Many Legislative Races Already Decided Before Oklahoma Primary Election Day
Before Oklahoma voters cast their ballots for primaries on June 18, more than a third of the legislative offices are already decided.
Fifty of the 127 seats up for grabs in the House and Senate have already been won. That accounts for 40% of legislative elections in Oklahoma this year.
And it’s too late for anyone to oppose those running for their district uncontested. The official candidate filing period ended back in early April.
Oklahoma is not the only state seeing some public office hopefuls—and people wanting to keep their elected positions—running without a contest.
States like Texas, Nebraska and Alabama are seeing similar trends, particularly in rural areas and in some cases to a greater degree.
Eastern Oklahoma Sheriff Suspended for Embezzlement and Bribery Charges
A sheriff in eastern Oklahoma has been suspended after being accused of embezzlement and bribery.
A judge ordered the interim suspension of Pittsburg County Sheriff Chris Morris. Morris has been charged with two felonies and is accused of using his public office for his personal financial gain.
An independent prosecutor’s affidavit says Morris illegally sold his personal Polaris utility vehicle to the sheriff’s office for almost $30,000. He has also been accused of negotiating free repairs for his Polaris UTV in exchange for letting an auto shop upcharge repairs for two Pittsburg County vehicles. Morris denies any wrongdoing.
Morris has been the Pittsburg County sheriff for eight years and is running for reelection in the Republican primary on June 18th.
He is suspended until his removal trial which is scheduled to begin at the end of July.
Cherokee Nation Celebrates Grand Opening of Community Center
The Cherokee Nation is celebrating the grand opening of the Woody Hair Community Center last week in Kenwood.
Part of the Cherokee Nation reservation and 30 miles north of Tahlequah, Kenwood has a population of 904. Over 500 of those residents are Indigenous.
The new community center replaces the original one, which was built in the 1970s.
Cherokee Nation Chief Chuck Hoskin says the $10 million investment is part of the tribe’s mission to keep even the smallest areas of the reservation prosperous.
"We mean to keep Cherokee communities alive and thriving and that is the choice we’re making today in the great community of Kenwood," said Hoskin.
Dawni Squirrel has lived in Kenwood her entire life. She says the new center is a monumental step for Kenwood.
It’s hard to almost take in, I’m looking at it and it’s hard to believe this exists here now," said Squirrel.
The new center is over 33,000 sq. ft., and will host numerous activities, programs and events.
Supreme Court Rules Federal Government Must Cover Overhead Costs for Tribal Nations
The U.S. Supreme Court says the federal government is responsible for overhead costs associated with billing insurance companies for tribal nations.
In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court sided with the San Carlos Apache Tribe in Arizona and the Northern Arapaho Tribe in Wyoming.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, holds the government responsible for overhead costs.
John Echohawk is a Pawnee attorney and Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund. He says the decision honors Congress' commitment to Tribal Nations’ rights to self-determination.
The court ultimately affirmed the 1975 Indian Self-Determination Act, ensuring tribes have the support to run healthcare programs like the Indian Health Service.
The two tribes involved in the case say the government underpaid them by about 4.5 million over two to three year contracts.
Community Input On New Park In Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City Parks is seeking input from community members on a new park being developed.
Swisher Park will be 119-acres, and located just north of the intersection of SW 15th Street and County Line Road.
A park development meeting is planned for 6 p.m. June 18 at Mustang North Middle School in Yukon.
The park is funded by the voter-approved 2017 GO Bond Program.
________________
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.