>>> THE STATE FACES A SHORTAGE OF AVAILABLE TESTS.

>> WE DON'T HAVE WHICH IS IN SHORT SUPPLY, RELATIVELY NEW.

NOT BEEN DISTRIBUTED WIDELY AS THE OTHER TWO.

>> BEEF PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE AS RANCHERS STRUGGLE.

>> PEOPLE DECIDED FREEZER FULL OF BEEF IN THEIR GARAGE IS BETTER THAN HOPING THAT IT'S SOMETHING ON THE SHELF.

>> BALANCING THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF PARENTS AND NEEDS OF VULNERABLE CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES THAT KIDS IN FOSTER CARE CAN HAVE EVEN JUST INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TAKEN WAY FROM PRIMARY CAREGIVER AND PUT IN A DIFFERENT HOME.

>> THERE IS A GREAT DEAL ABOUT BONDI AND CLYDI.

>> PLUS WHAT'S TRENDING IN 2022.

IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THE STORIES SURE TO MAKE HEADLINES IN THE NEW YEAR.

NEXT ON THE "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT."

>> WELCOME TO THE "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT."

OUR FIRST NEWSCAST OF 2022 BEGINS IN MUCH THE SAME WAY WE ENDED OUR LAST NEWSCAST OF 2021.

DISCUSSING A MASSIVE SURGE IN THE OMICRON VARIANT, AND NOW THE NEW CONCERNS OVER LACK OF ACCESS TO TESTS AND ALARMING STATEWIDE SHORTAGE OF KEY THERAPEUTICS.

THIS AS OUR DAILY SEVEN STAY ROLLING AVERAGE OF NEW CASES IS STAGGERING 4,094 PER DAY AS OF FRIDAY.

WE BEGIN WITH REPORTER JASON DOYLE.

>> AS INDICATED BY THE INCREASED NUMBER OF INFECTIONS, TESTING AND TREATMENT HAVE BECOME TOP PRIORITIES.

OKLAHOMA SHOULD BE ABLE FIND TESTS BUT TREATMENTS LIKE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES ARE STARTING TO RUN SHORT.

>> OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH OFFICIALS ARE KEEPING A CLOSE EYE ON THE SUPPLY OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES IT RECEIVES TO DISTRIBUTE TO THE DOZENS OF INFUSION CENTERS AROUND THE STATE.

HOWEVER, BECAUSE U.S HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS SLOWED ALLOCATIONS, OKLAHOMA MAY NOT HAVE ENOUGH MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS TO MEET THE NEED BEYOND THIS MONTH.

>> AS WITH OTHER STATES OKLAHOMA'S RECENT ALLOCATION OF MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES HAS BEEN INSUFFICIENT TO ASSURE ADEQUATE SUPPLY.

MOVING FORWARD.

WE ARE ACTIVELY PURSUING ALL MEASURES WITH OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS AT HHS TO INCREASE OUR ALLOCATIONS, BUT AS IT STANDS NOW, THE CURRENT SUPPLY IN THE STATE, ALONG WITH THE EXPECTED DELIVERIES FROM THE NEXT CYCLE, ALLOCATIONS ARE ANTICIPATED TO BE DEPLETED THIS MONTH.

>> PART OF THAT IS DUE TO THE OMICRON VARIANT BEGINNING TO OVERTAKE THE DELTA VARIANT IN OKLAHOMA.

>> ONE VARIANT SEQUENCING OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH LAB OF MOST RECENT SPECIMENS COLLECTED OVER THE HOLIDAY SHOWS A MIX OF 57% OMICRON AND 43% DELTA.

AND IT IS LIKELY THAT THAT OMICRON VARIANT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN OKLAHOMA.

AS WE HAVE SEEN IN OTHER STATES AND COUNTRIES.

>> PAST MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY TREATMENTS, LIKE REGENERON AND BAM, AREN'T AS EFFECTIVE AGAINST OMICRON.

>> OUR SYSTEM STILL HAS REGENERON AND BAM.

BUT WE JUST DON'T THINK IT'S GOING TO BE EFFECTIVE FOR MOST PATIENTS.

WE DON'T HAVE THE SOTROVIMAB WHICH IS IN SHORT SUPPLY, IT'S RELATIVELY NEW.

IT'S NOT BEEN DISTRIBUTED WIDELY AS WIDELY AS THE OTHER TWO.

>> THE NEWLY APPROVED TREATMENT, JUST ISN'T READILY AVAILABLE, EVEN AS DEMAND AROUND THE U.S. GROWS.

>> IT'S JUST NOT AS MUCH OF IT AROUND.

AND WE'RE ALL WAITING FOR.

PLUS, AS YOU KNOW, THE EAST COAST NORTHEAST HAS HAD HUGE OUTBREAKS, A MUCH HIGHER POPULATION INCIDENCE THAN WE HAVE.

SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE GETTING PRIORITIZED FOR SOME OF THOSE TREATMENTS.

>> THE SHORTAGE IS BEING FELT IN OKLAHOMA HOSPITALS HELPING TO PROVIDE THE TREATMENT TO NEWLY INFECTED COVID PATIENTS.

>> MANY OF OUR HOSPITALS HAVE MONOCLONAL ANTIBODY CLINICS ABOUT AS DEMAND HAS INCREASED, AND OUR SUPPLY HAS DIMINISHED.

AND THEN WITH A NEW OMICRON, WE KNOW THAT IT'S NOT EFFECTIVE TO THE TRADITIONAL ONES THAT WE'VE HAD ON THE SHELF, THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM.

SO I WANT TO REITERATE WITH WHAT DR. BRATZLER SAID, THERE IS A PRIORITY ON WHO WILL GET THESE MONOCLONALS IN LIMITED SUPPLY.

>> THE COVID ANTI-VIRAL PILLS BY PFIZER AND MERCK RECENTLY WON EMERGENCY USE AUTHORIZATION FROM THE FDA.THEY ALSO ARE IN SHORT SUPPLY.

>> WITH RESPECT TO THE ANTIVIRALS.

THEY ARE NOT VARIANT SPECIFIC, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.

THEY APPEAR TO BE EQUALLY EFFECTIVE, AT LEAST CURRENTLY FOR ALL THE VARIANTS THAT ARE OUT THERE.

SO THEY'RE, THEY'RE BRAND NEW, THEY WERE JUST FDA APPROVED.

SO IT'S JUST TAKING TIME TO GET THEM OUT, YOU KNOW, INTO PHARMACIES.

>> PEOPLE ARE SEARCHING OUT COVID TESTS AT HOSPITALS, TOO.

THAT HAS CREATED AN EXTRA BURDEN ON THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

>> AS WE SEE PATIENTS COME TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS AND THAT WE'RE ASKING PATIENTS NOT TO COME JUST FOR TESTING.

THERE ARE ALTERNATE SITES.

>> TO HELP, THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS EXPANDING TESTING THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

>> AS WE SEE A RISE IN CASES, WE HAVE INCREASED ACCESS TO TESTING THROUGH EXPANDED HOURS AND ADDITIONAL SITES AROUND THE STATE.

>> THE OKLAHOMA CITY COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, WHICH WORKS SEPARATELY FROM THE STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, ALSO EXPANDING OPPORTUNTIES FOR TESTS STARTING NEXT WEEK.

>> STARTING NEXT MONDAY OUR LOCATION, OUR NORTHEAST LOCATION AT 2,700 NORTHEAST 63RD, WE'LL BE DOING A DRIVE-THROUGH TESTING.

>> SINCE THE HOLIDAYS, DEMAND FOR TESTS ARE UP.

>> OUR TESTING VOLUME HAS GONE UP EXPONENTIALLY.

WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THIS LOCATION THAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW WE'RE UPWARDS OF 150 A DAY.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, LIKE THREE, FOUR WEEKS AGO WE WERE DOING MAYBE 20 A DAY.

>> IMMY LABS CONFIRMS AN INCREASE IN DEMAND AT THEIR TESTING SITES.

>> BEFORE CHRISTMAS WE WERE AVERAGING AROUND 200 TESTS A DAY.

NOW WE'RE SOMEWHERE IN THE BALLPARK.

IT DEPENDS ON THE DAY, BUT IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 2000 AND 3000 A DAY ACROSS THE SIX DIFFERENT METRO LOCATIONS THAT WE'RE AT >> LABS IS PART OF A LABS IS PART OF A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TO PROVIDE FREE TESTS AND VACCINATIONS.

>> SO REALLY IT WAS ABOUT TURNAROUND TIME ON TESTING WAS WHAT GOT US STARTED IN ALL THIS.

AND WE STARTED ORIGINALLY PARTNERING WITH NORMAN REGIONAL HOSPITAL, DOING TESTING FOR THEM, AND THEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT HOSPITALS AROUND THE METRO STARTED SENDING TESTS TO US BECAUSE WE HAD FAST TURNAROUND TIMES.

>> THESE LABS PROVIDE THE PCR TEST, WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE BEST AT DETECTING ANY COVID VIRUS.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN AT-HOME TEST, THOSE ARE HARD TO COME BY.

>> IT'S REALLY THAT AT-HOME TEST IS THE ONE THAT WE'RE SEEING LITERALLY FLY OFF THE SHELF.

AND THAT'S THE ONE THAT MOST OF THE CONCERN IS, BUT FOR THE ENTRY POINTS OR THE ACCESS POINTS THAT WE HAVE AROUND THE STATE TO HELP PEOPLE GET TESTED, WE HAVE SUPPLIES TO SUPPORT THOSE.

>> PRESIDENT BIDEN RECENTLY ANNOUNCED A FEDERAL PROGRAM TO PROVIDE 500-MILLION AT HOME TESTS, BUT HOW THOSE WILL BE DISTRIBUTED HAS NOT BEEN DEFINED.

>> WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY HOW THAT PROGRAM WILL WORK.

WE'VE BEEN INQUIRING ABOUT IT FROM OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS.

WE DON'T KNOW IF THAT WILL INVOLVE US IN THAT LOGISTICS CHANGE, WHERE WE WILL KIND OF HELP WITH THE ALLOCATIONS OR DISTRIBUTION OF THAT PROGRAM.

WE'RE STILL WAITING TO SEE.

>> REED SAYS THE STATE DOES HAVE PLENTY OF TESTING SUPPLIES ON HAND.

TESTING FOR COVID IN ANOTHER WAY, THE OKLAHOMA BLOOD INSTITUTE IS PROVIDING ITS DONORS ANTIBODY TESTS THIS MONTH.

>> IT'S A NEW ANTIBODY TEST STARTING JANUARY 3RD THROUGH JANUARY 31ST.

YOU KNOW, PRIOR COVID SCREENINGS FOR ANTIBODIES ONLY WOULD DETECT NATURAL INFECTION.

WHAT THE COVID-19 VIRUS, THIS NEW ANTIBODY TEST WILL ALSO DETECT THE VACCINES.

>> WHILE IT ISN'T RECOMMENDED USING AN ANTIBODY TEST TO FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE COVID, IT DOES PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR MEDICAL DECISIONS.

>> THIS WILL ALSO GIVE MORE INFORMATION TO DONORS, WHETHER THEY'RE DECIDING TO GET THE BOOSTER SHOT OR THE VACCINE IN GENERAL, BECAUSE THEY'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY ANTIBODIES AT ALL.

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ANNOUNCED THEY SECURED AN ADDITIONAL THOUSAND DOSES OF REGENERAL RAN AND BAM.

WE MENTIONED EARLIER THE DAILY CASE COUNTS ARE SOARING.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER WEEKLY COVID NUMBERS.

FOR FIRST TIME IN MONTHS, HOSPITALIZATIONS HAVE REACHED OVER 1,000.

AS OF FRIDAY THE TOTAL WAS 1,081 WITH 277 OF THOSE IN ICU.

WE HAD 173 DEATHS OVER THE PAST WEEK, TOTALING NEARLY 12,600.

AND MORE THAN 57% OF ELIGIBLE OKLAHOMANS HAVE BEEN FULLY VACCINATED.

>> OKLAHOMA RANKS FIFTH IN CATTLE AND CALF PRODUCTION.

THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW IS GETTING THEM PROCESSED AND TO MARKET.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US TO EXPLAIN WHY AND HOW CATTLE RAN EACHERS ARE TAKING MATTERS IN THEIR OWN HANDS.

>> THERE ARE JUST OVER 46,000 BEEF CATTLE OPERATIONS IN THE SOONER STATE.

THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN A CATALYST AND A SHIFT FOR SOME CATTLE PRODUCERS THAT IS TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW.

THIS 7500 ACRE CATTLE RANCH IN SWEETWATER, 25 MILES WEST OF ELK CITY HAS BEEN IN MONTE TUCKER'S FAMILY SINCE JUST BEFORE THE FIRST PANDEMIC, 1917.

>> WHAT I DID SEE IN THIS PANDEMIC WAS PEOPLE ALL OF THE SUDDEN WANTED TO BE MORE FAMILIAR WHERE THEIR FOOD CAME FROM.

WE KIND OF SEEN SOME SHELVES EMPTY OUT AND I HATE TO USE THE WORD PANIC, BUT I THINK SOME PANIC SET IN.

PEOPLE DECIDED A FREEZER FULL OF BEEF IN THEIR GARAGE IS BETTER THAN HOPING THAT THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE SHELF IN TOWN.

>> YOU COULD SAY TUCKER WAS AHEAD OF THE CURVE WHEN IT COMES TO PROCESSING HIS 750 HEAD OF CATTLE EACH YEAR.

20 YEARS AGO, THE TUCKER FAMILY STARTED A FARM TO PLATE CONCEPT.

THE IDEA, WHICH WAS NOT NEW TO OKLAHOMA.

THE TUCKERS SELL BEEF DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS, AS LONG AS A LICENSED AND STATE INSPECTED PROCESSOR CUTS THE MEAT.

BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, TUCKER RELIED ON PROCESSORS FROM BURNS FLAT, WEATHERFORD AND CANUTE.

>> HALF A SIDE THE BEEF ANIMAL ITSELF FROM ME WILL RUN YOU ABOUT A THOUSAND TO $1200.

>> IS IT CUT UP?

>> NO, THEN YOU PAY THE CUSTOM PROCESSOR AND THOSE USUAL RATES LOCALLY ARE RUNNING 85 CENTS A POUND, RAIL WEIGHT VAC PACKED AND PUT IN YOUR FREEZER.

AND FOR HALF A BEEF CONSIDER THAT TO BE ANOTHER 300 FOUR HUNDRED BUCKS.

>> SO FOR 1500 BUCKS THAT WILL YIELD 250 TO 285 POUNDS OF VAC PACKED READY TO EAT BEEF IN YOUR FREEZER.

>> WHAT KIND OF CUTS?

>> HALF BEEF YOU ARE GONNA GET 12 RIBEYES, 10 TO 15 T BONES OR STRIPS AND FILETS.

TBONE IS A STRIP AND FILET TOGETHER.

YOU ARE GOING TO ENJOY SOME SIRLOINS OUT OF THAT.

100 AND SOMETHING POUNDS OF HAMBURGER MEAT.

>> WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT IN EARLY 2020, OKLAHOMA USED $10 MILLION IN CARES ACT MONEY TO FUND GRANTS FOR EXISTING MEAT PROCESSORS TO BUILD FACILITIES OR TO EXPAND WHAT THEY ALREADY HAD.

THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA HAD 195 APPLICANTS FOR THAT CASH.

ROUTE 66 MEAT IN NEARBY SAYRE WAS ONE OF THOSE APPLICANTS WHO WERE SUCCESSFUL.

THANKS IN PART TO A $200,000 CARES ACT GRANT, THEY OPENED THEIR DOORS SIX MONTHS AGO.

OWNER BRYAN JACKSON IS AN ARMY VETERAN WHO GRADUATED FROM WEST POINT.

HE SPENT SIX YEARS SERVING IN DANGEROUS PLACES ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND WAS AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE CROSS AFTER BEING SERIOUSLY INJURED IN IRAQ 15 YEARS AGO.

JACKSON HAD MET HIS FUTURE WIFE BAILEE, WHO'S FAMILY HAS ALSO BEEN RANCHERS FOR DECADES WHEN HE WAS STATIONED AT FORT SILL.

HE SAYS SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES CAUSED DELAYS GETTING STARTED, BUT HE SAYS THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRIGULTURE AND THE TOWN OF SAYER HAS BEEN THERE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY.

HE PROCESSES BEEF FOR PRODUCERS INCLUDING MONTE TUCKER, THEN GIVES IT BACK FOR TUCKER TO SELL.

WHEN THEY GET TO FULL CAPACITY, HE'LL HAVE TO -- AND THEY'LL PROCESS 40 OR 50 A WEEK.

>> IS THERE MONEY IN THIS?

>> THERE IS.

A LOT OF HARD WORK, LOT OF LABOR INVOLVED.

>> GETTING GOOD HELP CAN BE A CHALLENGE.

>> WE'VE HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE THAT HAD NO EXPERIENCE IN THE BEGINNING, AND NOW THEY ARE MOVING AT SUCH EFFICIENCY WHERE EVERYWHERE WE'RE GETTING FASTER AND FASTER.

>> BACK AT MONTE TUCKER'S RANCH -- >> WE REALLY ENJOY COMMENTS BACK TO US ABOUT HOW GOOD OUR STAKES ARE.

ONE THING THAT CONTINUES TO BLOW ME AWAY IS PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HOW GOOD OUR HAMBURGER IS.

>> HE SAYS THE PANDEMIC HAD DRASTIC EFFECTS ON HIS FARM TO PLATE OPERATION >> IT TAKES SEVEN POUNDS OF CORN TO PRODUCE ONE POUND OF BEEF.

TUCKER SAYS RIGHT NOW CORN FEED COSTS DOUBLE WHAT IT COST A YEAR AGO.

>> I TELL EVERYBODY THAT I USED TO HAVE TO SELL THE BEEF.

AND WHEN THE PANDEMIC SET IN, I BECAME AN ORDER TAKER.

THE PHONE RANG.

MY NORMAL LEAD TIME IF YOU CALLED ME AND WANTED HALF A BEEF IT WOULD BE 30 TO 45 DAYS.

I COULD HAVE ONE IN YOUR FREEZER.

THROUGH THE PANDEMIC I WAS RUNNING SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS OUT.

>> NOW THANKS AT LEAST IN PART TO ROUTE 66 MEAT OPENING, TUCKER SAYS THAT LEAD TIME HAS CUT BACK TO 45 TO 60 DAYS.

HE SAYS IF YOU BUY BEEF DIRECTLY FROM HIM, IT COSTS $5 TO $6 A POUND.

HE SAYS BEEF YOU BUY AT GROCERY OR BIG BOX STORES COST SEVEN TO EIGHT DOLLARS A POUND.

>> WHEN CUSTOMERS BUY A WHOLE OR HALF OF A BEEF, IT'S AN INVESTMENT FOR EM, IT'S A LOT UP FRONT.

BUT IF THEY FINALLY REALIZE IT AND BUDGET FOR THAT.

THEY ARE SAVING MONEY AND GETTING A GOOD QUALITY PRODUCT.

>> OF COURSE, EVERYONE THINKS THEY ARE PRODUCING THE BEST QUALITY THEY CAN, BUT THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT BUYING DIRECT FROM A FARMER WILL GUARANTEE A BETTER PRODUCT.

>> DR. COURTNEY BIR HOLDS THREE DEGREES FROM OKLAHOMA STATE, AND A PHD FROM PURDUE.

SHE WORKS IN RESEARCH AT OSU.

>> SO WHEN YOU BUY YOUR MEAT AT A GROCERY STORE IT DOES HAVE THAT LABELING CHOICE, PRIME, SELECT, ET CETERA.

AND SO YOU CAN USE THAT AS AN INDICATOR OF QUALITY, WHEREAS IF YOU ARE BUYING DIRECT FROM THE PRODUCER, PAST EXPERIENCE MAY TELL YOU THAT PRODUCER HAS GREAT CATTLE, AND IS GRADING VERY WELL.

BUT THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY A GUARANTEE.

>> SHE SAYS THE STATE DOESN'T KEEP TRACK OF HOW MANY FARM TO PLATE OPERATIONS THERE ARE IN THE STATE.

AND SHE CAUTIONS ANYONE WHO WANTS TO DO IT.

>> IT'S NOT NECESSARILY A ONE SIZE FITS ALL SOLUTION.

SOME PRODUCERS MAYBE DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A SMALL SCALE SLAUGHTERING FACILITY MAY STRUGGLE TO SELLING DIRECT TO CONSUMERS.

YOU DO HAVE TO HAVE A STATE LEVEL INSPECTION TO SELL TO CONSUMERS.

>> JACKSON BELIEVES HE'LL THRIVE, SINCE HE'S LOCATED BASICALLY HALFWAY BETWEEN OKLAHOMA CITY AND AMARILLO, TEXAS.

>> I THINK MORE PEOPLE ARE GOING AWAY FROM THE BIG CHAINS AND THEY ARE WANTING TO BUY MEAT THEY CAN TRUST.

THEY KNOW WHERE IT'S FROM, THAT IT'S LOCAL.

THEY KNOW THE STORY WHERE IT WAS RAISED, WHERE IT WAS PROCESSED.

AND I THINK IT'S A GROWING TREND.

>> IT'S INTERESTING.

AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO HELP PRODUCERS AND SMALL SCALE FACILITIES AS BEST WE CAN.

HERE AT OKLAHOMA STATE WE RECENTLY RECEIVED A GRANT SPECIFIC TO SMALL SCALE MEAT PROCESSING, SO WE WILL BE WORKING WITH PRODUCERS SPECIFICALLY IN PERSON AND ONLINE TO TRY TO HELP THEM DECIDE IF THIS IS A GOOD OPTION FOR THEIR OPERATION.

AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE PITFALLS.

AND TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE SAFETY REQUIREMENTS.

AND TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN SELL YOUR MEAT AT A FARMERS MARKET.

AND THOSE SORTS OF THINGS, AND TRY TO HELP NAVIGATE THIS CHANGING LANDSCAPE.

>> IT'S NOT NECESSARILY TRUE THAT FARM TO PLATE IS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN BEEF YOU BUY FROM SUPERMARKETS OR BIG BOX STORES.

SHE SAYS IT VARIES.

>> THANKS.

>> THE STATE FIGURES ARE LOOKING SOLID BUT THERE IS SOME CONCERN THAT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL CONGRESS MAY BE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

>> THROUGH MID FEBRUARY, THAT IS NOT REALLY BAD NEWS, BECAUSE AT LEAST WE GOT A CONTINUING RESOLUTION BUT CAUSES US TO BE MINDFUL.

>> IF CONGRESS CONTINUES TO RELY ON CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF PASSING A BUDGET IT COULD CREATE A FISCAL PROBLEM AS THE SPRING AND SUMMER CONSTRUCTION SEASON APPROACHES.

>> THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION WILL PUSH TO STREAMLINE HUNTING AND FISHING LICENSES IT OFFERS DURING THE UPCOMING SESSION.

THEY CURRENTLY OFFER ABOUT 150 DIFFERENT TYPES OF LICENSES AND WANT TREE DUES THAT NUMBER TO SIMPLIFY THAT PROCESS.

>>> HONORING THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS FIGHTING TO RETAIN CUSTODY OF CHILDREN WHILE ENSURING THE CHILDREN REMAIN SAFE IS A DIFFERENT BALANCING ACT.

>> KAYLA, OKLAHOMA IS ONE OF THE FEW STATES THAT GIVE A CONSTITUTIONAL GUARANTEE TO PARENTS.

WHAT IS IT?

>> SO IN 1987, THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT RULED THAT PARENTS HAVE A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL BEFORE THEIR PARENTAL RIGHTS ARE INVOLUNTARILY TERMINATED AND THEIR CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE CAN BE ADOPTED.

TEXAS IS THE ONLY OTHER STATE THAT HAS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT IN THIS WAY.

AND ONCE KIDS HAVE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE FOR THE LAST 15 OF THE LAST 22 MONTHS, THE STATE CAN MOVE TO TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS AND THAT PROCESS GETS STARTED.

>> SO RIGHT THERE, THAT'S A LONG TIME AND THE WHEELS OF JUSTICE TURN SLOWLY, AND THAT CAN BE A DANGEROUS THING FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN.

>> IT CAN, AND ADVOCATES HAVE POINTED OUT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES THAT KIDS IN FOSTER CARE CAN HAVE EVEN JUST INCLUDING THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR PRIMARY CAREGIVER AND PUT IN A DIFFERENT HOME KIND OF, REGARDLESS OF THE REASON.

>> ON AVERAGE, HOW MUCH TIME ARE OKLAHOMA CHILDREN'S SPENDING, YOU KNOW, IN STATE CUSTODY WHILE THIS ALL PLAYS OUT?

>> RIGHT.

SO IN A FISCAL YEAR 2021, AND THE AVERAGE TIME THAT KIDS SPENT IN FOSTER CARE WAS 20 MONTHS, WHICH IS RIGHT IN LINE WITH THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.

BUT FOR THE ABOUT 1300 KIDS THAT EXITED FOSTER CARE DURING THAT TIME THROUGH ADOPTION THEY SPEND AN AVERAGE OF 30 MONTHS IN STATE CUSTODY.

SO YOU KNOW, THAT WOULD INCLUDE THEIR PARENTS HAVING THEIR RIGHTS TERMINATED, WHETHER THEY WERE DOING THAT THROUGH A JURY TRIAL OR NOT KIND OF DEPENDS, BUT IT DEFINITELY DOES ADD TIME AND THAT KIDS ARE IN STATE CUSTODY.

>> CAN YOU TELL US, IS THE PROBLEM WORSE IN URBAN OR RURAL AREAS?

>> I WOULD SAY THE PROBLEM IS DIFFERENT IN RURAL AND URBAN AREAS.

SO IN RURAL AREAS, SCHEDULING JURY TRIALS JUST TAKES A LOT LONGER.

I MEAN, SOME OF THESE COUNTIES, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ONLY HAVING A JURY DOCKET TWICE OR THREE TIMES IN AN ENTIRE YEAR, AND THEY HAVE LESS STAFF TO BE WORKING THESE CASES, IN URBAN AREAS, THEY HAVE JURY DOCKETS MORE FREQUENTLY, THEY HAVE MORE STAFF, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A MUCH HIGHER VOLUME OF CASES.

>> I MENTIONED THESE ADVERSE EXPERIENCES.

WHERE DOES OKLAHOMA RANK IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER THERE'S MANY OF THEM, WHAT THEY CALL ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, WHERE DOES OKLAHOMA RANK IN THERE?

>> RIGHT.

SO OKLAHOMA HAS CONSISTENTLY HISTORICALLY HAD A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN WITH MULTIPLE ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES, WHICH CAN INCLUDE A PARENT WITH A MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE ISSUE ABUSE OR NEGLECT RELATED TO POVERTY, A PARENT THAT'S INCARCERATED.

AND THERE ARE SEVERAL STUDIES THAT OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS HAVE PUT OKLAHOMA AS THE STATE'S, YOU KNOW, NUMBER ONE, HAVING KIDS WITH THE MOST NUMBER OF THESE EXPERIENCES.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU MENTIONED THE PARENTS THERE AND THEIR PROBLEMS, SO THEY MAY BE STRUGGLING FINANCIALLY OR WITH THE DRUG OR MENTAL ISSUE.

ARE THERE PROGRAMS IN PLACE THAT GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO GET THINGS RIGHT TO RIGHT THEMSELVES AND MAYBE APPLY TO GET THEIR CHILDREN BACK, OR ONCE THEY'RE IN THE SYSTEM OR THEY'RE ADOPTED, IS IT OVER FOR THOSE PARENTS?

>> YES.

THIS IS KIND OF A COMPLICATED QUESTION.

OKLAHOMA DEFINITELY DOES HAVE A GROWING NUMBER OF MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE, TREATMENT PROVIDERS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO FOLKS, BUT IT REALLY IS A QUESTION OF ACCESS.

AND IF YOU LIVE IN A RURAL AREA A TREATMENT PROVIDER MIGHT BE DOZENS OF MILES AWAY FROM YOU.

SO AS A PARENT, CAN YOU GET OFF WORK?

DO YOU HAVE RELIABLE TRANSPORTATION?

AND THE OVERWHELMING REASON THAT FAMILIES GET INVOLVED IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IS BECAUSE OF NEGLECT RELATED TO POVERTY.

SO A LOT OF THESE ISSUES CAN TAKE TIME, YOU KNOW, TO DEAL WITH, TO GET A STEADY, GOOD PAYING JOB, TO, YOU KNOW, GET YOUR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE SORTED OUT TO GET CLEAN OR SOBER.

AND SO IT CAN DEFINITELY BE YOU KNOW DIFFICULT FOR PARENTS TO SORT THROUGH ALL THESE ISSUES.

AND YOU KNOW, ALL THE TIME THAT KIDS ARE IN FOSTER CARE, THERE ARE CASEWORKERS WORKING WITH PARENTS TO TRY TO NAVIGATE ALL OF THIS, BUT IT DEFINITELY CAN BE DIFFICULT.

BUT ONCE THE PARENT'S RIGHTS HAVE BEEN TERMINATED AND THEIR CHILD HAS BEEN ADOPTED, THAT IS A LEGAL CONSEQUENCE THAT YOU KNOW, IS GOING TO BE DIFFICULT TO EVER UNDO.

>> GREAT REPORTING.

KAYLA BRANCH, WITH THE FRONTIER, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANKS.

>> HERE IS JASON DOYLE WITH THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>>> WILLIAMS EXPANSION OF ITS TRANSCO PIPELINE SYSTEM IS PAYING OFF, IT HIT RECORD NATURAL GAS VOLUMES ON MONDAY, TRANSPORTING 17.15 MILLION DEKATHERMS.

USUALLY PEAK VOLUME HAPPENS DURING HIGH DEMAND TIMES LIKE SEVERE COLD SPELLS, HOWEVER, THE ADDITIONAL PIPELINE SEGMENTS HAVE ALLOWED WILLIAMS TO GROW ITS CAPACITY.

THE COMPANY'S TRANSCO PIPELINE IS A 10,000 MILE NETWORK STRETCHING BETWEEN SOUTH TEXAS TO NEW YORK.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED WHEELER BIO HAS CLOSED ON $14 MILLION IN SEED FINANCING TO FURTHER DEVELOP ITS BIOMANUFACTURING BUSINESS.

THE INVESTORS INCLUDE ECHO INVESTMENT CAPITAL, ALLOW THERAPEUTICS, FLOATING POINT AND PRESBYTERIAN HEALTH FOUNDATION.

THE FUNDING WILL BE USED TO EXPAND ITS TEAM AND PROVIDE MORE OF ITS SERVICES TO DRUG DEVELOPERS.

>> OKLAHOMA CITY BASED FLEXCARE INFUSION CENTERS HAVE ACQUIRED ARIZONA BASED INFUSABLE CARE.

THIS IS THE THIRD STATE FLEXCARE IS NOW OPERATING.

THE OTHER STATE IS ALABAMA.

FLEXCARE HAS INFUSION CENTERS IN OKLAHOMA CITY, NORMAN, AND TULSA WITH NEW LOCATIONS IN LAWTON AND STILLWATER PLANNED FOR THE NEAR FUTURE.

>> FROMMER'S TRAVEL GUIDE HAS NAMED OKLAHOMA AS ONE OF ITS BEST PLACES TO GO IN THE UNITED STATES IN 2022.

THE PUBLICATION SAYS VISITORS SHOULD CHECK OUT THE COMPLEX HISTORY AND CULTURE OF OUR STATE BY VISITING A TRIO OF NEW MUSEUMS.

THE FIRST AMERICANS MUSEUM IN OKLAHOMA CITY, THE GREEWOOD RISING CENTER IN TULSA AND THE BOB DYLAN CENTER, WHICH OPENS IN TULSA IN MAY 2022.

OKLAHOMA JOINS THE LIKES OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER AND THE CITY OF NEW YORK ON FROMMER'S LIST.

>> OKLAHOMA CITY BASED STABILITY CANNABIS HAS HIT A MAJOR MILESTONE.

IT HAS HARVESTED ITS 100TH MEDICAL MARIJUANA CROP AT ITS PRIMARY CULTIVATION FACILITY.

THE COMPANY HAS PLANS TO GROW AND PROCESS ENOUGH MEDICAL GRADE CANNABIS TO SUPPORT 22,000 OKLAHOMA PATIENTS THIS YEAR.

STABILITY ALSO IS LAUNCHING A NEW LINE OF MEDICATED GUMMIES CALLED PERFECT RATIO.

JASON DOYLE, THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>> THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON IS OVER AND GIVEN THE UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES THE SURGE IN NEW COVID CASES, AND THE ONGOING SUPPLY CHAIN CRISIS AT MAJOR PORTS WE WONDERED.

KENNEDY HAS BEEN CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS AND HAS OUR REPORT.

>>> PANDEMIC-WEARY OKLAHOMANS WERE READY TO INDULGE IN SOME RETAIL THERAPY THIS YEAR, THAT OR THEY HEEDED THE WARNINGS OF POSSIBLE SHIPPING DELAYS AND BEGAN SHOPPING EARLY FOR THE HOLIDAYS.

EITHER WAY, THE RESULTS CERTAINLY MET THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION'S EXPECTATIONS FOR A SUCCESSFUL SHOPPING SEASON.

>> WE SAW AT PEAK REALLY EARLY WITH ALL THE MEDIA COVERAGE TALKING ABOUT SHIPPING DELAYS AND HOW PRODUCTS WAS GOING TO LAND LATE, WE SAW A HUGE SURGE IN SALES FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON, REALLY IN OCTOBER WHEN WE TRADITIONALLY SEE THAT MORE LATE NOVEMBER AND EARLY DECEMBER.

>> DELAYS IN RECEIVING THEIR MERCHANDISE DID IMPACT MANY OKLAHOMA BUSINESSES.

TULSA-BASED GAMEDAY COUTURE SELLS DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS ONLINE IN ADDITION TO OTHER RETAIL SHOPS.

>> BUT WE HAD SEVERAL PIECES OF PRODUCT THAT CAME IN LATE AND WHICH CAUSED US TO DELIVER OUR PRODUCTS TO THEM LATE, WHICH IN TURN SQUEEZES THEIR TIME AT WHICH THEY CAN SELL THEIR PRODUCTS, THEY MAY LOSE SOME OF THEIR, YOU KNOW, PEAK SEASON BECAUSE OF THAT.

>> IT WAS A FRUSTRATION SHARED BY ANOTHER RETAIL STORE IN MUSTANG.

THE BURLAPS BUFFALO MADE DO WITH AN INCOMPLETE INVENTORY, BECAUSE THEIR VENDORS WERE UNABLE TO FILL THEIR TYPICAL HOLIDAY ORDERS.

>> A LOT OF TIMES YOU WOULD GET, GET SIZES IN THAT WEREN'T COMPLETE RUNS OF CLOTHING.

SO YOU JUST TAKE WHAT YOU CAN GET AND GO ON BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT OR WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO GET IT, >> AND THEN THERE WAS EVEN LIKE SHIPPING, EXTRA SHIPPING COSTS BECAUSE OF ALL THE BOATS THAT WERE STUCK OUT OVERSEAS.

>> ON TOP OF THOSE ADDED COSTS, BOTH COMPANIES ALSO ABSORBED PRICE HIKES DUE TO INFLATION RATES NOT SEEN IN DECADES.

>> WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TO PASS A LOT OF THE INFLATION ALONG TO OUR CUSTOMERS THIS YEAR.

WE KIND OF ATE A LOT OF IT BECAUSE WE WERE JUST HAPPY TO HAVE THE RETURN OF CONSUMERS BACK TO THE MARKETPLACE, READY TO GO TO GAMES AND FULL FORCE.

>> WE TRIED TO JUST BRING IN MORE PEOPLE TO ABSORB THE COSTS THAT WE ARE SO THAT WE CAN KEEP OUR PRICES DOWN.

>> INFLATION HAS HIT THE FOOD INDUSTRY PARTICULARLY HARD ,FORCING THE OWNER OF THE FROSTED CACTUS IN YUKON TO RELUNCTANTLY RAISE THE PRICES OF HER SWEET TREATS IN ORDER TO TURN A PROFIT IN THE NEW YEAR.

>> WE ARE SELLING, WE'RE HAVING GOOD BUSINESS, BUT WE REALIZE THAT SINCE PRICES ARE GOING UP, WE ARE NOT REALLY MAKING THAT MUCH PROFIT FOR IT.

>> QUIROS HAS ALSO HAD TO WORK AROUND A SHORTAGE OF KEY INGREDIENTS LIKE POWDER SUGAR.

>> SO MY HUSBAND HAD TO DRIVE TO LIKE ALL AROUND THE AREA TO FIND SOME BECAUSE WE USUALLY -- THAT'S OUR MAIN INGREDIENT, CAUSE WE USE IT FOR FROSTING.

>> AND SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES ALSO MADE IT DIFFICULT TO FIND THE PROPER PACKAGING MATERIALS FOR THEIR PRODUCTS.

>> WE HAD A MAJOR ISSUE WITH GETTING BAGS.

WE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT FOUR MONTHS OUT OF GETTING BAGS, AND LIKE OUR SHOPPING BAGS, AND BEFORE IT WAS ONLY LIKE SIX WEEKS.

SO WE WERE SCRAMBLING AROUND TRYING TO FIND JUST BLANK BAGS SO THAT WE COULD AT LEAST GIVE CUSTOMERS SOMETHING TO PUT THEIR STUFF IN.

>> WELL, WE GO TO A RESTAURANT SUPPLY AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE -- WE SEEN THEM LIKE STOCKING UP THEIR CARDS AND THEN YOU GO THERE AND WATCH THEM.

SO WHEN THEY'RE OUT, BECAUSE THEY TOOK THEM ALL.

>> DESPITE ALL OF THOSE VERY REAL AND CHALLENGING OBSTACLES, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE NUMBERS SHOW THIS WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL SHOPPING SEASON FOR OKLAHOMA BUSINESSES.

NOVEMBER'S SALES TAX WAS UP 18.5% FOR IN-STORE SALES COMPARED TO 2020 AND UP 11.4% IN USE TAX FOR ONLINE SALES, WITH DECEMBERS NUMBERS SHOWING A 19% INCREASE IN SALES TAX AND 24.6% INCREASE IN USE TAX, BOTH MONTHS SURPASSING PRE-PANDEMIC NUMBERS.

SHOPPERS I SPOKE WITH SAY THEY DIDN'T FIND MANY ISSUES AT ALL, BUT IF THEY DID COME ACROSS THE PROBLEM, IT WASN'T DIFFICULT TO FIND AN ALTERNATIVE WAY OF GETTING THOSE GIFTS.

>> MY OLDER SON ASKED FOR SOME -- SOME OFF THE WALL THINGS THAT REALLY TOOK MORE DIGGING THAN NORMAL.

I GUESS THAT JUST HAPPENS AS THEY GET OLDER, BUT I -- IF I COULDN'T FIND IT AT ONE PLACE, I JUST LOOKED AT ANOTHER AND I WAS -- WE WERE ABLE TO FIND IT.

>> ANOTHER SHOPPER TOLD ME FINDING GIFTS FOR HER KIDS WASN'T AN ISSUE, BUT DECORATING HER HOME WAS ANOTHER STORY.

>> WE WERE GOING TO START OVER THIS YEAR.

AND THEN THIS YEAR WE WENT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING AND WE GOT A CHRISTMAS TREE, AND A COUPLE OF THOSE LITTLE PLASTIC TUBS FILLED WITH ORNAMENTS AND A COUPLE OF WALL DECORATIONS, AND THAT WAS BASICALLY IT.

WHILE BOTH IN-STORE AND ON-LINE SALES WERE IMPROVED IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, IT'S CLEAR THAT SHOPPING FROM THE COMFORT OF HOME CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN POPULARITY.

THE 2021 ADOBE DIGITAL ECONOMY INDEX RECORDED THAT CONSUMERS SPENT NEARLY TWO BILLION DOLLARS MORE ON CYBER MONDAY THAN THEY DID ON BLACK FRIDAY, PERHAPS DUE IN PART TO AVOIDING LARGE CROWDS DURING THE LATEST COVID SURGE.

>> I HAVE BECOME MORE OF A TECHNICAL DAY SHOPPERS, SO I DO EVERYTHING ONLINE, WHETHER IT BE AMAZON PRIME OR ONLINE PICKUP.

AND I FEEL LIKE ONLINE SHOPPING IS EASIER THAN TRYING TO GO IN THE STORES AND DEAL WITH EVERYBODY.

>> AND TO AVOID THOSE CRAZY LINES AT THE REGISTER, JESSICA SAYS SHE MADE ONE MORE CHANGE THIS YEAR THAT MIGHT PAY OFF ONCE STORE SHELVES ARE FULLY RESTOCKED.

>> YEAH, SO I DID GIFT CARDS, BUT I MOSTLY -- I MEAN, I WENT TO TARGET ONCE AND IT WAS JUST CRAZY.

AND SO I DECIDED EVERYONE'S JUST GOING TO GET GIFT CARDS THIS YEAR.

>> KENNEDY SEPULVADO, THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

>> KENNDY, THANKS.

>>> BONNIE AND CLYDE WERE CERTAINLY NO STRANGERS TO OKLAHOMA.

BONNIE PARKER SPENT PART OF HER CHILDHOOD HERE AND THEIR FINAL MAJOR CRIME, THE SHOOTING DEATH OF A CONSTABLE, TOOK PLACE IN COMMERCE, THEIR 4-YEAR REIGN OF TERROR HAS BEEN CHRONICLED REPEATEDLY IN PRINT AND FILM AND THEY REMAIN FASCINATING PARTNERS IN CRIME.

NOW, A POTENTIALLY PRICELESS ARTIFACT IS UNDER EXAMINATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.

AND TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THAT STORY.

TAELYR?

>> RICH, THAT ARTIFACT IS A PURSE BELIEVED TO BE OWNED BY BONNIE PARKER.

NOW THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEM AND UCO'S FORENSIC INSTITUE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO SEE IF THAT PURSE WAS IN FACT OWNED BY PARKER MICHAEL GRAUER IS THE MCCASLAND CHAIR OF COWBOY CULTURE AND CURATOR OF COWBOY COLLECTIONS & WESTERN ART.

HE SAYS OBTANING THIS ARTIFACT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY >> THEY REACHED OUT TO US AND SAID THEY HAD THIS ARTIFACT AN ASKED IF WE'D BE INTERESTED.

>> THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN HERITAGE MUSEM REACHED OUT TO THE UCO FORENSIC INSTITUTE AFTER RECEIVING THE PURSE FROM A LOCAL FAMLIY.

>> THEY REACHED OUT TO ME, SO I REACHED OUT TO OUR FACULTY AND SAID HEY, WE HAVE THIS REQUEST DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEAS.

>> INSTRUCTOR OF FORENSICE SCIENCE, CATLIN PORTERFILED SAY FACULTY AND STAFF HAD PLENTY OF INPUT ON WHAT TESTING TO USE.

>> AND SO WE THEN GOT TOGETHER WITH THE MUSEUM STAFF AND WE DISCUSSED THE TECHNIQUES AND WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, AND KIND OF THE ORDER OF THE EXAMINATIONS THAT WE WANTED TO DO AND KIND OF SET UP A PLAN.

>> IN ORDER TO EXCTRACT THE DNA, THE TEAM USED A MIXTURE OF HEAT AND CHEMICALS TO BURST CELLS OPEN IN ORDER TO GET THE DNA OUT.

DR.WILLIAMS IS THE ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF FORENSIC SCIENC AT UCO.

SHE SAYS THE AGE OF THE PURSE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE WHAT PROCESS TO USE ON THE ARTIFACT.

>> SO IN THIS CASE I WAS NOT SURE WHICH KIT WOULD BE BEST.

SO I USED TWO SEPARATE KITS THAT HAVE DIFFERENT CHEMISTRIES TO EXTRACT THE DNA JUST TO SEE MAYBE WHICH WOULD BE BETTER.

I MEAN, WE'RE WORKING WITH A PURSE THAT SUPPOSEDLY IS OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, ALMOST A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.

>> THE TEAM IS ALSO ANALYZING FINGERPRINTS FOUND ON THE PURSE.

>> WHEN WE DO FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS, WE ALSO WANT TO USE THE LEAST DESTRUCTIVE TECHNIQUE.

WE DON'T WANT TO ADD ANY CHEMICALS OR POWDER OR ANYTHING TO THE PURSE THAT COULD DESTROY IT.

>> UNLIKE WHAT YOU'VE SEEN ON YOU FAVEORITE CRIME SHOW THEY WILL USE SPECIAL LIGHTING INSTEAD OF POWDER DURING THE TESTING PROCESS.

>> WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS WE'RE GOING TO BE PLACING THE PURSE UNDER AN ALTERNATE LIGHT SOURCE AND ALSO A UV LIGHT THAT'S CONNECTED TO A MICROSCOPE.

THE IDEA IS THAT WE CAN DO THIS WITHOUT ADDING ANYTHING, ANY CHEMICALS.

>> THEY WILL THEN TAKE THE IMAGE OF THE FINGERPRINTS AND ANALYZE IT.

THE TEAM IS ALSO WORKING TO OBTAIN BONNIE PARKER'S 10 PRINT TO COMPARE FINGERPRINTS FOUND ON THE PURSE.

>> THERE'S ALSO STORIES THAT SAY THAT WHEN SHE WAS APPREHENDED, ONE OF HER -- HER LEFT HAND WAS BLOWN OFF.

AND SO THERE MAY NOT BE A 10 PRINT CARD FOR HER LEFT HAND.

>> PORTERFIELD ALSO HOPES INVOLVE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS DURING THE SECOND PHASE OF THIS PROJECT.

>> I THINK IT'S A REALLY UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO APPLY THE FORENSIC SCIENCE SKILLS THAT THEY LEARNED IN CLASS TO A REAL WORLD OR AUTHENTIC CONTEXT.

>> AND SO WE REALLY LOVE TO WORK ON PROJECTS LIKE THIS.

SOMETHING THAT WE GET TO KIND OF DO THAT'S EXCITING AND DIFFERENT FROM OUR REGULAR EVERYDAY JOB.

SO WE HOPE THAT THIS CONTINUES OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MUSEUM.

>> THE MUSEUM ALSO PLANS TO FEATURE THE PURSE IN AN UPCOMING EXHIBIT.

>> THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF MYTHOLOGY ABOUT BONNIE AND CLYDE WHO THEY WERE AND WHAT THEY BECAME AND WHAT LED TO THEIR DEMISE SO THAT'S A BIG PART OF WHAT WERE GOING TO TELL IN OUR EXHIBITION.

>> THE UCO FORENSIC TEAM TELLS ME THEY PLAN TO FINISH THE PROCESS AND HAVE RESULTS BY THE END OF THE MONTH.

>> 74 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION STUDENT AT ADVISORY COUNCIL.

THIS IS THE SEVENTH YEAR THEY WILL OFFER FEEDBACK TO ASSIST THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT IN HELPING GUIDE POLICY DECISIONS.

THE 74 STUDENTS CHOSEN REPRESENT RURAL, URBAN AND SUBURBAN SCHOOLS AND THEY WILL CONVENE ON JANUARY 25th.

>>> 2022 PROMISES TO BE ANOTHER YEAR FULL OF BREAKING NEWS AND UNEXPECTED DEVELOPMENTS, HE THEY GATHERED EXPERTS TO ASK THEM TO TAKE THEIR BEST SHOT AT PREDICTING THE BIG STORIES.

HERE IS SUSAN CADOT AND HER SPECIAL PANEL OF GUESTS.

>> THANK YOU AND WE HAVE MUCH TO COVER, SO I WANT TO JUMP IN AND INTRODUCE OUR PANEL TO EVERYBODY.

WE HAVE SCOTT MITCHELL, AN OKLAHOMA POLITICAL ANALYST, WHO WAS OUR FIRST GUEST ON OUR VERY FIRST IN-DEPTH WITH ELECTION FLIGHT COVERAGE.

WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE HIM WITH US AGAIN.

THE ASSOCIATE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE OKLAHOMA SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION.

AND FINALLY AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGIST, HE IS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE HEALTHIER OKLAHOMA COALITION WITH THE OKLAHOMA STATE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.

LOTS OF CREDENTIALS ALL THE WAY AROUND.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

>> WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN WITH YOU.

COVID HAS JUST DEFINED THE LAST YEAR, THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, EVEN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

AND NOW WE'RE STARING DOWN JANUARY WITH SURGE IN OMICRON.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS HAPPENING?

IS THE THIS A BIG CONCERN?

IS IT GOING TO BE A LONG LASTING CONCERN?

NOT ONLY FOR OKLAHOMA BUT FOR THE NATION?

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING?

>> THIS IS A VERY TRICKY QUESTION TO ANSWER BECAUSE IT HAS TWO PARTS.

I BELIEVE COVID AND OMICRON AND NEW VARIANTS WILL BE WITH US.

SO I WANT TO EM72 SIZE THAT THERE WILL BE A CONTINUED NEED TO TAKE SOME PRECAUTIONS TO USE GOOD JUDGMENT.

BUT THERE IS ANOTHER SIDE OF THAT RESPONSE, WHICH IS BECAUSE COVID IS GOING TO BE WITH US LONG TERM, I DO NOT SEE VIRUS OFF RAMP.

I DON'T SEE IT GETTING US REACHING CERTAIN MILESTONE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

SO FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE I ALL SURGE OKLAHOMANS TO NOT PUT OFF LIVING THEIR LIFE ANYMORE.

CONSIDER HOW YOU CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH THE UP AND DOWNS OF COVID, AND NOT HAVE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AND YOUR FRIENDS IN THIS NEW NORMAL.

>> DO WE HAVE -- DO YOU SEE NEW MORE TREATMENT COMING DOWN THE PIKE FOR TO HELP CONTROL SPREAD OF THE VARIANTS THAT MIGHT -- REALLY IT'S ACTUALLY -- YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

>> EXACTLY.

OMICRON AND COVID IN GENERAL HAVE CAUGHT US BY SURPRISE.

EVER SINCE COVID HIT, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO MAKE A LOT OF PROJECTIONS.

MOST OF THE FOCUS HAS BEEN ON TRANSMISSION DYNAMIC MODELING, AND BUT INCORPORATING THE VARIANTS HAS BEEN THE MOST TRICKY ASPECT OF IT.

AND SO REALLY JUST LOOKING AT THE EMERGENCE OF PREVIOUS VARIANTS WE'RE THINKING MAYBE EVERY FOUR TO SIX MONTHS WE'RE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH A NEW VARIANT.

REGARDING THE QUESTION OF TREATMENT I DO THINK TREATMENT WILL CONTINUE TO GET BETTER.

WE'RE STARTING TO GET SOME OUTPATIENT MEDICATIONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE, THE EXTENT TO WHICH THAT IS GOING TO PREVENT THE SPREAD AS PUBLIC HEALTH PROFESSIONAL I WOULD NOT RELY NECESSARILY ON THOSE TOOLS.

>> AFTER HEARING EVERYTHING THAT HE SAID IS THIS A VERY FINE LIKE TO WALK IN THE WORLD OF EDUCATION FOR OKLAHOMA?

WHAT CAN PARENTS, TEACHERS, STUDENTS EXPECT MOVING INTO A BRAND-NEW 2022?

>> I THINK I JUST AGREE EXACTLY.

I THINK THAT SCHOOLS ARE BEGINNING TO EMBRACE THAT PROCESS.

WE KNOW THAT THE BEST WAY FOR STUDENTS IS IN THE CLASSROOM, WITH THEIR TEACHERS EVERY DAY.

WE WENT THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME IN TERMS OF TRYING TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

HEALTH AND SAFETY HAVE TO BE PREORITY BUT WE KNOW THAT IF WE CAN FIND A WAY TO MAKE THINGS AS NORM IT WILL UNDER THIS NEW NORMAL IN THE LONG RUN IT'S IN THEIR BEST INTERESTS.

FROM ACADEMIC STANDPOINT BUT EVEN MORE SO FROM A MENTAL HEALTH STANDPOINT AND RELATIONSHIP STANDPOINT.

SO I THINK LIKE THE DOCTOR JUST SAID, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO WORK IN THIS NEW NORMAL.

AND DO THE THINGS WE KNOW ARE RIGHT FOR KIDS.

>> I WANT TO TALK TO BUT HOW OUR STUDENTS ARE FAIRING ACADEMICALLY POST THE FIRST QUARANTINE.

BUT AS YOU TAKE A LOOK AT OTHER CITIES AROUND THE NATION, MAYBE MAKING THE DECISION TO GO VIRTUAL FOR A FEW DAYS, WHAT ARE YOU MAKING OF THAT?

IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU COULD FORESEE HAPPEN IN OKLAHOMA AGAIN?

>> YEAH, I THINK WE STILL HAVE TO FOLLOW THE SCIENCE.

WE STILL HAVE TO TAKE OUR LEAD FROM THE HEALTH EXPERTS.

THERE MAY BE OCCASION WHERE WE HAVE TO SEE SCHOOLS GO IN AND OUT, BUT MAYBE NOT IN -- UNDER THE SAME CIRCUMSTANCES WE SAW IN EARLY PANDEMIC STAGE WHERE ALL SCHOOLS WERE SHUT DOWN, AND WE TRIED TO FIND A -- I THINK WE TRIED TO MAKE EVERYTHING FIT THE SAME FOR EVERY STUDENT POPULATION.

AND WE KNOW WE HAVE RURAL SCHOOLS, WE HAVE URBAN SCHOOLS, AND WE HAVE SUBURBAN SCHOOLS.

SETTINGS ARE DIFFERENT, SO I THINK THAT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IS A LOT OF THIS HAS TO BE LOCALLY DECIDED, WITH THAT COMMUNITY, WITH THAT SCHOOL COMMUNITY AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY.

>> I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS NOW AND COME TO SCOTT.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT POLITICS.

ONE OF THE BIG THINGS PEOPLE ARE WATCHING IN THE NEXT YEAR IS GUBERNATOR 20 ALL RACE IN OKLAHOMA.

YOU WANT TO UPDATE EVERYONE ABOUT THAT?

>> I DON'T THINK EVERYBODY IS IN THAT IS GOING TO BE IN.

IT'S JUST A GUESS.

IT'S GOING TO BE AN EDUCATION ELECTION AND ELECTION BASED ON WHO HANDLED COVID.

IF YOU WERE ASKING ME ABOUT WHAT THE TWO BIG -- BEST THING ABOUT LAST YEAR AND THE WORST THING ABOUT LAST YEAR IS WE HAD THE TOOLS, WE HAVE HAD PEOPLE MAKE SACRIFICES, FRONT LINE WORKERS, SCIENTISTS, GUYS LIKE WHO HAVE GONE OUT THERE, DONE THINGS, UNMANAGEABLE TO GIVE US TOOLS TO STOP THIS PANDEMIC.

THE WORST PART OF IT IS ABOUT 40% OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS STATE AND AROUND THE COUNTRY SIMPLY ARE NOT BEING RESPONSIBLE.

THEY DON'T WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE.

IT'S POLITICS AND I LOOK AT SOME OF THE LEGISLATION BEING FILED, I'M GOING YOU KNOW ELEVATOR SHAFT GOES TO TENTH FLOOR BUT THE ELEVATOR IS NOT GOING ALL THE WAY UP.

THIS IS THE MOST POLITICAL VIRUS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD.

AND RIGHT NOW PEOPLE ARE ANGLING TO WIN PRIMARIES OVER IT.

>> RIGHT NOW THE TWO STAND OUT CANDIDATES THAT I SEE ARE INCUMBENT GOVERNOR STITT, AND STATE SUPERINTENDENT JOY HOFMEISTER WHO I MUST MENTION SITS ON THE OETA BOARD.

YOU SAID YOU FORESEE OTHERS ENTERING THE RACE.

ANY IDEA WHO?

>> I DON'T.

YOU KNOW, GO BACK TO '86 WHEN A GUY BY THE NAME OF MIKE TURPIN HAD THE DEMOCRAT NOMINATION SOD UP AND JUST BEFORE FILING A GUY NAME WALTERS FILED.

AFTER THAT POINT WAS UNKNOWN GUY.

THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OKLAHOMA HITS TRY THAT WERE NOT THE FRONTRUNNERS.

FRONTRUNNER IS NOT A GREAT PLACE TO BE IN OKLAHOMA.

OBVIOUSLY SUPERINTENDENT HOFMEISTER AND GOVERNOR STITT ARE ODDS ON FAVORITES TO WIN THE NOMINATION IN BOTH THOSE PARTIES.

>> WE'RE WONDERING ABOUT THAT.

I KNOW SUPERINTENDENT CHANGED THE POLITICAL PARTY AND WILL RUN AS A DEMOCRAT AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE PRIMARIES THERE.

YOU KNOW, THE INTERSECTION OF COVID THROUGH ALL OF THIS IS ASTOUNDING.

ISN'T IT COVID NOW COLOR EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, DID YOU EVER THINK THAT YOU WOULD SEE SOMETHING LIKE COVID AND WHAT CHALLENGES HAS IT PRESENTED YOU NOT ONLY AS A PHYSICIAN, AS A DOCTOR AND RESEARCHER BUT AS SOMEONE WHO IS TELLING FAMILY, FRIENDS, EVERYONE IN THE STATE WHAT WE CAN DO TO HANDLE IT?

>> WE KNEW THAT THERE WOULD BE EMERGING PANDEMICS.

WE JUST DIDN'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY WOULD LOOK LIKE.

INFLUENZA HAS BEEN THE POSTER VIRUS THAT WE WOULD STUDY.

BUT BECAUSE OF THE EMERGENCE OF SARS AND MERS WE WERE KEEPING AN EYE ON THESE CORONAVIRUS.

I WOULD SAY THAT THE -- THERE WERE A COUPLE THINGS ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR PANDEMIC THAT CAUGHT ME BY SURPRISE SCIENTIFICALLY WHICH IS THAT IT WAS HIGHLY TRANSMISSIBLE AND CAUSED WIDE RANGE OF SYMPTOMS.

SOME PEOPLE VERY SEVERE, AND CAUSES DEATH AND THEN YOU GOT A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH ASYMPTOMATIC INFECTION.

AND SO THIS WIDE RANGE MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY AND TRACE PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED.

BUT I WOULD JUST SEGUE INTO THE POLITICAL DISCUSSION, IS THAT THAT FEATURE THAT MAKES IT A POLITICAL VIRUS THAT IS BECAUSE ANYONE WHO SAYS THE VIRUS IS SEVERE OR NOT SEVERE IN VERY SMALL CORNER OF THE WORLD THEY'RE RIGHT.

AND SO SOMETIMES IT'S HUMAN, WE HAVE A HARD TIME TRYING TO MAKE AMENDS WHEN TWO THINGS THAT SEEM OPPOSING ODDS WHEN BOTH CAN BE TRUE IN THE COMPLEX WORLD.

>> ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS THAT CAME OUT IN THE PAST YEAR WAS WHETHER OR NOT TO MANDATE MASKS FOR STUDENTS AT SCHOOLS.

AND I KNOW WE -- YOU TALKED ABOUT LETTING LOCALS DETERMINE WHAT IS DONE.

DOES THE SCHOOL BOARD ASSOCIATION -- DO YOU GUYS TAKE A STANCE ON THIS?

>> REALLY THEY SHOULD BE LOCAL DECISIONS AND ANY TOOLS THAT COULD HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE ABILITY FOR STUDENTS TO STAY IN SCHOOL, AND TEACHERS TO BE PROTECTED, SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AT THE LOCAL LEVEL AND TAKING TOOLS AWAY DURING A PANDEMIC IS NOT WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER THE BEST APPROACH TO A WAY TO DEAL WITH THIS SITUATION.

AND SO MUCH OF THIS BECAME POLITICALLY DRIVEN AND WITH THE WAY PEOPLE DID SUFFER THROUGH THAT, IF THEY DID HAVE IT, THE VARIANT CREATED A LOT OF DIFFICULTY AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL.

WE HAD ISSUES, HEALTH ISSUES THAT HAVE IMPACTED SCHOOLS FOREEVEN.

THIS IS NOT THE FIRST ONE OBVIOUSLY, IT'S TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO RELY ON OUR HEALTH OFFICIALS TO HELP US MAKE THOSE DECISIONS THAT WERE RIGHT FOR STUDENTS AND RIGHT FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

IT BECAME REALLY DIFFICULT TO DO THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SCOTT SAYS.

>> THIS IS THE ISSUE, ISN'T IT?

ESPECIALLY IN OKLAHOMA, I MEAN -- >> I THINK SO.

AND YOU KNOW I WOULD TAKE YOU BACK SUSAN TO WHERE WE WERE -- WE'RE ENTERING YEAR THREE.

THE VACCINE BEEN AVAILABLE IN MAY OF -- 90% UPTAKE, OKAY?

THE PROBLEM WITH DID VACCINE CAME ALONG FOR GENERAL USE AFTER THE ELECTION.

THE FACT IS IF THAT -- THE POLITICAL VIRUS IS LOOSE.

PEOPLE SEE TWO WEEKS AGO VACCINES WORK, YOU CANNOT BELIEVE, YOU ALL SEEN THE PUSH BACK HE GOT.

THE ONLY THING THAT IS REALLY CHANGED IN MY OPINION OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS WAS THE DAY, THE FDA SAID THE PFIZER VACCINE HAS FULL APPROVAL.

SO AT THAT POINT, IT WAS PRIVATE BUSINESSES SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO GET VACCINATED, THIS IS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO BEHAVE, AND THAT'S WHAT HAS CHANGED THINGS.

>> YOU KNOW THE LEGISLATURE, DO YOU FORESEE ANY PLANS COMING OUT OF THIS NEXT SESSION TO ADDRESS CERTAIN ISSUES SURROUNDING THE VIRUS, SURROUNDING EDUCATION AND THE VIRUS?

AND I KNOW THERE ARE MORE GOING ON THAN JUST THE VIRUS BUT WHAT DO YOU SEE BEING THE STRONG POINTS, THE CONCERNS OF THE LEGISLATURE?

>> WELL, THEY WILL BE SOME PUSH BACK, THERE WILL BE SOME LEGISLATORS PROPOSING LEGISLATION TO PUSH BACK ON FEDERAL OVERREACH, CODE WORDS FOR THAT, SO THEY WILL BE MOVING FORWARD.

MEDICINE HAS BEEN HAVING DIFFICULTY REACHING LEGISLATORS, GOING THESE ARE THE SMART THINGS YOU NEED TO DO AND IT STARTED -- THE VACCINE ISSUE STARTED BEFORE COVID, WHEN WE WERE DEALING WITH THE ISSUES A FEW YEARS AGO WE SAW MEASLES OUTBREAKS.

BUT THIS ONE JUST TURBO CHARGED IT.

AND SO WE HAVE SEEN THERE IS A REAL SPLIT WITH REPUBLICANS BETWEEN THE OLD GUARD, WHICH IS PRO-SCIENCE, GET VACCINES, VERSUS THIS GROUP WHICH IS INTRODUCING LEGISLATION THAT 20 YEARS AGO YOU GO THAT'S WHAT LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WOULD INTRODUCE.

IT'S VERY STRANGE TO WATCH.

>> OUR TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ONE LAST ROUND-ROBIN QUESTION.

AND I AM GOING TO START WITH YOU.

WHAT'S ONE PREDICTTION FOR 2022, PUT ON YOUR HAT, WHAT IS YOUR ONE PREDICTION FOR 2022 WITHIN YOUR REALM?

>> I REALLY THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO SETTLE DOWN INTO A NEW NORMAL, WE'LL STILL KEEP A PRIORITY ON HEALTH AND SAFETY OF STUDENTS.

BUT WE REALLY HAVE TO GET BACK AND FOCUS ON ACADEMIC NEEDS, A LOT OF THE FEDERAL FUNDS THAT HAVE FLOWED INTO SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE BEEN BENEFICIAL HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THOSE THINGS, HOW DO WE WORK ON KIDS, ACADEMIC PREPARATION, GET THEM CAUGHT UP, THAT ACCELERATION THAT THEY NEED, THE HEALTH AVAILABILITY BY HIRING NURSES.

I WILL SAY ONE THING ABOUT THE SCHOOLS.

I THINK THAT THROUGH THIS PROCESS, WE HAVE BERT HANDLE ON HOW TO DO VIRTUAL EDUCATION.

IT MOVED US FORWARD IN THAT AREA.

SO I THINK IF WE CAN BEGIN PUTTING ALL THOSE TOOLS TOGETHER WE CAN TRY TO CREATE THAT ABILITY FOR STUDENTS TO HAVE SUCCESSFUL AND NORMAL AS POSSIBLE SCHOOL YEAR.

>> THAT SOUNDS OPTIMISTIC.

I LIKE THAT.

ARE YOU AS OPTIMISTIC?

>> I AM OPTIMISTIC.

I WOULD ALSO JUST ENCOURAGE US AS SOCIETY TO CHANGE OUR FOLK FROM US TALKING ABOUT COVID CASES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE POLITICAL NATURE, I BELIEVE WE MIGHT FIND MORE COMMON GROUND IF WE DECIDED WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT -- PREVENT HOSPITALIZATIONS AND DEATHS BECAUSE THAT IS CONSISTENT HARDER END POINT THAT THE VACCINES PREVENT, AND SO I THINK THAT EVEN THOUGH WE'LL CONTINUE TO SEE THE UPS AND DOWNS OF CASES, I THINK WE'LL GET CLOSER AS WE TALK ABOUT THAT WORD OF GOING INTO AN ENDEMIC STAGE.

I THINK WE'LL SEE THAT IN TERMS OF COVID RELATED DEATHS AND HOSPITALIZATIONS BEFORE WE SEE IT NECESSARILY IN TERMS OF CASES.

>> GOOD TAKE.

AND SCOTT, EVER THE OPTIMIST, WHAT ARE YOUR PREDICTIONS FOR 2022?

>> IN THE SHORT-TERM I THINK THE INTERESTING THING IS GOING TO BE WATCH THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

I THINK STATE MEN AND WOMEN OF BOTH PARTIES OUT THERE THAT ARE IN BETWEEN SOME REALLY EXTREMIST SORT OF THOUGHT OUT THERE ON THE WELLNESS SIDE ON ONE SIDE, HATING VACCINES, SO THEY GOT TO DO WHAT'S BEST IN TERMS OF HEALTH IS CONCERNED BUT THEY HAVE TO WALK A VERY FINE LINE BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME REALLY UNHINGED RHETORIC GETTING MAINSTREAM PLAY, AND THE STATES MEN AND WOMEN ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE CAREFUL PLUS IT'S AN ELECTION YEAR MAKING IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO GET THINGS DONE.

>> YES.

I WOULD LIKE THE THANK ALL OF YOU.

I WISH WE HAD MORE TIME TO TALK BUT THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND INSIGHT AND I WISH YOU ALL A HAPPY 2022.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> HAPPY 2022.

>> THAT WAS VERY INTRIGUING.

WE WILL SEE WHAT UNFOLD.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO REVIEW THAT CONVERSATION OR ANY OF OUR SEGMENTS IT'S EASY TO DO BY ACCESSING OUR "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT" POD OF THE TODAY.

EACH WEEK IT WILL FEATURE EXTENDED CUTSs OF IN-DEPTH SEGMENTS AS WELL AS OTHER CONTENTS.

YOU CAN FIND OUR LATEST EPISODE FIRST THING SATURDAY MORNING.

WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO CHECK IT OUT AND SUBSCRIBE RIGHT AND REVIEW OUR EXTRA CONTENT.

>>> IT DOESN'T APPEAR THAT THE BIG QUIT PHENOMENON IS SHOWING ANY SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN IN THE NEW YEAR.

WE'RE STILL AVERAGING ABOUT 4 MILLION AMERICANS PER MONTH SAYING, "SO LONG" TO THEIR OLD JOBS.

AND MANY OF THEM ARE LEAVING FOR EITHER BETTER-PAYING OR MORE SATISFYING NEW CAREERS.

THAT'S THE CASE FOR ONE WOMAN IN BOSTON, WHO LEFT HER LUCRATIVE DESK JOB FOR A LIFE IN THE FIELD HELPING OTHERS.

IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE SHARE HER STORY, COURTESY OF OUR PBS PARTNERS AT GBH NEWS.

>> I LIKE TO BE DIFFERENT PLACES ALL THE TIME, AND ALWAYS MOVING.

I AM 47-YEARS-OLD, AND I AM A EMT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PAIN RIGHT NOW?

I USED TO BE THE A SENIOR RESEARCH ADMINISTRATOR.

I HELP SCIENTISTS AND RESEARCHERS OBTAIN FUNDING.

>> THE U.S. IS DEALING WITH THE WORST PANDEMIC.

>> ONCE YOU ARE BEING QUARANTINED AND AT HOME AND -- >> SOME HOSPITALS ARE STRUGGLING TO MANAGE -- >> HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS INFECTIOUS DISEASE.

>> I FELT THE FEELING OF JUST ABSOLUTE HELPLESSNESS.

I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING SO BAD, AND THEN I THOUGHT HOW CAN I HELP?

WHEN I GO UP TO MY FAMILY WE'RE ALWAYS GETTING -- GIVING TO OTHER PEOPLE, ALWAYS THE FIRST ONE TO SAY I'LL HELP YOU DO THAT.

I THINK I WAS TRYING TO FULFILL THAT IN MY OTHER ROLE AS ADMINISTRATOR BUT I NEVER WANTED TO SIT BEHIND A DESK.

I THINK THE PANDEMIC GAVE ME THE PUSH.

EMERGENCY MEDICINE REALLY SPOKE TO ME.

I THINK I'M GOING TO ENROLL IN THE CLASS AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

I WAS WORKING FULL TIME, AND THEN I APPLIED AND THEY HIRED ME.

IT'S JUST -- IT'S VERY NERVE RACKING.

BUT THEN AS TIME GOES ON YOU BUILD YOUR CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF.

FOR A WHILE I WAS DOING BOTH JOBS.

AND I WAS FINDING THAT I COULDN'T WAIT TO GO TO WORK AS A EMT.

DON'T FEEL ANY CHEST PAIN?

I WAS WORKING BETWEEN 80 AND 90 HOURS AND I THOUGHT SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE.

WE ARE AN HOUR 18 OF OUR SHIFT, HAVE BEEN GOING NONSTOP.

I WAS SCARED.

IT WAS A DRASTIC PAY CUT, AND THEN I THOUGHT I AM EITHER GOING TO WAKE UP AND BE 80-YEARS-OLD AND THINK I SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT, OR I'M JUST GOING TO GO DO IT.

NOTHING THAT WE LEARNED AT SCHOOL COULD HAVE PREPARED ME FOR WHAT WE ACTUALLY SEE ON THE STREET.

THERE IS SUCH A WIDE HUGE RANGE OF ILLNESSES AND THINGS THAT HAPPEN TO PEOPLE.

EMS WORKERS ARE EXTREMELY COMPASSIONATE.

WE'RE DOING THE ABSOLUTE BEST THAT WE CAN.

HELPING SOMEONE ON THAT WORST DAY.

JUST EXCITING.

I LOOK FORWARD TO GOING IN.

AND YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN.

BEST DECISION I EVER MADE.

>> ON THE NEXT EDITION OF "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT" MORE THAN 500 AFGHAN REFUGEES ARRIVED IN OKLAHOMA AND MORE ARE ON THEIR WAY.

WE'RE GOING TO SHOW YOU THE OKLAHOMA STANDARD IN ACTION.

AS VOLUNTEERS WORK TO PROVIDE NEW HOMES AND NEW LIFE FOR MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN DISPLACED BY WAR.

AND WE WILL SAY GOODBYE FOR NOW WITH A TOUR OF THE OKLAHOMA CONTEMPORARY ARTS MUSEUM, PHOTOGRAPHED AND EDITED BY OETA'S ERIC WALTMAN.

FOR ALL OF US HERE ON THE "OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT," I'M RICH LENZ.

STAY HEALTHY, STAY SAFE AND AS ALWAYS, STAY TUNED TO OETA.

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