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Oklahoma Voices Archive
|  Oklahoma Voices: Reviewing the
2008 Oklahoma Legislative Session
Monday, June 2, 2008 from 11am - noon University of Oklahoma Political Science Professor and regular KGOU commentator Keith Gaddie leads a panel of journalists in an hour-long discussion of the highlights of the second session of the fifty-first Oklahoma legislature. Oklahoma Gazette investigative journalist Scott Cooper, News 9 reporter Stacey Cameron and Journal Record Capitol Reporter Janice Francis-Smith revisit the topic of ethics prompted by the resignation of Oklahoma House Speaker Lance Cargill, they review several of the bills that failed to pass, and they look ahead to November’s elections. MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Oklahoma’s Health Status
Monday, May 19, 2008 at 11am Oklahoma’s health rankings have traditionally been behind the national average. Statistics from recent years rank the state’s citizens as having the worst nutrition and highest rate of heart disease deaths in the nation, among the highest rate of mental illness and near the top in most use of tobacco. In fact, the lifespan of the average Oklahoman is about two years less than people living in other states!
On the next Oklahoma Voices, a panel of health experts discusses these problems and offers suggestions for ways the state’s business community can help. The speakers featured on this program are Oklahoma Secretary of Health Dr. Michael Crutcher, Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Commissioner Terri White and INTEGRIS Health President and CEO Stanley Hupfeld (pictured left to right above). They spoke at the State Chamber’s 2008 Health Care Summit, held last month at the Cox Convention Center.
WEB EXTRA: View the United Health Foundation’s “America’s Health Rankings 2007” Snapshot of Oklahoma (PDF document)
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: May 13 Elections
Monday, May 12, 2008 at 11am Voters in Norman and Oklahoma County are being asked to approve ballot issues costing millions of dollars May 13. Norman residents will decide the fate of a sales tax increase, while the Cleveland County electorate will also vote on a millage increase for the Pioneer Library System.
Oklahoma County government is asking the voters to approve five different bond proposals totaling $84.5 million. The biggest of these is money to buy the closed General Motors plant in Oklahoma City. The facility would then be leased to Tinker Air Force Base to help consolidate and streamline its operations.
KGOU News Director Scott Gurian speaks with Norman Mayor Cindy Rosenthal about what voters there will face. And Kurt Gwartney plays back an event sponsored by the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce May 5.
City of Norman
Oklahoma County Bond Issue
MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: Student Journalists Cover Crises on Campus
Monday, May 5, 2008 at 11am When tragic events occur on college campuses, reporters from student newspapers are often the first journalists on the scene. Amie Steele was a junior at Virginia Tech and the Editor-in-Chief of the Collegiate Times one year ago, when a fellow student went on a shooting spree that left thirty-two people dead. “We weren’t outsiders looking in like most of the national media,” Steele told The New York Times. “The victims were just like us – they walked past the same buildings, ate in the same dining halls – and there is absolutely no way you can remove yourself from that.”
This week on Oklahoma Voices we listen to a panel discussion with student newspaper editors and advisors from Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, which experienced its own shooting in February. They speak about how they covered the events and what lessons they learned. In addition to Amie Steele, the speakers include Virginia Tech media editorial advisor Kelly Furnas, NIU journalism senior and Northern Sun Editor-in Chief John Puterbaugh and Northern Sun faculty advisor Jim Killam. The forum was recorded last month on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Downtowners Quiz OKC Mayor Mick Cornett
Monday, April 28, 2008 at 11am Appearing earlier this month before a quarterly meeting of the
Urban Neighbors downtown association, Mayor Cornett spoke about a variety of topics including public transit, crime, homelessness and future development plans for Oklahoma City. We listen back to the question and answer session with downtown residents and business owners.
Learn more about the past, present and future of downtown OKC
Read about the free, open house tour of eleven downtown properties next Saturday, May 3rd
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices (Special): The Big Read
Sunday, April 27, 2008 “Bless Me Ultima” by Rudolfo Anaya is the featured book of the Pioneer Library System’s Big Read project. With a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, over 80 events have encouraged people to read the book and come to one of many book discussion groups.
The book tells the story of Antonio growing up in 1940’s rural New Mexico and examines the mixing of cultures and religion, family traditions and external influences that affect the young boy.
This Oklahoma Voices features an OU Honors Class taught by Dr. R.C. Davis Undiano, Dean of the Honors College at the University of Oklahoma and Executive Director for World Literature Today, discussing the book as a seminal point in Chicano literature. The students are Rebecca Mackie, Chris Leatherman, Hannah Moore, Renee Selanders, and Armando Celayo. The program begins with a short interview with Anne Harris, Coordinator for the Center for Reader Services at the Pioneer Library System, about the Pioneer Library System Big Read project.
As Anne notes in the program, interested listeners can obtain a free copy of the book by calling her at 701-1839. More information is also available at the Pioneer Library System’s web page .
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Governor Addresses Metro Business Leaders
Monday, April 21, 2008 at 11am This week on Oklahoma Voices we air recent comments Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry made at the Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce’s annual Chairman’s Breakfast. The Governor predicted the state is well-positioned to weather any economic storms. He said Oklahoma’s economy is growing at a slower rate than in the past, but it’s still growing, and it’s faring better than the economies of many other states across the nation.
Read coverage of Henry’s speech in The Journal Record newspaper
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Remembering the Arrest of Timothy McVeigh
Monday, April 14, 2008 at 11am In advance of the thirteenth anniversary of the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, we hear from Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Charlie Hanger, the man responsible for the arrest of bomber Timothy McVeigh. Hanger spoke at the Oklahoma City National Memorial in July, 2005 as part of the First Person: Stories of Hope series.
WEB EXTRAS:
View a list of events taking place to mark the bombing anniversary
Read Timothy McVeigh's account of his role in the bombing. It’s a confidential statement he gave to his lead attorney, Stephen Jones, in September of 1995. The document is among thousands Jones donated to the Center for American History at the University of Texas. Go to page 188 for McVeigh’s description of the attack itself (PDF document).
CORRECTION: The moderator of this discussion was incorrectly identified as former News 9 Reporter Tamara Pratt. It was actually former News 9 Anchor Angela Buckelew.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Two Views on the Conflict in Iraq
Monday, April 7, 2008 at 11am This week on Oklahoma Voices, we hear two perspectives on the US military occupation of Iraq. First, we get an update from the frontlines. Lt. Col. David Jordan joins us by telephone from southern Iraq, where he’s just completed his second month serving with the Oklahoma National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade.
Then University of Oklahoma International Programs Center Director Zach Messitte and Joshua Landis – a Professor in OU’s School of International and Area Studies and an expert on the Middle East – speak with Larry Diamond, who worked with the Coalition Provisional Authority in the early days of the Iraq occupation. Diamond is a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and has authored and edited dozens of books on the subject of democracy.
Listen to our interview with Lt. Col. David Jordan and his wife Melinda that aired in early January
Listen to this program:MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: The Buffalo Commons
Monday, March 31, 2008 at 11am This week on Oklahoma Voices we speak with Frank and Deborah Popper, who coined the term "Buffalo Commons." It’s the controversial notion that the rural Great Plains, including Oklahoma, be returned to a natural habitat for animals and few or no people. The idea is based on the continued population decrease of the region. The Poppers spoke to students last month on the OU campus.
WEB EXTRAS:
Read the original 1987 article that sparked the idea of the Buffalo Commons
Read much more about the concept by visiting the links on Frank Popper’s website
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
The Pros, Cons and Impacts of Oklahoma’s New Immigration Law
Monday, March 17, 2008 - 11am to noon Last November, the Oklahoma Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act of 2007 – commonly known as House Bill 1804 – went into effect. At the time of its implementation, it was characterized as among the strictest anti-illegal immigration measures in the nation. The law makes it a felony to knowingly aid, transport or conceal undocumented immigrants, creates barriers to hiring them and requires proof of citizenship for immigrants to receive certain government benefits including drivers’ licenses.
It appeared as though immigration would continue to be a big issue this legislative session. State lawmakers in both the House and Senate filed a dozen bills aimed at both further cracking down on illegal immigrants and repealing portions of HB 1804. There were also measures introduced to make English the official language of Oklahoma. But amid uncertainty over 1804’s economic impact and growing opposition from the business community – including a legal challenge from the US Chamber of Commerce, the State Chamber and the Chambers of Tulsa and Greater Oklahoma City – legislative leaders as well as Governor Brad Henry opted to take a wait-and-see approach. In the end, none of the immigration-related bills introduced this session survived a deadline of last Thursday to pass out of their house of origin. State Representative Randy Terrill – who authored HB 1804 – still hopes to amend further anti-illegal immigration measures to a Senate bill, but political observers say it’s unlikely at this point he’ll be successful.
As the debate continues over how states like Oklahoma should respond to illegal immigration, we’ll spend the next Oklahoma Voices hearing various points of view on the issue. First, we listen to an extended interview KGOU conducted with Representative Terrill last October on why he authored House Bill 1804 and how he responds to some of the concerns voiced by critics.
Then we’ll hear a speech State Representative Shane Jett delivered last month before a joint meeting of the Governor’s Ethnic American Advisory Council and the Governor’s Council on Latin American and Hispanic Affairs. Jett was the only House Republican to oppose HB 1804 (though he didn’t vote on the measure). He calls it a “natural over-reaction and backlash to the federal government’s dereliction of its duty to solve the immigration problem,” but says that any law “whose primary fallout is fear is bad legislation.”
Finally, we’ll listen back to excerpts from two town hall meetings (pictured above) on the new law that were held last December and January at Santa Fe South Junior High School in South Oklahoma City. A bilingual panel of community leaders responds to questions from the mostly Hispanic audience about the effects and implications of HB 1804.
WEB EXTRAS:
Read the text of HB1804
View the Community Action Project’s detailed analysis of the law
(PDF file)
Read State Rep. Shane Jett’s proposal for what he calls “meaningful immigration reform” that provides both incentives and punishments for undocumented immigrants (PDF file)
Listen to a report by KGOU’s Kurt Gwartney and Scott Gurian on the implementation of HB 1804 last November
Listen to a report KGOU aired last December on HB 1804’s effects on businesses in Oklahoma City’s Hispanic neighborhood of Capitol Hill
Listen to this entire Oklahoma Voices program:MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: More Highlights from the Ninth Annual First Amendment Congress
Monday, March 10, 2008 from 11am – noon This week on Oklahoma Voices we broadcast two more panel discussions recorded last November at Freedom of Information Oklahoma's Ninth Annual First Amendment Congress. The first roundtable features representatives from the Oklahoma arts community talking about how they practice self censorship for fear that a controversy could translate into lost revenue – either fewer customer sales or the abandonment of private funding. Guests include Joy Reed Belt, the owner and Director of the JRB Art at the Elms gallery in Oklahoma City’s Paseo district; NONzine magazine Editor and Co-publisher Michael Tabor; Individual Artists of Oklahoma (IAO) gallery Executive Director Jeff Stokes and veteran entertainment industry attorney Jay Shanker. The moderator is Sherry Fair from City Arts Center.
Then, Oklahoma Press Association Executive Director Mark Thomas leads a discussion on the state of government transparency in Oklahoma. Panelists include Bryan Dean, staff writer for The Oklahoman; Oklahoma State University Documents Librarian and Professor Barbara Miller and Oklahoma State University Journalism Professor Joey Senat.MP3
| Oklahoma Voices:
Highlights from the Ninth Annual First Amendment Congress
Monday, March 3, 2008 from 11am - noon Next time on Oklahoma Voices we broadcast two panel discussions recorded last October at the Ninth Annual First Amendment Congress, sponsored by Freedom of Information Oklahoma. The first is titled "Censorship Stories, Then and Now," and is moderated by Connie Van Fleet, Professor at the OU School of Library and Information Studies. Panelists were former Muskogee High School teacher Tobi Thompson, retired Okmulgee High School librarian Karen Morris and Shirley and Wayne Weigand, authors of Books on Trial, Red Scare in the Heartland.
WEB EXTRAS:
American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom
Oklahoma Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee
In the second half of the program, we hear a discussion on "How to Be Free and Smart on the Internet," moderated by OSU Journalism Professor Joey Senat. Panelists were Center for Education Law attorney Teresa Rose, job placement professional Jim Farris and Amanda Wrede, Coordinator of the First Year Experience program at Oklahoma City University.
WEB EXTRAS:
Balancing Students’ Rights: A Child’s Right to Free Speech and Another Child’s Right to a Harassment-Free Living Environment
Free Speech Rights of Students – When may administrators in public secondary schools and colleges restrict the speech of students?
American Library Association: Internet Safety
Safe Blogging Tips for TeensMP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Oklahoma’s Changing Climate
Monday, February 25, 2008 at 11am In the wake of December’s disastrous ice storm and last week’s latest round of wintry weather, we speak with Derek Arndt (pictured above) -- Associate State Climatologist at the Oklahoma Climatological Survey – about what causes such weather conditions, how Oklahoma's climate has changed over the past few decades and what the long term outlook might be. Also, Norman Mayor Cindy Rosenthal discusses environmental steps her city is taking in response to climate change. She spoke as part of the roundtable discussion, “Global Warming: Impacts and Solutions in Oklahoma,” held Thursday, January 31 on the University of Oklahoma campus.
WEB EXTRAS:
View charts prepared by the Oklahoma Climatological Survey tracking changes in the state’s climate (temperature and precipitation) over the past century
Read the OCS’s official statement on climate change and its implications for Oklahoma (PDF file)
See the City of Norman’s Storm Water Master Plan mentioned by Mayor Rosenthal
MP3
| KGOU WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL
CNN Democratic Presidential Debate In Texas
Friday, February 22, 2008 KGOU and NPR present coverage of the CNN Democratic Presidential Debate which took place Thursday, February 21 at the University of Texas in Austin. It was the second one-on-one debate between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.
Part 1
Part 2
|  KGOU WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL
ASK YOUR LAWMAKER: The Defining Issues of Campaign 2008
Friday, February 22, 2008 As the Presidential primary race moves on to other states in the wake of Super Tuesday, what do voters really want? Capitol News Connection offers the first of its Campaign 2008 interactive series, “Ask Your Lawmaker.”
Exit polls confirm most Democrats want change, and voters from both parties are most concerned about the economy. What issues matter most to you? The economy? Healthcare? Immigration, global warming, Iraq? Plus, how lawmakers, as “super delegates”, could end up picking the candidates at the party conventions – how will they decide
Audio is available on the "Ask Your Lawmaker" website as today's Featured Podcast
| Oklahoma Voices: Governor Brad Henry Previews the 2008 OK Legislative Session
Monday, February 18, 2008 at 11am This week on Oklahoma Voices, we’re airing a recent press conference the Governor held at the capitol as part of the annual Associated Press Legislative Forum. The informal question and answer session with members of the media included wide-ranging discussions on topics such as ethics reform, illegal immigration, pay raises for teachers and state employees and the legacy of former House Speaker Lance Cargill. Henry also used the occasion to introduce his program to pair at-risk students with mentors known as “graduation coaches.”MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: OKC Mayor Mick Cornett’s 2008 State of the City Address
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 11am Greater Oklahoma Chamber Chairman Larry Nichols says Mayor Mick Cornett has been successful at increasing the rate of Oklahoma City’s growth and creating a city where people want to live. Among his specific accomplishments, Nichols says Cornett has improved education, created jobs, made improvements to the State Fairgrounds and recruited the New Orleans Hornets basketball franchise to Oklahoma City for two seasons in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. And of course there’s the Mayor’s recent healthcare initiative to encourage city residents to lose weight. We listen to Cornett’s recent speech to Chamber members, where he reflects on the current state of things in the metro and what lies ahead as he enters his fifth year in office.
Read a transcript of the Mayor’s complete speech
MP3
|  KGOU Live Coverage:
Gov. Brad Henry’s State of the State Address
Monday, February 4, 2008 at 12:45pm The 2008 Oklahoma legislative session officially begins today with Governor Brad Henry’s annual State of the State address to a joint session of the House and Senate. Henry’s proposals include raising teacher salaries by about $1200 per teacher and earmarking gross production taxes to help build a one billion dollar research fund that would be used to create jobs. Other issues include money for education, healthcare, highways and prisons.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: US Rep. Tom Cole Offers His Election Season Analysis and Predictions
Monday, February 4, 2008 from 11am-noon In advance of Super Tuesday, when Oklahomans and residents of twenty-three other states head to the polls to vote in the Presidential primaries, we’re airing these remarks Fourth District Congressman Tom Cole made last November at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism. Cole says the American electorate is in the mood for fundamental change, and as the fourth-ranking Republican in the U.S. House and Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee – charged with electing Republicans to Congress -- his comments carry a certain weight.
“The Presidential election, I predict today, is going to be the most intense and one of the closest in the last couple of generations,” he said, “because the country remains on most fundamental issues, very, very evenly divided between the two parties.” Speaking before student journalists, he noted this is the first time in his life that he’s been unable to point to the most viable Republican nominee. On the Democratic side, however, he predicted Hillary Clinton will win her party’s nomination, and he called her “the most conservative Democrat running for President.” Looking ahead to November, he forecast that the GOP will fare well in Congress. “Republicans can lose the Presidency, lose seats in the Senate and still gain ground in the House,” he said. “The table is set for that as one of the potential outcomes.”
WEB EXTRAS:
Get background information including biographies, voting records and lists of where the candidates stand on a variety of issues by visiting the website of Project Vote Smart
The St. Petersburg Times and Congressional Quarterly have created a new, online service called PolitiFact.com, which features a "Truth-O-Meter" that scores the truthfulness of specific claims by the presidential candidates
MP3
|  KGOU WEBSITE ONLY SPECIAL:
GOP Presidential Contender
Mike Huckabee Visits Oklahoma
Friday, February 1, 2008 Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee was in Oklahoma City this morning, where he stressed his conservative views and vowed to continue his campaign. Speaking before enthusiastic supporters at Coaches Restaurant in Bricktown, Huckabee called himself the only true conservative running for president. He also
called for smaller, more localized government, increased border security, a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, and a drastic overhaul in tax policy. Huckabee supports a so-called “fair tax” policy that would replace federal income taxes with a 23 percent national sales tax.
Listen to former State Senator and Huckabee's Oklahoma Campaign Chairman Scott Pruitt, as well as former Oklahoma City Mayor Kirk Humphreys introduce Mike Huckabee: MP3
Listen to Mike Huckabee's speech: MP3
|  KGOU WEBSITE EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL:
Bill Clinton Campaigns at OU for his Wife
Wednesday, January 30, 2008 Former President Bill Clinton campaigned for his wife this afternoon before a packed crowd on the University of Oklahoma campus. His appearance came just six days before Oklahomans will have the opportunity to vote in the February 5th Super Tuesday primary. Supporters of Senator Hillary Clinton say polls show she has the lead among Democratic candidates in the state. The former President was accompanied by his daughter, Chelsea Clinton.
Listen to OU President David Boren's introduction of Clinton:MP3
Listen to Bill Clinton's speech: MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: OKC Chamber’s 2008 Legislative Breakfast
Monday, January 28, 2008 from 11am-noon On Thursday, January 17th, leaders of the Oklahoma House and Senate took part in the annual Legislative Breakfast at the Oklahoma City Marriott, where they discussed issues on the agenda for the upcoming legislative session. Moderator, Devon Energy CEO and Greater OKC Chamber Chairman J. Larry Nichols led House Speaker Lance Cargill (R-Harrah), House Minority Leader Danny Morgan (D-Prague), Senate Co-President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee (R-OKC) and Senate Democratic Floor Leader Charlie Laster (D-Shawnee) – who filled in for Democratic Senate Co-President Pro Tem Mike Morgan – in a wide-ranging discussion on topics including immigration, educational advancement, healthcare and the condition of the state’s roads and bridges.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Leadership in Trying Times
Monday, January 21, 2008 Democratic Presidential Candidate John Edwards made a campaign stop at a Teamsters union hall in Oklahoma City last Friday, where he vowed to fight against special interests in Washington. OU Political Science Professor Keith Gaddie joins us to discuss a brief press conference he attended with the former North Carolina Senator earlier in the week. Then Gaddie speaks with NBC News Presidential Historian Michael Beschloss and OU Classics Professor Kyle Harper (pictured above) about the quality of a good leader and the history of how leaders have met challenges in trying times. Finally, for Martin Luther King Day, we rebroadcast a roundtable discussion first aired last month with Richard Brown, Alma Posey, Calvin Luper and Willy Johnson, Jr. They talk about their involvement in the Oklahoma City sit-ins of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which played an important role in the national Civil Rights movement.
WEB EXTRAS:
Listen to Keith Gaddie talk about the press conference he attended with John Edwards (excerpt from full show): MP3
Listen to the complete press conference Edwards held on Tuesday, January 15th at Wiley Post Airport in Oklahoma City: MP3
Download and listen to Keith Gaddie's rountable discussion on leadership with Michael Beschloss and Kyle Harper (excerpt from full show): MP3
Read a brief history of the Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma
Listen to this complete program: MP3
|  Live Broadcast: KGOU's 25th Anniversary Celebration and New Station Ribbon-Cutting
Friday, January 18, 2008 An audience of current and former station staff, listeners and donors gather in the KGOU performance studio to celebrate KGOU's 25 years as a public radio station and take part in a commemorative ribbon-cutting for the station's new facilities in Copeland Hall on the University of Oklahoma campus.
General Manager Karen Holp hosts the program with Robert Ross, President and CEO of the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation; University of Oklahoma President David Boren; Dr. James Pappas of OU's College of Continuing Education; NPR CEO Ken Stern; listeners Mary Sallee and Haven Tobias and student employee Brian Hardzinski.
See photos from the ceremony
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
OU Bipartisan Political Forum
Monday, January 7, 2008 KGOU aired live coverage of the bipartisan political forum taking place on the campus of the University of Oklahoma. OU President David Boren has convened a panel of national political leaders including New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former New Jersey Governor Christine Todd Whitman, former Defense Secretary Bill Cohen and former Senators Chuck Hagel, Sam Nunn, Jack Danforth and Bob Graham to discuss "ways in which our nation can end divisive partisan polarization, create bipartisanship, and bring the country together after conclusion of the 2008 election." Despite assurances to the contrary, the event fueled speculation that Bloomberg may be planning an independent bid for the Presidency.
Read a full transcript of the forum, including questions from members of the media and the participants’ responses (PDF)
Download and listen to the entire forum and press conference: MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: Oklahoma Books on Trial
Monday Jan. 14, 2008 - 11am to noon Next time on Oklahoma Voices, we feature a recording made at Freedom of Information Oklahoma’s annual First Amendment Congress, held October 31 and November 1, 2007. Shirley and Wayne Wiegand discuss their book, Books on Trial, Red Scare in the Heartland, an account of the 1940 trial of four Oklahomans for violation of the state’s criminal syndicalism laws. At issue was the content of the books being sold in a bookstore. The case brought national attention.MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: OKC StorySlam – Stories of Being Grounded
Monday, December 24, 2007 at 11am This week we’re featuring excerpts from the Oklahoma City StorySlam, a monthly event that’s kind of like a poetry slam, except that participants tell stories related to a chosen theme. And at the end of the night, the audience votes for the best storyteller, and the winner gets a prize. Past themes have included “Really Bad Dates,” “Busted” and “Okie Nation.” The StorySlam we’re airing today took place last February as part of the WinterTales Storytelling Festival in Oklahoma City. Storytellers Molly O’Connor, J.C. Mahan, Lynn Baker, Janae Bernhard and Anita Baker share their tales on the topic of being “Grounded.” Also, Steve Liggett talks about his brush with death.
The next StorySlam is scheduled for Friday, January 4th at 8:30pm at the Istvan Art Gallery, 1218 North Western Ave. in Oklahoma City. The theme for the evening will be "Oops, I Did it Again: Blunders." You can get more information on the series and find out about future events by calling Stephen Kovash at 405-831-2874 or sending an e-mail to okcstoryslam@yahoo.com.
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Women, Pregnancy and Drug Use
Monday, December 17, 2007 - 11am-noon This week, Oklahoma City resident Theresa Lee Hernandez will be sentenced for the 2004 stillborn death of her child. Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater charged Hernandez with second degree murder after her baby boy was born dead with methamphetamine in his system. But more than 150 doctors and medical groups from across the nation – including the Oklahoma State Medical Association and the state Nurse’s Association -- are opposing the prosecution. They say it’s “highly questionable” whether the stillbirth can be attributed to Hernandez’s drug use, and they fear that such prosecutions could deter pregnant women from seeking help when they have drug abuse problems.
We speak to Hernandez’s attorney, Jim Rowan, and listen back to a panel discussion on the issue organized last month by the group National Advocates for Pregnant Women. It was held at the Presbyterian Health Foundation in Oklahoma City and included Dr. Barry Lester, Director of the Brown University Center for Study of Children at Risk; Oklahoma City OB/GYN Eli Reshef (pictured above) and Mary Barr, former drug addict and Executive Director of Conexions. She lectures around the country on drugs, addiction, substance abuse, the drug war, prison and her own experiences with the criminal justice system.
WEB EXTRAS:
Download and view the Powerpoint presentation that went along with Dr. Barry Lester's talk
Read the open letter medical and health groups and individuals sent in June to Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Oklahoma’s Black History
Monday, December 3, 2007
11am - noon As Oklahoma celebrates its one hundredth birthday, we’ve spent the past several months looking back at its rich history. In previous weeks we’ve examined the roles and experiences of women, Latinos and gays and lesbians in the Sooner state over the past century, and we aired a discussion on portrayals of Oklahomans in film. Today we hear about Oklahoma’s early, black history from attorney and author Hannibal Johnson and Tonnia Anderson, Assistant Professor in the University of Oklahoma’s African and African American Studies department. Then, Richard Brown, Alma Posey Washington, Calvin Luper and Willy Johnson, Jr. (pictured above) discuss their involvement in the Oklahoma City sit-ins of the late 1950s and early 1960s, which played an important role in the national Civil Rights movement.
WEB EXTRAS:
Learn more about E.P. McCabe, the politician and booster who promoted the idea of making Oklahoma an all-black state
Read more about the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921
Listen to a 2005 KGOU report on the campaign for riot reparations
Read a brief history of the Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma
MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: A Debate on OK’s Anti-Illegal Immigration Measure
Monday, November 26, 2007 - 11am-noon This month, a new law took effect making it a felony for Oklahomans to knowingly aid, transport or conceal undocumented immigrants. It also creates barriers to hiring them and requires proof of citizenship for immigrants to receive certain government benefits including drivers’ licenses. Supporters of the measure formerly known as House Bill 1804 say it’s a model for other states to follow, and they cite anecdotal evidence that seems to indicate it has already had an enormous effect on the size of Oklahoma’s undocumented immigrant population. Critics respond that immigration enforcement is the job of federal authorities, that this law only duplicates federal laws already in place, and that it could have unintended consequences and cost too much for local police agencies to enforce.
This week on Oklahoma Voices, we air a forum on immigration issues organized at the state capitol earlier this month by the Oklahoma Political Science Association. It’s moderated by University of Central Oklahoma Political Science Professor Randall Jones, Jr. and includes HB 1804 author Rep. Randy Terrill (R-Moore), Rep. Richard Morrissette (D-OKC), Carol Helm of the advocacy group I.R.O.N. (Immigration Reform for Oklahoma Now) and University of Tulsa Professor and immigration expert Linda Allegro.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: A Native American
Voice on Thanksgiving Day
Thursday, November 22, 2007 at 9am On this Thanksgiving Day, KGOU’s Susan Shannon hosts a special edition of Oklahoma Voices featuring the former principal chief of the Cherokees, Wilma Mankiller. Mankiller spoke last February at the Oklahoma History Center in OKC, where she was awarded the 2007 Oklahoma Humanities Award (30 minutes).MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: Women in OK's History /
Film Examines Tar Creek
Monday, November 19, 2007 As Oklahoma begins its 101st year, we spend some time this week listening to one resident’s memories of what life was like in the state’s early days. We air excerpts of Vera Keating being interviewed by her daughter as part of the Metropolitan Library’s “Oklahoma Voices” oral history project, which is modeled after the national StoryCorps series that airs on NPR. To schedule your own interview with a friend or family member, call 414-9977. Appointments are currently being accepted for the mobile recording at the Ralph Ellison Public Library in Oklahoma City through the end of this month and the Choctaw Public Library next month.
Also on this week’s program, author and historic re-enactor Glenda Carlisle discusses the role women played in the founding of Oklahoma. Did you know, for example, that the first dentist in the state was a woman, or that men were forbidden from entering the all-women’s town of Bathsheba? Carlisle portrays one of the most significant women in early Oklahoma politics, Kate Barnard. Barnard was the first woman in the country to be elected to statewide office, before women even had the right to vote.
Then, in the second half of our program, we re-broadcast an interview Rich Fisher at Public Radio Tulsa conducted with James Payne, one of the filmmakers behind the documentary The Creek Runs Red, about the contaminated Tar Creek superfund site in Northeastern Oklahoma. It airs Tuesday, November 20th at 10pm on OETA and public television stations nationwide as part of PBS’s Independent Lens series.MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: Memories of Oklahoma
Monday, November 12, 2007 at 11am In this week of celebrations for Oklahoma’s one hundredth year of statehood, we listen to one state resident’s recollections from her life in the Sooner State. Anita Martinez tells her story to her granddaughter, Jessica Martinez Brooks, as part of the Metropolitan Library’s “Oklahoma Voices” oral history project, which is modeled after the national StoryCorps series that airs on NPR. We also speak about the project with Dana Morrow, the library system’s Director of Outreach, Children’s Services and Senior Services. To schedule your own interview, call 414-9977.
In the second half of our program, we re-broadcast a speech former Governor George Nigh gave to members of the State Chamber last June about how he introduced the bill in the state legislature in 1953 to make “Oklahoma” the official state song.
Read the lyrics to the original state song, “Oklahoma, A Toast,” as well as the current state song, “Oklahoma”
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: Oklahoma at the Movies
Monday, November 5, 2007 at 11am Since the beginning, the unique history of Oklahoma has captured the attention and imagination of the rest of the nation and, consequently, the producers in Hollywood. But how has the state been portrayed on the silver screen, how have those representations contributed to people’s perceptions of the Sooner State, and are they accurate? We listen back to a panel discussion recorded August 29th at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art’s Noble Theater. Museum Film Curator Brian Hearn speaks about “Images of Oklahoma at the Movies” with Oklahoma Humanities Council Executive Director Ann Thompson, film historian and Reelclassics.com founder Elizabeth Anthony, University of Central Oklahoma director of film studies John Springer and Oklahoma Today magazine editor Louisa McCune Elmore.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: 45th Infantry Brigade
Begins Training for Deployment to Iraq
Monday, October 29, 2007 at 11am Earlier this month, about 2500 members of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade began training at Fort Bliss, Texas in preparation for a 2008 deployment to Iraq. We speak about the deployment with Brigadier General Myles Deering and also hear from Oklahoma Adjutant General Harry M. Wyatt III, Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry, 45th Infantry Brigade Spokesperson Lt. Col. Rhonda McGuire and University of Oklahoma President David Boren.
WEB EXTRAS:
View photos from the 45th's official deployment ceremony,
held October 18th at OU's Lloyd Noble Center
See pictures from KGOU News Director Scott Gurian's trip
to the 23rd St. Armory in Oklahoma City
MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Panel of Journalists Discusses
Ethics Investigation of State GOP
Monday, October 22, 2007: 11am-noon Last week, Oklahoma House Republicans met in caucus to re-elect Representative Lance Cargill as House Speaker for the upcoming legislative session. Their vote came as the Oklahoma Ethics Commission appears to be investigating Cargill and other members of the state Republican Party over allegations of campaign finance improprieties and possible ethics violations. University of Oklahoma Political Science Professor and regular KGOU political analyst Keith Gaddie speaks with Oklahoma Gazette investigative journalist Scott Cooper and KWTV / News 9 reporter Stacey Cameron, who’ve been closely monitoring the developments.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: Conversation with a Soldier Headed to Iraq
Monday, October 15, 2007 at 11am This Thursday, a farewell ceremony will be held at the University of Oklahoma’s Lloyd Noble Center for 2400 soldiers with the Oklahoma National Guard’s 45th Infantry Brigade. They’re headed for training at Fort Bliss, Texas in advance of a January deployment to Iraq. Next time on Oklahoma Voices we begin a series of reports profiling members of the Brigade.
30-year-old Specialist Terry “Scooby” Axson is a recent University of Oklahoma graduate who’s been working with the Brigade’s Public Affairs Office. We spend a half hour speaking with him about his journalism background, his experience in the military and what lies ahead. We hope to occasionally check back in with him and other members of the 45th throughout their year-long deployment.
Read about the history of the 45th Infantry BrigadeMP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: “Getting on the Ballot”
Monday, October 8, 2007 at 11am A few weeks ago, a group calling itself Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform held a press conference at the state capitol to announce it was kicking off an initiative petition drive. By mid-December, group members are hoping to collect ninety thousand signatures to force a voter referendum to change state laws and make it easier for lesser-known candidates to get on the ballot. Next time on Oklahoma Voices we’ll air an updated version of a 2004 program from the KGOU archives exploring why Oklahoma's current ballot access laws have third parties and independent voters in the state calling for electoral reform.
Guests include Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary Michael Clingman; Ballot Access News Editor Richard Winger; former Central Oklahoma Libertarian Party Chair Tom Laurent; former Oklahoma Green Party co-chair Rachel Jackson and John Anderson, former Independent Presidential candidate and Chair of FairVote (née the Center for Voting and Democracy), which researches and advocates more democratic voting systems.
WEB EXTRAS:
Read a transcript of the longer version of this program that aired back in 2004
Listen to KGOU’s recent in-depth report on OBAR’s petition drive: MP3
Listen to Libertarian Presidential candidate Daniel Imperato’s comments on ballot access during his recent trip to Oklahoma: MP3
Read why Richard Winger of Ballot Access News thinks ballot access is important
Listen to this show: MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices Special: Norman Constitution Day Town Hall Meeting
Sunday, October 7, 2007 ~ 11 am - 12:30 How is the U.S. Constitution being used and/or abused today, in regards to civil liberties, privacy, national security, religious freedom, and separation of church and state? This panel discussion was recorded September 17, Constitution Day, the 100th anniversary of the Oklahoma Constitution. Moderated by Dr. Robin Meyers and featuring panelists Dr. Bruce Prescott, former Oklahoma Senator Bernest Cain, and OU Law Professors Randy Coyne and Joe Thai. Part 1 Part 2
| Oklahoma Voices: Two Experiences of Oklahoma’s First 100 Years
Monday, October 1, 2007 from 11am - noon With more than three and a half million residents, the state of Oklahoma – like all places – has throughout its history existed as a collection of diverse stories of diverse individuals. There are of course the settlers from the East who made the land run in 1889, the Native Americans forced to relocate here as the final stop on the Trail of Tears, the freed slaves who came after the Civil War and established dozens of black towns like Langston, the thousands of Vietnamese refugees whose mass migration to Oklahoma City gave birth to the Asian District after the 1975 fall of Saigon… The list could go on and on. Today we take a look at two of these disparate communities, how they’ve impacted the state and how they’ve changed over the past hundred years. First, historian Aaron Bachhofer speaks about gay and lesbian history in Oklahoma between 1889 and 1989. Then the Oklahoma Historical Society’s Executive Director Bob Blackburn discusses the history of Latinos in Oklahoma.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: Oklahomans in
New Orleans Since the Storm, Pt. 2
Monday, September 17, 2007 at 11am More than two years after Hurricane Katrina, we visit with several Oklahoma natives living in the Crescent City to find out how they’re coping and whether things are returning to normal. In the most badly-damaged neighborhoods of the Lower Ninth Ward (pictured above), many houses remain overgrown and abandoned, but the news isn’t all bad.
College student Sophie Johnson is re-building her life after being flooded out during the storm, yet she says she feels incredibly optimistic. Hip hop artists Jeff Chambless and Roan “Know One” Smith say these are difficult times to operate a record label, but they’ve found music is an effective creative outlet during times of trouble. Photographer Stephen Houser moved to New Orleans three months after Katrina to document the rebirth of the city, and he discovered it feels like a natural fit. And New Orleans waitress Andi Knox and Oklahoma City fertility specialist Dr. David Kallenberger tell the fascinating story of how Andi came to have three healthy babies “Made in Oklahoma.”
WEB EXTRAS:
View a slideshow of the guests interviewed in this program
During his visit to New Orleans in July, KGOU News Director Scott Gurian and about one dozen other public radio reporters spent a morning volunteering with the grassroots organization Beacon of Hope to clean up one block in the Lakeview neighborhood of north New Orleans, which was heavily flooded following Hurricane Katrina.
View photos of their trip to Lakeview.
If you missed this first part of our series two weeks ago featuring a roundtable of Oklahomans in New Orleans discussing life since the storm, you can listen to it here: MP3
Listen to this program: MP3
|  KGOU WEBSITE-ONLY SPECIAL
Libertarian Presidential Candidate
Daniel Imperato Visits Oklahoma
(recorded Thursday, September 6, 2007) Daniel Imperato – who’s seeking the presidential nomination from the Libertarian Party – spoke last Thursday in Oklahoma City at a fundraiser for the group Oklahomans for Ballot Access Reform. Imperato said his thirty years of experience in global business planning and his high level personal relationships around the world make him well-suited to make a major push for the White House in 2008. He lamented, though, that Oklahomans would be unable to vote for him unless the state substantially changes its restrictions making it difficult for third party candidates to get on the ballot.
Oklahoma was the only state in the country where voters did not have the option of choosing a Libertarian candidate in the last Presidential election. OBAR will hold a press conference at the state capitol this Friday to announce the beginning of an initiative petition drive, asking voters to ease the ballot access laws.
Listen to Daniel Imperato speak about ballot access: MP3
Hear Imperato talk about his campaign and the issues on his agenda:MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: Oklahoma Natives in New Orleans Reflect on Life Post-Katrina
Monday, September 3, 2007 at 11am It’s been two years since Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, breaching levees and leaving much of New Orleans underwater, and life remains hard in the Big Easy. In the aftermath of what’s been called the worst natural disaster in American history, forty percent of the city’s residents moved away, and those who’ve returned battle high rents, rising insurance costs and few guarantees of protection from future storms. More than forty thousand families still live in FEMA trailers. Street crime is common. The murder rate is even higher than before the storm and is on track to become the highest in the nation. So why go back? For many residents of the Crescent City, the answer is simple. New Orleans is their adopted home, and they couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
Today we begin a two-part series featuring the voices and experiences of Oklahoma natives living in New Orleans post-Katrina. David Mitchell, Doris O’Sullivan Spath and Nicole Barron (pictured above) of the OU Club of New Orleans discuss the process of rebuilding and how life is for them slowly returning to normal, as it was before the storm.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Town Hall Meeting With Rep. Mary Fallin
Monday, August 27, 2007 at 11am We listen to U.S. Representative
Mary Fallin’s recent report-back to constituents on her first eight months in Congress. Speaking last Tuesday at the Francis Tuttle Technology Center’s Rockwell campus in Oklahoma City, Fallin said the most important issues on her agenda all revolve around the concept of security: national security, energy security, border security and economic security. She also described her recent fact-finding trip to Iraq, where she says she saw signs of progress. While warning of the threat posed by groups like al Qaeda and saying that her number one goal is to prevent terrorists from carrying out attacks on American soil, she added that she wants the troops home from Iraq as soon as possible because she’s concerned about the human and economic impacts of a prolonged deployment. Fallin represents the Fifth Congressional District, which includes Oklahoma City, Edmond, Seminole and Shawnee.MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: Health Issues Among Native Americans
Monday, August 20, 2007 from 11am - noon Native Americans in Oklahoma and across the nation have higher rates of tuberculosis, diabetes, obesity, pneumonia, influenza, alcoholism, infant mortality and suicide than the general population. And more than one-third of American Indian adults are without health insurance. Earlier this month, doctors, scientists and tribal leaders gathered in Oklahoma City for a symposium on these issues sponsored by the University of Oklahoma’s College of Public Health and the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. While focusing on Native Americans, panelists stressed that these are not just native health problems, but issues affecting everybody.
We listen back to some of the speakers including the Chair of OMRF’s Clinical Pharmacology Research Program Dr. Joan Merrill, OU College of Public Health Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Health Promotion Sciences J. Neil Henderson, OU Professor of Pediatrics and Chief of the Pediatrics Diabetes Program Dr. Kenneth Copeland, OU President David Boren and Secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt.MP3
| KGOU WEBSITE-ONLY SPECIAL
GOP Presidential Contender Mitt Romney in OKC
(recorded Tuesday, August 14, 2007) Former Massachusetts Governor and GOP Presidential Contender Mitt Romney delivered his stump speech and answered questions from the audience this afternoon at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. The visit comes a day after Romney released his personal financial disclosure statement indicating he has investments totaling between 190 and 250 million dollars, which is nine or ten times the net worth of his closest competitors.
Speaking to reporters, Romney said he thinks his campaign is witnessing “winds of change” that began last weekend in Iowa. That’s when he finished first in the Republican straw poll, an unscientific test vote that was skipped by candidates John McCain and Rudolph Giuliani. A Soonerpoll.com survey of Oklahoma Republicans conducted in May found that Romney was in a distant fourth place, trailing McCain, Giuliani and undeclared candidate Fred Thompson. But Romney said his success in Iowa as well as his efforts in other, early primary states like New Hampshire and South Carolina will help him take his message nationwide and ultimately be successful in Oklahoma as well.
Listen to Romney's speech in Oklahoma City: MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Questions about the OKC Bombing
Monday, August 6, 2007 from 11am – noon If you ask most Oklahomans, the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building is pretty much an open-and-shut case. Timothy McVeigh was executed in 2001, and bombing co-conspirator Terry Nichols is serving a life sentence in Colorado. But an attorney from Salt Lake City who's investigating the death of his brother has uncovered information he feels raises new questions about what the FBI knew and when it knew it.
Kenneth Trentadue’s mutilated body was found dead in an Oklahoma City prison cell in August of 1995. Prison officials say he committed suicide, but Trentadue’s brother Jesse believes Kenney was beaten to death during a botched interrogation after the FBI mistook him for "John Doe #2," a suspect in the Oklahoma City bombing. Documents he’s uncovered also indicate that the bombing may not simply have been the work of a couple of lone individuals, but rather a network of people affiliated with the far right militia movement.
“In trying to find out what happened to my brother, all the trails, all the leads kept taking me back to Oklahoma City and the bombing,” Jesse Trentadue tells KGOU. “I doubt my family will ever see justice for my brother’s murder, but in the end, we may get justice for a lot more folks, and maybe that was what it was all meant to be.”
We listen back to an extended version of a 2005 report KGOU aired on the Trentadue case, and we speak to journalist James Ridgeway, whose article "In Search of John Doe No. 2: The Story the Feds Never Told About the Oklahoma City Bombing" appears in the July-August issue of Mother Jones magazine.
Then, for a dose of skepticism, Dr. Lane Crothers joins us in the second half of our program to explain why he thinks it’s entirely possible that two men -- Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols -- could have pulled off the entire bombing plot from start to finish without the knowledge or logistical support of a wider circle of people. Crothers is Professor of Politics and Government at Illinois State University and author of the book Rage on the Right: The American Militia Movement from Ruby Ridge to Homeland Security.
WEB EXTRAS:
View the BBC’s timeline of key events before and after the OKC bombing
Listen to Oklahoma State Trooper Charlie Hanger describe how he captured Timothy McVeigh. Hanger spoke and answered audience questions at the Oklahoma City National Memorial in July of 2005. MP3
View released FBI teletypes, reports from the Oklahoma Medical Examiner, statements from Terry Nichols and other documents Jesse Trentadue has gathered in his quest to find out what happened to his brother
See photos of Kenneth Trentadue’s body after his death.
(WARNING: Graphic Content!)
Listen to this program: MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: Sexual Violence Against Indigenous Women
Monday, July 30, 2007 from 11am - noon It’s a sobering statistic: Native American and Alaska Native women are more than two and a half times as likely to be raped or sexually assaulted as non-native women, and one in three Native American women will be raped in their lifetimes. The majority of these crimes are committed by non-native men, and most of them are never prosecuted. According to an Amnesty International report released in April, indigenous survivors of sexual violence often encounter a myriad of legal and logistical hurdles when attempting to bring their perpetrators to justice: inadequate law enforcement in rural areas, under-funded tribal police departments and complex issues of sovereignty and prosecutorial jurisdiction.
Today we listen to a recent panel discussion on the issue held on the University of Oklahoma campus. “Maze of Injustice Community Forum: Working Together to End Sexual Violence Against Indigenous Women” is moderated by Amnesty International Field Organizer Adiyah Ali and includes comments from domestic violence survivor Jimmi Ross, Oklahoma Native American Domestic Violence Coalition / Spirits of Hope member Juskwa Burnett, Jennifer McLaughlin from the Oklahoma Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and Jim Cox of the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police.
WEB EXTRAS:
Read and listen to reporter Laura Sullivan’s recent, two part series on this issue that aired on NPR’s All Things Considered
View a slide show of indigenous survivors of sexual violence and advocates
Watch a short video about the issue from Amnesty International
Read Amnesty International’s report
Listen to this program here: MP3
| Oklahoma Voices:
OK Superintendent Sandy Garrett’s 2007 State of Education Address
Monday, July 16, 2007 at 11:00am Addressing more than 2500 business and education leaders at the Cox Convention Center Arena last week, State Superintendent Sandy Garrett said more instructional time is a key change needed to make Oklahoma schools and the students they produce more globally competitive. She also called for more funding for education, full implementation of Oklahoma’s Achieving Classroom Excellence Act and compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act. We listen to an edited version of her remarks.MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: Sustainability and Development in Oklahoma City
Monday, July 9, 2007 at 11:00am This morning on Oklahoma Voices we bring you sound from the sixth annual Oklahoma City Mayor’s Development Roundtable, where land developers, financiers, planners and city leaders gathered to hear about the latest development trends across the country and discuss possible applications here in the Oklahoma City metro.
The keynote speaker was William Hudnut, III, who’s a former mayor of Indianapolis and Senior Resident Fellow for Public Policy at the Washington-based Urban Land Institute. He discussed the need for denser developments, links between the city core and the suburbs, and the dangers of what he called suburban sprawl. Also featured in today’s program are Marilee Utter, the President of Citiventure Associates, LLC – a Denver-based real estate advisory and investment firm focusing on transit-oriented development and Fred Kent, a leading authority on city revitalization and the concept of place-making.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices: Former Governor George Nigh on Oklahoma’s Past and Future
Monday, June 25, 2007 at 11:00am Former four-term OK Governor George Nigh was honored as “Oklahoma’s Oldest Futurist” at the State Chamber’s annual meeting last Tuesday at the Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City. In this Centennial year, Nigh was invited to share with business leaders his memories of the state’s unique history and his perspective on where to go from here. While calling Oklahoma’s first century “an era of great progress and achievement,” he said he believes the best is yet to come. We listen back to an edited version of his remarks and also hear from historian and Nigh biographer Bob Burke.
WEB EXTRA:Listen to some additional comments Nigh made about the historical creation of the state of Oklahoma:MP3
MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: OKC StorySlam – Tales of Getting Busted
Monday, June 18, 2007 at 11:00am This week we’re featuring excerpts from the Oklahoma City StorySlam, an ongoing event that’s kind of like a poetry slam, except that participants tell stories related to a chosen theme. And at the end of the night, the audience votes for the best storyteller, and the winner gets a prize. Past themes have included “Really Bad Dates,” “Stranger in a Strange Land” and “Grounded.” The StorySlam we’re airing took place as part of the Momentum art show in Oklahoma City last January. Storytellers Drew Watson and Molly O’Connor share their tales on the topic, “Busted.”
You can get more information on the Oklahoma City StorySlam series and find out about the next event by sending an e-mail to okcstoryslam@yahoo.com.MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
OK Native Hannah Allam’s Experiences in Iraq
Monday, June 11, 2007 11am – noon In 2003 at the age of 25, Oklahoma native Hannah Allam became the youngest bureau chief in the American newspaper industry when McClatchy (Knight Ridder) Newspapers hired her to head its Baghdad bureau. She spent the next two years reporting on the war in Iraq and winning some of the top awards in print journalism before moving on to become McClatchy’s Cairo Bureau Chief, where she now oversees coverage of the entire Middle East and Islamic world. Just after she finished her Iraq assignment in late 2005, Allam paid a visit to her alma mater, the University of Oklahoma, to speak with reporters at The Oklahoma Daily, where she was once editor. Today we air an edited version of that speech.
In her comments, Allam speaks about her former Iraqi translator Ban Adil Sarhan, who sought refuge in Oklahoma after her family was killed because of her work with the Americans. Listen to KGOU's interview with Sarhan that we aired just after the December, 2005 parliamentary elections in Iraq.MP3
| Oklahoma Voices: Lessons Learned from the Virginia Tech Tragedy
Monday, June 4, 2007 from 11am - noon University presidents, administrators and law enforcement personnel from more than twenty-four states gathered on the campus of the University of Central Oklahoma last week to attend a summit on campus security in the wake of the April shooting at Virginia Tech that left thirty-three people dead. We listen back to VA Tech student Scott Cheatham’s account of the tragedy and its aftermath. And former FBI Profiler and NBC Crime Analyst Clinton Van Zandt describes possible motivators for campus killers and ways to identify “at risk” students before they act out violently.MP3
| The Long and Winding Road: The Cultural Legacy of Four Lads Who Shook the World
Sunday, July 3, 2007 In honor of the 40th anniversary of the US release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, KGOU presents a two-hour documentary on the cultural legacy of The Beatles.
In the 37 years since the group broke up, The Beatles' popularity has never waned. The Long and Winding Road looks at several ways that popularity manifests itself today. News Producer Brian Hardzinski speaks with musicians, professors, fans and people who knew the band personally about why the Beatles remain so important four decades later.
For more information:
1964: the Tribute
Beatles Gear
R.W. Lease, Ltd.
The Beatles in India
(Due to music copyright restrictions, we are unable to make this program available in our online archives, but you can listen to it here if you create a free account at the Public Radio Exchange)
|  Oklahoma Voices: Reviewing the 2007 Oklahoma Legislative Session Monday, May 28, 2007 at 11:00am
| The Freeing of Curtis Edward McCarty
Monday, May 21, 2007 Twenty-one years ago, Curtis Edward McCarty was sentenced to death for the 1982 killing of Pamela Kaye Willis. Earlier this month, an Oklahoma District Court Judge decided to free McCarty after ruling that his case had been tainted by the misconduct of former Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist. McCarty’s parents Shirley and Joe McCarty and his lead attorney Perry Hudson spoke to reporters at the capitol on Friday about their son’s case and about the dangers of wrongful convictions. Hudson claimed that Gilchrist maliciously lost or destroyed key evidence in the case, and he added that he believes higher-ranking officials in the police department must also have known what was going on. We listen to an excerpt of the press conference.MP3
| Oklahoma's Centennial Events
Monday, May 7, 2007 Oklahoma's Centennial officially happens Nov. 16, 2007, but the work started August 1, 1999 when J. Blake Wade was named the director of the Oklahoma Capitol Complex and Centennial Commemoration Commission. Since that time, Wade has traveled the state to involve Oklahomans in the celebration of statehood. He recently spoke at a Breaking Through luncheon sponsored by the Oklahoma City Chamber. You can find a listing of Centennial Events online.MP3
|  Union Station, the New I-40 and the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part IX: Core to Shore
Monday, April 16, 2007 at 11am In the final episode in our series, we look not at transit itself, but rather at how a major transit-related decision -- namely the relocation of I-40 -- will affect Oklahoma City’s future growth and development. The city’s Core to Shore study is planning the details of a proposed urban boulevard that will be built in the footprint of the current expressway, and it’s also considering options for the 590 acres of land between the core of downtown and the shore of the Oklahoma River. Guests include Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, Core to Shore planning team consultant Sara Jane Maclennan and Russell Claus, the City’s Project Manager for Core to Shore.
WEB EXTRAS: Listen to ODOT’s John Bowman describe the route of the new urban boulevard:MP3
Listen to Core to Shore planning team consultant Anthony McDermid talk about some of the specific proposals under consideration:MP3
View maps and artists' renderings of proposed development along the new boulevard and in the Core to Shore area.
Read the Core to Shore team's responses to questions raised at its last public meeting.
Listen to this show here: MP3
|  Union Station, the New I-40 & the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part VIII: Expanding Rail Service
Monday, April 9, 2007 at 11am On this week's installment of our series, we pay a visit to the Norman Train Depot to talk with Evan Stair about his group Passenger Rail Oklahoma's campaign to expand Amtrak's Heartland Flyer route north from Oklahoma City to make connections in Kansas and Missouri. We also speak with University of Oklahoma Professor of Regional and City Planning Dr. Richard Marshment about mass transit options in Central Oklahoma's future.
View a map of Passenger Rail Oklahoma's recommendations for expanded passenger train service in Oklahoma and the region.
Over the past eight weeks, we've spent several programs in this series examining the controversy over the I-40 Crosstown re-location plan. But how would the new highway affect downtown Oklahoma City's future growth and development, and what would come of the footprint of the current expressway? Find out and get your questions answered when the City of Oklahoma City holds its next Core to Shore public meeting from 6-8 pm on Tuesday, April 10th. The meeting will take place in rooms 16-18 of the Cox Convention Center. We'll have a report-back on next week's show.MP3
|  Union Station, the New I-40 and the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part VII: Examples to Follow
Monday, April 2, 2007 at 11am Last week in our series, we heard from various political leaders, transit planners and commuters, who all agreed that Central Oklahoma is desperately lacking in its public transportation infrastructure. Architect Tom Shelton described some of the transit recommendations for the region included in the Oklahoma Fixed Guideway Study. This week we take a look at what three other cities in the region have done. We speak to Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, and we take a trip south of the Red River, where Dallas-based rail consultant Garl Latham describes the success of DART Rail.
WEB EXTRAS: Listen to Garl Latham's thoughts about the controversy over Oklahoma City's Union Train Station rail yard:MP3
If you missed it, listen to our previous report about what Denver and Salt Lake City did with their Union Train Stations.
Listen to this program here: MP3
|  Union Station, the New I-40 and the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part VI: Recognizing a Need
Monday, March 26, 2007 In the previous five parts of our series, we’ve looked at the pros and cons of the new, proposed I-40 Crosstown Expressway, its expense and the impact on the rail corridor and surrounding areas. Whether they support or oppose the project, though, pretty much everyone – from local political and business leaders to urban planning experts to rail advocates – seems to agree that Central Oklahoma also has to look beyond building more roads and highways and start expanding its offerings of public transportation. We spend some time investigating the metro's mass transit needs and what some people are trying to do about it.
Guests include commuter and mass transit advocate Bob Waldrop; Larry Hopper with the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority; Fixed Guideway Study Project Manager Tom Shelton; OU architecture professor Hans Butzer; rail advocate Tom Elmore; Lt. Governor Jari Askins; Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and Oklahoma Railway Museum volunteer Steve Davis.
WEB EXTRAS: View the complete results of METRO Transit's Fixed Guideway Study, a summary of public comments received and videos clips of various forms of mass transit that may be in OKC's future.
See a chart comparing fixed route bus usage in OKC and other metro areas
Listen to a presentation by Tom Shelton, who was a lead consultant to the Fixed Guideway Study.
Download and listen to this show: MP3
|  Union Station, the New I-40 and the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part V: Examining the Plans
Monday, March 19, 2007 at 11am We continue our series examining the I-40 Crosstown and the future of mass transit in Central Oklahoma. We have a report back from the Oklahoma Department of Transportation’s recent public meeting on the highway project -- including some comments from Assistant Chief Engineer and Director of Pre-Construction David Streb -- and we’ll get some insight from Dr. Richard Marshment, Professor of Regional and City Planning at the University of Oklahoma.
WEB EXTRAS: In his interview, Dr. Marshment voiced concern that the new I-40 would provide a barrier to travel to what he referred to as remnants of land along the river. Here's a response from ODOT’s David Streb:MP3
View a variety of aerial maps at ODOT's website, documenting the exact route of the new Crosstown and its impact on the surrounding area.
ODOT is seeking feedback and questions on its plans.
Click here to fill out a comment form.
Listen to this show here: MP3
|  Oklahoma Voices:
Roundtable Discussion on Oklahoma’s Sunshine Laws
Monday, March 19, 2007 at 11:30am Freedom of information is an invaluable tool, not just for journalists, but for citizens participating in a democratic society. Transparency in government is our best guard against corruption, and it helps voters know whether their elected officials are truly representing their interests. We’ll examine Oklahoma’s so-called
“sunshine laws” – the open records and open meetings acts – with a roundtable of experts. Our panelists are Dr. Joey Senat, Associate Professor in the Oklahoma State University School of Journalism and Broadcasting; Mark Thomas, Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Press Association and Gay Tudor, Chief of the General Counsel section of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s office.MP3
|  Union Station, the New I-40 and the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part IV: Footing the Bill
Monday, March 12, 2007 at 11:00am On this week’s installment of our series, we take a look at the cost and funding sources of the Crosstown, review some of the specific points of controversy and hear responses from those working on the project.
Guests include ODOT Assistant Chief Engineer and Director of Pre-Construction David Streb; former Fifth District Congressman Ernest Istook; Governor Brad Henry; Dr. Edwin Kessler, Vice Chairman of Common Cause Oklahoma; former Oklahoma City Planning Director Garner Stoll and John Bowman, ODOT’s Project Development Engineer for the I-40 Crosstown Expressway.
As mentioned in the program, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting from 4 to 6pm this Thursday, March 15th at the Cox Convention Center to discuss the I-40 Crosstown project. Attendees will have the opportunity to review and comment on the plan, view prepared displays and ask questions from ODOT representatives about environmental impacts, funding, right-of-way acquisition and tentative construction schedules. For more information, click here or call Mr. Craig Moody at 405.522.1465.
WEB EXTRAS: View a detailed map of the routes of both the old and new I-40s, and see ODOT’s computer rendering of what the new expressway could look like.
Read former Oklahoma City Planning Director Garner Stoll's critique of the final Crosstown route. Listen to this program to hear an interview with him as well as a response from ODOT's John Bowman.
A while back, Tom Elmore – who’s been featured in our series – gave a presentation at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library in Oklahoma City about mass transit options and why he's opposed to the I-40 Crosstown plan. You can listen to the presentation here:MP3
Listen to this program here: MP3
|  OU Debate on Human-Induced Climate Change
Sunday, March 11, 2007 at 11:00 am When former Vice President Al Gore visited OU a few weeks ago to deliver a presentation on global warming, two university faculty members took the opportunity to express their views on the subject. Meteorology professor David Karoly and Professor and global warming skeptic David Deming debate the question, “Is Global Warming Real?”MP3
|  Union Station, the New I-40 and the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part III: Ask the Engineer
Monday, March 5, 2007 at 11am We continue our series exploring the controversy over the I-40 Crosstown Expressway and the future of mass transit in Central Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation's Project Development Engineer for the Crosstown, John Bowman, joins us to review the proposed route and its impact on downtown Oklahoma City. He also responds to some criticisms of the plan.
ODOT has prepared a fact sheet contrasting the current I-40 with the proposed expressway. Note that more current figures estimate the cost of construction at $557 million. Also, see ODOT's timeline of events that led to the decision to choose the final route for the I-40 Crosstown, view a detailed, satellite map of the routes of both the old and new I-40s, and read ODOT's statement about the Crosstown's impact on Union Station and the rail corridor.
ODOT officials will hold a public meeting at the Cox Convention Center from 4 to 6pm on Thursday, March 15th to provide an update on the current status of the I-40 Crosstown construction.
MP3
|  KGOU WEBSITE-ONLY SPECIAL
Norman Mayoral Candidates
Debate the Issues
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 Just six days before Norman residents head to the polls, the three candidates running for Mayor gathered for a debate at the University of Oklahoma's Catlett Music Center. In the event sponsored by The Oklahoma Daily newspaper and the Norman Sustainability Network, OU Political Science Professor and candidate Cindy Rosenthal warned that Norman must not sacrifice its quality of life by failing to pay attention to public safety, the preservation of green space, and the quantity and quality of the water. As a City Council member, she originally voted to create a tax increment financing district to draw new businesses to OU-owned land near Norman's airport, but now says the plan was rushed through and did not take into account needed traffic upgrades for the area.
On the issue of suburban sprawl, candidate and Norman developer Trey Bates expressed excitement about many development projects currently underway in the city core and said he's advocated giving citizens greater involvement in the future development of their city. He also said he wants to make Norman "more fun" by creating a cultural district and attracting more tourists to Lake Thunderbird.
Candidate E.Z. Million called for the building of two new high schools in Norman and criticized what he called a "do-gooder plan" to institute citywide curbside recycling. He said OU President David Boren has too much influence on local politics, and he called for Boren to retire because he's past the usual retirement age and won't bring the OU-Texas game to Norman in 2008.
Watch an excerpt of the debate on The Oklahoma Daily's website or listen to it in its entirety here: MP3
| Union Station, the New I-40 & the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part II: Debating the Expressway
Monday, February 26, 2007 at 11am The destruction of much of Oklahoma City’s Union Station rail yard to make way for the I-40 Crosstown Expressway could begin in the near future. KGOU continues a weekly series examining the history of Union Station, the controversy over the highway project and the plans underway to address the metro’s future public transportation needs. On today’s show, we feature a debate over the proposed route of the new stretch of I-40. Arguing in favor of the Crosstown Expressway are Paul Matthews, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Highway Users Federation and Dr. Leonard West, former Executive Director of the Oklahoma Traffic Engineering Association. Arguing in favor of saving the rail yard are Dr. Edwin Kessler, Vice Chairman of Common Cause Oklahoma and Tom Elmore, Executive Director of the Moore-based North American Transportation Institute. The debate was moderated by Tom Roach of the Northwest Republican Club of Oklahoma City.MP3
|  Union Station, the New I-40 and the Future of Mass Transit in OKC
Part I: Remembering a Depot
Monday, February 19, 2007 at 11am The destruction of much of Oklahoma City’s Union Station rail yard to make way for the
I-40 Crosstown Expressway could begin in the near future. KGOU begins a weekly series examining the history of Union Station, the controversy over the highway project and the plans underway to address the metro’s future public transportation needs. On today’s show, rail advocate Tom Elmore of the Moore-based North American Transportation Institute gives us a tour of historic Union Station.
Take an online tour of Union Station
(slideshow will take a few minutes to load for dial-up internet users)
WEB EXTRAS: “Railroad building in years past has always had its accompaniment of humor, pathos, violence and even tragedy,” write Preston George and Sylvan Wood in their 1943 treatise The Railroads of Oklahoma. To get a sense of just how important passenger trains were in the decades leading up to the building of Union Station, listen to this account of the dispute between the citizens of Enid and the Rock Island Line that almost turned deadly:MP3
Former railroad worker Jim Pasby shared with us his memories of the passenger train era in Oklahoma. We didn't have time to include it in the show, but you can listen here:MP3
If you missed it, check out “The Train-ing of Oklahoma,” KGOU’s award-winning documentary on the important role passenger trains played in the early history of Oklahoma (scroll down to 9/4/06 show after clicking on link)
Download and listen to "Remembering a Depot:"MP3
| Oklahoma House Speaker Lance Cargill’s 2007 Agenda
Monday, February 12, 2007 At 35, Republican Lance Cargill is the youngest House Speaker in the nation. His “2007 Year of Ideas Agenda” includes plans to foster an “Entrepreneurial Society,” his “Healthy Oklahoma Platform” and the “Safe Families Platform.” Representative Cargill has also introduced the “100 Ideas Initiative,” an ambitious, year-long plan to seek input from Oklahomans about directions their lawmakers and government should take. We listen in on Lance Cargill’s recent speech and Q & A session with reporters taking part in the fourth annual Associated Press Legislative Preview Workshop.MP3
| OK Lawmakers Discuss Issues Affecting the Business Community
Gov. Henry’s 2007 Legislative Agenda
Monday, February 5, 2007 David Rainbolt of the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber and a panel of state lawmakers discusses upcoming legislative issues affecting the economic health of Oklahoma. Guests include Democratic Senate President Pro Tem Mike Morgan, Republican Senate Co-President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, Republican House Speaker Lance Cargill and Democratic House Minority Leader Danny Morgan. They spoke at the Chamber’s 2007 Legislative Breakfast, held January 30th at the Oklahoma City Marriott. Also, we air Governor Brad Henry’s recent speech and Q & A session with reporters taking part in the fourth annual Associated Press Legislative Preview Workshop.MP3
| Previewing the Legislative Sessions in OK and Washington
& Mick Cornett's 2007 State of the City
Monday, January 29, 2007 Just one week from today, the 2007 Oklahoma Legislative Session will officially convene. With a Democrat as Lt. Governor, a tie in the State Senate and a Republican House leader actively soliciting ideas from constituents, it promises to be an interesting few months. On the national level, Oklahoma’s mostly Republican Congressional delegation is in the minority, with Democrats now in control of both Houses of Congress. The Fifth District has a new US Representative, and several Oklahoma lawmakers now have new committee assignments. OU Political Science Professor Keith Gaddie and our DC reporter Todd Zwillich join us for a half hour to discuss these and other legislative matters. We also listen back to OKC Mayor Mick Cornett’s recent State of the City address.
Related Links:
Oklahoma House Speaker Lance Cargill’s “100 Ideas Initiative”
Senator Tom Coburn featured in the February, 2007 issue of GQ magazine
Mayor Cornett’s website soliciting ideas for a potential MAPS 3 sales tax initiative
MP3
| Examining the Roots of Oklahoma’s Social Problems
Monday, Janurary 15, 2007 Oklahoma often takes the top spot in rankings the state would rather not be winning. Whether it’s the number of women behind bars, the rate of heart disease or mental illness, we struggle to break the stigma associated with our poor performance on many national studies. The Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy is one of several organizations in the state working to change those numbers. KGOU’s Kurt Gwartney speaks with the Institute’s Executive Director, Anne Roberts, about the Adverse Childhood Experience Study, which provides some fresh insights into why Oklahoma has trouble breaking out of its low rankings.MP3
| Building Mass Transit in OKC and Tulsa
Monday, January 8, 2007 at 11am Since its inception in a single day in 1889, the city of Oklahoma City has experienced remarkable growth, and its population continues to increase. Unfortunately, with more people comes more traffic and congestion, and that spells trouble for a state whose roads and bridges already rank as some of the worst in the nation. Now business and political leaders have begun to explore mass transit as a partial solution to congestion in and around Oklahoma’s largest cities. We hear from Tom Shelton, associate principal for the Dallas-based architecture and engineering consulting firm Carter & Burgess. Shelton was a lead consultant to the Central Oklahoma Transportation and Parking Authority’s Fixed Guideway Study, which developed a plan to implement a regional bus/rail public transportation system in the Oklahoma City metro area.
Meanwhile, Tulsa is currently considering the creation of its first rail line or a bus rapid transit service linking it with the city of Broken Arrow. Rich Fisher, host of Studio Tulsa on Public Radio Tulsa speaks with the General Manager of Tulsa Transit Bill Cartwright, as well as transportation consultant Timothy Schmidt.MP3
| Oklahoma’s Relationship with Canada
Monday, December 11, 2006 Canada’s Ambassador to the US, the Honorable Michael Wilson, joins us in our studio to discuss Oklahoma’s trade relationship with Canada. We also talk about a variety of issues affecting both Oklahomans and Canadians, including immigration, prescription drug importation and mad cow disease.MP3
| Treating Mental Health Issues Among Returning Oklahoma Veterans
Monday, December 4, 2006 We speak with Dr. Michelle Sherman, a psychologist and the Director of the Family Mental Health Program at the Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, about how Oklahoma soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are coping with mental health issues and what support systems are in place to help them. Sherman is also the co-author of Finding My Way: A Teen’s Guide to Living With a Parent Who Has Experienced Trauma.
We also listen to "Johnny Comes Home," the story of Iraq Marine veteran John Marchelletta by radio producer Rupa Marya. It's not included in the online version of this show, but you can listen to it here.
MP3
| Interview with the Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers
Monday, November 27, 2006 The Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers, pastor of Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City, attracted national attention with a speech he delivered on the University of Oklahoma campus against the Iraq War. The "speech heard round the world" eventually became the book, "Why the Christian Right is Wrong: A Minister's Manifesto for Taking Back Your Faith, Your Flag, Your Future." Kurt Gwartney interviewed Dr. Meyers in advance of his appearance on New Dimensions, airing Sunday, Dec. 3 at 7 a.m. on KGOU.MP3
| Remembering Oklahoma’s Oldest Residents During the State’s Centennial
Monday, November 20, 2006 As Oklahoma kicks off its year-long centennial celebration, what better way to learn about the state’s history than to speak with people who’ve actually lived here these past hundred years? We talk to Rev. Richard Ziglar, who works with NorthEast Active Timers, and Mary Jane Alexander, who’s traveled around Oklahoma photographing and speaking with centenarians. Click here to view some of her photographs
What memories would you have if you lived in Oklahoma since statehood? Oklahoma Today magazine has compiled a list of “The Top 46 Events in Oklahoma Political History.”MP3
| A Conversation with Oklahoma Native Journalist Anthony Shadid
Monday, November 13, 2006 Pulitzer Prize winning Washington Post journalist Anthony Shadid returns to his native Oklahoma and joins us in our studios to share excerpts from his book Night Draws Near: Iraq’s People in the Shadow of America’s War and discuss the current situation in that country.MP3
| KGOU Election Season Special: Pre-Election Political Wrap-up Monday, October 30, 2006
SoonerPolitics.com join us to give updates on the state races, review the ballot initiatives and answer questions from listeners.MP3
| Bringing Direct Flights to Oklahoma City
Monday, October 23, 2006 at 11:30am Ever since September 11th, air travel has gotten increasingly complicated and frustrating for many travelers. Getting from one airport to another has become more difficult with increased security, fewer flights and packed planes. And while the airline industry remains troubled, it is beginning to show signs of new life. Market analysts say major carriers posted third-quarter profits following a positive second quarter. This is only the second time in six years that airlines have had consecutive quarterly profits. We listen in on the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce’s recent luncheon where three representatives of the airline industry discussed the state of air travel at Will Rogers World Airport.MP3
| Alternative Fuels and National Security
Monday, October 16, 2006 Prior to September 11, 2001, the need to reduce US dependence on foreign oil was not clear to many Americans, and the path of doing so seemed a long, difficult and unnecessary one. But the terrorism risks in the post-9/11 world, the higher oil prices and the increased awareness of the vulnerability of the oil infrastructure have changed all that, as has technological progress in fuel efficiency and the development of alternative fuels. Former U.S. Central Intelligence Agency director James Woolsey discusses why global reliance on petroleum and related products to fuel the world’s transportation needs creates special dangers in our time. He spoke earlier this month at the Oklahoma Governor’s Conference on Biofuels, held on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.
Download and watch a video of James Woolsey, as well as audio and video clips of other presenters at the conference.
| Oklahoma’s Fourth Congressional District Candidates on the Issues
Monday, October 9, 2006 We discuss the race with US Representative Tom Cole, who’s seeking re-election to a third term in Congress. We also speak with Hal Spake, his Democratic opponent. The candidates share their views on immigration, US energy policy and the war in Iraq, among other topics.MP3
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