Oklahoma Loses Bid To Become Hydrogen Hub
Oklahoma's ambitions to be a frontrunner in the hydrogen industry has faced a setback.
The state is still optimistic despite the president rejecting Oklahoma’s bid to become a hydrogen hub.
President Biden instead went with seven other hubs across over a dozen states to launch the nation’s $7 billion hydrogen hub program that was created under Congress’ Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Despite the setback, Gov. Kevin Stitt remains hopeful for Oklahoma's future in the hydrogen sector.
He says in a statement there's still plenty of opportunities for Oklahoma to partner with hydrogen companies.
Oklahoma had joined with Louisiana and Arkansas to form the HALO consortium and applied for over a billion dollars in federal funding in hopes of becoming a regional hydrogen hub.
Oklahoma Energy Secretary Ken McQueen told the nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Voice he’s not giving up.
He and other stakeholders in the consortium are regrouping to discuss more proposals.
More People Coming Off Disability Services Waitlist
Oklahoma Human Services is on track to end its 13-year Developmental Disability Services waitlist.
The department is connecting a third group of around 900 people to services.
The Legislature appropriated millions of dollars to end the waitlist and increase provider rates in 2022, and now the division is on its way to connect with nearly 5,000 applicants going back thirteen years.
More than one-third of applicants from the third cohort are now receiving services.
The division’s director, Beth Scrutchins, says she’s excited about the progress and hopes to access applicants the division can’t locate or reach.
“If you've ever thought you've applied for DDS services if you think you're, you're you should be on that list, please, um, call us. Call us. Give us a call so we can work with you,” Scrutchins said.
The division provides services like caregivers, transportation and job coaches to help Soonercare-eligible Oklahomans with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
State Virtual Charter School Board Chair Refuses To Sign St. Isidore Contract
The chair of Oklahoma’s Statewide Virtual Charter School board says he’s not signing a contract authorizing the creation of the nation’s first taxpayer-funded religious school.
Robert Franklin was one of 2 “no” votes against the contract for the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School at the October 9 board meeting.
The Tulsa World reported Monday Franklin says he believes signing the contract would violate his oath of office and he doesn’t want to put his name on a historical document.
Oklahoma’s attorney general has consistently made his position clear on the issue, saying the school’s creation would violate the state constitution and the Charter School Act.
The AG’s office also advised the board before approving St. Isidore’s application this summer that a member wasn’t even eligible to vote yet. So that vote’s legitimacy, as well as subsequent decisions, are still in question.
Franklin says the board’s legal counsel told him it may be sufficient for the board’s three “yes” votes to sign the contract instead, but that’s complicated - after serving seven months, board member and yes vote Scott Strawn stepped down effective immediately at the end of the October board meeting.
Enid Man Sentenced For Making Threats To Government Officials
A man from Enid was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for making online threats to multiple government officials from around the country.
In June, 36-year-old Tyler Jay Marshall was charged with one count of threatening to murder a United States official and another count of interstate transmission of threatening communications for posts he made on Twitter threatening to kill Gov. Kevin Stitt, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, and their families.
In August, Marshall pled guilty to the second charge and admitted he knew his posts would be perceived as real threats.
Last week, U.S. District Judge David Russell sentenced Marshall to serve 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
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