Swadley's Bar-B-Q

KGOU's Dick Pryor and QuorumCall's Shawn Ashley continue their countdown of the top ten Oklahoma stories of 2022. Which story will be number 1?

A District Court judge has dealt a setback to the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority by ruling the Authority willfully violated the Open Meeting Act with deceptive language in meeting agendas and documents during action on the ACCESS Oklahoma turnpike expansion project.

Oklahoma legislators called a special session to approve legislation authorizing expenditures of federal funding for projects under the American Rescue Plan Act. In late May, Governor Kevin Stitt called another special session to consider tax cuts. In the week ahead, the Oklahoma capitol will see a rarity - two special sessions going at the same time.

The most important part of the legislative session is still a work in progress. With three weeks left before the Legislature adjourns sine die, budget negotiators are moving closer to finalizing the state budget and appropriations for the next fiscal year.

One day after the speaker of the house announced formation of a special committee to investigate a contract between the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department and a restaurant providing food services at six state parks, the agency's executive director, Jerry Winchester, resigned and Governor Kevin Stitt announced the state has filed a lawsuit against Swadley's Foggy Bottom Kitchen for breach of contract.

A special House committee will investigate potential misuse of taxpayer dollars by the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department.