Election Results
Voters in 22 Oklahoma counties made their voices heard at the ballot box Tuesday on school bonds and other issues.
Midwest City and Del City voters overwhelmingly approved a $492 million dollar school bond package to fund construction of a new elementary school, an indoor aquatic center and ten new storm shelters across the Mid-Del school district.
Two infrastructure bonds passed, as Bartlesville residents easily approved a $17 million dollar bond issue for road improvements, and Norman voters said yes to a $50 million dollar bridge replacement and repair bond.
In Comanche County, voters chose Republican Dusty Deevers and Democrat Larry Bush to face off in a Dec.12 special election in a District 32 Senate seat that was vacated this summer.
Ada Man Gets Exoneration
An Ada man who had spent 30 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit was exonerated Tuesday.
Perry Lott was convicted of rape and burglary in 1988 and was sentenced to more than 200 years in prison.
In 2014, a post-conviction DNA test proved his innocence.
Despite being proven innocent, Lott was not released from prison until 2018 when he filed a motion to have his conviction vacated.
Former District Attorney Paul Smith did not vacate Lott’s conviction, but instead modified his sentence so he would be released immediately.
Current District Attorney for District 22, Erik Johnson, concluded Lott’s conviction should be vacated.
This follows last month’s exoneration of another Oklahoma inmate, Glynn Simmons, who served nearly 50 years for murder before his case was dismissed.
Four Oklahoma Men Sentenced Over Whooping Crane Killings
Four Oklahoma men have been sentenced for killing four federally protected whooping cranes.
Crane crimes carry considerable costs. Some of these rare, stately birds pass through Oklahoma on their way from nests in Canada to their winter homes in the southern United States.
Four of these birds met untimely deaths at Tom Steed Reservoir near Altus in 2021. Four Southwest Oklahoma men pleaded guilty to the crane killings after a joint investigation between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation identified them as the culprits.
Last week, a federal judge ordered the men to pay $17,000 apiece to the International Crane Foundation, had them surrender their shotguns and stripped them of their hunting privileges in all 50 states for the next five years.
OK Arts Conference Coming To Lawton
The Oklahoma Arts Council will be hosting its official Oklahoma Arts Conference in Lawton-Fort Sill this year.
Oklahoma Arts Council Director of Rural and Creative Community Outreach Molly O’Connor says picking Lawton was an easy choice.
“When we looked at the proposal that was submitted for Lawton, it really stood out and we just saw that this would be a great opportunity for this year’s convening, the community has so much to offer when it comes to the arts and culture," said O'Connor.
This year’s theme is Promise In The Road Ahead, O’Connor says the images organizers used for the design showcase Southwest Oklahoma.
“I think that the natural beauty of the Wichita Mountains really is an inspiration for creativity.”
The Oklahoma Arts Conference kicks off next week.
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