Oklahoma House Republicans Advocate for Additional Tax Cuts Despite Senate Opposition
House Republicans are pushing forward the conversation about more tax cuts following a slate of last minute tax slashing measures that passed the House last week.
House Republicans passed House Bills 2948, 2949 and 2950, last week. The three measures would lower the state income tax for individuals and corporations.
House Speaker Charles McCall introduced the bills. He says if passed, Oklahoma would eventually have no income tax…as long as the state’s base revenues continue to grow year after year.
"I'm hoping that the Senate will consider those measures. That does put us on a path to eventually becoming competitive with the most robust economies throughout the United States," said McCall.
The approved Senate budget doesn’t account for any more tax cuts beyond the elimination of the state grocery tax already signed into law earlier this year. And Senate leadership says further cuts are off the table.
Mild Winter Sparks Early Morel Mushroom Season
Oklahoma fungi foragers started finding morel mushrooms in late February — about a month ahead of schedule.
Yellow morels are prized for their rich, nutty taste — they sell for $20 a pound. These honeycomb-looking mushrooms usually spring up in forested areas of Oklahoma starting in March or April.
Jacob DeVecchio of Oklahoma Fungi says a mild winter and recent rains are extending this year’s morel season.
"There's a saying that we have in the mushroom community, and that is when it rains it spores," said DeVecchio.
Yellow morels are tasty and safe when cooked, but there are poisonous and inedible lookalikes out there. DeVecchio says to never eat mushrooms raw, and to be confident you know what kind you’ve found.
Oklahoma is one of the only states in our area without an official mushroom guide, although DeVecchio hopes to change that later this year.
If you want to learn how to forage and prepare morels, you can attend Oklahoma Fungi’s third annual Morel Mushroom Education class at the Myriad Botanical Gardens on April 7.
Oklahoma County Offers Warrant Clearing Event
Oklahoma County is hosting a warrant clearing event next month. People with warrants can attend without the risk of being arrested.
The event will be held on Friday, April 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Latino Community Development Agency in Oklahoma City.
Those with misdemeanor, traffic, and cost warrants as well as probation violations in Oklahoma County will be able to pay their fees, set up payment plans, or reschedule court dates. Oklahoma County judges and attorneys from the Public Defender and District Attorney’s offices as well as service providers like the Diversion Hub and the Bail Project will be there to provide assistance.
Shuttle transportation to the event will also be available from TEEM, the Diversion Hub, the Homeless Alliance, HOPE, and the Urban League of Greater Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma Astronaut and Space Pioneer Tom Stafford Dies at 93
Oklahoma-born astronaut Tom Stafford died Monday.
Stafford commanded the Apollo 10 mission in 1969, the 2nd time NASA orbited the moon.
He also flew two Gemini missions, the second manned US space flight program, and a historic cooperative mission with Soviet cosmonauts.
Stafford reflected on his Apollo 10 mission in a 2019 interview for the space agency.
"One thing people always ask: ‘were you frightened? Were you scared?’ The answer is no... We knew what [the] risks were. You did everything you could to mitigate the risk, but there was a risk, and so we understood that," Stafford said.
Stafford was born in Weatherford and never forgot his roots.
According to the Stafford Air and Space Museum, named in his honor, the Lieutenant General considered himself a proud “Weatherford Eagle.”
Stafford was 93.
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