>>> A PROPOSED POWER PLANT IS FACING STRONG OPPOSITION FROM FOLKS LIVING IN PUSHMATAHA COUNTY.

>> IT'S WRONG BECAUSE IT DOES NOTHING FOR OKLAHOMA.

IT DOES NOTHING FOR THE CHOCTAW NATION.

IT DOES NOTHING FOR THE PEOPLE HERE.

IT'S ONLY TAKING OUR WATER.

AND WATER IS GOLD.

>>> A "LOFT" REPORT FINDS FAULT WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

>> HOPEFULLY OSDE LEARNED SOMETHING FROM THIS REPORT.

WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE AND WE NEED NOT TO DELAY ON FUNDING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.

>> THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME FOR THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA.

WE HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT IN WHAT WE DO.

>>> EARLY VOTING IS UNDERWAY AND ELECTION OFFICIALS SAY IT WILL BE A SAFE AND SECURE PROCESS FOR VOTERS.

>> THERE'S NO WAY, NO HOW THAT OKLAHOMANS ARE GONNA LET, WOULD-BE TERRORISTS SCARE US OUT OF RUNNING ELECTIONS OR WORKING IN ELECTIONS OR VOTING IN ELECTIONS.

I MEAN, THAT'S NOT THE WAY OKLAHOMAN'S ROLL.

>>> WHAT'S NEXT FOLLOWING THE FIRST FORMAL APOLOGY FROM A U.S. PRESIDENT FOR THE ABUSES ENDURED AT INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS FOR 150 YEARS?

>> AT LEAST WE'RE TRYING TO RECOGNIZE WHAT THEY DID TO US.

>>> THOSE STORIES, PLUS THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS IN OKLAHOMA- NEXT ON THE "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT!” .

>>> HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO THE "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT", I'M RICH LENZ.

WILL A PROPOSED $3 BILLION HYDRO-POWER PLANT GENERATE AN ECONOMIC BOOST IN SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA.

OR WOULD IT BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL EYESORE IN ONE OF THE PRETTIEST PARTS OF OUR STATE?

THAT'S BEING DEBATED RIGHT NOW IN PUSHMATAHA COUNTY-- REPORTER STEVE SHAW HIT THE ROAD THIS WEEK AND IS BACK WITH MORE ON WHAT HE'S LEARNED.

STEVE?

>> RICH.

SIX MONTHS AGO.A DALLAS BUSINESSMAN.WHO SAYS HE REPRESENTS AN ENERGY COMPANY.FILED AN APPLICATION WITH THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION.

HE WANTS TO BUILD A LARGE HYDRO-POWER FACILITY IN PICTURESQUE PUSHMATAHA COUNTY.

AND THERE IS MOUNTING OPPOSITION.

>> MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS CHOCTAW.

THEY HAD 13 CHILDREN.

THOSE CHILDREN WENT TO THAT SCHOOL RIGHT OVER THERE.

HOW OLD'S THAT SCHOOL?

OH IT'S BEEN HERE SINCE THE 1800'S.

>> DORIS TURNBULL IS MAYOR.

OF THE TOWN OF ALBION.WHICH IS EIGHT MILES SOUTHWEST OF TALIHINA.IN PUSHMATAHA COUNTY.

STREET SIGN YOU SHOT HERE ALBION HAS LESS THAN A HUNDRED RESIDENTS.

BUT THE MAYOR SAYS YOU CAN BE DARN WELL SURE.THEY'RE NOT ROLLING OVER.

>> IT'S NOT RIGHT.

IT'S OLD TECHNOLOGY.

THERE'S NEWER TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE.

THEY'RE JUST TRYING TO GET THE GREEN NEW DEAL MONEY, SO THEY CAN GET THIS PUSHED THROUGH.

THAT'S MY BELIEF.

IS THERE ANYBODY THAT SUPPORTS THIS?

NO SIR.

>> THE KIAMICHI RIVER IS WHAT A LOT OF THIS IS ABOUT.

IT'S A BEAUTIFUL WATERWAY.THAT FLOWS MORE THAN 170 MILES TO ITS CONFLUENCE WITH THE RED RIVER IN NEARBY HUGO.

LAST MAY A COMPANY THAT CALLS ITSELF SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA POWER CORPORATION STARTED A PROCESS.THAT COULD TAKE AS LONG AS FIVE YEARS.JUST TO APPROVE.

THEY WANT THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION TO ALLOW THEM TO BUILD.WHAT SOUTHEAST POWER CALLS A CLOSED-LOOP PUMP STORAGE HYDROPOWER FACILITY.

IT WOULD BE MASSIVE.

IT WOULD INCLUDE TWO LARGE RESERVOIR'S.STRETCHING ACROSS 1500 ACRES.

A 13,600 FOOT-LONG DAM.AND A LARGE PUMPING STATION.

AND ALL OF IT THEY SAY WOULD BE A THOUSAND FEET UNDERGROUND.

THEY WANT TO BUILD IT NEXT TO ALBION, OKLAHOMA.A MILE FROM THE KIAMICHI RIVER.

>> IT'S WRONG BECAUSE IT DOES NOTHING FOR OKLAHOMA.

IT DOES NOTHING FOR THE CHOCTAW NATION.

IT'S ONLY TAKING OUR WATER.

AND WATER IS GOLD.

IT'S TAKING OUR WATER, AND IT'S USING IT TO PRODUCE POWER FOR TEXAS.

TEXAS HAS ITS OWN WATER.

THEY CAN USE THEIR OWN FACILITIES, THEIR OWN AREA.

DON'T USE OURS.

>> THAT'S SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S GOTTEN THE MAYOR AND THESE FOLKS RUBBED THE WRONG WAY.

THEY BELIEVE WHATEVER POWER THIS HYDRO FACILITY WOULD CREATE WILL BE USED IN TEXAS AND NOT IN OKLAHOMA.

JOHANN TSE IS THE DALLAS BUSINESSMAN WHO'S HEADING THE EFFORT TO BUILD THE FACILITY.

HE TOLD ME LAST WEEK POWER GENERATED AT THE ALBION FACILITY WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO FOLKS IN OKLAHOMA.

HE SAYS THE PROJECT'S PURPOSE IS TOO MAKE ELECTRIC GRIDS IN OKLAHOMA AND TEXAS MORE RELIABLE IN LIGHT OF THE MASSIVE POWER FAILURE THAT OCCURRED THREE YEARS AGO WITH WINTER STORM URI.

PUMPED STORAGE HYDROPOWER IS SIMILAR TO A GIANT BATTERY.BECAUSE IT CAN STORE POWER AND THEN RELEASE IT WHEN NEEDED.

PSH CAN BE A COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR ENERGY STORAGE, ESPECIALLY WHEN COMPARED TO THE OTHER OPTIONS LIKE BATTERIES.

THE PSH POWER PLANT WILL NOT BE IN THE KIAMICHI RIVER.

IT WILL BE 1000 FEET UNDERGROUND.OVER ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE KIAMICHI RIVER.

DURING CONSTRUCTION.OVER 2000 JOBS WOULD BE CREATED.ONCE OPERATIONAL APPROXIMATELY 200 LONG TERM JOBS WOULD BE CREATED.

>> I DON'T BELIEVE HIM.

I DO NOT BELIEVE HIM AND I DON'T THINK THOSE JOBS WILL BE SOURCED FROM OKLAHOMA.

I THINK THEY WILL BRING THEIR OWN PEOPLE.

>> SETH WILLYARD SAYS THE LOWER RESERVOIR OF THE PROPOSED PLANT WOULD BE A THOUSAND FEET FROM HIS HOME.

THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE IS NOTHING LESS THAN A THREE TO FIVE YEAR MINING OPERATION ON THE KIAMICHI RIVER.

IT WOULD ALSO REQUIRE EMINENT DOMAIN TO TAKE OVER 35-THOUSAND ACRES FROM GENERATIONAL LANDOWNERS IN THE AREA.

THE PLAN IS TO TAKE 22 BILLION GALLONS OF WATER OUT OF THIS WATER FOR THE INITIAL FILL.

AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF OKLAHOMA HAS INDICATED THAT THERE IS INSUFFICIENT WATER IN THE AREA TO MEET THOSE NEEDS.

>> TWO MONTHS AGO, ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND DID SEND A LETTER TO THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION.SAYING HE OPPOSES THE PROJECT.

>> THE DALLAS BUSINESSMAN WHO'S BEHIND THE EFFORT TO BUILD THIS PLANT SAYS OKLAHOMANS ARE OVER-REACTING.

HE SAYS HIS PROJECT WOULD ONLY INVOLVE 15 HOMES.

>> IT'S A LIE.

IT'S A LIE.

IT SOUNDS BETTER.

IT SOUNDS BETTER IF YOU ARE TRYING TO SELL SOMEBODY THAT RATHER THAN YOU'RE TRYING TO SELL SOMEBODY THE TRUTH.

THEY MAY CALL IT JUST AFFECTS PEOPLE.

IT DOESN'T JUST AFFECT THEM.

IT CHANGES THEIR LIVES!

>> DONNIE CORBIN'S FAMILY HAS OWNED 1700 ACRES HERE FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS.

SOME OF IT ALONG THE KIAMICHI.HE SAYS THE PROPOSED HYDRO PLANT WOULD GO IN.A MILE AND A HALF UP RIVER FROM HIM.

HE SAYS GROUNDWATER AND SURFACE WATER CONTAMINATION FROM ANY SUCH PROJECT ARE CONCERNS.AND HE SAYS SAYS ANY CLAIM THAT ONLY 15 PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD BE AFFECTED IS A MIS-REPRESENTATION OF THE TRUTH.

>> UH IT'S JUST A MASSIVE PROJECT.

AND TO US IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A LAND GRAB AND A WATER GRAB.

UH THE WATER IS MUCH TO ME.

PRODUCING ELECTRICITY IS JUST AN AFTERTHOUGHT.

THIS IS ABOUT PROCURING WATER.

>> WILLYARD SAYS THERE ARE A MYRIAD OF ARCHEOLOGICAL ISSUES.AS WELL.

>> THERE'S A CHOCTAW CEMETERY AN ORIGINAL CEMETERY FROM THE TRAIL OF TEARS.

AND IT'S LOCATED WHERE THE LOWER RESERVOIR WOULD BE.

SO WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS THOSE INDIVIDUALS WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED FROM THE BURIAL GROUNDS.

AND I THINK THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE.

HOW MANY?

18 THAT WE KNOW OF.

>> WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AT THE STATE CAPITAL.STATE REPRESENTATIVE JUSTIN HUMPHREY HOSTED AN INTERIM STUDY ABOUT WHERE THINGS STAND.

>> THIS ONE RIGHT THERE I BELIEVE WOULD TAKE WATER OUT OF THE KIAMICHI, THEY ALREADY HAVE SAID THEY HAVE INTENT TO DAM UP SOME OF THE TRIBUTARIES, AND TO TAKE WATER DIRECTLY OUT OF THE KIAMICHI.

THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT ONE OF THE GREATEST RIVERS THAT WE HAVE.ONE OF THE CLEANEST, AND SO WE ARE GOING TO FIGHT THAT.

>> MYSELF AND MOST PEOPLE IF THIS TYPE OF PROJECT WERE BY OUR PEOPLE, AND FOR OUT THE LOCAL INTEREST, PEOPLE MIGHT BE ON BOARD WITH IT.

>> BUT WHEN IT IS BY A FOREIGN ENTITY FOR AN INTERSTATE BENEFIT, NOBODY IS ON BOARD, AND I AM JUST TOTALLY 100 PERCENT AGAINST IT.

>> FOLKS DOWN IN PUSHMATAHA COUNTY STATE AND FEDERAL LAWMAKERS HAVE ALL MADE IT KNOWN THAT THEY HAVE CONCERNS THAT JOHANN TSE IS CONNECTED TO THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.

EARLIER THIS WEEK.

HE SENT ME A NOTE THAT SAYS THAT'S NOT ACCURATE.

HE'S A UNITED STATES CITIZEN AND HAS NO CONTACTS IN THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY.

RICH.

>>> EARLY VOTING IS UNDERWAY IN OKLAHOMA.

IT BEGAN ON WEDNESDAY AND AS OF FRIDAY MORNING MORE THAN 91,000 PEOPLE HAVE VOTED.

THE POLLS OPEN AT 8AM AND CLOSE AT 6PM, EXCEPT ON SATURDAY, WHICH WRAPS UP AT 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON.

AND THIS YEAR, IN ADDITION TO SECURING ACCURATE VOTING RESULTS, ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE EMPHASIZING THAT VOTING LOCATIONS ARE SAFE AND SECURE AS WELL-- ESPECIALLY AFTER LEARNING THE FBI HAD THWARTED A POTENTIAL TERROR ATTACK ON ELECTION DAY THAT INVOLVED AN OKLAHOMA CITY MAN.

>> WELL, THERE'S NO WAY NO HOW THAT OKLAHOMANS ARE GONNA LET, WOULD-BE TERRORISTS SCARE US OUT OF RUNNING ELECTIONS OR WORKING IN ELECTIONS OR VOTING IN ELECTIONS?

I MEAN, THAT'S NOT THE WAY OKLAHOMAN'S ROLL.

AND, AND, BUT THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT TERRORISTS TRY TO DO.

THEY WANNA RULE BY FEAR AND THEY WANNA SCARE YOU.

AND THE, THE, THAT'S THE IMPORTANT THING IS THAT WE AS OKLAHOMAN STAND UP AND BE BRAVE.

I HAVE EVERY BIT OF CONFIDENCE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHETHER IT'S FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL, THAT THEY'RE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO PROTECT ELECTIONS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT VOTERS AND ELECTION OFFICIALS ARE SAFE.

AND I THINK THE, THE PLOT THAT THEY THWARTED SHOWS HOW ACTIVE THEY ARE IN ATTEMPTING TO DO THAT.

I CAN TELL YOU FROM WHAT I'VE HEARD, THERE'S NO ACTIVE INTELLIGENCE OF ANY KIND OF THREAT TO ELECTIONS HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

SO, SO I, I'M, I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT.

BUT, BUT I KNOW THAT THERE ARE A LOT, A LOT OF PEOPLE, A LOT SMARTER THAN ME ABOUT THESE THINGS WHO ARE, WHO ARE WORKING OVERTIME TO KEEP US SAFE.

>> AND AGAIN, REMEMBER, EARLY VOTING IN OKLAHOMA ENDS ON SATURDAY AT 2PM.

AND, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US NEXT TUESDAY NIGHT, FOR STATEWIDE LIVE COVERAGE OF THE VERY LATEST OKLAHOMA ELECTION RESULTS.

WE'LL BE LIVE AT PARTY HEADQUARTERS AND HAVE A GREAT GROUP OF POLITICAL EXPERTS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE SET TO JOIN US- AND WE HOPE YOU WILL TOO.

THAT 8 UNTIL 9PM, ON NOVEMBER 5!

>>> THE LAST OF THE MORE THAN 400 BOARDING SCHOOLS CREATED TO ASSIMILATE NATIVE-AMERICAN CHILDREN CLOSED IN 1969-- THE SCHOOLS WERE NOTORIOUS FOR THE MISTREATMENT, ABUSE, AND DEATH OF INDIAN CHILDREN.

ON FRIDAY IN ARIZONA-- JOE BIDEN BECAME THE FIRST AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO FORMALLY APOLOGIZE FOR THE TRAGIC POLICY DATING BACK TO 1819.

>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS NEVER, NEVER FORMALLY APOLOGIZED FOR WHAT HAPPENED UNTIL TODAY.

I FORMALLY APOLOGIZED AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AMERICA FOR WHAT WE DID.

I FORMALLY APOLOGIZE.

AND IT'S LONG OVERDUE AT THE TRIBAL SCHOOL, AT A TRIBAL SCHOOL IN ARIZONA, A COMMUNITY FULL OF TRADITION AND CULTURE AND JOINED BY SURVIVORS AND DESCENDANTS TO DO JUST THAT.

APOLOGIZE.

APOLOGIZE.

APOL.

REWRITE THIS HISTORY BOOK CORRECTLY.

I HAVE A SOLEMN RESPONSIBILITY TO BE THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO FORMALLY APOLOGIZE TO THE NATIVE PEOPLES.

>> COMING UP IN OUR INDEPTH SEGMENT LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST-- MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD WILL SPEAK TO OKLAHOMA DESCENDENTS AND SURVIVORS OF THESE SCHOOLS TO HEAR WHAT THEY THINK NEEDS TO HAPPEN NEXT, FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENT'S APOLOGY.

>>> "LOFT" STANDS FOR THE OKLAHOMA OFFICE OF FISCAL TRANSPARENCY.

THEY'RE TASKED WITH MAKING SURE STATE AGENCIES SPEND THEIR BUDGETED ALLOCATIONS PROPERLY.

ON TUESDAY, "LOFT" RELEASED ITS LATEST REPORT CONCERNING THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, WHICH IS OVERSEEN BY SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS.

EDUCATION REPORTER TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH DETAILS ON THAT REPORT.

TAELYR, WHAT EXACTLY WAS THE BOARD LOOKING INTO?

>> RICH, THE REPORT FOCUSED ON 5 MAIN AREAS , TITLE ONE FUNDS, TEACHER PAY RAISES, MATERNITY LEAVE, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS AND EMERGENCY INHALERS FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FOUND NO CRIMINAL WRONGDOING.

>> THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME FOR THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA.

WE HAVE BEEN TRANSPARENT IN WHAT WE DO.

>> SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS WHO SITS ON OETA'S BOARD BY VIRTUE OF HIS ELECTED POSITION SAYS THE CALLS FOR THE INVESTIGATION WERE PURELY POLITICAL.

>> WE HAVE SPEAKER MCCALL AND MARK MCBRIDE WHO SAID THAT THEY WERE HERE TO IMPEACH ME.

THAT'S WHAT THEY WANTED TO DO.

THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING EXCEPT FOR DISDAIN FOR THE VOTERS OF OKLAHOMA.

>> HOPEFULLY OSDE LEARNED SOMETHING FROM THIS REPORT.

WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE AND WE NEED NOT TO DELAY ON FUNDING FOR DIFFERENT THINGS.

AND I DON'T THINK THIS WAS REALLY A WIN, I THINK THIS WAS AN EDUCATIONAL MOMENT FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT.

>> THE LEGISLATIVE OFFICE OF FISCAL TRANSPARENCY BEGAN LOOKING INTO THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AFTER THE LEGISLATURE RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE REPORTED A DELAY IN TITLE-ONE FUNDING.

SOMETHING THEY TYPICALLY RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT BEFORE THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.

>> LOCAL DISTRICTS ALSO COMPLAINED THAT THERE WAS A SLOWDOWN IN THE APPROVAL OF THEIR CONSOLIDATED APPLICATIONS, A NECESSARY STEP BEFORE A DISTRICT MAY BEGIN SUBMITTING CLAIMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT AND COSTS RELATED TO TITLE PROGRAMS.

YES, SIR.

AS TO THE STATUS OF FUNDS, THE STATE HAS RECEIVED HIS NOTICE OF FUNDING FOR THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, INCLUDING AN ALLOCATION OF $209 MILLION FOR THE TITLE ONE A PROGRAM.

THESE FUNDS ARE CURRENTLY BEING PROCESSED FOR THE 24- 25 SCHOOL YEAR, AND DISTRICTS ARE BEING REIMBURSED ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT'S PROCESSES.

>> BILL BRYANT, A FINANCIAL ANALYST FOR LOFT, SAYS THE SDE FAILED TO PROVIDE PRELIMINARY ALLOCATIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER.

>> THEN IN JULY OR AUGUST FINAL FUNDING NOTICES WOULD BE PROVIDED.

BUT THAT PROCESS CHANGED LAST YEAR.

SDE CHOSE NOT TO PROVIDE PRELIMINARY FUNDING FIGURES TO THE DISTRICTS.

AT THAT TIME, SDE WAS NOT AWARE.

THE DISTRICTS WERE USED TO RECEIVING THIS INFORMATION.

THE DISTRICTS THEN HAD TO WAIT TILL JULY OR AUGUST TO HAVE PRECISE AMOUNTS ON WHICH TO BUILD THEIR PROGRAM BUDGETS.

DISTRICTS EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT THE CHANGE IN PROCESS.

THE LACK OF FUNDING NOTICE HAS RESULTED IN BUDGETARY UNCERTAINTIES, ESPECIALLY AS THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR APPROACH.

>> ANOTHER ISSUE LOFT INVESTIGATED WAS TEACHER PAY RAISES FOR OFF-FORMULA SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

"OFF-FORMULA" REFERS TO DISTRICTS THAT DO NOT RECEIVE AID FROM THE STATE FUNDING FORMULA DUE TO GENERATING ADEQUATE REVENUE ON THEIR OWN.

ACCORDING TO LOFT, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION WAS UNSURE IF THE FUNDS WERE TO BE PROVIDED ONLY TO SCHOOLS THAT DID NOT RECEIVE STATE AID OR TO SCHOOLS THAT RECEIVED A PORTION OF AID.

>> AMONG THE CONCERNS RAISED WAS THE LEGISLATION'S USE OF THE WORD OR WHETHER THE LEGISLATION INCLUDED PARTIALLY OFFERING THE SCHOOLS OR ONLY COMES THOSE THAT ARE FULLY GOT FORMULA.

THIS DISTINCTION WOULD DOUBLE THE NUMBER OF DISTRICTS RECEIVING THE FUNDS AS WELL AS THE FINANCIAL IMPACT FROM ABOUT $7 MILLION TO $15 MILLION IN FEBRUARY OF NEXT YEAR.

THE OKLAHOMA STATE BOARD OF WITH SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND THE LEGISLATURE, HOW CAN WE POSSIBLY EXPECT SUCCESS TO HAPPEN IN SCHOOLS FOR OUR KIDS?

OUTGOING HOUSE EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGET SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIR MARK MCBRIDE SAYS YOU CAN'T HAVE TRANSPARENCY WITHOUT PROPER COMMUNICATION >> WHAT I TOOK OUT OF THIS MEETING TODAY, YOU KNOW, HE TALKS ABOUT TRANSPARENCY, BUT COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPARENCY ALL GO HAND-IN-HAND IN MY OPINION.

AND, AND THE FACT THAT THE REPORT, IF YOU LOOK AT THE ANALYSIS THAT LOFT HAD ON EVERY ITEM, THERE WAS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION.

>> BUT SUPERINTENDENT WALTERS ARGUES THEY'VE BEEN UPFRONT ABOUT EVERYTHING.

>> WE HAVE EXECUTED ON THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATES GIVEN TO US.

WE HAVE HELD TAXPAYER DOLLARS ACCOUNTABLE.

WE HAVE BROUGHT MORE ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE DOLLARS GOING IN YOUR SCHOOLS.

THAT'S WHAT WAS JUST, YOU WERE JUST TOLD, WE JUST WENT THROUGH A WHOLE HEARING WHERE THEY HIGHLIGHTED HOW MUCH MORE ACCOUNTABILITY WE BROUGHT TO THE TAXPAYERS OF OKLAHOMA.

>> LOFT RECOMMENDS THAT SDE IMPROVES THEIR COMMUNICATION AND REVIEW ALL NEW LEGISLATION BY JULY 1 TO MAKE A IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY.

RICH?

>>> THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION IS TRYING TO DETERMINE WHO IT'S LEGAL COUNSEL WILL BE GOING FORWARD-- AFTER ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND REJECTED A CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR CARA NICKLES.

HER CONTRACT EXPIRED ON JUNE 30 AND STATE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS, WHO ALSO SERVES ON THE O.E.T.A.

BOARD BY VIRTUE OF HIS ELECTED POSITION-- .HAD WANTED TO EXTEND THAT.

DRUMMOND DECLINED AND GAVE THE BOARD THREE OPTIONS: USE IN-HOUSE COUNSEL, SELECT AN OUTSIDE CANDIDATE OTHER THAN NICHOLS, OR USE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

AT LAST THURSDAY'S MEETING, DEPUTY ATTORNEY GENERAL BRADLEY CLARK, SERVED AS THE BOARD'S INTERIM ATTORNEY-- >> SO TO BE CLEAR, YOU, YOU ARE LEGALLY REPRESENTING TODAY THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

ANY ACTION TODAY YOU WOULD ADVISE THE BOARD, REPRESENT THE BOARD.

LIKE CAN YOU KIND OF JUST TELL ME THE CAPACITY IN WHICH YOU'RE SERVING AS IN ESSENCE BOARD COUNSEL?

>> YEAH, I AM.

I AM SOLELY HERE IN THE CAPACITY TO SERVE AND ADVISE THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, THE MEMBERS THAT ARE PRESENT TODAY.

>> WOULD YOU REPRESENT US IN LITIGATION IF WE ARE NAMED AS DEFENDANTS OR IF THE BOARD IS NAMED IN LITIGATION?

>> POTENTIALLY IT'S A QUESTION THAT WILL COME ON EACH CASE.

AS I SAID, THERE ARE 115 DIFFERENT AGENCIES, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE CURRENTLY ADVISES.

SOME OF THAT RELATES TO LITIGATION, SOME OF IT'S NOT.

>> IN A REGULAR SETTING, YOU CAN'T, YOU AS A LAWYER CAN'T BE THE PROSECUTOR AND THE DEFENSE COUNSEL.

SO HOW DOES THAT WORK IN, IN THAT HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION?

I'M HOPING IT DOESN'T COME TO SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT JUST TRYING TO THINK THAT FIRST.

>> THE ATTORNEY GENERAL BY STATUTE VERY CLEARLY IS THE CHIEF LAW OFFICER OF THE STATE ON OPINIONS RELATING TO MATTERS OF LAW.

THOSE OPINIONS ARE BINDING ON ALL STATE OFFICERS UNTIL OVERTURNED BY A COURT OF LAW.

>> IF THE BOARD DOESN'T FEEL THAT THEY WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS ANY KIND OF LEGAL CONCERNS WITH BOARD COUNSEL, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ITEMS HERE THAT I, I THINK WE COULD ABSOLUTELY TAKE NO ACTION ON AND MOVE ON TO NEXT MONTH.

>> BRADLEY CLARK HAD PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S ATTORNEY UNDER THEN-SUPERINTENDENT, JOY HOFMEISTER.

>>> THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE IS REPORTING THAT TWO MORE FUGITIVES ON IT'S "TEN MOST WANTED" LIST ARE NOW IN CUSTODY.

JENNIFER GAYLE PRICE WAS ARRESTED IN TULSA ON SEVERAL CHARGES AND MELVIN JOE STEVENSON WAS APPREHENDED IN TEXAS.

HE WAS WANTED FOR SELLING METH AND LARCENY.

YOU CAN ACCESS THE MOST WANTED LIST AT OKLAHOMA.GOV/OAG.

REWARDS OF $1,000 TO $10,000 ARE AVAILABLE FOR INFORMATION DIRECTLY LEADING TO AN ARREST.

>>> THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IS REPORTING THAT THERE HAS BEEN A MAJOR REDUCTION IN INMATE VIOLENCE IN STATES PRISONS.

THE DOC SAYS INMATE-ON-INMATE ASSAULTS RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY, HAVE DECREASED BY 14% IN FISCAL YEAR 2024.

WITH A MORE THAN 50% REDUCTION LAST MAY.

AND IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF FISCAL YEAR 2025, THERE HAS BEEN A 28% DECREASE IN VIOLENCE.

THE DOC CREDITS TECHNOLOGY AND STRICTER ENFORCEMENT FOR THE IMPROVEMENT.

AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL SAYS THE JAIL POPULATION AT THE HIGH-RISE OKLAHOMA COUNTY DETENTION CENTER HAS HIT A RECORD LOW-- THERE ARE CURRENTLY AROUND 1385 INMATES INCARCERATED THERE, WHICH REPRESENTS A 46% PERCENT DECREASE SINCE 2015.

IN 2006, THERE WERE ROUGHLY 2800 INMATES AT THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY JAIL.

>>> THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER ARE OBVIOUSLY THE CROWN JEWEL OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS IN OKLAHOMA-- BUT THERE ARE OTHER FRANCHISES DOING WELL-- AND THE PRO SPORTS LANDSCAPE IS CONTINUING TO EXPAND IN OUR STATE.

FOR MORE ON THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THESE TEAMS BRING TO OUR COMMUNITIES, WE'RE JOINED BY JASON DOYLE.

JASON?

>> RICH.

BETWEEN THE THUNDER AND ITS HOME PAYCOM ARENA, THERE IS MORE THAN A HALF BILLION DOLLAR ANNUAL ECONOMIC IMPACT TO OUR STATE.

BUT THE INFLUENCE OUR PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAMS HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY GOES BEYOND DOLLARS AND CENTS.

>> A DOWNTOWN 12 TO 13,000 SEAT MULTIPURPOSE STADIUM THAT WILL -- SATURDAY WAS A BIG NIGHT TR THE BASEBALL TEAM, THE NEW NAME AND LOGO, THE OKLAHOMA CITY COMETS.

>> ONE OF THE THING FOR THE COMETS EVERYONE.

>> THE OKLAHOMA CITY -- REMAINS A LOSS AMID THE DODGERS AAA AFFILIATE.

IT JUST WON THE WORLD SERIES WEDNESDAY.

PUTTING ON A SHOW IS PART OF PROFESSIONAL SPORTS THAT HELP TO GENERATE ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND BRAND THE FRANCHISE FOR THE FANS.

>> THE ORGANIZATION, WHEN IT'S SAID AND DONE, WE'RE A SMALL BUSINESS.

IT HAS HIGH VISIBILITY.

36 FULL-TIME PEOPLE THAT SPEND THEIR BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS.

THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER WE GET A CHANCE, TO PUT ON A PARTY AND WELCOME GUESTS INTO THE BALLPARK.

>> THAT IN TURN CREATES JOBS TO GET THE BALLPARK READY FOR GAMES.

AND HIGH ENTERTAINERS TO GET THE CROWD GOING IS MARKETING FOR THE TEAM.

WITH THE NEW BRAND, THE TEAM STAFF IS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES TO GET READY FOR THE FANS.

>> A GREAT WORK GOING IN FOR MANY MANY MONTHS.

THE MARKETING TEAM, IS HARD AT WORK FOR DEVELOPING THIS.

AND BEGINNING HOW WE MARKET IN THE OFF SEASON, AND CARRY IT FORWARD TO OPENING DAY ON THE FIRST.

>> ANOTHER OKLAHOMA PRO SPORTS TEAM, IS DVR TEAM SERIES, THE OKLAHOMA WILDCATS.

>> THE FIRST GAME IS IN JULY.

>> WE STARTED OFF THE YEAR HOT, AND IT WAS EXCITING.

>> THE TEAM SERIES WAS FIVE BULL RIDERS IN FACE TO FACE COMPETITION, AND GAMES ACROSS THE CITY.

OKLAHOMA CITY PLAYS HOST TO THE FIRST EVENT OF THE SEASON.

IT'S AN HONOR TO REPRESENT OKLAHOMA ON THE CIRCUIT AND IN TURN, HELP THE PRIMARY SPONSOR, TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES AND PEOPLE TO VISIT THE SOONER STATE.

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM WAS THE TITLE SPONSOR OF THE YEAR AND REALLY STEPPED UP.

WE WERE ABLE TO DELIVER SO MUCH TO THEM.

WE HAD -- OF THE TOURISM COMMERCIAL, AND WE RAN A CBS SPOT IN THE NASHVILLE GAME.

THE CBS NATIONAL, IT DELIVERED 563,000 UNIQUE VIEWERS.

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM ALSO RECEIVED MILLIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA IMPRESSIONS.

IT TOOK AN INVESTMENT TO GET THE FIRST SEASON UNDER THE WILDCATS BELT.

>> THE INVESTMENT IN THE TEAM IS SIGNIFICANT.

IT'S A 3 BILLION PLUS.

>> A DOWNTOWN 12 TO 13,000 SEAT MULTIPURPOSE STADIUM THAT WILL BE JUST ACROSS THE STREET FROM WHERE THE THUNDER NEW ARENA WILL BE IN A 42 ACRE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL GIVE OKLAHOMA CITY A CHANCE TO REIMAGINE ITSELF AS A DESTINATION FOR SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ON A DOWNTOWN SCALE LIKE WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

>> IN 2019, OKLAHOMA CITY VOTERS APPROVED THE $41 MILLION STADIUM AS PART OF THE MAPS 4 PLAN WITH CONSTRUCTION CURRENTLY SLATED TO BEGIN NEXT YEAR.

AND THE TEAM RETURNING TO PLAY POSSIBLY BY 2027.

COURT JESKE IS ALSO A PARTNER WITH ECHO INVESTMENTS.THE NEW OWNERSHIP GROUP FOR THE SOCCER TEAM.

DURING THIS HIATUS.PLANS ARE BEING MADE FOR THE TEAM'S FUTURE, INCLUDING BREAKING THE GLASS CEILING.

>> THAT THIS CLUB GOING FORWARD WILL BE A CLUB NOT ONLY FOR MEN'S SOCCER, BUT WOMEN'S SOCCER.

WE ARE GONNA BE THE FIRST FRANCHISE IN THE STATE TO HAVE A WOMEN'S TEAM AS A COMPONENT OF WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

>> ANOTHER TEAM GETTING NEW FACILITIES.IS OKLAHOMA'S BEST KNOWN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS TEAM, THE THUNDER!

WHILE THE THUNDER ARE POPULAR NOT EVERYONE WAS ON BOARD TO PAY FOR A $900 MILLION, NBA QUALITY ARENA LEADING UP TO THE DECEMBER 2023 VOTE ON EXTENDING A PENNY SALES TAX CURRENTLY USED FOR MAPS PROJECTS.

FOR THOSE OPPOSED, THE ISSUE WAS THAT THE THUNDER OWNERSHIP GROUP WOULD PAY ONLY $50 MILLION OF THE COST ABOUT 5% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT.

DESPITE THAT, VOTERS OVERWHELMING SUPPORTED USING THE TAX TO KEEP THE THUNDER PLAYING IN OKLAHOMA.

>> WE'RE REALLY EXCITED AND HUMBLED BY THE FACT THAT MORE THAN 70% OF THE COMMUNITY VOTED IN FAVOR OF THE FUTURE.

THEY VOTED IN FAVOR OF A NEW ARENA THAT WOULD BE A TRANSFORMATIVE ASSET IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S GONNA COMPLETELY GALVANIZE DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY.

>> THUNDER SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS BRIAN BYRNES NOTES THAT OKLAHOMA CITY'S INVESTMENT INTO A NEW ARENA WILL GIVE THE THUNDER ADDITIONAL ASSETS TO HELP THE TEAM.BUT IT ALSO GIVES FANS MORE ENGAGEMENT.

>> THE GUEST EXPERIENCE WILL BE ELEVATED, THE FAN EXPERIENCE WILL BE ELEVATED.

THE THE RESOURCES FOR THE TEAM WILL BE ENHANCED.

AND I THINK THAT'S A RECIPE FOR SUCCESS FOR EVERYONE IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> AND BEING PART OF THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO THE FANS.BUT TO THE THUNDER PLAYERS AS WELL.

>> BEING PART OF AN ORGANIZATION THAT CARES SO MUCH ABOUT THE COMMUNITY IS SO IMPORTANT TO ME.

JUST BECAUSE GROWING UP, ME AND MY FRIENDS, A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT I WAS AROUND WERE IN THOSE SAME KIDS SHOES, AND TO HAVE PEOPLE BE ABLE TO GIVE RESOURCES AND HELP, REALLY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.

>> WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS JUST NOT EVEN JUST LOCATED HERE WITHIN THE OKLAHOMA CITY METRO AREA.

BUT WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO HAVE A STATEWIDE ACCESS AND REACH THROUGH A NUMBER OF OUR SCHOOL AND EDUCATION BASED PROGRAMS.

EVERYTHING FROM READING AND LITERACY TO STEM PROGRAMS.

>> ERIN OLDFIELD, WHO ALSO SERVES AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE THUNDER COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SAYS THE TEAM HAS ABOUT 80 COMMUNITY EVENTS A YEAR WITH ABOUT 200 PLAYER APPEARANCES.

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR OF THE COMMUNITY EVENTS IS THE THUNDER BOOK BUS.

>> YOU CAN FIND OUR ROLLING THUNDER BOOK BUS HEADING OUT ACROSS THE STATE, GIVING AWAY BOOKS TO, BUT THOSE, TO ENCOURAGE THAT LOVE OF READING.

AND THROUGH OUR STEM AND MATH PROGRAMS, I, I TELL YOU WHAT, IT IS REALLY ENERGIZING TO SEE THESE KIDS GET EXCITED ABOUT MATH AND STATISTICS.

>> SEASON TICKET SALES ARE ANOTHER MEASURE OF SUCCESS FOR A TEAM.AND THE THUNDER, WHO HAS WON THE FIRST FOUR GAMES OF THIS SEASON, SAW A 27% INCREASE IN SALES.

>>> TAKING A LOOK AT BUSINESS NEWS THIS WEEK.ONEOK IS ON A WINNING STREAK OF ITS OWN.

DETAILS IN THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>> TULSA BASED ONEOK RAKED IN A THIRD QUARTER NET INCOME OF $693 MILLION.TOPPING THE THIRD QUARTER OF 2023'S PROFIT OF $454 MILLION.

ONEOK HAS BEEN ADDING ACQUISITIONS TO ITS PIPELINE PORTFOLIO.AND HAVE INCREASED THE PROJECTION OF THEIR FULL YEAR 2024 NET INCOME TO APPROXIMATELY $2.995 BILLION.THAT FIGURE INCLUDES CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE ENLINK AND MEDALLION DEALS FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THE COMPANY SAYS IT IS SEEING INCREASING STRENGTHEN IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN REGION.AND INCREASING DEMAND FOR ITS NATIONAL GAS TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

OKLAHOMA'S JOB MARKET APPEARS TO BE STEADY.SEPTEMBER'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE WAS UNCHANGED FROM AUGUST AT 3.4% PERCENT.

THE U.S. UNEMPLOYMENT RATE TICKED DOWN A TENTH OF A PERCENT LAST IN SEPTEMBER TO 4.1%.

NEARLY 3200 PEOPLE FOUND NEW JOBS IN SEPTEMBER.WHILE THOSE FILING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT DROPPED BY 160 PEOPLE.

THE SECTORS OF "CONSTRUCTION" AND "LEISURE AND HOSPITALITY" ADDED THE MOST JOBS.

THE FIGURES ARE IN.

MORE THAN 1.1 MILLION PEOPLE ARE ESTIMATED TO HAVE ATTENDED THIS YEAR'S TULSA STATE FAIR.

MORE THAN $5.8 MILLION WAS SPENT ON FOOD AND BEVERAGES DURING THE ELEVEN DAY RUN OF THE FAIR.

702 EMPLOYEES WORKED NEARLY 59,000 MAN HOURS TO KEEP THE FAIR UP AND RUNNING.

NEARLY 20,000 TICKETS WERE SOLD TO THE TEN PERFORMANCES OF DISNEY ON ICE DURING THE TULSA FAIR.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED PAYCOM SOFTWARE WILL PAY ITS INVESTORS A QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF 37 AND A HALF CENTS A SHARE.

STOCKHOLDERS NEED TO OWN THE STOCK BY NOVEMBER 25TH.TO RECEIVE THE DIVIDEND ON DECEMBER 9.

AS PART OF ITS AFTER SCHOOL ACCESS PROJECT.U.S.

CELLULAR DONATED MORE THAN $1.9 MILLION WORK OF INTERNET HOTSPOTS AND SERVICE TO THE YMCA OF GREATER TULSA THIS WEEK.

THE PROGRAM PROVIDES TWO YEARS OF FREE SERVICE FOR THE HOTSPOTS.WHICH WILL BE GIVEN TO YOUTH WHILE AT THE YMCA FACILITIES.

JASON DOYLE.THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>>> THE CHEROKEE NATION HAS BROKEN GROUND ON A NEW $34-MILLION WELLNESS CENTER IN TAHLEQUAH.

THE CENTER IS BEING PAID FOR WITH A COMBINATION OF TRIBAL AND FEDERAL FUNDING.

IT WILL BE FREE FOR CHEROKEE CITIZENS AND OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC FOR A FEE.

>> I GET A LITTLE EMOTIONAL WHEN I THINK ABOUT IT AND IF I CRACK UP A LITTLE BIT, IT'S BECAUSE THESE ARE LIFE-CHANGING FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

THEY REALLY ARE.

IT'S A $34 MILLION, 75,000 SQUARE FEET BEAUTIFUL FACILITY.

WE'VE HAD THE FACILITY OPEN AT MARCOMA SINCE 2008.

THIS WILL NEARLY DOUBLE OUR SPACE, DOUBLE OUR CLASSROOMS, DOUBLE OUR BASKETBALL COURTS FOR ALL OF THE CITIZENS AND PARTICIPANTS AND COMMUNITIES IN THE TAHLEQUAH AREA.

>> THIS WILL REPLACE THE WELLNESS CENTER THAT PEOPLE KNOW AS MARCOMA HERE IN TAHLEQUAH.

IT'S PART OF A LARGER INITIATIVE.

WE'RE MAKING A SIMILAR INVESTMENT IN STILLWELL.

OUR SALINA CLINIC WILL HAVE A WELLNESS COMPONENT TO IT.

ON THE SMALLER COMMUNITY LEVEL, COMMUNITY BUILDINGS INCREASINGLY HAVE A WELLNESS SPACE LIKE KENWOOD, MARBLE CITY.

THIS THOUGH, WILL SERVE A LARGE POPULATION OF NOT ONLY CITIZENS WHO CAN USE IT AND AND OTHERS IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT OF COURSE THERE'S A BIG WORKFORCE HERE IN TAHLEQUAH.

THE WELLNESS CENTER IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN 2026.

>>> CALLING IT A "SIN ON OUR SOUL", LAST FRIDAY IN ARIZONA, JOE BIDEN BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO FORMALLY APOLOGIZE FOR A U.S. POLICY IN PLACE AS LATE AS 1969-- THAT TOOK INDIGENOUS CHILDREN AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS AND PUT THEM IN ASSIMILATION BOARDING SCHOOLS WHERE THEY WERE MISTREATED, ABUSED AND IN AT LEAST 1000 DOCUMENTED CASES KILLED.

THAT DIFFICULT TOPIC IS THE FOCUS OF THIS WEEK'S "INDEPTH" SEGMENT, WITH MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD.

CASSIDY?

>> RICH JOINING US FOR THAT RICH JOINING US FOR THAT DISCUSSION IS MISS ELLA ANQUOE A SURVIVOR OF THE 'CHILOCCO INDIAN AGRICULTURAL SCHOOL' AND HER SON AND DESCENDENT RED-CLOUD ANQUOE.

WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY DR. KELLI MOSTELLER, THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND CEO OF THE FIRST AMERICANS MUSEUM.DR.

MOSTELLER IS COMING FROM HER ROLE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HARVARD NATIVE AMERICAN PROGRAM AND IS A MEMBER OF THE CITIZEN POTAWATOMI NATION.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING ME TODAY.

TO START THIS DISCUSSION OFF I WANT YOU ALL TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAD TO SAY LAST WEEK ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN CREATING AND OPERATING INDIAN BOARDING SCHOOLS, AND THEN I'D LIKE TO HEAR YOUR REACTIONS HERE IT IS.

>> YOU KNOW, GENERATIONS OF NATIVE CHILDREN STOLEN, TAKEN AWAY TO PLACES THEY DIDN'T KNOW WITH PEOPLE THEY'D NEVER MET, WHO SPOKE A LANGUAGE THEY HAD NEVER HEARD.

NATIVE COMMUNITIES SILENCED.

THEIR CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER AND PLAY WERE GONE.

CHILDREN WOULD ARRIVE AT SCHOOLS, THEIR CLOTHES TAKEN OFF, THEIR HAIR THAT THEY WERE TOLD WAS SACRED, WAS CHOPPED OFF.

THEIR NAMES LITERALLY ERASED, REPLACED BY A NUMBER OR AN ENGLISH NAME.

>> YOUR THOUGHTS.

>> IT'S KIND OF LATE, A 100 YEARS LATE.

A LOT HAS HAPPENED BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, THE PAST GENERATIONS AND I'M PROBABLY ONE OF THE GENERATIONS THAT GOT IN ON THE, THE GOOD PART OF THINGS STARTED GETTING BETTER.

LIKE IN 1950, AFTER WORLD WAR II.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK OF WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN HAD TO SAY?

>> BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, AT LEAST.

AT LEAST THEY'RE TRYING TO RECTIFY WHAT THEY DID TO US.

HE'S CORRECT WHEN HE SAYS THERE WERE KIDS TAKEN FROM THEIR PARENTS, HAIR CUT OFF, THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I WEAR MY HAIR BRAIDED TODAY.

HEY, WE'RE STILL HERE.

WE DIDN'T GET COMPLETELY ASSIMILATED.

THERE'S SEVERAL OF US THAT KEEP OUR LANGUAGE, CARRY ON OUR WAYS, IT'S NOT COMPLETELY WIPED OUT LIKE THEIR ORIGINAL PLAN WAS.

>> DID THEY SUCCEED?

>> NO, THEY DID NOT.

>> WHAT DID YOU THINK?

>> I WAS GLAD TO SEE IT.

I'M GLAD THIS APOLOGY COMES ON THE TAIL END OF A FEW YEARS NOW, SO MANY NATIVE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, BUT ALSO SURVIVORS.

AND THE DESCENDANTS WHO HAVE BEEN PUSHING FOR THIS RECOGNITION AND RESEARCH INTO THAT ERA ENTAILED.

I SEE THE APOLOGY TA CULMINATION OF YEARS OF PRESSURE AND HARD WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE ON THIS SIDE OF NATIVE PEOPLE TO COME TO THIS MOMENT.

IT MATTERS WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FINALLY OWNS UP TO SOMETHING.

IF YOU CAN OWN UP TO YOUR ROLE IN IT, YOU CAN'T MOVE FORWARD.

>> IS THIS THE NEXT STEP?

>> THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW PHASE.

THIS WAS A REALLY IMPORTANT WAY TO BRING IT TO THE PUBLIC'S ATTENTION, THE FACT THAT MORE PEOPLE HAD EYES ON THIS, AND REALIZE -- IT'S NOT EASY TO FIND INFORMATION ABOUT THIS ONLINE.

THIS IS A TIME WE CAN TRANSITION OVER AND REALLY MAKE SURE THAT THE PRESSURE STAYS ON.

CONTINUE TO DO RESEARCH, AND LISTEN TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE SURVIVED THE EXPERIENCES.

>> VERY BRIEFLY BEFORE THE EXPERIENCES, WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE A LOT?

IT'S EVERYTHING, FOR THE NEXT STEPS AND WHOO WHAT THEY LOOK -- WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE.

>> PEOPLE NEED TO BE OPEN MINDED.

I ALWAYS HEAR FELLOW AMERICANS THAT I WORK WITH, I'M 50 YEARS OLD, I HEAR THEM SAY, I DON'T WANT TO LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE.

WHY DO I HAVE TO.

I KIND OF LOOK AT THEM, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE HAD TO DO?

WE HAD TO LEARN A -- LEARN ENGLISH LANGUAGE.

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS NOT INDIGENOUS TO AMERICA, IT'S FROM ENGLAND.

WHEN I EXPLAIN IT TO THEM LIKE THIS, IT PUTS IT IN A NEW LIGHT.

>> ARE THEY RECEPTIVE TO THAT?

>> THEY ARE AFTER I SMAN IT LIKE THAT -- EXPLAIN IT LIKE THAT.

I TELL THEM, WELL, I DOUBT YOU WOULD KNOW HOW TO SPEAK KIOWA.

MOST PEOPLE KNOW LAKE NATIVE DAKOTA, LIKE FROM DANCES WITH WOLVES.

THERE'S ANOTHER WAY TO SAY THE SAME THING, BUFFALO, THAP DON'T KNOW THAT -- THEY DON'T KNOW THAT.

WE SPEAK SEVERAL DIFFERENT LANGUAGES.

NOT JUST MY OWN.

MAINLY -- I TALK ABOUT MY DAD.

>> THE ASSIMILATION AND SEPARATION FROM THE TRIBE WAY BACK THEN, AND IT ENDED.

IT WASN'T SUCCESSFUL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE NEXT STEPS AND WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE NEXT CHANGE?

>> THE RECONCILIATION PAST, SO THERE IS A COMMISSION THAT'S DOING MUCH MORE RESEARCH INTO THE HISTORY, WHAT HAPPENED, WHO WAS AFFECTED, WHAT ARE THE LONG TERM IMPACTS ON THE COMMUNITIES TODAY.

PUTTING THE FEDERAL RESOURCES BEHIND THAT, AND THERE'S RESOURCES, FUNDING, YOUNG NATIVE PEOPLE CAN BE AMONG THEIR COMMUNITIES AND BE IN PLACES THE CULTURES ARE ROOTED AND GET THE COLLEGE EDUCATION THERE, AND WORK IN THE COMMUNITY.

THERE'S SO MUCH TO BE DONE TO PUT THE FEDERAL SUPPORT.

BEING TIEBL TAKE YOUR ION -- ABLE TO TAKE YOUR OWN TRIBAL LANGUAGE.

>> BEFORE WE GO FURTHER, YOU WOULD LIKE TO ASK EACH OF YOU WITH YOUR PERSONAL HISTORY WITH THE BOARDING SCHOOLS.

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR FIRST DAY AT THE SCHOOL?

>> I WAS 14.

MY DAD DIDN'T WANT ME, HE SAID NO.

HE WAS AGAINST IT.

I WANTED TO GO.

I WANTED TO SEE WHAT THE REST OF THE WORLD WAS LIKE.

AND I ALREADY HAD TO HAVE ONE PARENT, MY MOM, AGREED TO LET ME GO.

SO I RODE WITH MY AUNT AND UNCLE, THEY ALREADY HAD CHILDREN THERE.

MY AUNT AND UNCLE.

MY TWO ROOMMATES WHO WERE OSAGE, I HAD NEVER HEARD OF THEM.

WE WERE FRIENDS ALL THE WAY THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL.

WE WANTED TO BE ROOMMATES EVERY YEAR.

WE WOULD ABOUT TO HOME IN THE -- GO HOME IN THE SUMMER TIME.

SOME OF THEM DIDN'T GET TO GO HOME.

THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO.

SOME OF THEM DIDN'T WANT TO GO HOME.

BECAUSE OF THE LIVING CONDITIONS I GUESS.

THEY HAD IT BETTER AT THE BOARDING SCHOOL.

THIS WAS IN THE 50'S.

AND WE WEREN'T FORCED TO SPEAK ENGLISH, BECAUSE MOST OF US COULD HARDLY SPEAK ENGLISH.

IT WAS THE 50'S.

THAT'S WHEN EVERYTHING WAS BLOOMING, YOU KNOW.

>> YOU SAW THE BUFFALO TO NAVAJO KIDS COME IN.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

THEY BROUGHT FIVE BUS LOADS OF NAVAJO FROM THE RESERVATIONS FROM ARIZONA.

THEY WERE JUST -- THEY HAD BED SORES, OR TICK BITES, WHATEVER THEY, YOU KNOW -- >> DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH.

>> NONE OF THEM SPOKE ENGLISH.

THEY HAD THEIR OWN NAVAJO SCHOOL.

AND NAVAJO TEACHERS.

I JUST DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT.

THEY TOLD US THEY WERE NOVEMBER -- NAVAJOS AND CAME FROM THE RESERVATION, AND WE BECAME FRIENDS WITH THEM.

THEY WERE NICE.

THEY WANTED TO BLEND IN, YOU KNOW.

>> WHAT ARE SOME -- THE BEST COURSE WITH THE BOARDING SCHOOL THAT JUST REALLY WHAT HAPPENED THERE WAS AWFUL, BUT WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT CHILDREN FACED WHEN THEY WERE THERE?

>> YEAH, AS WITH ALL OF US JUST SAYING, THERE WASN'T -- THERE WERE DIFFERENT STAGES OF THE BOARDING SCHOOL PROCESS.

THE EARLY SCHOOLS WERE OPENING AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.

THIS WAS THE END OF THE 1800S.

A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS WERE INTENTIONALLY FAR AWAY FROM THE RESERVATION.

THE POINT WAS TO REMOVE THE STUDENTS FROM CULTURE AND LANGUAGE.

IT WAS RUN BY A LIEUTENANT FROM THE U.S. ARMY.

YOU COME IN WITH THE CLOTHING, IT IS STRIPPED AWAY, YOUR HAIR IS CUT.

YOU WERE TO CHOOSE OR ISSUED AN ENGLISH NAME.

AND IT WAS VERY MUCH, EDUCATION WAS ALWAYS SECONDARY TO THE CULTURAL ASSIMILATION PROCESS.

YOUNG WOMEN WERE TAUGHT TO BE GOOD HOUSEWIVES AND YOUNG MEN TALKING ABOUT THE TO BE FARMERS.

AND YOU SAW OF THE ENFORCED STRUCTURE OF WHAT IT WAS TO BE A GOOD AMERICAN.

YOU SPEAK ENGLISH, YOU FARM, YOU REINFORCE THOSE IDEAS.

AS TIME WENT ON, THEY REALIZED THE -- IT WASN'T SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG TERM.

SOME ON RESERVATION BOARDING SCHOOLS, THERE WERE OVER 80 BOARDING SCHOOLS IN OKLAHOMA.

OVER TIME, THINGS CHANGED OVER TIME, I TO THINK MY OWN GREAT GRANDFATHER WAS IN BOORGD SCHOOL IN THE -- BOARDING SCHOOL IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY.

HE RAN AWAY MULTIPLE TIMES.

BEFORE THEY GAVE UP ON HIM.

I DO THINK TO THE END, THERE WAS A LOT MORE TENSION, THEY HAD TO REALIZE THERE'S MORE OF EMPHASIS ON EDUCATION.

YOU CAN'T TREAT IT LIKE A MILITARY WORK CAMP FARM SCHOOL.

THERE WERE A LOT OF HARSH REALITIES, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF ABUSE OVER TIME.

THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF DOCUMENTATION.

GENERATIONS ARE IMPACTED BY THE FORCE OF ASSIMILATION.

>> SPEAKING OF THE TRAUMA FROM THE SCHOOLS, WHAT'S IT BEEN LIKE LEARNING AND HEARING FROM YOUR MOTHER OF THE STORIES?

>> I WAS PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO HEAR IT FROM BOTH MY MOTHER AND MY FATHER.

IT WAS EYE OPENER.

BECAUSE GROWING UP, I HAD NO IDEA -- I HAD NO CONCEPT OF RACE.

NO CONCEPT OF HE'S GERMAN, HE'S SCOTTISH, HE'S ASIAN.

I WAS A CHILD, I HAD NO CONCEPT OF THAT.

I THOUGHT THAT EVERYONE WAS NATIVE AMERICAN.

GROWING UP ROCKY BALBOA -- HE MUST BE NATIVE.

AND THEN I GREW UP, AND STARTED SEEING DIFFERENCES.

THIRD GRADE, THIRD GRADE I WAS AT A CATHOLIC -- THERE WAS A NUN AND THE PRINCIPAL, NUN WAS THE PRINCIPAL,THEY WERE DISCUSSING CHANGING MY NAME.

THEY SAID WE'LL CALL YOU THIS FROM NOW ON.

I WAS LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON?

NOT LONG AFTER THAT, MY DAD FOUND OUT ABOUT IT, AND TOOK ME OUT OF THERE RIGHT AWAY.

STILL CONTINUES IN THIS DAY, PEOPLE ARE LEARNING ABOUT NATIVES.

WHICH IS A SURPRISE, CONSIDERING IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ALMOST A RED MAN, PEOPLE TO THIS DAY, BY JUST ON MY WAY HERE, PEOPLE STARING AT ME.

LOOKING LIKE, OH, THERE'S AN INDIAN.

A REAL ONE.

AND I ALWAYS SAY, WELCOME TO OKLAHOMA.

HOME OF THE RED MAN, YEAH, WE'RE STILL HERE.

AND I GET ASKED DAILY, DO YOU HUNT BUFFALO?

NO, I SPEAK ENGLISH.

I HAVE A BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

I'VE BEEN IN THE ARMY.

THEIR COMPLETE OPINION OF ME CHANGES.

LIKE WHAT LEVEL OF RESPECT THEY CAN GIVE ME.

OH, OH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

THEY WANT TO SHAKE MY HAND.

I'M LIKE, WRAE, YOU'VE -- YEAH, YOU'VE ALREADY DISPLAYED YOUR UPBRINGING.

>> HEARING THE APOLOGY NOW FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN -- >> IT HELPS.

I WOULD EQUATE IT TO -- PUTTING ORAL GEL ON A SORE TOOTH.

IT HELPS A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'LL HAVE TO BE MORE.

IT'S GRADUAL.

THIS IS THE FIRST STEP.

THERE'S A LOT OF FIRST STEPS.

A STEP FORWARD.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES.

>>> IT'S NOT AS RARE AS IT USED TO BE-- BUT FEMALE PLAY-BY-PLAY ANNOUNCERS IN MEN'S SPORTS.

ARE STILL FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

IN THIS WEEK'S "NATIONAL VIEW" WE TAKE YOU NORTH TO MAINE.

TO MEET THE "VOICE" OF THE PORTLAND SEADOGS-- THAT STORY COURTESY OF MAINE PUBLIC TELEVISION.

>> THE LEAD OFF DOUBLE.

NO.

-- >> THE PLAY BY PLAY, MY GRANDFATHER WAS A BROADCASTER, AND GROWING UP LISTENING TO HIS STORIES, WORKING IN SHORTS AND WORKING WITH -- SPORT AND WORKING -- I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO CALL A GAME FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE PLAY BY PLAY.

DROP OF THE HAT, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN.

I KNEW THAT WAS WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY CAREER.

I WENT TO ALASKA, OREGON, AND NOW TO MAINE.

I HAD ALWAYS KNOWN OF THE -- ONE OF THE BEST REPUTATIONS.

IT WAS ONE OF THE TEAMS THAT YOU WANTED TO WORK FOR, AND PROBABLY COULDN'T BECAUSE NO ONE HAD LEFT IT.

THAT'S HOW GOOD OF A TEAM IS.

MY HUSBAND -- YOU HAVE TO APPLY AND MOVING ME TO PORTLAND, FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY.

HAD LOSHS FOR THE FIRST -- LOBSTER FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND I'M HOOKED.

COULDN'T SAY NO.

>> THIS ONE IS DROPPED HIGH AND DEEP INTO RIGHT FIELD.

KISS IT GOOD-BYE IT'S GONE.

>> I LOVE HOW YOU HAVE -- >> A TWO RUN BOMB FOR -- A 3-2 FLEED -- LEAD IN THE THIRD.

>> HOLY COW -- >> NOTHING IS -- IN THIS INDUSTRY AND THIS GAME, THAT'S WHAT I LOVED.

AND I LOE HISTORY AND -- LOVE HISTORY AND RESEARCH.

HOW TO THINK ON YOUR FEET, AND KNOWING I HAVE A LOT TO FALL BACK ON.

>> PLAYING A BOUNCING BALL BACK UP THE MIDDLE.

ON THE FIRST, WHAT AN INCREDIBLE DOUBLE PLAY.

>> THERE'S SO MUCH MORE TO OUR JOB AS A BROADCASTER BESIDES THE BROADCAST.

IF YOU STARTED PLAYING, YOU HAVE A PLAYER ON THE FIELD WARMING UP, OPEN UP -- AND EVERYONE SLOWLY STARTS TO COME IF.

GAME 14, THIS IS GREAT.

THIS IS A WAY TO END THE HOME STAND.

AND THE PLAYERS -- GREAT.

MY FIRST SEASON IN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL, I WAS THE SECOND VOICE IN THE HISTORY OF MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL THAT WAS FEMALE.

THAT WAS IMPACTFUL, BUT MY CAREER HAS GONE ON, OTHER WOMEN HAVE JOINED THE SPORT.

IT MEANS -- COMING TO ITS BALLPARK AND SHOWING HER, YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT.

YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU WANT IN ANY MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY.

AND IN TEN YEARS, I WOULD LOVE TO BE BE ABLE TO GO TO THE BALLPARK AND SAY THE BROADCASTER IS HERE.

AND IT'S NOT A BIG THING.

THERE'S RILEY AND I, WE'RE TOLD THERE'S THREE FEMALE BROADCASTERS IN BASEBALL RIGHT NOW.

IF THE NUMBERS CAN GROW AND THERE'S A NUMBER TO TALK ABOUT, I WOULD BE VERY HAPPY.

>>> ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT"-- A COMPLETE RECAP OF THE NOVEMBER 5TH ELECTION.

WHO WON, WHO LOST AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR OKLAHOMA VOTERS AS THEY HEAD TO THE POLLS.

JOIN US FOR TEAM COVERAGE, NEXT FRIDAY AT 7PM!

WE'LL SAY SO LONG FOR NOW WITH A LOOK BACK AT SCISSORTAIL PARK'S "DAY OF THE DEAD FESTIVAL" IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY O.E.T.A.

'S BRANDON DOWNEY.

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!