Oklahoma's Mental Health Department Says It Can't Pay Its Employees This Month
In a mounting financial crisis, the Oklahoma department of mental health told lawmakers it would not be able to make payroll for its employees this month. The agency then reversed course in a statement to reporters.
Questions about the financial status of Oklahoma’s mental health agency continue to swirl.
Late last week, officials told state lawmakers they wouldn’t be able to pay employees later this month. Less than 24 hours later, they reversed course in a written statement.
How they suddenly came up with funds to pay 2,000 employees remains unclear.
Lawmakers say they are caught off guard by ever-changing requests and are frustrated by the lack of transparency.
It’s just the latest in a string of woes for the mental health department since a possible $63 million budget shortfall was identified in March.
Lawmakers have called department leader Commissioner Allie Friesen to testify at the Capitol for a second time. She is scheduled to appear before an investigative committee Monday morning.
One New Measles Case Confirmed in Oklahoma
The Oklahoma State Department of Health is reporting a new confirmed measles case on Friday, bringing the total case count to 16.
No new potential exposure sites are available at this time. Recent public exposure locations have been cited in Oklahoma, Cleveland and Sequoyah County.
Thirteen cases are confirmed, and three are considered probable. Most cases have occurred among the unvaccinated, although one was fully vaccinated.
The state department will provide its next case update on Tuesday.
Gilcrease Museum to Repatriate Native Remains and Artifacts to Oklahoma Tribes
Gilcrease Museum in Tulsa is repatriating thousands of Native items, including human remains, back to Oklahoma tribes.
This latest deaccession is part of the museum’s years-long effort to return tribal artifacts under the Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act commonly called NAGPRA.
While this return includes numerous remains and funerary items from tribes across the United States, most of the repatriation is to 11 Oklahoma tribes, including the Osage Nation, Eastern Shawnee and Quapaw Nation.
Museum officials say the objects and ancestors found came from Pike County, Illinois.
Since the implementation of NAGPRA, the Gilcrease Museum of Tulsa’s collection of Native human remains has dropped from 600 to 200.
El Reno Celebrates 37th Fried Onion Burger Day, Opens New Visitor Center
El Reno hosted its 37th Fried Onion Burger Day Festival and cut the ribbon on a visitor center over the weekend.
El Reno is the birthplace of the fried onion burger and about 25,000 festival goers flock to the city for the annual event.
This year, El Reno opened a Filling Station Visitor Center — part of the Route 66 revitalization program.
People sauntered downtown while listening to live music and watching a massive fried onion burger sizzle on a heavy grill.
Rosalie Winters was watching the El Reno Fire Department cut the huge burger bun and had other plans in the works.
“Have you made it over to the bouncy area yet?," asked reporter Anna Pope.
“Yes, but I still haven't bounced yet. I have to find someone real quick so they can pay for it," said Winters.
The fire department estimates the burger, condiments and all, weighed more than 800 pounds. After it was done, the burger was cut up and given away for free.
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