Walters Announces Signing Bonus For Rural Oklahoma Teachers
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has announced a new round of signing bonuses to attract secondary math and science teachers to rural schools for the upcoming school year.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters said Monday these bonuses, ranging from $15,000 to $25,000, aim to address teacher shortages in rural areas.
The bonus is available to teachers who have not taught in an Oklahoma public school during the 2023-24 school year and have a certification in secondary math or science.
Last year, a similar program successfully recruited over 500 educators but faced controversy when some teachers were mistakenly awarded bonuses and later asked to repay them.
Oklahoma County Commissioners Approve Land Purchase For Mental Health Center
Oklahoma County Commissioners Monday approved purchasing land at 1901 East Grand Boulevard for $5 million for a mental health center.
Last month, the Oklahoma City Council rejected a rezoning request for the new county jail to be built at that location.
The land acquisition aims to save federal funding, which was set aside for a mental health facility to go alongside the new county jail.
Critics argue the move is a covert strategy to eventually build the jail on the site. A jail at that location has received pushback from nearby residents in Del City.
Commissioners say they are still exploring options to make the site suitable for the new jail.
Commissioner Brian Maughan told local media that a court case might be necessary to resolve sovereignty issues over the land use.
Oklahoma Lawmakers Reconvene for Special Session to Confirm Governor's Nominee for Board of Regents
Oklahoma lawmakers return to the state Capitol for a special session this week. The goal: confirm the governor’s nomination for the newest member of the Board of Regents for Agricultural and Mechanical colleges.
Gov. Kevin Stitt nominated Mike Holder to serve on the board governing Oklahoma State University, Langston University and a few other rural colleges.
Holder has been a long-time champion for OSU. As a member of the Cowboy golf team, he won the top individual medal in the Big Eight Conference in 1970. He later served as the team’s head coach for three decades and eventually became the university’s athletic director.
Holder is Stitt’s second choice for the Board of Regents. In early April, the governor recommended rancher, businesswoman and state-recognized conservationist Susan Bergen for a Senate confirmation.
The chamber overwhelmingly voted her down during the last week of the regular session. Now, Stitt is calling them back to vote on Holder’s nomination.
Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat is criticizing Stitt saying the governor's timeline is too aggressive.
Treat says the Senate's confirmation process won't allow the chamber to put a nominee up for a vote tomorrow.
He says it's another example of the governor not understanding the process or rules of the Senate.
The Senate Republican Caucus will meet Tuesday to discuss the next steps for Stitt's nomination
Warrant Clearing Event
Hundreds of people with active warrants got a chance at a clean slate this weekend.
People of all ages started lining up nearly three hours before Diversion Hub opened its doors. This is the fifth event the nonprofit has hosted to help residents clear their misdemeanor and local warrants.
Attendees got help understanding their record, paying outstanding fees, or scheduling new court dates. And they enjoyed snacks, music and games while they waited in the hot sun.
Rocky Conway has been using Diversion Hub’s legal support services for about a month, and his case manager invited him to this event.
“Not only am I taking care of things that can haunt me later, I'm also learning that there's all kinds of services out there that I never even was aware of," said Conway.
Conway says he hopes by this time next year, his landscaping company will be off the ground and he’ll be helping young people avoid the mistakes he’s made.
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