Final Plans Approved For New Oklahoma City Animal Shelter
The Oklahoma City Council approved final plans Tuesday for a new animal shelter as part of MAPS 4.
The nearly 70,000 sq. ft. shelter will replace and be built on the site of the current property at SE 29th Street.
Officials said the new $42 million shelter will offer more capacity, and include features to reduce stress for animals and improve hygiene.
Construction is set to begin early next year.
Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Recuses Herself from Case on Bible Mandate in Public Schools
The Oklahoma Supreme Court will be down one justice when it hears a case challenging State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ mandate to put a Bible in every public school classroom.
More than 30 parents, teachers and faith leaders filed a lawsuit last month asking the Oklahoma Supreme Court to stop Walters from requiring Oklahoma teachers to instruct from the Bible.
Justice Dana Kuehn has recused herself from the case, citing a rule in the Oklahoma Code of Judicial Conduct that prohibits the “appearance of impropriety.”
Her filing said she must recuse due to the involvement of the Board of Education’s legal representation.
Kuehn did not offer additional details, but this rule is generally used to prevent conflicts of interest or the appearance of bias.
Three attorneys from the Tulsa firm representing the Board of Education filed notices they’d be appearing before the court.
One of them, David J. Anderson, lists a three-month clerkship under Kuehn in 2022 on his LinkedIn profile.
Osage Nation Celebrates Historic Fee-To-Trust Signing
The Osage Nation has made the second-largest fee-to-trust acquisition in U.S. history.
Moving more than 40,000 acres of land into a federal trust... can be a lengthy process to strengthen tribal sovereignty.
Members of the Osage Nation and Burea of Indian Affairs representatives witnessed a historic moment Monday.
“So congratulations. You own 43,000 acres of federal trust land, and it's owned by all of you.”
The land signed into trust will enable the tribe to have concurrent jurisdiction. It also means the state will have less control over the tribes’ business affairs.
The acquisition started in 2016 after the tribe purchased the land from television star Ted Turner. After a tedious back and forth with the federal government, eight years later, it belongs to the Osage Nation once again.
“It overwhelmed me, and so here we are now,” he said. “This is the guarantee that this property is going to stay with us,” said Geoffrey Standing Bear, the Principal Chief of the Osage Nation.
Standing Bear also notes multiple ecotourism and historical education projects are underway at Osage Nation Ranch. This includes expanding the cattle, bison herd and meat-processing plant.
Oklahoma TSET To Offer $3 Million In Grants For Community Health Projects
The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) will soon open two grant opportunities to fund community health projects.
Grant funding is available to nonprofits, public agencies, tribal nations and schools in Oklahoma.
TSET Executive Director Julie Bisbee said in a news release the goal is to “provide communities with resources to create lasting health improvements.”
“Through local projects and innovative programs, communities across Oklahoma can tackle health challenges and create healthier places for people to live, work and connect,” Bisbee said.
The first opportunity is a “Built Environment Grant,” which offers funding to make public spaces safer and fit for physical activity and active lifestyles.
The second is a “Discovery Grant,” which can be used to improve children’s health, general health and senior wellness, or to prevent tobacco use.
Up to $2 million is available for Discovery Grants, and $1 million for Built Environment Grants. Total awards will be based on the strength of the proposals, according to the release.
The application portal will open Dec. 3, and the deadline to apply is Feb. 12.
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