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AM NewsBrief: Jan. 30, 2023

This is the KGOU AM NewsBrief for Monday, Jan. 30, 2023.

Multiple rounds of winter weather expected this week

This week Oklahomans are preparing for more winter weather. Meteorologist Ryan Bunker with the National Weather Service in Norman says a mix of precipitation will be possible through early Thursday

"This is going to be mainly freezing rain and sleet with this event.  Northern Oklahoma may experience some snow. There may be some snow that briefly mixes in as far south as central Oklahoma. But the main types are going to be mainly freezing rain and sleet," said Bunker.

The Weather Service predicts between a trace and a tenth of inch of ice accumulation will be possible around the metro—higher amounts expected for southeastern Oklahoma.

New Asian OKC Chamber of Commerce

Last week, a group of Oklahoma City business leaders launched the new Greater Oklahoma City Asian Chamber of Commerce.

The new organization had its official kick off with an event attended by city and state officials - like OKC Mayor David Holt and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt. 

Data from the OKC Chamber of Commerce shows 55% of all people with Asian ancestry in Oklahoma live in the greater Oklahoma City area. That’s nearly 50,000 people.

Not only has OKC’s population been growing - but there has also been an increase in the number of Asian-owned businesses. 

The new Greater Oklahoma City Asian Chamber of Commerce has several goals - including strengthening and advocating for Asian businesses and professionals, recruiting Asian-owned businesses and pursuing educational and cultural initiatives. 

ARPA funding for water projects

Hundreds of Oklahoma cities, towns and rural water districts applied for competitive grants to fund water and wastewater projects. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board has announced 76 communities across the state that are likely to receive that money.

The money comes from the American Rescue Plan Act, which spread almost $2 trillion across the United States in hopes of boosting the economy out of the COVID-19 slump. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board ended up with 100 million of those dollars to mete out for water infrastructure projects.

There are a couple of patterns in the original applications of communities that came out on top of the grant process. Many of the smaller water systems said they needed grants to comply with consent orders from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. Those are agreements between the system and the DEQ about required actions to fix environmental violations.

In larger communities, prioritized applications tended to address aging infrastructure and concerns about staving off future violations.

OKCPD Lawsuit

A series of allegedly unlawful police stops of a Muslim man has led to a lawsuit against the Oklahoma City Police Department.

The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations has filed a lawsuit against the Oklahoma City Police Department for stopping Air Force veteran Saadiq Long five times since November of last year, including a stop earlier this month which resulted in Long being handcuffed and arrested at gunpoint while his car was searched.

Long sued the federal government in 2015 for placing him on the No Fly List without explanation. The Council says while Long has been removed from the No Fly List, OKCPD’s recent actions suggest his name may still be on federal watchlists, despite him never being charged of any terrorism-related crimes.

Sovereign community school termination

The Oklahoma State Board of Education has begun the process of terminating their sponsorship of Sovereign Community School in Oklahoma City. The move comes after nearly two years of debate over the school’s financial solvency.

During a three hour meeting, State Department of Education attorney Bryan Cleveland raised concerns about the school’s financial stability – including $500,000 in outstanding debt, attendance issues and lagging academics compared to peer charter schools.

Ultimately, he recommended the state board terminate their sponsorship of the school and the board voted to begin the process, which would take months.

Kendra Wilson-Clements, the board president of Sovereign, said the school had anticipated that decision. She and other officials will begin strategizing on whether to appeal and how to move forward.

"What I'm saying is, is that, yes, the things you saw, horrible, unacceptable, unbelievable. But not to the level of where we need to close these doors," said Wilson-Clements.

In a statement on Sovereign's website, Wilson-Clements and Alison Black, the new head of school, say they would present a new plan by March 1st. If Sovereign Community School doesn't appeal and the state does terminate its sponsorship, the school will remain open until the end of the 2023 school year.

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