Oklahoma City Council Rejects Proposal for Outdoor Amphitheater
The Oklahoma City Council has thrown a wrench in plans to construct an outdoor amphitheater in far west OKC. The council rejected a proposal during its meeting Tuesday.
The Sunset Amphitheater called for 12,000 seats, and more than 100 suites, at a site between Yukon and Mustang, near Interstate 40 and the Kilpatrick Turnpike.
Nearby residents, however, were not happy about the proposed development. Roughly 70 people crammed into the council’s chambers to voice concerns about noise and increased traffic that could come with the outdoor venue.
Ultimately, the council sided with those opposed and denied the development’s rezoning application by a vote of 7-2.
Notes Live, the Colorado-based company behind the venue, says it will now explore alternative sites “within the Oklahoma City region.”
Just last month, the Broken Arrow City Council approved a similar-sized outdoor amphitheater by Notes Live. That venue is scheduled to open in 2025.
Governor and Choctaw Nation Agree On Car Tag Compact
Gov. Kevin Stitt and the Choctaw Nation have reached an agreement on a car tag compact.
The 10-year motor vehicle tag and registration compact covers policies for license plates, turnpike tolls and state revenues.
The governor says the agreement is the state's 12th compact finalized with tribal governments since the end of 2023.
Oklahoma Senate Education Committee Advances Bill to Expand State Board of Education Membership
A bill to shake up the membership of the State Board of Education advanced through the Senate Education Committee Tuesday. The measure would expand who gets to appoint board members beyond just the governor.
Currently, the State Board of Education includes the State Superintendent and six members appointed by the governor. House Bill 2562, whose Senate author is Felt Republican Casey Murdock, would add four more members. Two would be appointed by the Speaker of the House, and two would be appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate.
The Speaker’s appointees would consist of one rural resident and one former superintendent from a district with less than ten thousand students. The Pro Tem’s appointees would include another rural resident and a former superintendent from a district with more than ten thousand students.
The bill passed with the title off, which allows the Senate to hear it again and make changes if the House passes it. Murdock says he wants to, “give rural Oklahoma a little more power” by reducing the bill’s enrollment requirement for the former superintendent position to five thousand students. He also wants to give the Senate the authority to approve or nix the appointees from the Speaker of the House.
Republican Caucus To Ratify Moore Congressman's Selection To Lead U.S. House Appropriations Committee
Oklahoma Congressman Tom Cole is getting the nod from his Republican colleagues to lead the U.S. House of Representatives appropriations committee.
The powerful committee is in charge of setting budget priorities for the chamber.
Cole had run unopposed for the seat and was formally picked by the House GOP steering committee Tuesday evening.
It's expected the full Republican caucus will ratify the Moore congressman's selection for the role Wednesday.
________________
For additional news throughout the day visit our website, KGOU.org and follow us on social media.
We also invite you to subscribe to the KGOU PM NewsBrief.