Norman Regional Begins New Era In Health Care
The Norman Regional Health System is moving its flagship hospital to a new location off I-35 and Tecumseh in Norman.
The facility is set to open this weekend.
The new location will change its name to Norman Regional Hospital, and, starting July 29, the original location on North Porter Avenue will become an urgent care clinic called Porter Health Village.
On July 28, patients at the Porter campus will be moved to the new location.
The original location's intensive care unit, surgical services and emergency department will move to the new location.
Patients can also access emergency services at Norman Regional Moore and Norman Regional Nine.
Richie Splitt, the CEO of the Norman Regional Health System, told The Norman Transcript this expansion is what’s best for patients.
Tulsa County Takes Over Troubled Juvenile Detention Center
Tulsa County commissioners have taken over the juvenile detention center.
The move follows months of abuse accusations and noncompliance at the Family Center for Juvenile Justice facility.
The commissioners’ move to oversee operations is a change from typical local juvenile bureau structures in Oklahoma.
Usually the district’s juvenile judge oversees the center.
But under Judge Kevin Gray, Tulsa County’s Family Center for Juvenile Justice has been on state probation twice, is the subject of a lawsuit from 30 detained youth and has had sexual abuse allegations against two detention officers.
Commission Chairman Stan Sallee said the state Office of Juvenile Affairs had no confidence in Gray and reached out them to make the switch.
“Otherwise, they were going to shut this facility down, which was a no-starter for us,” Sallee said.
Sallee said other counties in the state have taken similar action regarding juvenile detention centers before.
In the months leading up to the meeting, commissioners reiterated that they had no direct authority over the center, although they were briefed on its conditions and made staffing recommendations.
Commissioners also voted to appoint David Parker as director of the center.
Parker oversaw Tulsa County’s jail from 2017 to 2020.
The juvenile detention center's previous director was fired in May.
Oklahoma Democrats Pledge Early Support for Kamala Harris in Presidential Race
Some Democrats in Oklahoma are already pledging their support for Kamala Harris to be the next President.
“I personally am ready to support Vice President Harris immediately, robustly and with everything in me," said Alicia Andrews, who chairs Oklahoma’s Democratic Party.
She was joined by several elected officials and Democratic Convention delegates at a news conference in Downtown Tulsa on Sunday.
While Andrews herself is backing Harris, she says delegates pledged to Joe Biden will vote for whoever they want at the convention next month.
State Representative and Senator-elect Regina Goodwin joined some other delegates in saying they would back Harris.
Oklahoma Democrats say they want to re-focus the conversation to defeating former President Donald Trump.
Osage Nation Offers Free High-Speed Internet To Older Adults
Osage senior citizens now have access to no cost high-speed internet.
Osage seniors 55 and older no longer need to struggle to connect to internet. Now, they can more easily partake in telehealth appointments, language classes and tribal digital news from the comfort of their own homes.
Osage Nation Principal Chief Geoffrey Standing Bear says in a statement the program's goal is to help citizens live healthier lives by providing access to critical tools.
The no cost internet access is 100 megabits per second. This speed is often enough for households of four people and for most internet activities.
To be eligible, participants must have an active account with Osage Broadband and live within the tribe’s reservation. They must also be enrolled members of the Osage Nation.
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