New Education Board Members Challenge Ryan Walters Over Changes to Social Studies Standards
New members of the State Board of Education pushed back against State Superintendent Ryan Walters about the process for approving new social studies academic standards that had quietly added 2020 election denialism rhetoric.
Since the board’s February meeting, the three new members appointed by Gov. Kevin Stitt have repeatedly raised concerns about the process of voting on the new standards.
It was revealed to the public after the vote that the standards had been updated to include election denialism rhetoric.
At Thursday’s meeting, member Chris Van Denhende disputed Walters’ downplaying of the legitimacy of members’ concerns.
"It is a controversy because the changes were not known to the public or the people that were involved in developing the baseline standards, and they feel there was a bait and switch," said Denhende.
The department distributed a packet with a copy of the email sent to board members around 4 p.m. the afternoon before the standards vote. That information ended up in a Senate Joint Resolution filed Thursday by Education Chair Adam Pugh to reject the standards. It must pass both chambers to take effect.
Ranchers Form Alliance to Protect Lesser Prairie-Chicken Habitat Across the Plains
Several ranchers and landowners in the southwestern plains are joining forces to protect habitat for the lesser prairie-chicken.
The Lesser Prairie-Chicken Landowner Alliance is made up of about 17 ranchers in Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico.
Their goal is to use conservation banking to preserve lesser prairie-chicken populations, which only exist in five states.
The landowners make money by maintaining their land and selling credits to developers of oil and gas or renewable projects.
The group says it helps ranchers continue their agricultural work while helping out a critical species.
At least two ranches in Leedey and Beaver are taking part.
Dollar Tree to Build New Distribution Center in Marietta After Tornado Destruction
Dollar Tree is announcing plans for a new distribution center in south-central Oklahoma.
The company announced Thursday that it will be returning to Marietta.
The new facility will replace the previous distribution center that was destroyed in an EF4 tornado in April of last year.
The new warehouse is anticipated to open in Spring of 2027. The company says it will bring 400 jobs to the area and serve 700 Dollar Tree stores.
Cherokee Nation Marks Milestone in Expanding Clean Water Access Across Reservation
The Cherokee Nation is celebrating a water access improvement milestone.
As part of the Wilma P. Mankiller and Charlie Soap Water Act, almost $24 million have been spent on bringing clean water to rural areas within the reservation.
Signed into law four years ago, the tribe has built water towers, repaired leaking water lines and removed the burden of utility bills on elders and low-income individuals.
Charlie Soap, widower of late Chief Mankiller, says he was proud to see his wife's legacy continue through the tribe.
Since the start of the project, Cherokee Nation has identified over eight-thousand homes unable to access public water. Last week, Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. announced an additional $50,000 would be allocated to address issues as they’re discovered.
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