Governor Appoints New Members To State Board of Education
Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed two new members to the State Board of Education, filling the remaining vacancies on the board.
Zach Archer is the current vice president of the Hammon Public School Board and the managing director at Great Plains Investment Services.
Archer will serve as the board’s at-large member, which means he doesn’t represent a specific district.
Stitt also appointed Alex Gray, a managing partner at strategic advisory firm American Global Strategies.
He also serves in senior positions at several other foreign policy research organizations. He will represent District 5 in Central Oklahoma.
Gray also sits on the board of directors for the Oklahoma Conservative Political Action Committee Foundation, which describes itself as “Restoring the Biblical foundations of Western civilization, working to redeem the minds of the next generation.”
He also chairs the “Oklahoma China Readiness Working Group” at conservative think-tank Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs.
Gray was also a staff member in former President Trump’s White House.
The next state board meeting is Thursday.
Analysis Shows Crop Insurance Payouts Increased Over Two Decades
A non-profit that specializes in environmental justice plans to release an investigation into climate-linked extreme weather and crop insurance payouts for the state of Oklahoma.
The nonprofit called The Environmental Working Group found that drought, excess moisture, hail, heat, and freeze damage triggered over $2.6 billion in crop insurance payouts over 22 years to Oklahoma farmers.
The study also shows the state is in a hot spot for these extreme weather events.
The Environmental Working Group plans to release the full investigation Nov. 1.
Airport Trust Seeks Input On Rebranding Effort For Will Rogers World Airport
The Oklahoma City Airport Trust is asking for your input on a rebranding effort for Will Rogers World Airport.
Officials say as the airport expands with plans for more destinations, it was time to reexamine the airport’s branding.
An online survey is now available for the public to weigh in and share feedback. It will be available until Monday, Nov. 13. Find the survey at flyok.com.
Stilwell, Cherokee Nation Agreement On Traffic Ticket Revenue
Cherokee Nation will donate traffic ticket revenue it collects in Stilwell to the city.
The Cherokee Nation has signed an agreement with the City of Stilwell, marking the 30th municipality within the Cherokee Nation Reservation to do so.
Under this agreement, the City of Stilwell will collect fines from traffic tickets issued to tribal citizens but will keep all but $30 to go to the Cherokee Nation.
The agreement serves as recognition and exchange for the policing and administrative services provided by the municipality in the enforcement of traffic laws within Cherokee boundaries.
The motivation behind these agreements is to ensure municipalities do not lose funding sources following the U.S. Supreme Court's McGirt ruling and the 10th Circuit's recent Hooper decision.
The agreements aim to make the process more efficient and are designed to better fund public safety.
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