Temporary stay of execution for death row inmate Richard Glossip
Governor Kevin Stitt granted Richard Glossip a 60-day stay of execution so the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals can consider his claim of innocence.
Glossip was found guilty of hiring Justin Sneed to kill motel owner Barry Van Treese in 1997. Law firm Reed Smith recently discovered new evidence which calls into question Sneed’s implication of Glossip in the murder.
Glossip has been scheduled for execution three times previously, last time in 2015 when he was mere hours away from lethal injection when it was realized officials did not have the correct drugs to carry out the procedure.
Mustang Public Schools superintendent requests re-evaluation of downgraded accreditation status
Mustang Public Schools has joined Tulsa in asking Oklahoma’s State Board of Education to reverse its decision to downgrade the district’s accreditation.
Mustang superintendent Charles Bradley shared his request to the state board of education in a letter to parents Tuesday.
Bradley writes that he thinks the state board’s decision to accredit Mustang with a warning was unfair and the school district wasn’t given a chance to defend itself. He requested the board revisit the matter in an upcoming meeting.
Mustang and Tulsa were the first districts to be punished for alleged violations of House Bill 1775 - Oklahoma’s so-called Critical Race Theory ban that makes no actual mention of CRT, but does prohibit schools from teaching controversial topics about race and gender.
Oklahoma City Public Schools calls for bond election
Oklahoma City Public Schools is calling for a bond election this November.
The $955 million bond issue would be the largest in the history of Oklahoma City Public Schools and it will appear on the November general election ballot.
It would raise property taxes within OKCPS boundaries from 18 mills to 26 mills. That would represent an increase of $8 per $1,000 of assessed value annually.
The bond would pay for some big projects: five new schools, a new multisport stadium and a bevy of renovations across the district.
Bond issues need 60 percent of voters to approve them to pass in Oklahoma. It would be the first property tax increase to pay for OKCPS improvements since 2000.
Primary runoff election early voting details
There’s more voting in Oklahoma ahead of the November mid-term elections.
Key races to determine nominees for each party include the Democratic fight to see who will face incumbent James Lankford in November for the U.S. Senate.
Republicans will determine their candidate to replace retiring U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe, Markwayne Mullin’s now vacant House seat, and state school superintendent.
State Election Secretary Paul Ziriax reminds voters that Oklahoma is a closed primary state. Independents can vote in the Democratic runoff, but not in the Republican races.
Early voting is available on Thursday and Friday of this week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. Absentee ballots must be in the hands of county election boards by 7 p.m. on election night.
If you have any questions concerning voting locations or related concerns, contact your county election board or the state election board at 405-522-2391.
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