>>> WHAT IMPACT ARE NEW VARIENTS AND VACCINE CONCERNS HAVING ON OKLAHOMA'S QUEST TO ACHIEVE HERD IMMUNITY AND END THE PANDEMIC?

>> WE FOUND IN OUR FIRST 10 SAMPLES, FIVE DIFFERENT VARIANTS.

SO, WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY TWO U.K. VARIANTS IN THAT RUN AND, AND ONE CALIFORNIA VARIANCE.

>> AN UPDATE ON STATE QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOW LAW.

WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT HOW WELL THEY'RE BEING ENACTED IN OKLAHOMA.

>> I AM VERY THANKFUL AND HAPPY ABOUT THE RESULTS WE'VE SEEN SO FAR AND I THINK WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED ON REALLY WHAT THE FULL IMPACT OF THIS IS GOING TO BE.

>> A PROGRAM IN ALTUS IS GROWING THE NEXT GENERATION OF AIRCRAFT MECHNICS.

>> IT'S AN ALL AROUND LICENSE.

IT ALLOWS YOU TO WORK ON AIRCRAFT WORLDWIDE.

YOU CAN GO TO GERMANY TO WORK ON AIRCRAFT, NEW YORK CITY, OR ALTUS, OKLAHOMA.

>> THREE OF OKLAHOMA'S BEST, AND NOW FORMER JOURNALISTS REFLECT ON HOW MUCH THEIR INDUSTRY HAS CHANGED.

>> WHEN I WAS COMING UP AS A REPORTER, YOU JUST -- YOU DIDN'T POST, YOU DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR POLITICAL BELIEFS WERE AND YOUR POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS WERE, AND THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE CASE ANYMORE.

>> HELLO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO THE "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT."

I'M RICH LENZ.

FOR THE LAST MONTH OR SO, THE NEWS CONCERNING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS BEEN MOSTLY POSITIVE, BUT THIS WEEK, A COUPLE OF CONCERNS.

THE F.D.A.

IS PAUSING THE USE OF THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE, BECAUSE OF RARE INCIDENCES OF BLOOD CLOTS.

AND IN SOME STATES LIKE MICHIGAN, COVID CASES ARE SPIKING DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF NEW VARIENTS OF THE VIRUS.

WHERE DO WE STAND IN OKLAHOMA?

RORY TAYLOR REPORTS.

>> OVER THE LAST WEEK, THE SEVEN DAY ROLLING AVERAGE OF DAILY NEW CASES SAW A 200 CASE JUMP, UP FROM AROUND THREE TO OVER 500, BUT STATE OFFICIALS SAY THIS ISN'T CAUSE FOR ALARM.

THE ROLLING AVERAGE WAS BEING INFLATED BY ONE LAB COMPLETING IT'S BACKLOG.

>> A LARGE NUMBER OF CASES REPORTED IN THE PAST WEEK AND IT MADE IT LOOK LIKE WE HAD A BUMP IN CASES WHEN IN FACT THOSE CASES WERE DISTRIBUTED OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

SO IT DOESN'T REPRESENT A REAL INCREASE IN RECENT TRANSMISSION.

>> HOWEVER, JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY REPORTS THAT OKLAHOMA IS ONLY TESTING FOR COVID AT ABOUT HALF THE RATE IT WAS THROUGH MUCH OF LAST YEAR AND THE WINTER.

SPEAKING OF TESTING, IS THE STATE DETECTING ANY SIGNIFICANT COVID VARIANTS?

>> YOU CAN SEE THAT OKLAHOMA HAS RELATIVELY LOW COUNTS OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VARIANTS THAT WE'VE IDENTIFIED SO FAR.

UH, BUT I WILL ALSO HIGHLIGHT THAT OKLAHOMA, UH, TO DATE HASN'T DONE A LOT OF GENETIC GENOMIC SEQUENCING OF THE COVID VIRUS.

SO WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ACTUAL ACCOUNTS ARE GOING TO BE.

>> BUT EQUIPMENT AT OKLAHOMA'S NEW PUBLIC HEALTH LAB IN STILLWATER SHOULD SOON BE CAPABLE OF MUCH MORE TESTING, TO GET BETTER INFO ON THE VARIANTS IN THE STATE.

>> WE FOUND IN OUR FIRST 10 SAMPLES, FIVE DIFFERENT VARIANTS.

SO, SO WE WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY TWO UK VARIANTS IN THAT RUN AND, AND ONE CALIFORNIA VARIANCE.

AND SINCE THAT TIME WE'VE DONE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED, UM, CASES, UH, AND WE'VE SEEN A MULTITUDE OF VARIANTS.

SOME OF THEM ARE JUST MUTATIONS THAT HAVE NOT A LOT OF CONCERN.

AND SOME OF THEM HAVE NAMES LIKE UK VARIANT WHERE IT CHANGES TRANSMISSIBILITY AND INFECTION RATE.

>> MEANWHILE, VACCINATIONS ARE STILL GOING UP, OVER 22% OF THE STATE IS FULLY VACCINATED.

THIS WEEK, THE STATE IS PAUSING SOME EFFORTS, AS THE CDC RECOMMENDS HALTING ADMINISTRATION OF THE JOHNSON AND JOHNSON VACCINE AFTER SIX WOMEN DEVELOPED BLOOD CLOTTING.

>> ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE PAUSE IS TO KIND OF ENSURE THAT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS LIKE THE HEALTHCARE PROVIDER COMMUNITY IS AWARE, UM, TO KIND OF LOOK FOR THESE ADVERSE EVENTS.

>> STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS REMIND OKLAHOMANS THAT THE SIX INSTANCES OF BLOOD CLOTTING ARE SIX OUT OF SEVEN MILLION DOSES.

>> SOMEBODY IN OKLAHOMA HAS -- IS 100 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIE IN A CAR CRASH THAN TO GET A BLOOD CLOT FROM THE J&J VACCINE.

AND ALSO AN UNVACCINATED PERSON IN OKLAHOMA IS MORE THAN 10 TIMES AS LIKELY TO DIE FROM COVID THAN TO GET A CAR CRASH.

>> NO INSTANCES OF THE CLOTTING HAVE OCCURRED IN OKLAHOMA.

HEALTH DEPARTMENT DEPUTY DIRECTOR KEITH REED SAYS ENTHUSIASM FOR GETTING VACCINATED HASN'T DECLINED, BUT HAS CHANGED.

>> WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT PEOPLE AREN'T NECESSARILY GOING OUT TO BIG PUBLIC PODS.

WE'RE SEEING MORE PEOPLE GETTING VACCINATED IN MORE OF THAT PERSONAL HEALTH SETTING LIKE THEIR PHARMACY OR THEIR DOCTOR'S OFFICE.

UM, SO MORE THAN ANYTHING, I WOULD SAY WE'VE SEEN A SHIFT IN THE WAY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET VACCINATED.

>> JACKSON LISLE IS A PARTNER AT AMBER INTEGRATED, A PUBLIC AFFAIRS FIRM THAT DOES REGULAR SURVEY RESEARCH.

THEIR REPORT FROM APRIL INCLUDED NUMBERS ON VACCINE INTEREST.

>> THIS LAST, MOST RECENT SURVEY WAS 500 REGISTERED VOTERS.

>> OF THE 500, 45% HAD NOT YET RECIEVED ANY DOSES OF A COVID VACCINE.

>> WE THEN FURTHER QUESTION THOSE 45% THAT HAD NOT BEEN VACCINATED TO SEE, ARE THEY GOING TO GET VACCINATED?

IS THIS SOMETHING THAT THEY WANT TO DO?

AND YOU KNOW, ABOUT 40% OF THEM WERE EITHER DEFINITELY OR PROBABLY GOING TO GET THE VACCINE.

SO WHEN YOU COMBINE THOSE NUMBERS WITH, UM, THOSE THAT HAD ALREADY GOTTEN IT, YOU'RE LOOKING AT ALMOST 70, AROUND 70% OF THE POPULATION THAT -- THAT EITHER HAS HER, WE'LL GET THE, UH, UH, OR WE'LL GET THE VACCINE AMONG REGISTERED VOTERS.

>> THAT'S ACTUALLY UP 10% FROM A SIMILAR POLL CONDUCTED IN DECEMBER.

SO WHAT'S CHANGING MINDS?

>> WE'VE TESTED ACTUALLY A LOT OF THE MESSENGERS OF WHO CAN BEST CONVINCE SOMEBODY TO GET A VACCINE OR -- OR WHO DO PEOPLE TRUST IN THAT FRONT.

AND REALLY THE ONLY PERSON THAT CRACKS ABOUT 50% AND THAT THEY TRUST THEM AND THAT WILL IMPACT THEIR DECISION IS SOMEBODY'S PERSONAL DOCTOR.

>> DR. MARY CLARKE IS ONE OF THOSE FAMILY PHYSICIANS, PRACTICING IN STILLWATER, AND SAYS THAT TRUST IS BUILT ON RELATIONSHIPS.

>> AS A FAMILY DOCTOR, WE HAVE A -- USUALLY A QUITE LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

>> DR. CLARKE SAYS THE BEST THING TO DO IS ANSWER QUESTIONS.

>> BECAUSE OF THE HYPE AROUND COVID AND THE VACCINES, THE IMPRESSION THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE STILL HAVE IS THAT THIS IS A NEW TECHNOLOGY, AND THEY'RE CONCERNED THAT THIS MIGHT BE A PROBLEM ON SAFETY FACTOR.

I TRY AND EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT IN REALITY, THIS IS NOT NEW TECHNOLOGY.

WE MAKE A VACCINE EVERY YEAR FOR THE FLU.

AND IS THIS THE SAME GENERAL PROCEDURE.

NOT EXACTLY THE SAME VACCINE, BUT IT'S THE SAME GENERAL PROCEDURE.

AND SO THESE TECHNOLOGIES ARE REALLY HAVE BEEN TRIED AND TRUE FOR A VERY LONG TIME.

>> SO IF YOU'RE STILL HESITANT ON VACCINES, GO ASK YOUR DOCTOR.

RORY, THANKS AND STAY TUNED.

>> COMING UP IN A FEW MINUTES, THE PURSUIT OF HERD IMMUNITY.

HOW DOES OKLAHOMA RANK COMPARED TO OTHER STATES OUR SIZE, IN ACHIEVING THAT GOAL?

WITH 91 DEATHS IN THE LAST SEVE.

AND SINCE THE PANDEMIC BEGAN 427,000 PEOPLE HAVE RECOVERED FROM THE VIRUS IN OKLAHOMA.

AND AS OF APRIL 14th, MORE THAN 2.3 MILLION DOSES OF VACCINE HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN OKLAHOMA.

>> DETERMINING HOW TO PAY FOR AND IMPLEMENT STATE QUESTION 802 MEDICAID EXPANSION.

>> LAWMAKERS WHO ARE PART OF THE BUDGETING PROCESS, LIKE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGET CHAIRMAN ROGER THOMPSON, HAVE BEGUN OUTLINING WHAT THE NEXT STATE BUDGET WILL LOOK LIKE STARTING JULY FIRST.

THAT'S ALSO THE DATE THE STATE WILL BEGIN OFFERING EXPANDED MEDICAID.

>> WHENEVER THE PEOPLE VOTE, I TAKE IT EXTREMELY SERIOUSLY WHERE THAT'S ON EIGHT OH TWO OR WHETHER IT'S ON SEVEN, EIGHT OR SEVEN 91 CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, WHATEVER THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA VOTE ON.

WE HAVE A MANDATE FROM THE PEOPLE TO MAKE THAT WORK OUT FOR THE PEOPLE.

>> WHAT HAS TO BE DONE?

WHAT DO YOU GUYS HAVE TO DO TO MAKE THAT WORK?

>> EARLY ON, WE HAD TO AGREE ON EXACTLY WHAT THE PRICE IS GOING TO BE.

AND SO, UH, WE ARE AT $164.8 MILLION THAT WE SAY, THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO COST FOR MEDICAID EXPANSION.

AND, UH, SO WE'LL LIST IT INSIDE OF OUR BUDGET.

>> LAWMAKERS ARE LOOKING AT RAISING THE SUPPLEMENTAL HOSPITAL OPTION PAYMENT PROGRAM FEE OR SHOP TO HELP PAY FOR THE EXPANSION.

>> AND, UM, UH, RIGHT NOW IT'S ABOUT 2.5%.

IF WE RAISE THAT TO 4%, WE CAN PICK UP ABOUT $111 MILLION.

>> THOMPSON ADDS THERE ARE EXISTING HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS WHICH WILL BE TAKEN OVER BY THE MEDICAID EXPANSION.

THE FUNDING THE LEGISLATURE TRADITIONALLY APPROPRIATED FOR THOSE PROGRAMS WILL NOW HELP MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE.

HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT SET IN STONE UNTIL A BUDGET AGREEMENT IS REACHED.

THAT USUALLY HAPPENS IN MAY TOWARD THE END OF THE SESSION.

AS LAWMAKERS WORK ON THAT ISSUE, THEY ARE ABOUT TO OBSERVE NATIONAL CRIME VICTIM'S WEEK.

A REMINDER OF THE WORK THEY HAVE DONE TO IMPLEMENT STATE QUESTION 794, CALLED MARSY'S LAW AND APPROVED BY VOTERS DURING THE NOVEMBER 2018 GENERAL ELECTION.

IT GAVE CRIME VICTIMS IN OKLAHOMA THE SAME LEVEL OF RIGHTS IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AS THOSE ACCUSED OR CONVICTED OF THE CRIME.

>> SO PASSING A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT IS REALLY JUST THE FIRST STEP.

THE NEXT PHASE REALLY INVOLVES IMPLEMENTATION WHETHER LEGISLATIVELY, RULEMAKING, WHATEVER STEPS MIGHT BE TAKEN SO THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT THE RIGHTS THAT ARE ADDED TO THE CONSTITUTION ARE MAINTAINED.

>> KIM MOYER IS THE STATE DIRECTOR FOR MARSY'S LAW FOR OKLAHOMA.

>> THE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE RAN A PACKAGE OF BILLS THAT BASICALLY DICTATE, UH, HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE THAT EVERYBODY RECEIVES INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS.

AND THEN ALSO HOW DISTRICT ATTORNEYS ARE SUPPOSED TO HANDLE IT WHEN THE CRIME VICTIMS PASS OVER FROM THE INVESTIGATIVE PHASE INTO THE PROSECUTION PHASE, IF THAT HAPPENS.

>> OF COURSE, THEY'RE STILL IMPLEMENTING JUST A LITTLE BIT IN SOME CASES, BUT IT ACTUALLY HAS HELPED, UH, WITH HELPING VICTIMS KNOW WHAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE AND TO GET NOTIFIED, UM, THROUGHOUT THE PREP THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.

>> LAUREN LAYMAN IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE OKLAHOMA HOMICIDE SURVIVIORS SUPPORT GROUP.

LAYMAN'S FAMILY HAD TO GO THROUGH A MURDER TRIAL BEFORE MARSY'S LAW WAS PUT INTO PLACE BY VOTERS.

>> MY TRIAL WAS IN ANOTHER COUNTY AND, UM, THAT'S ABOUT AN HOUR, A LITTLE BIT LONGER AWAY, BUT I HAD TAKEN OFF WORK TO GET MY FAMILY TO THE TRIAL.

AND, UH, YOU KNOW, UH, THE TRIAL HAD BEEN CHANGED.

WE GET THERE AND THE TRIAL HAD BEEN CHANGED.

SO NO ONE HAD NOTIFIED US.

>> THE NEW NOTIFICATONS OF CHANGES TO COURT DATES HAVE HELPED VICTIMS DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC AS WELL, BECAUSE MANY COURTHOUSES HAVE DELAYED CRIMINAL DOCKETS.

WHILE VOTERS SUPPORTED VICTIM'S RIGHTS IN 2018.

THEY ALSO SUPPORTED CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM WHEN THEY APPROVED STATE QUESTIONS 780 AND 781 IN NOVEMBER 2016.

STATE QUESTION 780 WAS MADE RETROACTIVE THROUGH LEGISLATION LEADING TO THE LARGEST COMMUTATION OF NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS IN U.S. HISTORY.

BUT FIVE YEARS LATER.STATE QUESTION 781, WHICH MANDATES THAT THE MONEY SAVED BY THE STATE FROM KEEPING PEOPLE FROM GOING TO PRISON BE USED FOR LOCAL SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, HAS YET TO BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

>> UNFORTUNATELY WE'VE SEEN A DELAY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STATE QUESTION 781.

>> KRIS STEELE IS THE DIRECTOR OF OKLAHOMANS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.

THE ORGANIZATION WHICH GATHERED THE SIGNATURES TO PUT 780 AND 781 ON THE BALLOT.

HE SAYS THAT THE STATE IS WRESTLING WITH HOW TO COUNT THE SAVINGS.

>> AND I THINK HAS RESULTED IN SOME DELAY.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS PAST YEAR OR THIS PAST INTERIM, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH ALL THE VARIOUS ENTITIES TO ULTIMATELY AGREE UPON A STANDARD FORMULA THAT WOULD GIVE US AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF EXACTLY WHAT THOSE SAVINGS ARE.

>> STEELE SAYS THE FORMULA AGREEMENT MEANS THAT LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION RECOVERY EFFORTS WILL RECEIVE FUNDING SOON.

>> SO I THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO BE PATIENT, UH, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ALLOW THESE REFORMS TO -- TO, TO HAVE A CHANCE TO BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

AND THEN I THINK THAT IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT THAT WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PROGRESS TO ENSURE THAT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE IS ACTUALLY ENACTED.

>> SENATOR THOMPSON AGREES WITH STEELE.

IT TAKES CONTINUAL WORK TO MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE'S WILL AT THE BALLOT BOX IS FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

I THINK THOSE LIKE MYSELF THAT SERVE AT 23RD TO LINCOLN.

WE'RE HERE TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA.

THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.

THAT IS A CONTINUAL ONGOING WORK.

>> JASON DOYLE, THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

>> THE ELIMINATION OF CORPORATE STATE INCOME TAXES, PROPOSED BY HOUSE SPEAKER CHARLES MCCALL APPEARS TO HAVE HIT A ROADBLOCK IN THE SENATE.

THE PROPOSAL WOULD PHASE OUT STATE INCOME TAX FOR CORPORATIONS, BUT THERE ISN'T MUCH SUPPORT FOR IT IN THE OKLAHOMA SENATE.

PRESIDENT PRO TEM GREG TREAT SAYS THE REPUBICAN CAUCUS OPPOSES THE CUT WHILE THE STATE'S ECONOMY IS RECOVERING FROM THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC.

WHILE MCCALL'S BILL IS STALLED RIGHT NOW, IT COULD STILL BE PART OF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS.

>> 29 OKLAHOMA FLAGS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON THE SOUTH LAWN OF THE STATE CAPITOL AS A REMINDER OF THE 29 CHILDREN LOST TO NEGLECT AND ABUSE LAST YEAR.

ALONG WITH THE OKLAHOMA FLAGS, AMERICAN FLAGS ARE PLANTED AS WELL TO REPRESENT THE CHILDREN KILLED AROUND THE NATION.

THE LEGISLATURE RECOGNIZED APRIL AS CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH EARLIER THIS WEEK.

>> GOVERNOR STITT HAS OR WILL SOON SIGN 3 SIGNIFICANT PIECES OF LEGISLATION INTO LAW.

WITH MORE ON THAT, WE'RE JOINED BY E-CAPITOL NEWS DIRECTOR, SHAWN ASHLEY.

SHAWN, LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO PASS IDA'S LAW FOR QUITE AWHILE, AND THIS WEEK IT'S GOTTEN OVER THE FINISH LINE.

WHAT WILL IT DO?

>> THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT LAWMAKERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

I COVERED AN INTERIM STUDY ON THE ISSUE, I THINK AS FAR BACK AS 2017 AND IT HAS TO DO WITH MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY INDIGENOUS WOMEN.

IT'S NAMED AFTER IDA BEARD, WHO HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE 2015.

AND WHAT THIS DOES IS TO ENCOURAGE COOPERATION BETWEEN THE OKLAHOMA STATE BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO COLLECT DATA SO THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE AWARE OF THESE MISSING INDIGENOUS PERSONS, PARTICULARLY WOMEN.

AND IT ALSO WOULD PROVIDE FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN THAT EFFORT AND TO IMPROVE EFFORTS, TO FIND THEM AND TO CONVICT THOSE WHO MIGHT'VE DONE THEM.

>> .GREAT NEWS THIS WEEK FOR OKLAHOMANS SUFFERING FROM TYPE-2 DIABETES.

>> LAWMAKERS HAVE NOW PASSED A BILL THAT WOULD REDUCE THE COSTS PAID BY INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR INSULIN.

IT WOULD LOWER THE COST TO $30 FOR A 30-DAY SUPPLY AND $90 FOR A 90-DAY SUPPLY.

SENATOR GREG MCCOURTNEY POINTED OUT THAT WORK STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE TO LOWER THE OVERALL COSTS BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH DIABETICS NOW MAY PAY LESS FOR INSULIN, THEIR INSURANCE COMPANIES MAY STILL BE PAYING A GREATER PORTION OF THAT HIGH PRICE.

HE WANTS TO SEE THAT ISSUE ADDRESSED AND ULTIMATELY FIXED.

>> I IMAGINE GOVERNOR SITT WILL TAKE GREAT PRIDE IS SIGNING LEGISLATION NAMED AFTER THE FIRST LADY.

>> MOST INDIVIDUALS, WHEN THEY COME OUT OF PRISON, NO LONGER HAVE A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR A GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID.

IT HAS BEEN EXPIRED OR REVOKED.

THIS LEGISLATION PUTS IN PLACE A PROCESS TO WORK WITH THE DEPARTMENT AND THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY AND GETTING THOSE LICENSES AND IDS IN THE HANDS OF FORMER OFFENDERS, AS THEY'RE PREPARING TO LEAVE.

FIRST LADY SARAH STITT PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN THAT PROCESS BACK IN 2019.

>> FINALLY, ONE OKLAHOMA LAWMAKER REACTING TO THREATS FROM THE NCAA TO PULL THEIR EVENTS OUT OF STATES THAT PASS LAWS BANNING TRANSGENDER ATHLETES FROM COMPETING IN WOMEN SPORTS.

TELL US MORE.

>> REPRESENTATIVE SHEILA DEALS, A REPUBLICAN FROM TULSA STATED THAT WE CAN NOT SACRIFICE OUR OKLAHOMA VALUES, WHICH INCLUDE FAIRNESS IN SPORT AND THE PROTECTION OF OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS IN OKLAHOMA FOR THE SAKE OF DOLLARS OR EVEN THE POPULARITY OF SUCH EVENTS.

NOW IN OKLAHOMA, THIS DEALS WITH SENATE SENATE BILL TWO, WHICH WAS AMENDED TO ADDRESS TRANSGENDER ATHLETES IN SPORTING EVENTS AND ESSENTIALLY PROHIBIT THEM.

UH, THE BILL HAS YET TO BE HEARD AND IT'S QUESTIONABLE WHETHER IT WILL BE, BUT SHE IS DEFINITELY TAKING A STANCE IN SUPPORT OF THE BILL AND AGAINST THE NCAA.

>> AND AGAIN, YOU KNOW, THE NCAA BRINGS THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES FOR THE WOMEN TO OKLAHOMA CITY EVERY YEAR.

SO WE'LL KEEP AN EYE ON IT.

SEAN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> YOU'RE VERY WELCOME.

>> EDMOND VOTERS HAVE ELECTED THEIR FIRST BLACK MAYOR.

DARRELL DAVIS HAS SERVED ON THE EDMOND CITY COUNCIL FOR THE PAST NINE YEARS.

HE WON WITH ABOUT 62-PERCENT OF THE VOTE OVER BUSINESSMAN NATHAN WALTERS.

DAVIS WILL BE SWORN IN ALONG WITH TWO NEW COUNCIL MEMBERS ON MAY 3RD.

>> AND THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA HAS APPOINTED A FAMILIAR FACE TO BE IT'S NEW DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION.

STACY REEDER HAS BEEN A FACULTY MEMBER FOR 16 YEARS AND WAS NAMED ACTING DEAN IN SEPTEMBER 2019.

REEDER WAS PICKED FROM 13 QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.

THE NEW APPOINTMENT IS PENDING APPROVAL FROM THE OU BOARD OF REGENTS.

>> MORE THAN 100 SCHOOLS IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA ARE SHARING $6.3 MILLION, THANKS TO AN ANNUAL DONATION FROM THE CHEROKEE NATION.

THE TRIBE BEGAN DONATING THE MONEY TO SCHOOLS FROM IT'S VEHICLE TAG PROGRAM IN 2002, 38% OF THE REVENUE FROM EACH LICENSE PLATE GOES TO AREA SCHOOLS.

THIS YEAR'S DONATION IS THE LARGEST THE CHEROKEE NATION HAS GIVEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM THUS FAR.

>> ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE AND A NEARBY TECHNICAL SCHOOL HAVE TEAMED UP TO MEET AN URGENT NEED.

QUALIFIED AIRCRAFT MECHANICS ARE IN DEMAND NATIONWIDE MORE THAN EVER RIGHT NOW.

AND IT'S LONG BEEN A MAJOR INDUSTRY IN OKLAHOMA.

REPORTER STEVE SHAW HITS THE ROAD FOR ALTUS THIS WEEK.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE AIR BASE AND THE SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY CENTER.

>> JACKIE JOHNSON AND TOM TURNER ARE RECENT GRADUATES OF THE GROW YOUR OWN MECHANIC PROGRAM AT SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY CENTER.

TOM'S BEGUN THE ON-BOARDING PROCESS AT ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE WHERE HE PLANS TO WORK AS AN AIRCRAFT MECHANIC IN THE 97TH MAINTENANCE GROUP IN THE 97TH AIR MOBILITY WING.

>> WE CAN CHANGE TIRES LIKE YOU WOULD ON A CAR.

WE KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH THE POWER PLANT ON THE INDIVIDUAL AIRCRAFT WE HAVE HERE THE WHOLE NINE YARDS.

HYDRAULICS, LEWMATICS, CONTROL SURFACES, ANYTHING, EVERYTHING THE REALLY BARE BONES STOCK INFORMATION YOU NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THE AIR FORCE BASE.

>> JACKIE WILL START THAT PROCESS AFTER MEETING MORE FAA REQUIREMENTS.

>> JUST BEING ABLE TO BUST YOUR BUTT AND KNOW WHEN TO STUDY, KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO LEARN.

>> THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY CENTER AND ALTUS AIR BASE GOES BACK MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

>> AS A MATTER OF FACT IT STARTED RIGHT HERE IN THIS HANGER WITH ONE TEACHER MR. SCOTT AND 15 STUDENTS IN 1998.

>> SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY CENTER SUPERINTENDENT AND CEO DALE LATHAM SAYS THEY GRADUATE AROUND 30 AIRCRFAFT MECHANICS FROM THEIR 18 MONTH AIRCRAFT MECHANIC PROGRAM EACH YEAR.

A YEAR AGO, SOUTHWEST ADDED NIGHT-TIME INSTRUCTION TO BETTER MEET THE GROWING NEED.

>> OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS THEY'RE NEEDING AN ADDITIONAL 300 OR SO EMPLOYEES.

SO IT'S VERY IMPORTANT SUCH AS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT OUR NIGHT-TIME PROGRAM, TO START A NIGH TIME PROGRAM THAT NOT ONLY ALLOWS PEOPLE WHO WORK DURING THE DAY TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE A AND P PROGRAM IT ALSO ALLOWS PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING AT ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, AND DON'T HAVE THEIR A AND P TO COME BACK TO SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY CENTER TO GET THEIR A AND P. >> A AND P STANDS FOR AIR FRAME AND POWER PLANT.

IT'S THE LICENSE YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO BE ALLOWED TO WORK ON PLANES.

>> IT'S AN ALL AROUND LICENSE.

IT ALLOWS YOU TO WORK ON AIRCRAFT WORLDWIDE.

YOU CAN GO TO GERMANY TO WORK ON AIRCRAFT, NEW YORK CITY, OR ALTUS, OKLAHOMA.

>> OUR TUITION RATE IS A MERE $2 A CREDIT HOUR, SO FOR A 1950 HOUR PROGRAM LIKE OUR AVIATION MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, IT'S A MERE $4,875 FOR AN ADULT STUDENT THAT COMES IN AND ATTENDS ONE OF OUR EIGHT DISTRICTS.

THEY CAN COME IN AND NOT PAY A DOLLAR.

SO THEY CAN START THEIR JUNIOR YEAR AND COMPLETE THE PROGRAM COMPLETELY FREE IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND NOT OWE ANYTHING.

>> I HAVE HAD SEVERAL KIDS.

I WAS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AT ALTUS ONE TIME AND I HAD SEVERAL KIDS, THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHICH WAY THEY WERE GONNA GO.

THEY'VE COME OUT HERE, THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE PROGRAM, AND FOR WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO GRADUATION, IT'S REALLY A TEAR JERKING MOMENT.

>> JUST OVER 4 MILES DOWN THE ROAD, AT ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE TARA POPE'S BEEN AT WHAT'S KNOWN AS A C-17 FLAT LINE CREW CHIEF FOR THREE YEARS.

>> I ACTUALLY WENT TO COLLEGE ON A RODEO SCHOLARSHIP.

I HAD NO CLUE ANY OF THIS EXISTED.

>> SHE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF GETTING CERTIFIED THROUGH SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY CENTER BEGINNING IN 2016.

>> OH YEAH, OH YEAH.

I WISH I HAD KNOWN ABOUT IT YEARS AGO.

I WOULD HAVE SKIPPED ALL THAT STUFF.

I WOULD HAVE DONE THIS FIRST.

STEADY, I GUESS IT'S A GOOD JOB TO HAVE IN SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA.

I MEAN YOU'RE WORKING FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

IT'S A GOOD JOB.

>> MECHANICS HERE WORK ON THREE TYPES OF AIRCRAFT.

C-17 CARGO PLANES, KC 135 AND KC 46 TANKER PLANES.

>> YEAH, IT'S VERY COOL.

I NEVER THOUGHT IN A MILLION YEARS I'D BE OUT HERE WORKING.

>> YET JOANNA MALLOY MADE IT TROUGH SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY'S GROW YOUR OWN MECHANIC PROGRAM.

SHE'S BEEN INSPECTING PLANES AT ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

>> YES, IT DOES FEEL GOOD ESPECIALLY BEING A WOMAN, BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OUT HERE ARE MEN.

SO I AM A LITTLE MINORITY OF THE WOMEN WHO WORK OUT HERE AND I REALLY ENJOY IT, AND IT DOES MAKE ME FEEL PROUD TO WORK IN A MAN'S WORLD, AND BEING ABLE TO DO IT.

>> IF YOU PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT, AND PUT YOUR MIND INTO IT, YOU CAN GET IT DONE AND YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL, AND HAVE EVERYTHING YOU NEED, ALL OF YOUR CERTIFICATES AND ALL OF YOUR LICENSES OUT OF THE WAY.

>> IN ALTUS, STEVE SHAW THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

>> STEVE, THANKS.

AND WE'RE TOLD THAT THE MECHANICS TRAINED AT THE SOUTHWEST TECHNOLOGY CENTER, START OUT MAKING MORE THAN $20 PER HOUR.

>> WITH MORE ON THE BUSINESS NEWS OF THE WEEK IN OKLAHOMA WE WELCOME BACK REPORTER JASON DOYLE WITH THE "OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW."

>> AMERICAN AIRLINES HAS RECALLED ALL OF ITS FURLOUGHED TULSA EMPLOYEES BECAUSE THE AIRLINE WANTS TO GET MORE PLANES BACK IN THE AIR.

SEVENTY PLANES WERE DEACTIVATED DURING THE PANDEMIC ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN ORDERED BACK INTO OPERATIONS.

HIGHER CRUDE OIL PRICES LED TO HIGHER ENERGY ACTIVITY IN OUR REGION.

THE KANSAS CITY FEDERAL RESERVE BANK'S FIRST QUARTER REPORT SHOWS ACTIVITY IN THE TENTH DISTRICT'S OIL PATCH IS HIGHER THAN A YEAR AGO AND IT APPEARS THAT INCREASED ACTIVITY WILL CONTINUE FOR, AT LEAST THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.

A PLANNED MERGER BETWEEN OKALHOMA CITY BASED ENABLE MIDSTREAM PARTNERS AND DALLAS BASED ENERGY TRANSFER TOOK A STEP CLOSER TO REALITY THIS WEEK THE TWO LARGEST UNIT HOLDERS OF ENABLE HAVE GIVEN THEIR APPROVAL OF THE MERGER, THE TRANSACTION IS EXPECTED TO CLOSE LATER THIS YEAR.

>> A MAJOR, THREE PART WIND ENERGY PROJECT HAS STARTED PRODUCING POWER FROM WOODS COUNTY.

AMERICAN ELECTRIC POWER, THE PARENT COMPANY OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMPANY OF OKLAHOMA, SAYS THE 199-MEGAWATT SUNDANCE WIND ENERGY CENTER IS THE FIRST TO GO ONLINE.

WHEN COMBINED WITH THE TWO WIND FARMS UNDER DEVELOPMENT THE PROJECT WILL PROVIDE ELECTRICITY TO POWER 440,000 HOMES.

>> ACTOR AND ACTIVIST HILL HARPER HAS LAUNCHED THE BLACK WALL STREET THE FIRST BLACK-OWNED DIGITAL WALLET AND CRYPTOCURRENCY EXCHANGE PLATFORM IN THE U.S. HARPER IS USING THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A 30-CITY FINANCIAL LITERACY CAMPAIGN AIMED AT BLACK AND LATINX COMMUNITIES THE TOUR WILL BE IN TULSA DURING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE MAY 31ST THROUGH JUNE 1ST.

>> UNITED STATES ATTORNEY GENERAL GARLAND MERRICK WILL BE THE KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT THE 26TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING THIS MONDAY.

MERRICK WAS ONE OF THE FEDERAL PROSECUTORS WHO INVESTIGATED THE BOMBING AND BUILT THE CASE AGAINST TIMOTHY MCVEIGH AND TERRY NICHOLS.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY NATIONAL MEMORIAL AND MUSEUM WILL HOLD ITS ANNUAL REMEMBRANCE WITH SURVIVORS, FAMILY AND DIGNATARIES PRESENT.

WHILE STREAMING THE CEREMONY FOR THE PUBLIC AT MEMORIAL MUSEUM.COM, THE CEREMONY WILL BEGIN AT 8:45 IN THE MORNING.

>> BETWEEN THEM, THEY HAVE MORE 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AT THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF TELEVISION NEWS IN OKLAHOMA.

AND ALL THREE EVENTUALLY CAME TO THE SAME DECISION.

IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON TO NEW CHALLENGES.

NOW THEY FIND THEMSELVES MAKING, NOT COVERING BREAKING NEWS.

AND ALL THREE ARE NOW FREE TO SHARE THEIR INFORMED AND SOMETIMES POINTED OPINIONS ON THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA JOURNALISM IN 2021.

AFTER YEARS OF CRAFTING HIS OWN SPORTSCASTS AND MORNING NEWS COPY IN TULSA AND FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS, CHARLIE HANNEMA NOW HELPS CRAFT THE MESSAGE OF GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT AS HIS CHIEF OF COMMUNICATIONS.

>> IT'S DIFFERENT WHEN YOU WORK FOR THE GOVERNOR OR ANYBODY ELSE WHERE YOU'RE KIND OF WRITING THEIR CONTENT AND HELPING THEM WITH THEIR MESSAGE BECAUSE.

THE HARDEST PART IS LETTING GO AND JUST KIND OF HOPING THAT YOUR BOSS GOES OUT AND CRUSHES IT AND DELIVERS IT.

>> HANNAMA OFTEN SHARED THE NEWS DESK AT KOTV IN TULSA WITH FORMER INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AND ANCHOR JENNIFER LOREN, WHO IS NOW THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND HOST OF THE CHEROKEE TRIBE'S EMMY-WINNING SHOW, OSIYO ON O.E.T.A.

>> YOU'RE KIND OF A COG ON A WHEEL.

THE WHEEL IS ALWAYS TURNING, THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE, IT'S GOING TO KEEP GOING, WHETHER YOU'RE THERE OR NOT.

WHEN I SWITCHED OVER TO CHEROKEE NATION AND CREATED THIS TELEVISION SHOW WHERE THERE WAS NO WHEEL, THERE WAS NO COG, THERE WAS NO MACHINE.

AND IT WAS BUILDING EVERY PIECE OF THAT MACHINE, UM, WAS MY CHALLENGE.

>> FIRST OF ALL, I'D TELL A 14-YEAR OLD AARON DUDE RUNAWAY DO NOT GET INTO BROADCASTING, DO ANYTHING BUT THAT.

>> AARON BRILBECK BEGAN HIS JOURNALISM CAREER AS A TEENAGER ON THE RADIO IN UPSTATE NEW YORK.

HE LEFT HIS REPORTER'S POSITION AT KWTV IN OKLAHOMA CITY LAST YEAR TO JOIN THE OKLAHOMA SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AS THEIR PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER, BUT THAT'S NOT ALL.

>> I'M LEARNING A LOT ABOUT POLICE WORK THAT I DIDN'T KNOW BEFORE I THOUGHT THAT I KNEW MUCH MORE THAN I DID.

UH, SO PART OF MY, MY ROLE AS PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER HERE, I'M ALSO GOING TO BE GOING THROUGH DEPUTY SCHOOL, BECOMING A DEPUTY.

>> ALL THREE AGREE ON THESE THREE THINGS.

THEIR FORMER PROFESSION HAS CHANGED EXPONETIALLY, NOT NECESSARILY FOR THE BETTER AND ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS FOR THAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA.

>> WHEN I WAS COMING UP AS A REPORTER, YOU JUST -- YOU DIDN'T POST, YOU DIDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHAT YOUR POLITICAL BELIEFS WERE AND YOUR POLITICAL AFFILIATIONS WERE, AND THAT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE THE CASE ANYMORE.

>> A LOT OF THE BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOLKS LIKE THE PRODUCERS AND SOME OF THESE, UH, YOU KNOW, WEB FOLKS AND THE ASSIGNMENT DESK DON'T NECESSARILY SEEM TO THINK THAT THOSE RULES APPLY TO THEM.

>> AND I CAN SEE THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES AND I CAN SEE SOME OF THEIR POSITIONS.

AND SO IT DOES KIND OF PUT A QUESTION IN YOUR MIND, IS, IS THE GOVERNOR GOING TO GET A FAIR SHAKE HERE?

I'M NOT SAYING THAT THAT AFFECTS THEIR JUDGMENT.

I'M JUST SAYING THAT DOES RAISE SOME QUESTIONS WHEN YOU'RE ON THE OTHER SIDE.

>> LOREN ADDS THAT THE AMOUNT OF TIME SPENT PRODUCING ADDITIONAL ON-LINE CONTENT, MIGHT BE BETTER UTILIZED CRAFTING MORE INDEPTH REPORTING.

>> I REMEMBER RIGHT AFTER I LEFT, SOME OF THE REPORTERS WERE REQUIRED TO DO, UM, TO DOWNLOAD AN APP, TO DO THESE LIKE LITTLE, UM, PERSONALIZED SIZZLE THINGS.

AND I WAS LIKE, WHAT IS THAT?

>> IT WENT FROM REPORTING TO NOW YOU'RE A REPORTER AND A PHOTOGRAPHER AND A FIELD PRODUCER, AND YOU'RE AN IT SPECIALIST.

AND YOU'VE GOT TO DO ALL THAT WHILE TRYING TO PUT TOGETHER A WELL THOUGHT OUT WELL-RESEARCHED STORY.

AND IT JUST WASN'T REALLY APPETIZING TO ME ANYMORE TO CONTINUE FEEDING THAT BEAST.

>> WHICH IS NOT TO SAY THEIR ISN'T PLENTY OF PRESSURE TO GET IT RIGHT IN THEIR NEW ROLES AS WELL.

>> IT'S AN EMERGENCY AND YOU HAVE 4 MILLION OKLAHOMANS LEANING ON EVERY WORD TO TRY AND STAY SAFE OR TRY TO STAY INFORMED.

THAT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN, UH, YOU KNOW, AN OU FOOTBALL GAME AS WELL.

>> YOU'VE GOT THE INSIDE SCOOP AHEAD OF ANYONE ELSE WITH, UH, WITH SOME MAJOR, MAJOR ISSUES, ARE REPORTERS BASICALLY GETTING IT RIGHT?

ARE THEY GETTING IT WRONG?

>> I THINK IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH.

I THINK BY AND LARGE, WE'VE GOT A PRESS CORE THAT'S COMMITTED TO ACCURACY AND FAIRNESS.

>> HONESTLY, THERE'S A COUPLE OF TIMES THAT WE'VE BEEN BURNED AND IT'S, IT'S LEFT THE SHERIFF, WHO HAS BEEN EXTREMELY ACCESSIBLE TO THE MEDIA, A LITTLE BIT LEERY.

>> WHILE LOREN ISNT DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN PUBLIC OR MEDIA RELATIONS FOR THE CHEROKEE TRIBE, SHE CONCURS THAT OKLAHOMA JOURNALISTS TRY TO REPORT ON INDIAN ISSUES FAIRLY, HOWEVER.

>> I THINK THAT THE TRIBES HAVE HAD TO WORK VERY, VERY HARD OVER NUMBER OF YEARS TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE MEDIA.

A LOT OF NATIVE ISSUES ARE VERY COMPLICATED, VERY, VERY COMPLICATED, AND IT TAKES QUITE A BIT OF LEARNING TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE INS AND OUTS OF AN ISSUE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO GIVE THE TRIBES A FAIR SHAKE, THAT'S A JOURNALIST'S RESPONSIBILITY AND THEY NEED TO BE DOING THAT.

>> WE ALL CAN SEE THE COUNTRY'S VERY DIVIDED.

CAN THE MEDIA PLAY A POSITIVE ROLE IN THAT, OR DO THEY JUST STAY OUT OF THAT, THAT'S NOT THEIR JOB?

>> IT'S NOT THEIR JOB.

IT'S NOT THEIR JOB TO, TO TRY TO BEND PARTISAN FENCES.

IT'S THEIR JOB TO REPORT FACTS AND FACTS ONLY.

>> WHAT ABOUT YOU, CHARLIE?

>> HONESTLY, IT'S ON THE PUBLIC TO SEEK OUT INFORMATION AND WANT TO BE INFORMED INSTEAD OF JUST, I READ THREE LINES ON FACEBOOK AND NOW I'M AN EXPERT ON ISSUE X, Y, AND Z.

>> IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE THE MEDIA STEP BACK AND TAKE A DIFFERENT, UM, USE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GOING TO DIVE REALLY DEEP AND PROVIDE YOU WITH ALL OF THE INS AND OUTS OF THIS TOPIC SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION THAT DOESN'T RELY ON THREE LINES OF FACEBOOK.

>> YOU'RE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK INTO BROADCAST NEWS.

AND YOUR ANSWER IS?

>> IF YOU PULLED UP A BRINK'S TRUCK TO MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW AT OFFERED TO UNLOADED THE ANSWER WOULD BE A VERY FIRM, NO.

>> CHARLIE, HOW ABOUT YOU?

>> IF I COULD ANCHOR THE NEWS WITH JENNIFER LAUREN AND NOT HAVE TO WORK WEEKENDS, I WOULD DO IT.

>> THERE YOU GO.

AND JEN, I'LL LET YOU HAVE THE FINAL WORD.

>> IF YOU SAID, UH, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A NEWSROOM.

YOU'RE THE NEWS DIRECTOR, AND YOU NEED TO TURN THIS AROUND AND RUN IT BASED OFF OF YOUR NEWS PHILOSOPHY.

I'D THINK ABOUT IT, BUT NO, I WOULD NOT GO BACK TO BEING A NEWS, ANCHOR AND REPORTER, BUT I DON'T KNOW, CHARLIE.

I LOVE WORKING WITH CHARLIE, SO IT'D BE TEMPTING.

>> FULL DISCLOSURE, I'VE WORKED WITH ALL THREE, AND ALL THREE ARE CONSUMMATE PROFESSIONALS.

>> LAST WEEK WE INVITED LEADERS FROM BOTH THE ASIAN-AMERICAN AND LATINO COMMUNITIES TO JOIN US FOR AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ON THE ISSUES AND CHALLENGES FACING THEM IN OKLAHOMA.

>> TONIGHT, SUSAN CADOT CONTINUES THAT CONVERSATION TO HELP FIND SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BENEFIT EVERYONE.

>> I WANT TO INTRODUCE OUR PANEL TO YOU.

WE HAVE THE PRESIDENT OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY.

WE HAVE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ASIAN DISTRICT CULTURAL ASSOCIATION, AND WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS AND COFOUNDER.

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> SO WHEN WE HAVE THE BATTLE OVER IMMIGRATION AND THEN THE DISTRUST OVER COVID, ACROSS AMERICA, HATE CRIMES AGAINST ASIANS ARE UP NEARLY 150%.

I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY THAT POLITICAL WORLD HAPPENINGS DO IMPACT THE DIFFERENT SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING YOUR PEOPLE?

I KNOW YOU'RE TELLING PEOPLE TO BE MORE PRECAUTIOUS, BE MORE AWARE OF WHAT'S AROUND THEM AND THAT'S A REAL CONVERSATION YOU'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW WITH ASIANS IN OKLAHOMA, CORRECT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

WE HAVE BEEN IN TALKS WITH, YOU KNOW, OFFICIALS.

WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO MORE COMMUNITY DRIVEN EVENTS AROUND EDUCATION.

LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT IT'S TIME TO STAND UP AND STAND OUT.

STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO STAND UP AND PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND PROTECT OURSELF, NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO DO IT FOR US.

AND ESPECIALLY TO THE POINT LATINOS, WE'RE NON-MONOLITHIC.

JUST BECAUSE I MAY LOOK SMALL I AM NOT CHINESE.

I'M VIETNAMESE.

AND THAT IS WHERE I CAME FROM.

THAT IS WHERE I WAS BORN.

AND PEOPLE HAVE TO BE AWARE THAT ASIA IS A REALLY, REALLY BIG CONTINENT.

AND NOT ALL ASIANS FIT INTO THIS MODE OF ONE ASIAN, YOU KNOW.

WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT CULTURES AMONG THE ASIAN COMMUNITIES.

WE HAVE A LOT OF REPRESENTATION, DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT ARE REPRESENTED.

>> I'M GETTING THE WORD FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT EDUCATE THEMSELVES ABOUT DIFFERENT CULTURES.

I USE THE TERM IGNORANT IN A VERY PRECISE WAY, JUST NOT -- NOT BEING EDUCATED ABOUT SOMETHING.

DO YOU THINK ANY -- THE ONUS IS ON -- I DID ANOTHER INTERVIEW AND SOMEONE SAID THE ONUS ISN'T ON ME TO EDUCATE YOU.

THERE IS MATERIAL OUT THERE TO EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.

WOULD YOU AGREE WITH THAT, THAT FOLKS NEED TO BE INTENT ON EDUCATING THEMSELVES?

>> YES.

INTENTION, BEING INTENTIONAL WITH EVERYONE AROUND YOU, AND EVERY PEOPLE YOU CAME ACROSS.

IT STARTS WITH EDUCATION.

IT STARTS IN SCHOOL.

IT STARTS IN -- WHEN YOU KNOW, TO BRENDA, WE'RE NOT BORN TO HATE.

WE'RE NOT BORN IN THIS WORLD WITH RACIST, YOU KNOW, IN OUR HEARTS.

WE'RE BORN AS A PERSON, A HUMAN BEING, YOU KNOW.

AND WE'RE GOING TO -- WE HAVE TO LEARN HUMANITY.

AND SO -- AND HUMANITY IS TAUGHT THROUGH FAMILY VALUES AND CULTURE THAT PEOPLE FROM THEIR TOP DOWN FROM THEIR GRANDPARENTS, TO THE PARENTS, TO THE VALUE AND THE FAMILY VALUES, TO THE CORE OF YOUR -- WHATEVER YOU HAVE GROWN UP IN.

THAT'S WHAT YOU TAKE TO YOUR ADULT LIFE AND YOU CHANGE TO YOUR NEXT GENERATIONS.

>> SO I WANT TO COME TO YOU.

REALLY QUICKLY TO TALK ABOUT IS THERE DISTRUST NOW, WHEN YOU HAVE THE RACISM, WHEN YOU SEE THE BIGOTRY, IT GENERATES DISTRUST IN THE GROUP THAT IS EXPERIENCING THAT RACISM TOWARDS THE GROUP THAT IS EXPRESSING IT.

AND THE DIVIDE JUST SEEMS TO GET BIGGER AND BIGGER.

THERE IS DISTRUST WHEN YOU'RE COMING IN CONTACT WITH FOLKS.

ARE THEY GOING TO TREAT ME A CERTAIN WAY.

IT'S A HARD PLACE TO START FROM AS FAR AS COMING TOGETHER.

WHAT ARE YOU TELLING YOUR KIDDOS?

>> WELL, WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO LOOK LIKE -- GET INVOLVED.

PARTICIPATE.

DON'T BE AFRAID.

BUT IT IS TOUGH WHEN YOU HEAR DON'T LOOK LIKE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THAT GROUP, AN EVENT OR THAT COMMUNITY.

BUT I THINK AS ADULTS WE HAVE TO SET THE EXAMPLE.

WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO COME TOGETHER, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH FESTIVALS, THROUGH VOLUNTEERING, AND DIFFERENT NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.

BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE SET THE EXAMPLE THAT WHILE THIS HAS BEEN PART OF THE HISTORY OF THIS COUNTRY, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE FUTURE OF THIS COUNTRY.

AND WE HAVE TO TRY AND REACH UP AND START BREAKING SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS THAT SOMETIMES ARE PERCEIVED AND SOMETIMES ARE TRULY THERE.

BUT IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT LEVEL AND HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH PEOPLE OF OTHER CULTURES, OTHER RACES, AND BREAKING BREAD TOGETHER, AND EXPERIENCING NEW CULTURES THAT ARE NOT -- YOU'RE NOT USED TO EXPERIENCING AT HOME.

SO IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING TO TRY AND BREAK SOME OF THOSE BARRIERS, THOSE STEREOTYPES, AND CREATE THE WHOLE GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE FOCUSED MORE ON THINGS THAT WE HAVE IN COMMON THAN THE THINGS THAT WE DON'T.

>> SO I WANT TO ASK YOU, LET'S DIVE DEEPER INTO THE WORD "INCLUSION."

IT'S DIFFERENT THAN ACCEPTING, CORRECT?

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

SO INCLUSION IS RESPECTING OUR DIFFERENCES, THAT I COME TO THE TABLE WITH THE SAME VOICE AND WITH THE SAME VOTE AS ANYONE ELSE.

AND SO FOR YOU TO BE THERE REPRESENTING WHO YOU ARE, AND WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN, AND THE PEOPLE THAT ARE THERE ACCEPTING -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE WITH ME, BUT YOU HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT THERE IS ANOTHER WAY OF DOING THINGS, ANOTHER SAY SO.

IN THIS COUNTRY DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER PLACE IN THE WORLD, BEING BICULTURAL IS SOMETHING THAT GIVES YOU STATUS AND YOU ARE SCHOLARLY.

HERE IN THIS COUNTRY YOU HAVE TO ASSIMILATE AND ASSIMILATE MEANS THAT YOU HAVE TO BE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

WHEN YOU SHOULD BE A CULTURE, GOING BACK TO THE POINT, WE NEED TO TEACH OUR KIDS TO LEARN AND HONOR THEIR CULTURE WHILE THEY ALSO LEARN AND HONOR THE CULTURE THEY LIVE IN.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO TAKE A SIDE.

YOU SHOULD BE EMBRACING BOTH, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE HERE FOR.

YOU CAN'T LIVE IN THE UNITED STATES WITHOUT KNOWING THE WAY THE MAINSTREAM OF THE UNITED STATES IS.

BUT YOU CAN'T GIVE IT UP BECAUSE YOU HAVE ANCESTORS AND OTHER CULTURE THAT FORMS YOU.

THE LACK OF THAT CREATES WHAT WE KNOW AS GANGS.

I DON'T BELONG AT HOME AND I DON'T BELONG IN THE MAINSTREAM SO I'LL DO MY OWN THING AND WE'RE LOSING THOUSANDS OF KIDS OF ALL COLORS.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT UNITY I HEARD SOME PEOPLE SAY WELL, WE HAVE AN ASIAN DISTRICT, AND YOU KNOW, WE KNOW SOUTHWEST 29th, YOU KNOW, IS DOWN SOUTH OF I-40, IS WHERE A LOT OF THE LATINOS LIVE, MAJORITY OF.

WE KNOW ON THE EAST SIDE THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF MOSTLY BLACK COMMUNITY OVER THERE.

WHAT IS HAPPENING?

WHY IS THAT?

IS IT A -- I'VE NEVER THOUGHT OF IT AS A BAD THING.

I THINK IT'S REALLY COOL THAT WE HAVE THE ASIAN DISTRICT.

WE HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT AREAS.

BUT IS THIS A NATURAL SEGREGATION?

WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> GENTRIFICATION, A PUSH OUT.

YOU KNOW.

AND THAT'S DANGEROUS.

BUT MY WORSE FEAR IS THAT IN THE FUTURE, ANOTHER MINORITY, NOT THE ONE WE HAVE -- ANOTHER MAJORITY BECOMES ONE OF OUR MINORITY GROUPS AND THEY DO THE SAME THIN.

SO WE DIDN'T LEARN.

YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT.

I MEAN, ENCLOSING OURSELVES IN A LITTLE AREA DOES NOT MAKE AN INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY.

NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

SO WE ARE AS GUILTY AS EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> BUT I THINK LIKE THE POINT, I THINK THAT YOU KNOW IF WE CAN, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE BRENDA MENTIONED EARLIER HAVING FESTIVALS WHERE WE INCLUDE EVERYONE.

WE HAVE AN ASIAN DISTRICT BUT IF YOU LOOK AT OUR A SLAP FESTIVAL WE INVITED THE LATINO COMMUNITY TO COME AND PERFORM.

WE INVITE EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY.

NOT JUST AN ASIAN DISTRICT OR ASIAN FESTIVAL, WHERE ONLY ASIANS COME.

IT'S FOR EVERYONE.

AND SO SAME WITH LATINO.

WE HAD -- WE HAD ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS HELP THE LATINO COMMUNITY WITH THEIR BURRITO EATING CONTEST LAST YEAR.

WORKING TOGETHER IN WAYS, AND WE FIND CREATIVE WAYS IN WHICH OUR COMMUNITIES CAN BE BROUGHT TOGETHER AND NOT DIVIDED, ESPECIALLY ALSO IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, WHEN INCIDENTS IN THE BLACK LIVES MATTER, WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH EACH OTHER, AND STAYING TOGETHER IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, THE THING THAT WE WANT TO HONE IN ON AND NOT JUST SPREADING THE MESSAGE WE HAVE AN AREA HERE, YOU HAVE AN AREA THERE, YOU HAVE AN AREA THERE, SO THAT'S YOUR AREA, THAT'S MY AREA.

NO, IT'S EVERYONE'S AREA.

IT'S JUST THAT WE HAVE UNIQUE FUTURES, GENTRIFICATION IS HAPPENING IN OUR CITY, BUT IT'S NOT TO SAY THAT YOU KNOW THERE ISN'T LATINOS THAT LIVE IN THE ASIAN DISTRICT.

ACTUALLY THERE IS A HUGE POPULATION OF LATINOS THAT LIVE ON NORTH SIDE, AS WELL AS THE SOUTH SIDE.

SO THERE IS VARIETY.

SO I FEEL LIKE THERE IS CULTURE EVERYWHERE, NOT JUST ONE LOCATION.

>> MAYBE THESE ARE MY ASSUMPTIONS.

I HAVE A VERY DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I FEEL REALLY COOL.

AND BRENDA THERE ARE A LOT OF EVENTS.

MAYBE PEOPLE THAT KNOW ABOUT IT THAN CAN HELP THEM EDUCATE THEMSELVES.

>> AND YOU KNOW I'VE SEEN HOW THE DEMOGRAPHICS HAVE CHANGED IN THESE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS.

WHEN I WAS IN NEIGHBORHOOD, WE HAD -- I WAS ONLY ONE OF 20 LATINOS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL.

NOW IT'S, GOSH, I DON'T KNOW 90% THAT TONY.

BUT WHAT STARTED HAPPENING IN ALL OF THESE NEIGHBORHOODS, DIFFERENT GROUPS WERE MIGRATED INTO THE DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT LIVED THERE STARTED MOVING OUT.

THEY STARTED SEEING THAT OH, THESE PEOPLE ARE COMING IN AND I THINK THEY DID IT OUT OF FEAR.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE ALL THIS COMES DOWN TO.

THE UNKNOWN.

THEY DON'T KNOW THE NEW CULTURE, AND THEY'RE COMING IN TO THE SCHOOLS, AND YOU KNOW, DO I WANT MY CHILD INTERACTING WITH THESE KIDS, THESE BROWN KIDS, THESE ASIAN KIDS, THESE BLACK LITTLE KIDS.

DO I WANT THAT?

AND MANY OF THEM DECIDED NO, I DO NOT WANT THAT.

AND MOVED OUT OF THESE AREAS.

>> SO INCLUSION WOULD HELP THAT.

THE MORE PEOPLE GET TO KNOW A VARIED GROUP, THE MORE THEIR CHILDREN -- NEXT GENERATION IS NOT GOING TO -- IT'S GOING TO BE LESS AND LESS OF AN ISSUE.

>> YES.

WE HAVE A CHILD CARE, AND OUR CHILD CARE IS IN OUR BUILDING, ONE OF THEM.

AND WE HAVE SURPRISINGLY A LOT OF MAINSTREAM PARENTS WANTING TO BE IN OUR BUILDING BECAUSE THEY WANT THEIR KIDS TO BE BICULTURAL AND BILINGUAL, SO THERE IS A HOPE OUT THERE.

I HOPE IT SPREADS QUICKLY.

THAT'S WHAT WE WANT.

>> AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW WHEN YOU ASKED ABOUT WHAT DO WE TELL OUR KIDS TO HELP WITH THIS ISSUE OF RACISM, I KNOW THAT I TELL MY KIDS YOU KNOW NOT EVERYONE IS THE SAME.

AND I'M ALWAYS TALKING TO MY KIDS, AND BY SETTING THE EXAMPLE OF HAVING PERSONAL FRIENDSHIPS WITH DIFFERENT CULTURES, YOU KNOW, IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND LETTING THEM KNOW LOOK, THEY DO NOT ALL THINK THIS WAY.

THEY ARE NOT ALL HATEFUL.

THERE IS A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE OUT THERE AND YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT, AND BECAUSE THEY NEED TO HEAR THAT.

I DON'T WANT THEM TO THINK THAT EVERYONE IS THE SAME, AND NOT EVEN TRY TO CREATE SOME FRIENDSHIPS THERE.

WE GOT TO INSTILL THAT HOPE IN OUR KIDS.

IT STARTS WITH OUR KIDS.

>> IT COMES FROM GOODWILL TOWARDS MEN.

WE'RE WRAPPING UP.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY MAYOR IS MAKING -- WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

HOW IS HE DOING?

>> GREAT.

WE'RE -- THERE ARE TALKS, WE'RE IN TALKS TO DEAL WITH THE -- COME OUT WITH SOME PLANS, SOME ACTION PLANS, ACTIONABLE PLANS, CREATING AN ASIAN COMMUNITY GROUP TO TALK ABOUT THE HARD ISSUES, TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY THAT HEY, WHEN IS IT OKAY TO STAND BY, WHEN IS IT OKAY NOT TO STAND BY, TO SEE HATRED HAPPENING, TO SEE VIOLENCE.

OUR COMMUNITIES A FAIRLY FRIENDLY COMMUNITY.

WE'RE NOT -- MAYBE WE'RE UNDERREPORTING A LOT OF THINGS OR A LOT OF OUR ASIAN CULTURE WE LET THINGS GO, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE WE NEED TO STAND UP TO SAY HEY, THIS NEEDS TO BE REPORTED, THIS NEEDS TO BE IN A DOCUMENT, SO THAT IT -- VIOLENCE DOESN'T OCCUR IN OUR CITY.

BECAUSE WE WANT THE CITY TO BE ACTUALLY A VERY DIVERSE AND TO LIVE BY THAT VALUE, BUT WE -- TO BE ABLE TO GET TO THAT POINT EVERYONE KNOWING WHEN TO STAND UP AND WHEN NOT TO STAND UP.

WE HAVE THAT BYSTANDER TRAINING THAT WE WANT TO DO, BUT ALSO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR CHILDREN, THE GENERATIONS TO COME, ASIAN AMERICANS ARE EMBRACING THEIR CULTURE.

AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN DO THAT IS HAVING FESTIVALS AND CULTURAY IMPORTANT THAT CULTURE AND ARTS INTEGRATED IN SCHOOLS, AND A LOT OF THE THINGS BY WAY OF ARTS AND CULTURE IS HOW WE CAN EXPRESS AND ALLEVIATE SOME OF OUR EMOTIONAL, MENTAL ILLNESSES THAT COULD ADDRESS SOME OF THAT, BUT ALSO IT COULD ALLEVIATE SOME OF OUR MISUNDERSTANDING AMONGST THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME TO THESE FESTIVALS, ARE SITTING AROUND AT A ROUND TABLE, DINNER TABLE WITH EACH OTHER AND HAVING A DISCUSSION AND EATING DINNER, AND SHARING, WE KNOW EACH OTHER AND HOW WE WANT TO INTERACT AND LIVE, AND SO WE HAVE THAT RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF MISUNDERSTANDING OR JUST A -- A NAME OR A -- YOU KNOW, I SEE YOU AS THIS, YOU KNOW, AND THEREFORE YOU ARE THAT, YOU KNOW.

AND SO -- >> YEAH.

>> I FEEL THAT CAN BE A LOT OF THINGS.

>> YEAH.

AND THAT GOES WITH WHAT BRENDA JUST SAID.

I'M GOING TO LET YOU SHARE YOUR LAST THOUGHTS.

WHAT DO YOU WISH PEOPLE KNEW AS WE MOVE FORWARD INTO HOPEFULLY NEW YEAR WITHOUT AS MANY RESTRAINTS AS WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST YEAR?

>> I THINK I WANT MY PEOPLE TO KNOW THAT THEY IT'S NOT HERE TO TAKE, IT'S HERE TO CONTRIBUTE TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY BETTER, TO HELP REOPEN THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD TO CLOSE DOWN, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY THAT HAD TO CLOSE DOWN BECAUSE OF THIS PANDEMIC.

WE'RE HERE TO MAKE OUR MILITARY STRONGER.

WE'RE HERE TO MAKE OUR SCHOOLS BETTER, SO ON.

WE ENRICH FAMILY VALUES, WE'RE A FAITH BASED COMMUNITY THAT REALLY HAS A LOT OF COMMON VALUES THAT THIS COUNTRY SHARED FOR SUCH A LONG TIME.

AND SO WE WANT TO BE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT COLORED, SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SHAPED, BUT WE'RE HERE TO MAKE -- TO BRING AND TO MAKE THIS FABRIC OF THIS COUNTRY MUCH STRONGER AND BETTER FOR EVERYBODY.

>> WHAT ARE YOUR FINAL THOUGHTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH OKLAHOMA?

>> I'M VERY ENCOURAGED BY OUR MAYOR AND OUR GOVERNOR, THE NUMBER OF APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE FROM THE LATINO COMMUNITY REALLY HELPS.

THAT'S PART OF THE INCLUSION TO GET TO THAT DIVERSITY.

I THINK THEY HAVE AN OPEN MIND.

I THINK THEY SEE THAT THE ECONOMY OF OKLAHOMA HAS TO INCLUDE THE -- AND I HATE TO USE THE WORD MINORITY, BUT THE NONMAINSTREAM POPULATION.

AND TOGETHER WE COULD MAKE A STRONGER STATE, SEPARATE WE WILL NOT GO ANYWHERE.

AND YOU SEE THE COLLAPSE OF THIS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT'S HAPPENING IN ALABAMA, JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING DIDN'T PAN OUT IN A CERTAIN WAY, HERE GOES MILLIONS OF DOLLARS LEAVING THAT AREA THAT EXACERBATES THE WHOLE ECONOMY FOR THAT STATE.

AND WE DON'T WANT THAT IN OKLAHOMA.

>> ALL RIGHT.

I WOULD LIKE THANK ALL OF YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ENLIGHTEN US AND SPEAK WITH US AND HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF LAUGH.

ALWAYS A GOOD TIME, BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US.

AND I HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN SOON.

>> THANK YOU VERY.

>> APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND, IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE PART ONE OF THIS CONVERSATION.

OR CATCH UP ON ANY OF OUR CONTENT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT OETA.TV/ONR.

OR FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER @OETAONR.

>> GOVERNOR STITT CLAIMS OKLAHOMA IS A TOP-10 STATE WHEN IT COMES TO PER CAPITA VACCINATIONS.

>> AND WE DO COMPARE FAVORABLY IN MANY CATEGORIES WITH OTHER STATES ROUGHLY THE SAME SIZE.

OREGON HAS A POPULATION OF 4.2 MILLION, ABOUT 290,000 MORE THAN WE DO.

AS OF APRIL 11TH, BOTH STATES HAD ADMINISTERED ALMOST THE SAME NUMBER OF DOSES, ABOUT 2.3 MILLION.

OKLAHOMA HAS FULLY VACCINATED 867,000 PEOPLE, ABOUT 25,000 MORE THAN OREGON.

THE BIG DIFFERENCE, FAR FEWER PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM COVID IN OREGON THAN IN OKLAHOMA.

MORE THAN 4,200 FEWER DEATHS IN THE BEAVER STATE.

THE GOAL FOR BOTH STATES, ACHIEVING HERD IMMUNITY.

AND RIGHT NOW, BOTH STATES HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO.

IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW.

PRODUCER JES BURNS WITH OUR PBS PARTNERS IN PORTLAND, TAKES A LOOK AT HERD IMMUNITY.

WHAT IT IS AND WHEN WE MIGHT REACH IT?

>> LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DOROTHY AND HER BIRDS.

>> REMEMBER WHEN THINGS WERE NORMAL?

WHEN YOU CAN DO NORMAL STUFF WITHOUT A MASK, WITHOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING, WITHOUT WORRYING ABOUT COVID-19.

SO, WHEN CAN WE GET BACK TO NORMAL?

FOR THAT?

WE'LL HAVE TO ACHIEVE HERD IMMUNITY.

HERD IN THIS CASE CAN APPLY TO ANY MULTITUDE OF ANIMALS.

WE'LL JUST GO BIRDS.

THE BASIC IDEA IS PRETTY SIMPLE.

IN ORDER TO SPREAD, VIRUSES NEED TO INFECT PEOPLE.

IF ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE IMMUNE, THEY CREATE A SORT OF BARRIER THAT KEEPS THE VIRUS FROM FINDING NEW PEOPLE TO INFECT, AND IN THE PROCESS PROTECTS PEOPLE WHO AREN'T IMMUNE.

THAT'S HERD IMMUNITY.

THE CONCEPT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MORE THAN A CENTURY.

IN FACT, ONE OF THE EARLIEST MENTIONS CAME IN 1921 FROM OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY IN REFERENCE TO A NASTY BACTERIAL DISEASE IN COWS.

FIGURING OUT HOW MANY COWS, HUMANS, OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL NEED TO BE IMMUNE TO PROTECT THE WHOLE HERD, DEPENDS ON HOW INFECTIOUS A DISEASE IS.

THIS IS THE R VALUE.

IT REFERS TO HOW MANY PEOPLE, EACH SICK PERSON IS EXPECTED TO PASS THE VIRUS ON TO.

A DISEASE LIKE EBOLA HAS AN R VALUE OF AROUND TWO.

IF NOBODY DID ANYTHING TO SLOW IT DOWN, A SICK PERSON WOULD INFECT TWO OTHERS.

SMALLPOX HAS AN R-VALUE OF CLOSER TO FOUR, AND THIS SEEMINGLY SMALL CHANGE MAKES A HUGE DIFFERENCE IN HOW QUICKLY EACH DISEASE SPREADS.

BUT EVERYTHING TURNS AROUND WHEN WE GET ENOUGH IMMUNITY TO DROP THE R VALUE BELOW ONE.

AT THAT POINT, THE VIRUS CAN'T SPREAD AS EASILY AND IT EVENTUALLY FIZZLES OUT.

THE MORE INFECTIOUS THE DISEASE, THE MORE IMMUNE PEOPLE WE NEED TO DROP THAT OUR VALUE DOWN BELOW ONE.

WITH AN R VALUE OF TWO, YOU ONLY HAVE TO CROSS 50% IMMUNITY.

AT R EQUALS FOUR, THAT HERD IMMUNITY GOAL RISES TO 75%.

FOR COVID-19 ESTIMATES ARE WE'LL NEED AT LEAST 70% IMMUNITY TO GET US BACK TO NORMAL.

FOR MOST OF HUMAN HISTORY, THE ONLY WAY TO GET HERD IMMUNITY, WAS TO LET A DISEASE RUN ITS COURSE.

BASICALLY, LET A LOT OF PEOPLE DIE.

VACCINES, CHANGE THAT CALCULUS IN A BIG WAY.

PROVIDING A MUCH SAFER WAY FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME IMMUNE.

WITH VACCINES, HERD IMMUNITY IS NOT ONLY POSSIBLE, IT'S WITHIN REACH.

TAKE OREGON FOR EXAMPLE, WITH A POPULATION TOPPING 4 MILLION, THE STATE WOULD NEED TO HAVE A LITTLE LESS THAN 3 MILLION PEOPLE IMMUNE TO COVID-19 TO REACH HERD IMMUNITY.

AT THE END OF JANUARY 2021, THERE WAS ABOUT 140,000 CONFIRMED CORONAVIRUS INFECTIONS THAT SETS OUR VACCINE GOAL TO AROUND 2.8 MILLION PEOPLE TO HIT THAT 70% AT THE STATE'S AVERAGE LATE JANUARY VACCINE RATE OF 16,000 DOSES PER DAY, WE'LL GET THERE BY DECEMBER, 2021.

PRETTY STRAIGHT FORWARD, RIGHT?

NOPE.

IT'S NEVER THAT EASY.

FIRST OFF, THE VACCINE HASN'T BEEN APPROVED FOR KIDS AND TEENS UNDER 16, THAT'S ABOUT 17% OF OREGON'S POPULATION WHO CAN'T GET VACCINATED.

THAT MEANS 90% OF THE REMAINING ADULTS WILL NEED VACCINES TO HIT HERD IMMUNITY.

AND THEN THERE'S THE CORONA VIRUS VARIANTS THAT HAVE POPPED UP, WHICH CAN BE MORE INFECTIOUS.

THEN CONSIDER COVID-19 VACCINES TOP OUT AT 95% EFFECTIVE, MEANING MORE PEOPLE WILL NEED IT.

AND THEN THE REAL WILD CARD, WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THE VACCINES WILL LAST.

BOOSTER SHOTS ARE BEING DEVELOPED, BUT IT'S POSSIBLE THAT SOME PEOPLE WILL START TO LOSE VACCINE IMMUNITY BEFORE THE HERD IS PROTECTED.

SO NORMAL KEEPS GETTING PUSHED BACK, WHICH IS DAUNTING AND MORE THAN A LITTLE EXHAUSTING.

BUT IT'S NOT ALL BAD.

IT'S HIGHLY LIKELY THAT FAR MORE PEOPLE HAVE HAD COVID-19 THAN WE KNOW.

SO, WE HAVE AN ADDED BUFFER OF NATURAL IMMUNITY BUILT IN AND ALL THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING, WEARING MASKS AND STAYING SOCIALLY DISTANCE?

IT'S ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWED HOW QUICKLY CORONA VIRUS SPREADS.

IF WE KEEP THAT UP AND KEEP THE VACCINES COMING, COVID CASES AND DEATHS ARE GOING TO PLUMMET.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS, SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS WILL START TO RELAX AND NORMAL MAY BECOME THE NORM AGAIN, SOONER THAN WE THINK.

ON THE NEXT OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

AS THE CHEASPEAKE ARENA PREPARES TO HOST IT'S FIRST EVENT WITH A LIVE AUDIENCE IN MORE THAN A YEAR.

WE'LL REPORT ON THE PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDERS COMING TO TOWN, AND EXAMINE THE INDUSTRY DEDICATED TO RAISING THESE MASSIVE ANIMALS.

ON THURSDAY, THE LATE ROY CLARK WOULD HAVE CELEBRATED HIS 88TH BIRTHDAY.

HE PASSED AWAY IN 2018 AND RIGHT NOW, AN EXHIBIT OF HIS MEMORABILIA IS ON DISPAY AT THE WAGONER HISTORY MUSEUM.

IT'S FREE AND OPEN THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

WE'LL LEAVE YOU TONIGHT WITH A TASTE OF ROY'S CAREER AND HIS INCREDIBLE GUITAR PLAYING, AS PHOTOGRAPHED AND EDITED BY JIM MERTINS AND KACI FERGUSON.

FOR ALL OF US HERE ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, I'M RICH LENZ STAY SAFE, STAY HEALTHY, AND STAY TUNED TO OETA.

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