Review Board Rejects Oklahoma Mental Health Settlement
A board charged with overseeing Oklahoma’s legal settlements rejected a landmark deal to address systemic mental health issues in county jails.
Attorney General Gentner Drummond helped negotiate the consent decree at the heart of the settlement.
But Gov. Kevin Stitt said it is not in the best interest of Oklahoma taxpayers.
His appointed Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Director, Allie Friesen, also disagreed with the demands of her agency.
An hour before Tuesday’s meeting, Friesen sent Drummond a termination letter as her counsel.
“No matter what attorney is in place, the priority should always be what’s in the best interest of the client,” Friesen said.
For his part, the AG said he isn’t representing her department. His client is the State of Oklahoma. And his job is to fix the problem in its jails.
Norman City Council Delays Decision on Overnight Shelter Contract
Norman City Council decided to hold off on voting on whether to cancel its contract with the operator of an emergency homeless shelter.
So far, the city has not yet lined up new management.
On Tuesday evening, the Norman City Council voted 5-3 to postpone their vote on whether to cancel their contract with nonprofit Food & Shelter, which has operated the shelter since 2022.
The nonprofit announced last month that it would be stepping away from operating the shelter after disagreements with the City.
Issues include reported misspending identified by the City auditor and the City’s new requirement for a third party security contractor with additional security measures like metal detection.
During the meeting, Ward One Councilmember Austin Ball said the shelter is unsafe.
But Lauri Swan, a Norman resident who currently stays at the shelter, said she felt safe there after having emergency surgery.
"I was probably at the weakest I’ve ever been. I didn’t feel unsafe there," Swan said.
The Council is expecting to hear a proposal from a potential new shelter operator before the next meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
OKC Police Increase Presence in Bricktown After Weekend Shootings
Oklahoma City Police are enforcing safety measures in Bricktown after two shootings over the weekend.
Oklahoma City Police Chief Ron Bacy said 10 additional officers will be posted in Bricktown on the weekends.
Patrolling officers will enforce the 9 p.m. curfew of minors and ticket those in violation.
This comes after two shootings took place Saturday night in Bricktown leaving four people injured.
Police said they found two guns and arrested a 14-year-old male.
Chief Bacy said the curfew is not only for the safety of minors, but for the safety of everyone.
The shootings are still under investigation.
Oklahoma Prepares For Fire Danger Due To Ongoing Dry, Warm Weather
Fire danger is ticking up across Oklahoma as a streak of dry and unseasonably warm weather continues.
Statewide, the past four months have been the 13th driest in nearly half a century.
Now that Oklahoma is looking down the barrel of another rainless week, officials across the state are bracing for fires.
“When we know that the humidity is going to be extremely low and the winds are going to be up and the temperatures are up, then naturally everybody's on guard for the possibility of fires,” Grady County Emergency Management Director Dale Thompson said.
Grady is one of more than a dozen counties, mostly clustered in Southwest Oklahoma, that have issued burn bans this week. Under Grady County’s 14-day ban, fireworks and campfires are prohibited. Activities like welding and controlled burns require extra care and precautions.
Thompson said the county doesn’t issue burn bans lightly since it makes things difficult for producers and people with brush piles.
“Farmers have to get some of their fields and everything burn off to plant the next set of crops,” Thompson said. “But the ones that are having to wait now because of the burn ban, that kind of puts them in a position where they'd like to get out there and burn some of their fields and everything off, but they can't do it.”
Thompson said if people are still planning on performing prescribed burns that adhere to state guidelines, they should be extra aware of the weather.
It’s best to alert local fire officials before starting a controlled fire because everyone will be on high alert for accidental blazes.
To see if your county is under a burn ban, check the Oklahoma Forestry Service’s map.
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