Oklahoma Sooners Win Fourth Straight NCAA Title
The Oklahoma Sooners made NCAA softball history Thursday night with their fourth consecutive national championship.
The 8 to 4 victory over the Texas Longhorns at the Women’s College World Series in OKC secured the Sooners’ place in softball lore, doing something no other NCAA team has done.
It was a team effort, too, with all nine batters reaching base at least once and five pitchers deployed to try to stifle the Longhorns.
Ultimately, the senior-laden team leaned on its underclassmen, with a two-run homer by freshman Kasidi Pickering, a three RBI double by junior Cydney Sanders and a two RBI single by Ella Parker accounting for seven of the team’s eight runs.
Head coach Patty Gasso, who has now coached all eight of OU’s national championship squads, says the title is a high endpoint for the winningest senior class in Division I softball history.
“They have cemented this program in history," Gasso said. "They have cemented themselves in history. History can change, but these guys will never ever be forgotten."
Sen. David Bullard Hosts Press Conference on Managed Medicaid Transition
Oklahoma Sen. David Bullard invited health care providers across the state to discuss the transition to managed Medicaid at a press conference Wednesday. Providers say the transition has been a disaster.
Providers discussed challenges with receiving payments for the services they provide under the state’s new Medicaid system, where insurance companies are coordinating medical care. Dr. Kinion Whittington, an OB-GYN in Durant, says he’s received a little over $2,000 in claims since the transition began April 1.
“Do you know any businesses that would stay open for two or three months serving people and not receiving payment and are unsure if they will ever see payment or when it will occur?", said Whittington.
Oklahoma Health Care Authority Public Information Officer Emily Long says the agency is working to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible for members and providers.
Gov. Stitt Signs Bill Allowing Religious Instruction During School Hours
Gov Kevin Stitt signed a bill into law Wednesday requiring Oklahoma public schools to excuse students from class to receive off-campus religious or moral instruction. One congregation is ready to capitalize on the move.
House Bill 1425 directs district school boards to adopt policies that excuse students for no more than three class periods a week, or a maximum of 125 class periods per school year. Schools may not spend any of their own funds or use any personnel, equipment or resources to facilitate the program.
Participants are responsible for any missed school work, and they can’t miss class during a subject required for state testing. Schools will award students elective credit for work completed during the released time course that is substantiated by a transcript from the organization and evaluated by the school board.
The measure prompted the Satanic Temple to announce its Hellion Academy of Independent Learning may soon be available in Oklahoma. It says while it believes public schools should be free of religious influence, the new law allows Oklahoma to grant credit for classes taught by the Satanic Temple and welcomes its members to invite its program to their local schools.
Legislative Session Wrap-Up: Ag Measures
The legislative session is over and lawmakers focused on everything from invasive plants and homemade food labels to donkey milk. Here's more on what happened in the world of farming, ranching and rodeos.
Funding for the Oklahoma State Penitentiary Rodeo arena is paused.
Two measures in the Oklahoma Legislature would have allocated $8.3 million to repair and expand the arena. The Oklahoma Department of Corrections had designated $1 million to the effort.
But earlier in May, department director Steven Harpe, announced he would not seek the appropriation and asked for an interim study.
Meanwhile, a new law that will go into effect Nov. 1, aims to provide anonymity for producers on homemade food product labels.
Under the measure, producers can register for a number through the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry to put on their homemade food product labels.
This would be used instead of a producer’s name, phone number and the address of where the product is produced.
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