Tornado Damage Forces Temporary Closure For Sulphur Schools
Students at Sulphur Public Schools are out of class following Saturday night’s devastating tornado.
The school and its transportation fleet will likely be out of commission for a while.
Sulphur Superintendent Matt Holder says in a letter sent Sunday the high school is without electricity, several school sites have water damage, every bus in the transportation fleet is severely damaged and most campuses and athletic fields have loose debris and downed fences.
Holder says he’s grateful for the support from area schools and community partners.
Davis Public Schools is providing two buses for Sulphur’s track team to attend regional competition Monday.
The district is working to get a better assessment of the situation and will announce plans for going forward as information becomes available.
It’s unclear if the damage will affect the calendar for the rest of the school year - currently, Sulphur’s last day of school is May 16 and graduation is set for May 17.
State Enacts Price Gouging Law
Oklahoma Attorney General Genter Drummond has enacted the state's price gouging law for a dozen counties in response to the weekend tornadoes and severe storms.
The law prohibits an increase of more than 10 percent for the price of goods and services, and helps protect customers from unfair price hikes.
The AG warns anyone who violates the Emergency Price Stabilization Act is subject to legal consequences.
The National Weather Service confirmed Monday that 25 tornadoes struck the state Saturday including a low-end EF 4 in Marietta and an EF 3 in Sulphur.
Statewide damage assessments are expected to continue Tuesday.
Tulsa City Councilor Facing Domestic Violence Charges
A Tulsa city councilor was arrested last week and is facing charges related to domestic violence. This is the latest controversy involving Councilor Grant Miller.
According to records, Miller was booked into the Tulsa County Jail Thursday night on suspicion of domestic assault and battery first offense, which is a misdemeanor in Oklahoma.
Since his candidacy, Miller has been involved in multiple legal battles pertaining to the city ranging from being under investigation for videotaping poll workers to being the subject of a lawsuit against fellow councilors who allegedly texted about him during a meeting.
The Oklahoma Bar Association also ruled Miller failed to pass character and fitness requirements to practice law.
Tulsa Police Chief Wendell Franklin said his officers treated Miller like any other domestic violence suspect, and that prosecutors will now decide if and how to charge him.
State Lawmakers Push For Competitive Bidding Reforms
Oklahoma lawmakers are asking Gov. Kevin Stitt to close several state competitive bidding ‘loopholes.’
Lawmakers have approved a bill to increase transparency and accountability in the use of state funds.
House Bill 3057 is authored by Sen. Darrell Weaver.
The measure mandates that the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services - or OMES - use competitive bidding for all purchases of equipment, products and services.
The nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Voice reports the bill comes after a scathing audit released by the Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector’s Office found a lack of control at the state agency.
The audit revealed that OMES has not engaged in competitive bidding to find qualified companies.
Instead, the agency relied on a method known as "rolling solicitations."
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