Parent Sues State Superintendent Over Bible Mandate in Classrooms
A Mayes County parent is suing State Superintendent Ryan Walters over his mandate to use the Bible in classrooms.
Joseph Price filed the lawsuit on June 27, the same day Walters announced the mandate.
Price argues Walters' directive violates the First Amendment and the separation of church and state.
The lawsuit seeks to block the mandate and requests $250,000 in damages.
Walters and the Oklahoma State Department of Education have moved to transfer the case from State District Court to Federal Court.
Oklahoma County Jail Reports Fifth Inmate Death of 2024
The Oklahoma County jail reported its fifth inmate death of 2024.
21-year-old Timothy Hardin Jr. was found unresponsive in his cell around 6:30 Monday morning and could not be revived.
Authorities are investigating the death as a possible drug overdose.
Hardin was arrested in May for violating a protective order.
The jail has had more than 40 deaths since a trust took over operations in 2020.
Edmond Lake Shows High Blue-Green Algae Levels
Tests show Lake Arcadia in Edmond has higher levels of blue-green algae than allowed by state regulators.
The algae was identified near Lake Arcadia’s dam. City officials say this won’t affect Edmond’s drinking water, which comes in part from the lake.
But the algae could cause problems for people trying to cool down in and on the water. The toxins produced by blue-green algae can irritate the skin, cause stomach troubles and at high doses lead to difficulty breathing.
The lake and its beaches are still open for recreation, but the city advises lake goers to check for algae before they or their pets get in the water.
The toxin-producing algae can be green with tinges of blue, red or brown. They’re not stringy like normal algae — they usually form a film that looks like a layer of paint on top of the water.
Oklahoma Health Care Authority Receives $2.5 million to Enhance School-Based Health Services
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority received a $2.5 million grant to enhance a program that provides Medicaid-billable services to students in school.
School-based services include things like preventative health care, behavioral health and physical therapy.
They’re provided to students with disabilities and health conditions.
The grant is from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Emily Long, the Oklahoma Health Care Authority’s public information officer, says it will use the grant to enhance services by improving program materials and helping districts connect with mobile units and telehealth services.
“This kind of really lays the foundation to be able to build a reliable support system for districts and students to make sure that they're getting the services that they need," said Long.
The grant will be distributed across three years.
Service Oklahoma to Launch New Driver’s License System
Programming for the state's new driver's license system of record is set to begin on Aug. 1.
Service Oklahoma has chosen FAST Enterprises as the state’s vendor for a new driver’s license system of record.
Currently, the Colorado-based software company is the provider for the state’s motor vehicle system.
The new system will combine the updated driver’s license system with the motor vehicle system into one program.
Officials say the new system will be easier to use and reduce processing times. It will also include mobile ID and digital wallet integration.
The new platform expected to be fully operational by Thanksgiving 2025.
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