Chairman Calls for Investigation Amid Allegations of Prison Abuse and Neglect
House Criminal Justice and Corrections Committee Chairman Justin Humphrey is again calling for an investigation into state prisons.
He wants the Department of Labor to look into a number of incidents reported by inmates and their family members.
Humphrey called a meeting Wednesday to discuss allegations of inmates being raped, inmates being denied medical attention, and a potential meningitis outbreak among other incidents.
He said he believes the issues stem from a staffing shortage and an investigation could lead to the solutions for different problems.
"If we had the Department of Labor come in and do an investigation, then we would be able to look at not just rape issues, but we would be able to look at the cleanliness issues, the functions of the facilities and all those kinds of things," Humphrey said.
The Department of Corrections released a statement in response to the meeting, saying Humphrey’s claims were vague and baseless.
The DOC also said he has not reported any incidents of rape to their office and no outside law enforcement agency has contacted them regarding any rape allegations.
Norman Exploring Process To Turn Wastewater Into Reusable Water
Norman’s water treatment facility is doing research to create reusable water from wastewater.
The city says if the process works, it could ensure drinking water and sustain Lake Thunderbird for generations to come.
A possible solution uses wastewater from sinks and toilets to be moved to treatment facilities and processed, then making its way back to residents.
Norman Mayor Larry Heikkila told KOCO TV the pilot program is promising, and the water will pass EPA standards.
The city says this is the first facility in the state conducting research on this type of treatment.
Midwest City and Del City also rely on Lake Thunderbird for their water... and could benefit if the program is successful.
Guthrie Voters to Decide on Extending Sales Tax for Municipal Improvements
Guthrie voters will decide next week whether to keep keep an existing sales tax for municipal improvements for the next fifteen years.
Since voters first approved it in 2016, Guthrie’s Capital Improvement Projects sales tax has collected 3/4s of a penny on every dollar spent in the city.
When the city polled residents about the tax at the end of last year, respondents said they would give top priority to water and sewer line improvements and a new fire station.
They also expressed support for a new pool, an expanded municipal sports complex and accessibility projects.
Those priorities match up with those of the city’s Capital Improvement Project Committee, which will oversee the funds if the tax is extended.
In the city’s poll, 88% of the 300 respondents said they’d support a 15-year extension of the sales tax. Now voters will decide the ultimate fate.
There are elections next week in 68 of Oklahoma’s 77 counties.
To learn what’s up to a vote in your county, city or school district, visit OK Voter Portal.
Former U.S. Senator and VP Candidate Joe Lieberman Remembered for Bipartisan Legacy
Former U.S. Senator and Vice Presidential candidate Joe Lieberman died on Wednesday from complications of a fall. He was 82.
Oklahoma’s Republican U.S. Representative Tom Cole remembers Lieberman as "one of the better angels of our nature."
In a time of gaping political divides, Cole calls Lieberman “instinctively bipartisan and someone who always put the interests of the country over party.”
Joe Lieberman was on the ticket with Al Gore during the contentious presidential election in the year 2000 that saw the U.S. Supreme Court step in over recounts in Florida, and ended with George W. Bush winning the presidency despite losing the popular vote.
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