BLEACHERS MONDAY EVENING AT 1030 ON OETA.

IT'S A DONE DEAL.

17 TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE CLOSING TO HELP BRIDGE A BUDGET GAP.

AND I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR THIS BOARD.

HOW DID THIS DISTRICT GET INTO SUCH A COLOSSAL MESS?

TOO LITTLE RAIN AND THEN TOO MUCH RAIN DOOMS THIS YEAR'S OKLAHOMA COTTON CROP.

WE'LL PROBABLY HARVEST 3%, MAYBE 2 TO 3% OF THE PLANET ACRES.

TULSA COUNTY'S LONGTIME DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOUND HIMSELF THE TARGET OF A GRAND JURY PROBE.

WE'RE GOING TO FIND 12 PEOPLE TO BE ON THE GRAND JURY, AND THEN NINE OF THEM CAN CAN RENDER INDICTMENTS OR CAN CAN RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF THE OFFICIAL YOU'RE INVESTIGATING BEFORE YOU VOTE.

AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON STATE QUESTION EIGHT.

47 PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE BECOME REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH THE RISING COSTS OF PROPERTY TAXES, AND ARE FRUSTRATED THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR THEY'RE HIT WITH THE MAXIMUM INCREASE.

BILLBOARD MAGAZINE RECOGNIZES THE EXCELLENCE OF OSU'S GREENWOOD SCHOOL OF MUSIC.

WE HAVE AMAZING FACULTY AND WE HAVE AMAZING STUDENTS, AND I THINK WE DESERVE THAT RECOGNITION.

PLUS, THIS YOUNG HEART PATIENT HAS A HEART OF GOLD.

HIS STORY NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

I'M RICH LENZ.

THE TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD HAS VOTED TO SHUTTER 17 DISTRICT SCHOOLS BEGINNING NEXT YEAR IN AN EFFORT TO SAVE $11.1 MILLION.

THE MOVE IMPACTS ABOUT 4700 STUDENTS AND 4000 TPS FAMILIES.

THE 6 TO 1 VOTE IN FAVOR OF THE CLOSURES CAME AT THE END OF AN ALMOST FIVE HOUR MEETING THAT INCLUDED TWO HOURS OF PUBLIC COMMENT, MUCH OF IT OPPOSED TO THE PLAN.

YOU'RE PROPOSING TO CLOSE 17 SCHOOLS.

THAT'S NEARLY ONE QUARTER OF ALL OF THE SCHOOLS IN TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ONE OUT OF EVERY FOUR.

THAT'S NOT A MINOR ADMINISTRATIVE ADJUSTMENT.

THAT IS AN INSTITUTIONAL EARTHQUAKE.

AND I HAVE ONE QUESTION FOR THIS BOARD.

HOW DID THIS DISTRICT GET INTO SUCH A COLOSSAL MESS?

WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT OUR SCHOOL WAS ON THE POTENTIAL CLOSURE LIST, OUR OFFICE WAS FLOODED WITH PARENTS BEGGING TO KNOW WHAT THEY COULD DO TO PLEAD OUR CASE.

WE HAD PARENTS OFFER TO GO DOOR TO DOOR TO FUNDRAISE FOR OUR SCHOOL, AND PARENTS WHO OFFERED TO DO REPAIRS ON THE BUILDING FOR FREE, AND FAMILIES WHO SAID OUR SCHOOL IS THE ONLY SAFE PLACE IN THEIR STUDENTS LIVES.

I UNDERSTAND THAT ANY TIME WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MOVING YOUR CHILD FROM SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN STABLE FOR YOU AND SOMETHING THAT YOUR CHILD HAS CONNECTED WITH AND THAT YOU HAVE CONNECTED WITH.

WE ARE A COMMUNITY AND THIS IS HARD.

WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO SEND US OUR VERY BEST, WHICH IS YOUR CHILD.

WE ASK THAT YOU CONTINUE TO CHOOSE TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

BOARD MEMBER KELVIN MONIZ WAS THE ONLY BOARD MEMBER WHO VOTED AGAINST THE CLOSURES.

THE BOARD HAS ALSO SIGNED OFF ON CUTTING AN ADDITIONAL $1.5 MILLION BY ELIMINATING SOME SCHOOL ACTIVITIES AND NOT FILLING CURRENT OPENINGS.

SO HERE IS THE FULL LIST OF THE SCHOOLS BEING CONSOLIDATED.

ALMOST ALL ARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, INCLUDING ANDERSON, BEL, HUERTA, HOOVER, KERR, KEY, MARSHALL, MITCHELL, PERRY, ROBERTSON, SEQUOYAH, SPRINGDALE, AS WELL AS THE GREENWOOD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AND THE UNITY LEARNING ACADEMY.

SECONDARY SCHOOL SITES INCLUDE CENTRAL, THOREAU AND TULSA.

MET.

MOTHER NATURE DOES NOT TAKE IT EASY ON FARMERS IN OKLAHOMA, DROUGHT IS A NEAR-CONSTANT CONCERN, BUT TOO MUCH RAIN TOO QUICKLY IS A PROBLEM, TOO, ESPECIALLY FOR COTTON.

AND THIS YEAR HAS BEEN SO BAD EVEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS STEPPING IN TO HELP.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THAT.

STEVE.

RICH, IT'S BEEN SAID SOME OF THE BIGGEST GAMBLERS OUT THERE ARE COTTON FARMERS.

LAST YEAR, SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA PRODUCED A BANNER COTTON CROP.

BUT THAT WAS LAST YEAR.

WHAT IS THIS CALLED AGAIN?

SO SO THERE'S TWO TYPE OF HARVESTERS.

COTTON FARMING'S BEEN IN MATT MUELLER'S FAMILY FOR FIVE GENERATIONS.

THESE MACHINES, YOU KNOW REPLACE A HUNDRED PEOPLE PICKING IT BY HAND NEAR ALTUS IN JACKSON COUNTY, COTTON FARMERS PLANT THEIR COTTON CROP EACH YEAR IN MAY.

UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THEY START HARVESTING IN MID-OCTOBER.

BUT UNRELENTING HOT TEMPERATURES AND NEXT TO NO RAIN TRASHED THIS YEAR'S CROP.

THESE COTTON PLANTS SHOULD BE 2 TO 3 TIMES TALLER THAN THEY ARE, MATT MUELLER SAYS.

OUT OF THE 4000 ACRES OF COTTON HIS FAMILY PLANTED THIS YEAR, ALL BUT 300 ACRES ARE RUINED.

BEFORE 2011, WE NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE TO THIS.

NOW WE'RE REGULARLY, SOMEWHAT EXPERIENCING THESE TYPE OF EVENTS.

WHY DO YOU THINK JUST CHANGING WEATHER, GLOBAL WARMING.

SO WE HAD A 20 YEAR PERIOD OF THE 80S AND 90S THAT KIND OF SPOILED US BECAUSE IT WAS ABNORMAL.

IT WAS A SUPER WET CYCLE.

IF YOU GO BACK AND LOOK AT MESONET DATA.

AND SO THAT 20 YEAR WET CYCLE WE THOUGHT WAS THE NORM, IT WASN'T THE NORM.

IT WAS FOOL'S GOLD.

THESE ARE THE CONDITIONS THAT CAUSED THE DUST BOWL, RIGHT?

IF WE HAD NOT IF WE HAD NOT WIDESPREAD, ME AND MY NEIGHBORS ADAPTED OUR FARMING PRACTICES TO NO TILL MINIMUM TILL, LEAVING MORE RESIDUE AND CROP ROTATION.

YES, IT WOULD BE VERY EASY FOR US TO BE EXPERIENCING THAT TYPE OF SITUATION AGAIN.

DOCTOR JENNY DUDAK IS A COTTON EXTENSION SPECIALIST FOR OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY.

AND KIND OF WHAT HIT US THE HARDEST THIS YEAR AS FAR AS THE HEAT GOES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE USED TO HEAT.

WE'RE IN OKLAHOMA, WE'RE USED TO HOT, BUT WE JUST DIDN'T COOL DOWN AT NIGHT THIS YEAR.

KYLE ABERNATHY FLIES PLANES AND SPRAYS COTTON FIELDS FOR A LIVING.

HIS FATHER, LARRY, IS IN HIS 52ND YEAR AS AN AG PILOT IN NEARBY TIPTON SPRITE.

A LOT OF COTTON OVER THE YEARS.

I DON'T REMEMBER A YEAR THIS BAD.

I MEAN, IT WAS JUST A MIXTURE OF EVERYTHING.

IT GOT HOT, QUICK AND IT STAYED HOT AND DRY.

ADDING INSULT TO INJURY, PARTS OF JACKSON COUNTY LAST WEEK RECEIVED AS MUCH AS TEN INCHES OF RAIN, WHICH RUINED THE LITTLE BIT OF COTTON LEFT IN THE FIELDS.

YES, YES.

NO, THAT IS TRUE.

MIKE SCHULTZ HAS BEEN A COTTON FARMER SINCE THE MID 1980S.

HE ALSO DIRECTS OSU'S RESEARCH STATION FOR ALTUS AND NEARBY TIPTON.

THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST YEAR I'VE EVER SEEN.

WORST WHEAT CROP I'VE EVER HARVESTED.

NO COTTON CROP AT ALL.

COMPLETE ZERO.

WE HAD SOME EARLY MILO THAT WE HARVESTED, BUT IT WASN'T ANY GOOD.

LACK OF WATER.

MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE WE KNEW GOING INTO THIS YEAR, WE HAD A VERY DRY SOIL PROFILE.

AND WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MOISTURE STORED IN THE SOIL, IT'S GOING TO BE A LONG YEAR.

HE SAYS LAST YEAR, FARMERS IN THE ALTUS AREA HARVESTED 1000 ACRES OF COTTON, AND THIS YEAR, COUNTY WIDE, JACKSON COUNTY WIDE WILL PROBABLY HARVEST 3%, MAYBE 2 TO 3% OF THE PLANET ACRES.

SCHULTZ SAYS THE FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM IS A SILVER LINING TO SUCH A DISASTROUS HARVEST FOR FARMERS WHO PARTICIPATE.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT PAYS A PERCENTAGE OF THOSE CROP INSURANCE PREMIUMS, AND THAT KEEPS US IN BUSINESS FOR ANOTHER YEAR.

I WOULDN'T SAY WE REALLY MAKE ANY MONEY OUT OF IT, BUT IT GETS US THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR.

SCHULTZ SAYS TEXAS PRODUCES AROUND 60% OF THE U.S.

COTTON SUPPLY EACH YEAR.

GEORGIA, OKLAHOMA, ARKANSAS AND MISSISSIPPI PRODUCE THE REST.

THE SOONER STATE NORMALLY PRODUCES AROUND 750,000 COTTON BALES ANNUALLY.

BUT THIS YEAR, SCHULTZ SAYS THAT NUMBER WILL BE AROUND 150,000 BALES, IF THEY'RE LUCKY.

WHEN MIKE SCHULTZ BEGAN GROWING AND HARVESTING COTTON 40 YEARS AGO, A BAG OF COTTON SEEDS WENT FOR AROUND 25 BUCKS.

NOW, THOSE SEEDS ARE MADE WITH HERBICIDE RESISTANT PROPERTIES THAT SHIELD THE COTTON CROP FROM PESTS.

THOSE SEEDS NOW SELL FOR 400 TO $500 A BAG.

WE'RE IN A FEAST OR FAMINE CYCLE HERE.

AND THAT THAT WORRIES ME TO A DEGREE.

BUT IF IT'S THE NEW NORM, BECAUSE FOR THE LAST 15 OR 20 YEARS, IT'S EITHER BEEN A BUMPER CROP OR A COMPLETE WIPE OUT.

IS IT WORTH IT?

YES.

SO IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU LOOK AROUND.

I'M A COTTON FARMER.

I'M A PLANT COTTON WHEAT FARMERS GOING TO PLANT WHEAT, CORN FARMERS GOING TO PLANT CORN.

AND, YOU KNOW, I'M EITHER CURSED OR BLESSED BY BEING A COTTON FARMER, BUT I'M GOING TO PLANT COTTON EVERY YEAR.

BACK IN MAY, THE U.S.

SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE LAUNCHED WHAT THEY CALL THE GREAT AMERICAN COTTON PLAN.

THAT EFFORT AIMS TO PROMOTE DOMESTIC COTTON CONSUMPTION, PROVIDE AFFORDABLE COTTON BY INCREASING DOMESTIC DEMAND, AND PROTECT COTTON GROWERS FROM ADVERSE RISKS.

MATT MUELLER LAST MONDAY WAS ALREADY WORKING TOWARDS NEXT YEAR PLANTING A CROP HE PLANS TO CONVERT INTO MULCH.

WHEN IT COMES TIME TO PLANT COTTON AGAIN NEXT YEAR, IS THAT AIR CONDITIONING?

OH YES.

IT HAS AIR CONDITIONING.

IF I EVER START HAVING A PITY PARTY AND START THINKING ABOUT HOW HARD MY DAY WAS, I THINK OF MY GRANDPARENTS OR GREAT GRANDPARENTS, YOU KNOW, NEVER HAD AN AIR CONDITIONER, NEVER HAD A CAB TRACTOR, ATE DIRT AND WENT DEAF, LISTENING TO ENGINES ROAR OR BENT OVER A MULE ALL DAY LONG.

I'M REMINDED I DON'T REALLY HAVE IT THAT BAD.

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT.

A SINGLE BALE OF COTTON IS CAPABLE OF MAKING 215 PAIRS OF JEANS, OR 249 BED SHEETS, OR 765 MEN'S DRESS SHIRTS, 3085 DIAPERS, OR $313,601 BILLS.

THAT'S RIGHT, US CURRENCY RICH.

AND NOW WE KNOW.

THANK YOU STEVE.

IN OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH SEGMENT LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST, MODERATOR SUNNY LEE TAKES A DEEP DIVE ON STATE QUESTION 847, WHICH WILL APPEAR ON THE NOVEMBER 3RD BALLOT.

IT'S A COMPLICATED MEASURE THAT ADDRESSES HOW YOUR PROPERTY TAXES ARE DETERMINED.

SUNNY'S GUESTS INCLUDE MATT RIGGS WAS OPPOSED TO S, Q 847 AND SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE KYLE HILBERT, WHO HOPES IT PASSES.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

ANNUALLY RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD, IT CAN BE INCREASED THE VALUATION ON THAT PROPERTY A MAX OF 3%.

THIS JUST SIMPLY CHANGES THAT MAXIMUM FROM 3% TO 1.75%.

AND ON OTHER PROPERTIES FROM 5 TO 4%.

AND THEN IT ALSO EXTENDS PROVISIONS FOR THE SENIOR PROPERTY FREEZE SO THAT MORE SENIORS CAN QUALIFY FOR FOR BENEFITS AND LOWER THE PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT INCREASE AMOUNTS.

SERVICES FOR SCHOOLS ARE JUST LIKE SERVICES FOR EVERYBODY, MEANING THAT SCHOOLS ARE PAYING CLOSE TO $6 A GALLON FOR DIESEL, JUST LIKE PEOPLE AT HOME ARE.

ELECTRIC BILLS.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS GO UP FOR SCHOOLS EVERY YEAR, AND THEY'RE GOING UP MUCH FASTER THAN THE PROPERTY TAX CAP THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

SO NOW BY REDUCING THAT CAP, WE'RE CREATING A BIGGER GAP BETWEEN COSTS THAT ARE RISING FOR SCHOOLS.

AND SOME OF THE INCREASES WE CAN DEPEND ON IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.

KEVIN EAGLESON, A JOURNALIST FOR NON DOC, WILL ALSO BE PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, WHICH COMES UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

THE CITIZENS GROUP IN TULSA COUNTY HAS BEGUN A PETITION DRIVE TO IMPANEL, A GRAND JURY TO INVESTIGATE AND POTENTIALLY REMOVE NEWLY ELECTED DISTRICT ATTORNEY STEVE KUNZWEILER.

JASON DOYLE HAS BEEN LOOKING INTO THAT EFFORT AND JOINS US NOW WITH MORE DETAILS.

JASON.

RICH, THE GROUP WANTS A GRAND JURY TO TAKE A LOOK IN 11 AREAS CONCERNING DISTRICT ATTORNEY KUNZWEILER AND THE TULSA COUNTY DA'S OFFICE.

WE DID ASK FOR AN INTERVIEW FROM KUNZWEILER FOR THIS STORY, BUT HE DECLINED.

GRAND JURY JUSTICE WAS FORMED WITH A MISSION TO SEE THAT THE CITIZENS OF OKLAHOMA HAVE THIS CHANCE.

GRAND JURY JUSTICE IS THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION REQUESTING A RARELY USED CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION TO CREATE A GRAND JURY FOR THE PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATING A COUNTY OFFICIAL.

IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, IT'S FOR THE TULSA COUNTY DA'S OFFICE AND D.A.

STEVE KUNZWEILER.

STATE LAW DOES NOT ALLOW FOR A DISTRICT ATTORNEY TO BE IMPEACHED.

HOWEVER, PETITIONING FOR A GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION COULD LEAD TO A REMOVAL FROM OFFICE.

THE 11 AREAS OF CONCERN BY SHERIFF AUGUSTO'S ORGANIZATION COULD FALL INTO THAT CATEGORY.

THERE'S A LIST OF REASONS TO REMOVE SOMEONE FROM OFFICE.

AND SO THOSE 11 AREAS PRETTY, PRETTY CLOSELY, NOT PERFECTLY TRACK THAT.

STATUTORY WAY TO REMOVE SOMEONE FROM OFFICE BECAUSE A DISTRICT ATTORNEY CANNOT BE IMPEACHED.

THERE ARE OTHER PARTS OF STATE GOVERNMENT WHERE YOU CAN REMOVE A STATE OFFICIAL.

NOT SURE.

NOT NOT EXACTLY THE SAME FOR DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

SO THIS THIS ALLOWS THE PEOPLE RIGHT.

AND THIS AND ALLOWS PEOPLE TO DO IT DIRECTLY.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH, FOR EXAMPLE, THE THE LEGISLATURE LIKE YOU WOULD IN AN IMPEACHMENT PROCESS AT THE STATE LEVEL.

OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF LAW PROFESSOR ANDREW SPIROPOULOS SAYS THE FRAMERS OF OKLAHOMA STATE CONSTITUTION WANTED TO MAKE SURE POWER RESTED WITH THE PEOPLE, NOT THE GOVERNMENT.

CORE PART OF THE CONSTITUTION IS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO GOVERN THEMSELVES DIRECTLY, AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THOSE SPECIAL PROVISIONS THAT ALLOW PEOPLE TO DO THAT DIRECTLY.

DA TURNED DOWN AN ON CAMERA INTERVIEW, BUT HIS OFFICE OFFERED THIS STATEMENT.

OKLAHOMA IS ONE OF THE FEW STATES IN THE COUNTRY WHICH AUTHORIZES A CITIZEN INITIATED GRAND JURY SYSTEM.

OUR STATE CONSTITUTION PROVIDES FOR IT.

IN FACT, THE TULSA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS PREVIOUSLY ASSISTED EMPANELED GRAND JURIES WHEN NECESSARY.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND UPHOLD OKLAHOMA'S LAWS.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE IS A PROCESS WHICH NEEDS TO BE ADHERED TO, AND WE WILL WORK WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK WHICH IS IN PLACE.

AMONG THE 11 AREAS OF INVESTIGATION, GRAND JURY JUSTICE WANT TO FOCUS ON THE HANDLING OF THE OKLAHOMA SURVIVORS ACT WAIVERS AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, HOW APRIL WILKINS CASE WAS HANDLED.

SHE WAS CONVICTED IN 1999 OF KILLING TERRY CARLTON.

THE OKLAHOMA SURVIVORS ACT ALLOWS THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC ABUSE AND VIOLENCE TO HAVE THEIR SENTENCES RECONSIDERED IF THE ABUSE PLAYED A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE CRIME.

THERE HAVE COME TO LIGHT SOME POTENTIAL CONFLICTS THAT HAVE REALLY TAINTED THAT CASE.

ALSO OUT OF THAT, AND THE OKLAHOMA SURVIVORS ACT THAT YOU MENTIONED, TULSA COUNTY CREATED A. CONTRACT, AN AGREEMENT FOR ANY ONE TAKING A PLEA DEAL THAT THEY HAVE TO BASICALLY OPT OUT OF USING THE OKLAHOMA SURVIVORS ACT.

AGOSTO SAYS THERE ARE QUESTIONS HER ORGANIZATION IS RAISING ABOUT CAMPAIGN ISSUES, TOO.

HOW DID THE OFFICE USE CAMPAIGN RESOURCES, WHETHER PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, PUBLIC TIME EQUIPMENT OR OTHER COUNTY RESOURCES WERE USED FOR THE 2026 REELECTION CAMPAIGN?

ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION.

THE DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, ATTENDANCE MANAGEMENT, DELEGATION AND SUPERVISION OF THIS OFFICE, AND THEN CAMPAIGN RELATIONSHIPS AND PROSECUTORIAL DISCRETION.

KUNZWEILER QUESTIONS THE EFFORT TO IMPANEL A GRAND JURY TO INVESTIGATE HIS OFFICE, SAYING IN A STATEMENT, WE DO NOT KNOW WHO THE PETITIONER GRAND JURY JUSTICE IS.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE OBVIOUS SIMILARITIES TO THIS EFFORT WHICH MIRROR THE.

NEARLY $1.5 MILLION CAMPAIGN RAN AGAINST TULSA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY STEVE KUNZWEILER JUST THREE MONTHS AGO.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WILL NOT BE DISTRACTED FROM ITS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FINDING TRUTH AND SEEKING JUSTICE.

WE WILL ENDEAVOR TO PROTECT TULSA COUNTY CITIZENS UNDER THE LAW AS REQUIRED.

AGOSTO SAYS HER ORGANIZATION WAS LOOKING INTO KUNZWEILER AND THE DA'S OFFICE BEFORE THE 2026 ELECTION CYCLE, AND THAT THIS PROCESS IS NOT A POLITICAL STUNT.

I'VE HEARD IT CALLED A STUNT A POLITICAL STUNT, AND I'M JUST LIKE, IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE A POLITICAL STUNT, BECAUSE WE HAD TO WRITE THE PETITION AND GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION.

THEN WE HAD TO WAIT FOR A JUDGE TO RULE IF IT WAS FACIALLY SUFFICIENT.

SIGNATURE GATHERING IS UNDERWAY IN TULSA COUNTY, WHICH ALSO MEANS THE CLOCK IS TICKING.

IF THE JUDGE JUDGE APPROVES THEIR PETITION, WHICH TULSA HAS HAPPENED, THEN THEN THEY HAVE 45 DAYS TO GATHER THE SIGNATURES IN WHICH THEIR CASE IS GOING TO.

THEY'RE GOING TO GO FOR 5000 OR MORE TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THE 5000 THAT THEY NEED TO THEN IMPANEL THE GRAND JURY.

IF THEY MEET THE GOAL, THE SIGNATURES ARE THEN VERIFIED.

THE ELECTION BOARD WILL HAVE SEVEN DAYS TO FIGURE OUT IF THEY'VE GOT GOT IT.

AND IF THEY DO, IT GOES TO THE JUDGE.

THE JUDGE DOUBLE CHECKS TO MAKE SURE WHETHER THEY HAVE THE SIGNATURES.

AND IF THEY DO, THEN THEN THEY IMPANEL THE GRAND JURY WITHIN 30 DAYS.

FROM THAT POINT, IT LOOKS LIKE A TYPICAL GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION.

WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS WE ALWAYS DO.

WE'RE GOING TO FIND 12 PEOPLE TO BE ON THE GRAND JURY, AND THEN NINE OF THEM CAN CAN RENDER INDICTMENTS OR CAN CAN RECOMMEND REMOVAL OF THE OFFICIAL YOU'RE INVESTIGATING.

THIS PROCESS ALSO HAS A PROTECTION FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIAL WHO'S THE TARGET OF THE GRAND JURY INVESTIGATION.

YOU HAVE A SEPARATE PROVISION THAT SAYS IF YOU LIBEL OR DEFAME SOMEBODY, WRITE IN THESE ALLEGATIONS.

IF YOU GO AFTER AN ELECTED OFFICIAL AND WHAT YOU SAY IS NOT TRUE ABOUT THEM, THEY CAN SUE YOU.

AND SO THAT IS ANOTHER COMPLICATION THAT HAPPENS IN THESE CASES IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE OFTEN COUNTERSUITS.

AS WAS MENTIONED, THE 45 DAY WINDOW TO GATHER SIGNATURES IS UNDERWAY.

GRAND JURY JUSTICE HAS UNTIL NOVEMBER 18TH TO GET THOSE 5000 TULSA COUNTY VOTERS TO SIGN THE PETITION.

RICH.

JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT REPORT.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND HAS FILED A MOTION TO INTERVENE IN A CIVIL SUIT BROUGHT BY AN ALLIANCE THAT SEEKS TO STOP CONSTRUCTION OF A LARGE DATA CENTER IN SAND SPRINGS.

NOAH MACK JOINS US FROM OUR NEWSROOM WITH MORE INFORMATION ON THIS DEVELOPING STORY.

NOAH.

RICH, THE CITY OF SAND SPRINGS HAS DISPUTED THE LEGITIMACY OF THE LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY SANDITES.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE AFFIRMS THE LEGAL QUESTIONS ASKED HERE, EMPOWERING THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE LAWSUIT AND OPPOSED TO THE DATA CENTER.

AS HALLOWEEN APPROACHES, THE NIGHTMARE ON THIS STREET SEEMS TO BE AN UPCOMING DATA CENTER.

SANDWICHED IN BETWEEN PRIVATE HOUSES.

THIS WOULD BE THE ENTRANCE TO PROJECT SPRING, GOOGLE'S PROPOSED DATA CENTER IN SAND SPRINGS, OKLAHOMA.

AND WHEN YOU DRIVE THROUGH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU'D BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND A HOUSE WITHOUT ONE OF THESE SIGNS.

YOU KNOW, MY MY ONGOING JOKE WITH THIS IS THIS IS THE GREATEST UNIFYING EVENT IN POLITICS, REGARDLESS OF WHICH SIDE OF THE FENCE YOU'RE ON SINCE PROHIBITION.

MIKE BENNETT REMEMBERS DURING PRIMARY SEASON, ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND PAID A VISIT TO HIS COMMUNITY, BRINGING VOWS THAT HE WOULD LOOK INTO THE LEGALITY REGARDING THE CITY'S APPROVAL OF THIS DATA CENTER.

AND, YOU KNOW, THE BRUTAL HONESTY IS YOU GET A LOT OF PROMISES DURING CAMPAIGNS AND CAMPAIGN RUNS.

AND WE WERE, YOU KNOW, AT QUESTION OF OF WHAT HIS SINCERITY WAS.

WE WERE HAPPY TO SEE THAT IT WASN'T JUST A CAMPAIGN PROMISE, THAT IT WAS TRULY WHAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FELT WAS A LEGAL MATTER, THAT THEY STOOD A FAIR CHANCE TO WIN.

THE AG FILED A MOTION TO INTERVENE IN THIS CASE TO PROTECT THE INTERESTS OF OKLAHOMA CITIZENS.

THE INITIAL LAWSUIT WAS BROUGHT BY A GROUP OF RESIDENTS DUBBED PROTECT SAND SPRINGS ALLIANCE.

THEY CLAIM THE CITY HAD NO RIGHT TO ANNEX A STRETCH OF LAND THE INTENT TO SELL IT TO PROJECT SPRING.

THE LAW IS WRITTEN INSIDE OUT OF THE CITY BOUNDARIES, SO NOT THAT THEY CAN NAB A PIECE OVER HERE AND A PIECE OVER THERE.

IT SHOULD LOGICALLY PROGRESS OUTWARD FROM THE CENTER AS THE CITY GROWS.

ACCORDING TO OKLAHOMA STATUTE, THE ANNEXATION OF LAND BY A CONNECTING STRIP SERVING NO MUNICIPAL PURPOSE OTHER THAN TO ESTABLISH STATUTORY CONTIGUITY OR ADJACENT NESS, OR TO CAPTURE TERRITORY WITHIN THE AREA TO BE ANNEXED CONSTITUTES AN IMPERMISSIBLE EXERCISE OF STATE DELEGATED AUTHORITY BY A MUNICIPALITY.

DRUMMOND IS ESSENTIALLY STEPPING IN TO BOLSTER THE VALIDITY OF THE ALLIANCE'S ARGUMENT.

PRESIDENT KYLE SCHMIDT SAYS THE CITY HAS NOT TAKEN THEM SERIOUSLY.

THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY DISMISSIVE OF US, CALLED US AN ACTIVIST GROUP AND A BUNCH OF NIMBYS, AND THEY'VE JUST BEEN VERY DISMISSIVE, CLAIMING THERE WAS NOTHING TO OUR CLAIMS.

THEY WERE MERITLESS.

IT WAS NOTHING TO NOTHING TO SEE HERE.

AND GETTING HER DRUMMOND'S INVOLVEMENT DIRECTLY REFUTES THEIR POSITION.

OETA REACHED OUT TO THE CITY FOR COMMENT.

CITY MANAGER MIKE CARTER RESPONDING, STATING, OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS REVIEWING THE REQUEST TO INTERVENE, BUT WE DO NOT THINK THAT IT CHANGES IN ANY WAY THE FACTS OF THE CASE.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO THE COURT BRINGING A RESOLUTION TO THIS CASE SOON, AND THE AG'S OFFICE CONTESTING IN THEIR OWN STATEMENT THAT CITIES DON'T HAVE AN AUTOMATIC RIGHT TO ANNEX LAND.

THAT POWER COMES FROM THE STATE ANNEXING LAND JUST TO CREATE A CONNECTION TO ANOTHER PROPERTY, WITH NO REAL BENEFIT TO THE CITY ITSELF, IS NOT A PROPER USE OF THAT POWER.

SO I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN ON A ROLLER COASTER SINCE THIS STARTED, YOU KNOW, ROUGHLY A YEAR AGO.

JELENA BENNETT, MIKE'S WIFE, FEELS A BIT OF RELIEF FROM THAT ROLLER COASTER.

WHEN THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DECIDED TO JOIN, JOIN OUR CASE.

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT ROLLER COASTER EFFECT.

AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A GOOD HIGH.

HOW LONG IS IT GOING TO LAST?

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I FELT JUSTIFIED.

YOU KNOW, IT WAS A IT WAS SOME OF THE THINGS AND HIS REASONS FOR FOR TAKING OUR CASE ON JUSTIFIED THINGS THAT PEOPLE WERE TELLING US THAT OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT WAS TELLING US WASN'T TRUE.

AND, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR RESEARCH THAT WE HADT YOU'RE DOING IS, IS READY FOR THAT PEACE TO RETURN TO US IN THIS COMMUNITY.

WE'RE READY FOR THE ROLLER COASTER TO, TO COME TO AN END.

MIKE AGREES.

THEY FEEL JUSTIFIED AND THEY FEEL ADEQUATELY REPRESENTED, A FEELING THAT HAS BEEN FEW AND FAR BETWEEN, GIVEN THEIR GEOGRAPHY ALL ALONG.

OUT HERE WHERE WE LIVE, WE ONE OF THE BIGGEST FIGHTS WE'VE HAD WITH THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL IS NO REPRESENTATION OUT HERE.

WE'RE NOT A VOTING BODY WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS.

SO WE'VE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO SAY, AND WE'VE JUST BEEN ABSOLUTELY STEAMROLLED BY THE CITY.

SO GETTING HER STEPPING IN, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL STEPPING IN AND SAYING, HEY, WAIT A MINUTE.

WHAT YOU DID WAS NOT LEGAL AND GIVING US SOME REPRESENTATION OUT HERE.

IT'S A REAL WIN.

CITY OFFICIALS HAVE COME UNDER FIRE FROM CITIZENRY REGARDING TRANSPARENCY.

ELIZA, LIE.

WHEN YOUR CITIZENS CALL YOU AND ASK YOU POINT BLANK, DID YOU GUYS ANNEX THIS FOR A DATA CENTER AND YOU SAY NO.

CONVERSATION'S OVER RIGHT THERE.

KYLE LED EFFORTS TO RECALL THE MAYOR AND MANY OF THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, ULTIMATELY FAILING TO MEET THE REQUIRED SIGNATURE COUNT.

BUT HE FORESEES THAT THE LOCAL ISSUE OF DATA CENTERS, WHICH TRANSCENDS ANY ONE PARTY, WILL SHAKE UP THE NATION'S NEXT FEW ELECTIONS.

IT'S A CRYING SHAME THAT THIS FIGHT IS GOING ON ALL OVER THE STATE AND THE COUNTRY, BUT OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE STARTING TO SEE SOME SUCCESS.

AND A LITTLE BIT BY LITTLE BIT, WE'RE PUSHING BACK.

I THINK, NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A FULL YEAR INTO THIS FIGHT AND GO THROUGH AN ELECTION CYCLE, I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME CHANGES IN 2027, SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.

THREE OUT OF THE SEVEN CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS IN SAND SPRINGS ARE UP FOR ELECTION IN APRIL.

KYLE SAYS THE ALLIANCE WILL BE WORKING TO TRY AND OVERTURN THOSE SEATS.

RICH, NOAH.

THANK YOU.

NINE YEAR OLD ELLIOT JOHNSON HAS JUST COMPLETED HIS NINTH ANNUAL TOY DRIVE FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH.

BORN WITH A CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE, THIS AMAZING YOUNG MAN HAS UNDERGONE EIGHT HEART SURGERIES AND SPENT MORE THAN A YEAR INSIDE OF THAT OKLAHOMA CITY HOSPITAL, SO HE AND HIS MOTHER HOLD A TOY DRIVE EACH YEAR, AND THIS YEAR, THEY COLLECTED ALMOST 6000 TOYS TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO KIDS ON THE MEND AT THE HOSPITAL.

SO WHENEVER HE IS TURNING A NEW AGE, WE START A NEW TOY DRIVE.

IT'S JUST KIND OF OUR WAY TO GIVE BACK TO KIND OF OUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME, OUR THE HOSPITAL THAT HAS TAKEN SUCH GREAT CARE OF HIM.

THEY'VE SAVED HIS LIFE TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

HE IS A MIRACLE KID, AND WE ARE SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR ALL OF THE YEARS THAT THEY HAVE GIVEN US.

IT IS AN INCREDIBLE FEELING.

THE VERY FIRST YEAR THAT WE DID THIS, WE DID IT AT CHRISTMAS TIME BECAUSE THAT IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT CHRISTMAS, YOU THINK ABOUT GIVING AND IT'S GREAT TO GIVE AT CHRISTMAS.

BUT SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE DO THAT TOO.

SO WE CHANGED IT TO ELLIOT'S BIRTHDAY, WHICH IS IN THE SUMMERTIME, TO KIND OF HELP TRY TO FILL THAT GAP BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY START RUNNING OUT OF THE TOYS.

AND SOMETIMES THAT'S JUST THE DIFFERENCE OF MAKING A PATIENT'S DAY.

YOU KNOW, THEY WERE MAYBE GIVEN NEWS THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO BE GIVEN, BUT THEN WERE OFFERED TO BE LIKE, HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?

AND THEY MIGHT BE LIKE, I WANT A BARBIE, OR I WANT A STUFFED ANIMAL.

IN ALL, ELLIOT AND HIS FAMILY HAVE DONATED ABOUT 25,000 TOYS IN THE LAST NINE YEARS.

FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR, BILLBOARD MAGAZINE HAS RECOGNIZED OSU'S GREENWOOD SCHOOL OF MUSIC AS ONE OF THE TOP MUSIC BUSINESS SCHOOLS IN THE NATION.

EDUCATION REPORTER TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THE SCHOOL'S EMPHASIS ON HANDS ON LEARNING FROM ESTABLISHED MUSICIANS.

TAELYR RICH.

THAT'S RIGHT.

OSU WAS MORE ONE OF MORE THAN 20 UNIVERSITIES TO MAKE THAT LIST.

BILLBOARD SAYS THEY SELECT THE TOP MUSIC BUSINESS SCHOOLS BASED ON INDUSTRY RECOMMENDATIONS, ALUMNI INFORMATION AND DATA COLLECTED FROM THE SCHOOLS.

AND YEAH, GIVE ME SOME TOMS.

MANY ELEMENTS GO INTO MAKING GREAT MUSIC LIKE LYRICS, INSTRUMENTS, VOCAL LAYERING, AND MUCH MORE.

AT THE GREENWOOD SCHOOL OF MUSIC AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, STUDENTS ARE LEARNING FIRSTHAND JUST WHAT IT TAKES.

SO THE BEGINNING OF THE SEMESTER, ALL THE STUDENTS DO A COVER, AND THEN THE SECOND HALF, WHICH IS THIS PART OF THE SEMESTER.

NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON THEIR ORIGINAL.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I REALLY PLACE.

A LOT OF IS ON ORIGINALITY.

WE SAT IN ON INDUSTRY MUSIC DIRECTOR DOCTOR MARK PERRY'S CLASS.

HE SAYS THE COURSE IS THE CAPSTONE OF RECORDING AND PRODUCTION, BUT I'D RATHER FLY.

HIGH LIKE A BIRD, MAYBE EVEN SOME OPPORTUNITIES THERE TO LIKE, DO SOMETHING CREATIVE WITH DELAY.

HERE, STUDENTS ARE LISTENING TO EACH OTHER'S ORIGINAL SONGS, WITH ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AND MUSIC PRODUCER LUKE TALAN, WHO CO-TEACHES THE CLASS WITH DOCTOR PERRY.

ANOTHER KEY PLAYER IS ALSO ALUMNUS MITCHELL CRAWFORD, WHO WORKS FOR THE GREENWOOD SCHOOL OF MUSIC AS A RECORDING STUDIO ENGINEER.

USUALLY I'LL HAVE THEM JUST KIND OF RUN THROUGH THE SONG.

WE'LL HAVE WHAT WE CALL A SCRATCH TRACK, AND THAT'S YOU EITHER GUITAR OR PIANO, WHATEVER THEY WANT TO START OUT, AND THEN THEY'LL SING OVER THE TOP OF THAT.

IF THEY'RE DOING IT THAT WAY, SOMETIMES THEY'LL HAVE FULL BANDS COME IN AND THEN, YEAH, I'LL BE MONITORING WHILE THEY'RE IN THERE, SETTING THEIR LEVELS, MAKING SURE IT'S NOT TOO LOUD, MAKING SURE IT'S NOT TOO QUIET, ADDING COMPRESSION, ALL THE GOOD STUFF.

DOCTOR PERRY HELPED CREATE THE CURRICULUM FOR THE MUSIC INDUSTRY PROGRAM MORE THAN FIVE YEARS AGO.

WHEN I DESIGNED THE CURRICULUM, I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WE DIDN'T BECOME TOO SPECIALIZED AND THAT STUDENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY THE TECHNICAL SIDE.

SO THAT'S BOTH SOUND AND LIGHTS.

AND THEN ALSO THE BUSINESS SIDE AND THEN ALSO THE MUSICIAN SIDE.

SO ALL OF THE STUDENTS HAVE TO TAKE LESSONS AND, AND PERFORM IN ENSEMBLES, BUT THEN THEY ALSO STUDY THE TECHNICAL SIDE.

SO HOW TO MAKE RECORDINGS, HOW TO PRODUCE MUSIC, HOW TO DO LIVE SOUND, HOW TO DO LIGHTING.

STUDENTS ALSO TAKE NUMEROUS BUSINESS CLASSES AS PART OF THE CURRICULUM AND CAN BEGIN THEIR MBA IF ACCEPTED DURING THEIR SENIOR YEAR.

AND I WAS REALLY PROUD.

THIS YEAR, A THIRD OF THE OF THE NEW MBAS WERE ACTUALLY MUSIC INDUSTRY MAJORS.

SENIOR CAITLIN WARREN IS ONE OF SEVERAL MUSIC INDUSTRY STUDENTS WHO TAKE THESE BUSINESS CLASSES.

SHE SAYS THE CURRICULUM HAS HELPED HER LAND SEVERAL INTERNSHIPS.

I'VE DONE, YOU KNOW, QUITE A BIT OF INTERNSHIPS.

AND I THINK FROM TAKING, YOU KNOW, THE MUSIC BUSINESS CLASS MY FRESHMAN YEAR, I REALIZED THAT I WAS REALLY INTERESTED IN A&R.

AND SO MY FIRST EVER OPPORTUNITY WAS AN A&R.

AND THEN I DID A LITTLE BIT OF ARTIST MANAGEMENT INTERNSHIPS, AND FROM THERE I WAS ABLE TO WORK IN A&R THIS SUMMER FOR UNIVERSAL MUSIC PUBLISHING GROUP.

AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY SOLIDIFIED ME ON THAT PATH.

WARREN SAYS WHILE SHE'S OPEN TO DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES POST-GRADUATION, SHE HOPES TO LAND A JOB IN AN ARTIST FACING ROLE LIKE A AND ARE ESSENTIALLY.

A&R STANDS FOR ARTISTS AND REPERTOIRE.

AND SO BASICALLY AN A&R PERSON WILL GO OUT AND SIGN TALENT.

THEY'LL DEVELOP THAT TALENT, AND IT'S DIFFERENT ACROSS EACH COMPANY.

YOU KNOW, YOU COULD BE A PUBLISHING COMPANY AND BE LOOKING FOR SONGWRITERS AND ALSO ARTISTS, AND THEN A LABEL THAT DEALS WITH THE ACTUAL RECORDING.

THESE TALENTED STUDENTS GET MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO INTERACT WITH INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS AND GAIN FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE WITH RESIDENT BANDS, CANADIAN RAGWEED, AND OTHER LIVES.

AND SO I REACHED OUT TO HIM AND I SAID, HEY, YOU KNOW, WOULD BE GREAT TO, TO WORK WITH YOU.

COME IN THE STUDIO.

AND THEN THE DEAL I MADE IS COMING TO STUDIO WORK ON, ON YOUR, YOUR ALBUM.

BUT MY STUDENTS GET TO BE THERE AND BE THERE IN THE PROCESS OF RECORDING AND THE CREATIVE PROCESS, AS WELL AS THE TECHNICAL PROCESS.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW REASONS WHY THE GREENWOOD SCHOOL OF MUSIC HAS BEEN NAMED A TOP MUSIC BUSINESS SCHOOL BY BILLBOARD FOR FIVE CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

I WAS SUPER EXCITED.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT.

OKLAHOMA.

WE HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AND ADVOCACY, AND I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I'M REALLY FEELING LIKE WE ARE GETTING THAT LIGHT SHED ON TO OUR PROGRAM BECAUSE WE HAVE AN AMAZING PROGRAM, WE HAVE AMAZING FACULTY AND WE HAVE AMAZING STUDENTS.

AND I THINK WE, YOU KNOW, DESERVE THAT RECOGNITION OF ALL THE HARD WORK THAT EVERYONE DOES TO PUT, YOU KNOW, THAT PUTS INTO THIS PROGRAM THE PROGRAM.

SUCCESS CAN EASILY BE MEASURED BY THE OUTCOME OF ITS ALUMNI.

2024 GRADUATE.

JACKSON KIGER IS A CREATIVE MANAGER AT SONY MUSIC.

MY JOB IS TO MANAGE THE SONGWRITERS THAT I WORK WITH, BOOK THEIR CALENDARS SO THEY WRITE SONGS.

EVERYONE, EVERY SONGWRITER IS DIFFERENT, BUT KIND OF.

THE AVERAGE NASHVILLE SONGWRITER WRITES 4 TO 5 TIMES A WEEK.

HE'S THANKFUL FOR THE CURRICULUM AT THE GREENWOOD SCHOOL OF MUSIC.

YOU KNOW, TEACHING ME THINGS LIKE MUSIC THEORY AND LEARNING HOW TO READ SHEET MUSIC AND MY PRODUCTION CLASSES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, I THINK REALLY HELPED ME PREPARE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF A LOT OF MUSICIANS ARE SELF-TAUGHT.

AND SO I THINK BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT, YOU KNOW, ACTUAL CONCRETE KNOWLEDGE OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT SOUNDS GOOD, WHAT CHORDS MAKE SENSE, WHAT DON'T, AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.

BEING ABLE TO HAVE AN ACTUAL MUSICAL INPUT, I THINK IS ALSO VERY, VERY VALUABLE.

KIGER, WHO WORKS IN COUNTRY MUSIC, SAYS BEING IN STILLWATER HAS HELPED HIM THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BUBBLE WHEN IT COMES TO SOUND.

THE COUNTRY MUSIC SCENE IN.

LIKE TEXAS, OKLAHOMA.

ARKANSAS IS VASTLY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT IS IN NASHVILLE, YOU KNOW, OR LOUISIANA OR APPALACHIA OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

SO I THINK HAVING THAT EXPOSURE TO, YOU KNOW, OTHER STUDENTS WHO LIKED DIFFERENT KINDS OF MUSIC THAN WHAT PEOPLE LISTEN TO IN NASHVILLE, I THINK HAS GIVEN ME A MASSIVE EDGE.

YOU CAN VISIT BILLBOARD'S WEBSITE FOR THE FULL LIST OF UNIVERSITIES FEATURED ON BILLBOARD'S TOP MUSIC BUSINESS SCHOOLS.

RICH.

REALLY INTERESTING.

THANK YOU.

TAELYR.

OKLAHOMA CITY'S LARGEST PRIVATE EMPLOYER IS BEING SOLD TO A CALIFORNIA BASED HEALTH CARE COMPANY.

THAT STORY TOPS THIS WEEK'S STATEWIDE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW WITH JASON DOYLE, OKLAHOMA CITY BASED INTEGRIS HEALTH IS SET TO MERGE WITH KAISER PERMANENTE SUBSIDIARY RECENT HEALTH.

INTEGRIS IS THE LARGEST NOT FOR PROFIT HEALTH SYSTEM IN OKLAHOMA, WITH SEVERAL HOSPITALS AND CLINICS LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE STATE AND 13,000 EMPLOYEES.

THE BRANDING IS EXPECTED TO STAY THE SAME.

NO LAYOFFS ARE EXPECTED, AND THE CURRENT MANAGEMENT TEAM WILL STAY IN PLACE.

THE DEAL MUST BE APPROVED BY REGULATORS.

OKLAHOMA'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IN SEPTEMBER MOVED DOWN BY ONE TENTH OF A PERCENT TO 4.2%.

IT'S BEEN EITHER UNCHANGED OR RISING SINCE SEPTEMBER OF 2024.

THE NUMBER OF THOSE IN THE UNEMPLOYMENT LINE DROPPED BY NEARLY 1000 PEOPLE LAST MONTH, WHEN COMPARED TO AUGUST FIGURES.

THE STATE'S UNEMPLOYMENT RATE MATCHES THE NATIONAL RATE, WHICH ACTUALLY ROSE A 10TH OF A PERCENT TO 4.2%.

THE OVERALL NUMBER OF NEW JOBS CREATED IN OKLAHOMA IN SEPTEMBER IS 100.

OKLAHOMA'S AVERAGE HOURLY WAGE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR INCREASED FROM $31.76 AN HOUR TO $31.86 AN HOUR.

OKLAHOMA ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND HAS FILED A MOTION WITH THE ROGERS COUNTY JUDGE TO BEGIN GATHERING EMISSIONS DATA FROM THE COMPANIES WISHING TO BUILD A $4 BILLION ALUMINUM SMELTER AT THE PORT OF INOLA.

DRUMMOND CONTENDS THAT CENTURY ALUMINUM AND OKLAHOMA PRIMARY ALUMINUM ARE THE ONLY ENTITIES WHICH WILL HAVE THAT DATA, AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE THOSE NUMBERS BEFORE CONSTRUCTION STARTS.

IF THE JUDGE APPROVES CENTURY ALUMINUM AND OKLAHOMA PRIMARY ALUMINUM WOULD HAVE 30 DAYS TO RESPOND.

OKLAHOMA HAS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE TECHNOLOGY SECTOR.

A REPORT COMMISSIONED BY THE OKLAHOMA TECHNOLOGY ALLIANCE CALLED OKAY COMPETES TECH EDITION SHOWS OKLAHOMA IS RANKED 35TH IN RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT FUNDING 40TH FOR ADVANCED INDUSTRIES JOBS, 41ST IN PATENTS AND 47TH FOR TECH JOB GROWTH.

THE REPORT ALSO SHOWS MORE THAN HALF OF STEM DEGREE GRADUATES LEAVE THE STATE, AND A BIG CHUNK OF THEM GOING TO TEXAS.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

OKLAHOMA VOTERS WILL CONSIDER TWO STATE QUESTIONS ON THE NOVEMBER 3RD BALLOT.

STATE.

QUESTION 845 WOULD CHANGE THE RULES FOR OKLAHOMA'S 15 MEMBER JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSION AND STATE.

QUESTION 847 IS THE SUBJECT OF OUR IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH MODERATOR SUNNY LEE THIS WEEK.

OUR PANEL CONSISTS OF A FELLOW JOURNALIST, AS WELL AS THOSE OPPOSED AND IN FAVOR OF PASSAGE, INCLUDING THE CURRENT SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE, KYLE HILBERT.

SONNY.

THANK YOU RICH.

IF PASSED, STATE QUESTION 847 WOULD LOWER THE MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE THAT THE FAIR CASH VALUE OF BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES CAN INCREASE EACH YEAR.

NOW, PROPONENTS SAY THIS WILL REDUCE A HOMEOWNERS TAX BURDEN.

OPPONENTS SAY IT WOULD REDUCE TAX REVENUE AND LEAD TO REDUCED SERVICES THAT COMMUNITIES COULD NO LONGER AFFORD.

SO JOINING US TODAY IS HOUSE SPEAKER KYLE HILBERT, WHO AUTHORED SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 39, WHICH HELPED TO SEND STATE QUESTION 847 TO THE VOTERS.

AND HE HOPES VOTERS APPROVE THE MEASURE ON NOVEMBER 3RD.

SO WELCOME TO YOU, SPEAKER HILBERT.

GREAT TO BE HERE FOR COMING HERE.

ALSO JOINING US IS MATT RIGGS, DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL FINANCES FOR THE OKLAHOMA PUBLIC SCHOOLS RESOURCE CENTER, WHO OPPOSES THE MEASURE, BELIEVING THAT IT WILL NEGATIVELY IMPACT SCHOOLS, RURAL HOSPITALS AND OTHER ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

BIG WELCOME TO YOU, MATT.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU.

ALL RIGHT.

AND FINALLY, WE HAVE JOURNALIST KEVIN EAGLESON FROM NON DOC WHOSE REPORT ON STATE QUESTION 847 ADDRESSED BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, KEVIN.

THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

SO I'M GOING TO START TODAY WITH MISTER HILBERT.

NOW THERE IS GREAT DEBATE.

QUITE A BIT OF CONFUSION OVER STATE QUESTION 847 THERE USUALLY IS WITH THE STATE QUESTIONS, BUT IT WAS BROUGHT ABOUT TO ADDRESS PROPERTY CONCERNS WITH RISING PROPERTY TAX BURDEN.

SO YOU TOOK THE MEASURE BEFORE THE HOUSE.

IT WILL NOW APPEAR ON THE BALLOT HERE IN JUST A COUPLE OF DAYS.

SO IS THIS A REAL TAX CUT.

AND IF SO, HOW MUCH WILL IT HELP THE AVERAGE PERSON?

YEAH, I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION AND THE CHANCE TO GATHER AND TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE.

ONE OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA IS WITH THESE STATE QUESTIONS.

YOU HAVE SOMETIMES VERY COMPLICATED POLICY ISSUES THAT YOU'VE GOT TO BOIL DOWN INTO A SHORT PARAGRAPH THAT'S GOING TO BE ON A BALLOT, WHICH CAN SOMETIMES ISSUES ARE MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT, BUT THIS ONE REALLY IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

ANNUALLY RIGHT NOW IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA FOR YOUR HOMESTEAD, IT CAN BE INCREASED THE VALUATION ON THAT PROPERTY A MAX OF 3%.

THIS JUST SIMPLY CHANGES THAT MAXIMUM FROM 3% TO 1.75%.

AND ON ON OTHER PROPERTIES FROM 5 TO 4%.

AND THEN IT ALSO EXTENDS PROVISIONS FOR THE SENIOR PROPERTY FREEZE SO THAT MORE SENIORS CAN QUALIFY FOR FOR BENEFITS AND LOWER THE PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT INCREASE AMOUNTS.

AND REALLY, THAT'S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO RECENTLY, NOT ONLY IN OKLAHOMA, BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY, PROPERTY OWNERS HAVE BECOME REALLY FRUSTRATED WITH THE RISING COSTS OF PROPERTY TAXES AND ARE FRUSTRATED THAT EVERY SINGLE YEAR THEY'RE HIT WITH THE MAXIMUM INCREASE.

AND REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE IS, IS JUST SIMPLY PROVIDE SOME RELIEF TO REDUCE THAT CAP.

AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE SOME VOTERS THAT DON'T THINK IT GOES FAR ENOUGH BECAUSE THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REDUCTION IN PROPERTY TAXES.

BUT OTHERS THAT SAY IT GOES TOO FAR, BUT WE THOUGHT THIS STRUCK A GOOD BALANCE.

AND A 1.75% FIXED CAP ON VALUATION INCREASES ON HOMESTEADS WOULD GIVE OKLAHOMA THE LOWEST FIXED CAP ON ASSESSMENT INCREASES IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY.

AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY AND LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM VOTERS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.

YOUR THOUGHT ON THIS IS THAT IF THIS MONEY IS TAKEN AWAY, OUR SCHOOLS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP UP UNLESS THERE'S ANOTHER BACKFILL OF MONEY THAT COMES IN FROM SOMEPLACE ELSE.

SO HOW MUCH AND IN WHAT WAY DO YOU THINK THIS COULD AFFECT OUR SCHOOLS?

WELL, I THINK IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION, YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE SCHOOL FUNDING FORMULA.

WE'RE ON AN EQUALIZATION FORMULA.

AND SO PROPERTY TAXES ARE CHARGEABLE, WHICH MEANS THAT EVERY SCHOOL HAS AN AMOUNT SET ASIDE THAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO RECEIVE FOR STATE AID.

AND THEN THERE ARE DEDUCTIONS MADE THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

ONE OF THOSE IS PROPERTY TAXES.

EVERY YEAR, SCHOOLS CAN COUNT ON SOME INCREASE IN THAT PROPERTY TAX.

WHEN THAT INCREASE HAPPENS, IT'S GOING TO INCREASE CHARGEABLE, WHICH ALLOWS THAT STATE AID TO FLOW A LITTLE MORE FREELY TO SCHOOLS BY REDUCING THIS BY BY REDUCING THIS GROWTH, YOU'RE REDUCING THE GROWTH OF THE CHARGEABLE GROWTH, WHICH MEANS THAT THE EXPECTATION WILL BE IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THAT, THE LEGISLATURE WILL BE ABLE TO APPROPRIATE MORE DOLLARS.

I HAVE NOT HEARD ANYTHING ON THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT WHAT WE ARE GOING TO LOSE BY THE CAP NOT GOING, YOU KNOW, BY THE BY THE CAP BEING LOWER, I'VE NOT HEARD HOW IT'S GOING TO BE BACKFILLED.

SERVICES FOR SCHOOLS ARE JUST LIKE SERVICES FOR EVERYBODY, MEANING THAT SCHOOLS ARE PAYING CLOSE TO $6 A GALLON FOR DIESEL, JUST LIKE PEOPLE AT HOME ARE ELECTRIC BILLS.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS GO UP FOR SCHOOLS EVERY YEAR, AND THEY'RE GOING UP MUCH FASTER THAN THE PROPERTY TAX CAP THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.

SO NOW BY REDUCING THAT CAP, WE'RE CREATING A BIGGER GAP BETWEEN COSTS THAT ARE RISING FOR SCHOOLS.

AND SOME OF THE INCREASES WE CAN DEPEND ON IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.

OKAY.

NOW, KEVIN, BEFORE WE GET TOO DEEPLY INTO IT, EXPLAIN AS SIMPLY AS YOU CAN.

I KNOW IT'S COMPLICATED, BUT HOW STATE QUESTION 847 WOULD WORK IF IT WAS PASSED.

FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, IT WOULD LOWER THE CAP ON A GROWTH OVER TIME, AS SPEAKER HILBERT STATED, AND THAT WOULD PROVIDE SOME RELIEF FOR TAX OR FOR PROPERTY OWNERS AND THEIR TAX BURDEN OVER TIME.

BUT AS AS MATT STATED, THAT THAT DOES CAUSE A LITTLE BIT OF FRICTION WITH SERVICES THAT RELY ON THAT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIG CONCERN, RIGHT?

OKAY.

SO IT'S NOT JUST SCHOOLS, IT'S OTHER CAREER TECHS, IT'S SHERIFF'S OFFICES, COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENTS.

THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY SURPRISED ME AS I STARTED TO DIVE INTO PROPERTY TAXES IN THE DEEP DIVE, THERE WAS I HADN'T REALLY UNDERSTOOD, AND I THINK A LOT OF VOTERS MIGHT BE ABLE TO RELATE TO THAT IF STATE QUESTION 847 PASSES, COULD IT TRIGGER HIGHER TAX RATES ELSEWHERE IN THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT BE EXPECTING?

I'M GOING TO ASK BOTH OF YOU THAT QUESTION.

YEAH, WELL, I WOULD JUST SAY IT'S JUST RESPECTFULLY A DIFFERENCE IN PHILOSOPHY BECAUSE PART OF THE CONVERSATION IS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE WHERE'S THE BACKFILL REVENUE FOR THE RECEIVERS OF THOSE PROPERTY TAXES, WHICH WOULD BE MOST MOST OF IT GOING TO SCHOOLS, BUT ALSO OTHER LOCAL SERVICES.

BUT I THINK ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE QUESTION, THE EQUATION IS WHERE'S THE BACKFILL COMING FOR TAXPAYERS WHO NOW ARE GETTING HIT WITH A TAX INCREASE THAT THEY DIDN'T VOTE FOR OF 3% EVERY SINGLE YEAR ON THEIR HOME?

AND ALL WE'RE SAYING IN THE STATE QUESTION IS, INSTEAD OF PAYING AN ADDITIONAL 3% EVERY SINGLE YEAR, WHAT IF IT WAS 1.75%?

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S PROVIDING SOME RELIEF FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS.

OKAY.

AND YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

WELL, I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP BOND ISSUES BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENS WHEN A SCHOOL PASSES A BOND ISSUE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S A SERIES BOND, IS THAT THE GROWTH IS FIGURED IN TO THAT.

AND THERE ARE COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES IN MOST SCHOOLS, AND THAT CAP IS GOING DOWN 1%, 5% TO 4%.

SO THAT GROWTH THAT IS BEING FIGURED IN AND BEING CALCULATED IN, ONCE YOU PASS THAT BOND ISSUE, ONCE YOU SELL THOSE BONDS, TAXPAYERS FOR THAT COMMUNITY ARE ON THE HOOK FOR THAT.

AND SO WHEN THIS CAP GOES LOWER, THE GROWTH THAT'S FIGURED IN IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

AND SO YOU THE IMMEDIATE IMPACT VERY WELL COULD BE AN INCREASE IN TAXES JUST FOR THOSE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BOND ISSUES.

SO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE LESS MONEY THERE.

WE DID WE DO HAVE ANOTHER REVENUE STREAM WITH BUILDING FUND IN THE REDBUD FUND.

HOWEVER, THAT MONEY IS BASED ON COLLECTIONS.

IT'S NOT AN APPROPRIATION.

AND SO AGAIN, WE ARE DEPENDENT UPON COLLECTIONS THROUGH I BELIEVE IT'S THE MEDICAL AUTHORITY ON, YOU KNOW, FOR REDBUD.

SO EITHER WAY ON ON THIS, THE LACK OF GROWTH IS GOING TO IMPACT SCHOOLS.

THERE'S NO WAY THAT THAT IT CAN'T IMPACT SCHOOLS FISCALLY.

OKAY.

NOW WHEN KEVIN, IN YOUR INVESTIGATION, YOU FOUND DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE.

ONE WAS THE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU, WHO IS, OF COURSE, FOR THE STATE QUESTION.

AND THEN THERE WAS THE OKLAHOMA POLICY INSTITUTE.

I BELIEVE THAT WAS AGAINST IT.

CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS ON THOSE TWO, THEIR THOUGHTS?

YEAH.

SO THE OKLAHOMA POLICY INSTITUTE, THEM COMING OUT AGAINST IT IS REALLY FASCINATING BECAUSE THEY RARELY COME OUT AGAINST STATE QUESTIONS.

AND THEIR CONCERN KIND OF ECHOES WHAT MATT JUST SAID IS THERE IS A CONCERN THAT GROWTH WILL NOT KEEP UP FOR THESE LOCAL SERVICES.

AND THEY ALSO STATED THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A PROPERTY TAX CUT, AT LEAST NOT AT THE OUTRIGHT.

IT'S SLOWING THE GROWTH.

YES.

AND THAT'S PROVIDING RELIEF.

BUT IT'S NOT CUTTING TAXES IN AND OF ITSELF.

OKAY.

AND THE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU IS FOR IT.

THEY BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE AGRICULTURE, AND THOSE IN THE AGRICULTURE INDUSTRY NEEDED RELIEF, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME WHEN SOME FARMERS AREN'T MAKING A PROFIT ON THEIR ON, ON THEIR GOODS.

AND THAT'S A CONCERN FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY PROPERTY TAXES ON THE LAND AND THE EQUIPMENT THAT GOES INTO FARMING.

THAT'S ACTUALLY INTERESTING.

YOU BROUGHT THAT UP BECAUSE THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY NEXT QUESTION FOR YOU.

SO FARMERS ARE GETTING CLOBBERED RIGHT NOW.

WAS THIS DESIGNED INITIALLY TO KIND OF HELP OUT FARMERS AND RANCHERS?

AND, AND I AND I'M GOING TO LET YOU ANSWER AS WELL, MATT, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE SOME YOU HAVE SOME CATTLE AND PROBABLY HAVE A THOUGHT ON THAT TOO.

YEAH, CERTAINLY.

SO THE PROVISION APPLIES TO HOMESTEADS AND CERTAIN FARM PROPERTIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY PAYING THAT 3% CAP AND WOULD REDUCE IT TO 1.75% CAP.

AND FARMING IS A GREAT INDUSTRY TO TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE REFERRING TO PROPERTY TAXES AND THE CHALLENGES WITH IT, BECAUSE WITH AN INCOME TAX, YOU PAY A TAX BASED ON WHAT YOU MAKE.

WITH A SALES TAX, YOU PAY A TAX BASED ON WHAT YOU PURCHASE.

WITH PROPERTY TAX, YOU CAN LOSE MONEY AND YOU STILL HAVE TO PAY THE TAX.

WHETHER YOU'RE MAKING MONEY OR LOSING MONEY DOESN'T MATTER.

YOU HAVE TO PAY THE TAX.

AND CERTAINLY FOR SCHOOLS THAT'S APPRECIATED BECAUSE YOU HAVE A STABLE INCOME STREAM.

SO FROM THE RECEIVERS OF, OF, OF THOSE TAX DOLLARS, YOU REALLY LIKE PROPERTY TAXES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S COMING IN EVERY YEAR.

BUT FOR THE ONES THAT HAVE TO PAY THE BILLS OF THOSE TAXES, IT CAN BE REALLY FRUSTRATING WHEN EVEN WHEN YOU'RE LOSING MONEY, YOU'RE STILL HAVING TO PAY THAT TAX.

SO AS SOMEONE THAT THAT DOES PAY THE BILLS ON, ON THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT IN ORDER TO GET MY CATTLE TO MARKET, I NEED TO BE ABLE TO GO DOWN REALLY GOOD ROADS AND I NEED TO BE ABLE TO BE EFFICIENT IN, IN WHAT I'M DOING.

WHEN I WAS A KID IN SOUTH PARK COUNTY, OUR ROADS WERE NOT VERY GOOD.

IF WE GOT RAIN, SCHOOL BUSSES GOT STUCK.

OUR COUNTY HAS DONE AN EXCELLENT JOB OF MAINTAINING THAT OUR COUNTY, OUR COUNTY ROADS ARE NO LONGER A CONCERN.

NO MATTER HOW MUCH WEATHER WE GET, THE ROADS THEMSELVES ARE GOING TO BE FINE, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR COUNTY HAS INVESTED IN DOING THAT.

MY GRANDMOTHER IS 91 YEARS OLD, STILL LIVES AT HOME AND SHE WAS SOMETHING HAPPENS TO HER.

YOU KNOW, OUR CONCERN IS, IS THAT IS THE AMBULANCE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET THERE AND PROVIDE A SERVICE?

WE HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN OUR COUNTY.

WELL, YES, PAYING A HIGHER PROPERTY TAX OR PAYING LESS PROPERTY TAX DOES SOUND GOOD.

WHAT SOUNDS BETTER TO ME IS MAKING SURE THAT I CAN GET OUR OUR GOODS.

YOU KNOW, IN OUR CASE, CATTLE.

SURE.

I CAN GET THEM TO MARKET BECAUSE WE HAVE FANTASTIC ROADS.

OKAY.

WELL, THAT ACTUALLY BRINGS US TO A GOOD POINT HERE, BECAUSE SENATE PRO TEM PAXTON, WHO AUTHORED THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, IT DID MAKE SOME CHANGES WHEN IT WENT BACK AND FORTH.

AND HE HAS EVEN COME OUT AND SAID THAT THE SCHOOLS MAY NEED MORE STATE AID FUNDING IF THE STATE QUESTION PASSES.

SO DO YOU AGREE WITH HIM ON THAT PARTICULAR PART?

SENATOR PAXTON AND I HAVE BEEN IN OFFICE TOGETHER FOR TEN YEARS, AND IN THAT TIME WE'VE INCREASED STATE APPROPRIATIONS TO EDUCATION, I BELIEVE, FROM 2.4 BILLION TO $4.2 BILLION IN TEN YEARS.

I MENTIONED THE REDBUD FUNDING.

THAT'S AN ANNUAL APPROPRIATION TO BUILDING FUNDS OF $125 MILLION THAT WE APPROPRIATE TO SCHOOLS.

AND SO THAT INCREASE HAS HAPPENED.

IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAPPEN.

YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR WE PASSED THE STRONGEST LITERACY LAW IN THE COUNTRY, AND WE INCREASED OUR FUNDING FOR LITERACY FROM 17.5 MILLION TO $43.75 MILLION.

THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE THOSE INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION AGAIN.

THAT'S WHY THIS ISN'T A CUT.

AND PART OF THIS CONVERSATION COMES DOWN TO BONDS.

AND I THINK IT'S PROBABLY FASCINATING FOR PEOPLE AS WE DIG INTO THIS ISSUE TO REALIZE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GO TO TRY TO GET A MORTGAGE ON YOUR HOUSE, THEY LOOK AT YOUR ACTUAL INCOME, HOW MUCH ARE YOU MAKING?

YOU CAN'T GO TO THE BANK AND SAY, WELL, I PROMISE IN FIVE YEARS I'M GOING TO MAKE 10% MORE, AND THEN I'M GOING TO MAKE 10% MORE THAN THAT.

YOU CAN'T RECEIVE A MORTGAGE FROM THE BANK FOR INCOME YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY RECEIVING.

BUT YET MANY OF THESE FACILITIES ARE GOING OUT AND RECEIVING BONDS FOR INCOME THEY DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE YET.

AND SO, I MEAN, THAT IS A RISK THAT ANY ENTITY TAKES WHEN THEY RECEIVE A BOND FOR THOSE REVENUE STREAMS THAT THEY DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE.

OKAY.

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU, MATT.

SO WHAT DO YOU SAY TO MY PARENTS ARE IN THEIR 80S AND SO THEY DON'T HAVE KIDS IN SCHOOL ANYMORE.

AND SO WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE VOTER WHO'S GOING OUT AND SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHY?

WHY WOULD I HAVE AN INTEREST IN THIS?

THEY MAY BE STRUGGLING WITH PAYMENTS.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO CONVINCE THEM TO VOTE NO ON THIS PARTICULAR STATE QUESTION?

THERE IS NO BETTER INVESTMENT FOR OUR STATE THAN EDUCATION.

AND AS I'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR MYSELF, FOR MY FAMILY, I'M TWO GENERATIONS REMOVED FROM VERY HARD TIMES AND BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT MY PARENTS PUT MY SISTER AND I ON A, ON A PATH THAT WAS NOT AS HARD AS WHAT WAS WHAT THEIR PATH WAS, AND ESPECIALLY NOT AS HARD AS WHAT MY GRANDPARENTS PATH WAS.

HOWEVER, WHEN MY GRANDPARENTS AND AGAIN, MY GRANDMOTHER'S 91 WHEN HER CHILDREN WERE IN SCHOOL, THERE WERE 90 YEAR OLDS IN THAT COMMUNITY THAT DID NOT HAVE CHILDREN IN SCHOOL, THAT INVESTED IN HER CHILDREN.

AND SO IT'S, IT'S ALL PART OF BEING, YOU KNOW, A PART OF A SOCIETY TO WHERE YOU MAY NOT HAVE STUDENTS IN SCHOOL.

HOWEVER, THERE WERE PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T HAVE STUDENTS IN SCHOOL WHEN YOUR KIDS WERE GOING THERE.

AND YOU ARE INVESTING IN THE FUTURE OF YOUR STATE, WHICH WHICH YOU BELONG TO.

SPEAKER HILBERT, I WILL ASK YOU THIS QUESTION.

SO YOU'VE HEARD THE ARGUMENTS TODAY FROM MR.

RIGGS AND FROM OTHERS WHO ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, LIBRARIES, ROADS, THINGS LIKE THAT, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENTS BEING SHORTED.

SO WHAT CAN YOU SAY TO THOSE VOTERS TO ENSURE TO TO ASSURE THEM AND SAY THAT LOWERING OF THE CAPS IS NOT ONLY BENEFICIAL, BUT IT'S NECESSARY.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, EVERYTHING COSTS SOMETHING AND THE MONEY HAS TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.

AND, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WHO OWN PROPERTY AND MANY OF THEM ARE HAVE BEEN VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THE INCREASING TAXES, ESPECIALLY WITH, YOU KNOW, UNCERTAINTIES IN THE ECONOMY AND THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE LEGISLATURE HAS AND WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT SCHOOLS.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA THIS YEAR HAVE MORE MONEY THAN THEY'VE EVER HAD IN THE HISTORY OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

AND WE'VE SET RECORDS PROBABLY, I THINK, EIGHT TIMES IN THE PAST TEN YEARS FOR HAVING THAT AMOUNT OF FUNDING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND, YOU KNOW, I HAVE TWO YEARS LEFT AS SPEAKER.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INVEST IN PUBLIC EDUCATION REGARDLESS OF THE PASSAGE OR FAILURE OF THE STATE.

QUESTION.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE JUST OUT OF TIME.

THE LAST QUESTION GOES TO YOU, KEVIN, IN YOUR INVESTIGATION FOR THE ARTICLE, DID YOU FIND MOST FOLKS THAT YOU SPOKE WITH WERE FOR IT OR AGAINST THE STATE QUESTION?

I THINK ALONG THESE SEVERAL OF THESE PROPERTY TAX QUESTIONS THAT HAVE COME UP OR PROPOSALS THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO, IT IT'S PRETTY CLEAR THAT SPEAKING TO THE PEOPLE I'VE SPOKEN TO, THEY'RE AGAINST IT, BUT THEY'RE NOT AGAINST CUTTING THE IDEA OF CUTTING PROPERTY TAXES OR PROVIDING THAT RELIEF.

IT REALLY GOES BACK TO, AS MR.

RIGGS SAID, MAKING SURE THAT REVENUE IS BACKFILLED LATER AND HAVING THAT CONVERSATION BE A PART OF THE CONVERSATION TO RELIEVE THE TAX BURDEN.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, VERY, VERY INTERESTING.

THANK YOU, SPEAKER HILBERT, FOR TAKING TIME.

THANK YOU, MR.

RIGGS, FOR COMING IN FOR HAVING ME.

KEVIN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR COMING IN.

ONCE AGAIN, THE ELECTION IS COMING UP ON NOVEMBER 3RD.

MAKE SURE YOU CAST YOUR VOTE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

AND SUNNY.

THANK YOU.

GREAT JOB.

THE INTERTRIBAL BUFFALO COUNCIL, OR ITBC, IS A COLLECTION OF 86 TRIBES IN 22 STATES, INCLUDING OKLAHOMA, THAT HELP FACILITATE THE REINTRODUCTION OF BISON ON TRIBAL LANDS.

SEVERAL OKLAHOMA TRIBES, INCLUDING THE CHEROKEE AND CHOCTAW AND OTHERS, ARE MEMBERS IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL REVIEW.

WE'RE GOING TO TRAVEL TO SOUTH DAKOTA TO VISIT A BISON FARM THAT HAS GROWN FROM 40 ANIMALS TO MORE THAN 600 SINCE OPENING IN 1992.

THAT STORY, COURTESY OF SOUTH DAKOTA PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

EVENTS.

AND MATT'S OUR GRILLER MAN, AND WE GRILL BUFFALO.

PEOPLE LOVE IT, AND PEOPLE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT'S BUFFALO.

AND THEN THEY'RE LIKE, THIS IS BUFFALO.

AND WE'RE LIKE, YEAH.

AND THEY'RE LIKE, IT IS REALLY GOOD.

AND I DIDN'T THINK I LIKED IT.

THE SISSETON WAHPETON OYATE BISON FARM WAS STARTED BACK IN 1992 WITH JUST 40 ANIMALS FROM WIND CAVE.

IN 2014, WE STARTED A SECOND HERD AND WE TOOK 25 ANIMALS OVER THERE TO START WITH.

TODAY WE HAVE 2600 ACRES OF PASTURE.

WE HAVE ABOUT 450 ANIMALS HERE, GIVE OR TAKE, ON THE CALF CROP.

AT THE OTHER FARM WE HAVE ABOUT 185 ANIMALS, GIVE OR TAKE, ON THE CALF GROUP.

THE TRIBE OPENED ITS PROCESSING PLANT, WHICH STRICTLY DOES BUFFALO RIGHT NOW.

IT IS CURRENTLY ONLY AVAILABLE TO TRIBAL MEMBERS.

HOWEVER, DOWN THE ROAD WE HOPE TO EXPAND AND OPEN IT UP FOR EVERYBODY.

I JUST STARTED VISITING WITH THE BOSS AND HE ASKED IF I WAS INTERESTED IN COMING UP AND WORKING WITH THE PROGRAM, AND I SAID, SURE SOUNDED INTERESTING TO ME.

SO I THOUGHT, WELL, WE'LL TAKE UP ON IT.

AND I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE MAY 1997, SO I'VE BEEN HERE A FEW YEARS.

THE LATE ALVA QUINN SENIOR WAS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE INTERTRIBAL BUFFALO CO-OP, A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION THAT RESTORES BUFFALO TO TRIBAL LANDS.

HE WORKED ALONGSIDE ELDERS TO BRING BUFFALO BACK TO THE TRIBE.

HE'S WELL KNOWN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES TO ALMOST EVERY TRIBE.

HE HELPED WITH ADVICE, WITH EQUIPMENT, TAKING OUR CREW THERE AND HELPING OTHER TRIBES ROUND UP THEIR BUFFALO.

AND HE'S JUST A GREAT GUY.

HIS HEART WAS INTO ALL OF IT.

AND TAKING CARE OF THE LAND IN THE BUFFALO AND OUR PEOPLE.

SO SEEING HIM DO THAT, I WANTED TO KEEP IT GOING.

IT'S REALLY WORKED FOR ME BECAUSE I LOVE BEING OUTSIDE AND I ENJOY WORKING WITH THE BUFFALO AND I LIKE DOING MECHANIC WORK.

SO WE HAVE BREAKDOWNS.

WE JUST FIX OUR STUFF AND JUST KEEP ON GOING.

SO AND IT'S A LOT OF WORK AND JUST ANYBODY CAN DO IT, THAT'S FOR SURE.

IT'S A LOT OF WORK.

I JUST LOVE DOING IT.

I MEAN, I GREW UP DOING IT, YOU KNOW, AND SO I WAS PROBABLY TEN, 12.

LET'S GO OUT AND CHECK BUFFALO IN THE MORNING AND GO ON AND GET TO THE HAY FIELD OR, YOU KNOW, CUT SOME HAY DOWN, WATCHING FENCES, MAKING SURE THE FENCES ARE STAYING GOOD.

AND IF ONE EVER GETS OUT, YOU WANT TO GET THERE AND GET IT BACK IN RIGHT AWAY.

BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IF ONE GETS OUT?

THE REST FOLLOW.

THEY'LL ALL BE OUT.

SO WE WANT TO GET THERE RIGHT AWAY AND GET THEM BACK IN RIGHT AWAY.

SO YEAH, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS FOR SURE.

IT'S A UNIQUE JOB BECAUSE YOU KIND OF GET THREE RESPONSIBILITIES.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF ANIMAL.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP THEM ALIVE AND HEALTHY.

YOU HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF THE LAND.

THAT'S WHY ROTATING THE ANIMALS BEFORE THEY, YOU KNOW, THE GUYS ARE GOOD AT WATCHING.

WHEN THEY GO OUT AND CHECK FENCES EVERY DAY, THEY CHECK AND SEE HOW TALL THE GRASS IS.

IF THEY SHOULD BE MOVED, THEY MOVE.

SO BY DOING THAT, THEY'RE TAKING CARE OF THE LAND AND YOU'RE FEEDING THE PEOPLE.

YOU'RE TAKING CARE OF THE PEOPLE.

IT'S HEALTHY.

DID GET ME BACK INTO TWO SCHOOLS.

WE'RE WORKING ON A COUPLE DAYCARES AND HEAD START TO SEE IF WE COULD GET IT ON THEIR MENU.

THE THING THAT ALVA ALWAYS SAID THAT STICKS IN MY HEAD WAS HE HEARD FROM ONE OF OUR TRIBAL ELDERS WAY BACK.

YOU GET EVERYTHING FROM WALMART.

BACK IN THE DAY.

WE GOT EVERYTHING FROM THE BUFFALO.

I MEANT THE TV SHELTER.

THE TEEPEE CAME FROM THE HIDE.

THE THE FIRE MAKERS WAS DUNG AND YOU KNOW, THE THE SPOONS, THE FOOD BABIES TEETHERS FOR THE BONES.

EVERY SINGLE PART WAS USED BY OUR PEOPLE.

SO THERE'S THREE IMPORTANT PARTS TO IT AND WE GET TO BE PART OF IT.

IT'S GREAT.

GOOD STORY.

NOW, LIKE TOE THAT WILL BE READ BY FUTURE GENERATIONS OF OKLAHOMA AFTER YOUR LONG GONE, NOW'S YOUR CHANCE.

BETWEEN NOW AND NOVEMBER 5TH, YOU CAN WRITE YOUR THOUGHTS IN A FREE POSTCARD AVAILABLE AT THE FRONT DESK OF THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEUM IN OKLAHOMA CITY, AND ON NOVEMBER 12TH, ALL OF THE CARDS WILL BE PLACED IN A TIME CAPSULE NEAR THE KIX 66 SCULPTURE THAT'S SCHEDULED TO BE OPEN IN 21, 26, 100 YEARS FROM NOW ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, WE'LL RECAP OUR OETA STATE SUPERINTENDENTS DEBATE AIRING LIVE NEXT THURSDAY NIGHT, OCTOBER 29TH AT 7:00 ON OETA, FEATURING DOCTOR JENNETTIE MARSHALL AND DOCTOR ROBERT FRANKLIN.

WE'LL SAY SO LONG FOR NOW WITH A LOOK AT A NEW EXHIBIT AT THE SAM NOBLE MUSEUM IN NORMAN CALLED LIVES OF THE DEAD, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA JASON STEWART.

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.

DARKNESS FALLS AND SHE WILL TAKE ME BY THE HAND.

TAKE ME TO SOME TWILIGHT LAND.

WHERE ALL BUT LOVE IS GRAY.

WHERE I CAN'T FIND MY WAY WITHOUT HER AS MY GUIDE.

NIGHT FALLS.

I'M CAST BENEATH HER SPELL.

DAYLIGHT COMES OUR HEAVEN TURNS TO HELL.

AM I LEFT TO BURN AND BURN ETERNALLY.

SHE'S A MYSTERY TO ME.

SHE'S A MYSTERY GIRL.

SHE'S A MYSTERY GIRL.

IN THE NIGHT OF LOVE.

WORDS TANGLED IN HER HAIR.

WORDS SOON TO DISAPPEAR.

A LOVE SO SHARP IT CUT LIKE A SWITCHBLADE TO MY HEART.

WORDS TEARING ME APART.

SHE DARED AGAIN.

MY BLEEDING HEART.

I WANT TO RUN.

SHE'LL JOIN US FOR A RETROSPECTIVE OF AMERICA'S MOST CELEBRATED STORYTELLER.

IN AN ANTHEM TO AMERICA, KEN BURNS AND FLORENTINE FILMS CELEBRATE 50 YEARS MONDAY