SEVEN ON OETA OETA IS JUST A CLICK AWAY.

VISIT US ONLINE TODAY.

THE LONG TERM PLAN TO MAKE SURE THAT OKLAHOMA NEVER RUNS DRY, THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS, IS FIGURING OUT A WAY TO FUND AND TO HELP COMMUNITIES FUND WATER INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND LEVERAGE EVERY DOLLAR WE CAN.

THE THUNDER SHAY GILGEOUS ALEXANDER BECOMES ONLY THE 14TH PLAYER IN NBA HISTORY TO WIN BACK TO BACK MVP AWARDS.

WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, AS LONG AS I KNOW I GAVE EVERYTHING I HAD TO THE GAME.

I'LL LIVE WITH THE RESULTS AND WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE IT LOOKS LIKE.

VIEWERS SHARE THEIR SUPPORT FOR ENSURING OETA CONTINUES TO PROVIDE THE PROGRAMING THEY'VE GROWN TO LOVE.

OETA WAS TRULY WHAT GAVE ME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BROADEN MY HORIZONS AND GROW AS A YOUNG PERSON AND LEARN A DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT WAY TO TREAT DEPRESSION AND PTSD.

KETAMINE CAN BE A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL TO GIVE YOU THE HEADSPACE TO CHANGE THOSE AREAS OF YOUR LIFE THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO IN YOUR CURRENT STATE.

MEET THE STAR STUDENT WHO'S ALREADY A MONEY MAKING TEENAGE ENTREPRENEUR.

SHE'S JUST ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT THAT YOU HOPE YOUR OWN KIDS ARE LIKE.

THOSE STORIES, PLUS A REPORTER ROUNDTABLE ON THE JUST COMPLETED LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

I'M RICH LENZ.

HOW MUCH WATER DO YOU THINK OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURE AND ITS 4 MILLION PEOPLE CONSUME EACH DAY?

ACCORDING TO THE OKLAHOMA WATER RESOURCES BOARD.

IT'S 5.2 BILLION GALLONS PER DAY.

SO PROTECTING THAT RESOURCE NOW AND IN THE FUTURE IS VITAL.

NOAH MACK JOINING US NOW TO EXPLAIN HOW THAT'S BEING DONE, NOAH.

WELL, RICH, EVERY TEN YEARS, THE BOARD IS TASKED WITH COMING UP WITH A STRATEGIC PLAN.

THEY MAKE PROJECTIONS.

AND BASED ON THAT ISSUE, RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO PRESERVE OUR WATER SUPPLY FOR THE FUTURE.

IN THEIR MOST RECENT PLAN, AGING INFRASTRUCTURE IS PRIORITY NUMBER ONE.

WELL, I THINK WE WE WE OVERLOOK IT.

WE TAKE IT FOR GRANTED.

WE TURN ON THE FAUCET, WATER COMES OUT.

BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT.

WATER, ASIDE FROM OXYGEN, IS THE MOST BASIC NECESSITY FOR HUMAN SURVIVAL.

IT'S A PRECIOUS RESOURCE.

AND FOR AS LONG AS HUMANS HAVE BEEN AROUND, WE'VE BEEN DEVISING WAYS TO CAPTURE IT, STORE IT, AND PRESERVE IT.

THE OKLAHOMA WATER RESOURCES BOARD PROJECTS THAT BY 2075, DEMAND FOR WATER WILL EXCEED SUPPLY IN A LARGE PORTION OF THE STATE.

OKLAHOMA HAS 82 OF WHAT THE BOARD CALLS PLANNING BASINS, AND OVER HALF OF THOSE BASINS WILL EXPERIENCE A SUPPLY DEMAND GAP BY 2075.

THE BOARD SEGMENTS THE STATES INTO 13 REGIONS, AND THE REGIONS OF MOST CONCERN ARE MIDDLE ARKANSAS, WHERE TULSA IS LOCATED, AND CENTRAL WHERE OKLAHOMA CITY IS LOCATED.

SO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE?

WELL, THE WATER BOARD PUT TOGETHER A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT BREAKS THAT DOWN.

WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO COMMUNITIES AND TO LAWMAKERS AND TO INDUSTRIES.

ONE MAJOR PRIORITY IS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT.

ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE EMPLOYEES WHO WORKS IN WATER ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RETIREMENT DURING THE NEXT DECADE.

THINGS LIKE COMPETITIVE WAGES ARE NEEDED TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN WORKERS, AND DATA CENTERS HAVE BEEN POPPING UP ALL OVER OKLAHOMA AND CAUSING UNREST AROUND THEIR COOLING SYSTEMS, MANY OF WHICH REQUIRE EXORBITANT AMOUNTS OF WATER.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE WATER RESOURCES BOARD, JULIE CUNNINGHAM, IS PUSHING FOR THESE DATA CENTERS TO EMPLOY WHAT IS CALLED A CLOSED LOOP COOLING SYSTEM TO AVOID WASTING WATER.

BASICALLY, THEY USE THE WATER FOR COOLING.

IT EVAPORATES, AND THEN YOU CAN CAPTURE THAT EVAPORATED WATER AND RECONDENSE IT TO BE USED AGAIN.

THE HOUSE AND SENATE PASSED A BILL REQUIRING DATA CENTERS IN THE STATE TO USE THIS SYSTEM.

IT HAS NOT YET BEEN SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT.

CUNNINGHAM SAYS MANY OF THESE CENTERS CAN ALSO UTILIZE WATER THAT'S NOT FOR PUBLIC USE.

ESSENTIALLY, WATER THAT'S NOT CONSIDERED FRESH WATER OR IT CAN BE TREATED, MAKING IT SAFE FOR PUBLIC USE AND ADDING IT TO THE WATER SUPPLY.

ANOTHER SALIENT GOAL TO CONSERVE WATER IS TO REVAMP PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, THERE'S A LOT OF SYSTEMS, OVER 800 SYSTEMS IN THE STATE, MUNICIPALITIES, RURAL, RURAL WATER SYSTEMS WITH AGING INFRASTRUCTURE.

YOU HEAR THAT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, ALL OVER THE WORLD.

ACTUALLY, IT'S TYPICAL TO LOSE 10 TO 30% OF THE WATER BACK INTO THE GROUND JUST BECAUSE OF BROKEN, LEAKING, AGING PIPES.

IF WE REPAIR THOSE PIPES, THAT'S INCREMENTALLY ADDING BACK TO THE OVERALL WATER SUPPLY.

THERE'S ALSO AN EFFORT TO UPGRADE WATER METERS FROM ANALOG TO AUTOMATED, WHICH ALLOWS FOR MORE PRECISE TESTING.

THOSE METERS CAN ALSO DETECT LEAKS.

SO IF THERE'S A A HOMEOWNER OR A BUSINESS THAT THAT IS ALL OF A SUDDEN USING APPEARING TO USE WAY MORE WATER THAN THAN IS TYPICAL THAN THEY CAN PINPOINT THOSE AUTOMATICALLY AND, AND MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S, THERE'S NOT A ACTUALLY LEAK SITUATION.

THE AVERAGE AGE OF DAMS IN OKLAHOMA IS 62 YEARS.

AND THE OVERHOLSER DAM HERE IS OVER 100 YEARS OLD.

AND A MAIN PIECE TO THIS PLAN IS REFURBISHING A LOT OF THESE OLD STRUCTURES.

THESE DAMS WERE BUILT 50 YEARS AGO OR MORE.

SO THEY'VE REALLY GOTTEN VERY FAR IN THEIR THEIR ENGINEERED LIFE.

AND SO YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME WEAR AND TEAR, SUCH AS IF THEY'RE BUILT WITH METAL COMPONENTS, THEY MAY REST.

BUT ALSO IN OKLAHOMA, WE HAVE A LOT OF WIND.

AND SO WHEN THE WAVES WASH AGAINST THE FRONT OF THE DAM.

THEN THEY BEGIN TO ERODE.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE WORKING ON WITH FUNDING FROM THE LEGISLATURE NOW, IS TO TAKE LARGE RIPRAP ROCK AND AND GO IN AND WE'LL LET THE WATER DOWN AND THEN SMOOTH IT OUT AND PUT THAT TO REINFORCE THEM.

SO THEY'LL LAST ANOTHER 50 YEARS.

TREES AND BRUSH ALSO NEED TO BE MONITORED, AS OVERGROWTH CAN HAMPER THE DAM'S INTEGRITY, AND SO CAN WILDLIFE.

EVEN THINGS LIKE GOPHERS OR BADGERS OR CAN CREATE BURROWS INTO THE DAM, WHICH THEN ALLOWS WATER TO GET IN.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OKLAHOMA CONSERVATION COMMISSION, TREY LAMB, MENTIONS THAT INVESTING IN DAM REHABILITATION IS PARAMOUNT NOT ONLY FOR SAFETY BUT FOR ECONOMICS.

WHY NOT TAKE CARE OF THEM AT $100,000 NOW, THAN SPEND 10 TO $20 MILLION TO PUT A NEW DAM IN WHEN THIS ONE FAILS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE TAKING CARE OF YOUR CAR, CHANGING THE OIL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S EASIER TO DO THE MAINTENANCE THAN IT IS TO PAY FOR A MAJOR REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT.

NOT ONLY DO DAMS HOLD USABLE WATER THAT CITIES AND AGRICULTURE RELY ON, BUT THEY'RE ALSO THE ONLY THING IN BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND A CATASTROPHIC FLOOD.

THE CONSERVATION COMMISSION LOOKS AFTER OVER 2100 DAMS, AND THERE ARE AT LEAST 2100 MORE DAMS THAT ARE UNDER THE PURVIEW OF OTHER ENTITIES, LIKE THE OVERHOLSER DAM THAT IS UNDER OKLAHOMA CITY'S STEWARDSHIP.

THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT PLAN TO REVITALIZE THE DAM FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1923.

BUT WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ATTEMPTING TO HALT CERTAIN FEMA GRANTS, THE PROJECT HAS BEEN STALLED WHEN IT COMES TO STATE SUPPORT.

HOWEVER, CUNNINGHAM SAYS THEY'RE OPTIMISTIC.

OF 18, WE HAD FOUR MAJOR REQUESTS TO START WITH, AND WE.

WE SAW LEGISLATION PASSED ON ALL OF THEM.

SO AS FAR AS THE LEGISLATURE AND THE GOVERNOR, THEY GET IT.

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT WATER FUELS.

FUELS EVERYTHING FUELS OUR ECONOMY, OUR WAY OF LIFE.

THIS PAST SESSION, THE LEGISLATURE ALLOCATED MORE THAN $73 MILLION TO WATER.

THAT'S OUT OF THE MORE THAN 24 BILLION IN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT THE BOARD SAYS IS NEEDED OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

SO I THINK RAISING THAT BAR AND RECOGNIZING THAT WATER TAKES INVESTMENT AT ALL LEVELS.

WELL, THE WATER RESOURCES BOARD WILL BE HOSTING A VIRTUAL WORKSHOP ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SET FOR JUNE 6TH.

RICH, NOAH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER.

THEY'RE TIED WITH THE SAN ANTONIO SPURS AT ONE GAME APIECE IN THE WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS HEADING INTO GAME THREE FRIDAY NIGHT IN TEXAS.

THE THUNDER RELYING HEAVILY ON ONLY THE 14TH PLAYER IN LEAGUE HISTORY TO WIN BACK TO BACK MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARDS ON MONDAY NIGHT.

SHAY GILGEOUS ALEXANDER RECEIVING THE JORDAN TROPHY FROM COMMISSIONER ADAM SILVER PRIOR TO THE START OF GAME ONE.

THE DAY BEFORE, THE THUNDER HOSTING A NEWS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE HONOR.

SHAY'S TEAMMATES, HIS WIFE HAYLEY, HIS SON ARIS, AND HIS FATHER AND BROTHER WERE ALL ON HAND TO SALUTE A PLAYER WHO WAS REMARKABLE BOTH ON AND OFF THE BASKETBALL COURT.

THANK YOU GUYS.

I'M GONNA START HERE WITH MY TEAMMATES.

THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.

FROM SETTING SCREENS TO REBOUNDING WHEN I MISS TO PASSING ME THE BALL, EVEN THOUGH I DON'T PASS YOU THE BALL.

HI.

HI, BUDDY.

HI.

EVERYTHING YOU GUYS DO TO MAKE ME A BETTER PLAYER OUT THERE.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU GUYS.

BASKETBALL IS OBVIOUSLY A TEAM SPORT.

ALL THE NUMBERS, ALL THE ACCOLADES, EVERYTHING THAT I DO ON THE COURT, IF WE WON TEN GAMES, I WOULDN'T BE IN THIS CONVERSATION.

SO THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH.

I LOVE YOU GUYS.

AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.

SO YEAH, AFTER TONIGHT, GET BACK TO WORK.

SGA IS ONLY THE THIRD PLAYER IN NBA HISTORY TO AVERAGE 30 OR MORE POINTS A GAME, WHILE SHOOTING 50% FROM THE FIELD IN FOUR CONSECUTIVE SEASONS.

THE OTHER TWO ARE WILT CHAMBERLAIN AND MICHAEL JORDAN.

WELL, IMAGINE BEING A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR WHILE YOU'RE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

AND THEN IMAGINE YOU'RE THE VALEDICTORIAN WHEN YOU DO GRADUATE AND THEN STOP IMAGINING BECAUSE THAT PERSON ACTUALLY EXISTS.

STEVE SHAW IS BACK FROM ARAPAHOE TO TELL US ALL ABOUT IT.

STEVE RICH, ARAPAHO BUTLER HIGH SCHOOL'S GRADUATION CEREMONY WAS LAST SATURDAY.

THE VALEDICTORIAN OF THAT SENIOR CLASS HAS A NAME WE WILL ALL PROBABLY HEAR AGAIN.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR LIVES, THERE WILL NOT BE ANYBODY STANDING OVER THE TOP OF US, TELLING US WHAT TO DO AND WHO WE NEED TO BE.

18 YEAR OLD PIPER RILEY SAWATZKY HAS EARNED PRETTY MUCH PERFECT GRADES SINCE SHE WAS IN KINDERGARTEN.

WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE A LAWYER?

OH, AN INTERNSHIP LAST YEAR IN THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE MADE AN IMPRESSION.

BUT PIPER RILEY THINKS CORPORATE LAW IS WHERE SHE WILL GO.

PIPER RILEY'S JOURNEY INTO THE BUSINESS WORLD BEGAN WHEN SHE RECEIVED A TRIO OF EXOTIC FISH WHEN SHE WAS JUST 13 YEARS OLD.

I GOT HIM FOR MY BIRTHDAY.

I STARTED WITH THREE, AND THEY WERE THE KIND BLUE MOSQUE OUT.

AND SO WHEN I GOT THESE BLUE MOSQUE OUTFITS, I SPENT 100 BUCKS ON THREE FISH AND I SHIPPED THEM IN FROM THAILAND, AND I BROUGHT THEM HOME TO MY FISH TANK.

THEY WERE TOGETHER, TOOK ABOUT 40 DAYS, AND I HAD BABIES AND MY FIRST LITTER WAS THREE BABIES, SECOND LITTER, 15, NEXT LITTER 55, AND THEN LASTLY 72.

BY THAT TIME MY TANK WAS OVERGROWN.

AND SO THEN IT'S LIKE I STARTED TALKING TO MY FRIENDS LIKE, HEY, DO YOU WANT TO BUY SOME FISH OFF ME?

RYAN SAWATZKY IS HER DAD.

AND WHAT WAS CRAZY IS SHE SOLD FISH ALL OVER THE US.

THAT'S, THAT WAS KIND OF WHAT WAS WILD ABOUT IT.

IT STARTED OUT, YEAH, SELLING SOME FISH TO HER FRIENDS.

AND THEN IT GOT TO BE, HEY, WE SOLD THEM IN THE CLINTON AREA.

AND THEN SHE FOUND PET STORES IN OKLAHOMA CITY THAT WOULD TAKE FISH AND SELL THEM FOR HER.

AND, AND BEFORE WE KNEW IT, WE WERE SHIPPING FISH TO PENNSYLVANIA AND WE SHIPPED FISH TO ALASKA.

AND I MEAN, WE WERE SENDING OUT FISH EVERY MONDAY MORNING, JUST ABOUT TO ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES.

THE APPLE DOESN'T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE.

PIPER RILEY'S DAD IS A FARMER WHO ALSO OWNS AN INTERNET COMPANY THAT SERVICES MUCH OF THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE SOONER STATE.

WE'VE ALWAYS PUSHED OUR KIDS TO TO KIND OF GROW OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, LOOK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX, DON'T DO THE NORMAL, DON'T NECESSARILY FOLLOW EVERYONE ELSE.

PIPER RILEY HAS AN OLDER SISTER WHO ATTENDS OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY AND A YOUNGER BROTHER WHO DAD SAYS ARE ALSO OVERACHIEVERS.

YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO BE EXACTLY PERFECT, BUT YOU DO THE BEST THAT YOU'RE CAPABLE OF DOING.

EVERYONE'S CAPABILITIES IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

DID I TELL YOU?

PIPER RILEY WAS BORN WITH A SWEET TOOTH, SO MY GRANDMA'S BOTH LOVE BAKING, AND I'D ALWAYS BAKED WITH THEM.

AND ONE OF MY GRANDMA'S, LIKE, COOKING CAKE POPS AND SAY, WHAT CAKE POPS?

WHAT ARE CAKE POPS?

CAKE POPS ARE?

WHICH I ACTUALLY MADE BALLS, BUT IT'S A BALL OF CAKE, WHICH I HAVE A SPECIAL MACHINE THAT I CAN COOK THEM INTO AND SHAPES THE CAKE INTO THAT MOLD.

IT IS NOT CRUSHED AND MOLDED WITH MY HANDS, WHICH MAKES THEM VERY UNIQUE.

IN SEVENTH GRADE, PIPER RILEY STARTED SELLING THOSE CAKE POPS AND I WAS SELLING THEM OUT OUT OF A LUNCH BOX AT SCHOOL?

YES.

YOU'RE MAKING MONEY IN SCHOOL.

I WAS NICE, YEP.

SHE SAYS THE ARAPAHO BUTLER FUTURE FARMERS OF AMERICA CHAPTER HELPED HER COME UP WITH DIFFERENT CAKE POP FLAVORS AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO SELL THEM.

I'VE NEVER COUNTED IT BECAUSE A LOT OF US JUST CASH, BUT I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

THIS PAST YEAR, I WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO SELL THEM IN A QUICK SHOP, A RESTAURANT, AND A FLOWER SHOP.

AND SO IT'S GROWN QUITE A BIT OVER THE YEARS.

OH YEAH, I BUY THEM EVERY VALENTINE'S DAY.

I BUY THEM FOR OTHER PEOPLE, BUT THEY NEVER MAKE IT HOME.

THEY'RE THAT GOOD.

THEY'RE LEGIT.

JAY EDELEN IS ARAPAHO BUTLER SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT.

SHE'S A GREAT LEADER WITHIN OUR WITHIN OUR HIGH SCHOOL.

SHE'S INVOLVED IN JUST ABOUT EVERY CLUB AND ACTIVITY THAT WE HAVE WHILE STILL BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN AMAZING GRADES.

I MEAN, SHE'S SHE'S JUST ONE OF THOSE STUDENTS THAT, THAT YOU HOPE YOUR OWN KIDS ARE LIKE, SHE'S A 300 HURDLE RUNNER, WHICH SHOULD SURPRISE NOBODY BECAUSE IT TAKES GUTS TO RUN THAT RACE.

PIPER RILEY WAS ALSO ON HER SCHOOL'S BACK TO BACK STATE CHAMPION GIRLS FAST AND SLOW PITCH SOFTBALL TEAM THIS YEAR.

THREE YEARS AGO, SAWATZKY CAME UP WITH AN IDEA TO DESIGN HER OWN ONLINE CLOTHING LINE.

IT'S KNOWN AS GET DRIPPY, GET DRIPPY REPRESENTS LIKE THE SWEAT AND THE WORK AND THE DRIVE THAT PEOPLE PUT INTO SOMETHING THAT THEY LOVE.

SHE'S DESIGNED AND SOLD 14,000 GET DRIPPY GARMENTS SO FAR.

IT'S IT'S REALLY UNLIMITED.

I MEAN, SHE'S BUILT A WEBSITE THAT REACHES EVERYBODY IN THE UNITED STATES.

SHE CAN SHE CAN BUILD THINGS AND, AND PEOPLE JUMP ON THERE AND ORDER IT AND SHE CAN PROCESS ORDERS.

I'VE TAUGHT MYSELF HOW TO GRAPHIC DESIGN.

I REALLY LIKE ART, AND I'VE LEARNED A LOT IN YEARBOOK.

AND THROUGH THAT, I KIND OF JUST PUT IT TOGETHER AND IT'S SELF-TAUGHT, BUT I GAINED MY SKILLS AT GRAPHIC DESIGN PRETTY WELL.

I'VE FOUND THAT WHATEVER YOUR KIDS LIKE TO DO, THEY'LL EXCEL AT.

IF YOU'RE HAVING TO FORCE THEM TO DO IT, YOU MAY AS WELL STOP.

THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF PARENTS GET IT WRONG, RIGHT?

YES.

WINNERS WIN.

AND YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S NO SECRET WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN AND BE SUCCESSFUL IN ANYTHING.

AND WAS SHE BORN WITH SOME NATURAL GIFTS?

ABSOLUTELY.

BUT IT'S THROUGH HER HARD WORK, DEDICATION AND DISCIPLINE THAT THOSE TALENTS HAVE BEEN ABLE TO COME TO FRUITION AND HER TO GET RESULTS FROM THEM.

THE NEXT CHAPTER IS GOING TO BE SPECIAL.

IT'S GOING TO BE HUGE IF SHE'S GOT THE STOMACH FOR IT.

I SEE HER AS A FUTURE MAYOR, MAYBE A FUTURE GOVERNOR.

I SEE YOUR DOING A LOT OF GREAT THINGS IN LAW SCHOOL, AND THAT'S WHAT I KIND OF KEEP REMINDING HER.

I, I DON'T WANT HER TO GET CAUGHT UP.

NOT THAT IT COULDN'T BE A PROFESSION WITH A CLOTHING LINE, BUT SHE HAS SOMETHING BIGGER AHEAD OF HER.

SHE'S GOT LAW SCHOOL.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO FOCUS ON THAT.

YOU HAVE TO GET THAT DONE AND MOVE ON TO THOSE BIGGER THINGS.

THERE'S THERE'S HUGE THINGS IN LIFE THAT THAT HIGH SCHOOL KIDS DON'T SEE.

WHEN PIPER RILEY STARTS SCHOOL NEXT FALL AT OKLAHOMA CITY UNIVERSITY, SHE'LL ALREADY HAVE 18 COMPLETED CREDITS TOWARDS HER DEGREE GOAL BECAUSE THAT'S HOW SHE ROLLS.

SHE'LL ALSO JOIN HER OLDER SISTER ON THE SCHOOL'S WOMEN'S SOFTBALL TEAM.

RICH STEVE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AMAZING YOUNG LADY.

WELL, EACH YEAR AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WE INVITE A PANEL OF VETERAN JOURNALISTS WHO COVER THE STATE CAPITOL ON A REGULAR BASIS TO JOIN US FOR A DEBRIEF ON WHAT WAS DONE OR LEFT UNDONE.

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR SUSAN CADOTTE.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

IT WAS ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING SESSIONS THAT I'VE COVERED.

WE SAW A VERY EARLY BUDGET AGREEMENT, AND THEN WE SAW LAWMAKERS REALLY WORKING TOWARD THAT EARLY ADJOURNMENT.

BUT AS THEY GOT CLOSER, A FEW THINGS SEEMED TO BREAK DOWN AS PROBLEMS DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

BUT IN THE END, THEY PULLED IT TOGETHER ON MAY 14TH.

AND I THINK WE ALL KIND OF THOUGHT, WELL, WHAT'S NEXT?

BECAUSE TYPICALLY LAWMAKERS HAVE KIND OF THOUGHT, WELL, AT LEAST IN LEADERSHIP, THAT THE BUDGET HAS KIND OF BEEN SOMETHING TO HOLD OVER MEMBERS HEADS IF THEY WANT OTHER POLICIES PASSED.

AND SO WE HAD THAT KIND OF COME PRETTY QUICKLY BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE GOP LEADERSHIP AND THE GOVERNOR.

AND THEN WE HAD KIND OF A WAIT AND SEE ATTITUDE FOR THE LAST SESSION ON POLICY DETAILS.

I THINK THE SESSION FELT LIKE IT WAS DOMINATED BY LAWMAKERS TRYING TO PUT STATE QUESTIONS OF ALL TYPES ON BALLOTS, A LOT AIMING TO BE PUT ON THE AUGUST PRIMARY RUNOFF BALLOT, WHICH WAS NOT OVERALL SUCCESSFUL AS AN EFFORT.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT FELT LIKE A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS WERE ABOUT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT STATES QUESTIONS AND WHAT LAWMAKERS COULD PUT ON THOSE BALLOTS.

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

NOW, ONE OF THE MAJOR DECISIONS OF THE SESSION AFFECTING ALL OF US HERE AT OETA AND ALL OF YOU WHO ENJOY OUR PROGRAMING, 18 SENATORS VOTED AGAINST A VETO OVERRIDE THAT WOULD HAVE REAUTHORIZED OETA FOR YEARS TO COME.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF OKLAHOMANS WHO ARE UPSET ABOUT THAT.

TAELYR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THAT.

TAELYR RICH, FOR 70 YEARS, OETA HAS ENTERTAINED AND EDUCATED PEOPLE FROM ACROSS THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

THIS WEEK, WE SAT DOWN WITH A FEW SUPPORTERS TO LEARN WHY OETA MATTERS TO THEM.

THREE.

TWO ONE THE OKLAHOMA EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION AUTHORITY HAS BEEN A PART OF OKLAHOMA HISTORY SINCE 1953.

WHENEVER I WAS GROWING UP AS A KID, I MEAN, WE HAD A OETA WAS ONE OF THE MAIN CHANNELS THAT WE HAD.

I MEAN, I DIDN'T HAVE CABLE TV AND ALL THE ALL THE FANCY THINGS.

WHENEVER I WAS GROWING UP, I WATCHED OETA A LOT.

AND SO IT'S ALWAYS MEANT A MEANT A LOT TO OUR FAMILY.

FARMER RYAN SAWATZKY SAYS HIS MOTHER STILL RELIES ON OETA PROGRAMING, LIKE THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, TO KEEP UP WITH CURRENT EVENTS ON A DAILY BASIS.

SHE'S WATCHING OETA, AND SHE'S KEEPING TRACK OF THE STORIES THAT ARE HERE IN OKLAHOMA AND AND HOW KIDS AND FFA ARE DOING DIFFERENT PROJECTS.

AND SHE SHE JUST REALLY ENJOYS STAYING UP TO DATE ON, ON WHAT'S GOING ON HERE IN OUR STATE.

AS THE EIGHTH MOST WATCHED PBS STATION IN THE NATION, OETA REACHES MORE THAN 3 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS PER YEAR.

BUT WITH THE AGENCY SCHEDULED TO SUNSET BY NEXT JUNE, MANY VIEWERS COULD LOSE ACCESS TO THEIR FAVORITE SHOWS.

I HOPE THAT IT DOES REMAIN.

IT HAS BEEN A STAPLE FOR, YOU KNOW, OKLAHOMA.

IT'S JUST SAD.

IT JUST MAKES ME SAD BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A VITAL PART OF OUR STATE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT PEOPLE COUNT ON, ESPECIALLY IN RURAL OKLAHOMA.

THEY DON'T HAVE SOME OF THE THINGS LIKE HIGH SPEED INTERNET IN SOME OF THESE PLACES.

MANY OKLAHOMANS WHO GREW UP IN RURAL COMMUNITIES HAVE A PROFOUND APPRECIATION FOR OETA.

SO GROWING UP IN A SMALL TOWN IN SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA FROM PARENTS WHO WERE POOR, MY DAD WAS DISABLED.

MOM HAD TO STAY AT HOME AND HELP TAKE CARE OF HIM AND ME.

WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE MUCH OF AN INCOME.

AND SO THINGS LIKE CABLE OR SUBSCRIBING TO CHANNELS WAS NOT REALITY.

AND SO WE HAD THE ANTENNA.

AND OF ALL OF THE THINGS THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WATCH IN THE DAYS BEFORE GOING TO SCHOOL OR IN THE SUMMER MONTHS, OH, ETA WAS TRULY WHAT GAVE ME THAT OPPORTUNITY TO BROADEN MY HORIZONS AND GROW AS A YOUNG PERSON AND LEARN.

SOME OF HIS FAVORITE SHOWS GROWING UP WERE SESAME STREET, MISTER ROGERS AND THE ELECTRIC COMPANY.

I HAD THE CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE IN SOME OF THE SUMMER READING PROGRAMS THAT OETA SPONSORED THROUGH THOSE SHOWS, AND ENCOURAGING ME TO READ THOSE BOOKS I KNOW GAVE ME THAT THAT BASE TO GROW UP ON AND SUCCEED IN SCHOOL AND HAVE THAT CHANCE TO GO INTO THE WORLD THAT I DID WITH PUBLIC SERVICE.

AND NOW WORKING FOR A CHILDREN'S NONPROFIT, OETA SERVED AS A LIFELINE TO THE WORLD BEYOND CADDO COUNTY FOR VIEWERS LIKE MY MOM, LISA JACKSON, I CAN REMEMBER MY MOTHER WATCHING SHOWS LIKE COOKING SHOWS, SHOWS ABOUT TRAVEL THAT PIQUED MY INTEREST, ABOUT DIFFERENT PLACES TO VISIT.

I THINK IN MY EARLY YEARS LEARNING ABOUT EUROPE OR DISCOVERING DIFFERENT PLACES IN EUROPE, I ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT, OH, ONE DAY I WANT TO SEE ITALY OR GREECE BECAUSE SHE WAS ALWAYS WATCHING SHOWS LIKE THAT.

AS AN ADULT, HER FAVORITE PROGRAM BECAME OETA ICONIC MOVIE CLUB.

HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE OETA MOVIE CLUB.

I'M ROBERT BURCH.

I LOVE THE MOVIE CLUB.

I STARTED WATCHING THE OETA MOVIE CLUB WITH MY MOM AS A TEEN.

THAT'S WHERE I FELL IN LOVE WITH BLACK AND WHITE MOVIES AND HOLLYWOOD CLASSICS.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH MUSICALS AND BEFORE INTERNET, AS I SAID BEFORE CABLE, YOU HAD A GOOD OLD TV GUIDE AND THAT WAS PART OF THE ROUTINE.

AS SOON AS WE GOT THE NEW TV GUIDE ON SATURDAY, YOU WOULD LOOK AND SEE WHAT WAS COMING ON FOR OETA MOVIE CLUB.

AND AS BJ WEXLER WOULD POP HIS POPCORN, WE USUALLY HAD OUR POPCORN AND WE WOULD PLAN TO TO SIT DOWN AND WATCH SOMETHING.

OTHER, FEWER FAVORITES INCLUDE BACK IN TIME GALLERY AMERICA AND THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW.

BUT OETA DOESN'T JUST ENTERTAIN OKLAHOMANS, IT EDUCATES.

AS A FATHER, I JUST SEE THE VALUE IN THIS PROGRAMING.

IT MEANS SO MUCH.

WE HAVE SO MANY OKLAHOMANS WHO.

HAVING RABBIT EARS AND A FLAT SCREEN TV IS LITERALLY ALL THEY HAVE FOR ENTERTAINMENT.

AND THIS IS QUALITY PROGRAMING.

IT IS IN AN AGE WHERE THERE ARE LITERALLY NO CARTOONS ON TV ANYMORE.

THERE'S NOTHING FOR CHILDREN.

AT THE VERY LEAST, THIS GIVES CHILDREN THE BUILDING BLOCKS SO THEY CAN GO TO SCHOOL AND LEARN HOW TO BEHAVE IN A CLASSROOM, KNOW HOW TO READ.

KNOW HOW TO DO MATH.

MORE THAN 170,000 EDUCATORS AND PARENTS AROUND THE STATE USE OETA DIGITAL LEARNING.

ALL OF OUR CHILDREN GREW UP WITH PBS KIDS AND THE CONTENT.

WE DOWNLOADED THE PBS KIDS APP, BUT IT WAS OETA AND SO OETA WAS ON WHEN I WOULD LEAVE IN THE MORNING FOR WORK.

OETA WAS ON IN THE EVENING.

MY KIDS STARTED WATCHING SUPER WHY?

AND THEY LOVED IT.

STEPHEN DRAPER SAYS THE CHILDREN'S EDUCATION PROGRAMING TAUGHT HIS CHILDREN VALUABLE SOCIAL SKILLS.

MY WIFE'S FROM A DIFFERENT ETHNICITY.

OUR KIDS ARE MIXED.

WE HAD PBS KIDS ON A LOT, AND THERE WAS A LOT OF THOSE LESSONS WHEN THEY WERE ASKING.

I'LL NEVER FORGET MY FOUR YEAR OLD ASKING ME ONE DAY HE'S LIKE, DADDY, I DON'T LOOK LIKE YOU AND I DON'T LOOK LIKE MOMMY.

AND I WAS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT?

THERE'S A DANIEL TIGER EPISODE WE CAN TALK ABOUT.

AND SO WE'D BE ABLE TO ATTACH THINGS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO TEACH OUR KIDS TO SOMETHING THAT THEY COULD WATCH AND THAT WAS AIMED AT THEIR LEVEL AND KEEP THOSE CONVERSATIONS GOING.

IN MY OPINION, THERE IS NO STRONGER CHILD ADVOCATE THAN OETA OUT THERE WORKING TO HELP KIDS GROW AND LEARN AND BLOSSOM INTO THOSE LEADERS AND THOSE READERS THAT WE WANT TO SEE.

DOHRMANN ENCOURAGES OTHERS TO TAKE THE TIME TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE NETWORK HAS TO OFFER.

IT'S A LOT BETTER PROGRAMING FOR CONSERVATIVES.

THEY TALK ABOUT WANTING TO HAVE WHOLESOME AND MORAL SHOWS.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND MUCH BETTER THAN A LOT OF THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE DRIVEN BY EDUCATING INDIVIDUALS.

NOW, I DO WANT TO REITERATE THAT RIGHT NOW, OETA IS FULLY OPERATIONAL AND WILL REMAIN ON AIR UNDER CURRENT STATE LAW.

OETA HAS, THROUGH JUNE 30TH OF 2027 TO MANAGE ITS OPERATIONS.

RICH TAELYR, THANK YOU.

IN ONE OF OUR RECENT IN-DEPTH SEGMENTS, WE DISCUSSED THE GROWING USE OF PSYCHEDELIC DRUGS TO TREAT DEPRESSION.

THAT DISCUSSION FOCUSED ON AN AFRICAN ROOT CALLED IBOGAINE.

BUT KETAMINE IS ALSO SHOWING PROMISE.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH HOW KETAMINE HAS HELPED ONE OKLAHOMA MAN, JASON RICH.

KETAMINE WAS APPROVED BY THE FDA IN 1970 AS A GENERAL ANESTHETIC.

BUT CURRENT RESEARCH IS SHOWING PROMISE TO GUIDE PEOPLE OUT OF THE DARKNESS OF DEPRESSION.

IT'S AMAZING WHAT IT DOES FOR PEOPLE AND BATHED IN BLUE, RELAXING LIGHT.

MATTIA EXTOLLS HOW KETAMINE THERAPY HAS HELPED HIM AND OTHERS FOR NEARLY A DECADE.

SUFFERED WITH PTSD AND DEPRESSION BEFORE COMING TO THE INTEGRATIVE PSYCHIATRY CLINIC IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

BY THE TIME I ARRIVED HERE, I WAS AT THE VERY END OF MY ROPE.

I BASICALLY WANTED TO DIE ALL THE TIME.

SORRY.

IT'S HARD TO TALK ABOUT THESE THINGS.

YEAH, I HAD SPENT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS OF MY LIFE IN JUST AS HELL IS WHAT IT WAS.

IT WAS BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2025, WHEN GOVICH DISCOVERED THE CLINIC AND TOOK A CHANCE THAT KETAMINE THERAPY COULD HELP.

MY WIFE GOT ON THE INTERNET BECAUSE I WAS PRETTY MUCH INCAPABLE AT THAT POINT OF DOING ANYTHING.

I HAD STOPPED WORKING.

I, I JUST WAS TRYING TO SURVIVE EACH DAY.

AND SHE FOUND DOCTOR SIMONSON AND I CAME IN AND I SAT DOWN AND HE SAT.

AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN EIGHT YEARS, EXPLAINED TO ME WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN MY BRAIN WHEN I TALKED TO PATIENTS.

I LIKE TO DO A LITTLE BIT OF TEACHING ABOUT OUR NERVOUS SYSTEMS AND HOW KETAMINE INTERACTS WITH OUR NERVOUS SYSTEMS.

DOCTOR JANE SIMONSON IS THE OWNER OF INTEGRATIVE PSYCHIATRY CLINIC.

HE SAYS RESEARCH IS SHOWING THAT KETAMINE IS HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT IN TREATING PATIENTS WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.

WHY IT WORKS SO WELL IS IT ACTUALLY WORKS AT A DIFFERENT LEVEL THAN THE ANTIDEPRESSANTS THAT WERE TARGETED TO EITHER DOPAMINE OR SEROTONIN.

WHAT KETAMINE DOES IS IT MODULATES THE GLUTAMATE SYSTEM, WHICH ACTUALLY MODULATES DIFFERENT BRAIN NETWORKS THAT.

ARE OUT OF BALANCE, SO TO SPEAK.

KETAMINE WAS DEVELOPED IN THE 1960S AS A DERIVATIVE OF PCP TO USE AS AN ANESTHETIC DOCTOR, SIMONSON SAID.

IT WAS USED ON THE BATTLEFIELD SHORTLY AFTER GAINING APPROVAL BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION.

IT ACTUALLY WAS USED PRETTY EFFECTIVELY IN VIETNAM.

THE GREAT THING ABOUT KETAMINE IS IT DOES MAINTAIN YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART RATE, WHEREAS OTHER ANESTHETICS TEND TO DEPRESS THOSE.

SO FOR TRAUMATIC PATIENTS THAT HAVE BEEN TRAUMATIZED, GUNSHOT WOUNDS LIKE YOU'D SEE IN WAR, IT WAS A VERY EFFECTIVE FIELD ANESTHETIC TO GET PATIENTS TO THE HOSPITALS WHERE THEY COULD BE STABILIZED.

RECENT STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT KETAMINE HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON TREATING DEPRESSION WHEN USED IN A LOWER DOSAGE THAN WHEN IT WAS USED AS AN ANESTHETIC.

WHEN THEY GAVE WHAT THEY CALLED A SUBANESTHETIC DOSE OF KETAMINE, WHICH IS A LOT LOWER DOSE OVER A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME THAN IT LED TO VERY RAPID AND REPRODUCIBLE ANTIDEPRESSANT EFFECTS.

AND SO THAT'S HOW WE USE IT IN OUR CLINIC.

SIMONSOHN ADDS THAT KETAMINE IS AN ALTERNATIVE TREATMENT WHEN SOMEONE IS EXPERIENCING TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION.

THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH ESTIMATES THAT ABOUT 30% OF PEOPLE DIAGNOSED WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER ARE TREATMENT RESISTANT.

MOST OF OUR PATIENTS HAVE BEEN THROUGH WHAT I LIKE TO CALL THE MERRY GO ROUND, WHERE THEY'VE TRIED DIFFERENT MEDICATIONS.

THEY'VE BEEN ON CERTAIN ANTIDEPRESSANTS OR MOOD STABILIZERS, AND THEY'VE EITHER WORKED AND QUIT WORKING OR NEVER WORKED, OR THEY THEY DON'T LIKE THE SIDE EFFECTS.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING.

AND TRYING TO BREAK FREE FROM DEPRESSION BEFORE DISCOVERING SIMONTON'S CLINIC.

I'M ON DRUGS.

I WORK WITH A PSYCHIATRIST.

I HAVE A THERAPIST.

I'M SPENDING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FAR ABOVE WHAT MANY PEOPLE COULD AFFORD, AND NOTHING IS WORKING.

HE FEELS THAT TRADITIONAL TREATMENT FOR PTSD AND DEPRESSION DON'T FIX THE PROBLEM.

EVERY DOCTOR, EVERY THERAPIST I EVER TALK TO IS LIKE, WELL, YOU'LL GET BETTER OVER TIME.

BUT REALLY, IT'S MANAGING.

DOCTOR SIMONSOHN SAYS KETAMINE THERAPY ACTS MORE LIKE A CATALYST FOR A PERSON TO TAKE ACTION IN THEIR MENTAL HEALTH JOURNEY.

KETAMINE CAN BE A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL TO GIVE YOU THE HEADSPACE TO CHANGE THOSE AREAS OF YOUR LIFE THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO DO IN YOUR CURRENT STATE, SIMONSOHN SAYS.

IT WORKS WELL TO TREAT ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, BUT IT COULD ALSO SAVE SOMEONE'S LIFE.

OBVIOUSLY, THE STUDIES WERE DONE FOR TREATMENT RESISTANT DEPRESSION, AND IT ALSO RECENTLY, THERE WAS A JAMA ARTICLE TALKING ABOUT USING KETAMINE FOR SUICIDAL IDEATIONS.

AND I THINK IT'S EXCELS AT EXTINGUISHING THOSE FOR SOMEBODY WHO'S ACUTELY SUICIDAL, WHICH WAS WHERE GOVICH WAS WHEN HE TURNED TO DOCTOR SIMONSOHN FOR HELP.

WHEN I CAME HERE, I WAS AT THE END OF MY ROPE.

PTSD IS A. PTSD ROBS YOU OF YOUR ABILITY TO ENJOY THINGS IS REALLY THE THE.

THE INSULT THAT IT BRINGS.

BEFORE ANYONE IS GIVEN KETAMINE AT DOCTOR SIMONSEN'S CLINIC, THEY GO THROUGH AN EVALUATION.

NOBODY GETS KETAMINE THE FIRST DAY.

I ALWAYS BRING THEM IN, DO A SCREENING.

WE LIKE TO DO SOME LAB WORK, LOOK FOR CERTAIN DEFICIENCIES IN THOSE LABS AND TRY AND CORRECT THOSE AS WELL.

AND OUR PROCESS IS MORE OF AN INTEGRATED PROCESS.

IT'S NOT JUST KETAMINE.

WHILE THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO DELIVER KETAMINE, INCLUDING A NASAL SPRAY CALLED SPRAVATO, DOCTOR SIMONSOHN SAYS IT SEEMS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE IN DEALING WITH DEPRESSION WHEN IT'S GIVEN OVER TIME.

I THINK THE BEST WAY TO GIVE KETAMINE FOR DIFFERENT PHYSIOLOGIC REASONS IS IV, MEANING THROUGH AN IV CATHETER AND WHAT'S CALLED A DRIP OR A VERY SLOW INFUSION OF KETAMINE OVER ABOUT 45 MINUTES TO AN HOUR.

AT FIRST, GOVICH DIDN'T THINK THE TREATMENT WAS WORKING.

YOU KNOW, I SAT IN THE CHAIR.

I TRIPPED, FOR A LACK OF A BETTER WORD, AND THEN I. I WAS LIKE, OH, THERE'S NOTHING HAS CHANGED.

AND THEN A WEEK LATER, I JUST REALIZED THAT I WAS LAUGHING.

THAT BREAKTHROUGH GAVE GURVICH HOPE.

ALL OF A SUDDEN I WAS IN A MOMENT AND I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT THE THINGS THAT I THAT I DEALT WITH.

AND IT WAS SHOCKING BECAUSE IT WASN'T LIKE ANY OTHER DRUG I'D EVER TAKEN.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, A DRUG, YOU TAKE IT ANTIDEPRESSANT OR WHATEVER, YOU USUALLY FEEL SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING'S THERE.

THIS WAS THERE WAS NO FEELING.

THERE WASN'T A HIGH, IT WASN'T STONED.

I WASN'T, I JUST DIDN'T HURT.

DOCTOR SIMONSOHN SAYS KETAMINE SIMPLY ALLOWS A PERSON TO DEAL WITH THE TRAUMA THAT'S HOLDING THEM BACK FROM ENJOYING LIFE.

KETAMINE CAN BE A LIFELINE TO REACH DOWN AND PULL YOU UP ABOVE WATER SO YOU CAN GET A BREATH.

YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AROUND, YOU CAN LOOK DOWN AND SEE WHAT EMOTIONAL BAGGAGE YOU HAVE ON YOU, AND YOU CAN ACTUALLY START LETTING GO OF SOME OF THAT.

AND MY ANALOGY IS YOU START DROPPING IT INTO THE ABYSS SO THAT YOU'RE MORE BUOYANT THE NEXT TIME LIFE THROWS A CURVE BALL AT YOU.

MOST HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANIES DO NOT COVER KETAMINE THERAPY LIKE THIS.

A SINGLE KETAMINE TREATMENT COSTS ABOUT $500 OUT OF POCKET.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

VERY INTERESTING.

RICHARD GLOSSIP IS WRAPPING UP HIS FIRST FULL WEEK OF FREEDOM AFTER SPENDING NEARLY 30 YEARS ON DEATH ROW.

AND WHILE THE DEATH PENALTY IS NOW OFF THE TABLE, THE MAN CONVICTED OF KILLING BARRY VENTRESS IN 1997 IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE RETRIED FOR A THIRD TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE, AND HIS ATTORNEY BELIEVES THE FACT THAT AN OKLAHOMA COUNTY JUDGE GRANTED GLOSSIP A $500,000 BAIL ON MAY 14TH IS A GOOD OMEN TO DENY HIM BOND.

THE JUDGE WOULD HAVE HAD TO MAKE A FINDING, BASED ON THE EVIDENCE IN THE CASE, THAT THE PROOF OF HIS GUILT WAS EVIDENT AND THE PRESUMPTION OF HIS GUILT WAS GREAT, BUT SHE SPECIFICALLY DID NOT FIND THAT.

IN FACT, SHE WENT AHEAD AND CITED SOMETHING THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL HAD SAID PREVIOUSLY, WHICH WAS BASED ON ALL THE EVIDENCE THAT IS NOW AVAILABLE.

IT APPEARS THAT THE STATE DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO ESTABLISH PROOF OF GUILT AGAINST MR.

GLOSSIP, BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT FOR FIRST DEGREE MURDER.

SO SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO CITE THAT.

BUT SHE DID.

SHE USED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OWN WORDS.

GLOSSIP'S EXECUTION HAD BEEN SCHEDULED NINE TIMES, AND HE HAD EATEN THREE LAST MEALS ON DEATH ROW.

THE TRIAL OF A RESTAURANT OWNER ACCUSED OF DEFRAUDING THE STATE WHILE MANAGING STATE PARK RESTAURANTS GOT UNDERWAY THIS WEEK, WITH TWO OF HIS CO-DEFENDANTS REACHING PLEA DEALS.

BRANT SWADLEY, OWNER OF SWADLEY BARBECUE RESTAURANT, IS FACING ONE COUNT OF CONSPIRACY TO DEFRAUD THE STATE AND FIVE COUNTS OF PRESENTING FRAUDULENT CLAIMS TO THE STATE.

SWADLEY HAS MAINTAINED HE DID NOTHING WRONG WHILE MANAGING THE FOGGY BOTTOM RESTAURANTS WELL.

OKLAHOMA'S ECONOMY BOOM WITH OIL TRADING FOR OVER $100 A BARREL.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE IRAN CONFLICT ENDS AND PRICES GO DOWN?

THAT STORY TOPS THIS WEEK'S STATEWIDE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW WITH JASON DOYLE.

OIL PRICES MIGHT NOT STAY HIGH ENOUGH FOR LONG ENOUGH FOR OKLAHOMA OIL PRODUCERS TO RAMP UP PRODUCTION.

WHILE THE IRAN WAR HAS PUSHED THE COST OF A BARREL OF OIL TO BE AROUND $100, THERE ISN'T MUCH APPETITE TO DRILL MORE IN OKLAHOMA.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY BRANCH OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF KANSAS CITY ISSUED ITS LATEST OKLAHOMA ECONOMIST REPORT, EXPLAINING THAT PRICES WILL NEED TO STAY HIGHER FOR OIL COMPANIES TO RAMP UP PRODUCTION.

AND BECAUSE THEY CAN DO IT EFFICIENTLY, HIRING ADDITIONAL WORKERS MAY NOT HAPPEN.

THE REPORT ALSO SAYS THAT BECAUSE DRILLING IN OKLAHOMA IS MORE ON THE NATURAL GAS SIDE, AND THOSE PRICES HAVEN'T INCREASED, LIKE OIL PRODUCTION LEVELS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO RISE.

IF YOU'RE AN OG INDIE CUSTOMER, CHECK YOUR EMAIL.

THE UTILITY ANNOUNCED IT'S MAKING A FUEL COST ADJUSTMENT, WHICH WILL LEAD TO A REDUCTION IN RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMER BILLS.

THE AVERAGE RATEPAYER WILL SEE A DECREASE OF ABOUT 9% ON THEIR BILL.

THAT TRANSLATES TO ABOUT $14.75 A MONTH COMPARED TO LAST SUMMER'S RATES.

THE FUEL CHARGE CAN BE CHANGED TWICE A YEAR BY OG AND E TO REFLECT THE COST OF THE FUEL TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY, THE U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY HAS SELECTED STILLWATER BASED USA RARE EARTH TO RECEIVE UP TO $19.3 MILLION IN FUNDING FROM THE CRITICAL MATERIALS, INNOVATION, EFFICIENCY AND ALTERNATIVES PROGRAM.

THE FUNDING WILL BE USED TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PILOT SCALE, RARE EARTH ELEMENT SEPARATION PROJECT TO INCREASE DOMESTIC PROCESSING.

RARE EARTH MINERALS ARE USED FOR SEVERAL MODERN DAY TECHNOLOGIES LIKE CELL PHONES AND STRATEGIC DEFENSE WEAPONS.

THE TOTAL PROJECT VALUE IS APPROXIMATELY $50.5 MILLION.

NON E FUNDING TOTALS AROUND $31.2 MILLION.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED LSB INDUSTRIES HAS REACHED AN AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE A CARBON CAPTURE AND SEQUESTRATION PROJECT AT ITS EL DORADO, ARKANSAS, FACILITY.

IT ESTABLISHES A STRATEGIC PATHWAY FOR LSB TO TAKE FULL OWNERSHIP FROM CARBON SOLUTIONS, WHICH IS BUILDING THE PROJECT.

THE TOTAL CONSIDERATION AND REMAINING COMPLETION CAPITAL FOR THE CARBON SEQUESTRATION PROJECT IS APPROXIMATELY $95 MILLION.

THE PROJECT IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY LATE THIS YEAR OR EARLY 2027.

TULSA BASED COMMERCIAL HVAC MANUFACTURER AON IS PAYING A QUARTERLY DIVIDEND OF $0.10 A SHARE.

INVESTORS WILL NEED TO HAVE THE STOCK IN THEIR PORTFOLIO BY JUNE 5TH TO GET THE DIVIDEND ON JUNE 26TH.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION ENDED TWO WEEKS EARLIER THAN EXPECTED THIS YEAR.

SO OUR ANNUAL REPORTER ROUNDTABLE TO DISCUSS WHAT WAS TRANSPIRING SINCE FEBRUARY 23RD IN LINCOLN IS A LITTLE EARLY TO.

HERE'S MODERATOR SUSAN CADOTTE AND A TRIO OF OUR CONTENT PARTNERS WHO COVER THE CAPITOL ON A REGULAR BASIS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ARE PAUL MONIZ, A REPORTER WITH OKLAHOMA WATCH.

EMMA MURPHY, SHE'S A REPORTER WITH OKLAHOMA VOICE.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR FRIEND SEAN ASHLEY, WHO IS THE PUBLISHER OF QUORUM CALL.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

SO SUNNY DAY HAS COME AND GONE.

IT'S ALL OVER.

I WANT TO TALK ABOUT GENERAL TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION BEFORE WE GET INTO SOME WEEDS.

AND SEAN, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

WHAT'S YOUR GENERAL TAKEAWAY FROM THIS SESSION?

IT WAS ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING SESSIONS THAT I'VE COVERED.

WE SAW A VERY EARLY BUDGET AGREEMENT, AND THEN WE SAW LAWMAKERS REALLY WORKING TOWARD THAT EARLY ADJOURNMENT.

BUT AS THEY GOT CLOSER, A FEW THINGS SEEMED TO BREAK DOWN AS PROBLEMS DEVELOPED BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE.

BUT IN THE END, THEY PULLED IT TOGETHER ON MAY 14TH AND WERE ABLE TO HAVE BOTH HOUSES ADJOURNED BY BEFORE 5 P.M.

THAT DAY.

THEY HAVE PUT MORE THAN 400.

THEY HAVE PUT 490 BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS ON THE GOVERNOR'S DESK OVER THE COURSE OF THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

HE HAS SIGNED MOST OF THOSE.

THERE ARE A FEW STILL WAITING ACTION.

BUT IT WAS A VERY BUSY YEAR FOR LAWMAKERS.

THAT'S GREAT.

EMMA, WHAT WAS YOUR IMPRESSION OVERALL?

YEAH, FOR ME, I THINK THE SESSION FELT LIKE IT WAS DOMINATED BY LAWMAKERS TRYING TO PUT STATE QUESTIONS OF ALL TYPES ON BALLOTS.

A LOT AIMING TO BE PUT ON THE AUGUST PRIMARY RUNOFF BALLOT, WHICH WAS NOT OVERALL SUCCESSFUL AS AN EFFORT.

BUT THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT FELT LIKE A LOT OF THE CONVERSATIONS WERE ABOUT ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT STATES.

QUESTIONS AND WHAT LAWMAKERS COULD PUT ON THOSE BALLOTS.

PAUL, WHAT DID YOU THINK?

YEAH, I THINK A LOT OF US WERE SURPRISED BY THE EARLY BUDGET AGREEMENT THAT CAME THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, EARLY APRIL.

1ST OF APRIL, I THINK WAS APRIL FOOL'S DAY WAS WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED.

AND I THINK WE ALL KIND OF THOUGHT, WELL, WHAT'S NEXT?

BECAUSE TYPICALLY LAWMAKERS HAVE KIND OF THOUGHT, WELL, AT LEAST IN LEADERSHIP, THAT THE BUDGET HAS KIND OF BEEN SOMETHING TO HOLD OVER MEMBERS HEADS IF THEY WANT OTHER POLICIES PASSED.

AND SO WE HAD THAT KIND OF COME PRETTY QUICKLY BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE GOP LEADERSHIP AND THE GOVERNOR.

AND THEN WE HAD KIND OF A WAIT AND SEE ATTITUDE FOR THE LAST SESSION ON POLICY DETAILS.

SO WHY DID IT THE BUDGET GET AGREED TO SO EARLY ON?

WELL, WE REALLY DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT, EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THERE SEEMED TO BE A BROAD BASED AGREEMENT.

GOVERNOR STITT, OF COURSE, HAD ASKED FOR FLAT BUDGETS.

AND IF YOU IF YOU LOOK AT THIS BUDGET, IT ONLY INCREASES OVER THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR'S BUDGET BY ABOUT $190 MILLION.

THAT'S A 1.52% INCREASE.

SO IT'S NOT MUCH LARGER THAN IN PREVIOUS YEARS.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE DOMINATING ISSUES THROUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION WAS EDUCATION.

AND THEY CAME TO AN AGREEMENT ON HOW TO ADDRESS THAT FROM A POLICY PERSPECTIVE.

AND MOST OF THE NEW MONEY WENT INTO EDUCATION PROGRAMS.

SO IT WAS KIND OF EASY TO GET A DEAL WHEN THEY WERE ALL ON THOSE SAME PAGES.

EMMA, ONE OF THE STALLS CAME AROUND MEDICAID, IS THAT RIGHT?

YES.

YEAH.

THERE WAS A LAST SESSION.

THERE WERE TALKS ABOUT HOW CHANGES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL WERE GOING TO IMPACT MEDICAID IN THE STATE.

AND THIS SESSION, WE SAW LAWMAKERS HERE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY COULD HAVE MORE FLEXIBILITY AROUND MEDICAID EXPANSION, WHICH IS ENSHRINED IN OUR CONSTITUTION.

AND THERE WERE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO PUT MEDICAID, A MEDICAID EXPANSION RELATED STATE QUESTION, ON A BALLOT.

AND ALL OF THEM, IN THE END, FAILED IN THE SENATE OVER DIFFERENCES OVER WHAT ELECTION DATE IT SHOULD BE PUT ON, OR DIFFERENCES IN WHAT THEY THOUGHT THE LANGUAGE SHOULD LOOK LIKE, OR HOW CLEAR IT SHOULD BE TO VOTERS AND THAT LANGUAGE.

SO IN THE END, THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE A MEDICAID STATE QUESTION.

AS OF RIGHT NOW.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S MINUTIA, BUT SHOULD DISAGREEMENTS OVER MINUTIA VERSUS THE OVERALL IMPACT OF MEDICAID AGREEMENT CONCERN OR FRUSTRATE OKLAHOMANS?

WELL, OKLAHOMANS VOTED TO PUT MEDICAID INTO OUR STATE CONSTITUTION.

SO THE CHANGES BETWEEN ALL THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS MIGHT SEEM MINOR.

BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE VERSION HAD A TRIGGER WHERE IF THE FEDERAL MATCH, OUR FEDERAL DOLLAR MATCH CHANGES, THEN IT COMES OUT OF THE CONSTITUTION, WHERE ONE WOULD HAVE MAYBE JUST TAKEN IT OUT OF THE CONSTITUTION AT THE START.

SO THOSE KIND OF WHAT MIGHT SEEM LIKE SMALL CHANGES DO HAVE A PRETTY BIG EFFECT IN THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS.

SO I THINK THE MINUTIA DOES MATTER, RIGHT?

PAUL, YOU AND I WERE TALKING EARLIER.

YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND.

FIRST OF ALL, EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS.

YEAH.

SO THE GOVERNOR IN HIS STATE OF STATE KIND OF CALLED FOR THIS SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND.

HE WANTED TO KIND OF HAVE THIS IDEA OF LIKE, YOU KNOW, STATES LIKE ALASKA THAT HAVE PERMANENT RESERVES FROM OIL AND GAS REVENUE HAVE KIND OF BIG RESERVE FUNDS.

BUT THE GOVERNOR WANTED TO HAVE THIS EXTRA FUND THAT WAS CREATED OUT OF STATE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS THAT WERE ALREADY THERE AND HAVE THIS KIND OF BE KIND OF A NEST EGG, MUCH THE SAME WAY AS OUR TOBACCO SETTLEMENT ENDOWMENT TRUST FUND HAS BEEN FOR THE LAST 25 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T TOUCH THAT.

THE LAWMAKERS ARE KIND OF A HANDS OFF ATTITUDE TO THAT.

THIS WAS SOMETHING THE GOVERNOR WANTED TO KIND OF PUT OUT THERE AND SAY, HEY, LOOK, WE SHOULD GROW THIS AND MAKE SURE THAT LAWMAKERS CAN'T TAP IT FOR AT LEAST TEN YEARS OR UNTIL IT HITS, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN LEVEL.

AND SO THEY ACTUALLY DID MAKE THAT AGREEMENT IN THE BUDGET.

THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE GOP LEADERS AGREED TO THAT.

AND THEN WE HAD A $200 MILLION SOVEREIGN WEALTH FUND THAT WAS KIND OF TAKEN OUT OF AN EXISTING STATE SAVINGS FUND AND KIND OF SET ASIDE.

AND NOW THE STATE CAN KIND OF INVEST IN PRIVATE BUSINESSES TO KIND OF GROW THEM AND GET A RETURN LIKE THEY DO ON SCHOOL LAND, LIKE THEY DO ON TOBACCO SETTLEMENT MONEY THAT COMES IN FROM THEIR INVESTMENTS AS WELL.

OKAY.

SOMETHING THAT THAT CAME UP, AT LEAST FOR OETA SEAN IS VETOES.

SO IN MY NOTES HERE, THERE WERE 22 HOUSE BILLS THAT WERE VETOED BY GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT, 15 SENATE BILLS VETOED FOR A TOTAL OF 37.

IS THAT NORMAL?

THAT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF LOW FOR GOVERNOR STITT.

LAST YEAR, HE HAD MORE THAN 60 VETOES ISSUED.

AND I FORGET THE EARLIER YEARS, BUT THE NUMBERS RAN RATHER ON THE HIGH SIDE.

I THINK WHAT WAS UNUSUAL THIS YEAR WAS THAT ONLY FOUR WERE OVERRIDDEN.

ONE OF THOSE THAT WAS NOT OVERRIDDEN, OF COURSE, WAS THE OETA SUNSET EXTENSION.

SUNSET BILLS ARE AN INTERESTING CREATURE WITHIN OKLAHOMA STATE GOVERNMENT.

THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF AGENCIES, BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS THAT ARE NOT PERMANENT.

THEY HAVE TO BE RENEWED EVERY FEW YEARS.

AND THAT'S WHAT A SUNSET EXTENSION DOES.

OETA WAS UP FOR SUNSET REVIEW THIS YEAR, AND THAT BILL WAS GOVERNOR WAS VETOED BY THE GOVERNOR.

THE SENATE ATTEMPTED TO OVERRIDE THAT VETO BUT FAILED TO DO SO.

SO WHEN A AGENCY DOES NOT HAVE ITS SUNSET EXTENDED AS OETA DID NOT, IT ENTERS A ONE YEAR WIND DOWN PERIOD, DURING WHICH TIME IT'S SUPPOSED TO COMPLETE ITS BUSINESS TO TO CLOSE ITS DOORS.

JUNE 30TH, 2027.

IN THIS CASE, THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY.

AS HOUSE SPEAKER KYLE HILBERT POINTED OUT, FOR LAWMAKERS TO CONSIDER A NEW SUNSET BILL WHEN THE LEGISLATURE CONVENES IN 2027.

HE SAID THEY'LL SPEAK WITH THE NEWLY ELECTED GOVERNOR TO SEE WHAT HIS POSITION IS ON THE ISSUE OF CONTINUING OETA AND THEN MOVE FORWARD FROM THERE.

WE HAVE SEEN IN PAST YEARS WHERE SUNSET BILLS HAVE BEEN VETOED.

ONE YEAR THEY FORGOT TO PASS ONE OF THE SUNSET BILLS, AND SO THEY SUBSEQUENTLY HAD TO DO THAT NEXT YEAR, RENEWAL ON ON THAT SHORT TERM BASIS.

BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO DO SO.

SO WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER FEBRUARY.

ALL RIGHT.

WE WILL BE WATCHING CLOSELY HERE.

I GUARANTEE YOU, ON THE DAY THAT THE SENATE WAS SET TO HOPEFULLY PASS THE OVERRIDE OF THE VETO, I THINK ALL OF US WERE WATCHING THE SENATE LIVE FEED ON THAT DAY.

SO NOW WE LOOK TO FEBRUARY AND NEW HOPES AND POSSIBILITIES.

INDEED.

ALL RIGHT, EMMA, LET'S TALK DATA CENTERS.

THAT IS OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO OKLAHOMA.

IT'S BIG IN THE FUTURE OF NOT ONLY OKLAHOMA, BUT IN THE NATION.

WHAT ARE THE ISSUES THAT OKLAHOMANS NEED TO BE AWARE OF, AND HOW DID THE LEGISLATURE LEGISLATURE TACKLE THAT?

YEAH, DATA CENTERS HAVE BEEN IN THE CONVERSATION NATIONALLY ABOUT RISING ENERGY COSTS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, TAKING UP WATER RESOURCES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND SO IT WAS A BIPARTISAN EFFORT IN THE LEGISLATURE THIS YEAR TO ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT OKLAHOMANS HAVE ABOUT DATA CENTERS LIKE THIS.

AND HOUSE BILL 2992 WAS SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR, AND IT'S AN EFFORT TO PROTECT RATEPAYERS FROM RISING COSTS ON THEIR OWN ENERGY BILLS AND TO REQUIRE NEW DATA CENTERS OR LARGE LOAD CUSTOMERS, LIKE DATA CENTERS FROM.

IT REQUIRES THEM TO SIGN A CONTRACT TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO IF THERE'S AN EXISTING DATA CENTER, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY AFFECT THOSE.

BUT IF A DEVELOPER COMES IN AND WANTS TO BUY LAND, THEY HAVE TO NOTIFY LANDOWNERS OR NEIGHBORS IN THE AREA, AND THEN THEY'LL HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE RATHER THAN HAVING THAT COST KIND OF SHIFTED OFF ONTO RATEPAYERS IN OKLAHOMANS.

SO SPEAKING OF DEVELOPERS AND LANDOWNERS, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE GIANT WINDMILLS THAT DID COME UP.

AND I SAW SOME DISCUSSION ON THAT IN THE SENATE.

PAUL, DO YOU WANT TO TACKLE THAT ONE?

YEAH, I MEAN, THIS THIS SETBACK ISSUE FROM FROM WIND TURBINES.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THESE MASSIVE STRUCTURES, OBVIOUSLY, WE SEE WHEN WE'RE DRIVING AROUND IN RURAL PARTS OF THE STATE, THEY'VE OBVIOUSLY HELPED OUT LANDOWNERS THAT CAN CAN RENT THAT LAND TO THESE THESE WIND COMPANIES AND KIND OF GET THE ROYALTY, THE REVENUE FROM THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A BIG THING WITH SETBACKS IN TERMS OF HOW FAR THEY CAN BE FROM RESIDENTS AND HOUSES IN THE AREA.

AND SO THIS IS A BIG ISSUE, ACTUALLY, IN THE LAST YEARS LEGISLATURE IN 2025, A LOT OF DISCUSSION.

AND IN FACT, THEY DID AT LEAST 1 OR 2 INTERIM STUDIES ON THIS ISSUE, ON SETBACKS FOR TURBINES, FOR WIND TURBINES, AND ALSO SOLAR.

NOW, AT THE VERY END OF SESSION, WHEN THINGS WERE KIND OF GOING BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND TRYING TO WRAP UP THINGS, YOU KNOW, SENATE PRO TEM LONNIE PAXTON HAD SENATE BILL TWO COME BACK UP, THAT IT WAS KIND OF DISCUSSED LAST YEAR IN 2025.

AND THAT ACTUALLY WENT FOR SOME DISCUSSION.

IT KIND OF MADE A KIND OF CERTAIN SETBACK BEYOND BASED ON THE TOWER HEIGHT OF A WIND TURBINE FROM A RESIDENCE IN A NON PARTICIPATING LANDOWNER, WHICH WOULD BE NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, ESSENTIALLY.

AND THAT ACTUALLY FAILED.

IT PASSED THE SENATE BUT FAILED IN THE HOUSE THAT SAME DAY, ON THE LAST DAY OF SESSION.

AND SO THERE WASN'T A WHOLE LOT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THE PRO TEM DID TELEGRAPH THAT HE WAS GOING TO BRING THAT UP IN THE LAST DAYS OF SESSION.

HE DID IT, PASSED THE SENATE, WENT TO THE HOUSE.

THEY WEREN'T VERY HAPPY ABOUT TAKING THAT UP AT THAT POINT.

AND SO IT JUST KIND OF DIED.

AND SO WE NOW HAVE KIND OF THE STATUS QUO ESSENTIALLY ON THAT ISSUE RIGHT NOW.

SO WHAT HAPPENED ON THE EDUCATION FRONT?

WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO THAT.

AND THAT'S ALWAYS A BIG A BIG ISSUE IN OKLAHOMA EVERY YEAR WITH THE LEGISLATURE AND THE BUDGET.

WAS THERE A TEACHER PAY RAISE IN THE OFFING THAT DID NOT GO THROUGH?

SEAN.

NO, THE TEACHER PAY RAISE DID GO THROUGH.

IT'S $2,000 FOR EACH TEACHER, AND THAT WAS PART OF THE INCREASED FUNDING PROVIDED TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

I THINK THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT THAT LAWMAKERS HAGGLED OVER WAS LITERACY.

WE KNOW THAT OUR LITERACY RATES ARE ARE LOW, AND THERE'S AN INTEREST AND A FOCUS ON EARLY CHILDHOOD LITERACY TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE READING AT GRADE LEVEL.

BY THE THIRD GRADE, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, LAWMAKERS HAD PASSED LEGISLATION THAT REQUIRED STUDENTS TO BE HELD BACK IF THEY WERE NOT AT READING AT THIRD GRADE LEVEL.

BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT, AND SO THEY BACKED AWAY FROM THAT.

THEY ENDED THAT THAT PROCESS.

NOW THEY'VE PUT IT BACK.

BUT IN DOING SO, WHAT THEY ATTEMPTED TO DO WAS FOCUS ON SOME OF THE GROWTH NEEDS PRIOR TO THAT SECOND GRADE, FIRST GRADE, EVEN KINDERGARTEN, TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS WHO ARE NOT READING AT THOSE APPROPRIATE GRADE LEVELS ARE RECEIVING THE HELP THEY NEED SO THAT THEY CAN ADVANCE AND CAN READ AT THE AT THE THIRD GRADE LEVEL.

THE LAWMAKERS ALSO CONTINUED THE NO CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL PROGRAM, WHICH WAS INITIATED THIS PAST YEAR, AND THE AUTHORS OF THAT LEGISLATION TALKED ABOUT THE POSITIVE RESPONSES THEY HAD HEARD FROM TEACHERS AND IN SOME CASES, STUDENTS FOR NOT HAVING THOSE PHONES IN THE CLASSROOM AND THE DISTRACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THEM.

ALL RIGHT.

HAVE SO, SO MANY PAPERS, SO MANY MORE TOPICS.

BUT WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.

SO, PAUL, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.

WHAT DO YOU LOOK?

ARE YOU ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR AND WHAT DO THEY NEED TO TACKLE NEXT YEAR?

WELL, I THINK THEY STILL HAVE THAT LINGERING ISSUE WITH THE SETBACKS IN TERMS OF WIND TURBINES THAT THEY MAY NOT WANT TO MESS WITH ANYMORE.

I DON'T KNOW, THAT GETS KIND OF COME TO SESSIONS NOW IN A ROW AND NOTHING HAS REALLY HAPPENED.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF LOBBYING BACK AND FORTH ON BOTH SIDES.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT AT LEAST ONE PROPERTY TAX ISSUE THAT IS GOING TO BE IN NOVEMBER.

STATE QUESTION.

IT KIND OF SLOWS THE RATE OF INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAXES FOR ESPECIALLY RESIDENTIAL OWNERS.

THAT MAY COME BACK UP AGAIN.

WE'LL KIND OF SEE HOW THE TENOR OF THE GUBERNATORIAL ELECTIONS GO, YOU KNOW, POST THE PRIMARY AND POST RUNOFF PERIOD.

BUT WE'LL PROBABLY LOOK AT THAT NEXT YEAR AS WELL.

WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING A LOT ABOUT POLITICS THIS YEAR.

AND THEN WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?

I THINK THE LINGERING MEDICAID STATE QUESTION, OR WHAT WHAT LAWMAKERS WILL DO WITH MEDICAID EXPANSION IS GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK UP NEXT YEAR.

AND LEADERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY'LL BRING IT BACK UP.

I'M ALSO CURIOUS, WITH THIS BEING AN ELECTION YEAR, AND THERE'S BEEN SO MANY CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW AI CAN BE USED IN ELECTIONS AND CAMPAIGNS.

I THERE WERE A COUPLE BILLS THAT WERE MEANT TO ADDRESS IT, GENERATIVE AI THIS SESSION THAT DIDN'T REALLY MOVE FORWARD.

SO I'M CURIOUS IF POST-ELECTION.

WE'LL SEE MORE LEGISLATION ABOUT THAT.

I UNDERSTAND THERE'S AN AI IN EDUCATION SYMPOSIUM GOING ON UP IN TULSA, I BELIEVE NEXT MONTH IN EARLY JUNE.

YES.

YOU GUYS MAY WANT TO HEAD UP THERE AND JUST LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT.

AND SEAN, FINAL THOUGHTS FROM YOU.

I'M ALWAYS INTERESTED IN THE BUDGET.

WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT OF THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR WITH A LARGE SUM OF ADDITIONAL CASH THAT APPEARS, WHICH HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL TO LAWMAKERS THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IN SUPPORTING ONE TIME PROJECTS.

SO THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO RELY ON THE YEAR TO YEAR COLLECTIONS TO DO THAT.

SO IT COULD BE AN INTERESTING YEAR FOR THE BUDGET.

AGAIN, WHETHER THEY'LL DO IT AS QUICKLY OR NOT WILL BE INTERESTING TO SEE, BUT WE'LL HAVE SOME NEW PLAYERS ON BOARD SO ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

I'D LIKE TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR INPUT, AND KIND OF THIS GENERAL OVERSIGHT ON WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHERE WE'RE GOING.

THANKS.

THANK YOU ALL.

THANK YOU.

GREAT JOB SUSAN.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

DANCING LIKE A DORK WAS HILARIOUSLY IMMORTALIZED BY ELAINE BENES ON SEINFELD.

BUT IT TURNS OUT DORK DANCING CAN BE A WAY TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS AN OF THE GATEWAYO LEARN MORE FROM OUR PUBLIC TELEVISION PARTNERS AT NINE PBS.

IMAGINE BEING ABLE TO DANCE FREELY WITHOUT JUDGMENT, JOINED BY OTHER LIKE MINDED PEOPLE.

WHETHER YOU DANCE ON THE BEAT OR NOT, DORK DANCING IS ALL ABOUT EMBRACING MOVEMENT.

YOU'RE DANCING WITH STRANGERS OUT IN PUBLIC, WHICH ISN'T A NORMAL OR TYPICAL THING TO DO AT ALL.

SO PEOPLE MIGHT OFTEN COME TO DORK DANCING FEELING QUITE UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT THEN THEY FEEL A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND A SENSE OF LIBERATION AND FUN THAT REALLY HELPS THEM EASE INTO THE EXPERIENCE AND JUST FEEL BETTER.

DORK DANCING IS DANCING HOWEVER YOU WANT TO WITH STRANGERS IN PUBLIC TO BREAK STIGMAS.

AND LIKE ETHAN SAID, IT CAN BE QUITE UNCOMFORTABLE AT FIRST.

BUT IN THIS CASE, ESPECIALLY, BEING A DORK ISN'T A NEGATIVE THING.

LISTENING TO MUSIC HAS ALWAYS HELPED ME FEEL BETTER, ESPECIALLY IN RESPONSE TO MY OWN PERSONAL MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES.

AND SOMEONE CALLED ME A DORK AFTER I POSTED A VIDEO ONLINE.

THOUGHT THAT WAS FUNNY AND THE NAME DORK DANCING WAS BORN.

BACK IN 2020, ETHAN WAS QUARANTINED IN VIETNAM, DANCING ONLINE TO GET THROUGH COVID 19 AND THE GLOBAL MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS THAT FOLLOWED, PER CLASSIC INTERNET BEHAVIOR, HIS VIDEOS GAINED SOME TRACTION, AND PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD BEGAN JOINING THE DORK DANCING MOVEMENT.

ONCE COVID RESTRICTIONS ALLOWED, ETHAN TOOK IT TO THE PUBLIC BIT BY BIT.

MORE AND MORE PEOPLE JOINED, AND PEOPLE GOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THE IDEA OF DANCING OUT IN PUBLIC IN THE NAME OF MENTAL HEALTH.

SO STARTED SMALL, BUT IT GREW JUST IN THREE WEEKS.

IT WAS DANCING OUT IN PUBLIC EVERY DAY, AND IT GREW KIND OF FAST.

ACTUALLY, IT WASN'T UNTIL LAST YEAR THAT SAINT LOUIS WAS GRACED WITH DORK DANCING, BECOMING THE FOURTH CITY IN THE WORLD WITH A CHAPTER.

IT'S A BLEND OF ADVOCACY WITH FREE SPIRITED MOVEMENT SHOWING UP AS YOU ARE AND MOVING HOW YOU WANT.

GET IT, GET IT.

MATTHEW.

I'M THE FIRST DORK DANCER IN SAINT LOUIS.

I MET ETHAN AND WE MET AT TOWER GROVE PARK, AND I VOLUNTEERED TO GROW THE CHAPTER WITH HIM.

I HAVE BEEN AN ADVOCATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH FOR YEARS, AND SO HEARING SOMEONE ELSE DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT AND WANTING TO GET OUT IN COMMUNITY AND REALLY TRYING TO DO SOMETHING, IT REALLY TOUCHED ME.

AND SO I, I HAD TO BE A PART OF IT.

AT ITS CORE, MISSION DORK DANCING IS ABOUT IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH AND OVERALL WELL-BEING.

IT'S ABOUT RECLAIMING WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A DORK AND CREATING AN OPEN SPACE FOR COMMUNITY.

I'M AN EMPTY NESTER, SO I HAD TO FIND A PURPOSE, AND YOU KIND OF LOSE YOURSELF A LITTLE BIT TO MENTAL HEALTH.

WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND A PURPOSE.

IT CAN GO ONE WAY OR IT CAN GO ANOTHER WAY.

AND I LOOKED UP ON MEET UP SAINT LOUIS AND FELL INTO DORK DANCING.

IT'S BECAME MY PURPOSE BECAUSE MENTAL HEALTH IS IT HASN'T NOT TOUCHED ANYONE.

IT'S DANCING.

BUT SO MUCH MORE THAN THAT.

IT'S ABOUT RELIEF FROM THE PRESSURES OF THE WORLD AND HAVING FUN WHILE DOING IT, KNOWING THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK, EVEN FOR A MOMENT.

DORK DANCING IS A SPACE FOR PEOPLE TO JUST EMBRACE THEIR AUTHENTIC SELVES AND BE WHO THEY ARE.

AND REGARDLESS OF THEIR BACKGROUND, THEIR AGE, THEIR GENDER, THEIR SEXUALITY, THEIR IDENTITY, WE REALLY SEE THAT THERE'S AN INNER DORK IN EVERYONE FOR LIVING SAINT LOUIS.

I'M OLIVIA MOSES ON THE NEXT OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

SHOULD OKLAHOMANS WORRY ABOUT OUTBREAKS OF HANTAVIRUS AND EBOLA OVERSEAS?

IS THERE A CHANCE OF ANOTHER PANDEMIC?

JOIN US FOR AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH LOCAL HEALTH EXPERTS FRIDAY AT SEVEN, AND WE'LL STAY SO LONG WITH A LOOK AT THE THUNDER FANS GETTING PUMPED UP FOR THE PLAYOFFS.

PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA PRODUCTION TEAM.

FOR ALL OF US WHO PLAY A ROLE IN PUTTING THIS NEWSCAST ON THE AIR EACH WEEK.

I'M RICH LENZ.

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND.

SO IF YOU'RE LONELY, YOU KNOW I'M HERE WAITING FOR YOU.

I'M JUST A CROSSHAIR.

I'M JUST A SHOT AWAY FROM YOU.

AND IF YOU LEAVE HERE, YOU LEAVE ME BROKEN, SHATTERED I LIE.

I'M JUST A CROSSHAIR.

I'M JUST A SHOT.

THEN WE CAN DIE.

I. KNOW I WON'T BE LEAVING HERE WITH YOU.

GET READY FOR MUSICAL EXCITEMENT WITH NICOLE SCHERZINGER.

FROM LEAD VOCALIST WITH THE PUSSYCAT DOLLS TO TONY WINNING BROADWAY STAR AND NOW AT LONDON'S ROYAL ALBERT HALL.

I'M YOUR FRIEND.