Oklahoma Death row inmate Richard Glossip is asking the U.S. Supreme Court for a stay of execution. KGOU’s/OPMX’S Hannah France has more.
Following the Pardon and Parole Board’s decision against recommending clemency last week, Richard Glossip filed an unopposed application for stay of execution to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Gov. Kevin Stitt, who has stayed Glossip’s execution in the past to allow time for the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals to examine claims of innocence and prosecutorial misconduct, says he will not attempt to further stay Glossip’s execution.
This person has been through two different trails and was convicted by a jury of their peers twice. And unless the courts intervene or act, we’re going to follow the law.
Glossip is scheduled to be executed on May 18.
The Oklahoma Senate made a move Thursday to end the education funding stalemate.
In a resounding answer to the House’s education plan, the Senate’s is markedly different: instead of the $2-5,000 teacher raises from the House, the Senate’s plan bumps that to $4-8,000 depending on experience.
That’s in addition to a new $3,000 one-time stipend for all full-time school employees returning from the last school year.
Also on the table is 8 weeks of paid maternity leave for teachers, a student literacy pilot program, and $150 million added to the funding formula.
The Senate plan also includes voucher-like tax credits for private and homeschool students, but notably, the Senate’s plan divorces that from the rest of the education funding package - meaning it would not have to pass for the rest of the measures to pass.
Gov. Kevin Stitt praised the new package as a move toward resolution.
It’s still going to be a while until passenger rail connects Oklahoma City to Kansas. But there’s some movement on the proposed Heartland Flyer Extension.
The Kansas and Oklahoma Departments of Transportation are hoping to connect Oklahoma City with much of the rest of the country via Amtrak. The states are applying for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor Identification and Development Program - paid for by the bipartisan infrastructure bill.
K-DOT’s Cory Davis says there’s still a long way to go.
"Right now we’re in the planning phase where we are developing a service development plan that kind of provide a roadmap for moving the service forward… Our goal right now is to get in that pipeline to be able to access those federal fund," said Davis.
If the states do get the federal funding, the development of the project would still be years away.
If and when the program is completed, the Heartland Flyer Extension would reconnect Oklahoma and Kansas communities north to the national Amtrak network.
Lawton native PJAE’s American Idol Journey has concluded, but he’s not done with music. Here's what’s next for him.
PJAE made it to the Top 26. He says his American Idol journey was fun, but there’s more on the horizon he’s excited about.
"From what I can say, I have more music coming, which is exciting to say, so that’s one thing that’s next. There’s more that I can’t necessarily share. But I think honestly a fresh attitude is the biggest thing." PJAE said.
PJAE says he was touched by the support of the Lawton-Fort Sill Community.
“It was really awesome to kind of see the community band together and support me… it taught me a lot about community and my hometown honestly.”
PJAE’s time on American Idol ended in Hollywood when the top 20 contestants were announced last week.
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