How Government Shutdown Could Impact Oklahoma
The clock is ticking on a potential government shutdown this weekend and it could have an impact for Oklahoma.
Federal workers in the state could be furloughed if Congress does not approve legislation to keep the government operating past Saturday.
The Oklahoman reports if the shutdown persists, civilian workers and soldiers will miss paychecks. That includes 21,000 active-duty military troops at the state’s four major bases and ammunition plant.
If the government shuts down next week, Social Security checks will still go out, and veterans pensions and other benefits won’t be curtailed. However, many federal offices, parks and museums could close.
Tribal Gaming Disputes
The legal saga surrounding Gov. Kevin Stitt's gaming compacts with two tribal nations continues.
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is asking a judge to represent the state’s interests in the ongoing legal saga over a pair of gaming compacts Stitt signed with two tribal nations in 2020.
Tribal nations and the governor were at odds in 2020 over whether their existing model compact renewed then. Stitt eventually signed two different compacts with two other tribal nations, allowing them to expand their footprint and gaming.
Four tribal nations objected and four sued the state. Drummond says Stitt and his legal counsel are incapable of representing the state in the case. Stitt argues otherwise and is trying to have Drummond removed.
It will ultimately be up to the judge in federal court to decide who will represent the state moving forward.
Buffalo Killed At Wildlife Refuge
Two buffalo were killed at the Wichita Wildlife Refuge.
David Folkert owns property near the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge in southwest Oklahoma. He told KFOR his mother spotted the two bison roaming the property on Sunday.
On Monday, he caught the smell of rotting buffalo flesh near a dried up creek on his property. Refuge employees told Folkert the bison had been running loose for three weeks and there was no other option but to shoot them.
According to a statement from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the bison were humanely and legally euthanized to limit the risk of introducing diseases to the core refuge herd.
The Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is managed by the service and is the largest bison refuge.
Women In Business Interim Study
Lawmakers at the capitol are hearing about obstacles for women entrepreneurs in Oklahoma.
University of Oklahoma lecturer Kristen Caruso says women she teaches don’t want to stick around the state because of the wage gap.
"On average a woman in the state of Oklahoma makes about 75 cents to every dollar that’s made by their male counterpart So if I am trying to convince my female students to stay in the state of Oklahoma they're gonna look at that statistic and say why would I stay where my wage is 25% lower than a man doing the same job," said Caruso.
Caruso says the gap is worse in Oklahoma than other states. Nationally women make an average of about 83% of what men earn. Oklahoma businesswoman Amy Million told lawmakers women still have a harder time accessing funding, too.
"In the 70’s women couldn’t even go get a loan or a checking account or a credit card in their name," Million said.
Sen. Mary Boren of Norman requested the the interim study.
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