Federal Layoffs Leave Mark On Oklahoma Agriculture
Federal agriculture workers in Oklahoma were among the thousands fired as part of the Trump Administration's efforts to downsize.
Agriculture leaders are concerned about what this means for program delivery for farmers and ranchers.
Sources say about 30 USDA employees have been dismissed from the Natural Resource Conservation Service in Oklahoma. They also say employees in other agencies were impacted.
Republican Congressman Frank Lucas said he’s concerned about the cuts.
“I would suggest to you that most people who take an early buyout are on the verge of retirement anyway, they are the experienced, knowledgeable decision makers,” Lucas said. “And again, I say this respectfully, when you take out the one year or less people, they're the worker bees who move the paper, who get in the trucks, who go out and do the things. So if you take out the decision makers and you take out the worker bees, that's real destruction.”
Lucas spoke at the American Farmers and Ranchers Annual Convention this weekend.
While the federal workforce is becoming smaller, these efforts come as Gov. Kevin Stitt is also looking to reduce the number of state employees by the end of his term.
Former State Lawmaker To Enter Race For State Attorney General
A former state lawmaker is jumping in the race to replace state Attorney General Gentner Drummond in 2026.
This is the first candidate for the race.
Former Representative John Echols - an attorney by trade - represented Oklahoma City’s House District 90 for 12 years before terming out the last election cycle.
State ethics commission records show he’s now running for the Office of Oklahoma’s State Attorney General.
As a lawmaker, Echols served on various appropriations and budget committees, the health and human services and joint pandemic relief oversight committees… and others.
He was also a champion for the state’s sweeping anti-immigration measure House Bill 4156.
That measure, authored by then-House-Speaker-and-now-Gubenatorial-Candiate Charles McCall from Atoka, was eventually signed into law and is now contested in federal court.
In a rare feat of coordination for lawmakers - Drummond, McCall and Echols are positioned to each publicly take credit for that bill's passage.
Echols is set to formally launch his campaign at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Christian Heritage Academy in Del City.
Could Oklahoma Schools Start Offering Free Three-Year-Old Pre-K?
Oklahoma law allows schools to offer pre-kindergarten for four-year-olds. But a new measure would allow schools to extend grade offerings to three-year-olds.
House Bill 2395 by Mustang Republican Brian Hill would amend existing law to allow schools to offer half-day or full-day pre-kindergarten for three-year-olds.
Hill said in his district, Mustang Public Schools houses a three-year-old program, but it’s only open to high-needs families. He says this policy would allow programs like that to expand to everyone.
"When we’re talking about childcare deserts and when we’re talking about educational outcomes, I believe this is an important part of the discussion," Hill said.
Concern was raised about whether the measure would take clients away from daycares, which subsidize more expensive care for newborns and babies with toddler enrollment.
The bill passed the House Appropriations and Budget Education Subcommittee and now heads to the Appropriations committee.
Applications Open For Tar Creek Apprenticeship Program
Northeast Oklahoma’s Tar Creek Superfund Site is known for its disheartening history.
But seven local tribal nations are using the area as a teaching tool.
The Tar Creek Apprenticeship Program, or T-CAP, is a settlement-funded fellowship for students whose tribes were impacted by the nearby superfund site.
Program Coordinator Tami Lowrey said it is designed to secure a cleaner future.
“We have to teach the next generation how to do this. T-CAP is teaching students restoration concepts, and they're being introduced to real world restoration on the ground. We're taking them to Ground Zero,” Lowrey said.
Former T-CAP apprentice Anna Collins now works as an assistant program coordinator.
“Something that really stuck with me is knowing that the only reason we were there was because there were genuinely so many members of our community and our elders who wanted a future for us that was better than what they've been handed. And that is really what the goal of the apprenticeship program is, is to just create generations of people who are willing to work with the problem and find a solution,” Collins said.
Applications close at the beginning of March.
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