Update On New Veterans Home In Sallisaw
Oklahoma lawmakers are moving along with opening a new veterans’ home in Sallisaw.
A bill was heard in the Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Committee Wednesday.
Sen. Todd Gollihare’s SB 1707 allows the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs to sell the now-closed veterans’ home in Talihina and use the proceeds to open its replacement in Sallisaw later this year.
Greg Slavonic is the executive director of the Veterans Affairs Department. He says the department hopes to sell the Talihina home for $4 million.
“If we don't sell the home. Say by the 1st of April, instead of incurring that $80,000 a month expense ODVA is incurring, my intent at that point, would turn the property over to OMES and let them manage the home at that point,” Slavonic said.
The Choctaw Nation is the most likely buyer.
The measure passed its committee hearing with a 7-3 vote and now moves on to the full Senate.
Food For Schools Program Success
Since the Local Food for Schools Program began in 2023, almost 250 Oklahoma school districts received grants through the project. Officials say because of its success, there is no more available funding.
School districts in the program work with local producers to bring food - everything from watermelons to hamburger patties - to students during breakfast and lunch.
The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry. Oklahoma is the 5th hungriest state in the country and many children in the state do not get the food they need.
The program’s purpose is to not only boost the nutrients in the food served, but also local farmers and ranchers’ businesses.
So far, nearly 150 local producers from across the state have made connections with districts.
A Concern Over Shortage Of Poll Workers In Tulsa
Officials in Tulsa are once again worried about poll worker shortages for upcoming elections.
Several special elections are happening in Oklahoma this year, plus a presidential election.
Tulsa County Election Board Secretary Gwen Freeman is worried about the people and the facilities that make it all happen.
“The problem is when people don’t volunteer to work our precincts, or if people say ‘you know, we’re not gonna let you use our building anymore as a precinct site,’ that’s when all of the work we do here is meaningless. That’s when the election system falls apart," said Freeman.
Election officials rely 100% on public participation to conduct elections.
Officials are pleading with the public to volunteer as polls workers in a year when they are needed more than ever.
Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Expands Into Northwestern Oklahoma
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is expanding to northwestern Oklahoma.
The Woodward Public Library and the Northwest Oklahoma Literacy Council recently announced their partnership with the Dollywood Foundation.
The literacy-promoting program provides participating kids with one free book a month until they are five years old.
Woodward library officials say just over 300 kids of the nearly 1300 eligible in Woodward county have enrolled in the program.
Oklahoma Country Music Star Reba McEntire To Perform At Super Bowl
Country music superstar Reba McEntire launched her career by singing the national anthem at the 1974 National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. Now, 50 years later, she’ll do it again this Sunday at the Super Bowl.
McEntire will become the third Oklahoman to perform the anthem at the Super Bowl, following Garth Brooks in 1993 and Carrie Underwood in 2010. One-time Oral Roberts University student Kathie Lee Gifford also sang it in 1995.
The game itself will feature several players with state ties, including six former Oklahoma Sooners, like San Francisco 49ers All-Pro tackle Trent Williams and Kansas City Chiefs starting center Creed Humphrey. Norman High School alum and All-Pro tight end George Kittle will also be heavily involved in the game for the 49ers.
Super Bowl LVIII airs Sunday evening on CBS.
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