Oklahoma’s Top Election Official Reassures Voter Safety After Foiled Election Day Threat
Despite recent news of a foiled terror attack planned for Election Day, Oklahoma’s top election official says voters should still feel safe when they cast their ballots.
Paul Ziriax is the Oklahoma State Election Board Secretary. He oversees election operations and preparedness in all 77 counties.
He says planning for the security of polling places and county election offices is routine during election season, regardless of threats of violence or terrorism.
"I’ll give you an example. Recently, the state election board coordinated what's called a tabletop exercise, which is where you gather around and, and, and you simulate various scenarios on paper," Ziriax said.
Election officials, alongside local, state and federal law enforcement, walk through various scenarios, including acts of terror.
"We had that planned before we even knew about this threat that was disrupted," he said.
He says the goal is constantly improving security, readiness and communication.
President Biden Issues Formal Apology for Federal Role in Native American Boarding Schools
President Joe Biden was in Arizona Friday to issue a formal apology for the federal government's role in Native American boarding schools.
Biden appeared before the Gila Indian Community in Arizona to issue a “long overdue” apology for the one-hundred-fifty year period the federal government mandated the separation and assimilation of Native children from their families.
The apology comes after Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland’s investigation into these schools discovered children had faced sexual violence, abuse and died while under the care of these institutions.
“Nearly 1,000 documented Native child deaths. Though the real number is likely to be much, much higher, lost generations, culture and language, lost trust," Biden said.
President Biden asked for a moment of silence before his formal statement.
“I formally apologize, as President of the United States of America, for what we did."
Oklahoma had the most boarding schools of any state in the U.S. with 83.
Rush Fire Burns 10,000+ Acres, Closes Wichita Mountains Refuge
Southwest Oklahoma’s Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge is closed while a large fire burns through part of the preserve.
The Rush Fire,started Thursday afternoon and has since burned more than 10,000 acres.
Comanche County Emergency Management officials say around 150 people from more than 20 agencies are working around the clock to contain the fire. The teams have focused their efforts where the fire is closest to homes and are performing backburning to keep it from spreading.
El Reno Hosts 36th Annual World Gay Rodeo Finals
The international gay rodeo wrapped up over the weekend in El Reno.
Dirt flies as horses gallop through the 36th Annual World Gay Rodeo Finals in the Canadian County Expo and Event Center. There are ten traditional events at the World Gay Rodeo Finals, but there are also some you won’t find many other places, like a goat dressing contest.
Mark Christensen is the rodeo’s director. He got into the Great Plains Rodeo Association while in college.
“We are about family, and that's one of the things that a lot of folks don't understand. And that's what we are about. We are about family, and we're going to take care of our families," said Christensen.
More than 100 people competed in the event.
OKC Minor League Team Rebrands as 'Comets'
Oklahoma City’s minor league baseball team has a new name. The team will now be known as the Comets.
In an announcement Saturday night, the club says the new team name honors one of Oklahoma’s most famous ballplayers, Mickey Mantle, nicknamed the “Commerce Comet.”
The team had recently dropped the Dodgers’ name of their parent club. However, OKC will still be affiliated with the Los Angeles team. Players had spent a year without a team name, simply playing as the Oklahoma City baseball club.
The team has been in Oklahoma City since 1962 and has gone by various names, from the Dodgers to the Red Hawks to the Eighty-Niners.
________________
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.