Oklahoma Democratic Party Unites Behind Vice President Kamala Harris for President
The Oklahoma Democratic Party is fully supporting Vice President Kamala Harris as the next president of the United States. It means Oklahoma joins more than 30 other state delegations pledging all their members to nominate Harris at the party’s convention.
When President Joe Biden ended his run for a second term on Sunday and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the better option, he threw major media outlets, Republicans and members of his own party into a frenzy of speculation.
In the days following Biden’s announcement, anyone with skin in the game was asking themself: Does Harris have the support of her party to secure its presidential nomination?
Chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party Alicia Andrews says it’s a no-brainer.
"The vice president has been an integral part of the Biden-Harris team. We recognize that she’s had three and a half years of on-the-job training. And if we're honest with ourselves, people have been saying ‘we want a different choice.’ Now, we have given them a different choice," said Andrews.
Andrews says each of Oklahoma’s 41 Democratic delegates individually confirmed they would nominate Harris at the party convention in Chicago next month.
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt Celebrates Key Achievements in State of the City Address
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt is touted OKC’s accomplishments in his State of the City Address Tuesday.
Mayor Holt painted a hopeful picture in his 2024 State of the City speech.
Holt says this time last year the city faced a historic decision. OKC was on the verge of losing the Thunder and losing its status as a big league city. Holt says a new arena and a 30-year deal with the Thunder were key accomplishments this past year.
“Sometimes in our past OKC has been almost completely defined by its tragedies and its losses. All the more reason to celebrate the greatest run we’ve ever had. Will it end some day? Not if we can help it," Holt said.
Holt highlighted plans to bring the 2028 Olympics to the city, new development in south OKC and efforts to end homelessness. Even the new Oklahoma-based film Twisters got a shout out.
Norman Faces Ongoing Challenges with Homelessness, Shelter Sustainability
Norman continues to grapple with concerns about its homeless population and its existing shelter. City council members discussed the issue at their regular meeting Tuesday evening.
There’s general agreement that the existing shelter on Gray Street isn’t sustainable.
So, what to do? There was at least an idea proposed from City Manager Darrel Pyle to utilize facilities at Griffin Memorial Hospital to serve as a more permanent homeless shelter. There are hurdles to that. It’s state property. But it was clear from the public comment period of the meeting that some citizens are getting frustrated.
"Can you put some soap in our power washers on the sidewalks on Main Street? It’s disgusting," said one attendee.
"We’re not addressing what’s happening on all of our business owners. Do we want them all to pack up and leave? Do we want to not have a downtown?," said another.
Others did express sympathy for the community’s homeless population and a need to provide adequate services.
Oklahoma Scientist Receives $2.4 Million Grant to Study Genetic Mutations
The National Institutes of Health is awarding an Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist $2.4 million to study disease-causing genetic mutations.
Gaurav Varshney’s lab uses zebrafish to study the effects of genetic variants. That’s because more than 80% of disease-causing genes in humans are also found in zebrafish, and their transparent bodies make it easier to track organ development through testing.
Varshney committed to using the four-year grant to study 80 genes related to neurological disorders, hearing loss and musculoskeletal diseases. But he says he thinks he could get closer to studying 200 genes over four years.
The goal is to fill the gap between discovering these genes and understanding their impacts, which could pave the way for potential drug therapies.
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