ANNIVERSARY SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT 330 ON E!

TO EXPLORE EARTH'S WONDERS ON NATURE.

WEDNESDAY EVENINGS AT SEVEN ON ETA.

WHERE WILL THE NEXT GENERATION OF OKLAHOMA VETERINARIANS COME FROM?

I THINK THAT THE ISSUE THAT WE SEE IS THERE'S BEEN A PRETTY BIG SHIFT THAT'S GONE A LITTLE BIT, SWUNG TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE LARGE ANIMAL SIDE OF THINGS.

WILL OKLAHOMANS VOTE TO DOUBLE THE STATE'S MINIMUM WAGE?

I ALWAYS ASK PEOPLE TO, LIKE, TRY TO THINK AND PUT THEMSELVES IN THE SHOES OF A LOW WAGE WORKER IN OKLAHOMA.

TOO FEW FOSTER HOMES AND TOO FEW FOSTER CARE WORKERS.

OFTENTIMES THE CHILD WELFARE.

YOU'RE MEETING PEOPLE ON THEIR VERY WORST DAY, THE OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026.

YOU SEE ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN INDUCTED BEFORE, AND THEY'RE GIANTS IN THE STATE.

AND SO IT'S HUMBLING.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT SURREAL, BUT I'M INCREDIBLY HONORED.

GET READY TO SEE HISTORY COME ALIVE.

TO CELEBRATE OUR NATION'S 250TH BIRTHDAY.

IT'S JUST THE BEST WAY TO LEARN HISTORY BECAUSE YOU'RE YOU'RE LEARNING FROM CHARACTERS IN THEIR VOICE.

THOSE STORIES.

PLUS, OKLAHOMA HEALTH EXPERTS WEIGH IN ON RECENT OUTBREAKS OF EBOLA AND HANTAVIRUS.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

I'M RICH LENZ.

IT'S A WELL-KNOWN FACT THAT THERE ARE MORE COWS THAN HUMANS LIVING IN OKLAHOMA.

AND IT'S ALSO A FACT THAT THERE IS AN ACUTE SHORTAGE OF VETERINARIANS TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.

ONLY ABOUT 2000 REGISTERED VETS AND MANY OF THEM ARE NEARING RETIREMENT.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW TO TELL US WHAT'S BEING DONE ABOUT THAT, STEVE.

RICH OKLAHOMA STATE GRADUATES, THREE TIMES MORE OF WHAT ARE CALLED LARGE ANIMAL VETERINARIANS THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

YET ALMOST HALF OF OKLAHOMA'S 77 COUNTIES ARE DANGEROUSLY SHORT ON LARGE ANIMAL VETERINARIANS.

I DON'T FEEL IT UP HERE, BUT.

BUT HERE.

YES.

SO RIGHT THERE.

DOCTOR JOHN GILLHAM IS PROFESSOR OF FOOD, ANIMAL MEDICINE AND SURGERY AT OKLAHOMA STATE'S COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE.

THAT FEELS LIKE IT MIGHT JUST BE IN THE SKIN.

THAT MIGHT JUST BE AN OLD, OLD ABSCESS SCAR OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

WEDNESDAY MORNING, STUDENTS WHO JUST COMPLETED THEIR THIRD YEAR OF VETERINARY TRAINING WATCHED GILLAM'S EVERY MOVE AS HE WORKED ON A 2,000 POUND HEREFORD BULL WITH A NASTY CANCER TUMOR NEAR ITS EYE.

GILLAM IS STATIONED HERE AT OSU'S LARGE ANIMAL HOSPITAL, BUT ALSO SPENDS A LOT OF TIME ON THE ROAD WORKING OUT OF ONE OF OSU'S TWO MOBILE ANIMAL HOSPITALS.

WE'RE LIMITED A LITTLE BIT ON DISTANCE, BUT BECAUSE FOR MANY YEARS I WAS THE ONLY CLINICIAN.

BUT NOW WE'VE ADDED ANOTHER CLINICIAN.

SO WE'RE ABLE TO START EXPANDING THAT GEOGRAPHICALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE NOW.

SO WE CAN KIND OF GO A LITTLE FURTHER AWAY FROM THE HOSPITAL AND PROVIDE VETERINARY SERVICES.

SO WHAT WE HAVE, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF TRUCKS THAT ARE FULLY EQUIPPED MOBILE HOSPITALS, LARGE ANIMAL VETERINARIANS ARE VERY IMPORTANT IN RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE, WHICH IS MOST OF OKLAHOMA.

SO WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GET STARTED WITH SOME OF THE QUESTIONS.

AND THIS WEEK, THE OKLAHOMA STATE EXTENSION HOSTED A VET SCIENCE SHORT COURSE FOR FOR STUDENTS INTERESTED IN VETERINARIAN CAREERS, DOCTOR JENNIFER RUDD IS INTERIM ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS AT OSU'S COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE.

WE CANNOT FUNCTION AS A SOCIETY WITHOUT FOOD, ANIMAL AND LARGE ANIMAL VETERINARIANS.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE TO HAVE A FOOD SUPPLY.

WE HAVE TO HAVE ACCESS TO AGRICULTURE.

WHETHER YOU LIVE IN A CITY OR YOU LIVE IN A RURAL AREA, DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU'RE NOT NEEDING ACCESS TO AGRICULTURE, RIGHT?

THE PLANTS WE GROW, THE PROTEIN THAT WE EAT, MEAT, DAIRY, ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY FEED THE POPULATION OF THE COMMUNITIES OF THE STATE, OF THE NATION, OF THE GLOBE.

THOSE ARE GOING TO BE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY VETERINARIANS.

ACCORDING TO A 2024 REPORT.

RIGHT NOW, WHAT ARE CALLED COMPANION ANIMAL VETERINARIANS MAKE UP 71% OF VETERINARIANS IN OKLAHOMA.

COMPANION ANIMALS ARE GENERALLY PETS LIKE DOGS AND CATS.

VETERINARIANS THAT HANDLE BOTH COMPANION AND LARGE ANIMALS MAKE UP 4.5% AND SOLELY LARGE ANIMAL OR FOOD ANIMAL VETERINARY PRACTICES ARE JUST OVER 1%.

I THINK THAT THE ISSUE THAT WE SEE IS THERE'S BEEN A PRETTY BIG SHIFT THAT'S GONE A LITTLE BIT, SWUNG TOO FAR AWAY FROM THE LARGE ANIMAL SIDE OF THINGS.

THE STARTING SALARY FOR COMPANION ANIMAL VETERINARIANS HERE IS $137,000, WITH MUCH BETTER HOURS.

THE STARTING SALARY FOR LARGE ANIMAL OR FOOD ANIMAL VETERINARIANS ARE JUST OVER $90,000.

SO YOU GUYS WORK AS A TEAM.

MAKE SURE THE HEAD IS ENGAGED.

YOU DON'T BREAK YOUR NECK.

DON'T BREAK.

IT'S GOOD NOW.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

SLOWLY BUT SURELY.

VERY GOOD.

KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING, KEEP GOING, GOING.

CATCH THE BABY.

YEAH.

GOOD JOB.

WHEN STUDENTS GRADUATE, IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THEM TO OWE 2 TO $300,000 IN SCHOOL DEBT.

TWO YEARS AGO, OKLAHOMA STATE STARTED A SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM FOR VETERINARY SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO WANT TO STAY AND WORK IN THE SOONER STATE.

DOCTOR ROSALIND BIGGS IS DIRECTOR OF OKLAHOMA STATE'S CENTER FOR RURAL VETERINARY MEDICINE.

THANKS TO THE COMMITMENT OF THE OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE TWO YEARS AGO, WE NOW HAVE THE OKLAHOMA RURAL VETERINARY SCHOLARSHIP AND LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAM.

SO THE INITIAL YEAR WE DISTRIBUTED $600,000 WORTH OF AWARDS.

AND THIS PAST YEAR WE GAVE OUT $1.2 MILLION AWARDS.

SHE SAYS AWARD WINNERS HAVE TO COMMIT TO WORKING IN COMMUNITIES WITH LESS THAN 25,000 PEOPLE, BUT THEY EARN AS MUCH AS $100,000 IF THEY STAY FOR FOUR YEARS.

WHAT WE'RE SHOOTING FOR THERE, THOUGH, IS GETTING THESE VETERINARIANS REALLY WELL ESTABLISHED IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, SO HOPEFULLY THEY SET DOWN ROOTS AND STAY THERE LONG TERM.

I HAVE YET TO FIND ANYONE THAT IS SUPER MEAN HERE AT OSU.

AVERY ENGEL JUST COMPLETED HER FIRST YEAR OF VETERINARY SCHOOL.

SHE WANTS TO BE A LARGE ANIMAL VET.

WHY?

WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO THAT ROUTE?

I WOULD LIKE FOR EVERY COMMUNITY TO HAVE PROPER ACCESS TO VETERINARY HEALTH CARE.

I KNOW THAT THAT IS A BIG ISSUE IN RURAL VETERINARY MEDICINE.

THERE'S QUITE A SHORTAGE OF RURAL VETS, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE ABLE TO HELP FILL THAT NEED.

REIN CRANFORD GREW UP ON A SMALL FARM IN SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS.

PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND A LOT OF WHERE THEIR FOOD COMES FROM.

THEY ALSO DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL THE OTHER PRODUCTS THAT COME FROM FOOD ANIMAL THE HIDES OFF THEIR BACK.

THEY MAKE INSULIN COMING FROM PIGS, A LOT OF IT.

THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF LARGE ANIMAL AND FOOD ANIMAL IN THIS WORLD.

AND IT ALL STARTS WITH VETERINARIANS.

AT THE VERY BEGINNING, HE PLANS TO GO FOR ONE OF THOSE DEBT FORGIVENESS SCHOLARSHIPS.

I THINK THAT'S A GREAT THING.

VET SCHOOL IS VERY EXPENSIVE.

I MEAN, ESPECIALLY AS AN OUT OF STATE STUDENT, IT'S VERY EXPENSIVE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE FEAR HOW THEY'RE GOING TO PAY THOSE BACK.

AND I THINK LOAN FORGIVENESS PROGRAMS LIKE THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP PEOPLE AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO STAY IN OKLAHOMA AND HELP OUT IN THE RURAL COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY NEED IT.

REIN SAYS HE LIKES IT HERE AND HAS NO PROBLEM STAYING IN THE SOONER STATE TO WORK.

RICH.

STEVE.

THANK YOU.

ON JUNE 16TH, OKLAHOMA VOTERS WILL DECIDE WHETHER THE STATE MINIMUM WAGE SHOULD GRADUALLY INCREASE TO $15 PER HOUR BY 2029.

WITH MORE ON HOW DETAILS ON HOW STATE QUESTION 832 WOULD WORK IF PASSED, WE'RE JOINED NOW BY NOAH MACK NOAH.

YEAH.

RICH.

THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME THE STATE'S MINIMUM WAGE HAS RISEN SINCE 2009.

AND NOT ONLY IS THIS A PERIODICAL RAISE, BUT IT ALSO HAS A PROVISION THAT ONCE IT REACHES THAT 15, THE MINIMUM WAGE WOULD ADJUST BASED ON CERTAIN MARKET METRICS.

THAT IS WHY SOME ARE OPPOSING THIS PROPOSAL.

I WAS ASKED PEOPLE TO TRY TO THINK AND PUT THEMSELVES IN THE SHOES OF A LOW WAGE WORKER.

I SIT DOWN NEXT TO A WOMAN ON A PARK BENCH.

SHE LOOKED PRETTY TIRED.

AND SO I WAS LIKE, HEY, CAN I TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MINIMUM WAGE?

SHE WAS LIKE, OH, I'M GOING TO VOTE YES.

BUT I'M, I'M JUST REALLY EXHAUSTED.

SHE SHE'S WORKING TWO JOBS AND RAISING HER THREE GRANDCHILDREN ON HER OWN.

ONE OF HER GRANDKIDS IS OLD ENOUGH TO WORK NOW, AND THEY HAVE TO SHARE A CAR.

AND WHEN THE CAR IS BROKEN DOWN, THEY DON'T GET TO GO TO WORK, WHICH MEANS THEY DON'T HAVE PAY.

AND SO THIS IS JUST ONE STORY I HEARD YESTERDAY.

I HEAR STORIES LIKE THIS EVERY SINGLE NIGHT.

GETTING MINIMUM WAGE ON THE BALLOT HAS BEEN A HARD FOUGHT BATTLE, THREE YEARS IN THE MAKING.

NOW OKLAHOMANS WILL GO TO THE POLLS JUNE 16TH TO VOTE ON STATE.

QUESTION 832.

RIGHT NOW, OKLAHOMA OPERATES UNDER THE FEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE $7.25 AN HOUR.

THIS MEASURE WILL RAISE THE WAGE OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD.

IN 2027.

IT WILL BUMP UP TO $12 AN HOUR IN 2028.

1350 AND BY 2029, $15.

THERE IS A PROVISION THAT FROM THEN ON, THE MINIMUM WAGE WILL BE ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION EACH YEAR.

AMBER ANGLIN, SPOKESPERSON FOR THE RAISE THE WAGE CAMPAIGN, SAYS IT'S ESSENTIAL TO KEEP WAGES ON PACE WITH PRICES.

IT NEEDS TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE MINIMUM WAGE KEEPS ITS BUYING POWER, SO WE NO LONGER HAVE TO WAIT ON POLITICIANS FOR THE MINIMUM WAGE TO GO UP.

SO WHEN COSTS ARE GOING UP, WAGES WILL TOO.

THE PROPOSAL'S OPPONENTS ARE PLENTIFUL.

THE CURRENT GOVERNOR.

ALL GOP CANDIDATES SEEKING TO BECOME GOVERNOR.

THE STATE CHAMBER AND THE GREATER OKLAHOMA CITY CHAMBER, WHO ORGANIZED A FORUM TO DISCUSS THE MATTER.

DETRACTORS BELIEVE IT WILL WRECK BUSINESSES, FORCING THEM TO CUT JOBS AND RAISE PRICES, AND THAT THIS PROVISION TO KEEP ADJUSTING THE MINIMUM WAGE INDEFINITELY IS THE COUP DE GRACE.

WE'RE OPPOSED TO THE STATE QUESTION, AS IT'S WRITTEN, PARTICULARLY FOR THE ESCALATOR AT THE END, AFTER $15, THE ATTACHING IT TO THE FEDERAL INDEX THAT WILL INCREASE EVERY YEAR BASED ON LOCATIONS THAT THAT DON'T LOOK A LOT LIKE OKLAHOMA.

FURTHER INCREASES BEYOND 2029 WILL BE BASED ON WHAT IS CALLED THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR URBAN WAGE EARNERS AND CLERICAL WORKERS, OR CPI.

W IT'S CREATED USING PRICES OF GOODS AND SERVICES COMMON FOR HOURLY WORKERS GROCERIES, HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION.

OPPONENTS LIKE THE CEO OF THE OKLAHOMA RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION, JAMES LEE WRIGHT, TAKE ISSUE WITH THAT TRICK IN THE CPI.

W THAT IT GOES OFF OF IS PRIMARILY MADE UP OF CITIES LIKE NEW YORK CITY, CHICAGO, LOS ANGELES, AND A LOT OF THOSE.

CALIFORNIA, FOR EXAMPLE, THEIR COST OF LIVING IS 42% HIGHER THAN WE ARE HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

WE'RE THE SECOND LOWEST COST OF LIVING STATE IN THE NATION.

JAMES CONTINUES TO SAY THAT RESTAURANTS WON'T BE ABLE TO HANDLE THAT CLIMBING COST FOR THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, FULL SERVICE RESTAURANTS MAKE A 2.8% MARGIN.

THERE'S NOT MUCH MORE THEY CAN ABSORB.

YOU CAN IMAGINE BEING IN A BUSINESS WHERE YOU ONLY MAKE 2.8% NET PROFIT.

IT JUST TAKES ONE MISTAKE AND YOU'RE OUT OF BUSINESS.

ACCORDING TO THE U.S.

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, 98% OF HOURLY WORKERS IN OKLAHOMA MAKE ABOVE THE MINIMUM WAGE, WHICH LEAVES 1.4% THAT MAKE AT OR BELOW THE MINIMUM WAGE.

JAMES SPECULATES THAT THAT 1% IS MADE UP OF TEENAGERS OR PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL HISTORY.

LIKE, I HAVE FOUR KIDS AND THEY DON'T NEED A LIVING WAGE BECAUSE DAD'S PAYING FOR IT, BUT THEY DO NEED THOSE SOFT SKILLS AND THAT ENTRY POINT AND THAT LEARN THAT WORK ETHIC.

THE OTHER PART OF THAT EQUATION IS YOU HAVE THOSE THAT ARE SECOND CHANCE, THOSE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED, LOOKING TO BETTER THEIR LIVES, HAD DRUG HABITS AND SOMEONE NEEDS THEY JUST WANT SOMEONE TO TAKE A CHANCE ON THEM.

AND MAYBE AT $10 AN HOUR, RESTAURANT WILL BE WILLING TO TAKE A CHANCE ON THEM.

HE ADDS THAT THE MARKET WILL NATURALLY ADJUST.

WELL, IN OUR INDUSTRY, HOSPITALITY WITH RESTAURANTS, WHEN WE PULL OUR MEMBERS, $13 IS ABOUT THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW.

AND SO I BELIEVE THAT THE MARKET'S DOING WHAT IT NEEDS TO.

AMBER BELIEVES THE STATE QUESTIONS OPPONENTS ARE OVERBLOWING THE PERCEIVED CONSEQUENCES.

YOU CAN LOOK AT STATES RIGHT AROUND US MISSOURI, ARKANSAS, NEBRASKA.

THEY'VE ALL RECENTLY RAISED THEIR MINIMUM WAGE, AND THE COST OF LIVING HAS NOT GONE THROUGH THE ROOF.

AND WE'RE NOT SEEING MASSIVE JOB LOSSES.

THESE ARE SCARE TACTICS.

AND SHE PUSHES BACK ON THE CPIW CLARIFYING THAT IT IS A NATIONAL AVERAGE THAT STILL DOES ACCOUNT FOR PARTS OF OKLAHOMA.

THAT CPI DOES INCLUDE DATA FROM RIGHT HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND SOME SURROUNDING COUNTIES LIKE GRADY COUNTY, MCCLAIN COUNTY, CANADIAN COUNTY, OKLAHOMA COUNTY, AND THAT THE INCREASES WON'T BE DRASTIC HIKES.

SO YOU'RE TALKING $0.22 TO $0.50 FOR AN HOUR.

AND WHAT THAT DOES IS GIVE SMALL BUSINESSES PREDICTABILITY SO THEY CAN UNDERSTAND AND PLAN FOR THOSE INCREASES.

AMBER REMAINS POSITIVE THAT OKLAHOMANS HAVE AN APPETITE FOR THIS CHANGE.

ALTHOUGH SUMMER ELECTIONS DRAW FEWER CROWDS THAN NOVEMBER.

I THINK THAT THE GOVERNOR TRIED TO PUT THIS ON A BALLOT THAT HE BELIEVED IT WOULD FAIL.

THEY DID THAT WITH MEDICAID EXPANSION.

THEY DID IT WITH MEDICAL MARIJUANA.

AND BOTH OF THOSE CAMPAIGNS PREVAILED.

GROWING UP WITH A SINGLE MOM WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS, AMBER HAS WALKED IN THE SHOES OF A LOW WAGE WORKING FAMILY.

MY LUNCH TICKET WAS A DIFFERENT COLOR BECAUSE I WAS ON.

I WAS ON A FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH.

I. I THINK MY LUNCHES WERE $0.10 A DAY, AND I STILL REMEMBER HOW THAT MADE ME FEEL AS A KID.

AND SO I THINK THIS IS DEEPLY PERSONAL FOR ME.

AND I THINK IT'S DEEPLY PERSONAL TO A LOT OF OKLAHOMANS WHO'VE, WHO'VE BEEN THERE AND SEEN A FAMILY MEMBER OR A FRIEND OR A NEIGHBOR STRUGGLE TO MAKE ENDS MEET, EVEN THOUGH THEY'RE WORKING TWO AND THREE JOBS.

AMBER SAYS THEY RECEIVED DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF SIGNATURES REQUIRED FOR THE INITIATIVE PETITION.

RICH.

NO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WHILE THERE ARE NO CONFIRMED OR SUSPECTED CASES OF EITHER HANTAVIRUS OR EBOLA IN OKLAHOMA, THERE HAVE BEEN OUTBREAKS OVERSEAS, AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS NOW DESIGNATED THE EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE AFRICAN CONGO TO BE A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY.

SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED IN OKLAHOMA, AND HOW DO THESE VIRUSES DIFFER FROM COVID 19?

THAT'S THE TOPIC OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH SUSAN CADDO AND HER PANEL OF OKLAHOMA HEALTH EXPERTS.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

IT'S AN RNA VIRUS, SO THAT'S ITS GENETIC MATERIAL DOES NOT HAVE DNA.

IT IS SPREAD BY RODENTS, AND MOST PEOPLE GET IT BY COMING INTO CONTACT WITH RODENT FECES, RODENT URINE, RODENT BURROWS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

IT'S ONE OF THE FEW HANTAVIRUSES, IF NOT THE ONLY ONE, THAT CAN ACTUALLY SPREAD PERSON TO PERSON IN CERTAIN CASES.

THE 1993 OUTBREAK WAS KIND OF THE BIG ONE, WHERE HANTAVIRUS FIRST BURST ONTO THE SCENE WITH THE WITH THE STRAIN THAT IS PARTICULAR TO THE UNITED STATES SIN NOMBRE VIRUS.

AND BUT I MEAN, I'VE SEEN A COUPLE CASES OF IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN IT.

IT'S BEEN A LONG IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE SEEN IT, BUT IT HAPPENS PRETTY RARELY.

WE TRY TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE.

THAT'S ONE OF OUR MOTTOS.

I KNOW THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY TAKES THE SAME APPROACH WHEN WE SEE GLOBAL EVENTS OCCURRING LIKE THIS.

SO WE DO HAVE PLANS IN PLACE.

WE HAVE PROTOCOLS.

SO FOR SOMETHING LIKE EBOLA, WHEN IT STARTS TO PICK UP GLOBALLY, THE WE WILL PARTNER WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST.

THERE ARE TOO FEW FOSTER CARE HOMES AND TOO FEW FOSTER CARE WORKERS IN OKLAHOMA.

RECENTLY, JASON DOYLE MET A WOMAN WHO IS BOTH A FOSTER PARENT AND WORKS IN THE FIELD AS WELL.

JASON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON HER STORY.

JASON RICH, OKLAHOMA HUMAN SERVICES CHILD WELFARE HAS MORE THAN 6000 KIDS IN THE SYSTEM.

THAT'S AN UPTICK AT A TIME WHEN DHS IS LOOKING FOR MORE HELP INSIDE THE AGENCY AND TO PROVIDE FOSTER KIDS A SAFE ENVIRONMENT.

ARE YOU COMING?

OH, THAT'S A STACIA.

STACEY CALHOUN AND HER FOUR LEGGED FRIEND, MARBLE CALHOUN HAS BEEN WITH THE OKLAHOMA HUMAN SERVICES CHILD WELFARE FOR NEARLY 14 YEARS NOW.

SHE SAYS THE GOAL OF THE AGENCY ISN'T TO BREAK FAMILIES APART, BUT TO WORK WITH THEM SO THE STATE DOESN'T STEP IN TO TAKE A CHILD OUT OF A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

THAT'S WHAT WE DO.

WE WORK WITH THE FAMILIES, WE WORK WITH THE FAMILIES TO BUILD THAT SUPPORT, GIVE THEM THOSE RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO HELP CORRECT WHATEVER SITUATION THAT GOT THESE KIDS INTO THIS SITUATION, SHE SAYS.

LATELY, THE WORKLOAD HAS BEEN INCREASING.

SOMETIMES WE CAN RECEIVE OVER 50 REFERRALS A DAY.

OVER 50 REFERRALS A DAY, EVEN IF THEY HAVE TO TAKE A CHILD OUT OF THE HOME, THE AGENCY TRIES ITS BEST TO GIVE THE FAMILY A CHANCE TO STAY IN CONTACT.

SOME OF THE KIDS ON OUR CASELOAD, DEPENDING ON THE SEVERITY OF THE CASE, THE SITUATION OF THE CASE SEE THEIR CHILDREN WAY MORE OFTEN.

WE'VE LEARNED THE MORE THE FAMILY SEES THEIR CHILDREN, THE BETTER OUTCOME IT IS FOR THE KIDS.

THEY ARE SEEING SOME SUCCESS BY WORKING WITH PARENTS AND KIDS.

THIS WAY, I CAN LITERALLY SAY ON MY CASELOAD, JUST BEING A SUPERVISOR IN THE LAST YEAR, MY TEAM IS SENDING KIDS HOME ON THE AVERAGE AROUND SEVEN MONTHS.

THEY'RE GOING HOME.

STACY IS A BUNDLE OF JOY.

SHE HAS A LOT OF ENERGY.

SHE'S VERY COMPASSIONATE ABOUT THE WORK THAT SHE DOES.

JAZZ KENNISON IS THE DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR DHS CHILD WELFARE SERVICES IN OKLAHOMA COUNTY.

HE SAYS THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF CHILD WELFARE WORKERS, AND THE AGENCY NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE CALHOUN.

THERE'S A TREMENDOUS DEMAND ON IT.

WE NEED FOLKS WHO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, LIKE I MENTIONED BEFORE, BELIEVE IN PEOPLE'S CAPACITY TO CHANGE.

AND YOU NEED PEOPLE WHO ARE DEDICATED AND COMPASSIONATE TO DO THIS TYPE OF WORK.

OFTENTIMES IN CHILD WELFARE, YOU'RE MEETING PEOPLE ON THEIR VERY WORST DAY, HE SAYS.

WHILE CHILD WELFARE WORKERS GET A BAD RAP, AT TIMES, THEY'RE MAKING AN IMPACT FOR THE BETTERMENT OF FAMILIES.

IN OKLAHOMA, I WOULD SAY IF YOU HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET SOME OF THE FOLKS WHO DO THIS IMPORTANT WORK IN CRITICAL WORK, IT'S SOME OF THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, SOME OF THE MOST SELFLESS PEOPLE THAT YOU WILL EVER ENCOUNTER.

STACEY CALHOUN FITS THAT BILL TO A T BECAUSE SHE'S A FOSTER PARENT.

MY CASELOAD THAT HAD THREE KIDS ON IT AND THEY WERE SIBLINGS, VERY CLOSE SIBLINGS.

ONE OF THE YOUTH HAD A TROUBLED BACKGROUND, AND TWO OF THE SIBLINGS GOT ADOPTED.

AND THE OTHER KID WITH HIS TROUBLED BACKGROUND, HE COULD NEVER FIND PLACEMENT STABILITY, AS IN A STABLE FOSTER HOME, CALHOUN TOOK HIM ON AS HER FIRST FOSTER KID.

HE JUST NEEDED STABILITY.

SO I TOOK THAT LEAP AND BECAME A FOSTER PARENT.

HIS NAME IS LEO, AND AFTER JOINING CALHOUN'S HOME, HE'S GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL, IS A SUCCESSFUL WORKING ADULT AND ABOUT TO TURN 21 YEARS OLD.

HE IS DOING VERY WELL.

HE HAS NOT BEEN IN ANY TYPE OF CRIMINAL ACTIVITY SINCE THE AGE OF WHAT, 16, 16?

HE'S DOING WELL, BUT CALHOUN DID NOT STOP THERE AND HAS CONTINUED TO FOSTER TEENAGE BOYS.

I SAY YES TO BASICALLY ALL KIDS, REGARDLESS OF WHAT I READ ON THAT PAPER, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO MAKE ME CRY NOW.

BECAUSE REGARDLESS OF WHAT'S ON THAT PAPER, IT REMINDS ME OF LEO.

CALHOUN HAD SOME HELP OVER THE YEARS.

HER DAUGHTER, ANAYA, SHE'S TAKEN ON THAT BIG SISTER ROLE.

AND MY HOUSE IS LIKE THE SENIOR HOUSE.

ALL OF HER FRIENDS COME OVER.

THEY HELP AS WELL.

WHEN I'M TALKING TO PEOPLE, THEY'RE LIKE, OH, DO YOU HAVE ANY SIBLINGS?

I'M LIKE, IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY.

I MEAN, SOMETIMES I HAVE FIVE, SOMETIMES I HAVE ONE, BUT IT'S KIND OF I'VE KIND OF GROWN INTO IT AND IT'S KIND OF OPENED MY EYES A LITTLE BIT TO DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES OF HOW SOME PEOPLE LIVE AND HOW I CAN MAKE A CHANGE.

ANAYA FEELS PEOPLE SHOULD TRY FOSTERING CHILDREN WHO NEED A STABLE HOME.

MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE WELCOME AND OPEN ARMS, AND JUST BE OPEN MINDED ABOUT IT.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU'RE LIKE, THIS IS MY HOME.

I DON'T WANT ANYBODY COMING UP AND MESSING, MESSING UP.

THEY'RE NOT MESSING IT UP.

THEY'RE HONESTLY COMING TOGETHER AND BRINGING IT TOGETHER.

STACY CALHOUN SAYS PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSIDERING MEETING THE NEED TO BECOME FOSTER PARENTS SHOULD TAKE THE LEAP, BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT BE ALONE IN TAKING CARE OF THOSE FOSTER CHILDREN, REGARDLESS OF THE BACKGROUND, BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE ARE SERVICES THAT WE CAN PUT IN PLACE TO HELP THAT HELP FOSTER PARENT TRAINING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE CHILD AND FAMILY.

THERE ARE ALSO COMMUNITY SERVICE AGENCIES WHICH WORK ALONGSIDE DHS TO SUPPORT FOSTER FAMILIES LIKE SUNBEAM FAMILY SERVICES IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

SUNBEAM FAMILY SERVICES PARTNERS WITH DHS, WHERE WE ARE SUPPORTING CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE BY RECRUITING FAMILIES TO HELP CHILDREN AND OPEN THEIR HOME AND THEIR HEARTS TO THEM.

WHILE THE PARENTS ARE WORKING ON ALL THE THINGS THEY NEED TO WITH DHS SUPPORT, SUNBEAM MAKES SURE THE FOSTER FAMILIES THE ORGANIZATION SERVES HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO FOSTER.

WE ARE GREAT AT CONNECTING WITH RESOURCES, NOT ONLY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, BUT.

IF YOU ARE FOSTERING A CHILD WITH SUNBEAM WHO IS A BABY OR TODDLER, THEY GET PRIORITY PLACEMENT.

IN OUR EARLY EDUCATION, HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START CENTERS.

WHETHER YOU WANT TO BE A FOSTER PARENT OR HELP KIDS IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM BY JOINING DHS CHILD WELFARE DIVISION, CALHOUN SAYS IT'S WORTH IT.

TO ME, IT IS EVERYBODY'S JOB TO HELP OUT, TO SAVE THAT ONE FAMILY, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, ONE PERSON AT A TIME, FIRST LEARNING THAT IT HAD TO BE A MAN.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BECOMING A FOSTER PARENT, VISIT OKAY.

FOSTER'S DOT ORG.

RICH, JASON.

GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU.

IF YOU ENJOY SEEING HISTORY COME TO LIFE, MAKE PLANS TO BE IN TULSA NEXT WEEK FOR THE PRESENTATION OF 250 YEARS.

THE SPIRIT OF AMERICA.

OH.

FREEDOM ALL OVER ME.

IT'S A FREE FIVE DAY EVENT TAKING PLACE AT THE MUSEUM OF TULSA HISTORY THAT INCLUDES WORKSHOPS DURING THE DAY AND PERFORMANCES AT NIGHT, FEATURING FIVE HISTORICAL FIGURES, INCLUDING REBECCA MARKS JIMERSON PORTRAYING 19TH CENTURY ABOLITIONIST AND WOMEN'S RIGHTS ACTIVIST SOJOURNER TRUTH.

WE SHARE AN IMPORTANT LESSON FROM HISTORY, IMPORTANT CHARACTERS FROM HISTORY, AND YOU GET TO ACTUALLY INTERACT WITH THOSE CHARACTERS IN FORMS IN TERMS OF A OF A MONOLOGUE WHERE THEY PRESENT TO YOU.

THEN YOU GET TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THEM IN THAT ROLE, AND YOU GET TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE SCHOLARS WHO LEARNED ABOUT THOSE CHARACTERS.

SO IT'S A GREAT WAY TO EXPERIENCE A LIVING HISTORY.

AND THE COOL THING IS THEY'RE ACTORS AND THEY'RE SCHOLARS.

I MEAN, SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE BEAUTY OF IT.

SO THEY BRING A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE AND, AND RESEARCH AND THE DEVOTION THAT THEY GIVE TO THESE CHARACTERS TO FULLY UNDERSTANDING THEM, AND THEN TO EXPRESS THOSE THROUGH FIRST PERSON NARRATIVE TO THE AUDIENCE.

AND ALL THE EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

BEGINNING NEXT TUESDAY AT THE TULSA MUSEUM OF HISTORY ON PEORIA AVENUE, BEGINNING WITH DOCTOR DOUG MISHLER PORTRAYING EXPLORER WILLIAM CLARK, FOLLOWED BY REBECCA ON WEDNESDAY, WASHINGTON IRVING ON THURSDAY, ELEANOR ROOSEVELT ON FRIDAY, AND IT WRAPS UP ON SATURDAY NIGHT WITH A FEW LAUGHS AS DOCTOR LESLIE GODDARD PORTRAYS THE ONE AND ONLY LUCILLE BALL.

THE OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2026 WILL BE OFFICIALLY INDUCTED AT A BANQUET THIS COMING NOVEMBER 8TH.

OKLAHOMANS WHO HAVE EXCELLED IN A VARIETY OF FIELDS INCLUDING SPORTS, BUSINESS, EDUCATION, THE MILITARY AND OTHERS.

THIS WEEK, TAELYR JACKSON HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH SOME OF THEM, AND SHE JOINS US NOW.

TAELYR RICH.

FOR MORE THAN 90 YEARS, THE OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME HAS HONORED OKLAHOMANS WHO HAVE GONE ON TO DO AMAZING THINGS IN THEIR LIVES.

THE INDUCTEES THAT WE SPOKE WITH THIS WEEK SAY THEY ARE TRULY HONORED TO HAVE BEEN SELECTED.

WELL, IT'S ALWAYS KIND OF EXCITING TO BE RECOGNIZED.

AND MILTON GILLILAND IS ONE OF THE OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES BEING HONORED FOR HER SERVICE IN THE STATE.

THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL RECOGNITION, SO I WAS VERY PLEASED ABOUT THAT.

BUT MY MY REAL TARGET IS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY.

AND SO ALL THE FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE.

AND THAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT.

GILLILAND HAS BEEN WITH HABITAT FOR 36 YEARS.

I WAS RECRUITED TO HABITAT IN 1990, AND I REALLY DIDN'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT IT, BUT I CAME ON BOARD TO HELP A FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS CHAIRMAN AT THAT TIME, AND AS SOON AS I CAME ON BOARD, HE LEFT.

SO BUT I HAD JUST STARTED MEETING WITH THE FAMILIES THEN, AND I JUST REALLY BECAME VERY ENAMORED WITH THE WHOLE ORGANIZATION AND WORKING WITH OUR FAMILIES AND ESPECIALLY OUR SINGLE MOMS.

UNDER HER LEADERSHIP, THE NONPROFIT BECAME ONE OF THE NATION'S LEADING HABITAT ORGANIZATIONS.

IT'S THE NUMBER OF FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE AND ALSO THE QUALITY OF HOUSING THAT WE BUILD.

I MEAN, WE'RE THE MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDERS IN THE STATE.

SO WHAT WE OFFER OUR FAMILIES IS SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL AND SOMETHING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO OTHERWISE.

OTHER HONOREES SET TO BE INDUCTED IN NOVEMBER INCLUDE CEO OF STOCK EXCHANGE, BRUCE BENBROOK, OU ATHLETIC DIRECTOR JOSEPH CASTIGLIONE, FORMER PRINCIPAL CHIEF OF SAC AND FOX NATION.

MARY MCCORMACK, CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR VETERAN DWIGHT W BIRDWELL AND ANN HARGIS, ONE OF IBM'S FIRST FEMALE ENGINEERS IN NORMAN.

SHERRY COLE SPENT 25 SEASONS AS THE HEAD COACH FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM.

SHE SAYS COACHING AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL WASN'T ORIGINALLY PART OF HER LIFE PLAN.

THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT BEING A HIGH SCHOOL COACH HELPED INFORM NOT ONLY MY DECISIONS, BUT MAYBE EVEN MORE SO MY ATTITUDE AS I TOOK ON THE JOB AT OKLAHOMA.

AS A HIGH SCHOOL COACH, YOU GET WHAT YOU GET AND YOU GOT THEM AND YOU GOT TO COACH THEM.

YOU MIGHT HAVE A FIVE SEVEN CENTER.

IF THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT, THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE GOT, AND YOU GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO ROLL WITH IT.

SO THAT HELPED A LOT, ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY DAYS AT OKLAHOMA WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE THE PICK OF THE LITTER, WHEN YOU COULDN'T JUST GO OUT AND SAY, I WANT THAT PLAYER AND I WANT THAT PLAYER.

IT WAS A LITTLE BIT TOUGHER THEN, SO I HAD TO KIND OF FIGURE OUT MY STAFF AND I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO WIN.

COLE TOOK OVER THE TEAM AT A PIVOTAL TIME AND WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR GUIDING THE PROGRAM TO 19 CONSECUTIVE NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES AND THREE TRIPS TO THE FINAL FOUR.

THE EARLY DAYS WERE SO HARD, WE.

WE JUST CONTINUALLY TRIED TO BEHAVE IN SUCH A WAY THAT WOULD LAY A FOUNDATION SO THAT WE COULD HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN LIKE THAT, THAT SENSE OF WORK ETHIC AND THAT THAT WAY YOU HANDLE YOURSELF IN ALL SITUATIONS, IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, SORT OF POURS THE FOUNDATION FOR THEN WHAT YOU CAN BUILD ON, WHICH ARE WINS AND WINNING SEASONS.

ULTIMATELY, COLE FINISHED HER CAREER WITH 512 VICTORIES.

FORMER PRINCIPAL CHIEF OF THE CHEROKEE NATION, ROSS SWIMMER ACCOMPLISHED MANY THINGS DURING HIS TENURE.

ONE OF HIS MOST MEMORABLE SUCCESSES WAS HIS ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND ENACTMENT OF THE CHEROKEE NATION'S CONSTITUTION.

UNTIL MY ELECTION IN 1975, THE TRIBE WAS A ONE PERSON TRIBE.

OF COURSE, CHIEF KEELER BILL KEELER HAD BEEN CHIEF SINCE SINCE THE 1950S, BECAUSE BEGINNING WITH THE.

CHEROKEES FINAL ACT WITH OKLAHOMA, OUR CHIEFS WERE APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THEY SERVED CONTINUALLY UNDER SUCCESSIVE APPOINTMENTS.

IN 1985, SWIMMER WAS APPOINTED ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR INDIAN AFFAIRS BY PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN.

PAUL HODEL, WHO WAS THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR, AND.

HE WAS VERY INSISTENT AND SAID THAT HE.

HE WAS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE PRESIDENT, AND THEY DECIDED THIS THIS IS THE JOB I SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE OF MY WORK IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TRIBE.

THE APPOINTMENT CAME DURING HIS THIRD TERM AS PRINCIPAL CHIEF, AND HE WAS REPLACED BY WILMA MANKILLER.

AT FIRST, SWIMMER WASN'T SO SURE THE NEW POSITION WAS RIGHT FOR HIM, BUT WITH THE SUPPORT OF HIS WIFE, MARGARET, HE TOOK ON THE ROLE.

MARGARET SAID, YOU KNOW, IF THE PRESIDENT ASKED YOU TO DO SOMETHING, YOU REALLY SHOULD DO IT.

HE SAYS HIS ROLE IN D.C.

TAUGHT HIM ABOUT COMPLEX RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN TRIBAL NATIONS AND THE GOVERNMENT.

WE ARE PRETTY MUCH AT THE MERCY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.

THEY.

THEY SET THE RULES FOR WHAT HAPPENS IN INDIAN COUNTRY, BUT AT THE SAME TOKEN, THEY.

THEY ARE SORT OF THE RULER.

IF YOU HAVE ISSUES THAT COME UP, WHETHER IT'S, YOU KNOW, PROPERTY ISSUES ON THE RESERVATION OR DOING SOMETHING WITH YOUR RESERVATION, IF YOU WANT TO GO OUT AND AND FOR INSTANCE, LEASE OR SELL A PIECE OF LAND, YOU'VE GOT TO GO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR TO GET THAT DONE.

SWIMMER AND HIS FELLOW SEVEN NEW INDUCTEES ARE THANKFUL TO RECEIVE ONE OF OKLAHOMA'S HIGHEST INDIVIDUAL HONORS.

THAT'S WHY IT'S WONDERFUL.

I APPRECIATE THAT, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT.

IT'S IT'S A BIT OF A REWARD FOR A LOT OF PUBLIC SERVICE.

THE 99TH OKLAHOMA HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY WILL BE HELD IN NOVEMBER.

RICH, THAT'S A GREAT GROUP.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

A RESTAURANT OWNER GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS FOR DEFRAUDING THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

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

AN OKLAHOMA COUNTY JURY HAS FOUND HIS BARBECUE RESTAURANT OWNER, BRANT SWADLEY, GUILTY OF ALL SIX FELONY COUNTS OF FRAUD AND CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE STATE WHILE MANAGING STATE PARK RESTAURANTS UNDER THE BRAND NAME OF FOGGY BOTTOM KITCHEN.

SWADLEY WAS ACCUSED BY PROSECUTORS OF OVERCHARGING THE STATE FOR RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT AND OTHER RENOVATIONS TO THE STATE PARK RESTAURANTS.

TWO OTHERS INVOLVED TOOK PLEA DEALS AND TESTIFIED AGAINST SWADLEY DURING THE TRIAL, WHO IS NOW SET FOR SENTENCING ON JULY 16TH.

THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE'S 2026 OKLAHOMA INNOVATION EXPANSION PROGRAM, OR O. IEP, HAS RECEIVED A RECORD NUMBER OF APPLICANTS.

THE COMMERCE DEPARTMENT APPROVED 262 COMPANIES OUT OF THE 329 APPLICATIONS TO RECEIVE GRANTS, WHICH WILL ALLOW THEM TO EXPAND THEIR EXISTING BUSINESSES, CREATING MORE THAN 1200 NEW JOBS.

THE APPROVED PROJECTS COLLECTIVELY TOTAL $79.3 MILLION, WITH AN ESTIMATED ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $317.5 MILLION.

SUN COUNTRY AIRLINES HAS LAUNCHED TWO NEW ROUTES FROM TULSA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, ONE GOING TO MINNEAPOLIS, THE OTHER GOING TO CANCUN.

THOSE ROUTES WILL BE OFFERED ON THURSDAYS AND SUNDAYS THROUGH EARLY AUGUST.

THIS IS THE FIRST TIME SINCE APRIL 2020 THAT TULSA INTERNATIONAL HAD A NONSTOP FLIGHT TO MINNEAPOLIS.

ALLEGIANT AIR HAS BEGUN OFFERING FLIGHTS FROM WILL ROGERS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO GULF SHORES, ALABAMA TO KICK OFF THE SUMMER TRAVEL SEASON.

THE NEW FLIGHT WILL OPERATE UP TO THREE TIMES A WEEK.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES ALSO ADDED A WEEKLY NONSTOP FLIGHT TO BALTIMORE FROM OKLAHOMA CITY.

THAT ROUTE WILL FLY ONCE A WEEK.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED PAYCOM SOFTWARE WAS NAMED THE TOP PAYROLL PRODUCT BY G2'S SUMMER 2026 GRID REPORT.

THE COMPANY ALSO IS CONSIDERED THE BEST IN SEVERAL HR AND PAYROLL CATEGORIES WITHIN THE REPORT.

G2 REVIEWS BUSINESS BASED SOFTWARE TO PROVIDE RATINGS TO COMPANIES CONSIDERING ADOPTING SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAS DESIGNATED THE EBOLA OUTBREAK IN AFRICA TO BE A GLOBAL HEALTH EMERGENCY.

COULD IT SOMEHOW SPREAD TO THE UNITED STATES OR OKLAHOMA?

AND WHAT ABOUT THE HUNTER VIRUS?

SHOULD WE BE CAUTIOUS, CONCERNED, OR WORRIED ABOUT ANOTHER PANDEMIC?

WELL, THE SHORT ANSWER IS PROBABLY NO, BUT LET'S TALK ABOUT IT.

HERE'S SUSAN AND HER PANEL OF EXPERTS WITH THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION.

SUSAN.

JOINING US FOR THIS DISCUSSION, DOCTOR DOUGLAS DREVETS, WHO IS OU HEALTH'S CHIEF OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE, DOCTOR DAVID SHANNON.

HE'S THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF INFECTION CONTROL FOR INTEGRIS HEALTH, AND MIKE MENARD WITH THE OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

HE IS THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR TAKING TIME TO BE WITH US.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT, DOCTOR DREVETS, YOU'VE BEEN CUTTING UP.

BEFORE WE BEGIN.

SO I'M GOING TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT FIRST.

FIRST OF ALL TELL US JUST THE BASICS ABOUT HANTA VIRUS.

WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT IT IN THE NEWS, BUT JUST THE SIMPLE BASICS OF IT.

SO BASICS OF IT.

IT'S AN RNA VIRUS.

SO THAT'S ITS GENETIC MATERIAL DOES NOT HAVE DNA.

IT IS SPREAD BY RODENTS.

AND MOST PEOPLE GET IT BY COMING INTO CONTACT WITH RODENT FECES, RODENT URINE, RODENT BURROWS, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

IT'S ONE OF THE FEW HANTAVIRUSES, IF NOT THE ONLY ONE, THAT CAN ACTUALLY SPREAD PERSON TO PERSON IN CERTAIN CASES.

AND THAT'S HOW WE HAD THE OUTBREAK ON THE CRUISE SHIP.

OKAY.

QUICKLY, WHAT DOES RNA STAND FOR?

OH, THAT STANDS FOR RIBONUCLEIC ACID.

THANK YOU.

THAT CLEARS THAT UP.

DOES THAT DOES THAT MAKE THAT CLEAR?

IT MAKES THAT CLEAR.

CLEAR FROM MY NON-MEDICAL MIND.

NOW I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE DIFFERENT STRAINS.

THE ANDES STRAIN, RIGHT, IS THE ONE THAT PASSES HUMAN TO HUMAN.

ARE THERE OTHER STRAINS AROUND THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT WE DON'T NOTICE?

WELL, THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER STRAINS OF IT, INCLUDING ONE THAT LIVES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE OF CASES OF THAT IN COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO ALREADY THIS YEAR.

IT'S A SIMILAR STRAIN DOES NOT GET PASSED BACK PERSON TO PERSON, BUT IT IS A HANTAVIRUS AND DOES CAUSE A SIMILAR SYNDROME, WHICH IS CALLED THE HANTAVIRUS PULMONARY SYNDROME.

ALL RIGHT.

I KNOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HANTAVIRUS.

I WANT TO STAY ON THAT.

I DO WANT TO TALK ABOUT EBOLA HERE IN A MINUTE.

BUT I WAS ON THE CDC WEBSITE, AND THEY STATE THAT THERE ARE 890 CASES REPORTED NATIONWIDE FROM 1993 TO 2023.

BASICALLY, THE FATALITY RATE IS HIGH, HOVERING AROUND 35%.

SO I GOT THE FEELING THAT THERE'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT.

IT'S PRETTY RARE.

THERE WAS A THE 1993 OUTBREAK WAS KIND OF THE BIG ONE WHERE HANTAVIRUS FIRST BURST ONTO THE SCENE WITH THE.

WITH THE STRAIN THAT IS PARTICULAR TO THE UNITED STATES SIN NOMBRE VIRUS AND.

BUT I MEAN, I'VE SEEN A COUPLE OF CASES OF IT.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN IT.

IT'S BEEN A LONG IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I'VE SEEN IT, BUT IT HAPPENS PRETTY RARELY.

AND LIKE, LIKE DOCTOR TRAVIS SAID, IT'S.

SINCE IT'S PASSED FROM DIRECT CONTACT WITH RODENT EXCRETA, LIKE FECES OR SPUTUM OR OR DEAD RATS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT WHEN YOU'RE CLEANING OUT YOUR GARAGE, IT'S NOT VERY COMMON HERE BECAUSE IT ISN'T PERSON TO PERSON SPREAD.

SO THERE'S MUCH LESS CONCERN ABOUT WIDESPREAD DISEASE IN THAT SETTING.

ALL RIGHT.

SO I DO WANT TO SAY THE AT RISK POPULATION IS 62% MEN BECAUSE YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS OUT AND ABOUT GETTING INTO MESSES.

YEAH.

GUYS ARE THE HUNTER GATHERERS OF OUR COMMUNITY NOW.

SO WE'RE OUT THERE FORAGING FOR FOOD, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S WHY WE SHOULD STAY INDOORS.

DOCTOR, I'M AND YOU ACTUALLY, IN THE LARGE EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES, EVEN OF THE ANDES VIRUS, IT TENDS TO BE MALES MAKE UP ABOUT TWO THIRDS BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES WHO ARE OUT IN THE AGRICULTURAL SETTING.

SO THEY'RE THE AG WORKERS.

SO.

ALL RIGHT, MIKE, I WANT TO COME TO YOU.

LET'S SAY SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN.

AND WE HAVE JUST ONE CASE OF HANTAVIRUS, THE ANDES STRAIN HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

WHAT GOES INTO EFFECT AT THAT POINT?

YEAH.

GREAT QUESTION.

AND THAT WOULD A SINGLE CASE OF SOMETHING LIKE ANDES VIRUS WOULD INSTITUTE A LARGE STATEWIDE RESPONSE?

WE'D BE WORKING, OF COURSE, NOT JUST WITH THE INTERNAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT.

WE'D BE SENDING OUT COMMUNICATING A LOT OF MESSAGING OUT TO ALL OF OUR HEALTH CARE PARTNERS, LIKE THESE TWO GENTLEMEN HERE TODAY.

THIS WOULD REQUIRE A LOT OF VERY STRICT INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES.

WHEREVER THIS PATIENT IS GOING TO BE SEEN AND SPENDING THEIR POTENTIAL INFECTIOUS PERIOD.

BUT GIVEN THE NOVEL NATURE OF THE ANDES VIRUS IN OKLAHOMA, A SINGLE CASE WOULD WARRANT A VERY LARGE RESPONSE.

SO WHEN YOU SAY STRICT INFECTION CONTROL MEASURES SUCH AS, YEAH, THERE'D BE A LOT OF PRECAUTIONS, I'D PROBABLY DEFER TO DOCTOR SANSOM ON THAT, GIVEN HIS ROLE.

BUT THE SPECIFICS, ANDES VIRUS IS STILL SOMEWHAT OF A VIRUS THAT WE'RE STILL TRYING TO UNDERSTAND.

AND JUST TAKING THOSE PRECAUTIONS ON THE CLOSE CONTACT.

NOW, IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT ANDES VIRUS IS ANYTHING LIKE MEASLES, OR IT COULD BE AIRBORNE IF I WAS INFECTIOUS WITH IT RIGHT NOW, TYPICALLY, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION AND CDC BELIEVES THAT YOU NEED TO COME INTO PROLONGED CONTACT WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS, SIMILAR TO ALMOST TUBERCULOSIS IN THAT SETTING.

SO INDIVIDUALS ON LONG INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS, CLOSE CONTACTS WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND CLOSE FRIENDS ARE GOING TO BE AT THE HIGHEST RISK, BUT ALSO IN THE HOSPITAL SETTING, TAKING A LOT OF THOSE PRECAUTIONS FOR THE MEDICAL TEAM THAT'S ACTUALLY CARING FOR THESE PATIENTS.

SO I UNDERSTAND WAS BACK ON MAY 2ND, THOSE WITH THE HANTAVIRUS ON THAT CRUISE SHIP IN THE ATLANTIC, THEY WERE PUT UNDER 42 DAY QUARANTINE.

QUARANTINE.

THANK YOU FOR THAT WORD.

AS THAT LONG ENOUGH, IS THAT TOO LONG?

IS THAT SOMETHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT WOULD ONLY AFFECT AN INDIVIDUAL WHO'S INFECTED THEM AND THEIR CONTACTS?

OR WOULD IT AFFECT EVERYONE AS LIKE MASKING UP?

AND WHAT WOULD YOU GUYS RECOMMEND?

THE REASON THAT IT'S SO LONG FOR, FOR HANTAVIRUS IS BECAUSE THE INCUBATION PERIOD HAS BEEN SHOWN TO BE UP TO SEVEN WEEKS.

SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHEN SOMEONE IS FIRST EXPOSED TO IT.

LIKE, LIKE MIKE WAS SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S PROLONGED EXPOSURE.

IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO CATCH THAN A MEASLES OR VARICELLA OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO IT, IT REQUIRES THAT PROLONGED EXPOSURE, BUT IT CAN INCUBATE FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE IT BECOMES MANIFEST.

SO THEY HAVE TO BE ON QUARANTINE FOR THAT LONGER PERIOD OF TIME.

ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ON THE PLANE FROM JOHANNESBURG, I THINK, OR WHEN THEY EVACUATED THE PATIENTS FROM THE BOAT, THOSE ARE WHERE MOST OF THE AMERICANS THAT HAVE BEEN QUARANTINED WERE EXPOSED TO THAT FROM.

LIKE YOU MENTIONED, A LONG PLANE FLIGHT.

OTHER VIRUSES ARE DIFFERENT.

YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD THE COVID VIRUS, WE WERE RECOMMENDING AT FIRST, YOU KNOW, ABOUT TWO WEEKS OF QUARANTINE, AND THEN IT KIND OF WENT DOWN TO FIVE DAYS.

IT WENT UP TO 21 FOR SOME.

SO ALL VIRUSES ARE DIFFERENT.

NOT ALL OF THEM REQUIRE THE SAME LEVEL OF INFECTION CONTROL, THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES OF INFECTION CONTROL AND THE SAME DURATION.

DOCTOR JARVIS, LET ME COME BACK TO YOU.

WHAT WAS YOUR REACTION WHEN YOU FIRST HEARD ABOUT THIS SHIP IN THE ATLANTIC?

THAT'S CRAZY.

THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

NEVER HAD A HANTAVIRUS OUTBREAK ON A CRUISE SHIP BEFORE.

WOW.

SO I THINK EVERYONE JUST FLASHBACKS OF COVID AND I SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA, PEOPLE WERE DIFFERENT VIDEOS.

YOU GOT TO START MASKING UP AND EVERYTHING, BUT WE'RE NOT THERE.

IT'S NOT NO, WE'RE NOT THERE.

AND WHAT MADE THIS SHIP INTERESTING IS THERE IS A, A CRUISE SHIP THAT TOOK OFF, I BELIEVE, FROM BUENOS AIRES AND HAD AN OUTBREAK OF COVID ON BOARD EARLY ON.

AND THEN THAT BECAME A BOOK, WHICH IS REALLY QUITE A FASCINATING BOOK TO READ.

WELL, DOCTOR RANSOM, IF THINGS AREN'T BAD ENOUGH, OUR DISCUSSION OF THE HANTAVIRUS.

LET'S TALK ABOUT EBOLA.

WHY ARE WE EVEN HAVING TO DISCUSS THIS HERE?

EBOLA VIRUS IS MAKING ANOTHER OUTBREAK RIGHT NOW IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO.

THEY HAVE HAD SEVERAL HUNDRED CASES, SEVERAL HUNDRED DEATHS.

EBOLA VIRUS IS A VIRUS THAT WE'VE KNOWN ABOUT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

IT'S WHAT WE CALL A HEMORRHAGIC FEVER.

IT'S A FILOVIRIDAE, I THINK, AND IT HAS COME UP SPORADICALLY IN OUTBREAKS AROUND THE WORLD.

I THINK WE CAN ALL REMEMBER SEVERAL YEARS AGO, WHEN WE HAD THE PATIENT IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS, OR DALLAS, TEXAS, THAT WAS CAME OVER FROM FROM LIBERIA, I BELIEVE.

YEAH, BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS IN THAT PART OF THE WORLD LASSA FEVER, MARBURG HEMORRHAGIC FEVER, AND THEY'RE VIRUSES THAT ARE PASSED THAT THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN HANTAVIRUS.

IT'S DIFFERENT.

IT'S NOT A RESPIRATORY VIRUS.

IT'S SOMETHING WHERE A PERSON HAS TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH SECRETIONS FROM AN INFECTED PATIENT.

IT CAN BE HARBORED BY A HANDFUL OF DIFFERENT ANIMALS.

THE FRUIT BAT.

SOME PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY CARRY IT FOR A WHILE AND NOT KNOW THEY HAVE IT.

OKAY, SO THERE'S DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON, BUT THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER THERE ARE PERIODIC OUTBREAKS IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTRY.

AND THIS ONE HAS JUST BEEN A LITTLE BIT MORE LONG AND MORE SUSTAINED AND MORE INTENSE THAN SOME OF THE OTHER ONES.

THE MORE WE TRAVEL, YOU'RE THINKING, OH, IT'S IN THE CONGO.

WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT IT.

BUT WITH WORLD TRAVEL THE WAY IT IS, I GUESS WE DO HAVE TO KEEP A SHARP EYE OUT, EVEN THOUGH I'M LIKE, WELL, I'M STILL THINKING IT'S OVER IN THE CONGO.

I'M OLD ENOUGH TO STILL HAVE THAT MINDSET OF A WORLD AWAY.

IT'S JUST AN AIRPLANE AWAY, AIRPLANE FLIGHT AWAY.

THAT SAID, THIS ONE IS UNLIKELY TO TRAVEL, BUT IT CERTAINLY DOES DO IT.

IT WILL MIGRATE WITH PEOPLE, AND PARTICULARLY WHEN IT GETS INTO A POPULATION CENTER WITH DENSELY POPULATED URBAN CENTER, THEN IT CAN SPREAD MUCH FASTER BECAUSE OF ITS CLOSE CONTACT WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED.

THERE'S ALSO THE ISSUE OF THE BURIAL PRACTICES, THE LOCAL BURIAL PRACTICES, WHERE A DEAD BODY IS HIGHLY INFECTIOUS BECAUSE THE CARRIER HARBORS A HIGH CONCENTRATION OF THE VIRUS, AND THE LOCAL BURIAL PRACTICES ARE SUCH THAT THEY WASH IT WITH BARE HANDS AND THEN PEOPLE WILL TOUCH THE DECEASED LOVED ONE.

AND OF COURSE, ONE OF THE CLINICAL SYMPTOMS IS JUST PROFUSE DIARRHEA AND VOMITING.

AND SO USUALLY THESE FOLKS, THE CORPSES ARE COVERED WITH INFECTIOUS VIRUS.

AND SO THE FUNERALS ARE A PLACE WHERE THEY'RE SPREAD.

THERE'S NOT AS MUCH CONTROL THERE.

I GUESS THERE'S LITTLE CONTROL.

AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE WORKING WITH THE PEOPLE TO TRY TO INSTITUTE.

HOW DO YOU SAY, BURIAL PRACTICES THAT ARE BOTH SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE AND LESS OF AN INFECTION RISK?

I THINK THAT'S WHY THEY SET THE THE ONE BUILDING ON FIRE IS BECAUSE THEY WERE KIND OF SEQUESTERING THE BODIES FROM THE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GO DO THE BURIAL PRACTICES BECAUSE THEY WERE TRYING TO PRACTICE GOOD PUBLIC HEALTH.

BUT OBVIOUSLY, THE FAMILIES WERE VERY UPSET AND CAME TO TRY AND GET THEIR LOVED ONES BODIES AND, AND THEY SET THE PLACE ON FIRE.

THAT'S ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO.

YEAH.

THAT'S TERRIBLE.

RIGHT.

OKAY, MIKE, I WANT TO COME TO YOU WHEN WE TALK ABOUT ALL THESE WHAT IFS, YOU GUYS ARE ALWAYS READY TO HANDLE THE WHAT IFS.

HOW DO YOU PREPARE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR THE WHAT IFS, THE WORST CASE SCENARIOS.

DO YOU PLAN FOR IT?

YES, WE WE DO.

WE TRY TO BE PROACTIVE AND NOT REACTIVE.

THAT'S ONE OF OUR MOTTOS.

I KNOW THE MEDICAL COMMUNITY TAKES THE SAME APPROACH WHEN WE SEE GLOBAL EVENTS OCCURRING LIKE THIS.

SO WE DO HAVE PLANS IN PLACE.

WE HAVE PROTOCOLS.

SO FOR SOMETHING LIKE EBOLA, WHEN IT STARTS TO PICK UP GLOBALLY, THE WE WILL PARTNER WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

WE'LL PARTNER WITH SOME OF OUR HEALTH CARE PARTNERS OUTSIDE IN THE STATE, IN OUR COMMUNITIES TO SET UP PROCEDURES.

A LOT OF THIS COMES BACK TO RETURNING TRAVELERS FROM THESE AREAS.

WE DO OCCASIONALLY HAVE OKLAHOMA RESIDENTS WHO ARE OVER THERE IN THOSE RESPONSES, ESPECIALLY HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WHO ARE HELPING TO SERVE AND CARE FOR SOME OF THESE SICK AND SUSPECTED CASES OF EBOLA AND OTHER VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS.

SO WHEN THEY RETURN, WE OBVIOUSLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING'S ON THE UP AND UP.

WE HAVE A MONITORING PROCESS.

WE WORK WITH DOING DAILY TEMP CHECKS FOR THESE INDIVIDUALS.

IF THEY HAVE HIGH RISK EXPOSURES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, WHEN THE RESPONSE GETS BIG ENOUGH, WE'LL ROUTE SOME OF THESE TRAVELERS FROM THESE INFECTED COUNTRIES THROUGH SELECTED AIRPORTS SO THAT THEY CAN DO ENHANCED SCREENINGS.

SO THANKFULLY, WITH TECHNOLOGY, TALKING ABOUT THE AIRPLANES, ALL THOSE SYSTEMS, THEY DO WORK TOGETHER WELL TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE REPATRIATED BACK TO THE STATES, THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS HAVE A PROCESS.

SO THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING TO ME.

YOU GUYS ARE KEEPING TRACK OF OKLAHOMANS WHO ARE IN, I'M GOING TO SAY RED ZONES, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, CORRECT?

YES.

THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW WHO'S THERE, YOU KNOW, WHEN THEY'RE COMING BACK, WHERE THEY'RE GOING, THEIR FLIGHT PLAN, NOT NECESSARILY WHEN THEY'RE THERE, BUT IF THEY'RE RETURNING FROM AN IMPACTED ZONE AND WE KNOW THAT THEY WERE CARING FOR SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS, WHETHER THEIR RISK IS HIGH OR LOW OR NO RISK, THEY'RE STILL REPORTING THOSE TO US SO THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THEM IN THE PROPER PROTOCOLS.

DO YOU EVER GET ANY PUSHBACK FOR THAT?

I CAN'T IMAGINE YOU WOULD.

IT'S FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD AND SAFETY OF NOT ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL TRAVELING, BUT THEIR COMMUNITY, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY.

YEAH, TYPICALLY NOT FOR SOMETHING LIKE THIS, ESPECIALLY BY AND LARGE, IT IS HEALTH CARE WORKERS THAT ARE RETURNING AND USUALLY THEY'RE VERY RESPECTFUL OF OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH SIDE OF THINGS, WORKING TOGETHER, WANTING TO CONTROL DISEASE, SINCE THAT IS WHY THEY WERE OVER THERE TO BEGIN WITH.

SO, SO I DO WANT TO ASK YOU ONE MORE QUESTION.

POST COVID, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE SAYING, I'M NOT EVER GOING TO WEAR A MASK AGAIN.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ME.

IT'S A MATTER OF IT'S A FREEDOM ISSUE FOR THEM.

WOULD THERE COME A TIME WHERE YOU FORESEE THAT HAPPENING AGAIN, BEING MANDATED AGAIN IN OKLAHOMA?

AND I'LL START WITH YOU, MIKE.

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A HARD QUESTION TO ANSWER, BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER VARIABLES TO CONSIDER ON, YOU KNOW, WHEN A MASK MANDATE MAY BE PUT BACK IN PLACE, DEPENDING ON WHAT WE WERE DEALING WITH FROM AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE STANDPOINT.

BUT I CAN SAY FOR THE CURRENT HANTAVIRUS AND EBOLA, THANKFULLY, NOTHING LIKE THAT WOULD NEED TO BE IMPLEMENTED JUST DUE TO HOW THE TWO DISEASES SPREAD, WHICH IS WHY THE RISK OF A PANDEMIC IS SO LOW FOR EACH OF THESE PATHOGENS.

THESE THESE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS AN APPLES TO ORANGES RATHER THAN A RESPIRATORY OR AEROSOLIZED VIRUS.

THESE ARE HARD TO SPREAD IN INDIVIDUALS, THANKFULLY, ARE NOT INFECTIOUS UNTIL THEY BEGIN SHOWING SYMPTOMS.

WELL, THAT THAT MAKES SENSE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE SAYING PUT ON A MASK.

IT'S NOT SPREAD THE SAME, RIGHT?

EBOLA IS VERY DIFFERENT.

EBOLA VIRUSES.

YEAH.

OKAY.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE PRETTY CLOSE CONTACT WITH WITH SOME OF THE STUFF.

AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE CHOOSING TO WEAR A MASK, NOT CHOOSING TO WEAR A MASK.

I THINK FROM A PUBLIC HEALTH STANDPOINT, WE ALWAYS OPERATE WITH THE BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE.

WE TRY TO GET PEOPLE ALL OF THE TOOLS TO MAKE MAKE DECISIONS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT, IT BECAME IT BECAME AN ISSUE A FEW YEARS AGO.

I DON'T FORESEE THAT HAPPENING WITH EITHER ONE OF THESE VIRUSES.

BUT IF WE HAVEN'T LEARNED ANYTHING FROM COVID, ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN NEXT YEAR, RIGHT?

SO, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

I THINK WE, WE AS PHYSICIANS AND HEALTH CARE LEADERS AROUND THE STATE TRY TO GIVE PEOPLE THE BEST INFORMATION THAT THEY CAN HAVE.

WE TRY TO BE RESPECTFUL OF EVERYBODY'S OPINION AND MAKE HOPEFULLY THEY WILL COME TO THE RIGHT DECISION ON THEIR OWN, BUT JUST HAVE TO TRY.

ALL RIGHT.

AND DOCTOR TRAVIS, I'M GOING TO FINISH UP WITH YOU.

SINCE WE STARTED WITH YOU, I KIND OF FELT LIKE THE WAY EVERYONE WAS WEARING THEIR MASKS, MAYBE IT MAY NOT BE THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO KEEP, YOU KNOW, UNTIL EVERYONE GOT THE NPC MASK AND.

RIGHT.

WERE WE EVEN WEARING IT?

RIGHT.

BECAUSE I COULD FEEL AIR COMING IN, SO I DIDN'T KNOW HOW EFFECTIVE THOSE WOULD BE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO A PROPERLY WORN N95 MASK IS VERY GOOD.

YOU CAN DO JUST A SMIDGE BETTER WITH FULL BODY PROTECTION.

WITH SOMETHING LIKE EBOLA VIRUS, THOUGH, THE DIFFICULTY IS GOING TO BE YOU HAVE TO HAVE ALL OF YOUR SKIN COVERED UP.

AND SO YOU LITERALLY YOU WILL BE IN A BODY SUIT.

AND THAT'S BECAUSE THE THE VIRUS CAN GET THROUGH ANYTHING IN A SENSE.

YOU CAN CONTACT YOUR SKIN.

AND IF IT'S HIGH ENOUGH CONCENTRATION, IT CAN INFECT YOU.

AND WHAT ABOUT THE HANTAVIRUS?

HANTAVIRUS.

IT WOULD BE THE PULMONARY SYNDROME.

AND I THINK AN N95 WOULD BE SUFFICIENT.

OKAY, GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THIS REALLY GREAT INFORMATION.

I LEARNED SO MUCH FROM ALL OF YOU.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU.

YOU BET.

THANK YOU.

RICH.

ALL RIGHT, SUSAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GREAT INFORMATION THERE.

IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A TRIP TO SOUTH DAKOTA AND LEARN HOW A PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT IS TEACHING THE CULTURE AND MUSIC OF THE LAKOTA TRIBE, BECAUSE A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THEIR STUDENTS ARE NATIVE AMERICAN.

THAT STORY, COURTESY OF OUR PBS PARTNERS AT SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

THREE YEARS AGO WITHIN THE COMMUNITY OF WHITE RIVER AND THE WHITE RIVER SCHOOL DISTRICT, THEY DEVELOPED WHAT WAS CALLED THE CLIMATE TEAM, AND THEY WERE ADDRESSING DIFFERENT NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS WITHIN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

MEMBERS OF THAT TEAM CONSISTED OF THE PRINCIPAL AT THAT TIME, PARENTS, DIFFERENT COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND PEOPLE THAT WORK WITH CHILDREN.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY REALLY WANTED TO GET GOING ON HERE WAS A DRUM GROUP AND BRINGING CULTURE BACK TO THIS SCHOOL.

SO WHITE RIVER BEING A BORDER TOWN TO THE ROSEBUD INDIAN RESERVATION, I WOULD I WOULD GUESS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE STUDENTS HERE ARE AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENTS, AND THEY NEEDED THAT ACCESS TO CULTURE THAT THE OTHER SCHOOLS LIKE ON THE RESERVATIONS ARE GETTING.

WE ARE REALLY PROUD OF OUR NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE AROUND HERE.

WE HAVE A. ABOUT 85% OF OUR KIDS ARE SOME FORM OF NATIVE AMERICAN, MOSTLY FROM THE ROSEBUD AREA, SO IT'S JUST A NO BRAINER TO INCORPORATE THOSE THINGS INTO EVERYDAY LEARNING.

EVERYDAY SCHOOL.

THERE'S SO MANY GREAT LESSONS THAT REVOLVE THE LAKOTA HERITAGE LAKOTA CULTURE.

SO IT'S JUST IT'S EASY, YOU KNOW, AND BEING ABLE TO BRING IN A DRUM GROUP AND BEING ABLE TO ALLOW THE KIDS THAT TIME TO REALLY DO SOME OF THAT STUFF, IT'S JUST AWESOME.

WE ARE TEACHERS OF THE CULTURE, SONGS, LANGUAGE, STORIES.

WE COME IN EVERY TUESDAY AND WE WORK WITH SECOND THROUGH FIFTH GRADERS TEACHING THEM LAKOTA MUSIC, CULTURE, LANGUAGE, THOUGHT AND PHILOSOPHY, STORIES, WHATEVER, WHATEVER THEY WANT TO, WHATEVER THEY WANT TO HEAR.

I CHECK IN WITH THE KIDS.

WHAT DO YOU GUYS WANT?

STORIES.

DO YOU GUYS WANT MUSIC?

A LOT OF TIMES IT'S MUSIC GAMES.

AND CHAZ HERE, HE'S A GREAT SINGER AND HE'S A GREAT EXAMPLE FOR THEM TO LOOK AT SOMEONE AND LEARN HOW TO USE THEIR VOICE WELL, IT'S VERY ENJOYABLE TO SING WITH THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, THEIR THEIR LAUGHTER, YOU KNOW, THEIR HAPPINESS EVERY DAY.

YOU KNOW, THEY'RE HAPPY TO SEE US EVERY DAY.

YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S ALWAYS A GOOD WARMING FEELING TO THE HEART, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL OVER.

AND IT'S LIKE THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE SACRED, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SACRED.

YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY MAKE MAKE LAUGHTER, YOU KNOW, THEY MAKE EVERYTHING HAPPY.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S, THERE'S A LOT, A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, BAD THINGS GOING AROUND.

THEY MAKE EVERYTHING MORE BETTER, YOU KNOW, BY PLAYING, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING THEMSELVES, YOU KNOW, JUST BEING THEMSELVES.

IT MAKES US VERY HAPPY JUST TO COME HERE.

I GET VERY EXCITED ON TUESDAYS TO COME AND YOU BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.

YOU WATCH THEM GROW.

SOME OF THEM ARE MY NIECES, SOME OF THEM ARE MY NEPHEWS, SO WE KNOW THEM OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL SETTING.

AND WHEN THEY COME IN, THEY WANT TO GIVE YOU A BIG HUG.

I'VE GOT A LITTLE BAG AT HOME FULL OF LITTLE TINY TOYS.

THERE'S A FEW KIDS THAT EVERY TUESDAY THEY GIVE ME SOMETHING, WHETHER IT'S A LITTLE BALL OR A LITTLE CAR.

THEY GIVE IT TO ME BECAUSE THAT'S SOMETHING SPECIAL TO THEM, AND THEY WANT TO SHARE IT WITH SOMEONE SPECIAL IN THEIR LIFE.

AND, AND I FEEL VERY BLESSED TO BE A SPECIAL PERSON IN THEIR LIFE, EVEN WHEN THAT TIME COMES WHEN I MIGHT BE LONG GONE, THESE GUYS WILL HAVE THOSE MEMORIES AND THEY'LL TALK ABOUT IT.

HOW, HOW JUSTIN AND CHAZ CAME AND TAUGHT THEM HOW TO SING.

AND THAT'S REAL SPECIAL TO ME.

TO.

THE NEXT GENERATION, YOU KNOW, THERE THERE'S GOING TO BE SOMEONE, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE LEARNING THE LANGUAGE AND LEARNING THE SONGS.

YOU KNOW, THE GAMES THAT WE THE STORIES THAT, THAT WE, YOU KNOW, TEACH TO THEM.

SOMEBODY TOOK THE TIME TO TEACH THAT TO ME.

SOMEBODY TOOK THE TIME TO TEACH IT TO THEM.

AND, AND THAT'S HOW IT WAS PRESERVED FOR, YOU KNOW, HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

AND HERE WE ARE 2026.

AND IT DOESN'T BELONG TO ME.

IT DOESN'T BELONG TO HIM.

BUT THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY THERE TO TEACH IT TO THE YOUNGER PEOPLE.

THAT WAY IT CAN SURVIVE.

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST STRIKING PIECES OF STREET ART IN TULSA, OR ANYWHERE FOR THAT MATTER.

A LARGE MURAL OF THE LATE, GREAT LEON RUSSELL ON THE SIDE OF THE COOPER BUILDING DOWNTOWN.

IT'S BEEN THERE SINCE 2018, BUT LATELY THE SUN HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL IN.

THE MURAL WAS BEGINNING TO FADE, BUT NO MORE.

IT'S LOOKING BETTER THAN EVER, THANKS TO A WELL KNOWN GRAFFITI ARTIST WHO GOES BY THE NAME OF JEX.

IT'S THE MUSIC I GREW UP WITH.

YOU KNOW, AS I SAID PREVIOUSLY, IT'S REALLY THE BACKGROUND MUSIC, THEME MUSIC TO MY ENTIRE LIFE.

SO I LISTEN TO THAT STUFF GROWING UP AS A KID, AND WE CALL THAT CAMPUS THE LADY BLUE, WHICH IS BECAUSE IT'S IN THE BLUE DOME DISTRICT.

AND THAT'S ONE OF LEON RUSSELL'S SONGS IS LADY BLUE.

SO WE CALL OUR CAMPUS THERE, THE LADY BLUE.

AND WE WANTED TO, YOU KNOW, JUST DO SOMETHING VERY ARTISTICALLY THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE.

JAX IS ALSO WORKING ON A PIECE CALLED THE TULSA SOUND MURAL ON THE WALL ADJACENT TO LEON, WHERE HE EXPECTS ALL THE WORK TO BE DONE BY THE END OF JUNE, WHEN IT WILL BE SEALED WITH A UV COATING TO PROTECT IT FROM THE ELEMENTS.

AND THERE'S A PRETTY COOL ART PROJECT NEARING COMPLETION IN OKLAHOMA CITY AS WELL.

CAMERON EAGLES KICK, 66, IS BEING INSTALLED ON THE GROUNDS OF THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM NEAR ROUTE 66.

THE 35 FOOT TALL ALUMINUM COWBOY BOOT WEIGHS SIX TONS AND LIGHTS UP FROM WITHIN DURING THE NIGHT TIME.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY JAIL IS ABOUT TO GRADUATE A NEW CLASS OF CORRECTIONS OFFICERS, AND THIS CLASS IS DIFFERENT, STEVE SHAW EXPLAINS FRIDAY AT SEVEN.

BEFORE WE LEAVE YOU, WE WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO HONOR A MAN WHO TOUCHED A LOT OF OUR LIVES IN THE 17 YEARS HE WORKED HERE AT OETA, AARON BYRD SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK AND PASSED AWAY THIS WEEK.

HE WAS JUST 49 YEARS OLD.

HE LEAVES BEHIND A WONDERFUL WIFE, TASHA, AND A DAUGHTER, PIPER, WHO LOVED HIM VERY MUCH AND ALL OF US WHO LOVED HIS BIG PERSONALITY AND GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.

AARON WAS OUR CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE BACKBONE OF OUR NEWSROOM.

JUST A GREAT GUY WHO WAS A LOT OF FUN TO BE AROUND.

AARON BYRD WILL BE GREATLY MISSED.

RURAL OUR CREDITS THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AT THE ROUTE 66 EXHIBIT AT THE TULSA HISTORY CENTER, 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.

GOOD NIGHT.

WELL, IF YOU EVER PLAN TO MOTOR WEST.

JACK, TAKE MY WAY.

IT'S THE HIGHWAY.

THAT'S THE BEST.

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66.

WILL IT WINDS FROM CHICAGO TO LA?

MORE THAN 2000 MILES ALL THE WAY.

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66.

WELL, IT GOES FROM SAINT LOUIS, JOPLIN, MISSOURI.

OKLAHOMA CITY LOOKS OH SO PRETTY.

YOU SEE, AMARILLO, GALLUP, NEW MEXICO, FLAGSTAFF, ARIZONA.

DON'T FORGET WINONA.

KINGSMAN BOY SCOUTS, SAN BERNARDINO.

WON'T YOU GET HIP TO THIS KINDLY TIP?

JACK, AND TAKE THAT CALIFORNIA TRIP?

GET YOUR KICKS ON ROUTE 66.

WELL, IT GOES AMERICA.

BUILT ON PROMISES OF FREEDOM, EQUALITY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

TODAY, A NEW GENERATION OF CREATORS ARE BRINGING THEIR WORK INTO THE MODERN AGE.

AS WE