Oklahoma Wildfires Scorch Thousands Of Acres
Fire crews are working on hot spots this afternoon from wildfires that broke out across the state yesterday.
The State Emergency Operations Center received 29 fire reports from local officials in 17 counties.
The two biggest fires were in Ellis and Beaver counties, in the northwest area of the state. The fires prompted evacuations for several hours last night.
At least three structures burned and one injury related to the fires was reported.
The state’s warm, dry and windy weather created the perfect conditions for fires.
Although the state had record-breaking high temperatures recently, it typically has increased fire risk during the transition from winter to spring.
Keith Merckx is a spokesperson for the Oklahoma Forestry Services. He says firefighters call March Oklahoma’s “official wildfire month.”
Cooler temperatures are expected to dull the state’s fire risk, but he says that doesn’t mean it will go away. Later this week, wind and temperatures are expected to pick back up.
“And so this weekend we are looking at, once again, at having increased fire danger. There's going to be a risk for significant fire out there both Saturday and Sunday," Merckx said.
Because of the weather conditions, he says people need to use common sense and extreme caution when doing anything that might spark a wildfire.
Cherokee Nation, State Reach Agreement On Tobacco Sales
The Cherokee Nation and the State of Oklahoma have tentatively agreed to a new tobacco sales compact.
The deal marks at least a slight thawing in what’s been an icy relationship.
Gov. Kevin Stitt may be a Cherokee citizen, but he’s often had challenges when working with his own tribal nation.
The sides have sparred over compacts and sovereignty following the McGirt decision at the U.S. Supreme Court, which led to the Cherokee Nation Reservation being affirmed.
The agreement with Cherokee Nation officials in principle to a new compact will provide a framework for revenue sharing from tobacco sales on the reservation.
Over the years, these compacts have collected millions of dollars in tax money for both the state and tribal governments.
The compact ultimately needs final approval by the full Council of the Cherokee Nation.
It comes in the wake of similar ones signed with the Chickasaw Nation and Apache Tribe.
State Lawmakers Consider Bills Limiting Education Department, Board Of Education
State lawmakers advanced bills that put some checks and balances on the powers of the State Department of Education and Board of Education.
Three bills that advanced through the House Common Education Committee Tuesday.
House Bill 3943 by Oklahoma City Democrat Mickey Dollens would have required just the Department of Education to submit quarterly financial reports to the Legislature that detail all expenditures and disbursements.
It was amended Tuesday to also apply to the other 9 highest funded state agencies.
House Bill 3550 by Tecumseh Republican Danny Sterling would take away the State Board’s ability to withdraw accreditation from a district. If the Board wants a district’s accreditation pulled, it would have to be done with a joint resolution from the Legislature.
Lastly, House Bill 3510 by Ada Republican Ronny Johns would remove chronic absenteeism as a factor for school districts’ state report card scores.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters has been critical of Tulsa Public Schools for its chronic absenteeism rates and demanded the district address it.
Advocates against using absenteeism in report card ratings say it’s not fair to penalize districts for something largely out of their control.
All three bills can now be heard on the House Floor.
OU Women’s Softball Begins New Era In New Stadium
A new era begins this week for OU women’s softball as they begin play in their new stadium, Love’s Field.
The Sooners take on Miami University of Ohio at 2 p.m. Friday.
Sooners Head Coach Patty Gasso says she's excited to move to a new stadium, but she will always remember where the program was when she took the job 29 years ago.
“I think of the team that was over at Reaves and never got a locker room. And even when we had this built, we didn’t have this building,” Gasso said.
“So, players were still dressing in the bathrooms or dressing at home and going home in their uniforms. So, I think about those athletes that are alums, but never got to experience this.”
In 1995, Gasso’s first season as the Sooners head coach, the team finished with a 43-23 record.
When the Sooners step on Love’s Field Friday, they do so with a 67-game winning streak, the longest in collegiate softball.
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