OETA IS PROVIDED IN PART BY A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RICHARDSON FAMILY FOUNDATION, THE RICHARDSON FAMILY FOUNDATION, SUPPORTING OETA AND THE OKLAHOMA STANDARD.

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL RULES AGAINST A PLAN TO SHIFT STATE TROOPERS FROM URBAN TO RURAL AREAS.

I WILL NOT ALLOW GOVERNOR STITT OR THE HIGHWAY PATROL LEADERSHIP TO PUT CITIZENS AT RISK BY REFUSING TO PATROL OUR MOST DENSELY POPULATED AREAS.

GOVERNOR STITT ASKED THE STATE SUPREME COURT TO INTERVENE ON THE TRIBAL AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF TULSA.

THE STATEMENTS BY THE GOVERNOR ARE INACCURATE.

WOULD BE THE NICE WAYS.

NICEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.

THE CONTROVERSIAL NEW TEST BEING GIVEN TO PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS FROM NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA.

I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT OUTCOMES WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE FROM THAT REQUIREMENT.

OKLAHOMA'S BUSIEST AIRPORT IS GETTING EVEN BUSIER AND DETERMINED TO KEEP UP WITH THE GROWING DEMAND.

YEAH, THE LAST COUPLE SUMMERS, OUR PARKING GARAGES FILL UP ROUTINELY EVERY DAY.

AND SO WE KNOW WE HAVE A CAPACITY CRUNCH THERE.

OSU HOST A SWIFT WATER RESCUE TRAINING AND COMPETITION IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

I'M FOREVER LEARNING, PICKING WEE BITS AND PIECES OUT AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE THEM BACK TO NEW ZEALAND TO TEACH THE OTHER FIREFIGHTERS.

PLUS, AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON HOW COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BECOMING PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL.

NEXT, ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

HELLO, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT I'M RICH LENZ.

ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND ISSUING AN OPINION THIS WEEK THAT BASICALLY SAYS NOT SO FAST TO THE OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL'S PLAN TO SHIFT THEIR TROOPERS FROM URBAN TO RURAL AREAS BEGINNING NOVEMBER 1ST.

AT A NEWS CONFERENCE ON WEDNESDAY, DRUMMOND WAS JOINED BY CITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE PLAN PROPOSED BY TIM TIPTON, THE COMMISSIONER OF THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY BACK IN JULY, MUST BE ALTERED TO BE LEGAL.

THE OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL IS VESTED WITH PRIMARY AUTHORITY, PRIMARY LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY ON OUR INTERSTATES, AND THAT AUTHORITY IMPOSES A MANDATORY DUTY.

I WILL NOT ALLOW GOVERNOR STITT OR THE HIGHWAY PATROL LEADERSHIP TO PUT CITIZENS AT RISK BY REFUSING TO PATROL OUR MOST DENSELY POPULATED AREAS.

THE TWO THIRDS OF OKLAHOMANS THAT LIVE IN, VOTE IN, AND PAY TAXES IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA METROPOLITAN AREAS OBVIOUSLY HAVE ALREADY PAID FOR AND DESERVE TO RECEIVE AT LEAST SOME VERSION OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICE THAT HAS BEEN OFFERED TO ALL OKLAHOMANS SINCE THE OKLAHOMA HIGHWAY PATROL WAS CREATED IN 1937.

HOLT AND DRUMMOND BOTH SAID THEY WOULD SUPPORT AND ADVOCATE FOR ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING FOR OHP IN THE FUTURE.

AN ANNUAL AUDIT REVEALED MORE THAN $93 MILLION IN QUESTIONABLE SPENDING OF FEDERAL FUNDS BY STATE AGENCIES.

THIS WEEK, STATE AUDITOR AND INSPECTOR CINDY BIRD RELEASED THE AUDIT ON WEDNESDAY, SAYING THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND ENTERPRISE SERVICES, OR OMB'S, THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES AND OTHER AGENCIES, DID NOT PROPERLY ACCOUNT FOR EXPENSES RELATED TO PROGRAMS USING FEDERAL PANDEMIC RELIEF FUNDS IN 2023.

IT COULD LEAD TO THE STATE OWING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BACK TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT HAS FILED A LAWSUIT ASKING THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT TO BLOCK A TRIBAL JURISDICTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF TULSA AND THE MUSKOGEE CREEK NATION.

THE GOVERNOR SAYS IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE AND WOULD CREATE TWO SYSTEMS OF JUSTICE.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THIS CONTROVERSY.

JASON RICH, TULSA MAYOR MONROE, NICHOLS AND STITT HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED THEY HAVE SPOKEN SINCE THE CHALLENGE WAS LODGED BY THE GOVERNOR.

NICHOLS TOLD THE TULSA WORLD THAT HE FEELS OPTIMISTIC THEY CAN WORK THINGS OUT AFTER THAT PHONE CALL.

IN THE MEANTIME, THE LAWSUIT REMAINS IN EFFECT, NOT NECESSARILY SURPRISED, BUT A LITTLE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.

THAT'S TULSA MAYOR MONROE NICHOLS, REACTING TO THE LAWSUIT FILED BY GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT TO BLOCK THE AGREEMENT HE HELPED NEGOTIATE WITH THE MUSKOGEE CREEK NATION.

THAT AGREEMENT WOULD CREATE A SYSTEM FOR TULSA POLICE TO SEND LOW LEVEL CRIMES THROUGH THE TRIBE'S COURT SYSTEM.

IF IT INVOLVES A TRIBAL MEMBER.

THAT AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED BY NICHOLS AND MUSKOGEE NATION PRINCIPAL CHIEF DAVID HILL BACK IN JUNE.

DURING A NEWS CONFERENCE LAST WEEK TO REACT TO STITT'S LEGAL CHALLENGE, NICHOLS SAYS STITT'S LEGAL CONTENTION IS JUST WRONG.

JUST TO REASSURE TULSANS THAT WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN THERE, PARTICULARLY IN SOME OF THE COURT FILINGS, BUT ALSO IN THE STATEMENTS BY THE GOVERNOR, ARE INACCURATE, WOULD BE THE NICE WAYS.

NICEST WAY TO DESCRIBE IT.

GOVERNOR STITT SAYS THAT HE'S CONCERNED THE LAW IS NOT BEING ENFORCED EQUALLY BETWEEN NON-INDIANS AND TRIBAL MEMBERS.

IN A STATEMENT, HE SAYS NO MAYOR HAS THE AUTHORITY TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH LAWS ARE ENFORCED AGAINST CERTAIN OKLAHOMANS AND WHICH ONES AREN'T.

BY ENTERING INTO THIS AGREEMENT, MAYOR NICHOLS HAS ESSENTIALLY IMPLEMENTED A CATCH AND RELEASE SYSTEM IN TULSA, WHERE ONE RACE ISN'T SUBJECT TO THE SAME LAWS AS THOSE OF ANOTHER RACE.

IT'S ULTIMATELY A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE, AND I WILL NOT SIT BY AND ALLOW THIS AGREEMENT TO GO INTO EFFECT.

THE NOTION THAT THERE'S BEEN ANY TIME WHERE WE HAVE NOT ENFORCED THE LAW IN THIS CITY IS FALSE.

IT'S INCORRECT.

IT'S AN OUTRIGHT LIE.

MUSKOGEE NATION PRINCIPAL CHIEF DAVID HILL EXPECTED GOVERNOR STITT TO PUSH BACK ON THE AGREEMENT, SAYING IN PART, IT IS DISAPPOINTING, BUT NOT AT ALL SURPRISING THAT GOVERNOR STITT IS ONCE AGAIN TRYING TO UNDERMINE AGREEMENTS THAT STRENGTHEN BOTH OUR NATION AND THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

THE SETTLEMENT BETWEEN TULSA AND THE MUSKOGEE CREEK NATION IS A RESPONSIBLE SOLUTION THAT RESPECTS SOVEREIGNTY, IMPROVES PUBLIC SAFETY, AND BENEFITS ALL OKLAHOMANS.

SO OF COURSE, HE WANTS TO BLOCK IT.

AN ATTORNEY WITH TRIBAL LAW EXPERIENCE SAYS THE SETTLEMENT BETWEEN TULSA AND MUSKOGEE NATION WAS MEANT TO SETTLE A FEDERAL LAWSUIT.

IT'S AN ATTEMPT TO BASICALLY SHARE JURISDICTION BETWEEN THE CITY OF TULSA AND THE MUSKOGEE NATION, AND WHAT IT DEALS WITH IS MINOR CRIMINAL INFRACTIONS.

CROW AND DUNLAVY DIRECTOR MIKE MCBRIDE SAYS THESE ARE CRIMES WHICH DON'T NECESSARILY FALL UNDER THE MCGIRT RULING BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT MAJOR CRIMES.

THOSE TYPES OF CRIMES INVOLVING TRIBAL MEMBERS AS SUSPECTS ARE NOW HANDLED BY EITHER TRIBAL OR FEDERAL COURTS.

UNDER THE U.S. SUPREME COURT'S LANDMARK RULING IN 2020.

BECAUSE OF WHERE TULSA IS LOCATED, WHERE PROSECUTIONS TAKE PLACE HAS BECOME MORE COMPLICATED.

IF IT INVOLVES A TRIBAL MEMBER.

CITY OF TULSA HAS BASICALLY THREE SOVEREIGNS, THREE TRIBAL NATION SOVEREIGNS, THE OSAGE NATION JUST TO THE NORTH OF US HERE, MUSKOGEE NATION TO THE SOUTH AND JUST EAST OF US HERE, THE CHEROKEE NATION.

IN FACT, WHERE WE SIT RIGHT HERE IS PRETTY MUCH THE CONFLUENCE OF THOSE THOSE THREE JURISDICTIONS FOR TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.

THE LEADER OF THE CHEROKEE NATION IS SIDING WITH ITS TRIBAL NEIGHBOR AND THE CITY OF TULSA, PRINCIPAL CHIEF CHUCK HOSKIN JR SAID IN A STATEMENT.

IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT BELIEVES THAT TRIBAL AND NON-TRIBAL GOVERNMENT COOPERATION IS A BAD IDEA.

HE'S ALWAYS VIEWED THE EXERCISE OF TRIBAL SOVEREIGNTY AS COMING AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHER GOVERNMENTS IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST.

THE HISTORIC AGREEMENT BETWEEN MUSKOGEE NATION AND THE CITY OF TULSA STRENGTHENS THE BLANKET OF PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS TULSA, WHILE RESPECTING MUSKOGEE NATION'S TREATY RIGHTS OF SELF-GOVERNANCE OVER ITS RESERVATION.

MAYOR NICHOLS SAYS DESPITE THE DISAGREEMENT WITH THE GOVERNOR OVER THE SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, TULSA POLICE ARE DOING THEIR JOB.

IN JUST THE LAST EIGHT WEEKS, 88 FELONY ARRESTS, 129 MISDEMEANOR ARRESTS, WE'VE SEIZED 157 FIREARMS OUT OF FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN NOTED DANGEROUS TO THIS COMMUNITY.

WE'VE HAD OVER 4000 CITIZEN CONTACTS OVER THAT TIME, 22 USES OF FORCE AND ONLY ONE COMPLAINT.

I SAY ALL THAT TO SAY IS A SNAPSHOT.

NOT ONLY ARE WE ENFORCING THE LAW, BUT WE'RE DOING IT IN THE MOST RESPONSIBLE WAY AS POSSIBLE, AND WE'RE GETTING DANGEROUS PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS EVERY DAY, NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE.

ATTORNEY MIKE MCBRIDE SAYS HE DOESN'T EXPECT TO SEE TULSA TURN AWAY FROM THE AGREEMENT WITH THE MUSKOGEE NATION AND OTHER TRIBES.

IT IS NOT A GET OUT OF FREE, GET OUT OF JAIL FOR FREE CARD.

THERE'S BASICALLY STILL COOPERATION WITH CITY OF TULSA.

YOU KNOW, STOPPING AND INVESTIGATING AND EVEN ARRESTING OFFENDERS AND DETERMINING WHICH JURISDICTION WOULD HAVE THE SAY OVER PROSECUTION AND TURNING THOSE OVER.

HE ADDS THAT CITIES, TRIBES IN THE STATE ARE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION OF CRIMES ARE HANDLED IN THE WAKE OF THE 2020 SUPREME COURT DECISION, WHICH REMADE LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE EASTERN HALF OF THE STATE OVERNIGHT.

SO IT'S NOT A FAILURE TO TO PROSECUTE, BUT RATHER A SHARING AGREEMENT IN TERMS OF PROSECUTION.

AND THIS AROSE OUT OF IMPLEMENTING MCGIRT VERSUS OKLAHOMA THAT CAME FROM THE US SUPREME COURT IN THE SUMMER OF 2020.

IN THE MEANTIME, NICHOLS SAYS, THE CITY OF TULSA WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ITS TRIBAL PARTNERS TO FIGURE OUT A WAY FORWARD FOR PROSECUTING THOSE NATIVE AMERICANS ARRESTED ON TRIBAL RESERVATIONS WITHIN THE TULSA JURISDICTION.

LOOK, THIS THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON WITH THE CREEK NATION IS ONE THAT HAS A TON OF TECHNICAL CHALLENGES IN IT, AND WE'VE GOT TO WORK THROUGH THOSE, AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH THOSE BEFORE THE MUSKOGEE NATION TULSA AGREEMENT CAN GO FULLY INTO EFFECT, IT MUST RECEIVE APPROVAL FROM A FEDERAL COURT.

RICH, JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S MONTHLY MEETING WAS CANCELED THIS WEEK.

SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT TWO NEW TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS.

ONE OF THEM, DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CONSERVATIVE PRAGERU, WHICH SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS SAYS IS DESIGNED TO SCREEN OUT, QUOTE, RADICAL LEFTIST IDEOLOGY.

NOAH MACK HAS MORE DETAILS AND REACTION TO THE NEW REQUIREMENTS.

IT'S WILD TO THINK THAT HE CAN DO THIS TO, YOU KNOW, NARROW THE FIELD.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, HOW ARE YOU RECRUITING TEACHERS?

SANDRA VALENTINE IS A MOTHER FROM SHAWNEE, OKLAHOMA, AND SHE'S CONCERNED AMIDST OKLAHOMA'S TEACHER SHORTAGE THAT THE NEW TESTS OSTP IS REQUIRING MAY DETER QUALIFIED TEACHERS.

SANDRA HAS FIVE KIDS.

ALL BUT ONE HAVE GRADUATED.

SHE SAYS AS A FAMILY, THEY'VE FELT THE EFFECTS OF THIS TEACHER SHORTAGE.

YOU KNOW, GO GOING FROM 2017 TO NOW, 2026, WHEN MY YOUNGEST IS GOING TO GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL AND WE'RE AT 5000 EMERGENCY CERTIFIED TEACHERS ALREADY.

I MEAN, WHAT IS HER SENIOR YEAR GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

THAT'S WHAT STARTED ME ON THIS JOURNEY.

AND AND IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY BETTER.

PER THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S WEBSITE, AS OF AUGUST 1ST, PEOPLE SEEKING THEIR INITIAL OKLAHOMA TEACHING CERTIFICATE WILL BE REQUIRED TO TAKE A U.S. NATURALIZATION TEST.

THE TEST ONE WOULD TAKE TO GAIN AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP.

ADDITIONALLY, ACCORDING TO THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT, RYAN WALTERS, WHO IS ON THE BOARD OF OETA BY VIRTUE OF HIS ELECTED POSITION, THEY WILL ALSO BE REQUIRING WHAT HE HAS DUBBED AN AMERICA FIRST TEST.

THIS TEST IS SPECIFICALLY FOR TEACHERS APPLYING TO TEACH IN OKLAHOMA FROM BLUE STATES, NAMELY NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA.

IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THESE STATES, YOU WILL TAKE A TEST THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO SHOW YOU ALIGN TO OUR STANDARDS.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME IN HERE AND TEACH THAT THERE'S 27 GENDERS.

THERE'S BOYS AND GIRLS THAT'S IN OUR SCIENCE STANDARDS.

YOU'RE GOING TO COME IN AND YOU'RE NOT GOING TO UNDERMINE AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM BY TEACHING ANTI-AMERICAN, ANTI-SEMITIC HATE.

I SPOKE WITH REPUBLICAN SENATOR DAVE RADER, AND HE IS SKEPTICAL OF REQUIRING THESE TESTS.

I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT OUTCOMES WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE FROM THAT REQUIREMENT.

RADER IS WARY OF THE LACK OF FAIRNESS WHEN IT COMES TO SINGLING OUT APPLICANTS FROM SPECIFIC STATES.

THERE'S CERTAIN POCKETS OF CALIFORNIA AND NEW YORK.

THEY'RE EVERY BIT AS RED AS, YOU KNOW, TULSA COUNTY.

AND WHAT IF A TEACHER COMES FROM THAT POCKET?

ULTIMATELY, RADER FEELS THIS MOVE SENDS THE WRONG MESSAGE TO INCOMING TEACHERS DURING A NATIONWIDE TEACHER SHORTAGE.

WHETHER IT'S GOING TO STIFLE ANYBODY COMING IN, I DON'T KNOW.

BE HARD.

HARD TO GUESS.

BUT IT DOES KIND OF GIVE A SIGNAL THAT WE DON'T TRUST HIM.

OSD SENT US SOME SAMPLE QUESTIONS FROM THE AMERICA FIRST TEST, WHICH HAS BEEN MARKETED BY WALTERS AS AN ANTI-WOKE TEST.

HERE THEY ARE.

WHAT ARE THE FIRST THREE WORDS OF THE CONSTITUTION?

WHY IS FREEDOM OF RELIGION IMPORTANT TO AMERICA'S IDENTITY?

WHAT ARE THE TWO PARTS OF THE US CONGRESS?

HOW MANY U.S.

SENATORS ARE THERE?

AND WHY DO SOME STATES HAVE MORE REPRESENTATIVES THAN OTHERS?

FOUR OUT OF THESE FIVE QUESTIONS WERE TAKEN VERBATIM FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S LIST OF 100 QUESTIONS FOR THE U.S. NATURALIZATION TEST.

WALTERS OFFICE SAYS THE AMERICA FIRST TEST DREW INSPIRATION FROM THE NATURALIZATION TEST.

HOWEVER, MAINTAINS THEY ARE TWO SEPARATE TESTS, ALSO ADDING THAT THERE WILL BE QUESTIONS OVER GENDER IDENTITY.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE JACOB ROSENKRANZ, WHO SITS ON THE HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE, SAYS THERE IS STILL A LOT OF UNKNOWN.

I CAN'T TELL.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY CAN'T TELL WITH RYAN WALTERS HIMSELF.

WHAT'S REAL, WHAT'S NOT, WHAT'S GOING TO BE IMPLEMENTED, AND WHAT'S JUST A LOT OF FAR RIGHT NOISE TO TRY TO GET MORE ATTENTION ONTO HIM.

ROSENKRANZ, WHO WAS A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER HIMSELF, SEES THESE TEACHER TESTS, PARTICULARLY THE AMERICA FIRST TEST, AS FRIVOLOUS.

A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS WEREN'T EVEN THAT DIFFICULT, LIKE YOU SAW THE ONES THAT WERE SHARED.

ALL OF US CAN ANSWER THAT, BUT WE ALREADY HAVE TO GO THROUGH VERY RIGOROUS TESTS TO EVEN GET OUR TEACHER LICENSE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SUBJECT AREA.

AND WITH THE GENERAL EDUCATION, I THINK IT WAS.

THEY'VE MOVED AROUND A LITTLE BIT.

IT WAS THE OKLAHOMA GENERAL EDUCATION TEST AND IT WAS THE OPT.

THEN IT WAS THE PRAXIS, WHATEVER.

IT VERY, VERY, VERY HIGH LEVEL STUFF.

SO JUST ADDING ANOTHER PIECE LIKE THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NOT NEEDED.

AND HE FORESEES LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE AMERICA FIRST TEST.

I EVEN GOT LAWYERS THAT REACHED OUT TO ME THAT WERE LIKE, ROSECRANS, HE CAN'T DO THIS FOR REAL.

FOR REAL.

LIKE, THIS IS NOT YOU CAN'T DO A POLITICAL TEST.

YOU JUST CAN'T DO IT.

WALTERS HAS TOUTED HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH PRAGERU IN DEVELOPING THIS TEST.

PRAGERU IS A CONSERVATIVE MEDIA NONPROFIT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TROUBLES SANDRA.

WHY IS IT ONLY COMING TO OKLAHOMA AND PRESENTING OUR TEACHERS WITH A TEST?

AND I UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S RYAN WALTERS THAT IS ASKING FOR THIS, BUT WHY WOULD THEY AGREE TO DO THIS FOR ONE STATE OUT OF 50 IN THE COUNTRY?

AND IS IT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO BE A TEMPLATE FOR THE REST OF THE COUNTRY?

IS IT BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BUILD UPON THIS?

WALTERS HAS SAID THAT OTHER STATES HAVE REACHED OUT TO HIM.

CURIOUS ABOUT DEVELOPING A SIMILAR TEST, SANDRA BELIEVES HER VOICE AS A PARENT IS MUFFLED BY THE SOUND OF POLITICAL SQUABBLE OVER STATE EDUCATION.

IT IS MY CHILD WHO'S BEING AFFECTED, AND SO THAT'S THE PART THAT I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND, THAT WE ARE THE VOICES THAT SHOW UP TO THESE SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS.

WE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE TALKING TO OUR LEGISLATORS, AND YET THEY'RE NOT HEARING US.

THEY'RE HEARING THE VOICE OF THE THINK TANKS THAT HAVE THE MONEY.

I MAY NOT HAVE THE MONEY.

I MAY NOT HAVE WHATEVER IT ELSE THAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.

BUT WHAT I DO HAVE IS MY CHILD IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.

AND THAT SHOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE ONES MAKING THE DECISIONS FOR MY CHILD.

RYAN WALTERS SAYS THE REST OF THE QUESTIONS FROM THE AMERICA FIRST TEST WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON FOR THE PUBLIC.

IN THE MEANTIME, PARENTS AND LAWMAKERS WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THEIR OWN QUESTIONS.

REPORTING FOR THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

I'M NOAH MACK.

NOAH.

THANK YOU.

THE BACTERIA THAT CAN CAUSE LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE HAS BEEN FOUND IN WATER TESTED AT ROSE STATE COLLEGE.

THE SCHOOL IS TAKING ACTION.

FLUSHING WATER LINES AND DRAINING WATER TANKS ON CAMPUS.

THE SCHOOL SAYS THERE IS NO THREAT TO.

STUDENTS IN CLASSES HAVE NOT BEEN INTERRUPTED.

THE BACTERIA OCCURS NATURALLY IN WATER, BUT WHEN IT BECOMES AIRBORNE, IT CAN BECOME DEADLY, ESPECIALLY IN THE ELDERLY OR THOSE WITH COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEMS.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIE OF COMPLICATIONS OF LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE, THEY GET PNEUMONIA.

AND SO WHEN WE TAKE A CHEST X RAY, WE SEE THEIR LUNGS STARTING TO FILL UP WITH THE GROWTH OF THE INFLAMMATORY MATERIAL, THE BACTERIA THAT CAUSES SEVERE PNEUMONIA.

BACK IN 1976, WHEN IT WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED, WE DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO TREAT IT.

BUT WE KNOW NOW IT'S A BACTERIAL DISEASE.

WE HAVE RAPID TEST FOR IT.

SO WHEN A PATIENT COMES TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, IF THEY COME IN WITH SEVERE PNEUMONIA, YOU CAN FAIRLY RAPIDLY DIAGNOSE LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE.

AND WE HAVE ANTIBIOTICS THAT ARE QUITE EFFECTIVE FOR IT.

THERE HAS BEEN A RECENT OUTBREAK OF LEGIONNAIRES DISEASE IN NEW YORK CITY, RESULTING IN MORE THAN 100 POSITIVE CASES AND SIX DEATHS.

THERE'S A NEW MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY.

IT'S CALLED COWBOYS CARE, AND IT WILL PROVIDE STUDENTS, FACULTY AND STAFF WITH COUNSELING, HEALTH SERVICES AND PREVENTION PROGRAMS.

THE INITIATIVE WAS UNVEILED BY ANGELA HESS, THE WIFE OF OSU PRESIDENT JIM HESS.

PART OF THE EFFORT WILL INCLUDE ENCOURAGING STUDENTS TO IDENTIFY OTHER STUDENTS WHO MAY BE STRUGGLING AND CONNECTING THEM TO THE SERVICES THEY NEED.

IN NORMAN, THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA HAS WELCOMED ITS LARGEST FRESHMAN CLASS IN STATE HISTORY.

YOU'RE WATCHING 6251 FIRST YEAR STUDENTS FORM THE O.U.

AT OWEN FIELD.

AND FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR, A RECORD NUMBER OF THOSE FRESHMEN ARE OKLAHOMANS.

FRESHMAN ENROLLMENT HAS RISEN BY MORE THAN 30% IN THE LAST THREE YEARS, AND THE SOONERS TOTAL ENROLLMENT NOW STANDS AT MORE THAN 36,000 STUDENTS.

WELL, IF I TOLD YOU YOUR FAVORITE FOOTBALL TEAM OPERATED WITH A SALARY CAP OVERSEEN BY A GENERAL MANAGER AND HAD FREE AGENTS LEAVING AT THE DROP OF A HELMET, YOU'D ASSUME I WAS TALKING ABOUT THE NFL, RIGHT?

WELL, NO.

ALL OF THOSE THINGS NOW APPLY FOR THE FIRST TIME TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL, AND MANY LONGTIME COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS AREN'T THRILLED ABOUT IT.

THAT'S ACTUALLY THE TOPIC OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THIS WEEK WITH SOME OF THE NOTABLE JOURNALISTS WHO COVER THE SPORT FULL TIME IN OUR STATE.

HERE'S A PREVIEW WITH MODERATOR SUSAN KUDO.

BASICALLY, THERE WAS A COURT CASE, HOUSE VERSUS NCAA, THAT WAS SETTLED THAT GAVE COLLEGES A NUMBER OF HOW MUCH MONEY THEY COULD GIVE TO THEIR ATHLETES EVERY YEAR, $20.5 MILLION.

HOW THIS COLLEGES DECIDE TO SPLIT THAT UP.

YOU KNOW WHAT TEAMS GET?

WHAT AMOUNT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED?

AS SOMEONE WHO PLAYED COLLEGE FOOTBALL, YOU FOUND A WAY TO MAKE THROUGH IT.

YOU FIND A WAY TO GET THROUGH IT.

WE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE HAD A FEW MORE DOLLARS IN OUR POCKETS.

BUT WHEN YOU LOOK NOW WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE COACHES WHO ARE MAKING 18 MILLION NOW, YOU HAVE PLAYERS, THOUGH, WHO ARE MAKING TWO, THREE, 4 OR 5 MILLION WHO ARE MAKING MORE THAN MOST OF THE COACHES ON THEIR STAFF, SOMETIMES THE HEAD COACH.

HOW DO YOU PAY THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS VERSUS THE SOFTBALL TEAM, VERSUS BOTH BASKETBALL PROGRAMS?

AND A LOT OF SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN PRETTY OUT THERE WITH THEIR SPLITS.

IT'S USUALLY 80% FOOTBALL AND EVERYBODY ELSE CHOPS UP THE PIE ELSEWHERE, WHICH AS JENNY TALKED ABOUT, IS MICHAEL KIND OF TOUCHED ON.

THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT FRONTIER OF COURT CASES.

THE REST OF THAT DISCUSSION COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

A RECORD NUMBER OF PASSENGERS WILL FLY OUT OF OKLAHOMA CITY'S WILL ROGERS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THIS SUMMER.

AND THAT NUMBER IS ONLY EXPECTED TO INCREASE AS OKLAHOMA CITY CONTINUES TO BE ONE OF THE TOP 20 FASTEST GROWING METRO AREAS IN THE COUNTRY.

IS THE AIRPORT KEEPING PACE WITH THE DEMAND?

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW WITH THE PLANS TO EXPAND.

STEVE.

RICH.

THE NAME OF THE GAME WITH AIRPORTS IS TO STAY AHEAD OF GROWTH IN THE CITIES WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.

WILL ROGERS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT HAS A 30 YEAR MASTER PLAN THEY SAY WILL EVENTUALLY HANDLE MORE THAN 20 MILLION PASSENGERS A YEAR.

JAMES UDO HAD A BUSY WEEK WITH WORK STOPS IN MINNESOTA AND ORLANDO ON TAP.

HOW DO YOU LIKE THIS PLACE?

I LOVE IT, MAN.

I'VE.

I'VE FLOWN, I'VE FLOWN IN AND OUT OF HERE A LOT.

AND I WOULD SAY IT'S ALWAYS JUST, LIKE, CALM AND PEACEFUL.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S MY BIGGEST THING AS SOMEONE WHO'S WHO'S FLOWN A LOT.

I THINK MY BIGGEST THING WITH HERE IS, LIKE, IT'S ALWAYS, LIKE, PEACEFUL AND CALM.

SO YEAH, I LOVE IT.

OKLAHOMA CITY DIRECTOR OF AIRPORTS JEFF MULDER SAYS AIRPORTS THAT FALL BEHIND POPULATION GROWTH IS A QUICK RECIPE FOR PAIN.

THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS AT WILL ROGERS LAST YEAR WAS UP 31% OVER THE YEAR 2000, WHERE WE HAD 4.6 MILLION PASSENGERS LAST YEAR.

ONE OF THE MILESTONES WE HAVE IS 6 MILLION PASSENGERS, 8,000,020 MILLION, WHICH SOUNDS LIKE A HUGE NUMBER, BUT YOU JUST REFERENCED THE GROWTH WE'VE HAD SINCE THE YEAR 2020.

AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE THINKING THAT FAR AHEAD.

MULDER SAYS SOME OF THE THINGS THEY'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW ARE ADDING MORE GATES.

THEY'VE GOT 21 CURRENTLY.

THEY'RE ALSO WORKING TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DIRECT FLIGHTS.

THERE ARE 25 RIGHT NOW, AND THEY'RE GOING TO ENLARGE BAGGAGE CLAIM.

IN NOVEMBER, AMERICAN AIRLINES WILL START NONSTOP SERVICE TO CANCUN, MEXICO.

RETURNING FLIGHTS WILL TAXI UP TO THIS NEW FEDERAL INSPECTION STATION, WHERE CUSTOMS AGENTS WILL CLEAR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS AND PASSENGERS.

ABOUT A MONTH AGO, MY WIFE AND I CIRCLED BOTH THE PARKING GARAGES HERE AT WILL ROGERS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES LOOKING FOR A PARKING SPACE.

YEAH, THE LAST COUPLE SUMMERS, OUR PARKING GARAGES FILL UP ROUTINELY EVERY DAY.

AND SO WE KNOW WE HAVE A CAPACITY CRUNCH THERE.

MULDER SAYS THAT GARAGE WILL BE READY WHEN OKLAHOMA CITY HOSTS TWO EVENTS IN THE 2028 SUMMER OLYMPICS.

THOSE EVENTS WILL BE AT RIVER RAPIDS NEAR BRICKTOWN AND SOFTBALL AT DEVON PARK.

OKLAHOMA CITY MAYOR DAVID HOLT.

YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW THAT I'VE EVER TOLD ANYONE THIS.

I REMEMBER COMING INTO OFFICE.

OF COURSE, I'D BEEN CHIEF OF STAFF TO MY PREDECESSOR, MAYOR CORNETT, WHO, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY HAD LEFT THIS INCREDIBLE LEGACY OF ELEVATING US TO A MAJOR LEAGUE CITY, A BIG LEAGUE CITY, BY SECURING THE NBA.

AND I REMEMBER THINKING, I REALLY DID THINK TO MYSELF AND MAYBE UTTER OUT LOUD AT THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THE ONLY WAY I COULD TOP THAT WOULD BE TO GET THE SUMMER OLYMPICS.

AND I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WAS POSSIBLE.

WE HAVE THE ONLY WHITEWATER COURSE WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

WE HAVE THE GREATEST SOFTBALL STADIUM IN THE WORLD.

THESE ARE TWO THINGS THAT LOS ANGELES NEEDED.

AND AS A RESULT, WE ARE THE ONLY CITY OUTSIDE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THAT IS HOSTING THE ENTIRETY OF A SPORT, AND MUCH LESS TWO SPORTS AND A TOTAL OF SEVEN EVENTS AND EVENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY FOR 16 DAYS.

AND DON'T FORGET WHAT THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER JUST DID.

THE ARRIVAL WAS ONE THING.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP IS ANOTHER.

I MEAN, IT KIND OF IT'S IT'S SPORTS IMMORTALITY.

THAT ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF CREDIBILITY.

NOW, YOU KNOW, WHEN I'M TALKING AS MAYOR TO POTENTIAL JOB CREATORS OR INVESTORS IN OUR CITY, I KNOW THAT IT USED TO BE, WELL, GOSH, IF THEY HAVE AN NBA TEAM, THEY MUST BE WORTH CONSIDERING FOR FILL IN THE BLANK.

WELL, NOW IT'S GOING TO BE.

WELL, IF THEY'RE AN NBA CHAMPION, THEY MUST REALLY BE WORTH CONSIDERING FOR FILL IN THE BLANK.

WHICH IS WHY AN AIRPORT THAT STAYS AHEAD OF THE CURVE IS SO VITAL.

I SAW SOME OF THE ARTIST'S RENDERINGS.

YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE, LIKE A DOUBLE DECKER.

LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE DOUBLE DECKER LANES.

THAT'S EXACTLY IT.

ULTIMATELY, WHAT WE WOULD NEED TODAY WE HAVE FOUR LANES ON THE UPPER LEVEL AND THREE ON THE LOWER LEVEL.

ULTIMATELY, WE WOULD NEED SIX LANES ON BOTH LEVELS REALLY TO ACCOMMODATE THE PASSENGERS AND THE ACTIVITY AND THE GROWTH.

THAT'S FOR THE ENGINEERS TO FIGURE OUT.

RIGHT.

IT IS NOW.

IT'S GOING TO BE A COMPLICATED PROJECT, OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DO ALL OF THAT AND KEEP THE AIRPORT OPERATING 24 HOURS A DAY.

THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA'S FIRST YEAR PLAYING FOOTBALL IN THE SEC RESULTED IN THE TWO BUSIEST WEEKENDS IN WILL ROGERS INTERNATIONAL HISTORY LAST FALL, WHEN TENNESSEE AND ALABAMA CAME TO NORMAN.

AND IN FACT, AS COLLEGE FOOTBALL HAS CHANGED, THE AIRLINES ALSO HAVE ADDED FLIGHTS FOR OSU GAMES BECAUSE THEY ARE ATTRACTING TEAMS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO COME HERE AND PLAY IN STILLWATER.

SO WE'RE WE'RE SEEING THAT IMPACT FROM BOTH OF THOSE TEAMS.

MULDER SAYS RENOVATIONS HERE OVER THE NEXT TWO DECADES AND BEYOND WILL TOP $1 BILLION.

WE ALSO ARE THINKING OF THE ECONOMICS OF IT, AND THAT THE FACT THAT WE'RE LAYERING THESE PROJECTS OVER THE NEXT 20 YEARS HELPS TO MAKE THEM MORE AFFORDABLE.

SO AS WE STAGGER THESE PROJECTS, WE CAN PAY FOR THEM EASIER THAN DOING ONE PROJECT ALL AT ONCE.

WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE IN SOME OF THE ALL IMPORTANT AIRPORT BATHROOMS.

SO WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS A LOT OF OPENNESS.

SO THE RESTROOMS ARE A LITTLE BIT LARGER, YOUR STALLS ARE LARGER, SO YOU'RE ABLE TO BRING YOUR LUGGAGE IN WITH YOU AND SHUT THE DOOR BEHIND YOU.

EVERYTHING'S UP TO CODE.

RUSSELL HUGHES IS A SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT IN NORTH FLORIDA AND A 1991 GRADUATE OF LANGSTON UNIVERSITY.

VISITING AND BUSINESS I DID A KEYNOTE SPEECH FOR MY UNCLE, WHO WAS HAVING HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY, AND HE'S A PASTOR OF A CHURCH.

SO I DID THE KEYNOTE SPEECH FOR HIM.

SO I HAD PEOPLE FLYING IN FROM TEXAS, MARYLAND, DC, AND FLORIDA TO HIM.

THIS AIRPORT RIGHT NOW GETS MORE THAN A PASSING GRADE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THE SPACIOUSNESS OF IT.

WHEN I WAS HERE EARLIER, DID NOT HAVE THE DETACHED AREA FOR RENTAL VEHICLES.

I UTILIZED THAT THIS WEEKEND WHEN I CAME UP, AND IT REALLY MADE A DIFFERENCE FOR ME.

THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PIPELINE.

EVENTUALLY, MUCH OF THE TILE FLOORING THAT MAKES ALL THAT NOISE WHEN SUITCASES ARE ROLLING BY WILL BE REPLACED WITH A SMOOTH SURFACE MATERIAL THAT LOOKS LIKE GRANITE.

RICH.

STEVE.

THANK YOU.

RIVER SPORT OKC WAS ALSO THE SITE THIS WEEK FOR A COMPETITION INVOLVING FIRST RESPONDERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, HOSTED BY OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY.

IT WAS A WEEK LONG CONFERENCE TO TEACH AND TEST WHITE WATER RESCUE SKILLS.

EDUCATION REPORTER TAYLOR JACKSON CHECKED IT OUT AND JOINS US NOW WITH MORE.

TAYLOR.

YEAH, RICH, I MUST SAY THAT THE RIVER SPORT PROVIDED A GREAT CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT FOR THESE FIRST RESPONDERS TO LEARN AND PRACTICE SWIFT WATER SKILLS.

BY ALL MEANS, SELF RESCUE.

MORE THAN 121ST RESPONDERS SPENT THIS WEEK GAINING NEW SKILLS AT THE 2020 RIVER SPORTS SWIFT WATER CONFERENCE.

THIS IS OUR FOURTH ONE WITH OSU HERE AT RIVER SPORT, WHICH IS ONE OF THE PREMIER SWIFT WATER FACILITIES IN THE COUNTRY.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO BE DOING THE KAYAKS FOR THE OLYMPICS.

THE 2028 OLYMPICS WILL BE HERE AND SO CAN'T FIND A BETTER PLACE TO TRAIN.

AND THAT'S WHY PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY.

MICHAEL HARVEY IS ONE OF THEM.

HE LIVES IN NEW ZEALAND AND TRAVELED MORE THAN 7500 MILES TO BE HERE.

I'M FOREVER LEARNING, PICKING WEE BITS AND PIECES OUT AND BEING ABLE TO TAKE THEM BACK TO NEW ZEALAND TO TEACH THE OTHER FIREFIGHTERS.

KEEP MY GUYS SAFE AND MORE TOOLS FOR THE TOOLBOX THAT THEY CAN COME PICK OUT IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS AND AFFECT PROPER RESCUES.

HARVEY SAYS DUE TO WEATHER PATTERNS CHANGING, LEARNING SWIFT WATER RESCUE SKILLS IS IMPORTANT TO TAKE BACK HOME.

WE'RE GETTING A LOT MORE FLOODING AND GETTING TURNED OUT, SO SWIFTWATER RESCUE IS ONLY A NEW THING IN NEW ZEALAND.

FIRE SERVICE HAVE ONLY BEEN DOING IT FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND AND SO YEAH, IT WE'RE FRESH OFF THE BOAT.

WE'RE JUST WE'RE LEARNING STUFF HARD AND FAST AND COPING WITH ALL THESE WEATHER PATTERNS AS THEY COME IN BECAUSE WE'RE WE'RE A MARINE ENVIRONMENT.

WE'RE TWO SMALL ISLANDS REALLY.

AND THE WEATHER COMES IN FROM THE SEA AND HITS PRETTY FAST, DOES A LOT OF DAMAGE.

OSU'S LEAD, TECHNICAL RESCUE AND WATER INSTRUCTOR GREG MERRILL SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS TO BRUSH UP ON THEIR SWIFT WATER RESCUE SKILLS.

THE MOST COMMON TECHNICAL RESCUE THAT ANYBODY WILL MAKE WILL BE A FLOOD WATER SWIFT WATER RESCUE, AND IT IS VERY DANGEROUS.

SOME ATTENDEES COME FROM SMALL TOWNS WITH LIMITED RESCUE OPTIONS.

WATER IS A VERY DYNAMIC, VERY CHANGING ENVIRONMENT AND THEY JUST HAVE TO BE READY FOR ANYTHING.

EACH GROUP OF RESPONDERS ROTATED THROUGH NINE DIFFERENT SKILL SETS.

STATIONS LIKE ANIMAL WATER RESCUE AND WADE CROSSING.

WE HAVE VICTIMS COMING THROUGH THAT WE ALL KNOW AND WE TELL THEM, ARMS UP, ARMS UP, GRAB THAT ROPE.

THESE GUYS ARE USING A TENSION DIAGONAL.

THIS IS A CATCH.

IT'S A IT'S A SAFETY NET FOR THESE GUYS.

FOR ANYBODY THAT'S DOWN THAT'S THAT.

THEY'RE DOING OPERATIONS UPSTREAM.

THIS IS A SAFETY NET FOR DOWNSTREAM TO CATCH ANY VICTIMS OR EITHER THAT OR RESCUERS THAT COULD BE FALLING TO THE WATER AND BE PUT IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

WATER MOVING GREATER THAN 1.5MPH IS CONSIDERED SWIFT WATER.

WE RUN INTO THIS A LOT.

PEOPLE MAY BE FLUSHED DOWNSTREAM AND AGAINST A BRIDGE PILLAR, SO THEY'RE PINNED UP AGAINST A BRIDGE PILLAR AND THEY'RE BARELY HANGING ON.

WE HAVE A RAPID SYSTEM WHERE BASICALLY, ONCE THE FIRST RESPONDERS SHOW UP ON SCENE, WE CAN MAKE PATIENT CONTACT THAT VICTIM AND SECURE THEM WITHIN ABOUT 30S OF ARRIVING ON SCENE.

JUST DO A SIMPLE ROPE SYSTEM DOWN TO THE VICTIM, THEN TIE THEM OFF, BRING THEM, AND THEN IT'LL BE A LONGER PROCESS TO BUILD THE WHOLE SYSTEM.

BRING THEM BACK TO UP TO US.

JOSH FORSMAN IS ONE OF THE INSTRUCTORS THIS WEEK.

HIS STATION FOCUSES ON FLAT WATER BASICS.

SO IN THESE LAKES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO OUT AND SWIM AND THEY GET CAUGHT, WHETHER IT'S AN ENTRAPMENT OR JUST DROWNING, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO SWIM.

WE'RE TEACHING THEM BASIC WATER RESCUE TO BE ABLE TO PULL THOSE PEOPLE OUT OF THE WATER.

HE SAYS A LOT OF THE FIRST RESPONDERS ATTENDING THE EVENT COME FROM STATES LIKE OKLAHOMA AND ARKANSAS THAT HAVE FLAT WATER AREAS, SUCH AS LAKES.

WE'RE TEACHING GUYS WHAT WE DO DAILY WITH THE RESCUES THAT WE GO ON IN THE WATER FOR, AND THEN WE TRY AND SPECIALIZE WITH THE KIND OF EQUIPMENT THAT THESE FIREMEN WILL CARRY ON THEIR RIGS.

HE SAYS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SKILLS A WATER RESPONDER NEEDS IS THE ABILITY TO SWIM WELL.

I'D SAY SWIM CONFIDENCE, BEING ABLE TO SWIM.

THAT'S DEFINITELY A HUGE PART OF IT.

AND KNOWING YOUR EQUIPMENT.

SO A LOT OF THESE GUYS WEAR DRY SUITS THAT RESTRICT THEIR MOVEMENT IN THE WATER OR THE PFDS.

PFD STANDS FOR PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICE.

A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE'RE GOING FOR RESCUES, WE DON'T WEAR PFDS AT ALL.

WE HAVE SOME RIVERS BY US THAT YOU HAVE TO WEAR A PHD IN, BUT FOR PEOPLE THAT GO IN THE WATER WITH THEM EVERY DAY, WITH THE DRY SUITS AND ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND THE BOOTS, THAT DEFINITELY LIKE HOLDS THEM DOWN, AND JUST KNOWING YOUR EQUIPMENT AND KNOWING THE STRENGTHS THAT YOU CAN USE IN THOSE TYPE OF RESCUES.

ANOTHER SYSTEM FIRST RESPONDERS LEARNED THIS WEEK INVOLVED A RESCUE FROM A BRIDGE.

WE HAVE PEOPLE SWEPT DOWNSTREAM.

WE'RE UNABLE TO JUST REPEL OFF A BRIDGE OR A HIGH POINT.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE TO USE WHAT WE CALL A HIGH LINE.

IT'S OVER THE WATER, MANIPULATING PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE AND THEN ACTUALLY LOWERING TO THE VICTIM, PICKING THEM OFF CARS, ROCKS OR OFF A TREE, MERRILL SAYS.

OKLAHOMA FIRST RESPONDERS PUT THESE SKILLS INTO ACTION OFTEN.

WE DO MAKE SEVERAL SWIFTWATER RESCUES HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND OKLAHOMA ITSELF.

THE WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME INCIDENTS AS THEY MIGHT HAVE ON COASTAL.

THEY HAVE THE HURRICANE RESPONSE, WHICH WE GO TO AS A TASK FORCE.

SO OBVIOUSLY NEED TRAINING FOR THAT.

ONE THING THE FIRST RESPONDERS LOOK FORWARD TO DURING THE CONFERENCE IS THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES, WHERE PARTICIPANTS PUT THEIR SKILLS TO THE TEST.

RICH.

REALLY INTERESTING.

THANK YOU TAYLOR.

FORBES SAYS A TECH COMPANY IS THE BEST PLACE TO WORK IN OKLAHOMA.

JASON DOYLE PROVIDES THE DETAILS IN OUR STATEWIDE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

TWO NATIONALLY KNOWN COMPANIES AND TWO OKLAHOMA TRIBES ARE IN THE TOP FIVE OF THE FORBES BEST EMPLOYERS IN OKLAHOMA.

IBM TOPS THE LIST IN OKLAHOMA, FOLLOWED BY COSTCO, CHOCTAW NATION OF OKLAHOMA, MIDFIRST BANK, AND CHICKASAW NATION DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE.

FORBES ASKS EMPLOYEES OF COMPANIES WITH 500 WORKERS OR MORE ABOUT WAGE PARITY, WORK CULTURE, PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT, AND EMPLOYER ACTIONS ON SERIOUS ISSUES TO CREATE THE LIST FOR EACH STATE.

TULSA BASED VITAL ENERGY IS BEING ACQUIRED BY HOUSTON BASED CRESCENT ENERGY COMPANY.

THE ACQUISITION IS AN ALL STOCK TRANSACTION ESTIMATED TO BE WORTH $3.1 BILLION.

IF THE DEAL GOES THROUGH, THE COMBINED COMPANY WOULD ESTABLISH A TOP TEN INDEPENDENT OIL AND GAS PRODUCER.

THE SALE IS EXPECTED TO CLOSE BY THE END OF THIS YEAR.

ONE OAK IS TEAMING UP WITH TWO OTHER JOINT VENTURE PARTNERS TO BUILD A NEW NATURAL GAS PIPELINE FROM THE PERMIAN BASIN IN TEXAS TO THE GULF COAST REGION.

THEY'LL CALL IT THE TIGER EXPRESS PIPELINE.

IT'S EXPECTED TO STRETCH APPROXIMATELY 450 MILES FROM WEST TEXAS TO THE HOUSTON AREA.

WHEN COMPLETE, THE PIPELINE IS EXPECTED TO TRANSPORT UP TO 2.5 MILLION CUBIC FEET PER DAY OF NATURAL GAS BEFORE IT'S EVEN BUILT.

THE PIPELINE ALREADY HAS AGREEMENTS WITH CONTRACT TERMS OF TEN YEARS OR LONGER.

ONCE THE REGULATORY APPROVALS ARE GIVEN, THE PIPELINE IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY MID 2028.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED BANK SEVEN IS LAUNCHING A STOCK REPURCHASE PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS.

THE COMPANY PLANS TO REPURCHASE UP TO 750,000 SHARES OF THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK.

THAT'S ABOUT HOW MANY SHARES ARE ON THE OPEN MARKET CURRENTLY.

MOST OF THE SHARES ARE EXPECTED TO BE REPURCHASED AT PREVAILING MARKET PRICES IN PRIVATELY NEGOTIATED TRANSACTIONS.

BANK SEVEN'S LEADERS ARE LOOKING TO MAXIMIZE SHAREHOLDER VALUE WITH THE BUYBACK PROGRAM.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON THANK YOU.

OSU.

OSU AND TULSA ALL KICK OFF THEIR FOOTBALL SEASONS THIS WEEKEND.

BUT THIS YEAR THINGS ARE DIFFERENT TO SAY THE LEAST.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, COLLEGE TEAMS WILL HAVE SALARY CAPS, AND MANY PROGRAMS HAVE HIRED GENERAL MANAGERS TO ADMINISTER THEM.

SOUNDS MORE LIKE THE NFL THAN THE NCAA.

THAT'S THE TOPIC OF THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR SUSAN KUDO.

SUSAN.

OKAY, RICH.

I HAVE CONCERNS AND I HAVE QUESTIONS, AND WE HAVE THE PEOPLE WHO CAN HANDLE BOTH.

WITH US TODAY, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEM TO YOU NOW.

FIRST WE HAVE RYAN CHAPMAN.

HE IS THE CO-PUBLISHER OF SOONERS ON PSI AND CO-HOST OF THE FRANCHISE MORNING SHOW.

NEXT TO RYAN IS JENNI CARLSON.

SHE'S A SPORTS WRITER FOR THE OKLAHOMAN.

AND NEXT TO JENNI IS MICHAEL KENNEY.

HE IS A WRITER, JOURNALIST, AND PHOTOGRAPHER FOR MICHAEL KENNEY MEDIA.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH ME.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

MY PLEASURE.

ALL RIGHT.

SO SOMETHING EXCITING AND CONFUSING IS HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF COLLEGE ATHLETICS.

AND YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO EDUCATE ME ON IT FIRST.

EXPLAIN.

I'LL LET ANY OF YOU CHOOSE OR EXPLAIN WHAT THE SALARY CAP IS AND WHAT IT MEANS.

WELL, THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR OF REVENUE SHARING IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS, BASICALLY.

THERE WAS A COURT CASE, HOUSE VERSUS NCAA, THAT WAS SETTLED, THAT GAVE COLLEGES A NUMBER OF HOW MUCH MONEY THEY COULD GIVE TO THEIR ATHLETES EVERY YEAR, $20.5 MILLION.

HOW THIS COLLEGES DECIDE TO SPLIT THAT UP, WHAT TEAMS GET, WHAT AMOUNT IS YET TO BE DETERMINED, AND THEY CAN.

AT THIS POINT, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE BASICALLY DECIDING.

SO THERE MAY BE LITIGATION ABOUT THAT BECAUSE WITH TITLE NINE AND THE WOMEN'S SPORTS, HOW MUCH THEY GET THAT COULD THAT COULD BECOME A COURT CASE TOO.

BUT TO THIS POINT, THE BOTTOM LINE TO KNOW IS THAT EVERY SCHOOL CAN SPEND UP TO $20.5 MILLION PAYING THEIR ATHLETES ON THAT REVENUE SHARING.

AND MICHAEL, WHERE DOES THAT MONEY COME FROM?

IT'S SUPPOSED TO COME FROM THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THE NCAA AND THE CONFERENCES TAKE IN THROUGHOUT, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

AND SO, AS JENNY WAS SAYING, YOU CAN DIVIDE IT UP BETWEEN EACH ONE.

AND AS MANY SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS, HAVEN'T AT LEAST ANNOUNCED WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO WITH THOSE YET.

IN OTHER CONFERENCES, SOME OF THE SCHOOLS HAVE PRE MADE THEIR DECISIONS LIKE THERE WAS A SCHOOL OUT IN SEC, OR I FORGET WHICH ONE WHO'S ALREADY ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'RE CUTTING EVERYONE ON THEIR TRACK TEAM EXCEPT FOR THE SPRINTERS.

SO THEY'RE CUTTING THE DISTANCE RUNNERS AND ALL THE FIELD EVENTS BECAUSE THEY FEEL THAT, AT LEAST IN THEIR MIND, THAT THE SPRINTERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.

WELL, YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN OTHER PEOPLE WHO DROPPED MAYBE SOME OF THE GYMNASTICS TEAMS OR SOME OF THE WRESTLING TEAMS.

AND SO IT'S IT'S AS THE MONEY IS COMING IN FOR FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL AND EVEN SOFTBALL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO OU.

SOME OF THOSE OTHER SPORTS ARE MORE THAN LIKELY GOING TO TAKE THE BRUNT OF THESE REVENUE SHARING HITS, BECAUSE JUST BECAUSE THEY CAN'T COMPETE WITH THIS TYPE OF MONEY THAT IS COMING IN.

WELL, YEAH, I SAID EARLIER WHEN WE WERE TALKING BEFORE, THIS OPENS THE PANDORA'S BOX.

AND RYAN, I WANT TO COME TO YOU.

WHAT PROBLEMS DO YOU SEE?

MICHAEL ALREADY TOUCHED ON THEM.

DOES IT GO DEEPER?

CAN IT REALLY HINDER OTHER ATHLETES IN THE LESS PROMINENT SPORTS?

YEAH, WELL, AND PART OF THAT TOO.

WE SAW A TON OF MOVEMENT BEFORE THIS CAME IN.

THIS IS PART OF WHY CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT HAS BEEN HUGE.

WHY DID OKLAHOMA WANT TO GO TO THE SEC?

WELL, THEIR CONFERENCE PAYOUT, PART OF THAT MONEY THAT THEY CAN DISTRIBUTE THAT MICHAEL WAS TALKING ABOUT IS A LOT LARGER IN THE SEC.

SO BEFORE YOU EVEN GET TO PAYING PLAYERS, YOU LOOK AT A SCHOOL LIKE OREGON THAT WENT FROM BEING MOSTLY ON THE WEST COAST.

OF ALL THE TEAMS THAT THEY PLAY, THEY NOW HAVE TO TAKE THEIR BASKETBALL TEAM AND TRAVEL TO PLAY PURDUE ON A WEEKNIGHT, AND THEN HAVE TO PLAY INDIANA ON A WEEKNIGHT, AS OPPOSED TO JUST GOING OVER TO WASHINGTON OR OREGON STATE.

SO WHEN WE I KNOW THAT STUDENT ATHLETE HAS LOST THESE DAYS, BUT THOSE ARE COLLEGE KIDS THAT YOU'RE TAKING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

THAT'S BEFORE WE EVEN GET INTO HOW DO YOU PAY THE FOOTBALL PLAYERS VERSUS THE SOFTBALL TEAM VERSUS BOTH BASKETBALL PROGRAMS?

AND A LOT OF SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN PRETTY OUT THERE WITH THEIR SPLITS.

IT'S USUALLY 80% FOOTBALL, AND EVERYBODY ELSE CHOPS UP THE PIE ELSEWHERE, WHICH AS JENNY TALKED ABOUT AS MICHAEL'S KIND OF TOUCHED ON, THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE THE NEXT FRONTIER OF COURT CASES.

IT FEELS LIKE RIGHT NOW, THE ONLY WINNERS HAVE BEEN THE LAWYERS FOR EVERY CONFERENCE, EVERY SCHOOL IN THE NCAA.

BECAUSE AS WE'RE GOING TO GET INTO A LOT OF THIS STUFF IS JUST LITIGATION, MORE LITIGATION.

WAIT, BRACE, SOMETHING NEW COMES DOWN FROM THE COURTS.

WE'RE GOING BACK IN FOR MORE LITIGATION.

AND IT FEELS LIKE THE NCAA AT THIS POINT, THEY WENT MANY, MANY YEARS NOT LOSING COURT CASES, BUT NOW THEY CAN'T WIN.

AND SO THEY HAVE REALLY GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY'RE THEY'RE THEY'VE TAKEN THEIR HANDS OFF THE WHEEL IN A LOT OF THIS.

THEY'RE JUST ALLOWING THINGS TO SORT OF TAKE THEIR COURSE.

AND AT SOME POINT THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME GUARDRAILS PUT IN BECAUSE I'M, I'M FOR ATHLETES MAKING MONEY BECAUSE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SALARIES THAT THE COACHES AND THE SUPPORT STAFFS AND ALL OF THAT THEY'RE GETTING, IT'S NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE WHEN COACHES WERE MAKING SORT OF NORMAL, YOU KNOW, BLUE COLLAR SALARIES, OKAY.

NO REVENUE SHARING.

I THINK THAT THAT THE COLLEGE EDUCATION WAS A WAS A COMMISERATE AMOUNT TO GIVE COLLEGE ATHLETES.

BUT NOW 8 MILLION, 10 MILLION SOME OF THEIR COACHES ARE GETTING THAT KIND OF MONEY.

YOU CAN'T SAY TO ATHLETES YOU DON'T GET ANY OF IT, BUT THEY GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO TO REGULATE SOME OF THIS.

BUT DON'T THESE ATHLETES GET SCHOLARSHIPS?

THAT REPRESENTS TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN SOME SCHOOLS AND THEN BOARDING AND FOOD.

AND SO OUR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER TALKED ABOUT ADRIAN PETERSON NOT BEING ABLE TO BUY HIS OWN JERSEY.

I COULDN'T BUY A JERSEY.

I WAS WORKING TWO JOBS WHILE I WAS GOING TO COLLEGE.

I DIDN'T HAVE A FULL SCHOLARSHIP.

I ATE RAMEN NOODLES SO THAT THAT KIND OF DOESN'T FLY WITH ME.

BUT IS THERE A SYMPATHY FOR THAT?

WELL, I THINK BEING A COLLEGE ATHLETE IN TODAY'S DAY AND AGE, IT IS A FULL TIME JOB.

SO TO ASK THESE ATHLETES TO THEN GO BE STUDENTS AND BE FULL TIME ATHLETES AND THEN GET A JOB, I THINK YOU'RE ASKING A LOT FOR ESPECIALLY THE, THE, THE, THE, BASICALLY THE SCHEDULES THAT THEY HAVE TO KEEP WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR SPORTS.

AND IF THEY'RE PLAYING A SPORT WHERE ESPECIALLY WITH FOOTBALL, YOU KNOW, FOOTBALL HAS TO BE HEALTHY TO, AS MICHAEL WAS TALKING ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE OTHER SPORTS GOING TO DO?

FOOTBALL PROGRAMS THAT ARE HEALTHY BASICALLY FUND THE REST OF THESE PROGRAMS.

AND SO YOUR FOOTBALL TEAM HAS TO BE HEALTHY.

SO YOU'RE ASKING A TON OUT OF THESE ATHLETES TO NOT ONLY WIN, BUT ALSO FINANCIALLY SUPPORT BASICALLY YOUR ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT.

SO TO ME TO ASK ATHLETES TO SHOULDER THAT BURDEN, ESPECIALLY AGAIN, WHILE THEIR COACHES ARE MAKING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS, THAT EQUATION HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.

WELL, I WANT TO SAY THIS, BUT THIS ISN'T A NEW ARGUMENT.

THIS IS HOW IT'S ALWAYS BEEN FROM THE 60S, 70S, 80S, ESPECIALLY ON WHEN COLLEGE FOOTBALL BECAME THE AND MANY PEOPLE'S EYES, THE SECOND MOST, THE SECOND BIGGEST SPORT AFTER THE NFL, THE THE FOOTBALL DEPARTMENT HAS ALWAYS BROUGHT IN TONS AND TONS OF MONEY, AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS BEEN FEEDING OFF OF IT.

THEN YOU HAVE THE THE MEN'S BASKETBALL, WHICH IS ALL MOST OF THE MONEY IS ALL MADE FROM MARCH MADNESS AND THE FINAL FOUR.

BUT AT SOME DURING THOSE TIMES THAT SOMEONE WHO PLAYED COLLEGE FOOTBALL, YOU FOUND A WAY TO MAKE THROUGH IT, YOU FIND A WAY TO GET THROUGH IT.

WE WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE HAD A FEW MORE DOLLARS IN OUR POCKETS, BUT WHEN YOU LOOK NOW WHERE YOU TALK ABOUT THE COACHES ARE MAKING 18 MILLION NOW, YOU HAVE PLAYERS, THOUGH, WHO ARE MAKING TWO, THREE, 4 OR 5 MILLION WHO ARE MAKING MORE THAN MOST OF THE COACHES ON THEIR STAFF, SOMETIMES THE HEAD COACH.

SO AS YOU TRY TO BALANCE IT OUT AND NOW YOU HAVE IT IN MANY PEOPLE'S EYES, IT'S WENT THE OTHER WAY.

AND SO, AS DEAN WAS SAYING, THE NCAA IS GOING TO HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO NOT SO MUCH EVEN TO BACK OUT, BUT GAIN SOME CONTROL.

BUT I THINK THEY TOOK THEIR HANDS OFF ON PURPOSE TO LET PEOPLE SEE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN THEY'RE NOT INVOLVED, AND HOW IT CAN BECOME THE WILD WEST.

SO THEY HATED IT WHEN THE NCAA HAD A TIGHT GRIP.

THEY HATED IT WHEN IT'S HANDS OFF.

SO WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

AND YOU SEE COLLEGES AND PRESIDENTS AND ADS BEGGING FOR THE NCAA TO GET BACK INVOLVED.

WE'LL COME TO YOU, RYAN.

WHAT'S IT GOING TO BE LIKE FOR THESE SMALLER SCHOOLS WHO HAVE ATHLETICS PROGRAMS?

THEY IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THEY DON'T STAND A CHANCE.

IT'S HURTING.

IT IS.

YOU LOOK AT KIND OF GOING BACK TO REALIGNMENT.

THIS IS WHY YOU'VE SEEN ACROSS MAJOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS, 1 OR 2 BIG MOVERS OKLAHOMA, TEXAS MOVE TO THE SEC WILL THEN FIVE YEARS LATER YOU CAN GET TO OH WELL NEW MEXICO HAS MOVED HERE OR SO AND SO HAS MOVED HERE.

AND YOU CAN TRACE IT ALL BACK BECAUSE EVERYONE IT'S THE SHIFTING AND MOVING TO TRY AND GET ON FINANCIAL FOOTING.

AND THAT'S STILL TALKING AT THE FBS LEVEL IN THE COLLEGE FOOTBALL TERMS.

WHEN YOU GET TO OLYMPIC SPORTS, EVEN AT BIG SCHOOLS, THAT'S THE FIRST THING THAT A LOT OF THE PAC 12 SCHOOLS THAT HAVE THE WATER POLO, BEACH VOLLEYBALL, SWIMMING, THINGS LIKE THAT, THAT YOU SAW, I THINK THE US OLYMPIC COMMITTEE COME OUT AND SAY WE ARE WORRIED THAT REVENUE SHARING IS GOING TO AFFECT OLYMPIC SPORTS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO THEY MIGHT BE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK.

WELL, A BIG FEEDER.

WHY IS TEAM USA DOMINANT EVERY FOUR SUMMERS AND EVERY FOUR WINTERS?

IT'S BECAUSE A LOT OF THEIR TRAINING PROGRAMS COME FROM STANFORD, TEXAS, CAL, USC.

THEY'RE NOT HAVING TO PUT UP BIG TRAINING CENTERS.

YOU TALK ABOUT THOSE PROBLEMS AND THAT'S WITH THE BIG BUDGETS.

NOW THINK ABOUT WHAT LANGSTON AND UCO AND NIO AND SCHOOLS LIKE THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DO THAT.

THEY DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO COMPETE AT THE SAME LEVEL THAT MAJOR, MAJOR COLLEGE ATHLETICS HAS, AND THEY'VE EVEN GOT THE PROBLEMS AT THE MAJOR LEVEL.

SO, RYAN, WHAT I SEE NOW IS, YOU KNOW, I WAS TALKING TO MICHAEL ABOUT THIS EARLIER IS A TRICKLE DOWN INTO THE IMPACT OF PERFORMANCE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL AS COMPETITION TO GET INTO THESE MAJOR SCHOOLS THAT MAY END UP BEING FEEDERS TO SOMETHING LIKE THE OLYMPICS IF THINGS STAY THE SAME, WHEN DOES IT IMPACT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL?

TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD, IT ALREADY HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH REVENUE SHARING.

PART OF WHY WE'RE MOVING TO THIS IS BECAUSE THE FIRST HACK AT IT NAME IMAGE, LIKENESS NIL, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE HEY, YOU PERFORM REALLY WELL.

SOMEONE WHO OWNS A CAR DEALERSHIP IN YOUR TOWN WANTS YOU TO BE IN THEIR COMMERCIAL.

WE'RE NOW ALLOWED TO PAY YOU FOR THAT.

WELL, THAT THAT BECAME JUST SCHOOLS, COLLECTIVES.

BEING ABLE TO SAY, HEY, MICHAEL, CAN I PAY YOU $3 MILLION TO COME TO MY SCHOOL INSTEAD OF GOING TO PLAY VIRGINIA?

AND THEN JENNY SAYS, WELL, HOW IS THIS FAIR?

THAT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

SO NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO BRING IN REVENUE SHARING AND ALL THAT STUFF?

WELL, PART OF THE NIL WAS DIFFERENT STATES HAVING DIFFERENT LAWS IN MISSOURI.

OKLAHOMA WAS IN A HIGH PROFILE RECRUITING BATTLE WHERE A MISSOURI HIGH SCHOOL KID COULD GET NIL DOLLARS IF THEY WERE SIGNING WITH A MISSOURI COLLEGE WHILE THEY'RE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

THAT SCREWS UP THAT RECRUITMENT, THAT SCREWS UP ON DOWN THE LINE OF KIDS ELSEWHERE.

AND THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS THAT ARE JUST SAYING WE'D RATHER DEAL WITH THE COLLEGE KIDS, AND THAT MEANS THAT HIGH SCHOOL KIDS MIGHT GO UNDER RECRUITED AT DIFFERENT SPOTS.

AND A LOT OF THE THE BIGGER HIGH SCHOOLS IN OKLAHOMA ALREADY HAVE THEIR OWN COLLECTIVES AS THEY BUILD MONEY TO RECRUIT KIDS FROM EITHER THROUGHOUT THE STATE OR THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.

SO BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE RULES WORK, WHERE YOU CAN HAVE TRANSFERS AND IT'S UP TO DISTRICTS AND HOW THEY NOW HAVE OPEN TRANSFERS, IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TYPE OF COLLECTIVE MONEY, YOU CAN RECRUIT A KID TO COME IN AND PLAY.

AND SO WHERE THAT REALLY HURTS IS THOSE KIDS WHO WERE FRESHMEN, SOPHOMORES, JUNIORS WHO THOUGHT THIS WAS GOING TO BE THEIR YEAR TO BE A STARTER AS A SENIOR.

AND BO, YOU BROUGHT IN SOMEONE TO REPLACE THEM WHO MAYBE CAME FROM ANOTHER STATE OR ANOTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY.

THEY'VE ALREADY TAKEN THAT SPOT.

AND SO WHATEVER SHOT THEY HAD OF MAYBE GETTING A LOOK AT A COLLEGE HAS BEEN DIMINISHED.

THIS IS HEARTBREAKING TO ME.

AND I SOMEHOW FORESEE, AS YOU SAID, MANY LAWSUITS.

I AGREE, ESPECIALLY FROM WOMEN'S SPORTS.

YEAH, I DON'T KNOW I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS.

WHEN THE HOUSE SETTLEMENT CAME DOWN AND THIS 20.5 MILLION WAS, WAS WAS THE NUMBER, THE QUESTION WAS, WELL, WHAT AMOUNT GOES TO FOOTBALL?

WHAT AMOUNT GOES TO MEN'S BASKETBALL?

WHAT AMOUNT GOES TO ON DOWN THE LIST?

OBVIOUSLY AT OKLAHOMA, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SOFTBALL TEAM IS FANTASTIC.

SO HOW MUCH GOES TO SOFTBALL?

YOU KNOW, GYMNASTICS, WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS MEN'S GYMNASTICS AT OKLAHOMA.

VERY VERY GOOD.

HOW MUCH GOES THERE?

THE BASEBALL PROGRAM IN OKLAHOMA STATE.

SOFTBALL AT OKLAHOMA STATE.

THEY'VE BEEN REALLY GOOD.

HOW DO YOU DIVIDE THIS UP CROSS COUNTRY AT OKLAHOMA STATE.

SO I THINK THE QUESTIONS REMAIN UNANSWERED.

AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOMEBODY SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE SAYING, YOU KNOW, WAIT A SECOND.

YES.

FOOTBALL IS THIS GREAT REVENUE PRODUCER.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PERCENTAGES.

HOW HOW IS THIS FAIR?

HOW IS THIS EQUITABLE.

SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST THERE'S SO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.

YOU ALMOST HAVE TO HAVE THINGS HAPPEN IN ALL OF THIS TO THEN SEE, OKAY, WHAT WHAT'S WHAT'S THIS TEST CASE GOING TO LOOK LIKE.

WHO'S GOING TO TAKE IT TO COURT?

WHO'S GOING TO ASK THESE QUESTIONS AND WHAT COMES OF IT.

BUT THAT'S ALSO WHY YOU'VE SEEN A PUSH FOR THE MAJOR CONFERENCES TO GO OFF ON THEIR OWN AND JUST DO A FOOTBALL AND NOTHING ELSE, AND LET EVERYONE ELSE, THE BASKETBALL, SOFTBALL, WHATEVER, THEY STAY IN THEIR OWN CONFERENCES, DO THEIR THING AND HAVE FOOTBALL, AND THEY KEEP THE MONEY TO THEMSELVES, AND THEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TITLE NINE.

THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEING FAIR, AND ALL THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT ON THEIR SCHOOL AND AND THEIR TEAM, AND WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT.

BUT I WANT TO GET INTO COACHING.

RYAN, HOW IS THIS GOING TO AFFECT COACHES, THE PROCUREMENT OF COACHES, NOT ONLY AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL, BUT EVEN AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

EVEN IF YOU JUST GO TO THE LOOK AT THE FOOTBALL LENS, WHERE IT FEELS LIKE THERE ARE A LOT OF THE LEADERS ON ALL THIS, YOU'VE SEEN A BUNCH OF COACHES WHO HAVE BEEN ENTRENCHED FOR A LONG TIME.

YOU'VE SEEN THIS IN BASKETBALL TO JUST SAY, THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR.

WHETHER GOING TO THE NFL, RETIRING, IT'S LED TO A TOTAL RESTRUCTURE.

LOOK AT OKLAHOMA IN STATE.

THEY'VE BROUGHT IN JIM NAGY, WHO IS NOT A COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACH.

HE WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE SENIOR BOWL, PART OF THE NFL DRAFT PROCESS.

HE'S AN NFL SCOUT ESSENTIALLY, TO COME IN AND BE AN NFL STYLE GM.

SO THAT BRANT VENABLES AND THAT COACHING STAFF, THEY CAN SAY, YOU'RE JUST COACHES AGAIN, I'LL HANDLE THE CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, I'LL HANDLE ALL THIS STUFF.

AND I THINK YOU'RE SEEING THAT FILTER DOWN.

YOU GUYS WILL KNOW MUCH BETTER THAN ME AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.

IT'S NOT THE SAME JOB THAT BEING A HIGH SCHOOL COACH OR A COLLEGE COACH WAS FIVE, TEN, 20 YEARS AGO AT ALL.

YEAH.

AND THEN THERE'S SOME OF THE HIGH SCHOOLS DO HAVE LIKE RECRUITING PEOPLE THAT IF A COACH WANTS TO TALK TO SOMEBODY, THEY MAY GO THROUGH THAT RECRUITING DIRECTOR AT A SCHOOL.

ALTHOUGH AT THIS POINT, I THINK WITH THE WAY THE ATHLETES ARE BEING REPRESENTED, SOMETIMES THEY'RE CALLED AGENTS, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, THERE'S DIFFERENT NAMES FOR THEM, BUT ESSENTIALLY IT'S SOMEBODY THAT'S CALLING EITHER A HIGH SCHOOL OR A COLLEGE AND TRYING TO STRIKE A DEAL AND SAY, HOW MUCH CAN WE GET?

WHAT KIND OF DEAL WILL YOU GIVE MY ATHLETE?

SO NOW THESE THESE ATHLETES HAVE REPRESENTATION.

WHEREAS A COLLEGE COACH USED TO KNOW I'M CALLING THE HIGH SCHOOL AND I'M GOING TO GET THE HEAD COACH ON THE LINE AND THEY'RE GOING TO SET ME UP.

AND HERE'S ANOTHER ISSUE.

YOU TALK ABOUT REPRESENTATION IN THE NFL.

TO BE AN NFL AGENT, YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH RIGOROUS TESTING.

YOU HAVE TO GET CERTIFIED.

THE LEAGUE SAYS THAT IS SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST RIGHT NOW.

IT COULD BE AN NFL AGENT.

IT COULD BE A WIDE RECEIVER TRAINER WHO HAS NO CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS.

THAT'S THE KIDS.

YEAH, YEAH.

YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, AND WE'RE OUT OF TIME.

MICHAEL, I WANT TO GIVE YOU THE FINAL WORD.

WHERE WE ARE NOW WILL BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT IN A YEAR FROM NOW.

THE NCAA AND SPORTS IN GENERAL IS IT'S AT A I DON'T CALL IT A BREAKING POINT, BUT THE THE WAY WE GREW UP ON IT, MAYBE THE WAY OTHER PEOPLE SAW IT TEN, 20 YEARS AGO, EVEN FIVE YEARS AGO IS GOING TO BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BY THE TIME.

IF YOU'RE A FRESHMAN NOW, IT'S GOING TO BE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT BY THE TIME THEY'RE A SENIOR NOW.

ALL RIGHT.

VERY POWERFUL.

WE COULD HAVE TALKED LONGER.

I WANT TO THANK ALL THREE OF YOU FOR JOINING US.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.

REALLY FASCINATING STUFF.

WELL, THE APPRECIATION OF COMIC BOOK ART IS RELATIVELY NEW, BUT THE MEDIUM IS HERE TO STAY.

AND IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO TRAVEL TO THE LARGEST COMIC CON CONVENTION IN THE UNITED STATES, HELD EACH YEAR IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, WHERE WE'LL MEET YOUNG ILLUSTRATORS DRAWING INSPIRATION FROM THE PROS.

THAT STORY, COURTESY OF OUR PARTNERS AT KPBS.

IT'S MONDAY MORNING, AND ALONSO NUNEZ IS KICKING OFF THIS YEAR'S COMIC CON ARTIST INTENSIVE PROGRAM.

REMEMBER, WE HAVE TODAY, TOMORROW AND WEDNESDAY TO WORK ON THESE THINGS.

THE INTENSIVE PART IS NO JOKE.

SO HERE AT LITTLE FISH STUDIO, WE ARE CREATING COMIC BOOKS.

WE'VE GOT DEDICATED STUDENTS BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 22, AND THEY'RE GOING TO CREATE 3 TO 4 PAGE COMICS BETWEEN NOW AND WEDNESDAY.

THEY'VE GOT A THEME THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, BUT OTHERWISE THEY'VE GOT CARTE BLANCHE TO DO WHATEVER THEY WANT.

THEY ARE MAKING WORK WITH THE GOAL TO HAVE IT FINISHED AND TO BE VIEWER READY FOR PROFESSIONALS.

NUNEZ HAS BEEN RUNNING LITTLE FISH COMIC BOOK STUDIO FOR 13 YEARS, AND HE WANTS HIS STUDENTS TO SEE THAT COMICS CAN BE A VIABLE CAREER.

SO GUYS, OUR THEME FOR THE YEAR IS REFERENCE AND REMEMORY.

AND AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, THE PROMPT COMES FROM THE NOVEL BELOVED, AND IT SPEAKS ABOUT, I GUESS, THE ACT OF REMEMBERING AND THE WAYS IN WHICH MEMORY AND HISTORY AFFECTS US IN THE PRESENT.

21 YEAR OLD GARZA SANTIAGO IS THINKING THROUGH HER TAKE ON THIS THEME.

SO I WAS THINKING LIKE FUNERAL ESQUE, INCLUDING ORIGINAL CHARACTERS.

AND SO IN THE IN THE NOVEL THAT I'M WRITING, IT KIND OF TOES THE LINE BETWEEN GRIEF AND IMAGINATION VERSUS PSYCHOSIS IN THE FORM OF LIKE GHOSTS.

MEANWHILE, DECLAN GRAHAM FOUND INSPIRATION IN A POSTER FOR LA DOLCE VITA.

I'M THINKING LIKE A FRANTIC 1960S MOVIE SET, A VERY DRIVEN DIRECTOR, AND THEN A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO CAN'T UNDERSTAND ALL HIS REFERENCES AND IS LIKE DESIRES FOR THIS WACKY MOVIE.

THE INTENSIVE, THE COMIC MAKING PART OF IT GIVES YOU MORE OF A CONCENTRATED VERSION OF WHY I COME TO LITTLE FISH.

IT'S LIKE YOU GET TO WORK ON ART AND BE SURROUNDED BY PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING ON ART, BUT IN THREE DAYS AND THEN YOU GET TO GO TO COMIC-CON, WHICH IS AMAZING.

SANTIAGO IS PARTICIPATING IN THE ARTIST INTENSIVE FOR THE FIRST TIME.

I'M VERY EXCITED TO HAVE MY ART CRITIQUED, BUT I THINK I'M SENSITIVE AS AN ARTIST, SO I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO HAVE TO BUILD A TOUGH SKIN WHEN IT COMES TO ARTIST CRITIQUES.

SORAYA CORNEJO IS DOING THE PROGRAM FOR THE THIRD TIME.

I HAD DONE IT TWO YEARS BEFORE.

BOTH TIMES I HAD MY WORK LOOKED AT AND CRITIQUED BY JOE PHILLIPS.

IT REALLY IMPACTED ME, YOU KNOW, IT WAS REALLY GOOD CRITIQUE THAT I TOTALLY UNDERSTOOD.

AND I'M TRYING TO, LIKE, PUT INTO MY WORK NOW.

KATE BARLOW IS CURRENTLY AT BYU, BUT RETURNED TO SAN DIEGO JUST TO ENROLL IN THE PROGRAM AGAIN BECAUSE OF HOW IT HELPED HER TAKE FEEDBACK.

IT WAS EASIER TO TAKE CRITIQUE AND IT WAS EASIER TO FOCUS ON LIKE, NOT LIKE, OH, I'M A BAD ARTIST.

I FAILED AND INSTEAD TO LOOK AT, OH, I CAN IMPROVE THIS.

HE THINKS THAT I'M REALLY GOOD AT THIS, BUT THIS NEEDS MORE WORK.

I THINK IT'S MADE ME MORE PROFESSIONAL IN JUST THE WAY THAT I HANDLE MY ART.

NUNEZ IS PROUD OF THE GROWTH HE SEES IN HIS STUDENTS, AND THEY'VE GENERALLY DONE REALLY GOOD ABOUT NOT MAKING EXCUSES.

IN TERMS OF I WAS REALLY TIRED.

I WAS IN A HURRY.

ALL OF THAT COULD BE TRUE.

YOU COULD HAVE LOST YOUR WORK AND YOU DID IT LAST NIGHT.

BUT IF YOU ARE SHOWING IT TO A PROFESSIONAL, JUST PUT ALL THAT AWAY AND JUST LISTEN TO WHAT THEY SAY AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET GOOD ADVICE.

BUT I THINK THEY'RE INSPIRED BY THE ATMOSPHERE OF COMIC-CON AND SEEING ALL THESE PROFESSIONALS AROUND THEM.

FOR BARLOW, THE EXPERIENCE CHANGED HOW SHE VIEWS COMIC-CON ITSELF.

I REMEMBER LAST YEAR THERE WAS A TIME WHEN I WAS JUST WALKING AROUND THE AREA JUST BY MYSELF, AND I JUST STOPPED AND I WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH, EVERYTHING HERE WAS MADE BY SOMEBODY, AND THEY ALL PUT SO MUCH EFFORT AND TIME INTO IT TO EVEN JUST LIKE, COME AND SET UP THESE BOOTHS AND THEN EVERYONE HERE IS HERE TO APPRECIATE THAT.

LIKE, I DON'T KNOW, IT WAS SOMETHING THAT NEVER REALLY CLICKED WITH ME UNTIL THAT POINT.

AND IT WAS SO, LIKE, INSPIRATIONAL.

I GUESS IT MAKES ME WANT TO BE ABLE TO LIKE, CREATE THAT KIND OF FEELING SOMEDAY, YOU KNOW, TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE PUTTING UP THE POSTERS OR TO JUST KEEP COMING AS A FAN TO ENJOY IT.

THE PROGRAM ALSO GIVES A CLEAR EYED LOOK AT WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE A COMIC, THE MYSTIQUE, AND KIND OF THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT A FINISHED COMIC PAGE JUST MATERIALIZES PERFECT IN A STORE IS ERASED LIKE THEY KNOW THAT IT'S WORK.

ERASE.

FIX.

WHITEOUT.

CORRECT.

CRY, YOU KNOW, LABOR, AND THEN HOPEFULLY YOU ARRIVE AT SOMETHING GOOD AND THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE TO FIND OUT JUST HOW GOOD YOU ARE THAN AT COMIC-CON.

BETH ACCOMANDO, KPBS NEWS.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, DISGRUNTLED BOARD MEMBERS CALLING THEIR OWN EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

HOW DID SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS RESPOND?

TAYLOR JACKSON REPORTS FRIDAY AT SEVEN.

WE'LL STAY SO LONG THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AT A NEW EXHIBIT AT OKLAHOMA CITY'S AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY JASON STEWART.

NOW REMEMBER, YOU CAN ACCESS ADDITIONAL NEWS CONTENT BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, WETA-TV.

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH ANY OF OUR REPORTS AGAIN, THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL BY TUESDAY EVENING.

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS NEWSCAST ON THE AIR EACH WEEK, I'M RICH.

LUNTZ.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG IN SEARCH OF GOOD TIMES AND GOOD NEWS WITH GOOD FRIENDS YOU CAN'T LOSE.

THIS COULD BECOME A HABIT.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS ONCE.

LET'S REACH OUT AND GRAB IT.

TOGETHER WE'LL NAB IT.

WE'LL HITCHHIKE.

BUS OR YELLOW CAB IT.

KEEP IT MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY FREE.

GETTING THERE IS HALF THE FUN.

COME SHARE IT WITH ME.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

WE'LL LEARN TO SHARE THE LOAD.

WE DON'T NEED A MAP TO KEEP THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD.

AS LONG AS SOUNDING BETTER.

FOZZIE.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

WE FOUND A LIFE ON THE HIGHWAY.

AND YOUR WAY IS MY WAY.

SO TRUST MY NAVIGATION.

CALIFORNIA.

HERE WE COME.

TO PIE IN THE SKY.

LAND.

PALM TREES AND WARM SAND.

THOUGH SADLY, WE JUST LEFT RHODE ISLAND.

WE DID WHAT?

JUST FORGET IT.

I'M MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

HEY, ELLIE.

WHERE HAVE YOU GONE?

SEND SOMEONE TO FETCH US.

WE'RE IN SASKATCHEWAN.

MOVING RIGHT ALONG.

BOOGIE DUM DUM DA DUM.

YOU TAKE IT.

YOU KNOW BEST.

HEY, I'VE NEVER SEEN THE SUN COME UP IN THE WEST.

FROM AUSTRIA.

SCHÖNBRUNN PALACE GARDENS CELEBRATE SUMMER WITH THE VIENNA PHILHARMONIC.

MAESTRO TUGAN SOKHIEV, ACCLAIMED TENOR PYOTR.