The Oklahoman
‘A CALL TO ACTION’
Oklahoma City is set to spend $130 million on affordable housing in the next decade as planners seek to prevent what one councilman described as a looming “housing crisis” triggered by rapid population growth. Shannon Entz, named the city’s first...
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THC LAW’S NEW RISK
A new Oklahoma law declares that marijuana’s active ingredient is a Schedule I dangerous drug, and, as a result, any driver with THC in their blood could face a state charge of driving under the influence, or DUI, even if not impaired. The move of THC...
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BALLOT BACKLASH
YUKON — Joe Phillips was caring for his toddler grandson on a weekday afternoon, still processing the results of a recall election that saw him win in a landslide against the mayor of his town.h The 65-year-old retired college baseball coach has been...
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NOWHERE TO GO
Editor’s note: This article contains details of sex crimes that some readers may find disturbing. More than two decades have passed since the crime that placed Brittany Gendron’s mother on the Oklahoma Sex Offender Registry. • In 2005, her mother’s...
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WITTEN’S MOMENT
NORMAN – Phillip Fulmer was in a jam. A few weeks before Tennessee’s season opener in 2000, the Volunteers’ veteran tight end had suffered a significant injury. So Fulmer, the national championship-winning coach, turned to a freshman defensive end out...
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Vance blames Iran war for GOP midterm losses
Only hours after the Republican Party’s historic loss in the midterm elections, Vice President JD Vance broke his silence, blaming the lopsided election results on the ongoing war with Iran. “The reason we lost is the war. The president himself said...
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Analysis: Republicans sweep statewide elections
Scotty and Kim Fitzgerald are a politically split household – he’s a 73-yearold Republican; she’s a 70-year-old Democrat. But on Tuesday, Nov. 3, the retired Oklahoma City couple voted in unison. Democrats hoped a national rebuke of President Donald...
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OKC man charged over mail threats
An Oklahoma City man has been arrested and accused of sending letters with white powder to election offices across the country as well as to members of Congress, the media, pollsters and the FBI. Robin Patrick Martin was charged Nov. 1 in Oklahoma...
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GETTING IT RIGHT
Whomever Brent Venables hires as his next offensive coordinator will determine Venables’ future as OU’s head football coach. If it feels like we’ve been here before … that’s exactly what I wrote two years ago, in October 2024, after Venables fired...
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ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL
As the race for Oklahoma governor hurtles to a close, Republican Mike Mazzei and Democrat Cyndi Munson are traversing the state to reach potential voters. h Their final days on the campaign trail, though both busy, have embodied the drastic differences...
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Ballot briefing
Months of campaigning and millions spent on political ads are all leading up to Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 3. • Oklahoma voters will not only elect a new governor and several statewide officials, they also will decide whether to amend the Oklahoma...
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TRAFFIC TURBULENCE
Getting to OKC Will Rogers International Airport will look a little different for holiday travelers this year. ● Road construction has begun near the terminal as part of a major, long-term modernization plan for the airport. The multi-phase plan will...
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KEEPING HISTORY ALIVE
Marilyn Luper Hildreth, the daughter of Oklahoma City civil rights icon Clara Luper, celebrates after Dick Tanenbaum announces a donation to the Freedom Center. The announcement was made during an event at The Robinson, which is being renovated from an...
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AN EARLY LOOK
Concerns about the cost of living and opinions of President Donald Trump are uniting many Oklahomans at the polls, though their ideas tied to those issues are mixed. Early voting began Wednesday, Oct. 28, in an election that will test the president’s...
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DOLLAR SIGNS
With one week to go before Oklahomans elect a new governor, Republican nominee Mike Mazzei and Democratic nominee Cyndi Munson are raising money to cross the finish line, increasingly relying on support from national groups aligned with their political...
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THUNDER CLOUD
Loud City had never been more quiet. Fans shuffled out of Paycom Center in silence Sunday night as the usual victory anthem, Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now,” wasn’t playing despite OKC’s 108-101 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. It didn’t feel right,...
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READY FOR TAKEOFF?
Dining with an up-close view of an airport runway may be about to return to Oklahoma City with plans to renovate and reopen closed restaurant space at Wiley Post Airport. • Kristy Slater, general aviation manager at Wiley Post, told The Oklahoman...
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NOVEMBER SHOWDOWN
Oklahoma will have its first new governor in eight years, with Republican Mike Mazzei and Democrat Cyndi Munson competing as the front-runners for the post.
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MORE IN STORE?
The family that owns the site where Buc-ee’s is set to open its first Oklahoma store may be about to realize a windfall from not just the pending sale itself but from development expected to follow the opening of the popular tourist attraction. h Some...
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REBOUND READY
The host was there to do his job, but it had already been taken care of. There was no need to manufacture excitement in the moments leading up to Jalen Williams’ arrival for his youth basketball camp Sept. 20. The anticipation was palpable among the...
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Teenage shooter kills 3 children, teacher
Authorities are investigating a deadly shooting at an Oregon elementary school where police say a teenage suspect killed three children and a teacher before being fatally shot by a witness. Police officials say the 16-year-old suspect shot his way...
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CANDY CRUSHED?
Americans are expected to spend nearly $14 billion on Halloween in 2026, according to estimates from the National Retail Federation’s annual consumer survey. Of that, more than $4 billion is expected to go toward the cost of candy, but the price of...
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DROUGHT TO DELUGE
Up to 9 inches of rain fell in western Oklahoma from a line of showers and storms that slowly crossed the state, which is part of a weather pattern that was expected to turn severe Wednesday night. Oklahoma City rainfall totals haven’t been as...
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AHEAD OF THE GAMES
Construction is set to start later this year on a pedestrian bridge designed to become an iconic landmark along the Oklahoma River as Oklahoma City pursues a makeover in time for when it hosts the 2028 Olympic canoe slalom and softball. The...
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‘THERE ARE PEOPLE DYING’
Oklahoma lawmakers are weighing a crackdown on potentially dangerous kratom products that health officials worry are being marketed and made easily accessible to young teens at gas stations and vape shops. Kratom products, particularly those made with...
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‘DIRECT IMPACT’
Jean Alabi has never seen lines this long at her northwest Tulsa food pantry. h More than 12,000 senior citizens, parents and children, teachers and even business professionals have visited Restore Hope Ministries in the first nine months of 2026, an...
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Ready to deliver
Veteran Kenrich Williams will be more than just an off-the-court contributor for the Thunder this season.
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Sheriff: Robbers target cannabis grow sites
Several armed individuals robbed a Cleveland County cannabis grow facility, beating some of the workers with firearms and robbing them of thousands of dollars worth of marijuana, law enforcement officials announced. Cleveland County Sheriff Darrell...
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FAIR WARNING
Smack in the heart of the State Fair of Texas midway, in the shadow of the Cotton Bowl, there’s a ride called The Beast. It’s a green and purple Hulkthemed contraption with a swinging pendulum that whooshes thrill-seekers back and forth, dangling them...
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DETENTION DILEMMA TO GO BEFORE VOTERS
Oklahoma County voters will decide whether to keep the old jail downtown or finance a national “showcase” criminal justice campus, at 1901 E Grand in the county sales tax election on Nov. 3. Tricia Everest, state secretary of public safety, used...
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NEW HEIGHTS
Tinker Air Force Base plays a major role in the state’s aerospace and defense economy. A report says the base employs nearly 28,000 and is credited with 12,194 indirect jobs, while spurring the employment of 28,797 at area businesses frequented by base...
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NO TALL TALE
Drew Mestemaker has tried to keep things in his life as normal as possible. • When the Oklahoma State quarterback is in football mode, he sticks to the same routine as much as he can. Same meetings. Same practices. Same schedules. Same habits. • When...
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‘COMMUNITY AND BEYOND’
John Rex Charter Schools is set to add a high school, giving it a pre-K through 12th grade educational pipeline in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City. h The move marks a complete return of educational choices to downtown, which saw its main high...
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Modern Methodists
Following years of escalating tensions and a mass disaffiliation process, in May 2024, the United Methodist Church lifted its ban on gay clergy and same-sex marriage. Two years after the historic move, Oklahoma clergy are reflecting on the change. For...
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RED RALLY
DURANT – In a rare visit to Oklahoma, President Donald Trump told thousands of his supporters to vote for Republicans in November because his presidency was in peril. “Pretend I’m running,” Trump said Thursday, Oct. 1, from the Choctaw Event Center in...
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SOONER STATE SUPPORT
DURANT – Pouring rain did little to dampen the sense of anticipation among hundreds of people waiting to see President Donald Trump at his first appearance in Oklahoma since 2020. The Republican president selected the Sooner State for his first stop...
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Oklahoma Republicans await visit from Trump
President Donald Trump is appearing in Oklahoma during a widely anticipated rally with Republican gubernatorial candidate Mike Mazzei as the GOP struggles in polling ahead of the midterm election. The Thursday, Oct. 1, rally in Durant will be held on...
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BUC-ING THE TREND?
Oklahoma City is moving forward with plans to rebuild the Interstate 40 and Cimarron Road interchange to lure a Buc-ee’s, despite warnings from one council member that the development will lead to costly housing sprawl and other commercial...
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Mullin defends ICE at meeting in Edmond
U.S. Homeland Security Sec. Markwayne Mullin defended his agency’s immigration enforcement tactics in a shouting match that escalated at an Edmond event after a former mayor questioned whether the actions of ICE aligned with the teachings of...
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‘RIGHT DIRECTION’
Oklahoma City’s public transportation system was ranked the worst among the nation’s 50 largest cities in a new study, a finding city leaders say underscores both the city’s longstanding challenges and the urgency behind a series of major transit...
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back to basics
Not all that long ago, families knew their local farmers and ranchers, frequented their local butcher shop and were well acquainted with the people responsible for producing the food on their tables. h But as the industrialized agriculture market took...
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NEW LEASH ON LIFE?
Oklahoma City’s indoor-outdoor dog park, bar and restaurant, Bar K, closed abruptly in 2025, but dog lovers may have new hope if conversations between an Iowa-based company and property owners pan out. The property, located at 901 SE Fifth St. in the...
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POWER SHIFT
Momentum can be many things in football. Empowering and amazing. Overpowering and frustrating. But as much as anything, momentum is elusive. It is often as fleeting as the brilliant colors of an Oklahoma sunrise. On the gridiron, momentum can come as...
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CLOSING IN?
National Democrats plan to make a late push in Oklahoma’s 5th District, directing funding and field staff to back Jena Nelson’s congressional campaign after an internal poll showed a tight race against U.S. Rep. Stephanie Bice, a Republican. While...
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HEALTHY INVESTMENT
Oilman Harold Hamm announced Tuesday, Sept. 22, that he is donating $150 million to the University of Oklahoma, the largest gift in OU’s history, to boost health education, research and discovery. • The donation follows two straight years (2023 and...
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‘PIVOTAL MOMENT’
INOLA – Mike Mazzei removed his sport coat and rolled up his sleeves as the late-afternoon sun pushed another Oklahoma day past 100 degrees. After walking about 50 yards along a white gravel road, the Tulsa businessman looked across a parcel of rolling...
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DOWN THE ROAD
The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is set to seek bids totaling $73.6 million over the next six months as construction proceeds on the future Toby Keith Expressway. The toll road, once completed, will begin at Interstate 44 and State Highway 37, cross...
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LEGENDARY LABELS
Oklahoma, located at the crossroads of America, has a history of spawning some of the country’s iconic corporate brands, some of which still are shaping consumer spending, while others have faded into distant memories. h Some, like Hobby Lobby, Love’s...
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FAIR FLAIR
The 2026 Oklahoma State Fair heads into its first weekend. The fair’s theme “The Midway of the Mother Road” is steering this year’s festivities into the yearlong Route 66 centennial celebration. Plus, several attractions are commemorating America’s...
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FIRST-GLASS EXPERIENCE
When Oklahoma City resident Kelly Pan arrived at the 2026 Oklahoma State Fair on opening day, she was ready to cross an item off her bucket list. In a corner of the Modern Living Building, she stood over a flame at one of the four stations inside the...
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‘Obligation to act’
A week after Magon Hoffman drove from Oklahoma to New Mexico for an abortion, she stood paralyzed by anxiety when a delivery man knocked on her door. He was delivering the ashes of her daughter, Lottie. Lottie had a condition that would have caused her...
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LOFTY LIVING
A veteran south Oklahoma City homebuilder is taking his first dip into downtown development after buying the long-vacant 20-story Dowell Center. Paul Odom III, an upscale neighborhood and retail developer, is joining with his son David to convert the...
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BRIDGING THE GAP
Construction is starting on a $408 million bridge over Lake Texoma that will replace an 80-year-old span that was closed last year for $5.5 million in emergency repairs after being damaged by flooding. The damages prompted the Oklahoma Department of...
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Police chase-policy warnings ignored
For seven years, Oklahoma City Police Sgt. Chris Swanson warned his bosses that the department’s high-speed chase policy was unnecessarily dangerous. Multiple memos and statistics-filled reports went ignored. “Every time I tried, it was pretty much...
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The New Marijuana Industry
The legal pot industry in Oklahoma is undergoing a massive downsizing, leaving in its wake hundreds of abandoned grow sites and dispensaries.
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Nation marks 25 years
As the United States marked 25 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Americans across the country gathered to honor the nearly 3,000 people who perished and to reflect on the day that forever changed the nation. Loved ones of those...
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PLAYING IT FORWARD
NORMAN – Memories from the free football camp that Danny Okoye offered kids back home in Tulsa this past summer are a bit of a blur to him. You can understand: There were a ton of youngsters and a lot of things for him to do, plus it was scorching...
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U.S., Iran trade attacks on tankers
CAIRO – Iran said on Sept. 9 it had attacked 10 ships near the Strait of Hormuz after the United States sank five Iranian oil tankers, in the biggest declared wave of tit-for-tat attacks on shipping by both sides since the start of the six-month-old...
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‘WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN’
Wellston firefighter Joe Flake died on duty after helping battle a 250-plusacre fire in Lincoln County. Officials with Lincoln County Emergency Management shared that while responding to the Monday, Sept. 7, fire, a firefighter experienced a medical...
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TRADE QUESTIONS
An escalating trade dispute between the U.S. and Canada threatens to disrupt Oklahoma’s largest international export market and a primary source of foreign business investment, with potential fallout hitting local industries, consumer prices and even...
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A BATTLE ZONE
EDMOND – Massage therapists in Edmond are fighting new rules and red tape they say pass unnecessary burden onto them. Yiqiong Zhang was the first therapist to apply for a special permit from the city in order to operate a massage parlor — one of the...
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REMEMBRANCE & RESILIENCE
Jeffrey Coniglio is dressed in white down to his shoes, his daughter Giada in a flowing pale green gown. They are twirling across the dance floor to music from “The Greatest Showman” when, suddenly, Giada flips head over heels and then swings out into...
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BOAT TRIBUTE SCARRED
Community leaders in Oklahoma City’s Asian District are searching for answers after a landmark commemorating Vietnamese refugees’ journey to the city was severely damaged in a fire. According to Thuan Nguyen, founder of the Asian District Cultural...
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FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHT?
NORMAN – Roger Denny has already made lots of big decisions in his short time as the OU athletic director. None was quite like moving OU football’s season opener to a Friday night. “More than really any decision I made in my first six months,” Denny...
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ECONOMIC BASE
At the annual State of the Region, professionals from the transit, transportation, military and defense sectors gathered to discuss the trajectory of central Oklahoma’s growth and what is needed to sustainably maintain it, while specifically...
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SOLD DOME?
The Gold Dome in Oklahoma City may have a surprise new owner following a sheriff’s auction in which the man who was trying to buy it was not among those submitting bids. Caleb Hill, who teamed up with Nick Preftakes in redeveloping the Donnay Building...
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CATTLE BATTLE?
President Donald Trump's plan to temporarily increase imports and waive tariffs on ground beef in an effort to bring down grocery prices has drawn mixed reactions from Oklahoma cattle producers and prompted the governor to create a council with...
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P WER STRUGGLE
President Donald Trump wanted an “American nuclear renaissance,” and he wanted it fast. Just a few months after returning to office, the president signed a flurry of executive orders and instructed his staff to write new rules designed to quadruple...
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