>> THE LEGISLATURE CONSIDERS ACTION THAT WILL HELP SIDELINED PARENTS RETURN TO THE WORKFORCE.

>> I THINK, BEING A NEW PARENT, YOU DON'T REALLY REALIZE HOW CRAZY IT IS OUT THERE TO FIND CHILDCARE.

>> HONORING THE MEMORY OF ONE OF NASA'S GREATEST ASTRONAUTS, GENERAL THOMAS P. STAFFORD.

>> ONE OF OKLAHOMA'S FAVORITE SONS, AVIATION LEGEND, AEROSPACE LEGEND FOR THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

>> AN OKLAHOMA CITY MAN IS PAYING IT FORWARD IN MEMORY OF HIS WIFE.

>> ISN'T IT GREAT, THOUGH?

EVERY TIME I WALK BACK TO MY CAR, I SAY, MAN, SHE WOULD BE THRILLED THAT IS WHAT WE DID.

>> THE IMPORTANCE OF SCREENING FOR COLON CANCER IN YOUNGER OKLAHOMANS.

>> WE'RE SEEING YOUNGER AND YOUNGER PATIENTS, BECAUSE THEIR DIETS ARE SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT USED TO BE.

>> PLUS, A FULL RECAP OF THE WEEK THAT WAS AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

>> IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT WE HAVE SEEN SUCH DETAILED BUDGET NUMBERS FROM EITHER CHAMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE.

>> THOSE STORIES AND MUCH MORE, NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT!

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

I'M RICH LENZ.

THE OKLAHOMA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HAS APPROVED THE CREATION OF TWO NEW TAX CREDITS TO HELP PARENTS PAY FOR CHILDCARE AND, BY DOING SO, RETURN TO THE WORKFORCE.

WITH MORE ON HOW THE CREDITS WOULD ALSO HELP INCREASE THE SUPPLY OF CHILDCARE TO MEET THE DEMAND, WE'RE JOINED BY CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT JASON DOYLE.

JASON?

>> RICH, IN ADDITION TO THOSE TAX CREDITS, ANOTHER CHILD CARE BILL HELPS TO ADD EMPLOYEES TO A BADLY NEEDED WORKFORCE, TAKING CARE OF OUR CHILDREN WHILE WE GO TO WORK.

>> A NICE SPRING DAY BRINGS OUT THE YOUNGER SPRING BREAKERS WITH THEIR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS THIS WEEK IN DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY, JUST LIKE MANY OF US TRYING TO FIND SOMETHING FOR OUR KIDS TO DO WHILE SCHOOL IS OUT, BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE WHO NEED CHILD CARE SIMPLY TO GO TO WORK?

>> I THINK BEING A NEW PARENT YOU DON'T REALLY REALIZE HOW CRAZY IT IS OUT THERE TO FIND CHILD CARE.

SO IT WAS REALLY INTERESTED TO GO THROUGH THE IDEA OF, LIKE, WE NEED TO BE ON LISTS, DO THESE THINGS.

>> THIS IS THE OPERATING PARTNER AND THE PARENT OF A 4-YEAR-OLD GIRL NAMED OLIVE.

SHE WAS BORN RIGHT AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC STARTED IMPACTING THE U.S. >> AT THE TIME, THERE WASN'T CHILD CARE REALLY.

THERE WAS A TON OF STUFF SHUT DOWN OR EVERYONE WAS FULL BECAUSE EVERY OTHER PLACE HAD SHUT DOWN.

>> MARSH SAYS THEY WERE LUCKY TO FIND RAINBOW FLEET, WHICH IS AN ORGANIZATION CONNECTING PARENTS WITH CHILD CARE AND OTHER EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.

>> WE GOT INCREDIBLY LUCKY THAT WE GOT INTO RAINBOW FLEET TO HAVE OUR CHILD CARE AND TO START OUR DAUGHTER ON THAT PATH, WHICH CAME AT ABOUT 9, 10 MONTHS.

>> HE SAYS ONCE OLIVE GOT INTO CHILD CARE, HE AND HIS WIFE REALLY SAW A DIFFERENCE.

>> BECAUSE OF THE SITUATION OF BEING BORN AT THE TIME, SHE DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH INTERACTION WITH PEOPLE THROUGH THOSE FIRST, YOU KNOW, 9 MONTHS OF HER LIFE.

SO ONCE SHE GOT TO THIS SCHOOL, YOU GOT TO SEE THE LEAPS AND BOUNDS GROWTH FROM THE SOCIAL SIDE, FROM THE INTERACTION, FROM THE MOTOR SKILLS.

>> IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO FIND CHILD CARE DURING THE PANDEMIC, BUT OKLAHOMA'S CHILD CARE ISSUES BEGAN BEFORE THE VIRUS ENTERED THE STATE.

>> WE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH EVEN BEFORE COVID-19, BUT IT WAS EXACERBATED BY THE PANDEMIC.

AT ONE TIME IN 2020, A THIRD OF ALL CHILD CARE PROGRAMS HAD CLOSED, AND MOST HAVE REOPENED OR THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER CHILD CARE FACILITIES OPEN IN THEIR PLACE, BUT WE STILL HAVE A LOWER CAPACITY.

>> OKLAHOMA PARTNERSHIP FOR SCHOOL READINESS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CARRIE WILLIAMS, SAYS OKLAHOMA IS FACING A CHILD CARE CRISIS.

>> 55% OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA IS CATEGORIZED AS A CHILD CARE DESERT.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THERE AREN'T ENOUGH LICENSED CHILD CARE SPACES AVAILABLE FOR A WORKFORCE WHO NEEDS CHILD CARE AND THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN WHO NEED CHILD CARE, OR THERE ISN'T CHILD CARE AVAILABLE THAT MEETS THOSE FAMILIES' UNIQUE, INDIVIDUAL NEEDS.

>> THAT IMPACT IS FELT EVEN MORE SO IN THE RURAL AREAS.

>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT 55% OF THE STATE BEING A CHILD CARE DESERT, 65% OF THE RURAL POPULATION IN OKLAHOMA DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO THE CHILD CARE THAT THEY NEED, AND SO WE REALLY ARE WORKING TO STRENGTHEN CHILD CARE OPPORTUNITIES IN RURAL OKLAHOMA.

>> IF THE FAMILY IS STRUGGLING TO FIND CARE FOR THEIR KIDS, THEY'RE JUST NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET TO WORK EVERY DAY.

>> THAT'S A SITUATION MANY PARENTS ARE FACING ACCORDING TO FAMILY FOUNDATION CEOA.J.

GRIFFIN.

>> WE KNOW THAT ECONOMICS OF A FAMILY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR YOUNG KIDS ARE LINKED.

THE BETTER THE ECONOMIC SITUATION IS FOR THAT FAMILY, THE BETTER OUTCOMES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOR THOSE KIDS.

SO THEY GO HAND IN HAND.

ACCESS TO HIGH QUALITY CHILD CARE IS GOOD FOR KIDS, AND IT'S GOOD FOR FAMILIES, AND IT'S GOOD FOR THE STATE.

>> GRIFFIN SAYS LAWMAKERS ARE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT MAKING OKLAHOMA'S CHILD CARE INDUSTRY BETTER FOR KIDS, PARENTS AND THEIR EMPLOYERS.

>> THE LEGISLATURE IS GOING TO TAKE SOME STEPS FORWARD THIS YEAR, THE TAX CREDIT FOR EMPLOYERS THAT WANT TO INVEST IN CHILD CARE FOR EMPLOYEES, GREAT POLICY.

>> REPRESENTATIVE SUSAN SCHREIBER OFFERED HOUSE BILL 4147 TO PROVIDE TWO TYPES OF TAX CREDITS TO ADDRESS A WORKER'S NEED FOR CHILD CARE.

>> 4147 OFFERS A CREDIT TO EMPLOYERS WHO WANT TO CREATE AN INCENTIVE FOR THE EMPLOYEES AND OFFER THEM RESOURCES IN THE FORM OF CASH OR IN THE FORM OF BUYING CHILD CARE SPOTS OR EVEN OPERATING THEIR OWN CHILD CARE.

THE EMPLOYER CAN RECEIVE A CREDIT FOR THAT.

>> THE DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATIVE FROM TULSA SPOKE WITH US THIS WEEK WHILE IN THE COLORADO MOUNTAINS ABOUT THE LEGISLATION WHICH RECENTLY WON HOUSE APPROVAL.

SHE ALSO WANTS TO OFFER A TAX CREDIT TO THOSE WHO WORK IN THE CHILD CARE INDUSTRY.

>> SO WE OFFER A TAX CREDIT IN THE SECOND PIECE OF HOUSE BILL 4147 TO THOSE CHILD CARE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE A PART OF THE QUALITY REVIEW SYSTEM, WHO WORK IN A LICENSED CHILD CARE AND WHO HAVE WORKED FOR 8 MONTHS OR MORE.

THEY CAN RECEIVE A CREDIT AT THE END OF THE YEAR.

>> ADDITIONALLY, SCHREIBER AUTHORED HOUSE BILL 1808, WHICH OFFERS A WAY FOR CHILD CARE WORKERS TO RECEIVE FREE CARE FOR THEIR OWN CHILDREN.

>> HOUSE BILL 1808 ALSO OFFERS A BENEFIT, YOU MIGHT SAY, TO CHILD CARE EMPLOYEES.

THROUGH THE PANDEMIC AND WITH SOME ONE-TIME DOLLARS, WE BEGAN OFFERING CHILD CARE EMPLOYEES FREE CHILD CARE.

AND HOW WE DO THAT IS THEY QUALIFY FOR A SUBSIDY THAT MANY FAMILIES QUALIFY FOR WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE INCOME QUALIFIED.

>> SCHREIBER AND OTHERS ARE HOPING THAT INCENTIVE BOLSTERS THE CHILD CARE WORKFORCE.

>> WE KNOW THAT CHILD CARE PROVIDERS MAKE, ON AVERAGE, $11..67 AN HOUR AND THAT'S NOT A LIVEABLE WAGE IN OKLAHOMA.

SO ONE SOLUTION TO THAT IS TO PROVIDE CHILD CARE FOR THOSE WHO ARE CARING FOR OUR CHILDREN AT NO COST TO THEM.

>> WE'VE GOT TO REMEMBER, TOO, THAT THE WORKFORCE ISSUE ISN'T JUST ABOUT INCREASING THE BUSINESSES THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE OFFERING CHILD CARE.

IT'S ALSO ABOUT ADDRESSING THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE THAT DO THIS AS A CAREER THAT REALLY WANT TO SERVE YOUNG CHILDREN BUT ALSO NEED TO PAY THEIR BILLS.

>> WILLIAMS ADDS THAT ADDRESSING CHILD CARE ISSUES IN OKLAHOMA IS AN INVESTMENT IN GROWING THE STATE'S WORKFORCE.

>> IF OKLAHOMA WOMEN PARTICIPATED IN THE WORKFORCE AT THE SAME RATE AS MEN, THERE WOULD BE 99,000 MORE WORKERS IN THE ECONOMY AND $1.2 BILLION IN EARNED WAGES ALONE, 3.7 BILLION IN REVENUE TO THE ECONOMY IN OKLAHOMA.

>> SCOTT MARSH SAYS IF THE LEGISLATURE PASSES THESE BILLS AND THE GOVERNOR SIGNS THEM, THE FAMILY WOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER OFFERING BENEFITS TO THEIR EMPLOYEES.

>> OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP OUR POLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMPANY TO.

DO, THAT YOU WANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.

I THINK CHILD CARE, AS YOU GET OLDER, STARTS TO MATTER SO MUCH MORE.

>> AND BY GIVING KIDS A SOLID EARLY START WILL ONLY BENEFIT OKLAHOMA OVERALL.

>> SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO CONTINUE RELY INVESTING IN OUR -- TO CONTINUE REALLY INVESTING IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM BY PROVIDING THE RIGHT CARE EARLY ON SO WE PUT PEOPLE ON THE RIGHT PATH.

>> IT'S NOW THE OKLAHOMA SENATE'S TURN TO TAKE UP REPRESENTATIVE SCHRIEBER'S HOUSE BILL 4147 AND HOUSE BILL 1808, STARTING WITH COMMITTEE HEARINGS.

ON THE NATIONAL LEVEL, IF CONGRESS PASSES ITS LATEST BUDGET PROPOSAL, MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS COULD BE SHARED AMONG THE STATES TO HELP BOLSTER CHILD CARE.

RICH.

>> JASON, THANK YOU.

>> THOUSANDS OF OKLAHOMA CHILDREN CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THEIR SCHOOL LUNCHES.

NOW, THERE ARE PROGRAMS IN PLACE TO ENSURE THEY DON'T GO HUNGRY, BUT ONE OKLAHOMA CITY BUSINESSMAN IS MAKING IT HIS MISSION TO HELP PAY THE BILLS, AND HE'S DOING IT IN THE NAME OF A PERSON VERY NEAR AND DEAR TO HIS HEART.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW WITH HIS STORY.

STEVE?

>> RICH, FORMER VILLAGE MAYOR, CATHY CUMMINGS, WAS LOVED, NOT JUST BY HER FAMILY, BUT BY MANY.

AFTER A GRIM CANCER DIAGNOSIS LAST AUGUST, CATHY DIED PEACEFULLY SIX WEEKS AGO.

>> BEST BUSINESS PARTNER ANYONE COULD EVER ASK FOR.

ABSOLUTELY COMPETENT IN ALL FACETS.

PEOPLE LOVED HER.

YOU KNOW, I MEAN, AND I REALLY MEAN THAT.

YOU DON'T HEAR THAT VERY MUCH OUT OF MEN THAT HAVE BEEN MARRIED 20 YEARS OR MORE.

SHE WAS AMAZING.

>> SHAWN CUMMINGS AND HIS WIFE, KATHY, OPENED VETO'S RISTORANTE IN OKLAHOMA CITY 20 YEARS AGO WHILE NURTURING AN OKLAHOMA VERSION OF THE BRADY BUNCH.

>> WE HAVE 5 BETWEEN US.

SHE HAD 3 GIRLS, AND I HAD 2 BOYS, AND WE HAD THE WEIRD MIXED FAMILY THAT WORKED.

>> KATHY CUMMINGS WAS A WORKER.

>> HEY, OKLAHOMA, THIS IS MAYOR CATHY CUMMINGS.

>> SHE SERVED AS MAYOR OF THE VILLAGE, VICE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL.

>> SHE WASN'T RUNNING FOR POLITICS FOR MONEY.

SHE WAS A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR.

>> THINGS WERE GOING SWIMMINGLY UNTIL LAST AUGUST WHEN CATHY GOT BACK PAIN, WHICH LED TO TESTS THAT SADLY SHOWED CATHY HAD TERMINAL CANCER.

>> AND IT WAS EVERYWHERE.

IT WAS ALREADY IN 9 PLACES.

HOW SHE WAS WALKING AROUND WITH IT IN 9 PLACES LIKE NOTHING WAS HAPPENING IS BEYOND ME, BUT THAT WAS WHAT THE DEAL WAS.

>> THE NEWS WAS SUCH A SHOCK, PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

CATHY CUMMINGS DIED FEBRUARY 11th.

SHE WAS JUST 62.

LAST TUESDAY AT THE U.S. CAPITOL, OKLAHOMA CONGRESSWOMAN STEPHANIE LAMENTED A LIFE WELL LIVED.

>> CATHY CUMMINGS WAS ONE OF THE MOST POSITIVE AND FRIENDLY WOMEN YOU WOULD EVER MEET.

ALTOGETHER OUR POLITICAL LEANINGS WERE QUITE DIFFERENT, SHE ALWAYS GREETED M HE WITH A HUG AND SMILE WHEN WE WOULD SEE EACH OTHER.

>> SHE WAS THIS WAY.

I'M NOT SAYING THIS FOR THE CAMERA, IS WHAT COULD WE HAVE DONE FOR OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS.

THAT STARTED THE CONVERSATION.

IT REALLY DID.

>> A WEEK AFTER CATHY'S PASSING FRIEND, A FAMILY CREATED A GOOD FUND ME PAGE.

THE MONEY GOES TOWARDS PAYING OFF SCHOOL LUNCH DEBT IN PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE STATE.

FOR THE PAST MONTH, SHAWN CUMMINGS HAS BEEN TRAVELING THE SOONER STATE WITH CATHY'S DOG DISTRIBUTING CHECKS FROM $200 TO OVER $4,000 TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO HAVE ASKED FOR IT.

HE'S CHRONICLING IT ALL ON FACEBOOK.

YOU KNOW WHAT THEY SAY.

A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND MEALS.

>> SO WITH GO FUND ME AND CHECKS, BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN A LARGE CHECK AND SMALLER ONES, WE'RE AT A LITTLE OVER $63,000 RIGHT NOW.

WHO WOULD HAVE EVER THOUGHT?

I MEAN, HONESTLY.

WHAT IT LETS YOU KNOW IS THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO CARE.

>> SO FAR, CUMMINGS HAS GIVEN JUST OVER HALF OF THAT MONEY AWAY.

>> I BELIEVE WE ARE AT 14 AS OF TODAY, AND WE HAVE A LINE OF 20 TO GO.

>> I WAS AT FARGO FOR 36 YEARS.

>> A VETO'S RESTAURANT THIS LAST MONEY, SHE GAVE HER A BOOST.

SHE WORKS FOR THE FARGO GAGE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>> WHAT WITH WE DOING?

>> 1400.

>> WELL, IT'S GOING TO BE 1500 NOW.

>> SHE SAYS WHEN SHE FIRST HEARD ABOUT SHAWN CUMMINGS LAST WEEK SHE THOUGHT IT WAS A SCAM.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW.

I JUST REALLY DIDN'T BELIEVE SOMETHING COULD HAPPEN LIKE THAT OR WE COULDN'T HAVE BEEN A PART OF SOMETHING.

>> WHAT DOES THIS HELP YOU DO?

>> WELL, THESE KIDS GET -- YOU KNOW, THEY'RE -- WITHOUT THEIR LUNCHES PAID, YOU KNOW, LIKE OUR SENIORS, THEY'LL HOLD THEIR DIPLOMAS AND THEY'LL DO DIFFERENT THINGS.

SO YOU KNOW, I MEAN, IT'S HARD ON THE KIDS, YOU KNOW, AND RIGHT NOW OUR PARENTS ARE STRUGGLING SOME UP THERE.

YOU NOTICE, IT -- YOU KNOW, IT WAS A BLESSING.

>> TUESDAY AFTERNOON IN LOGAN COUNTY, CUMMINGS WALKED INTO COIL HIGH SCHOOL.

$500 WILL GO A LONG WAY HERE.

>> YEAH, DURING COVID, THERE WAS ABOUT A THREE-YEAR GAP WHERE STUDENTS -- WE HAD A WAIVER FOR CHILD NUTRITION, AND SO ALL STUDENTS ATE FREE HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

AND THEN STARTING WITH THE '22-'23 SCHOOL YEAR, THAT KIND OF STARTED GETTING CLAWED BACK A LITTLE BIT.

SO TRYING TO GET PARENTS BACK IN THE HABIT OF FILLING OUT THAT PAPERWORK, OUR NUMBERS ARE LOW RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE WORKING ON IT, TRYING TO GET EVERYBODY UP AND GOING.

THIS YEAR, WE HAVE QUITE A FEW STUDENTS THAT ARE INCURRED DEBT.

>> AND THEN SHAWN CUMMINGS COMES ALONG.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

THAT'S AN EXCELLENT THING HE'S DOING.

GRACIOUS HEART, BEING ABLE TO HELP PROVIDE SOME OF THAT, BECAUSE OUR SENIORS WERE NOT ABLE TO GRADUATE IF THEY OWE A LUNCH BALANCE.

SO THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CORRECT SOME OF THOSE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES PEOPLE HAVE FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS THAT ARE JUST OUTSIDE OF THEIR ABILITIES TO BE ABLE TO PAY.

>> THIS IS A TOMATO CREAM SAUCE.

IT'S DELICIOUS.

GET THAT THING BOILING UP HERE IN A SECOND.

>> TURNING GRIEF INTO SOMETHING GOOD.

>> THIS IS NOT A SMALL CHECK.

>> I KNOW.

ISN'T IT GREAT?

EVERY TIME I WALK BACK TO MY CAR, ALL I CAN THINK OF IS, MAN, SHE WOULD BE THRILLED THAT THIS IS WHAT WE DID.

THERE YOU GO.

>> THIS IS A BLESSING.

IT REALLY IS A BLESSING.

>> IT WAS MY WIFE'S IDEA.

>> BUT YOU'RE GOING THROUGH WITH IT, SO YOU'RE KEEPING IT ROLLING AND THAT'S A BLESSING.

>> MIKE JONES IS SUPERINTENDT OF THE GAGE-FARGO SCHOOL DISTRICT.

HE TOLD ME THE 1500 DOLLAR CHECK CUMMINGS WROTE TO HIS DISTRICT IS GREATLY APPRECIATED.

HE TOLD ME, LEGALLY, THEIR DISTRICT CAN'T WITHHOLD DIPLOMAS FROM GRADUATING SENIORS.

HOWEVER, FAMILIES ARE ASKED TO PAY ANY OUTSTANDING FEES.

THAT'S EXACTLY THE KIND OF THING THIS HELPS.

RICH.

>> THAT'S A GREAT STORY.

THANKS A LOT, STEVE.

APPRECIATE THAT.

>> THIS WEEK, OKLAHOMA LOST ONE OF ITS MOST ICONIC HOMEGROWN HEROES.

GENERAL THOMAS STAFFORD PASSED AWAY IN FLORIDA ON MONDAY.

HE WAS 93 YEARS OLD.

BORN IN WEATHERFORD, OKLAHOMA, IN 1930, STAFFORD'S RESUME IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPRESSIVE OF ANY AMERICAN ASTRONAUT.

HE FLEW FOUR HISTORIC SPACE MISSIONS, THREE OF THEM AS COMMANDER.

HE WAS NOMINATED FOR A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE AND AT ONE POINT WAS IN CHARGE OF THE TOP-SECRET AREA-51 IN THE NEVADA DESERT.

STAFFORD FLEW ON THE GEMINI 6 AND 9 MISSIONS AND WAS THE FIRST MAN TO PILOT THE LUNAR MODULE AROUND THE MOON AS PART OF THE APOLLO-10 MISSION.

IN 1975, HE CO-COMMANDED THE FINAL APOLLO FLIGHT THAT ORBITED WITH A SOVIET CREW AND HELPED EASE COLD WAR TENSIONS BETWEEN THE U.S.A. AND RUSSIA.

IN ALL, STAFFORD SPENT OVER 500 HOURS IN SPACE.

>> ONE OF OKLAHOMA'S FAVORITE SONS, AVIATION LEGEND, AEROSPACE LEGEND FOR THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

WE ALL KNOW HE STARTED LIFE OUT IN WESTERN OKLAHOMA IN WEATHERFORD, GRADUATED WEATHERFORD HIGH SCHOOL, WENT ON TO THE NAVAL ACADEMY, AND THEN HIS CAREER TOOK FLIGHT, LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY, FROM THERE.

>> ME, PERSONALLY, I THINK JUST LOOKING BACK ON THE HISTORY BOOKS, WHAT HE DID WITH APOLLO SOYUZ AND WHAT THAT MEANT FOR SOVIET-U.S. RELATIONS AT THE TIME AND TRYING TO WALK US BACK FROM THE BRINK OF THE EDGE OF A REALLY BAD COLD WAR, I THINK, REALLY DID US AS A HUMAN SPECIES REALLY GREAT.

BUT OUR TWO COUNTRIES, I THINK, REALLY PUT THAT ON THE MAP.

IN TERMS OF HIS MOST IMPORTANT MOMENT IN THE SPOTLIGHT, WAS THAT APOLLO SOYUZ MISSION.

>> STAFFORD IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, LINDA, AND SEVERAL CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN.

A FUNERAL SERVICE WILL BE HELD FRIDAY, APRIL 5TH, AT 10 A.M.

IN WEATHERFORD, OKLAHOMA.

>> THERE ARE CURRENTLY TWO BILLS UNDER CONSIDERATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO SLEEP ON STATE LAND THAT ISN'T DESIGNATED AS A CAMPSITE.

THEIR PURPOSE IS TO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS.

IS THAT A GOOD IDEA OR NOT?

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD.

HERE'S A PREVIEW: >> INDIVIDUALS ALREADY HAVE A LOT THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.

THERE'S ALREADY A LOT ON THEIR PLATE, AND WHEN YOU ADD THIS TO IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE LIFE BECOMES EVEN MORE IMPOSSIBLE.

AND SO IT KIND OF CONTINUES THAT DOWNWARD SPIRAL, BOTH, I THINK, EMOTIONALLY, EVEN PHYSICALLY.

AND I THINK, YEAH, IT WILL REALLY CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY -- YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH YOUTH, AND SO OUR YOUTH ARE COMING IN WITH A LOT ON THEIR SHOULDERS, AND THIS ISN'T SOMETHING ELSE THAT THEY NEED ON TOP OF THAT.

>> THERE'S THE, YOU KNOW, FOUR OR 500 PEOPLE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE SHELTER BEDS FOR.

AND SO FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GO TO SOMEONE AND SAY, "YOU CAN'T BE HERE.

I DON'T HAVE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BE, BUT YOU CAN'T BE HERE," WE'VE JUST -- WE'VE JUST MOVED THAT PROBLEM AROUND.

>> THE REST OF THAT CONVERSATION COMING UP LATER IN THIS NEWSCAST.

>> WITH DETAILS ON OTHER LEGISLATION CURRENTLY UNDER CONSIDERATION AT 23rd AND LINCOLN, LET'S BRING IN OUR CONTENT PARTNERS AT QUORUM EQUAL.

PUBLISHER SHAWN ASHLEY JOINS US.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.

LET'S BEGIN WITH THE SENATE PASSING A NONBINDING BUDGET RESOLUTION THIS WEEK.

THAT SEEMS MUCHELLER IN THE SESSION THAN IN -- MUCH EARLIER IN THE SESSION THAN IN PAST YEARS, IS IT NOT?

>> IT REALLY IS.

IT'S THE FIRST TIME IN A NUMBER OF YEARS THAT WE HAVE SEEN SUCH DETAILED BUDGET NUMBERS FROM EITHER CHAMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE.

IN PREVIOUS YEARS, LAWMAKERS HAVE WORKED BEHIND CLOSED DOORS ON DEVELOPING THESE BUDGET PROPOSALS, AND THE PUBLIC NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON.

THIS YEAR, OVER THE COURSE OF 33 MEETINGS, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS WERE DEVELOPED AND THEN APPROVED BY THE SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AND ON MONDAY BY THE FULL SENATE AND WILL NOW BE USED IN NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE HOUSE AND THE GOVERNOR.

>> GIVEN THAT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SPECIFIC APPROPRIATIONS UNVEILED IN THE SENATE PROPOSAL?

>> THE RESOLUTION OUTLINES AGENCY BY AGENCY APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025.

SOME AGENCIES RECEIVED AN INCREASE IN APPROPRIATIONS.

OTHERS ARE HELD FLAT, AND SOME ACTUALLY SEE THEIR APPROPRIATIONS DECREASE.

THERE ARE ALSO SOME SPECIFIC PROJECTS FUNDED THROUGH THE RESOLUTION.

ONE WOULD PROVIDE $100 MILLION FOR A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, AND ANOTHER WOULD PROVIDE $500 MILLION FOR BUILDING IMPROVEMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT WITHIN THE STATE.

THERE ARE ALSO A COUPLE SUPPLEMENTAL REQUESTS FUNDED IN THE PROPOSAL AS WELL AS THE ANNUAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE AD VALOREM REIMBURSEMENT FUND WHICH HELPS OUT LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

>> SENATE LEADER GREG TREAT IS REFUSING TO APOLOGIZE TO TWO OF HIS FELLOW SENATORS.

WHAT IS HE REFUSING TO APOLOGIZE FOR?

>> DURING A MARCH 14th PRESS CONFERENCE WHICH WAS DEADLINE DAY FOR BILLS TO BE HEARD IN THEIR CHAMBER OF ORIGIN, SENATOR TREAT CRITICIZED SENATOR NATHAN DOM AND DUSTY FOR THEIR FILIBUSTER EFFORTS SLOWING DOWN THE PROCESS THAT DAY.

HE SAID FIRST THEY WERE ACTING LIKE TERRORISTS.

EARLIER THIS WEEK HE REFERRED TO THEIR BEHAVIORS AS CHILD-ISH.

THEY HAVE ASKED HIM TO APOLOGIZE, AND HE SAYS HE HAS NO INTENTION TO DO SO.

>> INTERESTING.

TWO BILLS OUT OF THE HOUSE WOULD HELP SAFEGUARD PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND MENTAL ILLNESS FROM SUFFERING ABUSE AND NEGLECT.

TELL US MORE ABOUT REPRESENTATIVE HELEN HEPENER'S LEGISLATION.

>> THESE ARE REALITIED TO THE ELDERLY AND -- RELATED TO THE ELDERLY AND INCAPACITATED ADULTS.

ONE BILL CODIFIES SORT OF THE EXISTING PROCEDURE USED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES TO CORRECT COMPLAINTS AND HAVE THEM INVESTIGATED THROUGH THE DISABILITY LAW CENTER HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

THE SECOND BILL REQUIRES THE VARIOUS FACILITIES TO POST INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO CONTACT THE DISABILITY LAW CENTER AND PROVIDE INFORMATION AND THERE ARE ANY CONCERNS REGARDING POSSIBLE ABUSE.

>> I FOUND THIS INTERESTING, A BILL WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH BOTH CHAMBERS THAT WOULD ALLOW NURSES TO PRESCRIBE DRUGS INDEPENDENT OF A DOCTOR.

NOW HOW WOULD THAT WORK?

>> THIS BILL IS ACTUALLY ON ITS WAY TO THE GOVERNOR'S DESK.

WHAT IT DOES IS PREVENT CERTAIN ADVANCED PRACTICE NURSES WITH SEVERAL YEARS OF EXPERIENCE UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A DOCTOR TO BEGIN, AS YOU MENTIONED, PRESCRIBING DRUGS ON THEIR OWN.

NOW THEY ARE LIMITED ON THE TYPES OF DRUGS WHICH CAN BE DESCRIBED, NOT THE MOST SERIOUS TYPES, FOR EXAMPLE.

AND THEY WOULD ALSO HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN OTHER CONTINUING EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THEIR CAREER IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THAT PRESCRIBING AUTHORITY.

MANY OF THE PROPONENTS OF THE BILL ARGUED THAT THIS WILL BE PARTICULARLY HELPFUL IN THE RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE WHERE ACCESS TO AN MD OR A DO IS RATHER LIMITED.

>> JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME, BUT FINALLY, THIS WAS A SHORT WEEK FOR LAWMAKERS AND PERHAPS FOR YOU TOO, SHAWN.

>> OH, I GOT A FEW EXTRA HOURS THIS WEEK, BUT REALLY I WON'T GET A CHANCE TO REST UNTIL SOME TIME AFTER MAY WHEN THE LEGISLATURE ADJOURNS SINE DIE.

>> VERY GOOD.

SHAWN ASHLEY, PUBLISHER OF QUORUM CALL.

SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.

>> YOU'RE VERY WELL WELCOME.

>> MARCH IS COLON CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND THE RECOMMENDED AGE YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE DISEASE AND TAKE PREVENTIVE STEPS TO AVOID IT IS GETTING YOUNGER AS MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE BEING DIAGNOSED WITH COLON OR RECTAL CANCER.

TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THAT.

TAELYR?

>> RICH, THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY ESTIMATES MORE THAN 106,000 NEW CASES FOR THIS YEAR.

MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WANT TO SPREAD AWARENESS AND HOPEFULLY LOWER THE NUMBER OF CASES.

>> MOST PEOPLE WOULD ASSUME THAT ADULTS IN THEIR 20s AND 30s WON'T DEVELOP COLORECTAL CANCER.

HOWEVER, EXPERTS SAY THERE'S AN INCREASE OF YOUNG ADULTS DEVELOPING COLON CANCER.

>> IT'S ABOUT A 1 IN 22 TO 25 CASE RATES FOR PEOPLE ACROSS THE BOARD.

NOW, DIET AFFECTS THE RISK OF COLON CANCER, BECAUSE THE LOWER FIBER DIET, THE KIND OF LOWER RESIDUE DIET, THOSE ARE THE TYPE OF THINGS THAT PUT YOU AT RISK FOR IT, AND WE KNOW THAT NOWADAYS WITH MORE PROCESSED FOODS AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WE'RE PUTTING OURSELVES AT RISK.

AND SO BY THAT KIND OF SCENARIO, WE'RE SEEING YOUNGER AND YOUNGER PATIENTS, BECAUSE THEIR DIETS ARE SO MUCH DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IT USED TO BE AND ARE KIND OF SKEWING AWAY FROM HIGH FIBER.

>> 36-YEAR-OLD J.J. SINGLETON SAID HE NEVER THOUGHT THE ABDOMINAL PAIN HE WAS EXPERIENCING WOULD TURN OUT TO BE CANCER.

>> ACTUALLY THE TYPICAL 27-YEAR-OLD GUY WHO THOUGHT THAT THE PAIN I WAS HAVING WAS FROM WORKING OUT, AND I WAS STUBBORN.

A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE I WENT IN, I HAD A THROBBING START IN MY ABDOMEN, AND I WAS WORKING OUT REALLY HARD THEN, SO I WAS LIKE, THAT'S A PULLED MUZZLE.

MUSCLE.OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF S I COULDN'T REALLY EAT WITHOUT HAVING A STOMACH ACHE, COULDN'T HAVE BOWEL MOVEMENTS WITHOUT BLOOD IN THEM.

STARTING THROWING UP LIQUID.

>> OU HEALTH COLORECTAL SURGEON SAYS IN SOME CASES THERE ARE NO SYMPTOMS.

>> MOST PATIENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY CAUGHT ARE ASYMPTOMATIC, WHICH MAKES IT DIFFERENT THAN A LOT OF CANCERS IN THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY CATCH THE CANCER BEFORE YOU CAN HAVE SYMPTOMS OR EVEN PREVENT THE CANCER.

>> DR. CARTER SAYS SCREENING IS RECOMMENDED TO DETECT COLON CANCER.

>> THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF SCREENING TESTS THAT YOU CAN DO.

ONE WOULD BE, LIKE, A COLONOSCOPY.

YOU CAN DO THAT.

THAT'S SORT OF THE GOLD STANDARD, MOST COMMON ONE.

YOU USUALLY DO THAT EVERY TEN YEARS STARTING AT AGE 45 OR 10 YEARS YOUNGER THAN A RELATIVE THAT HAD CANCER.

SO IF YOUR MOM WAS DIAGNOSED AT AGE 38, WOULD YOU GET YOUR FIRST COLONOSCOPY AT AGE 28.

THAT'S USUALLY DONE EVERY 10 YEARS.

>> I WAS TOTALLY INTO THAT TIG STIGMA BEFORE I WENT.

THE ONLY THING I HAD SEEN ABOUT A COLONOSCOPY WAS WHERE PEOPLE WERE LIMPING AROUND AFTERWARDS.

COMPLETE OPPOSITE.

>> PATIENT PREP FOR COLONOSCOPIES HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS.

>> THE OLD STUFF THAT YOU HEARD ABOUT FROM 3, 4, 5, MAYBE EVEN 10 YEARS AGO WHERE YOU WOULD DRINK, LIKE A GALLON OF LIQUID AND YOU WOULD FEEL SICK AND HAVE TO JUST HAMMER DOWN AS MUCHS YOS MUCH AS YOU COULD, YOU DON'T HAVE DO THAT ANYMORE.

NOW THERE IS A PILL PREP, SMALL VOLUME ONES THAT WORK WELL.

>> ANOTHER SCREENING TEST IS A FECAL OCCULT BLOOD TEST.

>> YOUR PRIMARY DOCTOR SENDS THREE CARDS WITH YOU, YOU SWAB YOUR STOOL AND SEND THAT IN.

THERE IS A DNA IN BLOOD TEST CHECKED EVERY THREE YEARS.

YOUR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR CAN ORDER ANY OF THOSE TESTS.

>> COLON CANCER IS ONE OF THE FIFTHTH HIGHEST OVER INCIDENT CANCERS IN THE STATE.

ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN CANCER INSTITUTE, THE RATE FOR ADVANCED DISEASE HAS INCREASED BY 3% IN PEOPLE YOUNGER THAN 50 YEARS OF AGE.

DR. JOHN IS THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF THE OKLAHOMA PROTON CENTER.

HE SAYS ONCE CANCER IS DETECTED, THE NEXT STEP IS REMOVING IT.

>> SO IF IT'S SMALL ENOUGH, YOU CAN DO SURGERY, EITHER A LOCALIZED SURGERY OR SOMETHING WHERE YOU REMOVE A SEGMENT THAT IS AFFECTED BY CANCER.

THAT COULD BE THE WAY TO TAKE CARE OF COLON CANCER VERY SIMPLY WITH JUST ONE METHOD.

WHEN IT BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE ADVANCED, THAT'S WHEN YOU HAVE TO USE A MULTI-SPECIALTY APPROACH WHERE YOU'RE KIND OF INVOLVING BOTH THE SURGEON, THE RADIATION ONCOLOGIST, MEDICAL ONCOLOGIST ALL WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM TO KIND OF COME UP WITH THE BEST PATH OF TREATING THE COLON CANCER OR RECTAL CANCER.

>> SOON AFTER SINGLETON HAD HIS INITIAL SCREENING, HE WENT IN FOR SURGERY.

>> I WAS ALREADY SO BAD, YOU COULD ACTUALLY SEE THE TUMOR, LIKE, WHEN I PUT MY SHIRT UP AGAINST MY STOMACH.

SO I GOT THE SCREENING DONE ON SEPTEMBER -- LIKE THE MONDAY AFTER LABOR DAY, AND WITHIN A WEEK, I WAS IN SURGERY, BECAUSE MY COLON WAS ABOUT 98% BLOCKED, SO THEY HAD TO RUSH ME IN THERE.

>> THE TYPE OF TREATMENT PRESCRIBED DEPENDS ON WHAT STAGE OF CANCER A PATIENT HAS.

SOME TREATMENT OPTIONS INCLUDE SURGERY, CHEMOTHERAPY AND RADIATION.

>> WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CHEMO AND RADIATION THERAPY FOR COLORECTAL CANCER, WE HAVE A COUPLE CHOICES FROM THE STANDPOINT OF THE RADIATION.

WE HAVE OUR STANDARD RADIATION, WHICH IS VERY COMMON AND AT MOST OF OUR CANCER CENTERS, AND THEN WE HAVE PROTON THERAPY.

THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO MODALITIES IS THE PATH THAT THE BEAM TAKES IN TRYING TO TREAT A PATIENT.

>> THE PROTON CENTER SPECIALIZES IN PROTON THERAPY.

HE SAYS IT'S AN ADVANCED FORM OF RADIATION THAT CAN TREAT MANY TYPES OF CANCER.

>> PROTON WHEN WE SHOOT IT IN, IT HITS WHERE IT STOPS AND DOESN'T GO FURTHER, SO WE CAN TARGET THE CANCER AND TARGET THE AREA THAT WE WANT TO AND MINIMIZE THE CHANCE OF DAMAGING ANYTHING ELSE, WHICH ESSENTIALLY WOULD BE THE NORMAL INTESTINES THAT ARE DOWN THERE, THE BLADDER, KIDNEY, LIVER, ALL THOSE OTHER STRUCTURES IN THE ABDOMEN THAT WE WANT TO AVOID.

>> SINCE HIS DIAGNOSIS, SINGLETON SAYS HE'S MADE A FEW ADJUSTMENTS TO HIS EATING HABITS.

>> FAST FOOD WAS REALLY CUT OUT.

SO A LITTLE BIT HEALTHIER, BUT STILL TRYING A BALANCE OF THAT ENJOYING LIFE AND BEING HEALTHY >> IF YOU HAVE A FAMILY HISTORY OF COLORECTAL CANCER OR POLYPS, TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT YOUR RISK.

RICH?

>> TAELYR, THANK YOU.

>> AS OKLAHOMA LAWMAKERS CONTINUE TO PURSUE INCREASED REGULATION AND OVERSIGHT OF THE STATE'S MEDICAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY, PRIVATES COMPANIES ARE STEPPING FORWARD TO OFFER THEIR SERVICES.

THAT STORY TOPS THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>> AG TECH ENTERPRISES IS PARTNERING WITH GROUPY GROWER CONSULTING, A MARKET FOR THE MEDICAL MARIJUANA INDUSTRY IN OKLAHOMA.

THEY WILL OFFER CREDENTIALING SOFTWARE TO TRACK LICENSE, REGISTRATION AND RENEWALS TO PROVIDE BACKGROUND CHECK AND OTHER SERVICES.

THE OCANA RESORT AND WATER PARK HAS ANNOUNCED THE HIRING OF TWO KEY POSITIONS.

KEN LEON BRINGS 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, INCLUDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF MARGARITAVILLE RESORTS IN TENNESSEE.

IN ADDITION, ED CARLIN WHO RECENTLY LED A MEDIA TOUR OF THE UNFINISHED WATER PARK, HAS BEEN HIRED AS THE DIRECTOR OF SALES AND MARKETING.

THE 400 MILLION-DOLLAR DEVELOPMENT IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN THE SPRING OF 2025.

ACCORDING TO A REPORT, A TYPICAL TULSA HOUSEHOLD PAYS $1,771 PER MONTH ON THE 10 MOST COMMON HOUSEHOLD BILLS, MORE THAN $21,000 PER YEAR.

THAT IS A 6% INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR COMPARED TO A 4% INCREASE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

TULSA HOUSEHOLDS SPEND 35% OF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSEHOLD BILLS IN TOTAL, THEY RECORD, AMERICANS SPEND $3.2 TRILLION ANNUALLY ON HOUSEHOLD BILLS.

>>> USED CARS ARE BECOMING MORE AFFORDABLE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

ACCORDING TO THE LATEST STUDY BY IC CARS, THE COST OF PURCHASING A USED VEHICLE DROPPED BY 5.3% YEAR TO YEAR RESULTING IN A SAVINGS OF THE $1,600 FROM FEBRUARY 2023 TO FEBRUARY 2024.

THAT'S BETTER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, WHICH SAW A 3 AND A HALF PERCENT DECLINE.

TESLA MODEL 3 RECORDED THE LARGEST PRICE DROP IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

TUESDAY MARKED NATIONAL AGRICULTURE DAY, AND ACCORDING TO A REPORT FROM LAWN STARTER.COM, OKLAHOMA RANKS 21st IN THE NATION IN THE AMOUNT OF FRESH WATER USED TO IRRIGATE FARMS.

NEIGHBORING STATES, ARKANSAS, TEXAS, AND KANSAS RANKED 2nd, 6th AND 11 RESPECTIVELY.

CALIFORNIA USES THE MOST WATER FOR FARM IRRIGATION AND WEST VIRGINIA THE LEAST.

AND FINALLY, THE 3-DAY FESTIVAL BEGINS FRIDAY AT THE NATIONAL COWBOY AND WESTERN MUSEUM IN OKLAHOMA CITY, ONE OF THE LARGEST NATIVE AMERICAN ART SHOWS IN THE COUNTRY.

THIS YEAR'S FESTIVAL, WHICH TYPICALLY TAKES PLACE IN THE SUMMERTIME, WILL FEATURE 70 ARTISTS FROM THE UNITED STATES, CANADA AND MEXICO.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

>> THERE ARE MORE THAN 2500 HOMELESS PEOPLE LIVING IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND TULSA, ACCORDING TO THE 2023 "POINT IN TIME" COUNTS.

IN AN EFFORT TO REDUCE THAT NUMBER, LAWMAKERS ARE CONSIDERING LEGISLATION THAT WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO SLEEP ON STATE-OWNED LANDS.

NOT EVERYONE THINKS THAT'S THE BEST WAY TO ADDRESS THE GROWING PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS IN OKLAHOMA.

WITH MORE ON THAT, HERE'S MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD WITH THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION.

CASSIDY?

>> THANK YOU.

RICH.

JOINING ME NOW IS DAN STRAWN, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HOMELESS ALLIANCE OF OKLAHOMA CITY AND GREGORY.

GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.

>> GLAD TO BE HERE.

>> I WANT TO START THIS CONVERSATION BY ASKING YOU BOTH ABOUT THE IDENTICAL BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE THAT IF PASSED WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL TO STAY ON STATE LAND THAT ISN'T SET ASIDE AS A CAMP SIDE.

DAN, DO YOU THINK THIS LEGISLATION IS A GOOD IDEA?

>> NO, I DO NOT.

I KNOW THE AUTHOR OF THE BILL ON THE SENATE SIDE HAS TALKED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE.

AND THAT'S VALID.

THERE'S JUST A BETTER WAY TO DO IT.

IN OKLAHOMA CITY, WE HAVE THIS ENCAMPMENT REHOUSING INITIATIVE WHERE WE GO TO WHERE UNSHELTERED PEOPLE ARE CAMPING, UNDER BRIDGES.

A PERFECT EXAMPLE IS THE BRIDGE AT I 44 AND 10.

WE SEND ALL OF OUR OUTREACH WORKERS INTO THAT CAMP, AND WE TELL PEOPLE, 30 DAYS, THIS CAMP IS CLOSED, AND YOU ALL GO INTO HOUSING.

THEN WE FIND OUT WHAT THEIR BARRIERS ARE.

I DON'T HAVE ID.

I OWE THE CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY $700, WHATEVER THEIR BARRIERS ARE.

IN THOSE 30 DAYS, WE TAKE CARE OF THOSE BARRIERS.

THEN ON THAT 30th DAY, OUR HOUSING CASE MANAGERS COME IN.

WE PICK EVERYBODY UP.

WE TAKE THEM TO THEIR APARTMENT, WE SET THEM UP.

AND THEN THE CITY COMES IN BEHIND US AND BLOCKS OFF THAT CAMP, SO IT CAN'T BE REOCCUPIED.

THAT'S A PROACTIVE HUMANE WAY TO ADDRESS UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS RATHER THAN MAKING IT A MISDEMEANOR AND JUST ADDING TO THE BARRIERS THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO GET BACK INTO HOUSING.

YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU GIVE A TODDLER A HAMMER, ALL THE WORLD BECOMES A NAIL, RIGHT?

THAT'S JUST WHAT THEY DO.

AND I'M NOT CALLING OUR STATE LEGISLATORS TODDLERS.

SOMETIMES THEY THINK MAKING SOMETHING ILLEGAL IS THE ONLY TOOL IN THEIR TOOLBOX, AND IT'S NOT.

IF OKLAHOMA CITY CAN DO SOMETHING LIKE THE ENCAMPMENT REHOUSING INITIATIVE, THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA COULD TOO.

>> WELL, AND WE HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE IN OKLAHOMA CITY ALONE, NOT EVEN TO MENTION TULSA AND THE OTHER PARTS OF THE STATE, LIVING WITHOUT HOUSES.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION TO HELP EVERYONE?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY NOT AS WE'RE CURRENTLY RESOURCED.

I MEAN, I'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR 20 YEARS.

I CAN COUNT ON THE FINGERS OF ONE HAND THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT IF WE, AS A COMMUNITY, WERE WILLING TO OFFER A SOLUTION THAT THE PERSON COULD ACCEPT, THEY WOULD ACCEPT, AND THAT INCLUDES HOUSING.

>> GREG, WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION?

>> WELL, I THINK DAN IS EXACTLY RIGHT ON THE BARRIER THAT IT CREATES.

YOU KNOW, INDIVIDUALS ALREADY HAVE A LOT THAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH.

THERE'S ALREADY A LOT ON THEIR PLATE.

WHEN YOU ADD THIS TO IT, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE LIFE BECOMES EVEN MORE IMPOSSIBLE, AND SO IT KIND OF CONTINUES THAT DOWNWARD SPIRAL BOTH, I THINK, EMOTIONALLY, EVEN PHYSICALLY.

I THINK, YEAH, IT WILL REALLY CAUSE A LOT OF PROBLEMS, ESPECIALLY WE WORK WITH YOUTH.

SO OUR YOUTH ARE COMING IN WITH A LOT ON THEIR SHOULDERS, AND THIS ISN'T SOMETHING ELSE THEY NEED ON TOP OF THAT.

>> WELL, IF THESE PEOPLE AREN'T ABLE TO GET HELP FROM THE HOMELESS ALLIANCE OR THE SALVATION ARMY AND THEY'RE ASKED TO LEAVE THESE SITES, WHERE ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GO?

>> AND THAT'S THE TOUGH ONE.

SO IN OKLAHOMA CITY, WE HAVE 8 OVERNIGHT SHELTERS WITH A TOTAL OF 950-ISH BEDS.

OUR LAST POINT IN TIME COUNT WAS 1436.

SO I MEAN, YOU CAN DO THE MATH.

THERE'S 4 OR 500 PEOPLE THAT WE DO NOT HAVE SHELTER BEDS FOR.

AND SO FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO GO TO SOMEONE AND SAY "YOU CAN'T BE HERE.

I DON'T HAVE A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN BE, BUT YOU CAN'T BE HERE, "WE'VE JUST MOVED THAT PROBLEM AROUND.

WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE ON THE MEDIAN OF VIRGINIA AVENUE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

SO THERE WAS A CAMP THAT HAD BEEN SET UP WITH 20 DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN 15 TENTS AND LEAN-TO'S AND THAT SORT OF THING.

THE CITY AND THE COUNTY CAME IN AND SAID, YOU CAN'T CAMP IN A MEDIAN, AND THEY'RE RIGHT.

IT'S NOT SAFE.

BUT WHAT THEY DID WAS THEY MOVED TO A VACANT LOT THAT WAS ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY THAT'S PRIVATELY OWNED.

SO WE TOOK A COMMUNITY PROBLEM AND MADE IT A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL'S PROBLEM, BECAUSE NOW HE'S GETTING CODE VIOLATION TICKETS AT 300 BUCKS A POP, AND HE DOES NOT HAVE THE WHEREWITHAL TO -- HE'S NOT A SOCIAL WORKER.

HE'S NOT AN OUTREACHER.

HE CAN'T GO OUT THERE AND SAY YOU GUYS HAVE TO LEAVE.

HE'S GOT TO CALL THE POLICE IN.

THIS IDEA OF TELLING UNSHELTERED PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T BE HERE, I MEAN, I GET IT.

I UNDERSTAND WHY.

THE MEDIAN IS NOT A SAFE PLACE TO CAMP.

BUT WE DON'T PROVIDE -- WE DON'T TAKE THAT NEXT STEP OF PROVIDING THE SAFE PLACE.

>> WELL, AND GREG, DO YOU FEEL LIKE BILLS LIKE THESE AND THE ONES WE'VE SEEN RECENTLY ARE AN EFFORT FOR CRIMINALIZE HOMELESSNESS?

>> IT CERTAINLY MAY SEEM THAT WAY, AND I UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE FORETHOUGHT IN THIS.

IT'S TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO REALIZE THAT A TYPICAL SHELTER IS NOT NECESSARILY THE RIGHT THING FOR EVERY PERSON.

I THINK THAT'S WHERE IT BECOMES VERY INDIVIDUALIZED AS FAR AS WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE, FINDING OUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, WHAT THE BEST SOLUTION IS, AND WORKING WITH THEM TO OVERCOME ANY BARRIERS THAT ARE THERE TO SATISFY THAT SOLUTION.

YOU KNOW, FOR US, WE LOOK AT, WITH YOUTH, THAT IF WE PUT THEM IN ONE SHELTER AND THEN THEY GET MOVED TO ANOTHER SHELTER AND THEN SIX WEEKS LATER HERE IN ANOTHER SHELTER, WE ARE JUST CONTINUING THAT WHOLE IDEA OF TRAUMA UPON THEIR LIVES OF BEING CONSTANTLY UPROOTED AND MOVED ALL THE TIME.

THAT DOESN'T SERVE ANYBODY WELL.

>> AND LIKE YOU SAID, YOUR ORGANIZATION FOCUSES MOSTLY ON OUR TEENS AND OUR YOUTH STRUGGLING WITH HOMELESSNESS.

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW THEIR EXPERIENCE IS A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN MAYBE THE OLDER GENERATION?

>> SURE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF EXPERIENCES THEY HAVEN'T HAD IN LIFE YET, AND THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND BOUNDARIES.

THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND CONSENT, AND SO THEY'RE JUST BEGINNING INTO THIS PROCESS OF LIFE, TRANSITIONING INTO ADULTHOOD AND HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF EDUCATION BEFORE THAT BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS WITHIN THEIR LIVES THAT WAS A BARRIER TO BE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT THE BASICS OF LIFE.

AND SO MANY OF OUR YOUTH COME TO US BECAUSE THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN.

THEY'RE COUCH HOMELESS.

THEY'RE HOMELESS.

THEY'RE STRUGGLING WITH MULTIPLE DIFFICULTIES AS FAR AS EDUCATION.

HOW DO THEY START TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT?

AND MANY TIMES WHAT WE KIND OF FIND OUT IS THAT THEY NEED THE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS.

THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE THE CONNECTION THAT THEY NEED IN ORDER TO FIND THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM, AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN.

WE BECOME THAT FIRST CONNECTION FOR THEM TO HELP THEM FIND THOSE HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS AND BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED.

>> DAN, LET'S JUMP BACK JUST A LITTLE BIT.

CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR ROLE AS THE HOMELESS ALLIANCE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND WHAT EXACTLY YOUR ORGANIZATION DOES TO HELP PEOPLE LIVING WITHOUT HOMES?

>> SURE.

SO THE HOMELESS ALLIANCE OPERATES OKLAHOMA CITY'S ONLY GENERAL USE DAY SHELTER.

WE SEE ABOUT 400 INDIVIDUALS A DAY IN THE DAY SHELTER AND ABOUT 12,000 OVER THE COURSE OF LAST YEAR.

WE ALSO OPERATE OKLAHOMA CITY'S ONLY PERMANENT WINTER SHELTER.

WE HAVE SOME EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMS THAT PEOPLE MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH, CURBSIDE CHRONICLE, WHICH IS OKLAHOMA'S ONLY STREET MAGAZINE, CURBSIDE FLOWERS, WHICH IS A BRICK AND MORTAR FLOWER SHOP, CURBSIDE APPAREL, AND THEN SASQUATCH SAVED ICE, WHICH IS EMPLOYS TRANSITION YOUTH, HOMELESS OR AT RICK OF AF HOMELESSNESS.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS WE DO IS PROVIDE SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM HOUSING TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

SO LAST YEAR WE HOUSED 835 NEW HOUSEHOLDS, AND WE HAD 1,887 IN OUR ONGOING HOUSING PROGRAMS.

>> GREG, VERY QUICKLY, TELL ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT PIVOT OFFERS?

>> SURE.

PIVOT, OF COURSE, IS A TURNING POINT FOR YOUTH.

WE WORK WITH YOUTH AGES 12 TO 24.

THEY'RE HOMELESS, COUCH HOMELESS, LIKE I SAID, BARRIERS, TRAUMA, AND SO THE DIFFERENT AREAS WE WORK IN, THERE'S 4 DIFFERENT AREAS THAT WE WORK IN, BASIC NEEDS, WHICH THAT INCLUDES THE HOUSING, FOOD, HYGIENE PRODUCTS, THAT KIND OF THING.

THE OTHER AREAS, EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT, SO HELPING THEM FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY NEED TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO GET INTO ANY KIND OF EDUCATION THEY WANT AFTER THAT.

IF THEY WANT TO GO TO A JOB, HOW TO GET EMPLOYMENT, HOW TO DO THAT.

THIRD AREA THAT WE WORK IN IS THAT CONNECTION, THE HEALTHY CONNECTIONS.

AND SO WE HELP THEM TO IDENTIFY HEALTHY CONNECTIONS THAT ARE AROUND THEM AND HOW THEY CAN TAP INTO THOSE RESOURCES AND USE THEM.

AND THEN OUR FOURTH AREA IS WELL-BEING.

SO THAT'S WHERE WE DO MORE OF OUR SKILL PROGRAM, WHICH IS SUPPORTING KIDS IN INDEPENDENT LIVING.

SO IT'S KIND OF A MENTORING PROGRAM IN A WAY.

AND THEN OUR THERAPY DEPARTMENT.

AND SO WE DON'T CHARGE FOR ANY OF OUR SERVICES, SO THEY CAN COME AND GET THERAPY.

IT'S NO COST.

AND SO IT'S KIND OF A WRAP-AROUND SERVICE.

WE HAVE TWO SHELTERS ON OUR PROPERTY.

ONE THAT IS FOR MINORS.

ONE THAT'S FOR THE 18 TO 24.

AND THEN WE HAVE PROBABLY WHAT PEOPLE MORE KNOW US FOR, THE TINY HOMES.

WE HAVE 26, AND 15 MORE OPENING UP IN THE NEXT MONTH, SO WE SEE AN EXPANSION GROWING THERE.

THAT KEEPS GROWING AND THE INTEREST KEEPS GROWING WITH IT.

JUST IN A LOOK, WE HAVE A WAITING LIST OF OVER 500 FOR OUR TINY HOMES S THAT NOT RIDICULOUS?

>> THAT'S INSANE.

>> YEAH.

WE ALSO DO HAVE WHAT'S CALLED THE CIC, COMMUNITY INTERVENTION CENTER.

THAT'S TO HELP OUT OUR POLICE ENFORCEMENT WITHIN OKLAHOMA CITY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

SO IF THERE IS A YOUTH THAT GOT IN TROUBLE, THEY CAN BRING THEM TO THE CIC.

WE HOLD THEM UNTIL THEIR PARENTS CAN COME PICK THEM UP.

SO IT'S A SAFE PLACE TO THEM TO BE.

OUR LATEST ENDEAVOR IS THE PIVOT PRESERVES.

SO WE'RE ALWAYS EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND TRYING TO GET NEWS OUT ABOUT IT.

AND IT IS A PROGRAM TO RAISE FUNDS FOR PIVOT, BUT THE IMPORTANT PIECE OF THAT REALLY WAS, AGAIN, LIKE DAN WAS TALKING ABOUT WITH THE SHAVED ICE, IT'S JOBS FOR OUR YOUTH.

LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THEY'VE HAD A LOT OF TRAUMA IN THEIR LIFE.

MANY TIMES WHEN THEY'RE CONFRONTED, THEY EITHER FREEZE, FIGHT, OR FLIGHT.

ALL THREE OF THOSE, IF YOU DO THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO BE FIRED IN A JOB.

AND SO IT BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO HOLD A JOB, TO STAY IN A JOB FOR VERY LONG, AND THEY'RE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT ONE, AND THE SAME THING IS -- BECOMES A REPEATED BEHAVIOR.

SO WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IS THEY'RE ABLE TO WORK, THEY LEARN NEW SKILLS.

THEY'RE ABLE TO WORK THROUGH THOSE DIFFERENT PHASES IN A SAFE PLACE.

SO IF IT DOES HAPPEN, IF THEY DO FREEZE, THEY DO FIGHT, THEY DO FLIGHT, WE CAN WORK THROUGH IT AND TEACH THEM A BETTER WAY AND HOW TO OVERCOME THAT TRAUMA SO THAT THEY CAN THEN LEAVE FROM PIVOT PRESERVES AND GO AND BE AN EMPLOYEE AND BE A STRONG EMPLOYEE FOR ANOTHER COMPANY SOMEWHERE WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> DAN, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME OF THE ROOT CAUSES OF HOMELESSNESS NOT JUST ACROSS THE NATION, BUT SPECIFICALLY HERE IN OKLAHOMA?

>> WELL, OKLAHOMA HAS THE SAME ISSUE THAT IS ACROSS THE NATION.

THE ROOT CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS IS THE COST OF HOUSING VERY THE LEVEL OF POVERTY.

IT IS THAT SIMPLE.

AND PEOPLE THINK, YOU KNOW, IT'S MENTAL ILLNESS, IT'S SUBSTANCE USE.

THAT'S NOT IT.

IT'S THE COST OF AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING.

AND ONE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT IS THE GAME MUSICAL CHAIRS.

EVERYBODY HAS PLAYED MUSICAL CHAIRS.

SO JUST THINK 10 CHAIRS LINED UP, FIVE BACK TO BACK.

MUSIC PLAYS, THEY GET UP RUN AROUND, SOMEBODY YANKS AWAY A CHAIR.

MUSIC STOPS.

NINE PEOPLE SIT DOWN AND ONE IS LEFT STANDING, AND IT'S THE WOMAN ON CRUTCHES.

NOW, DID THE CRUTCHES CAUSE HER TO BE CHAIRLESS OR WAS IT THE FACT THAT THERE JUST WEREN'T ENOUGH CHAIRS?

HER BEING ON CRUTCHES DISADVANTAGED HER IN THE COMPETITION FOR A SCARCE RESOURCE, CHAIRS, BUT IT DIDN'T CAUSE HER TO BE CHAIRLESS, AND IT'S THE SAME THING WITH MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE.

WE'VE ALL KNOWN PEOPLE THAT ARE KIND OF CRAZY AND ARE IN HOUSING.

WE'VE ALL KNOWN PEOPLE THAT ARE ADDICTS, ALCOHOLICS, THAT ARE IN HOUSING.

THOSE THINGS DON'T CAUSE HOMELESSNESS.

THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE, ACCESSIBLE HOUSING IS THE CAUSE, AND IT'S THE CURE.

>> GREG, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS ON THIS TOPIC?

>> THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY, AS FAR AS WITH YOUTH, MOST OF THE YOUTH WE WORK WITH ARE AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE, SO THAT'S ONE PROBLEM, IS THAT THEY'VE BEEN IN FOSTER CARE.

THEY TURN 18.

THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO OR WHAT TO DO.

SO THAT'S MANY OF OUR YOUTH.

A LARGE PORTION OF OUR YOUTH ARE ALSO LGBTQ.

AND SO WE'RE A SAFE PLACE FOR YOUTH TO COME.

WHATEVER THEIR LIFESTYLE MIGHT BE, WHATEVER THEIR WAYS ARE, AND MANY HOMES ARE NOT ALWAYS ACCEPTING OF THAT KIND OF LIFESTYLE, AND SO THEY FIND THEMSELVES HOMELESS.

SO MANY OF OUR YOUTH IN OUR SHELTERS, WE HAVE FOUND ARE PART OF THE LGBTQ, AND SO THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD SAY ADDITIONALLY TO THAT.

I THINK IT IS A HOUSING ISSUE.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE TRANSITIONS TRYING TO DO MORE PERMANENT HOUSING, AND WE'VE MADE SOME CHANGES IN OUR STATE ALLOWING FOR YOUTH THAT ARE YOUNGER, UNDER 18, TO BE ABLE TO GET INTO HOUSING.

BUT WE HAVE TO, ON THE OTHER SIDE, HAVE HOUSING THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO DO THAT.

WE'VE WORKED OUT HALF THE PIECE.

WE HAVE TO WORK OUT THE OTHER HALF STILL.

SO THEY'RE ALLOWED TO, IT'S JUST THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY THAT ARE ALLOWING THEM.

>> WELL, WE'RE GOING TO STOP RIGHT THERE.

THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THIS ISSUE.

DAN STRAWN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.

SHANNON, O'SHAY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING US.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AND THANK YOU, CASSIDY.

>> HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF SKI-JORING?

THINK OF IT AS A COMBINATION OF SKIING AND RODEO.

IT'S PRETTY POPULAR IN WYOMING, AND THAT'S WHERE WE HEADED THIS WEEK IN OUR NATIONAL VIEW SEGMENT.

SO SADDLE UP YOUR HORSE AND GRAB YOUR SKIS AS WE HEAD TO SHERIDAN, WYOMING, FOR THIS REPORT FROM OUR PARTNERS AT WYOMING PBS.

♪♪ >> THE DECIDE TO BRING SKI-JORING TO SHERIDAN, ECONOMIC IMPACT.

FAST FORWARD TO THAT, WE WERE IMMEDIATELY THE LARGEST SKI-JORING RACE IN AMERICA.

THE NEXT YEAR, WE DOUBLE EVERYTHING.

IT'S SUCH A POWERFUL ECONOMIC TOOL FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

THE LAST TWO YEARS, WE HAD SOME STRUGGLES WITH MOTHER NATURE.

YOU KNOW, THE COVID YEAR AND LAST YEAR, THERE WAS NO SNOW.

THAT KIND OF GOT US THINKING, LIKE WHAT DO WE DO?

IF WE PLAN THIS AGAIN A THIRD YEAR IN A ROW FOR DOWNTOWN AND CAN'T PULL IT OFF BECAUSE OF LACK OF SNOW, YOU'RE PRETTY MUCH ALL BUT KILLING THIS THING.

SO WE LOOKED AT THE FAIRGROUNDS AND SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

WE HOPE PEOPLE WANT TO GO UP THERE.

IT'S FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, SO WE DON'T KNOW UNTIL TOMORROW THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO SHOW UP.

BUT WE'RE HOPING SEVERAL THOUSAND.

>> WE'RE THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN FROM ONE ANOTHER.

HE'S THE RACE PROGRAMMER, SO HE TAKES CARE OF COURSE DESIGN, TRACK BUILDING.

HE'S AN ENGINEER.

>> I DESIGN THE COURSES.

I SHOOT FOR AN 80% SUCCESS RATE.

IT'S A GOOD FUN COURSE.

IT'S SAFE, AND YOU CAN BASICALLY MAKE IT AS HARD AS YOU WANT JUST BY ADDING A LITTLE BIT MORE SPEED.

YOU CAN IMAGINE COMING OVER HERE.

THE SKIER WILL COME OVER HERE, PUT HIS ARM OUT, COLLECT THREE BIG RINGS ON HIS ARM AND THEN GRIP THE ROPE AND THEN COME BACK OVER HERE AND SEND IT.

THAT'S A RUSH.

YOU COME DOWN HERE AND YOU SAIL THROUGH THE FINISH LINE, AND THEY'RE ALL CHEERING YOU ON.

IT FEELS REALLY GOOD.

>> WELL, I THINK IT WILL BE A TURNOUT.

THE POSITIVE THING ABOUT UP HERE IS THERE'S 4500 VERY GOOD SEATS RIGHT BEHIND ME, AND THEN WE HAVE SOME STANDING ROOM IN THE ARENA AREA, SO I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO FIND THAT IT WAS A GOOD MOVE.

>> THE LAST TIME I GOT TO RACE HERE WAS TWO YEARS AGO, AND I RACED SUNDANCE AND SHERIDAN THAT YEAR, AND THAT WAS KIND OF MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH SKI-JORING.

IT'S AN ADRENALIN RUSH, I GUESS.

YOU'RE PULLING TOGETHER SKIERS AND HORSE MEN AND COWBOYS, AND IT'S A REALLY DIFFERENT DYNAMIC THAT YOU DON'T REALLY GET TO SEE IN A LOT OF PLACES.

>> ALL ABOUT RODEO, COWBOY AND RANCHING, BUT YET THERE IS THIS WHOLE OTHER DYNAMIC TO IT AS WELL.

IT'S JUST A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE TO BE ABLE TO BLEND EVERYBODY TOGETHER, AND I THINK IT WILL BE GREAT UP AT THE FAIRGROUNDS AND AND PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO GET WARM.

SO I'M EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

>> FROM A HORSEMAN'S PERSPECTIVE, WE CARE ABOUT OUR ANIMAL ATHLETES DEEPLY.

JUST RUNNING DOWN SNOW ON CONCRETE, THE ODDS OF INJURY GO UP, AND SO I THINK THE MOVE TO THE FAIRGROUNDS IS A STEP IN THE DIRECTION OF PUSHING THE SPORT IN WYOMING.

>> GOOD MORNING, SHERIDAN COUNTY.

I WOULD CERTAINLY LIKE TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO THE SHERIDAN COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS.

ENJOY YOUR DAY TODAY.

GO DOWNTOWN AND ENJOY THE DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY AFTER THE EVENT IS OVER.

THANK YOU.

>> I'M FEELING REAL GOOD.

THIS IS GOING TO BE AWESOME.

>> 44 RUN, GOT A HUGE CROWD, PERFECT DAY FOR SKI-JORING.

IT DOESN'T GET ANY BETTER.

♪♪ >> THE STRATEGY FOR SKI-JORING IS PROPER ROPE MANAGEMENT.

IF YOU WATCH THESE GUYS, THEY'RE GOING TO BE CRAWLING UP AND DOWN THAT ROPE THE ENTIRE COURSE LANE, AND THAT IS THE KEY TO BEING SUCCESSFUL AT SKI-JORING.

>> WE'VE COME UP WITH SOME CRAZY PROGRAMS AND SOME ARE EYEBROW RAISING FOR PEOPLE AT THE BEGINNING, BUT IT ALWAYS COMES FROM A PLACE FROM CARING ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY.

AND WHEN PEOPLE TRY SOMETHING, ESPECIALLY SOMETHING AS CRAZY AND WILD AS SKI-JORING, YOU SEE THIS HUGE GROUNDSWELL OF PEOPLE COMING TOGETHER.

IF THE COMMUNITY SAYS THIS IS SOMETHING THEY WANTS AND WE BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THE PEOPLE OF SHERIDAN COUNTY, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

THIS IS JUST ONE OF THOSE WAYS WHERE WE PARTNER, WE GIVE BACK AND WE TRY AND DO WHAT WE CAN FOR OUR COUNTY.

>> I'M GOING TO PASS.

>> ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT: WITH NEW LEADERSHIP CHOSEN FOR THE NEXT SESSION, SENATOR GREG TREAT AND HOUSE SPEAKER CHARLES MCCALL REFLECT ON THEIR TENURES AT THE TOP AND THE LEGACIES THEY WILL SOON LEAVE BEHIND.

CAPITOL CORRESPONDENT JASON DOYLE GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH BOTH LEADERS.

>> WE'LL LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK WITH A TIME LAPSE PORTRAYAL OF OKLAHOMA CITY PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OUR OETA PRODUCTION TEAM.

REMEMBER: YOU CAN ACCESS ADDITIONAL NEWS CONTENT BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, OETA.TV.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND US ON INSTAGRAM AND TWITTER BY SEARCHING "OETA ONR."

AND ON FACEBOOK AND YOUTUBE, JUST SEARCH, "THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT."

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

♪♪ CAPTIONING PROVIDED BY.

AV CAPTIONING.