AND I KIND OF THOUGHT IT WAS TIME.

AMBER LEARNED A QUICK LESSON EARLY IN HER SEARCH.

SHE THOUGHT SHE'D FOUND HER IDEAL HOME UNTIL SHE TOURED THE HOUSE WITH REALTOR JESSICA THOMPSON.

IT LOOKED REALLY NICE FROM THE OUTSIDE KIND OF PERSPECTIVE OF NOT KNOWING ANYTHING.

AND SO ONCE WE GOT INTO IT, IMMEDIATELY I KNEW THAT EVERYTHING SHE WAS POINTING OUT WAS VALID, AND THAT WAS NOT THE HOME FOR ME.

THOMPSON SAYS THAT $50 MILLION BOND VOTE LAST YEAR CAN HELP HOME BUYERS LIKE AMBER.

THE CITY HAS A LOT OF PROGRAMS, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR LOWER INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.

THEY HAVE PROGRAMS WHERE YOU CAN GET HOUSING, REHAB.

SO IF YOU HAVE IF YOU ALREADY OWN A HOME AND YOU NEED A NEW ROOF OR EMERGENCY ROOF PATCH, YOU KNOW YOU'VE GOT A HOLE OR LEAK, THE CITY HAS FUNDS TO HELP PEOPLE IN THOSE SITUATIONS.

I DON'T KNOW THAT IT'S UTILIZED ENOUGH.

THE BIG HURDLE FOR MANY FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS IS COMING UP WITH THAT DOWN PAYMENT.

YOU LOOK AT THE ONES THAT CAN QUALIFY FOR A LOAN BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOU'RE GOING TO GET THAT DOWN.

PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE CASH, SO YOU NEED A LOAN, AND THERE'S NOT A TON OF HOMES ON THE MARKET THAT QUALIFY FOR A LOAN FOR A FIRST TIME HOME BUYER WITHIN THAT PRICE RANGE.

SO ACKNOWLEDGING THAT WITH CITY COUNCIL LETTING THEM KNOW, HEY, THIS IS THE SITUATION WE'RE IN, WE REALLY NEED TO FOCUS ON THIS.

AMAZON EMPLOYEE JAMES JACKSON IS ALSO LOOKING FOR HIS FIRST HOME.

IT'S BEEN A FEW PLACES.

I WORK ON THE SOUTHWEST SIDE OF OKLAHOMA CITY AT THE AMAZON LOCATION DOWN THERE AND SOMETHING MORE SOUTH SIDE.

I'VE BEEN LIVING NORTH SIDE MOST OF MY LIFE AND FINDING SOMETHING IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD BE NICE AND CONVENIENT, JACKSON SAYS.

FOR HIM, THE MONTHLY MORTGAGE PAYMENT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN WHAT HE PUTS DOWN.

DEFINITELY.

I WANT TO KEEP IT DOWN ENOUGH WHERE I CAN AFFORD, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I'M 60 YEARS OR ALMOST 60 YEARS OLD.

SO PROBABLY IN THE NEXT FIVE, SEVEN YEARS, I'LL BE LOOKING AT RETIREMENT.

OVER IN THE CAPITOL HILL NEIGHBORHOOD RECENTLY, WE CAUGHT UP WITH CHERYL LOVELADY.

HER NONPROFIT, POSITIVELY PASEO, IS BUILDING AFFORDABLE HOUSES IN CAPITOL HILL.

I'VE GOT FOUR HOUSES UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND MY PLAN IS TO HAVE TWO QUADPLEXES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THEM, SO WE'LL SEE HOW THAT GOES.

WHAT'S THE CITY'S ROLE IN THIS?

THE CITY IS THE PARTICIPATING JURISDICTION WITH THE FEDERAL OFFICE OF HUD.

AND SO THEY ARE THE THEY ARE THE PASS THROUGH AND THE AND THE JURISDICTION FOR THE FUNDS.

THEY HELP SUBSIDIZE THESE HOMES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THEM AFFORDABLE FOR FOR QUALIFIED BUYERS, LOVELADY SAYS FOLKS WHO BUY THESE HOMES WILL PAY 12 OR $1300 A MONTH FOR THE MORTGAGE.

THESE HOMES ARE INCREDIBLY ENERGY EFFICIENT.

THE HOMES ARE BEING BUILT WITH INSULATED CONCRETE, AND THAT IS STYROFOAM ON BOTH SIDES OF ABOUT NINE INCH THICK WALLS FILLED WITH CONCRETE, SO THEY WILL LOOK LIKE EVERY OTHER HOME THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN A IN A MODERN SPANISH COLONIAL STYLE, WHICH REALLY HELPS HONOR THE FLAVOR OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

THEY'LL BE GORGEOUS AND ENERGY EFFICIENT FOR THE BUYERS, AND LOVELADY'S NONPROFIT IS PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON A 22 HOME AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CALLED THE VILLAGE ON WALNUT, JUST A FEW BLOCKS FROM THE STATE CAPITOL.

SHANNON INNS IS THE MANAGER OF OKLAHOMA CITY'S HOUSING STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION EFFORT.

IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE FOR US.

IT'S AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ISSUE FOR EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE JUST AREN'T ABLE TO AFFORD THE INCREASED HOUSING COSTS, AND YOU CAN ADD TRANSPORTATION COSTS TO THAT.

YOU KNOW, ALL OF THOSE THINGS ADD UP TO WHAT PEOPLE CAN AFFORD EVERY MONTH.

AND HOUSING IS KIND OF THE MOST BASIC BESIDES FOOD, THE MOST BASIC THING YOU NEED TO SURVIVE.

AND WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT HELP PEOPLE BUY HOMES.

WE HAVE SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT HELP REHAB HOMES.

REHAB OF HOMES IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW.

WE HAVE 34,000 UNITS IN OKLAHOMA CITY THAT NEED, YOU KNOW, SEVERE REPAIRS.

AND SO WE NEED TO HELP ADDRESS THAT.

TRANSPORTATION COSTS ARE NOT GOING TO GO DOWN JUST LIKE HOUSING OR ANYTHING ELSE.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IN OKLAHOMA, THINGS ARE SO SPREAD OUT.

WE HAVE LARGE LOTS.

WE HAVE LARGE CITIES AND PEOPLE CAN'T JUST WALK EVERYWHERE.

SO WE NEED TO BE REBUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE SO PEOPLE CAN WALK TO WORK OR WALK TO SCHOOL AND CHURCH WHEREVER THEY WANT TO GO.

BUT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE AFFORDABLE SYSTEMS OF TRANSPORTATION, WHICH, YEAH, IT IS DEFINITELY BEEN A MAJOR, MAJOR PRIORITY FOR THE CITY FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

OKLAHOMA CITY COUNCIL PERSON JAMES COOPER SAYS $50 MILLION IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A GOOD START.

A MYTH WHICH PERSISTS RIGHT NOW IS SOME FOLK HAVE MEMORIES OF BUYING A HOME IN THE 80S AND 90S AS A STARTER HOME, AND THEY THINK, WELL, I WAS ABLE TO GET ENOUGH OF A DOWN PAYMENT AND GO BUY A HOUSE.

WHY CAN'T PEOPLE JUST GO DO THAT RIGHT NOW?

BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT $200 A SQUARE FOOT TO BUY A HOME, AND WE HAVE 19,400 OKLAHOMA CITIZENS WHO ARE IN NEED OF 1 TO 2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS OR HOMES.

AND RIGHT NOW, WE ONLY HAVE AROUND 3600 OF THOSE HOMES.

WHEN YOU HAVE LESS SUPPLY, THEN THAT DRIVES UP THE COST.

SO WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WAYS WE CAN USE THAT $50 MILLION TO INCENTIVIZE LOCAL DEVELOPERS TO BUILD HOUSING THAT MEETS THAT MIDDLE AND LOW INCOME NEED POSITIVELY.

CHERYL LOVELADY STARTED HER NONPROFIT 33 YEARS AGO.

SINCE THAT TIME, POSITIVELY PASEO HAS BUILT CLOSE TO 70 AFFORDABLE HOMES IN OKLAHOMA CITY'S PASEO DISTRICT.

RICH, STEVE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE OKLAHOMA SOONERS BASEBALL TEAM WHO CRUSHED NORTH CAROLINA ON MONDAY NIGHT, 13 TO 2 TO WIN THEIR THIRD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP, COMPLETING ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE POSTSEASON RUNS IN RECENT MEMORY.

THE SOONERS CLOSED OUT THE REGULAR SEASON BY LOSING THEIR LAST FOUR SERIES, AND THEN THEY CAUGHT FIRE WHEN IT MATTERED MOST.

EASILY THE HOTTEST TEAM IN THE COUNTRY AT THE END.

THE UNSEEDED SOONERS BEAT THE NUMBER TWO, THREE AND FIVE SEEDS ON THEIR WAY TO WINNING IT ALL IN OMAHA.

HATS OFF TO COACH SKIP JOHNSON AND HIS TEAM.

THE USA GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE UNDERWAY IN TULSA.

ALMOST 2000 ATHLETES ARE COMPETING AT VARIOUS LEVELS AND AGES AT THE CONVENTION CENTER AND BOK ARENA, INCLUDING MORE THAN 500 ELITE ATHLETES AND POSSIBLE FUTURE OLYMPIANS.

NATIONAL TITLES WILL BE WON IN ACROBATIC RHYTHMIC TRAMPOLINE AND TUMBLING COMPETITIONS.

ONE OF THE BEST OF THE BEST IS 28 YEAR OLD VETERAN NICOLE OSSINGER, A TWO TIME OLYMPIAN HOPING TO COMPETE IN THE L.A.

SUMMER GAMES IN 2028.

YEAH, THEY CALL ME GRANDMA, AND IT MAKES ME A LITTLE SAD BECAUSE I'M LIKE, I'M NOT THAT OLD.

I'M ONLY 28 YEARS OLD.

BUT IT'S IT'S TRUE.

I'M COMPETING AGAINST GIRLS THAT ARE 17, 18 YEARS OLD AND THEY'RE SO GOOD AND SO TALENTED.

I LOOK BACK AND I'M LIKE, MAN, I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN THAT GOOD, BUT MAYBE I WAS.

MAYBE I'M JUST A LITTLE NOT AS, I GUESS, CONFIDENT AS I WAS WHEN I WAS YOUNGER.

BUT IT'S REALLY AWESOME TO SEE THESE KIDS SHOW UP.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE.

I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO COMPETE IN A AN ARENA LIKE THIS WITH ALL THE FANS AND EVERYBODY HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.

IT'S GOING TO BE A GREAT COMPETITION.

I'M JUST EXCITED TO GET OUT THERE AND SHOW PEOPLE WHAT I GOT.

RIGHT NOW, THESE ELITE ATHLETES ARE COMPETING FOR NATIONAL TITLES, BUT THEY'RE ALSO COMPETING FOR SPOTS ON OUR NATIONAL TEAM.

AND IF YOU ARE ON OUR NATIONAL TEAM, THAT MEANS YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SELECTED FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WORLD CUP COMPETITIONS.

SO IT'S REALLY THAT LAUNCHING POINT TO GETTING ON THE NATIONAL TEAM AND THEN MAYBE MOVING ON TO THE OLYMPIC TEAM IN 2028.

BUT THERE IS AN INCREDIBLE PIPELINE OF YOUNG TALENT, AND THE TALENT CAN BE QUITE YOUNG.

AND SO THE YOUNGER YOU ARE, THE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE THAT YOU HAVE.

SO A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, YOU MIGHT GET AN 18 YEAR OLD WHO JUST COMES HERE AND THROWS DOWN SOME CRAZY SKILL, AND HE ENDS UP ON TOP.

THE FOUR DAY EVENT BEGAN ON THURSDAY, AND IT'S GOING TO WRAP UP ON SATURDAY NIGHT.

FOR 50 YEARS, THE OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE HAS BEEN INVITING YOUNG ARTISTS TO QUARTZ MOUNTAIN IN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS AT ART CAMPS HELD IN THE SUMMER AND FALL.

TAELYR JACKSON TOOK A TRIP TO GREER COUNTY THIS WEEK AND JOINS US NOW WITH MORE TAELYR RICH.

EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 200 STUDENTS SPEND A SMALL PART OF THEIR SUMMER AT QUARTZ MOUNTAIN HONING THEIR CRAFT.

AND I MUST SAY, THESE STUDENTS ARE EXTREMELY TALENTED.

50 YEARS IS SUCH A MILESTONE.

SINCE 1977, THE OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE HAS PROVIDED AN ENRICHING ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUNG ARTISTS TO CULTIVATE THEIR TALENT.

WE WERE FOUNDED IN THIS BOLD VISION THAT STARTED OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE, THINKING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE SHOULD AND CAN BRING EXCELLENCE IN ARTS EDUCATION TO THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

THE INSTITUTE WAS FOUNDED BY MARY FRITZ.

THE FIRST SUMMER CAMP WAS HELD AS A THREE DAY PILOT PROGRAM AT CAMP EGAN IN THE OZARK MOUNTAINS.

PRIMA BALLERINA MARIA TALLCHIEF AND RENOWNED POET DONALD HALL SERVED AS INSTRUCTORS THAT FIRST YEAR PRESIDENT AND CEO SHANNON GILBERT SAYS IT WASN'T UNTIL 1978 THAT QUARTZ MOUNTAIN BECAME HOME FOR THE OKLAHOMA SUMMER ARTS INSTITUTE.

TO THINK OF SUSTAINING THIS PROGRAM OVER 50 YEARS IS ALSO SUCH A FEAT, AND SUCH A TESTAMENT TO SO MANY OF OUR SUPPORTERS AND DONORS AND TEACHERS AND FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY.

SO IT'S REALLY SPECIAL FOR US TO JUST REMEMBER THOSE STORIES AND THAT LEGACY, AND THEN LOOKING TOWARD THE NEXT 50 YEARS OF HOW MANY MORE STUDENTS CAN WE IMPACT THROUGH THE ARTS IN OUR STATE?

GILBERT SAYS THE PROGRAM IS UNIQUE COMPARED TO OTHER PROGRAMS AROUND THE STATE.

EVERY STUDENT WHO IS SELECTED AND ATTENDS COMES ON A FULL SCHOLARSHIP.

THAT IS UNHEARD OF FOR A PROGRAM LIKE THIS, WITH THE AMOUNT OF INSTRUCTION THAT'S OFFERED AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, FOOD AND LODGING INCLUDED.

THAT'S IT'S AROUND LIKE $4,500 VALUE.

THE PROGRAM OFFERS EIGHT DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES THAT STUDENTS CAN CHOOSE FROM CHORAL, ORCHESTRA, ACTING, FILM PHOTOGRAPHY, CREATIVE WRITING, DRAWING, AND PAINTING.

THERE'S JUST SO MUCH FOR STUDENTS TO DO HERE, AND SOME OF OUR STUDENTS WILL ATTEND ONE YEAR IN CHORUS, AND THEN THE NEXT YEAR THEY'LL BE IN OUR ACTING PROGRAM.

AND TO HAVE ALL OF THOSE, IT'S EIGHT DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES OF ART, TO HAVE IT HERE, ALL HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME.

IT'S JUST AN INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE, AND IT'S UNLIKE ANY OTHER PROGRAM IN THE COUNTRY.

IN THAT SENSE.

ALEXANDER LETHBRIDGE IS ONE OF THE MANY STUDENTS WHO RETURNED FOR ANOTHER YEAR IN 2025.

HIS DISCIPLINE WAS COURSE, BUT THIS YEAR HE'S DOING DRAWING AND PAINTING.

SO IN KIND OF CONTRAST TO THE LAST DISCIPLINE WITH REHEARSALS, AND WE GOT OUR MUSIC BEFOREHAND, GOING INTO DRAWING AND PAINTING, ALL WE KNEW WAS THE INSTRUCTOR'S NAME AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE DRAWING AND PAINTING.

SO REALLY, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING TO COME OUT OF IT.

SO IT WAS REALLY JUST A GREAT EXPERIENCE LEARNING FROM DAPHNE, OUR INSTRUCTOR, WHO'S BEEN WONDERFUL, AND JUST GETTING TO SPEND TIME WITH ALL OTHER ARTISTS OF THE SAME DISCIPLINE.

LETHBRIDGE BELIEVES HIS EXPERIENCE AT QUARTZ MOUNTAIN WILL HELP HIM IN HIS FUTURE ENDEAVORS.

WHAT I WANT TO DO IN THE FUTURE IS LIKELY ARCHITECTURE, SO LEARNING FROM THIS EXPERIENCE AND THE EXPERIENCE BEFOREHAND, JUST LEARNING TO COLLABORATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND REALLY JUST BE CREATIVE AND EVERYTHING IN EVERY WAY THAT YOU LIVE LIFE, I THINK WILL BE REALLY, REALLY USEFUL JUST IN MY FUTURE, WHEREVER I CHOOSE TO GO TO COLLEGE OR PURSUE AS A CAREER.

MANY STUDENTS ENJOY THEIR EXPERIENCE SO MUCH, THEY OFTEN RETURN AS A CAMP LIAISON.

THERE'S NOTHING BUT SUPPORT HERE.

LIKE EVEN ON THE FACULTY SIDE OF THINGS, WE AS COUNSELORS ARE ALWAYS SUPPORTED NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS HERE AT CAMP AND ORCHESTRA ITSELF, WE TAKE CARE OF 86 STUDENTS AND 16 FACULTY.

AND SO BEING HERE AT THE MOUNTAINS AND BEING ENGULFED BY EVERY SINGLE, ALMOST EVERY SINGLE KIND OF ART FORM IS JUST TRULY INSPIRING.

SYDNEY MCCLEARY IS THE ORCHESTRA LIAISON, SHE SAYS.

DURING THE WEEK, STUDENTS BREAK OFF INTO SECTIONS TO LEARN NEW MUSIC.

THEN THEY COME ALL TOGETHER IN THE AFTERNOON TO PRACTICE AS A WHOLE.

THEY'RE DOING FILM SCORE MUSIC, WHICH IS HONESTLY SO EXCITING BECAUSE MOST OF THESE STUDENTS ONLY GET TO EXPERIENCE CLASSICAL MUSIC.

AND SO WITH HAVING LISA GROSSMAN HERE, GIVING THEM THE MORE CONTEMPORARY SIDE OF THINGS, ALL THE STUDENTS ARE LIKE, OH MY GOSH, THIS IS SO NEW AND DIFFERENT.

AND SO I THINK THE STUDENTS ARE REALLY DIGGING THE MUSIC.

THIS WEEK, MANY OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE ALUMNI HAVE GONE ON TO MAKE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES IN THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, LIKE MEGAN MULLALLY, BEST KNOWN FOR PLAYING KAREN WALKER ON THE NBC SITCOM WILL AND GRACE, PIONEER WOMAN REE DRUMMOND AND PHOTOGRAPHER TROY WORD.

THE OKLAHOMA ARTS INSTITUTE RECRUITS NATIONALLY RENOWNED ARTISTS TO TEACH AT QUARTZ MOUNTAIN EACH YEAR, CHORAL INSTRUCTOR JEFFREY ALAN MURDOCH TRAVELED ALL THE WAY FROM OUR NEIGHBORING STATE, ARKANSAS.

TYPICALLY, OUR STUDENTS ON THE CHORAL SIDE WILL HAVE HAD A SECTIONAL BEGINNING AT 9 A.M.

AND SO THEY DO THAT FOR AN HOUR, AND THEN WE DO A FULL REHEARSAL FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.

WE HAVE LUNCH IN THE AFTERNOON.

THE TENORS AND BASES HAVE SECTIONALS, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER FULL REHEARSAL FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS.

THIS IS MURDOCH'S SECOND YEAR INSTRUCTING AT THE SUMMER INSTITUTE.

HE SAYS QUARTZ MOUNTAINS PROVIDES A GREAT ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS TO FOCUS ON THEIR TALENTS.

THE WAY IN WHICH THE TEACHERS PREPARE THE STUDENTS FOR THIS EXPERIENCE, THE WAY THE STUDENTS FEEL OBLIGATED AND MOTIVATED TO PREPARE AS WELL.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT DOES NOT HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE IN THIS COUNTRY.

AND SO HAVING TRAVELED ALL OVER AND HAVING DONE EXPERIENCES LIKE THIS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY AND DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD, I CAN INDEED SAY THAT QUARTZ MOUNTAIN IS A SPECIAL PLACE.

GILBERT SAYS IT'S REWARDING TO SEE THE IMPACT THE PROGRAM MAKES ON STUDENTS LIVES, AND FOR A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE WHERE THEY COME HERE AND THEY FEEL LIKE THEY CAN SEE A FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES, EITHER IN THE ARTS OR WHATEVER THEIR CHOSEN PATH IS THAT STICKS WITH THEM.

AND MANY OF OUR STUDENTS SAY THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE.

IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUMMER PROGRAM AT QUARTZ MOUNTAIN, VISIT A CORTREZ.ORG.

RICH.

WHAT A GREAT CAMP.

AND SO IS THIS ONE.

CAMP KESEM WAS ESTABLISHED 26 YEARS AGO TO CREATE A FUN AND NURTURING PLACE FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY A PARENT BATTLING CANCER.

NOAH MACK VISITED THIS YEAR'S OKLAHOMA CABIN, ANADARKO, AND JOINS US NOW FROM OUR NEWSROOM.

NOAH RICH.

THE PROGRAM IS BASED AT OU AND THE ONLY ONE IN OKLAHOMA.

AND LIKE A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS, COVID STIFLED FUNDING AND OUTREACH IN BUILDING BACK.

THEY HOPE TO SPREAD THEIR SERVICES TO KIDS IN FURTHER REACHES OF THE STATE.

AT CAMP KESEM, KIDS PLAY LIKE ANY OTHER KIDS ON SUMMER BREAK, BUT WHAT THEY SCORE HERE.

LEAVES WITH THEM BEYOND THE CAMP GROUNDS, AND OUR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT CHILDREN THROUGH AND BEYOND THEIR PARENT'S CANCER.

A LOT OF TIMES WHENEVER YOU'RE IN THESE SITUATIONS, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO BE AN ADULT OR YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO GROW UP REALLY FAST.

AND KESEM GIVES THEM A SPACE WHERE THEY CAN JUST BE KIDS.

DOCTOR CARRICK CARTER, CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST AT OU CHILDREN'S, SERVES FAMILIES IMPACTED BY CANCER.

YOUNG CHILDREN OFTEN RECEIVE INFORMATION IN A VERY KIND OF CONCRETE TYPE WAY WHERE THEY ARE VERY INTERESTED IN PHYSICALLY WHAT IS GOING ON, AND PRACTICALLY HOW THAT CHANGES THEIR DAY TO DAY.

AS KIDS GET OLDER, THEY UNDERSTAND MORE ABSTRACT CONCEPTS AND SO RECEIVING INFORMATION, THEY MAY BE HAVING BIG THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT WHAT IS LIFE?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE SICK?

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE DEAD?

IN A MORE ABSTRACT WAY, KESEM HAS TWO NURSES AND TWO MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AT CAMP TO HELP KIDS NAVIGATE THEIR HOME LIFE.

THE CAMP IS ALSO EXCLUSIVELY ORGANIZED AND LED BY COLLEGE STUDENTS.

SO THERE'S SOME CHALLENGES IN LIKE WORKING AROUND SCHEDULES AND, YOU KNOW, JUST THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF BEING AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT.

BUT THERE'S SOME REAL, REAL ADVANTAGES OF YOUR LEARNING.

INCREDIBLE INTERPERSONAL SKILLS.

OUTGOING DIRECTOR HUNTER HELVEY IS EYEING A CAREER AS A PHYSICIAN, AND KESEM IS PREPARING HIM FOR THAT ROLE.

AS I GO FORWARD IN MY CAREER, THE LESSONS I'VE LEARNED HERE, AND HOW TO EMPATHIZE WITH THE POPULATION THAT WE SERVE WILL IMPACT MY ABILITY TO PRACTICE MEDICINE AND HELP PATIENTS ONE DAY, AND A MAJORITY OF THESE STUDENT VOLUNTEERS SHARE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES TO THE KIDS THEY SERVE.

WHEN I WAS REALLY LITTLE, MY FATHER HAD SKIN CANCER AND I WAS VERY BLESSED.

WE CAUGHT IT EARLY ON.

I NEVER KNEW AS A KID I GOT LUCKY THEY DID NOT.

THEY ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH IT EVERY DAY.

AND SO IF I CAN MAKE THEIR LIFE EVEN 1% EASIER, LIKE I WANT TO DO THAT.

I HAVEN'T BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY A PARENT'S CANCER, BUT I LOST MY DAD WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD.

ON SOME LEVEL, I UNDERSTAND HOW ALONE YOU CAN FEEL AS A KID.

I DON'T WANT ANY OF THESE KIDS TO HAVE THAT PRESSURE, AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE A SPACE FOR THEM WHERE THEY CAN COME IN AND THEY CAN HAVE FUN AND THEY CAN BE KIDS, AND THEY CAN KNOW THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTED BY THIS BACKBONE OF PEOPLE THAT TRULY LOVE AND CARE FOR THEM.

JUST THE YOUNG ADULT MENTIONING LIKE, YEAH, MY MOM DIED TO THE KID MAY NOT WANT TO HAVE A LONG CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK THAT SENSE OF RELATEDNESS IS VERY POWERFUL IN A WAY THAT OTHER TYPE OF RELATEDNESS CAN'T ALWAYS MIRROR.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF ACTIVITIES HERE AT CAMP KESEM, LIKE GAGA BALL HERE.

AND THIS GIVES A CHANCE FOR STUDENTS AND CAMPERS TO CONNECT, BOND, AND BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY THAT THEY CAN TAKE BEYOND CAMP, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR YOUNGER CABINS.

OUR YOUNGER GIRLS LIKE TO DO MAKEUP.

JUST HAVE FUN.

LIKE I GOT MY NAILS DONE.

LIKE THIS WILL BE MY FACE FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.

AND I'M PROUD OF IT.

AND JUST BECAUSE IT ALLOWED, LIKE SOME OF OUR KIDS TO HAVE FUN TODAY, AND I'M VERY EXCITED TO DO THIS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK.

AS A RESULT OF MEETING AND EXCEEDING THEIR FUNDRAISING GOAL FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE COVID PANDEMIC, CAMP KESEM INTRODUCED SEVERAL NEW ACTIVITIES TO KIDS.

THEY RAISED $53,000, AND KIARA CARPENTER, THE INCOMING KESEM DIRECTOR, WANTS TO CONTINUE THIS MOMENTUM.

I WANT TO GROW OUR CHAPTER.

I WANT US TO MEET OUR FUNDRAISING GOAL EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS LIKE MAZE AND ZIPLINE AND GO KARTS EVERY SINGLE YEAR.

AND I MEAN, WE'VE BEEN HEARING FROM THE CAMPERS LIKE, OH, THIS IS SO FUN.

I'M SO EXCITED.

I WANT TO DO THESE THINGS EVERY YEAR.

AND SO, GOSH DANG IT, WE'RE GONNA DO IT EVERY YEAR.

ONE OF THE MOST RESONANT ACTIVITIES THEY OFFER IS CALLED EMPOWERMENT, WHERE KIDS GET A SAFE SPACE TO VOCALIZE WHAT THEY NEED TO GET OUT.

WE SIT IN A CIRCLE AND YOU'RE ABLE TO SHARE THOSE EXPERIENCES IF YOU WANT TO, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO.

AND THEN WE DO THIS THING.

IT'S CALLED THE WEB OF KINDNESS.

AND SO WE HAVE A LITTLE SPOOL OF THREAD OR IT'S A, IT'S YARN.

WE HAVE THIS SPOOL OF YARN AND WE PASS IT BACK AND FORTH, AND IT CREATES THIS GIANT WEB.

AND THEN YOU CUT IT AND THEN YOU WEAR IT.

FOR SOME KIDS, THEY'RE STILL VERY LITERAL AND CONCRETE IN THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORLD.

SO THEY'RE PROBABLY EXPERIENCING THIS SENSE OF CONNECTION TO PEOPLE AROUND THEM, POTENTIALLY WHO HAVE SIMILAR EXPERIENCES.

SO I LIKE THAT KIND OF VISUAL OF, OH, WE ARE ALL CONNECTED.

DOCTOR CARTER SAYS IF KIDS DON'T HAVE PROPER EXTERNAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS, THAT CAN LEAD TO DETRIMENTAL LONG TERM EFFECTS.

I THINK WHEN CHILDREN MAYBE DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED DURING TIMES LIKE THAT, THEY THEY COULD DEVELOP ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION OR BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS.

AND THAT'S USUALLY JUST A SYMPTOM OF SOME LACKING SUPPORT OR ABILITY TO PROCESS THE HARD THINGS THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH.

THIS CHAPTER IS BASED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE.

AND TO INCOMING LEADERSHIP, WHAT'S PARAMOUNT IS EXPANDING THIS WEB OF CONNECTION.

I JUST WANT TO LIKE SPREAD MORE BECAUSE LIKE, WE'VE REALLY PULLED FROM TWO MAIN PLACES IN OKLAHOMA, AND I KNOW WE'RE NOT SERVING ALL THE KIDS WE CAN.

AND I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY THAT NEEDS KESEM KNOWS ABOUT IT.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT CAMP KESEM, VISIT KESEM.ORG.

RICH NOAH, GREAT STORY.

GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU.

UNEMPLOYMENT TICKED UP IN OKLAHOMA IN THE MONTH OF MAY WITH MORE DETAILS.

HERE'S JASON DOYLE WITH THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

OKLAHOMA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE ROSE TO ONE TENTH OF A PERCENT TO 4.1% IN MAY.

THE NATIONAL UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STAYED UNCHANGED FROM THE PREVIOUS MONTH TO STAND AT 4.3%.

WHILE THERE WERE MORE PEOPLE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE LAST MONTH, ABOUT 2200 JOBS WERE ADDED TO THE STATE'S ECONOMY, MOST OF THEM IN THE SECTORS OF LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY AND TRADE, TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES.

PRIVATE SECTOR WAGES GREW IN MAY AS WELL, FROM $31.33 IN APRIL TO $31.45 LAST MONTH.

OKLAHOMA ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND HAS FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST STATE FARM, ACCUSING THE INSURER OF DECEPTIVE PRACTICES TO DENY OR UNDERPAY HAIL AND WIND DAMAGE CLAIMS.

THE LAWSUIT WAS FILED IN CLEVELAND COUNTY DISTRICT COURT AFTER THE OKLAHOMA STATE SUPREME COURT RULED THAT DRUMMOND COULD NOT TAKE OVER A CIVIL LAWSUIT FILED BY A COUPLE IN A DISPUTE OVER HAIL DAMAGE COVERAGE.

STATE FARM SAYS IT REMAINS COMMITTED TO HELPING CUSTOMERS RECOVER AFTER STORMS.

CENTURY ALUMINUM, THE COMPANY, WHICH IS A PARTNER IN DEVELOPING A NEW ALUMINUM SMELTER IN ENOLA, HAS SIGNED A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH BRIMSTONE TO ESTABLISH A MIND TO METAL SUPPLY CHAIN FOR PRIMARY ALUMINUM PRODUCTION.

BRIMSTONE WILL SUPPLY THE ALUMINUM NEEDED TO CREATE ALUMINUM THROUGH ITS U.S.

BASED SUPPLY.

CENTURY HAS PARTNERED WITH EMIRATES GLOBAL ALUMINUM TO BUILD THE SMELTER IN OKLAHOMA.

HEALTHCARE DISTRIBUTION COMPANY MCKESSON HAS BROKEN GROUND ON A 330 ZERO ZERO ZERO SQUARE FOOT PHARMACEUTICAL DISTRIBUTION HUB AND MORE.

THE FACILITY IS EXPECTED TO BE HIGHLY AUTOMATED, BUT WILL CREATE MORE THAN 200 JOBS WHEN COMPLETED.

THIS IS THE FIRST LARGE SCALE PROJECT FOR THE NORTH MOORE INDUSTRIAL PARK, AND REPRESENTS $179 MILLION IN CAPITAL INVESTMENT.

THE ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT OF MCKESSON'S NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER IS ESTIMATED AT $118 MILLION, ACCORDING TO THE CLEVELAND COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COALITION.

VON LANE IS RELAUNCHING ITS DALLAS, OKLAHOMA CITY ROUTE BECAUSE OF INCREASED REQUESTS BY PASSENGERS.

THE NEW LUXURY BUS ROUTE WILL RUN DAILY.

A ONE WAY FARE WILL COST YOU $129.

THE ROUTE WAS SUSPENDED DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC, BUT THE COMPANY SAYS DEMAND HAS RETURNED FOR THE LUXURY TRAVEL OPTION.

TO HELP CELEBRATE AMERICA'S 250TH BIRTHDAY.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED MIDFIRST BANK IS SPONSORING THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY'S FROM THESE LANDS, SHARING OUR NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE EXHIBITION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

THE 500 ZERO SQUARE FOOT EXHIBITION FEATURES MORE THAN 600 SPECIMENS AND CULTURAL ITEMS FROM ALL 50 STATES.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

THE R BLOOD INSTITUTE, OR O.B.

SAYS OKLAHOMA IS FACING ONE OF ITS MOST SEVERE BLOOD SHORTAGES IN 26 YEARS.

INVENTORY FOR O-NEGATIVE BLOOD HAS DROPPED TO ROUGHLY A ONE DAY SUPPLY.

WITH MORE ON THE URGENT DEMAND FOR MORE DONORS, HERE'S MODERATOR SUSAN GADOT AND HER PANEL OF GUESTS WITH THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION.

JOINING US FOR THIS DISCUSSION TODAY, OUR BLOOD INSTITUTE PRESIDENT AND CEO DOCTOR JOHN ARMITAGE.

DOCTOR MATTHEW COLEMAN IS HERE.

ALSO, HE'S THE REGIONAL MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR KANSAS, OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS FOR THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.

AND FINALLY, WE HAVE OU HEALTH LEVEL ONE TRAUMA MEDICAL DIRECTOR DOCTOR ALISA CROSS.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO WE'RE INTO THE SUMMER.

4TH OF JULY IS ALMOST HERE.

DOCTOR, I WANT TO START WITH YOU.

IS THERE A HEIGHTENED NEED DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS OR AT YOUR MEDICAL CENTER?

DO YOU SEE A HEIGHTENED USE OF OR TRAUMA INCIDENTS THAT REQUIRE USAGE OF DONATION DONATED BLOOD?

SUSAN.

ABSOLUTELY.

AT OU HEALTH, AT OUR TRAUMA CENTER, WE GET OVER 9000 TRAUMA PATIENTS A YEAR, A VERY SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF THESE USE BLOOD.

OUR HIGHEST TRAUMA MONTHS ARE CERTAINLY IN THE SUMMER.

THIS WEEK ALONE, WE HAVE GIVEN TO A TRAUMA PATIENTS OVER 40 UNITS OF BLOOD.

AND IF WE CAN PUT THAT IN OTHER WORDS, WE'VE TRANSFUSED THREE PATIENTS BLOOD VOLUME ABOUT 4 OR 5 TIMES OVER.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THEY DON'T GET IT?

THE MOST COMMON CAUSE OF DEATH IN TRAUMA PATIENTS THAT IS PREVENTABLE IS BLOOD LOSS.

AND SO IF WE DO NOT HAVE BLOOD, OUR JOB IS TRAUMA SURGEONS IS TO.

AND OUR SYSTEM'S JOB IS TO GET PATIENTS TO A PLACE TO STOP THE BLEEDING AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE, BUT WITHOUT THE BLOOD TO REPLACE WHAT IS LOST OR WHAT WILL BE LOST WITH SUBSEQUENT SURGERIES, THE MORTALITY RATE IS MUCH HIGHER.

ALL RIGHT, DOCTOR COLEMAN, THE RED CROSS IS ALWAYS ON THE SCENE WHEN WHEN TRAUMA HAPPENS.

AND HOW DO YOU GUYS PLAY INTO SEEING THE EFFECTS AND THE NEED OF BLOOD DONATIONS.

NOT ONLY IN OKLAHOMA, BUT THE OTHER AREAS YOU COVER.

RIGHT?

RED CROSS COVERS NATIONWIDE AS AS A PROVIDER OF BLOOD.

OUR GOAL IS TO GIVE PROVIDERS LIKE DOCTOR CROSS ALL THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO GET THE MAXIMUM BENEFIT TO THEIR PATIENTS.

SO WE DO THAT THROUGH BLOOD COLLECTIONS.

OKAY.

SO YOU DO BLOOD COLLECTIONS.

IS THAT NATIONWIDE?

DO YOU DO THEM HERE IN OKLAHOMA?

WE DO.

WE HAVE A COLLECTION CENTER IN TULSA, AND WE HAVE MOBILE OPERATIONS WHICH CAN GO TO CHURCHES, BUSINESSES, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT OPERATE THROUGHOUT THE STATE AS WELL.

SO DOES THAT MEAN YOU COMPETE WITH DOCTOR ARMITAGE, WHO IS WITH OUR BLOOD INSTITUTE?

THAT'S THE ONE I KNOW.

I KNOW YOUR ORGANIZATION.

TALK ABOUT THAT VERY FRIENDLY COMPETITION.

VERY FRIENDLY.

YEAH.

I THINK THE GOOD THING IS BEHIND THE DIFFERENT BRANDS, THERE'S A DESIRE TO SAVE LIVES.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A DONOR AND JOINING THE ONLY 5% OF THE POPULATION THAT REALLY TAKES IT UPON THEMSELVES TO OWN THEIR NEIGHBOR'S HEALTH, THEIR FAMILY MEMBER'S HEALTH.

WE WERE TALKING EARLIER ABOUT PRE-HOSPITAL AND WHAT THAT DOES FOR TRAUMA CARE.

IT'S A NEW LEVEL OF CARE, AND IT'S A PARTNERSHIP.

WE NEED MORE DONORS TO REACH THIS NEW LIFE SAVING OPPORTUNITY.

SO MAYBE THIS ISN'T THE CORRECT THOUGHT, BUT I DO THINK WHAT I'M GIVING, I'M HELPING SUPPORT MY NEIGHBORS, MY COMMUNITY, MY STATE.

AND I WOULD WANT TO GIVE EVEN IF IT WENT NATIONWIDE AND EVERYTHING.

IS THERE ANY KIND OF SHARING, LIKE IF THERE'S AN EMERGENCY ELSEWHERE, IS THERE ANY KIND OF SHARING THAT GOES ON?

YES THERE IS.

WE HELP DEVELOP SOMETHING CALLED BURKE, WHICH BLOOD CENTERS AS SOON AS THERE'S A MASS TRAUMA FOR MORE VICTIMS, WE CAN ASK FOR IMMEDIATE SHIPMENT OF O AND O O BLOOD TO HELP THAT.

THE RED CROSS HAS A NATIONAL INTEGRATED SYSTEM.

THEY SHARE IN THOSE CRITICAL MOMENTS.

SO I THINK WE'RE PROBABLY BETTER AT PATCHING OVER URGENT NEEDS IN A KIND OF A REACTIVE MODE.

WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO DO IS GET PEOPLE INSPIRED.

WHEN IT'S NOT THE DRAMATIC STORY ON TV, THERE ISN'T A PLANE CRASH.

THERE ISN'T SOMETHING THAT TRIGGERS THE NEURONS AND SAYS, OH YEAH, THEY MIGHT NEED BLOOD.

WE NEED BLOOD EVERY DAY.

AND SO GETTING PEOPLE TO ASSOCIATE THAT NEED, AND IT'S A TEAM SPORT.

WITHOUT THE VOLUNTEER, THE WHOLE SYSTEM GRINDS TO A HALT.

AND SO MUCH OF MODERN HEALTH CARE IS DEPENDENT ON DONORS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY BLOOD TYPES THERE ARE.

I'M NOT GOING TO PUT YOU TO THE TEST, BUT THERE IS A UNIVERSAL BLOOD TYPE.

TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THAT.

SO O-NEGATIVE IS WHAT WE USE FOR UNIVERSAL BLOOD FOR EMERGENCY RELEASE SOMEBODY THAT CAN'T BE TYPED AND CROSSED.

THERE IS A HUGE NEED RIGHT NOW FOR O DONORS, SPECIFICALLY WITH WHAT DOCTOR ARMITAGE TALKED ABOUT, WHOLE BLOOD, WHICH IS NEWER UTILIZATION.

IT'S ACTUALLY A HISTORIC UTILIZATION USED IN MILITARY, WHICH GIVES MAKES IT EASIER FOR US IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS TO GIVE PATIENTS EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEED.

WE'RE USING IT IN THE PRE-HOSPITAL SETTING NOW.

SO BEFORE PATIENTS EVEN COME TO COME TO YOU, THEY'RE GETTING BLOOD EITHER VIA AEROMEDICAL FOR OUR RURAL PATIENTS OR IN OUR URBAN AREAS.

THEY'RE GETTING BLOOD IF THEY NEED IT FROM EMTS AND AMBULANCES.

ABSOLUTELY.

I GUESS I ASSUME THAT WAS ALREADY HAPPENING, BUT THEY HOW LONG HOW DOES THAT PROCESS WORK?

THEY KEEP IT ON BOARD.

AND HOW LONG CAN THEY KEEP IT FOR?

YES.

AND WHEN YOU TALKED ABOUT SHARING RESOURCES, I THINK SOME OF THIS USING SOME OF THIS BLOOD BECAUSE ABSOLUTELY THEY KEEP IT THEY KEEP IT USUALLY AT THEIR BASES OR ETC.

AND WHEN NEEDED, THEY GIVE PATIENTS THE BLOOD.

AND IF IT'S NOT UTILIZED IN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME, THAT BLOOD COMES BACK AND IS THEN GIVEN TO A MEDICAL CENTER TO BE UTILIZED BEFORE IT IS WASTED.

AND SO WHAT WE KNOW, WHAT WE KNOW, WE KNOW FROM MILITARY DATA, AND WE KNOW FROM ANY SORT OF BLEEDING EVENT, TRAUMA OR OTHERWISE, THE QUICKER YOU CAN GET BLOOD IN THIS SPECIALIZED BLOOD, WHICH WE CERTAINLY NEED DONORS FOR, THE MORE LIVES ARE SAVED, WHICH THEN IN TURN MEANS THAT THEY GET TO THE HOSPITAL AND THEY'RE GOING TO NEED MORE BLOOD.

SO PATIENTS THAT USED TO DIE OUTSIDE OF THE HOSPITAL NOW ARE MAKING IT INTO OUR HOSPITALS.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

NOW, DOCTOR COLEMAN, WHEN IT COMES TO DISTRIBUTION, HOW DOES THE AMERICAN RED CROSS DECIDE HOW TO DISTRIBUTE WHAT IT COLLECTS?

YEAH.

IT IS BASED ON THE USAGE OF OUR HOSPITALS AND WHAT THEY REQUIRE.

SO THEY CAN THEY HAVE ORDERS THAT ARE HISTORICAL THAT WE THAT WE USE TO TRACK AND DECIDE.

WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO NEED THIS MUCH BLOOD FOR THIS HOSPITAL THIS COMING WEEK.

AND THEY CAN ORDER AD HOC AS THEY NEED IT.

SO IF DOCTOR CROSS'S CASE, IF A BAD TRAUMA COMES IN AND THEY UTILIZE THEIR STOCKS OF WHOLE BLOOD OR THAT PRECIOUS O-NEGATIVE THAT SHE TALKED ABOUT, THEN THEY CAN CALL, ORDER AND GET RESTOCKED.

AND IT WORKS THE SAME WAY, REGARDLESS OF WHO THE SUPPLIER IS.

WE ALL ARE ARE THERE TO ACT REACT.

BUT I WANTED TO SYNTHESIZE ONE QUICK POINT THAT THAT BOTH OF THE MY PARTNERS MENTIONED, AND THAT IS THIS O-NEGATIVE BLOOD THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, THIS UNIVERSAL DONOR IS NO MORE THAN 7% OF THE POPULATION.

WOW.

AND SO WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A PRODUCT THAT YOU CAN DERIVE FROM 7% OF THE POPULATION, BUT GIVE TO 100% OF THE POPULATION, YOU CAN SEE WHERE A SHORTAGE CAN DEVELOP QUITE EASILY.

SO HOW DOES THE RED CROSS TRY TO MOTIVATE PEOPLE TO GIVE?

WELL, OUR, OUR, OUR GREATEST UPCOMING EFFORT HERE IS WE ARE PARTNERING WITH WARNER BROTHERS AND WE'RE WE HAVE SOME UPCOMING MERCHANDISE AVAILABLE FOR BLOOD DONORS, WHICH ARE GOING TO FEATURE THE WARNER BROTHERS CARTOON CHARACTERS.

IT'S A CROSS BETWEEN WARNER BROTHERS AND THE AMERICA 250 INITIATIVE.

OKAY.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

SO ASIDE FROM FROM GIVING THEM A REWARD FOR DONATING, WE REACH OUT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, THROUGH TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS, TRYING TO RAISE THE AWARENESS, PREVENT US FROM ENTERING INTO THOSE PERIODIC SHORTAGES THAT UNFORTUNATELY STILL ARE AN ISSUE.

WELL, OH, I'M SORRY.

GO AHEAD.

NO, I WAS GOING TO SAY THE MORE WORD WE CAN GET OUT, THE BETTER WE FEEL ABOUT IT.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I WAS GOING TO COME TO YOU, DOCTOR ARMITAGE, BECAUSE YOU DO GET A LOT OF STUFF WHEN YOU DONATE.

THAT SHOULD NOT BE THE MOTIVATING FACTOR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT DOESN'T HURT.

AND WHEN I'M SITTING THERE EATING A COOKIE AND HAVING MY ORANGE JUICE AFTERWARD WITH A FREE T SHIRT, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF NICE.

YEAH.

WELL, YOU AS A DONOR, THAT'S A WONDERFUL ENDORSEMENT.

SO THANK YOU FOR SAYING THAT.

WE WANT IT TO BE FUN.

I THINK ONE OF OUR CHALLENGES SOMETIMES THIS SEEMS LIKE, OH, IT GOES ON IN THE BACKGROUND OR THAT'S FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR.

WE HAVE TO MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE.

WE HAVE TO TALK THE LANGUAGE FUN, GETTING SWAG, GOOD DESIGNS OF GIVEAWAYS, THINGS THAT EXCITE PEOPLE WITH CURRENT CULTURE, WE TRY AND DO THE SAME TYING INTO AMERICA'S BIRTHDAY, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO HIT OTHER NOTES, OTHER MOTIVATORS.

SO IF YOU HAVE A SPIRITUAL PART TO YOUR LIFE, THERE'S NO OTHER WAY TO GIVE A DRAMATIC TESTAMENT TO YOUR FAITH THAN GIVING BLOOD.

SHEDDING BLOOD TO SAVE THE LIFE OF ANOTHER IS A CHRISTIAN THEME.

WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT VERY MUCH, BUT WE NEED TO TO THAT SUBSET THAT THINKS THAT WAY.

DUTY AND HONOR.

WE GET WONDERFUL SUPPORT FROM OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR EMT, BECAUSE IT'S AND OUR MILITARY BAKED INTO THEIR PSYCHE, IS DOING THE RIGHT THING, HELPING NEIGHBORS, STEPPING UP.

BUT WE NEED TO LEAN INTO THAT.

WE NEED TO SAY THIS IS THE HOME FOR THAT EMOTION.

IF YOU JUST WANT TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT SOCIETY.

WE ARE AN AMAZING COMMUNAL ACTIVITY.

IF YOU SEE THE NEWS SOMETIMES AND YOU FEEL DISMAYED, OR YOU READ A HEADLINE, COME AND BE THE ANTIDOTE TO THAT.

COME OUT WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS.

GIVE AN UPLIFT TO SAY THAT WE'RE STILL A FELLOWSHIPPING SOCIETY THAT WANTS TO SOLVE PROBLEMS FOR NEIGHBORS, WALK OUT TWO INCHES TALLER AND FEELING SPIRITUAL UPLIFT, PERSONAL UPLIFT, IDENTITY UPLIFT THAT YOU'VE MADE A DIFFERENCE.

YOU ARE THE DIFFERENCE THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW.

IT DOES.

IT DOES MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD.

I DON'T KNOW HOW TO EXPLAIN IT, BUT YOU KNOW, I'LL DO IT ON A SATURDAY AND THEY'LL HAVE IT UP AT THE MALL OR SOMETHING.

AND SO I RUN UP THERE.

I LEAVE THE HOUSE SUPER HARD TO DO WHEN YOU'RE ENSCONCED AT HOME ON A WEEKEND, BUT I'LL RUN UP THERE.

I KNOW WHERE TO PARK TO GO DIRECTLY INDOORS, UPSTAIRS.

NOW THERE IS A PROCESS TO GO THROUGH.

YOU HAVE, YOU HAVE YOU HAVE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE A LITTLE TEST.

WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT MAY BAR ANY OF YOU CAN ANSWER SOMEONE FROM BEING ABLE TO DONATE ON A GIVEN DAY.

WEIGHT 110 POUNDS IS A MINIMUM BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH IS DRAWN INTO THE BAG.

YOU DON'T WANT TO TAKE TOO MUCH FROM A SMALLER PERSON.

IT'S A FINE SIZE BAG FOR MOST PEOPLE, BUT 110 POUNDS IS THAT CUTOFF.

THERE'S AN AGE LIMIT.

YOU WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A RESPONSIBLE CHOICE, SOMETIMES WITH PARENTAL CONSENT.

IF YOU'RE 16 YEAR OLD, FOR EXAMPLE, THERE ARE A FEW BARRIERS.

YOU WANT TO BE IN GOOD HEALTH YOURSELF.

WE DON'T WANT TO PUT YOU IN JEOPARDY.

SO IF YOU'VE GOT A COMPLICATED CARDIAC CONDITION AND THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE, I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, I HAVE DIABETES, I CAN'T GIVE.

THOSE ARE NOT REASONS NOT TO GIVE.

SO A LOT IT'S NOT BEING PERFECT HEALTH, BUT IT'S BEING IN THE KIND OF HEALTH THAT YOU DON'T WALK AROUND CONCERNED ABOUT ACTIVITIES.

YOU CAN PERFORM YOUR DAILY LIFE.

ALMOST ALL OF THOSE CONDITIONS HYPERTHYROID ALL OF THOSE THINGS ALLOW YOU TO GIVE.

SO THE EXCEPTIONS ARE RARE, THE ALLOWANCES ARE GREAT, BUT GETTING OUT OF THE MINDSET OF TRYING TO FIND A REASON NOT TO AND TRYING TO FIND A REASON TO.

YOU'VE GOT A LOVED ONE WHO'S USED BLOOD IN THE PAST.

I THINK OF MY GRANDMOTHER WHEN I GIVE, BECAUSE THAT'S THE FIRST STORY I EVER HEARD ABOUT PEOPLE GETTING BLOOD WAS WHEN I GOT THE CALL, MY MOM WOULD GO AND VISIT MY NANA AND HELP HER.

BUT THE CALL WAS SHE GOT THE BLOOD OF A 17 YEAR OLD BECAUSE SHE FELT SO MUCH ENERGY, AND MY MOM WOULD TALK ABOUT GOING OUT AND GETTING HER HAIR DONE.

AND THIS WAS BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN YOU WEREN'T ON THE PHONE AND YOU WEREN'T TEXTING ALL THE TIME IN ANCIENT, YOU KNOW, YOU GOT A CALL ONCE A WEEK BECAUSE IT WAS EXPENSIVE AND YOU GOT THE UPDATE AND THE UPDATE HAD THIS GEM OF UPLIFT AND GOOD DAYS.

GOOD DAYS TO MY NANA.

GOOD DAYS TO THE CAREGIVER, MY MOM.

WHAT A GIFT.

WHAT?

IMAGINE GIVING SOMEBODY IN THIS WORLD OF NEGATIVITY SOME DAYS AN UPLIFT.

BEING A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

BEING A PART OF THE SOLUTION THAT YOU GET TO SEE WORK MIRACLES EVERY DAY.

IT REALLY DOES WORK MIRACLES IN A TRAUMA CENTER, NOT ONLY IN YOUR FACILITY, BUT IN OTHERS AROUND THE STATE.

AND WHEN YOU COME OUT AND AND CAN SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE TO A LOVED ONE OR A FAMILY MEMBER OF A PATIENT, YOU KNOW, AS OPPOSED TO SOME BAD NEWS, WHAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE DOES THAT MAKE FOR YOU?

OH, IT'S HUGE.

I MEAN, I THINK OUR WE HAVE A TRAUMA SURVIVOR GALA EVERY YEAR WHERE WE BRING BACK TRAUMA SURVIVORS.

AND IT'S SO AMAZING TO SEE A PATIENT THAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND HAS POSSIBLY SPENT MONTHS IN YOUR HOSPITAL THAT HAS GOTTEN A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BLOOD AND WHO CAN COME BACK AND SAY THAT THEY'RE DOING WELL AND THEY'RE BACK TO THEIR JOB.

IT'S JUST AMAZING.

IT'S THE BEST FEELING.

THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

SO QUICKLY.

WE HAVE A LITTLE TIME LEFT.

DOCTOR COLEMAN, I'D LIKE TO START WITH YOU.

LET FOLKS KNOW WHERE THEY CAN FIND YOU.

FIND YOUR ORGANIZATION IF THEY WOULD LIKE TO GIVE.

WE'RE ONLINE.

REDCROSSBLOOD.ORG IS THE EASIEST WAY TO FIND US.

YOU CAN LOOK UP WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE AND BE THERE.

IF YOU'RE IN THE TULSA AREA, WE HAVE A FIXED SITE ON 11TH STREET.

I'D LOVE TO SEE EVERYONE THAT COME IN.

THAT'S WONDERFUL, DOCTOR ARMITAGE OBI.ORG.

WE HAVE A 1-877-340-8777.

NUMBER FOR OLD SCHOOL PEOPLE WHO DON'T LIKE THE INTERNET AS MUCH MAYBE AND CAN PICK UP THE PHONE.

BUT IF YOU SEE IT AROUND, THINK OF IT AS AN INVITATION.

WE'RE AROUND IN BLOODMOBILES.

WE'RE AROUND IN CERTAIN SET FACILITIES.

WE HAVE 18 DONOR ROOMS.

BUT THINK OF THAT AS NOT SOMETHING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.

IT'S AN INVITATION IN BE PART OF A FELLOWSHIP.

YOU WANT TO MEET THE BEST PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

I INVITE YOU TO COME INTO A BLOOD CENTER AND SEE JUST NEIGHBORS WHO CARE.

THE VERY BEST OF THE SOCIETY IS THERE CARING FOR OTHERS THAT WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO, IT'S NOT THEIR JOB.

THEY JUST DO IT OUT OF THE GOODNESS OF THEIR HEART.

YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY, SOMEBODY CUTS YOU OFF IN TRAFFIC, COME OUT AND GIVE BLOOD AND REFRESH YOURSELF, RE-ENERGIZE YOURSELF.

AND THAT HOUR THAT YOU SPEND, IF THAT BLOOD GOES TO A CHILD IN TRAUMA AND THERE ARE 2000 KIDS WHO DIE IN TRAUMA, CAR ACCIDENTS, MOSTLY WHO COULD BE SAVED IF THAT BLOOD, THAT O-NEGATIVE WHOLE BLOOD, THAT O-POSITIVE WHOLE BLOOD WAS AVAILABLE, COME AND TOUCH THE LIFE OF SOMEBODY WHO CAN LIVE INTO THE 22ND CENTURY.

DO YOU WANT TO MAKE IT OURS?

COMMITMENT TODAY THAT TOUCHES 80 YEARS FORWARD.

THAT'S THAT'S AVAILABLE TO YOU.

GIVE AN HOUR.

HAVE THE COOKIES MAKE A LIFE THAT GOES 80 YEARS.

AND THE FOLKS WHO ARE WORKING THERE ARE SO WONDERFUL AND KIND, AND I ALWAYS HAVE GOOD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO MAKING YOUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR STATE A BETTER PLACE THROUGH YOUR WORK.

AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION YOU'VE GIVEN US TODAY.

THANK YOU FOR COVERING THIS TOPIC.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

AND SUSAN, THANK YOU.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A HIKE IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW AND HEAD TO THE MOUNTAINS OF MAINE.

IT'S NOT THE ROCKIES, BUT IT'S A PRETTY GOOD WORKOUT AND BEAUTIFUL TOO.

THAT STORY, COURTESY OF REPORTER AISLINN SARNACKI OF MAINE PUBLIC TELEVISION.

TODAY, WE'RE IN BAXTER STATE PARK AND WE'RE GOING TO BE HIKING SOUTH TURNER MOUNTAIN.

NOW, A LOT OF PEOPLE COME TO THIS PARK TO HIKE KATAHDIN, MAINE'S TALLEST MOUNTAIN, BUT THERE ARE TONS OF OTHER REALLY IMPRESSIVE PEAKS TO HIKE.

AND THIS IS JUST ONE OF THEM.

SOUTH TURNER MOUNTAIN IS 3122FT ABOVE SEA LEVEL, MAKING IT A CHALLENGING HIKE, BUT IT STARTS OUT PRETTY EASY AS A LOT OF HIKES DO AND THEN BECOMES INCREASINGLY ROCKY AND LOTS OF TREE ROOTS AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT WE SEE ON MAINE TRAILS.

THERE'S A BUNCH OF JEWELWEED HERE, WHICH IS A REALLY PRETTY ORANGE YELLOW FLOWER.

THEY HAVE THESE LITTLE SEED PODS THAT POP THAT I USED TO LOVE AS A KID.

ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THIS MOUNTAIN IS ALONG THE WAY, EARLY ON, YOU COME TO SANDY STREAM POND, WHICH IS AN AWESOME PLACE TO VIEW WILDLIFE OF ALL KINDS DUCKS, WADING BIRDS, AND SOMETIMES MOOSE.

AND THEN THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF IS A GREAT BANG FOR YOUR BUCK HIKE.

IT'S ONLY ABOUT TWO MILES TO GET TO THE TOP AND THERE ARE WIDE OPEN VIEWS.

SO THIS IS A GREAT HIKE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST STARTING TO COME TO BAXTER STATE PARK.

NOT SURE ABOUT THE GIANT MOUNTAINS YET, BUT WANT TO TRY SOMETHING THAT'S DIFFICULT.

WE HAVE OUR FIRST SIGN OF MOOSE, A BIG PILE OF MOOSE POOP, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S OLD.

IT'S PRETTY DRY, BUT MOOSE ARE EVERYWHERE IN BAXTER STATE PARK, AND IT'S NEAT TO SEE SIGNS OF THEM ALONG THE TRAIL.

THEY LIKE TO USE THE TRAIL BECAUSE THEY'RE SO BIG, AND SO IT'S EASIER FOR THEM TO USE THESE HIKING TRAILS TO GET AROUND.

AS WE GET CLOSER AND CLOSER TO TREELINE, IT GETS STEEPER.

AND THAT'S THE CASE WITH A LOT OF MOUNTAIN TRAILS.

BUT SOME WILD BLUEBERRIES, THEY'RE ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I GIVE THEM TO MY CAMERAMAN TO MAKE HIM HAPPY.

CHEERS.

WE'RE ABOVE TREELINE, AND THERE'S THIS BEAUTIFUL VIEW OF KATAHDIN HERE AND THE LAST BIT OF IT.

IT'S PRETTY ROCKY, BUT IT'S ALL MADE EASIER BY AMAZING VIEWS LIKE THIS.

SO.

MADE IT TO THE TOP OF SOUTH TURNER.

I NEED A SNACK.

BAXTER STATE PARK IS HOME TO OVER 220 MILES OF HIKING TRAILS, AND THIS IS JUST TWO MILES OF THEM, SO I HIGHLY SUGGEST YOU COME OUT AND CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF.

THERE'S SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE ON THIS MOUNTAIN.

WE'RE JUST GOING TO HEAD BACK DOWN THE WAY WE CAME, AND I WILL SEE YOU ON THE NEXT TRAIL.

WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE IF IT WILL ENTER THE GUINNESS BOOK OF WORLD RECORDS AS THE WORLD'S TALLEST BOOT, BUT IT'S PRETTY TALL, 35FT TO BE EXACT.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S NOW FULLY OPERATIONAL AND LIGHTS UP AT NIGHT TO GREET TRAVELERS ON THE ROUTE 66 CORRIDOR THROUGH OKLAHOMA CITY, LOCATED NEXT TO THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM, THE KICK 66 BOOT IS THE BRAINCHILD OF OKLAHOMA ARTIST CAMERON EAGLE, AND IT'S ALREADY INSPIRING THE LEADER OF THE RED BOOTS BRIGADE TO HELP CELEBRATE ROUTE 66 AND THE KICK 66 BOOTS, ENCOURAGING ALL THE WOMEN OUT THERE TO GO OUT AND BUY RED BOOTS.

THEY ARE THE NEW ICON, THE NEW SYMBOL OF OKLAHOMA CITY, FOR WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN CALLED THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED LANDMARK IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

SO WE WANTED TO COME HELP SUPPORT IT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT TOGETHER AN EVENT LATER ON THIS MONTH ENCOURAGING ALL THE OKLAHOMA WOMEN WITH THEIR RED BOOTS TO SHOW UP.

AND WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A BIG PICTURE IN FRONT OF THE RED BOOT TO HELP CELEBRATE IT.

THE RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE KICK 66 BOOT WAS HELD ON WEDNESDAY MORNING IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, DETAILS ON A FIVE YEAR, $500 MILLION PLAN TO UPGRADE OKLAHOMA'S REGIONAL AIRPORTS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF AVIATION, JASON DOYLE REPORTS FRIDAY THAT SEVEN.

WE'LL SAY SO LONG FOR NOW, WITH A LOOK AT A POP UP BARBIE MUSEUM IN TULSA PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA LEVI WILKERSON.

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.

WHEN I CLOSE MY EYES, IT'S A FANTASY.

PERFECT PLASTIC LIFE FROM THE MAGAZINE, AND WHEN I WAKE UP, IT'S REALITY.

I CAN HAVE IT ALL LIVE MY BARBIE DREAM.

LA DE DA DE DA.

LA DE DA DE DA DE LA DE DA DA DA.

LIVE MY BARBIE DREAMS EVERY DE LA NIGHT.

DE DE DE DE LA DE DA DE DA.

LIVE MY BARBIE DREAM.

GLITTER NIRVANA.

MASCARA ON MY EYES.

CAN'T SEE THE DRAMA UNDER MY SECRET SKY PINK PRIMA DONNA.

I'M FEELING HOT TONIGHT.

THE PRETTY STATE OF MIND.

BECAUSE I'M WITH MY GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS, GORGEOUS GIRL.

SLEEP OUT STITT IN DIAMONDS AND PEARLS.

RHINESTONE ROVER.

I'VE BEEN TOLD TO COME TAKE A STEP INTO MY WORLD.

FANTASY FLICK THE PLASTIC LIGHT FROM A MAGAZINE.

AND WHEN I WAKE UP, IT'S REALITY.

I CAN HAVE IT ALL IN MY BODY.

DREAMS.

LA DE DA DE DA DE DA DE DA DE DE LA DE DA DE DA BARBIE.

DA DE DA DE DA DE