State lawmakers call for investigation into Oklahoma Corporation Commission
Three former state lawmakers are calling on the legislature to investigate the Oklahoma Corporation Commission over its handling of utility rate hikes related to February 2021 winter’s storm.
Former Oklahoma City Representative Mike Reynolds said gas companies are gouging utilities, which are complacent since by law they can pass prices on to customers.
"The utilities get to pass along the cost of their fuel, whether it’s gas or electricity or whatever, but since they can pass it along, apparently they don’t care what they pay for it," said Reynolds. "That’s not right, and if they don’t care what they pay for it ,then energy companies know they can gouge the utilities and they don’t care, they make a huge profit."
Along with Reynolds, former state representatives Porter Davis and Mike Ritze signed a letter to Oklahoma’s legislature urging an investigation into the corporation commission that's tasked with approving rate hikes. The letter comes after multiple utilities companies across the state raised rates with the OCC’s approval.
Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street Center new director
A landmark attraction that educates people on the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre is getting new leadership.
Dr. Raymond Doswell has been named the new executive director of the Greenwood Rising Black Wall Street Center after a search that began in spring. Doswell is moving to Tulsa from Kansas City, Missouri where he worked for more than 20 years at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Outgoing interim executive director Phil Armstrong has been with Greenwood Rising since its inception last year. While Armstrong applied for the job himself and ultimately didn’t get it, he said he believes Doswell will take the museum to the next level.
Oklahoma lawmaker files bill to criminalize gender-affirming care
Conservative Oklahoma lawmakers are continuing their fight against gender-affirming care. This new bill focuses on medical providers.
The fight against gender-affirming care started during a special legislative session this year to budget COVID relief money. Lawmakers granted millions of dollars to OU Health for a new child behavioral health center, but said none of the money could go to gender-affirming care for trans minors. Conservative lawmakers said they wanted to limit that care even further.
Thursday, Representative Jim Olsen announced he’d filed a bill to do just that. It designates the care as a felony punishable by up to a decade in prison and $100,000 in fines.
Although critics during the special session argued no one under 18 should undergo gender-affirming procedures, this bill bans care for anyone under 21.
The legislative session begins in February.
First Americans Museum to host second annual winter art market
The First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City will host its second annual winter art market this weekend. Attendees can buy their holiday gifts from Indigenous artists from all over the country
Looking for a pair of earrings to impress that special auntie on your list? A purchase from Dr. Jessica Harjo will get you back in their good books.
What about some comic book drawings from Cherokee artist Kindra Swafford, creator of the series Trash Panda tales from Indian territory. Totally for sale.
"Each of those comics have either been something that I've heard in story with my friends or something that's happened. I have one where there's a bunch of ants and they're working together and it shows the syllabary it shows the community aspect of it," said Swafford.
Artist Kristin Gentry is the assistant manager of the museum store. She says the market features the full range in terms of price and scale
We have fine art, silversmiths, metal smiths. You can get really nice, beautiful jewelry. We have weavers-We have think like bead workers, so you can get that type of beadwork, jewelry, medallions, regalia, items," said Gentry.
The two day market features creations from 50 Indigenous artists from Oklahoma and beyond. Visitors will enjoy artist demonstrations, live music and yes, Indigenous Santa Claus will be there.
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