State Department of Education Abruptly Cancels Search For Bible Vendor
According to reporting from nonprofit news outlet Oklahoma Watch, the State Department of Education is canceling its bid request for classroom Bibles.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters on Friday called the reporting “fake news.”
The department closed the bidding process last month for 55,000 Bibles for public school classrooms, following controversy over whether the state’s bidding framework was tailored to Bibles endorsed by President-Elect Donald Trump.
On Thursday, vendors were notified the solicitation for bids was canceled.
OSDE Communications Director Dan Isett told Oklahoma Watch he was too busy for a call to explain why but said in a statement the department would issue a new proposal.
The news outlet contacted one of the vendors whose bid significantly undercut the $3 million allocation, who said the department owes him an explanation.
Walters took to social media in response, calling the publication a “liberal rag,” promising there would be bibles in classrooms “regardless of what lies are pushed by leftist media,” and said a “big announcement” was coming.
He did not provide evidence of any inaccuracies in the reporting.
Turnpike Toll Rates Going Up
Drivers who use the state's turnpikes can expect to pay more soon.
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority said the costs for improvement projects have gone up considerably due to inflation, which will result in higher-than-anticipated tolls.
The 15-year ACCESS plan, which includes widening turnpikes and building new routes, was originally slated to cost $5 billion, now it's $8.2 billion.
Toll hikes are expected soon for PikePass customers, following recent increases for PlatePay customers who are billed by mail.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma’s transition to cashless turnpikes will conclude later this month.
The Will Rogers Turnpike is set to be the last toll road to convert to cashless on Nov. 20.
Oklahoma Plans To Open Office of Faith-Based And Community Initiatives
Oklahoma’s state government is opening a new Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives within the Department of Human Services.
Gov. Kevin Stitt announced the new office at the state capitol Thursday.
"I love President Ronald Reagan's quote when he said, you know, government is not the solution, so the Office of Faith-Based Initiatives is — it's not meant to be another government program," Stitt said.
The government office will connect churches and non-profit organizations with state agencies to coordinate social services.
Democratic State Rep. Ajay Pittman of Oklahoma City co-sponsored a bill that would have created this office through the legislature. The bill didn’t get a vote in the full Senate, but it inspired the creation of the office anyway.
"This is just good government. And we know that the churches already have the infrastructure, they already have the resources, and they already have the relationship," Pittman said.
Government officials say the office’s focuses are family, fatherhood, food security and foster care.
Weatherford Country Music Dance Hall Shuts Down
A longtime country music venue and dance hall in Western Oklahoma has closed.
JC Cowboys in Weatherford suddenly canceled its upcoming concerts last week, with a brief, one-sentence notification on its website. No reason was given for the closure.
The 10,000 sq. ft. venue first opened in 1982 and operated until 2016. After sitting vacant for four years, the most recent ownership took over in 2020.
Throughout the years, JC Cowboys hosted concerts by touring and local bands alike, including acts like American Aquarium, Kaitlin Butts, Shane Smith & the Saints and more.
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