1965.

IT'S SELMA, STARRING DAVID OYELOWO AND OPRAH WINFREY.

THAT'S 9:00 SATURDAY NIGHT HERE ON THE OETA MOVIE CLUB.

OETA IS JUST A CLICK AWAY.

VISIT US ONLINE TODAY.

SUPPORTERS CELEBRATING THE GOVERNOR'S DECISION TO GRANT CLEMENCY FOR DEATH ROW INMATE TRAMAINE WOOD.

HIS ATTORNEY SPENT TWO HOURS.

AND THAT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION.

THAT'S NOT ME BEING HYPERBOLIC, BUT HE SPENT A TOTAL OF TWO HOURS ON THE CASE, THE LONGEST SHUTDOWN IN AMERICAN HISTORY COMES TO AN END AFTER 43 DAYS.

AT LONG LAST, REASON HAS PREVAILED, AND THE MEASURE BEFORE US WILL FINALLY END.

THIS POINTLESS SHUTDOWN.

OKLAHOMA'S FARMERS AND RANCHERS WORRY ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S ECONOMIC AGENDA.

THE RHETORIC THAT EXISTS AROUND SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS ABSOLUTELY HAVE PANICKED THE MARKET.

I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION ABOUT THAT.

IN OKLAHOMA, NONPROFIT HONORS AND REWARDS VETERANS FOR THEIR MILITARY SERVICE.

I SAW THIS ONLINE THAT THEY WERE GIVING AWAY SUITS AND THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GO GET ONE AND MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION FOR A FUTURE EMPLOYER.

IS BURNS FLAT OKLAHOMA POISED TO BECOME A LEADER IN SUBORBITAL FLIGHT IN THE UNITED STATES?

A LOT OF NEW JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CREATED BASED ON SOME OF THE PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT ARE BUILDING OUT HERE.

AND, OF COURSE, DON AEROSPACE AND THE SPACE FLIGHTS THAT ARE GOING TO COME IN 2027, PLUS AN IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION ON THE LATEST EXCAVATION RESULTS FROM THE OAKLAWN CEMETERY, NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

I'M RICH LENZ, JUST MINUTES BEFORE HIS SCHEDULED EXECUTION, GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT GRANTED CLEMENCY TO CONVICTED MURDERER TRAMAINE WOOD, COMMUTING HIS SENTENCE TO LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE.

TAYLOR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THAT DECISION.

TAYLOR.

WELL, RICH, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE GOVERNOR HAS ACCEPTED THE PARDON AND PAROLE BOARD'S CLEMENCY REQUEST.

THE LAST INMATE ON DEATH ROW TO BE GRANTED CLEMENCY WAS JULIUS JONES IN 2021.

WHO ARE SUPPORTERS OF 46 YEAR OLD TRAMAINE WOOD SILENTLY PROTESTED OUTSIDE THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION ON THURSDAY AS THEY AWAITED GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT DECISION, JUST MINUTES BEFORE WOOD WAS SET TO BE EXECUTED BY LETHAL INJECTION.

HIS SUPPORTERS RECEIVED WORD THAT THE GOVERNOR HAD ACCEPTED THE PARDON AND PAROLE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION.

OF STITT CHOSE TO COMMUTE WOOD TO LIFE WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF PAROLE.

THIS ACTION REFLECTS THE SAME PUNISHMENT HIS BROTHER RECEIVED FOR THE MURDER OF AN INNOCENT YOUNG MAN, AND ENSURES A SEVERE PUNISHMENT THAT KEEPS A VIOLENT OFFENDER OFF THE STREETS FOREVER.

IN OKLAHOMA, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE THOSE WHO COMMIT VIOLENT CRIMES, DELIVERING JUSTICE, SAFEGUARDING OUR COMMUNITIES AND RESPECTING THE RULE OF LAW.

DURING HIS CLEMENCY HEARING LAST WEEK, WOOD EXPRESSED REGRET FOR THE MURDER OF 19 YEAR OLD RONNIE SMITH ON NEW YEAR'S DAY IN 2002.

WE ARE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF MY ACTIONS AND MY DECISIONS, WHICH ROBBED RONNIE WITH NOT ONLY OF MONEY BUT CONTRIBUTED TO HIM BEING ROBBED OF HIS LIFE, WOOD'S ATTORNEY, AMANDA BASS, SAYS HER TEAM IS GRATEFUL FOR THE GOVERNOR'S MERCY.

TRAMAINE HAS ALWAYS BEEN DEEPLY REMORSEFUL FOR HIS ROLE IN THE CRIME AND THE HARM IT CAUSED THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

HE IS COMMITTED TO USING THIS SECOND CHANCE TO SERVE HIS COMMUNITY AND HELP OTHERS.

TRAMAINE AND HIS OLDER BROTHER, JAKE WOOD, WERE CHARGED WITH THE MURDER OF RONNIE WITH AS A RESULT OF A ROBBERY GONE WRONG, AND WHILE TRAMAINE WAS ORIGINALLY SENTENCED TO DEATH, HIS BROTHER JAKE, WHO ADMITTED TO THE MURDER, WAS SENTENCED TO LIFE BEHIND BARS.

TREMAINE'S MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER, CINDY BIRDWELL, SAYS JAKE WAS KNOWN FOR GETTING INTO TROUBLE.

MY MEMORIES OF JAKE ARE WE WOULD HAVE MIDDLE SCHOOL DANCES AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER IN STILLWATER, AND WE JUST KEPT IT MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE WE JUST WANTED THE KIDS TO HAVE THEIR OWN SPACE.

AND JAKE WOULD ALWAYS TRY TO COME AND GET INTO THE DANCES.

AND SO THE MEN CHAPERONS WOULD HAVE TO TAKE JAKE INTO THE PARKING LOT AND EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT THIS WAS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN, AND IT NEVER WENT WELL.

DURING WOOD'S CLEMENCY HEARING, WOOD ACCEPTED HIS RESPONSIBILITY FOR HIS ROLE IN WHIP'S DEATH.

I LOVE MY BROTHER.

HE WAS MY BEST FRIEND.

HE HELPED RAISE ME THE BEST WAY HE KNEW HOW.

AND WHEN I WAS YOUNG, HE USED TO PROTECT ME AND HE DID ALL THAT WHILE FIGHTING HIS OWN DEMONS.

NOW I LOOK BACK ON THAT NIGHT AND I REALIZED THAT I SHOULD HAVE BEEN BIG BROTHER.

I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE ONE TO SAY, NO, WE'RE NOT DOING THIS.

BUT INSTEAD I WENT ALONG WITH IT AND PARTICIPATED IN IT, BIRDWELL SAYS WHAT WOULD EXPERIENCE AS A YOUNG BOY PLAYED A ROLE IN HIS ADULT DECISIONS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HURTS MY HEART TO THIS DAY.

TREMAINE CAME TO SCHOOL HAPPY, BOUNCY, FUNNY.

BUT WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WAS THAT TREMAINE WAS ABUSED AND EMOTIONALLY, PHYSICALLY, SEXUALLY AT HOME AND IT WAS A VERY SAD SITUATION.

CONSERVATIVES CONCERNED EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DEMETRIUS MINOR SAYS THERE ARE MANY ISSUES IN WOOD'S CASE.

FIRST OF ALL, INADEQUATE AND SUBPAR LEGAL REPRESENTATION.

OVER A PERIOD OF 19 MONTHS, HIS ATTORNEY SPENT TWO HOURS.

AND THAT'S NOT AN EXAGGERATION.

THAT'S NOT ME BEING HYPERBOLIC, BUT HE SPENT A TOTAL OF TWO HOURS ON THE CASE.

WOOD'S STATE APPOINTED ATTORNEY ABUSED ALCOHOL AND DRUGS DURING THE TRIAL.

THE JURY ALSO DID NOT RECEIVE FULL INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SENTENCE WOOD, SO THE STATE FAILED.

MR.

WOOD ALSO FELONY MURDER.

HE IS BEING SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR A CRIME THAT HE DID NOT COMMIT.

MINOR WANTS OKLAHOMANS TO REEVALUATE HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS.

THE FACT THAT THE STATE MISREPRESENTED HIM AND DID SUCH A POOR SERVICE, IT'S AN EMBARRASSMENT TO THE STATE, AND IT'S A QUESTION THAT WE WANT TO ASK OKLAHOMANS, ARE YOU OKAY?

ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THIS TYPE OF REPRESENTATION?

AND I'M QUITE CONFIDENT THE ANSWER IS NO.

ACCORDING TO THE CONSERVATIVE CONCERNED WEBSITE, THE ORGANIZATION QUESTIONS THE ALIGNMENT OF CAPITAL PUNISHMENT WITH CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPLES.

IT'S A VIOLATION OF MY PRO-LIFE VIEWS.

AND SO I'M CONSISTENTLY AND HOLISTICALLY PRO-LIFE.

AND THE DEATH PENALTY IS ANTAGONISTIC TOWARDS THOSE VIEWS.

ALSO, FISCALLY, IT COSTS MORE FOR DEATH PENALTY SENTENCES TO HAPPEN VERSUS LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE.

ACCORDING TO THE OKLAHOMA COALITION TO ABOLISH THE DEATH PENALTY, IT COST TAXPAYERS NEARLY $5 MILLION PER DEATH SENTENCE FOR TRIAL AND APPEALS.

THEY HAVE TO REVIEW THE HISTORY OF BOTCHED EXECUTIONS THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN THE STATE.

SO THE QUESTION IS THE RESOURCES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY SPENDING TOWARDS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE FOR THOSE TO BE REALLOCATED TOWARDS THINGS SUCH AS VIOLENCE PREVENTION SERVICES, OR MORE RESOURCES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO DO THEIR JOB PROPERLY, OR MOST IMPORTANTLY, RESOURCES FOR SURVIVORS IN THEIR IN THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS?

ATTORNEY GENTNER DRUMMOND, WHOSE TEAM ARGUED THAT WOOD SHOULD NOT BE GRANTED CLEMENCY, EXPRESSED HIS DISAPPOINTMENT IN A STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART, MY OFFICE WILL CONTINUE WORKING TO ENSURE THAT TREMAINE WOOD REMAINS BEHIND BARS AND THAT THE PUBLIC IS PROTECTED FROM HIM.

ALTHOUGH THE AG CLAIMS THAT WOOD IS A DANGER, HIS FORMER TEACHER SAYS THAT'S NOT THE MAN SHE KNOWS.

TREMAINE WAS FUNNY, HE WAS ATHLETIC, HE WAS SMART, HE WAS ENERGETIC.

SHE RECALLS HER LAST VISIT WITH WOOD, AND IT WAS LIKE TIME HADN'T PASSED.

AND IT WAS INTERESTING.

WHEN I LEFT THAT DAY, I WAS ABLE TO GIVE HIM A BIG HUG AND I ASKED THE GUARD TO PLEASE TAKE CARE OF TREMAINE, AND THE GUARD SAID, OH, I WILL.

HE'S ONE OF OUR GOOD GUYS.

MOM AND DAD ARE SUFFERING JUST A FEW HOURS AFTER HAVING HIS LIFE SPARED, WOOD INJURED HIMSELF IN HIS CELL AND WAS HOSPITALIZED AND TREATED FOR DEHYDRATION AND STRESS.

BY THE END OF THE DAY, HE WAS FEELING MUCH BETTER AND WAS RETURNED TO PRISON.

RICH TAYLOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AFTER 43 DAYS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF ECONOMIC LOSS AND SUFFERING FOR SNAP RECIPIENTS AND AIR TRAVELERS, THE LONGEST GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IN U.S.

HISTORY FINALLY ENDED ON WEDNESDAY.

THE VOTE WAS 222 TO 209, WITH SIX DEMOCRATS JOINING WITH REPUBLICANS TO PASS THE MEASURE THAT WAS SIGNED INTO LAW BY THE PRESIDENT ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

EARLIER IN THE DAY, OKLAHOMA REPRESENTATIVE TOM COLE, ADDRESSING WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THE FUNDING AGREEMENT.

WE WILL HAVE FULL YEAR FUNDING IN PLACE FOR MANY OF OUR MOST CRUCIAL PROGRAMS.

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION NEEDS WILL BE MET FOR A FULL YEAR, AS WILL MEDICAL PROGRAMS FOR OUR NATION'S VETERANS.

THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH WILL BE FULLY FUNDED, INCLUDING CRITICAL FUNDING ENHANCEMENTS FOR THE CAPITOL POLICE AND FOR MEMBER SECURITY.

THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION WILL ALSO BE FULLY FUNDED, AS WILL THE WICK PROGRAM, TO ENSURE THAT PREGNANT WOMEN AND YOUNG CHILDREN WILL GET THE FOOD AND NUTRITION THEY NEED TO SURVIVE AND TO THRIVE.

IT'S EXPECTED TO TAKE SEVERAL DAYS FOR BENEFITS TO RESUME AND AIR TRAFFIC TO RETURN TO.

THE TYPICAL AMOUNT OF DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS.

OKLAHOMA RANCHERS ARE WORRIED ABOUT PRESIDENT TRUMP'S INTENTION TO IMPORT ARGENTINIAN CATTLE TO LOWER BEEF PRICES.

AND AS TARIFFS ARE TAKING A TOLL ON OKLAHOMA FARMERS AS WELL.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US FROM OUR NEWSROOM NOW WITH MORE ON THE IMPACT SO FAR.

STEVE.

RICH.

PRESIDENT TRUMP FIRST BROUGHT UP THE POSSIBILITY OF ARGENTINIAN BEEF ONE MONTH AGO.

THAT SET OFF A CHAIN REACTION IN THE OKLAHOMA CATTLE COMMUNITY OF THE VERY WORST KIND.

WE JUST FEED THEM.

WE FEED THEM HEAVY.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IN THE MORE ENERGY WE CAN KEEP IN THEM.

THAT'S RIGHT.

THEY'RE LESS HEALTH PROBLEMS SHE GOT.

JEREMY RICH IS A FOURTH GENERATION FARMER.

HIS FAMILY'S THOUSAND ACRE FARM IS JUST NORTH OF THE TOWN OF PRAGUE.

AND RIGHT NOW THEY MANAGE MORE THAN 700 HEAD OF CATTLE.

SO THESE CATTLE WILL ALL BE MOVING TO THE WEST.

THIS IS OUR MORNING FEEDING.

SO THEY'RE THEY'RE ENJOYING SOME CORN AND A LITTLE BIT OF DRIED DISTILLERS, GRAIN RICH.

AND AS MANY AS 70,000 OTHER FARMERS IN THE SOONER STATE HAVE BEEN ENJOYING VERY LITTLE SINCE PRESIDENT TRUMP MENTIONED ARGENTINA AND CATTLE FOUR WEEKS AGO.

ALL THIS NOISE YOU'RE HEARING IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

HOW DOES IT AFFECT YOU?

I THINK THAT'S THE REAL CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE TODAY, IS THE VOLATILITY THAT'S CAUSED BY THAT NOISE.

SO THESE CATTLE THAT YOU SEE HERE TODAY IN THE LAST THREE WEEKS, SO SINCE THE 16TH OF OCTOBER, HAVE DROPPED IN VALUE ALMOST $500 A HEAD.

SO IF YOU CAN IMAGINE, AS WE'RE LOOKING AT SEVERAL HUNDRED HEAD HERE TODAY, IT'S PRETTY EASY TO DO THAT MATH THAT THE VOLATILITY THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE MARKET, WE'RE SEEING AND IN THE FUTURES MARKET.

SO WE'RE NOT JUST WORRIED ABOUT THE CURRENT DAY VALUE, WHICH IS CONCERNING OF COURSE, BUT THE FUTURE VALUE OF THESE CATTLE $500 A HEAD IS THAT IS THAT COME OUT TO LIKE OVER $300,000.

ABSOLUTELY.

AMERICA'S COW HERD RIGHT NOW IS THE LOWEST IT'S BEEN IN MORE THAN 70 YEARS.

FARMERS MAY BE SOME OF THE BIGGEST GAMBLERS IN AMERICA, BUT SEVERE DROUGHT IN SIX OF THE LAST SEVEN YEARS, AS WELL AS THE RISING COST OF RAISING HERDS OF THESE MAGNIFICENT CREATURES, HAVE LEFT A BAD TASTE.

SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND WE FORGET THIS.

BUT WORDS MATTER.

THE THE SOME OF THE THINGS THE PRESIDENT'S TALKED ABOUT WON'T TREMENDOUSLY CHANGE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE CATTLE MARKET.

THE ARGENTINA BEEF POTENTIALLY COMING IN WON'T FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE THE AMOUNT OF BEEF THAT'S HERE FOR AMERICAN CONSUMERS.

BUT THE TALK OF IT, THE RHETORIC THAT EXISTS AROUND SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS ABSOLUTELY HAVE PANICKED THE MARKET OVER IN KAY COUNTY.

JEFF KROGER IS ALSO A FOURTH GENERATION FARMER.

HIS FAMILY'S THOUSAND ACRE FARM IS JUST A FIVE MINUTE DRIVE FROM ARBUCKLES FRIED PIES NEXT TO I-35 AND TONKAWA.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME, THEY WERE CLOSED ON MONDAY.

KROGER, WHO'S ALSO A KAY COUNTY COMMISSIONER, MANAGES 100 CATTLE.

THE BULK OF WHAT HIS FAMILY DOES IS GROW SOYBEANS, WHEAT, ALFALFA, CORN, AND GRAIN SORGHUM.

CHINA USED TO BE AMERICA'S LARGEST BUYER OF SOYBEANS AND GRAIN SORGHUM.

UNTIL PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RECENT TARIFFS TOOK EFFECT.

WE'RE CONCERNED CHINA REFUSED TO BUY SOYBEANS FROM THE U.S.

BUT RECENTLY INDICATED THEY'RE READY TO START BUYING AGAIN.

I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY THEY PUT THE TARIFFS ON.

BUT YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, MY FEELING IS WHEN YOU USE MY COMMODITY AS A BARGAINING TOOL, THEN, YOU KNOW, AT SOME POINT WE HAVE TO BE REIMBURSED OR COMPENSATED FOR THAT.

SO I'M THINKING, YOU KNOW, THE WE'VE BEEN PROMISED THESE, THESE PROGRAMS THAT ARE COMING OUT THERE, THE GOVERNMENT HAS AND I THINK IT'S I THINK WE'RE WE'RE ALL READY FOR THAT.

KROGER SAYS FARMERS AND RANCHERS MANY TIMES WORK ON RAZOR THIN MARGINS.

THE CONSEQUENCES OF UPSETTING THE APPLE CART CAN BE BRUTAL WHEN WE GET THAT.

WHEN A FARMER OR RANCHER MAKES THAT MONEY, THEY TAKE IT RIGHT INTO THAT LITTLE TOWN RIGHT DOWN THE STREET HERE, AND WE TURN IT AROUND.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE BUYING NEW EQUIPMENT, WE'RE DOING THINGS WITH THAT MONEY.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT NOT ONLY AFFECTS THE FARM AND RANCH, IT AFFECTS THE SMALL TOWN AND THE AND THE LITTLE BUSINESS GUYS IN TOWN, TOO.

SCOTT BLUBAUGH IS PRESIDENT OF AMERICAN FARMERS AND RANCHERS AND THE OKLAHOMA FARMERS UNION, WHICH REPRESENTS MORE THAN 60,000 OKLAHOMA FAMILIES.

THE FACT IS, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF BEEF THAT COULD BE BROUGHT IN FROM ARGENTINA BECAUSE THEY USE A LOT OF IT THEMSELVES, AND THEN THEY HAVE OTHER CUSTOMERS THAT THEY EXPORT TO.

AND SO THE AMOUNT OF BEEF THAT COULD BE BROUGHT IN HERE IS RELATIVELY SMALL.

BUT IT DID IT DID CREATE PANIC IN THE MARKETPLACE.

HE SAYS.

THE PROBLEM RIGHT NOW WITH BEEF IS FOR MASSIVE MEAT PROCESSING PLANTS TWO IN BRAZIL, ONE IN CHINA AND ONE IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS CONTROL 85% OF AMERICA'S BEEF AND BEEF PRICES.

HE SAYS THERE ARE BAD ACTORS IN THERE.

BUT HE SAYS PRESIDENT TRUMP IS NOW CLUED IN.

I THINK I THINK THE PRESIDENT GOT SET STRAIGHT BY SOME OF THE US SENATORS AND UNDERSTANDS THE DIFFERENCE.

AND I THINK MAYBE CONGRESSMAN COLE, WELL, MAYBE CONGRESSMAN COLE, I KNOW SENATOR MULLINS HAD US SAT DOWN WITH HIM.

SENATOR ROUNDS FROM SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOME OTHER, YOU KNOW, CATTLE STATE SENATORS HERE AND SAID, NO, MR.

PRESIDENT, THAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS.

LET US EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW THE MARKET WORKS.

SO HE I THINK HE WAS OUTRAGED WHEN HE FOUND THAT OUT.

IT'S BEEN IN MY BLOOD FOREVER.

AND I YOU KNOW, I REALLY LOVE FARMING.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT IT?

I JUST LOVE THE, YOU KNOW, THE EXCITEMENT OF PLANTING THE CROP, THE EXCITEMENT OF HARVESTING THE CROP, WATCHING A CROP GROW.

YOU LOVE FEEDING PEOPLE.

WE FEED THE WORLD.

BACK DURING COVID, FIVE YEARS AGO, WE SHOWED YOU HOW SOME CATTLE PRODUCERS STARTED HARVESTING THEIR OWN BEEF.

BLUE BALL SAYS.

SOME OF THAT'S STILL GOING ON, AND THAT'S ACTUALLY THE BEST WAY TO GET QUALITY BEEF.

BUT THAT'S REALLY JUST A DROP IN THE OCEAN WHEN IT COMES TO HOW BEEF IS PROCESSED IN THE WORLD THESE DAYS.

AND ONE LAST NOTE TODAY, THERE ARE REPORTS THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO LOWER SOME TARIFFS, INCLUDING THOSE ON ARGENTINIAN BEEF.

RICH, OKAY.

WE'LL STAY TUNED TO THAT STORY AS IT MOVES FORWARD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, STEVE.

OWNERSHIP OF THE JAMES INHOFE VA MEDICAL CENTER WAS OFFICIALLY TRANSFERRED OVER TO THE VA DURING A CEREMONY ON VETERANS DAY IN DOWNTOWN TULSA.

THE NEW 58 BED HOSPITAL, COSTING MORE THAN $180 MILLION, WILL SERVE THE MORE THAN 115,000 VETERANS WHO LIVED IN NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA.

THE 319,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY IS LOCATED IN THE OSU ACADEMIC MEDICAL DISTRICT.

IT'S EXPECTED TO BE FULLY OPEN AND ACCEPTING PATIENTS IN LATE SPRING OF 2026.

VETERANS DAY WAS CELEBRATED ON TUESDAY THIS WEEK, HONORING MILLIONS OF AMERICAN MEN AND WOMEN FOR THEIR MILITARY SERVICE AT THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY COURTHOUSE.

THERE WAS A SPECIAL RECOGNITION FOR ARMY VETERAN CLEO FIELDS, A LEGENDARY FIXTURE ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE COURTHOUSE FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS PRIOR TO HIS DEATH AT THE AGE OF 87 LAST AUGUST, MR.

FIELDS WORKED A SHOESHINE STAND IN THE LOBBY, BUT IT WAS HIS POSITIVE DEMEANOR THAT SHINED BRIGHTEST.

IF YOU KNEW MY GRANDFATHER, YOU KNEW HE WAS A SERVANT LEADER.

HE WAS SOMEONE WHO LOVED TO SERVE PEOPLE, LOVED TO LOVE ON PEOPLE.

AND IF YOU EVER GOT THE CHANCE TO GIVE HIM A HUG, YOU, YOU FELT THAT LOVE.

MOST DEFINITELY.

HE MEANT A LOT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.

AND WHEN HE PASSED AWAY, WE LEARNED ABOUT HIS MILITARY SERVICE.

AND SO WE REACHED OUT TO THE FAMILY AND WE ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD BE OKAY IF WE HONORED HIM.

SO THIS IS OUR SECOND YEAR TO DO THIS, AND OUR GOAL IS TO HONOR A COUNTY VETERAN EVERY VETERAN'S DAY.

SO ONCE A YEAR.

AND IT GIVES US A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE ABOUT THE SERVICE THAT OUR OFFICE PROVIDES, BUT ALSO TELL SOMEONE'S STORY.

CLEO FIELDS WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO LIE IN STATE AT THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY COURTHOUSE EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THERE WAS ALSO A SPECIAL EVENT AT THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF VETERAN AFFAIRS ON MONDAY IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

VETERANS RECEIVING A FITTED NEW SUIT AT NO COST.

NOAH MACK WAS THERE AND JOINS US NOW.

NOAH.

YEAH, RICH, THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR ODVA PUT ON THIS EVENT, AND THE AIM IS TO FOSTER PROFESSIONALISM AMONG VETERANS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ADDED OBSTACLES THEY MAY FACE WHEN REENTERING THE WORKFORCE.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S TIMES WHERE YOU JUST FEEL THAT BREAK DOWN AND CRY FOR NO REASON OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR YOU GET SAD ON CERTAIN DATES AND AND THINGS LIKE THAT, AND YOU STILL MIGHT HAVE SOME NIGHTMARES.

AND JOSH ANTHONY IS A UNITED STATES ARMY VETERAN.

DURING HIS SERVICE, HE WAS DEPLOYED TWICE TO IRAQ.

HE'S BEEN OUT OF MILITARY SERVICE FOR 15 YEARS.

AS FAR AS BEING ON GUARD ALL THE TIME, YOU KNOW, THINKING EVERY PIECE OF TRASH ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD MIGHT EXPLODE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

I'M WELL PAST PAST THAT ERA OF IT.

JOSH HAS ALSO BATTLED AND BEAT CANCER, AND NOW HE'S ON THE HUNT FOR HIS NEXT JOB.

AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE EVERYTHING.

YOU WANT TO TRY IT ON?

YEAH.

OKAY.

I SAW THIS ONLINE THAT THEY WERE GIVING AWAY SUITS AND THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO GO GET ONE AND MAKE A GOOD IMPRESSION FOR A FUTURE EMPLOYER.

YEAH, THAT LOOKS GOOD.

HOW YOU FEEL?

YEAH.

YOU FEEL GOOD.

THEY SAY THE CLOTHES MAKE THE MAN.

THAT LOOKS REALLY GREAT ON YOU, MAN.

WELL, JONATHAN TRIPLETT IS THE MAN WHO MAKES THE CLOTHES.

CLOTHES FOR PEOPLE IN NEED.

ANYBODY.

ANYBODY THAT NEEDS A SUIT, THEY COME TO US.

WE'RE GOING TO HELP THEM.

JONATHAN RUNS A NONPROFIT CALLED CUSTOM SUITS AND LIFE SKILLS.

AND ON VETERANS DAY WEEK, THEY PARTNERED WITH THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS TO PROVIDE FREE SUITS FOR THOSE WHO SERVED IN THE UNITED STATES MILITARY.

IT'S BEEN FUN.

IT'S BEEN EXCITING.

I MEAN, WE GOT FOLKS COMING IN AND GETTING SUITS THAT THEY NEED AND, YOU KNOW, TRYING DIFFERENT SUITS ON SOME FIT, SOME DON'T.

THEY'LL TAKE ONE AND TRY ANOTHER ONE ON UNTIL THEY GET THE RIGHT FIT.

BY THE END OF THE DAY.

ON TUESDAY, THEY MET WITH 140 VETERANS AND GAVE AWAY 215 SUITS.

AND NOT ONLY WILL VETERANS BE WALKING OUT HERE WITH A FREE SUIT, BUT THEY'RE ALSO HERE AT THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, WHERE THEY CAN GET CONNECTED WITH RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP THEM REENTER THE WORKFORCE, JUST LIKE PHIL SHERIDAN DID ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO.

MAN, YOU GOT THE STYLE.

I DO NOT KNOW.

I LIKE IT ON YOU.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO WEAR IT OPEN.

YEAH.

THEN WE'RE GOOD.

WE'RE GOOD TO GO.

THEY'VE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE RESOURCE FOR ME AND ALL OF MY JUST RANDOM QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO TRYING TO GET INTO LIKE GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING, GETTING REGISTERED WITH THE ODVA AS A VETERAN OWNED BUSINESS.

THEY'VE BEEN A HUGE RESOURCE FOR THAT, WHICH JUST GIVES US MORE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE ON A BIGGER STAGE THAN WHAT WE REALLY SHOULD BE ON.

BUT BECAUSE OF THEIR SUPPORT, WE'RE ABLE TO COMPETE WITH, QUITE FRANKLY, THE BIGGER DOGS IN TOWN.

PHIL OWNS A HOME RESTORATION COMPANY.

WE DO WATER, MOLD, FIRE, ASBESTOS ABATEMENT.

SO ANYTHING TO DO WITH COOTIES?

WE'RE PROBABLY YOUR GUYS.

SO AND BEFORE THAT SERVED IN AFGHANISTAN.

BUT THIS WAS A CHINOOK LEAVING THE U.S.

EMBASSY IN KABUL, AFGHANISTAN, RIGHT BEFORE AFGHANISTAN FELL.

AND HIRING VETERANS HAS BECOME ONE OF HIS TOP PRIORITIES.

MOSTLY JUST BECAUSE WE ALL KIND OF SPEAK THE LINGO, WE KNOW WHAT LEADERSHIP MEANS AND HOW THAT'S APPLICABLE IN THE CIVILIAN WORLD.

EVERYONE WANTS TO BE A BOSS.

I DON'T BELIEVE IN BOSSES.

I BELIEVE IN LEADERS.

I LOVE THAT, THOUGH.

WELL THANK YOU.

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

I APPRECIATE YOU, MAN.

THANK YOU, SIR, FOR YOUR SERVICE.

NO PROBLEM.

YES, SIR.

THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 261,000 VETERANS IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

DARREN HARGETT, SPOKESPERSON FOR ODVA, WAS PLEASED WITH THE TURNOUT.

WALKING OUTSIDE AT 8:00 AND SEEING A LINE WAITING WAS WAS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING, WHICH TELLS US THE GREAT NEED THAT'S THERE AS WELL.

THE ODVA OFFERS AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM AS WELL AS COUNSELING ON JOB INTERVIEWS AND RESUMES.

YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT GO ON WITH VETERANS GETTING BACK TO THE WORKFORCE FROM THE MILITARY SERVICE, TRANSLATING THEIR SKILLS OVER TO INTERVIEW.

INTERVIEWS ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

CIVILIAN WORLD VERSUS MILITARY WORLD.

SO TRYING TO GET THEM PREPARED FOR THAT.

SO THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL BECAUSE OUR VETERANS HAVE DONE SO MUCH FOR THIS COUNTRY.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE GIVE THEM BACK TO THEM.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR COMING.

THAT'S A NICE JACKET AND A NICE BLAZER FOR YOU, SIR.

I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE ANYWHERE ELSE RIGHT NOW, BUT RIGHT HERE, AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING IN THE COUNTRY RIGHT NOW, TIMES ARE A LITTLE TOUGH RIGHT NOW.

AND SO TO BE ABLE TO HELP SOMEONE RIGHT NOW, IT JUST FEELS EXTRA SPECIAL.

AND ESPECIALLY A VETERAN HELPING OUT A VETERAN IS CLOSER TO JONATHAN'S HEART THAN AT FIRST GLANCE.

MY DAD WAS A VIETNAM VET, GAVE ME HIS PURPLE HEART WHEN I WAS ABOUT TEN, AND HE KNOWS HIS DAD WOULD BE PROUD OF THE WORK HE'S DOING TODAY.

HE'S LOOKING DOWN, SMILING AND SHINING DOWN.

RIGHT NOW HE IS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

AS FOR JOSH, HE'S WALKING AWAY WITH SOME NEW THREADS AND A VERY FITTING JOB PROSPECT.

I JUST HAD A JOB INTERVIEW LAST WEEK WITH THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, SO HOPEFULLY I'LL GET TO WEAR THIS ON MY FIRST DAY DOWN THERE.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE ONE THING JOSH IS LOOKING FOR IN A JOB SERVICE RUNS THROUGH HIS VEINS.

I THINK REALLY THE ABILITY TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE.

JOSH HAS EXPERIENCE IN RECRUITING NOW.

HE'S EYEING CAREER SERVICE JOBS AT STATE AGENCIES LIKE ODVA OR THE OKLAHOMA EMPLOYMENT SECURITY COMMISSION.

IT'S NOT FOR PROFIT.

YOU'RE GENERALLY TRYING TO HELP PEOPLE, WHEREAS IN STAFFING AND RECRUITING, YOU KNOW, YOU GET INTO SOME OF THAT.

IT'S FOR PROFIT AND IT'S BASED ON HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN I GET PLACED.

THE MORE MONEY MY COMPANY MAKES AND, AND THINGS LIKE THAT, WHERE THIS IS NOT THE CASE WITH SOME OF THESE AGENCIES.

AND I WANT SOMETHING WHERE I'M MORE FOCUSED ON ON PEOPLE VERSUS JUST PROFIT.

JOSH SERVED HIS COUNTRY AND NOW SEEKS TO SERVE THOSE IN HIS COMMUNITY.

AND ALONG WITH NEARLY 200 OKLAHOMA VETERANS, HE'S GOT A FRESH NEW SUIT TO DRESS TO IMPRESS.

ODVA SAYS THEY ARE AIMING TO EXPAND THE EVENT FOR NEXT YEAR.

THEY'RE PLANNING TO HAVE SOME MORE HANDS ON RESOURCES, LIKE ONSITE INTERVIEWS, TO GO ALONG WITH THOSE NEW SUITS.

RICH.

YEAH, A LOT OF SUITS GIVEN AWAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE THAT.

A MONTH LONG EXCAVATION OF UNMARKED GRAVES IN TULSA'S OAKLAWN CEMETERY HAS COME TO AN END, AND IT'S RESULTED IN SOME INTRIGUING FINDINGS, INCLUDING REMAINS THAT MAY BE RELATED TO THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE AND MANY THAT MAY NOT BE.

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

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

WE'RE ACTUALLY FINDING A CONTINUATION OF SOME OF THE PATTERNS THAT WE WERE SEEING BEFORE, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF DISTRIBUTION OF GRAPES THAT WERE NOT OTHERWISE MARKED.

WE ARE GETTING A GOOD SENSE OF THE PATTERNS OF WHERE THOSE GRAVES ARE LOCATED, AND KIND OF THE SOUTHERN TERMINUS OF SOME OF THE ROWS OF SOME OF THOSE GRAVES WHICH WE HAD NOT KNOWN PREVIOUSLY.

WE'RE ACTUALLY USING PALEO GENOMICS IN OUR PROCESSING IN THE LAB.

ANCIENT DNA TECHNIQUES, SAME SCIENCE USED TO STUDY LIKE A NEANDERTHAL DNA OR ANCIENT HUMAN REMAINS.

AND WE'RE ABLE TO RECOVER AND STABILIZE WHAT'S LEFT.

OFTEN, FRAGMENTS OF GENETIC CODE, AND THEN STITCH THOSE SEQUENCES BACK TOGETHER INTO INTO A WHOLE GENOME.

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

A COMPANY FROM NEW ZEALAND HOPES TO MAKE BURNS FLAT.

OKLAHOMA, POPULATION 1916, A MAJOR HUB FOR SUBORBITAL FLIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES.

LOCATED ABOUT 100 MILES WEST OF OKLAHOMA CITY, THIS IS BIG NEWS FOR A SMALL TOWN.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH THE DETAILS.

JASON.

RICH.

THE OKLAHOMA SPACE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY HAS BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS MOMENT FOR YEARS AS IT RETOOLS A FORMER MILITARY BASE, TO BECOME A LAUNCH POINT FOR SPACE RESEARCH AND INDUSTRY.

IT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON OUT HERE.

YEAH, SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF APRON AND PAVEMENT REHAB GOING ON.

THAT'S OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE AND AERONAUTICS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GRAYSON ARDIES BREAKING DOWN SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS BEING MADE AT THE OKLAHOMA AIR AND SPACE PORT IN BURNS FLAT, AHEAD OF A NEW PRIVATE SPACE COMPANY FROM NEW ZEALAND, BRINGING ITS SPACE PLANE FOR LAUNCHES FROM WESTERN OKLAHOMA INTO THE UPPER REACHES OF THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

ARDIES ALSO SERVES AS THE CEO OF THE OKLAHOMA SPACE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, OR IDA.

LOTS OF EXCITING ACTIVITIES HAPPENING BOTH IN THE AVIATION WORLD, THE AEROSPACE WORLD, AND THE SPACE INDUSTRY WORLD ALL HAPPENING HERE AT THE SPACEPORT THIS WEEK.

A MAJOR PART OF THAT.

EXCITING NEWS.

OFFICIALS WITH NEW ZEALAND'S DAWN AEROSPACE PAYING A VISIT TO THE FUTURE HOME OF ONE OF ITS SPACECRAFT.

WHAT THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA HAS DONE WITH DAWN IS SOMETHING THAT IS TRULY UNIQUE.

OBVIOUSLY, WE ARE FULFILLING THE ORIGINAL MISSION OF WHAT WAS INTENDED TO BE WHEN IT WAS CREATED BACK IN THE LATE 90S, OF HAVING HORIZONTAL SPACE LAUNCH OUT HERE AT THE OKLAHOMA AIR AND SPACE PORT.

WHILE MUCH OF OKLAHOMA HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK'S NORTHERN LIGHTS AURORA, HERE AT THE SPACEPORT, THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT DAWN AEROSPACE'S SPACE PLANE, THE AURORA.

AURORA IS THE NEW SPACE PLANE THAT WE'RE DEVELOPING.

AND BASICALLY WHAT IT MEANS IS THAT WE OPERATE IT LIKE A NORMAL AIRCRAFT.

SO WE PUT IT ON A RUNWAY, WE TAKE OFF FROM A NORMAL RUNWAY, WE GO ALL THE WAY UP TO SPACE AND COME BACK THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE, REENTER, GLIDE AND LAND.

AND WE CAN DO THAT MANY TIMES A DAY.

THE GOAL IS TO MAKE SUBORBITAL SPACEFLIGHT ALMOST AS COMMON AS PLANES TAKING OFF AT THE AIRPORT.

OUR AIM IS BASICALLY TO ACHIEVE AVIATION TYPE REUSABILITY, SO REALLY BE ABLE TO REUSE THE VEHICLE MANY, MANY TIMES.

AND THAT'S A BIT UNLIKE OTHER SPACECRAFT OUT THERE.

SO MOST OF THEM ARE SINGLE USE AND THEY HAVE TO BE DISCARDED AFTER THEIR LAUNCH.

WITH AURORA WE CAN REALLY TAP INTO THE AVIATION REUSABILITY AND REALLY START REUSING IT THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF TIMES, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE.

IN JUST A COUPLE OF SHORT YEARS, DAWN AEROSPACE WILL TAKE ITS AURORA AIRCRAFT DOWN THIS RUNWAY TO LAUNCH INTO SPACE.

AND THIS RUNWAY IS SPECIAL BECAUSE IT'S ONE OF THE LONGEST CONCRETE RUNWAYS IN THE ENTIRE U.S.

IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY.

THE SPACEPORT WAS ORIGINALLY A NAVAL AIR STATION, WHICH DIDN'T NEED THE LONG RUNWAY.

BUT WHEN IT WAS RECOMMISSIONED FOR THE U.S.

AIR FORCE, A CHANGE WAS NEEDED.

IT WAS RECONFIGURED AS A SAC BASE FOR THE US AIR FORCE.

OBVIOUSLY, THEY WANTED A VERY LONG RUNWAY TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW THOSE B-52S TO TAKE OFF ON ALERT.

DURING THE COLD WAR, THE HEIGHT OF THE COLD WAR.

AND SO THAT'S WHEN THEY CREATED THE 13,500 FOOT LONG RUNWAY WITH PAVED OVERRUNS AND ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE THAT YOU SEE THAT'S OUT HERE TODAY.

THE SPACE OUT HERE, THERE'S LOTS OF IT.

SO THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

GREAT FOR US.

IT WAS MORE THAN THE RUNWAY, WHICH ATTRACTED DAWN AEROSPACE TO BRING ITS AURORA PROGRAM TO OKLAHOMA.

I THINK THE EXCITING PART ABOUT OKLAHOMA IS THE THE RICH AEROSPACE HERITAGE THAT YOU HAVE.

AND THE SHARING AND THE VISION OF, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPING THE AEROSPACE INDUSTRY AND GETTING A PIECE OF THIS CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY.

RT SAYS THAT GOES BACK TO LAWMAKERS WILLINGNESS TO INVEST INTO AEROSPACE IN OKLAHOMA.

A LOT OF INVESTMENT BEING MADE, A LOT OF NEW JOBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CREATED BASED ON SOME OF THE PRIVATE COMPANIES THAT ARE BUILDING OUT HERE.

AND OF COURSE, DON AEROSPACE AND THE SPACE FLIGHTS THAT ARE GOING TO COME IN 2027.

AMONG THE OTHER COMPANIES USING THE SPACEPORT BOEING TO TEST LARGE AIRCRAFT, AND KRATOS DEFENSE, WHICH TESTS UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS.

THE COMPANY BUILDS IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

DAWN AEROSPACE IS LOOKING TO ATTRACT COMPANIES LOOKING TO USE MICROGRAVITY DURING FLIGHTS BY THE AURORA SPACE PLANE.

ONE OF THE ASPECTS THAT WE LOOK FOR, PARTICULARLY ON THE SPACE PLANE PROGRAM SIDE AND THE IN-SPACE SIDE, IS THE ASPECT OF REUSABILITY.

YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE ACCESS TO SPACE ACCESSIBLE, SUSTAINABLE, AND REUSABILITY REUSABLE.

CURRENTLY, WE'RE REALLY FOCUSED ON COMMERCIALIZING THE RESEARCH AND AND PAYLOAD ASPECT OF IT.

AND THAT'S WHERE WE THINK A LOT OF THE CURRENT MARKET IS.

HOUSHMAND SAYS THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH USING SUBORBITAL AIRCRAFT LIKE THE AURORA SPACEPLANE.

THERE'S MANY TYPES OF RESEARCH THAT CAN BE DONE ON THE AIRCRAFT.

AND SO ONE OF THEM, WHICH IS QUITE INTERESTING, IS SOMETHING THAT'S CALLED CRYSTAL GROWTH.

AND SO WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT CRYSTALS GROW A LOT BETTER IN MICROGRAVITY ENVIRONMENTS.

AND WHAT OUR SPACEPLANE CAN DO IS ESSENTIALLY GO ALL THE WAY UP TO SPACE.

AND THE THE IT'S MIMICS THE MICROGRAVITY.

THAT'S WHEN YOU WOULD GO TO ORBIT.

HOUSHMAND SAYS THE MICROPROCESSOR INDUSTRY IS VERY INTERESTED IN MICROGRAVITY GROWN CRYSTALS IN THEIR CHIP MANUFACTURING.

SPECIFICALLY, WITH THE DAWN OF THE AI AGE.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE ARE HAPPY TO PROVIDE TO PREPARE.

THE OKLAHOMA SPACEPORT IS GOING THROUGH $32 MILLION IN IMPROVEMENTS.

THIS HAS BEEN THE FIRST MAJOR INVESTMENT MADE IN THE FACILITY BY THE STATE AS FAR BACK AS I CAN TELL.

AND OBVIOUSLY, WHAT YOU'RE SEEING HERE TODAY IS A LOT OF THE FRUITS OF THAT LABOR.

PART OF THAT LABOR IS FIXING UP THE RUNWAYS AND OTHER PARTS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS SHUT DOWN FOR ABOUT 7 TO 8 MONTHS, WHERE THEY DO THE THE REHAB OF THE RUNWAY, AND WE HAVE ELECTRICAL PROJECT GOING ON WHERE ALL THE ELECTRICAL ASSETS OF THE AIRFIELD ARE BEING UPGRADED.

AND THEN LASTLY, WE HAVE A BIG WATER AND WASTEWATER PROJECT WHERE WE'RE IMPROVING THE THE WATER AND WASTEWATER CAPABILITIES OF THE INDUSTRIAL PARK AND THE FACILITY OVERALL.

ARTES ADDS THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS ARE GENERATING MORE INTEREST IN THIS WESTERN OKLAHOMA AEROSPACE INDUSTRIAL PARK.

GOT A LOT OF INTEREST IN THIS FACILITY OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND I THINK HERE IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF THE FRUITS OF THAT LABOR COME TRUE AS MORE JOBS AND MORE INTEREST KEEP COMING OUT HERE TO WESTERN OKLAHOMA, WHICH MEANS THE TWO YEAR COUNTDOWN UNTIL DAWN.

AEROSPACE FIRST LAUNCH FROM BURNS FLAT IS ON.

WE'RE LOOKING AT THE SECOND QUARTER OF 2027, ROUGHLY AS OUR FIRST MILESTONE IN TERMS OF THE FIRST FLIGHT HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

SO YEAH, THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AROUND THAT TIME FRAME.

SO WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE AS WELL AROUND THAT TIME.

CURRENTLY, DAWN AEROSPACE IS ONLY CONDUCTING UNMANNED FLIGHTS, BUT IF THE INDUSTRY AND THE COMPANY CONTINUE ON THIS PATH, IT'S NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION THAT MANNED FLIGHTS COULD LAUNCH FROM SPACEPORT IN THE FUTURE.

AND IN BUSINESS NEWS, GOOGLE IS PITCHING IN TO HELP SOME OKLAHOMANS RECEIVE A SECOND CHANCE THROUGH HIGH TECH TRAINING.

THAT'S THE STORY.

TOPPING THIS WEEK'S OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

THANKS TO A DONATION FROM GOOGLE.ORG, THE CHARITABLE ARM OF GOOGLE, THE CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WILL EXPAND CAREER TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OKLAHOMANS LEAVING THE PRISON SYSTEM.

THE ADVANCED TRAINING PROGRAMS WILL CONCENTRATE ON AI AND OTHER TECH RELATED FIELDS.

THE GOOGLE DONATION WILL ALLOW THE CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE THE TRAINING PROGRAM, AS WELL AS STIPENDS FOR RENT, GROCERIES, AND TRANSPORTATION.

PAYCOM EMPLOYEES RAISED $150,000 FOR VETERANS THROUGH THE BURPEES FOR VETS CHALLENGE.

THE MARK DIVINE COURAGE FOUNDATION BENEFITS FROM THE NATIONAL FITNESS CHALLENGE.

PAYCOM EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATED DURING THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER AND BROKE LAST YEAR'S RECORD.

FUNDRAISING.

TOTAL.

THE FUNDS ARE USED TO PROVIDE VETERANS WITH MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT, CAREER TRANSITION COACHING AND COMMUNITY BUILDING OPPORTUNITIES.

CYTO VANCE BIOLOGICS IS CELEBRATING 20 YEARS IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

THE BIOPHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY HELPED BRING MORE LIFE SCIENCE BUSINESS TO OKLAHOMA CITY, HELPING IT DEVELOP INTO A BIOTECH HUB.

THE COMPANY CURRENTLY EMPLOYS MORE THAN 200 PROFESSIONALS.

IT ALSO SUPPORTS STEM EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS IN OKLAHOMA.

TULSA BASED HVAC MANUFACTURER AON WILL BE PAYING OUT A QUARTERLY CASH DIVIDEND OF $0.10 A SHARE TO INVESTORS.

THE STOCK MUST BE IN A SHAREHOLDERS PORTFOLIO BY NOVEMBER 26TH TO RECEIVE THE DIVIDEND PAYMENT.

ON DECEMBER 18TH, WHEN OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER CENTER ISAIAH HARTENSTEIN HITS THE COURT, HIS SHOES WILL BE SKECHERS.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE SHOE COMPANY HAS SIGNED IHEART TO ITS BRAND ROSTER.

HE'S PLAYING IN THE SKY NEXUS SHOES.

HARTENSTEIN WILL BE FEATURED IN UPCOMING MARKETING CAMPAIGNS SUPPORTING SKECHERS AND SKECHERS BASKETBALL.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANK YOU.

THE FIFTH AND LARGEST EXCAVATION TO DATE OF TULSA'S OAKLAWN CEMETERY HAS RESULTED IN 83 ADDITIONAL BURIAL SITES, WITH NINE SETS OF REMAINS MEETING THE CRITERIA FOR FURTHER EVALUATION TO DETERMINE IF THEY MAY HAVE BEEN VICTIMS OF THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE.

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

CASSIDY.

JOINING US FOR THIS DISCUSSION IS OKLAHOMA STATE ARCHEOLOGIST DOCTOR KARY STACKELBECK.

WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY DANNY HELWIG, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF INTERMOUNTAIN FORENSICS.

HE'S JOINING US VIA ZOOM FROM SALT LAKE CITY.

THIS WAS THE LARGEST EXCAVATION YET IN TULSA'S ONGOING SEARCH FOR THE VICTIMS OF THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE.

FOR THOSE JUST JOINING US NOW, LET'S START WITH A QUICK OVERVIEW ON WHAT FINDINGS WERE MOST TELLING DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.

CARRIE, WE'LL START WITH YOU.

SO FROM THIS SEASON, WE'RE ACTUALLY FINDING A CONTINUATION OF SOME OF THE PATTERNS THAT WE WERE SEEING BEFORE, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF DISTRIBUTION OF GRAPES THAT WERE NOT OTHERWISE MARKED.

WE ARE GETTING A GOOD SENSE OF THE PATTERNS OF WHERE THOSE GRAVES ARE LOCATED, AND KIND OF THE SOUTHERN TERMINUS OF SOME OF THE ROWS OF SOME OF THOSE GRAVES WHICH WE HAD NOT KNOWN PREVIOUSLY.

WE ALSO ARE SEEING ADDITIONAL INDIVIDUALS THAT FIT AT LEAST SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL MASSACRE VICTIMS.

AND WE HAVE I CAN CONFIRM WE HAVE AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL GUNSHOT VICTIM.

THERE MAY BE OTHERS.

DOCTOR PHOEBE STUBBLEFIELD, FORENSIC ANALYSIS IS ONGOING.

WHILE WE'RE DONE WITH THE ARCHEOLOGY PHASE, THE FORENSIC WORK IS STILL IS STILL UNDERWAY.

AND SO SHE MAY HAVE YET OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO ADD TO THAT.

DANNY, WHAT ABOUT YOU?

I KNOW YOU HAVEN'T RECEIVED THOSE SAMPLES YET, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING THAT CAME OUT OF THIS INVESTIGATION THAT SURPRISED YOU?

WELL, WE'LL WAIT TO SEE WHAT'S COMING IN.

OUR JOB SORT OF STARTS AFTER DOCTOR STUBBLEFIELD WORKS THE SAMPLES, DETERMINES WHAT ARE SUITABLE AND AND APPROPRIATE TO SEND IN.

SKY'S THE LIMIT, THOUGH.

WE REALLY RECEIVED THE SAMPLES, AND EVERY ONE OF THEM IS CHALLENGING.

EVERY ONE OF THEM IS A NEW A NEW PUZZLE TO SORT OF UNLOCK.

SO IN SUBSEQUENT ROUNDS AND IN THIS, THIS ROUND, I EXPECT THE VERY SIMILAR, DIFFICULT, DIFFICULT SAMPLES.

BUT BUT APPROPRIATE AND WE'LL MOVE THROUGH WITH THEM.

WHAT MAKES THOSE SAMPLES DIFFICULT?

WELL, THESE REMAINS HAVE SPENT OVER A CENTURY EXPOSED TO REALLY HARSH AND UNPREDICTABLE CONDITIONS.

THE CEMETERY ITSELF HAS HEAT, COLD, FLOODING, MICROBIAL ACTIVITY, ALL OF WHICH BREAK DOWN DNA AND MAKE THE RECOVERY DNA RECOVERY INCREDIBLY CHALLENGING.

WE'RE ACTUALLY USING PALEO GENOMICS IN OUR PROCESSING IN THE LAB.

ANCIENT DNA TECHNIQUES SAME SCIENCE USED TO STUDY LIKE A NEANDERTHAL DNA OR ANCIENT HUMAN REMAINS REMAINS, AND WE'RE ABLE TO RECOVER AND STABILIZE WHAT'S LEFT.

OFTEN FRAGMENTS OF GENETIC CODE, AND THEN STITCH THOSE SEQUENCES BACK TOGETHER INTO INTO A WHOLE GENOME.

ONCE THAT SEQUENCING IS COMPLETE, WE TAKE THAT AND TURN THAT OVER TO OUR INVESTIGATIVE TEAM.

BUT TO SAY THAT THESE ARE CHALLENGING IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

THEY ARE.

THEY ARE VERY DIFFICULT.

AND IN EXPOSED TO SOME OF THE WORST CONDITIONS AND, AND DNA DEGRADATION THAT WE'VE SEEN.

WELL, DOCTOR STACKELBECK START US OFF AT THE CEMETERY.

HOW DO YOU SURVEY AND THEN DECIDE WHERE TO DIG?

OUR STARTING POINT WORKING IN OAKLAWN ACTUALLY CAME TO US THROUGH OUR HISTORIC OUR HISTORIANS.

SO BASICALLY WE ARE COMING ON AFTER MULTIPLE YEARS OF OTHER INVESTIGATORS WHO'VE BEEN LOOKING INTO THIS TOPIC, INCLUDING SOME 20 YEARS AGO, A LITTLE OVER 20 YEARS AGO, WHERE THERE WAS A STATE COMMISSION THAT WAS ASSEMBLED IN ORDER TO LOOK INTO THE MATTER OF THE MASSACRE, AND SPECIFICALLY THE GRAVES LOCATIONS OF GRAVES.

AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

IT WAS AN INTERDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT INCLUDED ARCHEOLOGISTS, HISTORIANS, AND FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGISTS ALL TRYING TO ADDRESS THAT TOPIC AND AMASS WHATEVER INFORMATION WAS KNOWN.

AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

THEY DEVELOPED A SERIES OF LEADS, BUT WERE UNABLE TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE STEPS TO DO WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL PHYSICAL INVESTIGATION, TO LOOK AT THOSE LOCATIONS, EXAMINE THOSE LEADS, AND DETERMINE THE VERACITY OF THAT INFORMATION.

SO BASICALLY, THAT'S JUST TO SAY WE HAD A STARTING POINT, RIGHT.

AND THEN MY JOB HAS BEEN TO TAKE THOSE LEADS FOR THE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT THEY'RE POINTING US TO AND TO ESTABLISH PROTOCOLS, PROCEDURES FOR THE ARCHEOLOGICAL METHODS THAT WE CAN EMPLOY AT EACH ONE OF THOSE LOCATIONS TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THERE ARE ANY GRAVES THAT ARE PRESENT IN OAKLAWN CEMETERY.

WE ACTUALLY HAD MULTIPLE DIFFERENT LEADS FOR DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE CEMETERY, AND SO WE'VE BEEN TACKLING THOSE SYSTEMATICALLY.

THE PORTION OF THE CEMETERY WE'RE WORKING IN RIGHT NOW, WE'VE REFERRED TO IT IN THE PAST AS LIKE THE ORIGINAL 18.

REALLY WHAT IT IS, IS WE'VE GOT DOCUMENTATION ON 20 ADULT MALES AND ONE STILLBORN INFANT, VERY LIMITED RECORDS.

BUT WE DO HAVE INFORMATION TO INDICATE THAT THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN BURIED IN THE POTTER'S FIELD OF OAKLAWN CEMETERY.

AND SO THAT'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS THAT WE'RE LOOKING IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.

AND SO THE VAST MAJORITY OF GRAVES UNCOVERED IN THIS EXCAVATION APPEAR NOT TO BE RELATED TO THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE.

DO WE HAVE ANY THEORIES ABOUT WHY SO MANY INDIVIDUALS WERE BURIED THERE IN UNMARKED GRAVES?

SO THEY ODDS ARE THEY WERE NOT PROBABLY UNMARKED AT THE TIME THAT THEY WERE BURIED.

SO THIS WAS A IT WAS A CITY CEMETERY.

IT HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED WELL BEFORE THE 1921 TULSA RACE MASSACRE.

SO IT WAS ALREADY IN USE.

AND WE ARE SEEING INDICATIONS THAT PEOPLE WERE PUTTING THEIR LOVED ONES TO, TO, YOU KNOW, IN THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACES IN A VERY RESPECTFUL MANNER.

IT WAS CONTINUED AND IT CONTINUED TO BE USED AFTER 1921, AFTER THAT EVENT IN 1921 AS WELL.

SO THAT MEANS THAT FOR US, OUR CHALLENGE IS TO USE THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US IN ORDER TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN THE GRAVES OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT WERE RESPECTFULLY INTERRED VERSUS THOSE WHO ARE POTENTIAL OR LIKELY MASSACRE VICTIMS.

AND WE HAVE A FEW CLUES THAT ARE HELPING US BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT ASSESSMENT AND MAKE THAT EVALUATION.

AND I FEEL LIKE WE'RE PUTTING IT TO USE IN GOOD EFFECT.

WELL, I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT SOME CRITERIA AND SOME OF THOSE CLUES COMING UP HERE IN JUST A LITTLE BIT.

BUT DANNY, AFTER YOU RECEIVED THOSE SAMPLES, TAKE US THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

SURE.

YEAH.

SO THIS IS ALL DOCUMENTED AT THE ON SITE.

PHOEBE AND AND HER TEAM ARE ARE PUTTING TOGETHER WHAT WHAT THE SAMPLES LOOK LIKE AND WHAT ARE GOING TO BE SUBMITTED.

WE USE STRICT CHAIN OF CUSTODY.

SO WE ARE ESSENTIALLY TAKING THOSE SAMPLES AND AND SENDING THEM VIA REGISTERED MAIL WITH TRACKING.

AND WE FOLLOW UP WITH THAT CHAIN OF CUSTODY IN-HOUSE TO ENSURE THAT SAMPLES ARE THE THE ONES THAT CAME FROM, FROM HER TEAM.

BUT WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TAKING THOSE SAMPLES, TYPICALLY BONES AND TEETH AND SOME OF THE MORE ROBUST PIECES THAT THAT ARE CAN SURVIVE THESE DIFFICULT CONDITIONS.

AND WE ARE SAMPLING FROM THEM.

WE'RE TAKING SAMPLES OF THESE BONES, SAMPLES OF THESE TEETH, AND EMPLOYING GENOMICS, SOME REALLY ROBUST DNA TECHNOLOGY TO EXTRACT DNA, POP OPEN ALL THE CELLS AND PULL OUT ALL THE DNA AND SEE HOW MUCH IS THERE.

NOW, THIS IS EXTRAORDINARILY DEGRADED DNA.

THE THE OVER TIME, THE THE LARGE CHUNKS OF DNA GET CUT UP INTO SMALLER PIECES, WHICH MAKES THE THE PROBLEM MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT.

BUT USING SOME REALLY POWERFUL TECHNOLOGY, WE'RE ABLE TO SEQUENCE ALL OF THOSE BITS AND PIECES AND ESSENTIALLY GET WHAT'S CALLED A WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCE OF ALL OF THE OF THE DNA.

THAT'S THAT'S THERE BE IT LIMITED AND HEAVILY DEGRADED.

WE TURN THAT INTO USING SOMETHING CALLED BIOINFORMATICS ALGORITHMS THAT TAKE DNA SEQUENCING DATA AND TURN IT INTO PULL OUT THE PIECES THAT WE NEED FOR GENETIC GENEALOGY.

SO IN THE END, OUR LABORATORY PROVIDES A REPORT THAT CAN GO INTO GENEALOGY DATABASES, WHERE WE HAND OFF TO THE GENEALOGY INVESTIGATION TEAM TO DO THE RESEARCH ON THE THE NAMES THAT THAT SHOW UP WHEN THE GENETICS ARE, ARE LINKED, WHEN DOCTOR STACKELBECK GOING BACK TO THAT CONTEXT OF CRITERIA, HOW DO WE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN REMAINS LIKELY TIED TO THE INVESTIGATION AND ONES THAT ARE NOT.

SO WE KNOW FROM THE LIMITED INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE FROM HISTORIC RECORDS, WE HAVE A FEW.

SO WE HAVE SOME NEWSPAPER ACCOUNTS OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE AFTERMATH WHOSE REMAINS WERE BEING HELD IN A CITY FACILITY AND AWAITING BURIAL AT A AT SOME LOCATION.

RIGHT.

SO WE HAVE THAT NEWSPAPER REPORT.

WE ALSO HAVE DEATH CERTIFICATE RECORDS FOR INDIVIDUALS THAT INDICATES THEIR BURIAL PLACE AS BEING OAKLAWN CEMETERY.

THERE WERE TWO FUNERAL HOMES THAT WERE CONSCRIPTED TO ASSIST WITH THE PROCESS OF BURYING SOME OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS.

MOWBRAY FUNERAL HOME AND STANLEY MCCUNE.

WE HAVE RECORDS FROM ONE OF THOSE FUNERAL HOMES THAT CORROBORATES THIS.

THE FACT THAT THEY DID, IN FACT, BURY SOME INDIVIDUALS IN THE CEMETERY.

THE REPORTING INDICATES THAT THE INDIVIDUALS WERE TO BE INTERRED IN SIMPLE WOODEN CASKETS.

AND AGAIN, WE HAD BECAUSE OF THE INFORMATION AVAILABLE, WE KNEW THERE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE 20 ADULT MALES AND ONE STILLBORN INFANT.

SO AS A RESULT, WE'VE REALLY BEEN FOCUSING HEAVILY ON THE THE TYPE OF CONTAINERS THAT ARE USED FOR THE BURIAL PROCESS, SIMPLE CASKETS VERSUS THOSE THAT ARE MORE ADORNED WITH KIND OF FANCIER ITEMS, IF YOU WILL, WITH HANDLES AND THE LIKE.

THAT WOULD BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU WOULD ANTICIPATE WITH THE SIMPLE PINE BOX.

SO WE'VE REALLY BEEN FOCUSING FIRST ON THE CONTAINER.

THAT'S OUR OUR MAIN THING THAT WE LOOK AT FROM AN ARCHEOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE DURING THE EXCAVATION PROCESS.

AND IF WE HAVE A CONTAINER THAT'S THAT'S A CANDIDATE BOTH IN TERMS OF THE TYPE AND ALSO BEING OF AN ADULT SIZE, THAT'S WHERE WE WILL PROCEED WITH ADDITIONAL EXCAVATION OF THAT PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL TO DETERMINE THEN, IS THIS SOMEBODY THAT VERY LIKELY DOES FIT OUR CRITERIA FOR EXHUMATION?

WE HAVE AN ADJUSTED PROCESS FOR EXCAVATION, SO WE WON'T KNOW ALL THOSE ANSWERS AT THE TIME OF EXCAVATION.

WE TRY TO PEDESTAL THE REMAINS AND RETAIN SOME OF THE SOIL AROUND THE BONE IN A MANNER THAT WILL FACILITATE THE FORENSIC ANALYSIS SO THAT WE CAN TRY AND AS AS DANNY NOTED, THESE ARE OLD REMAINS AND THEY'RE NOT IN GREAT CONDITION.

AND SO WE WANT TO RETAIN AS MUCH INTEGRITY OF THOSE SKELETAL REMAINS AS WE CAN, SO THAT CAN FACILITATE.

DOCTOR STUBBLEFIELD'S ALL IMPORTANT FORENSIC ANALYSIS.

SO SOME OF THE ANSWERS IN TERMS OF LIKE MALE VERSUS FEMALE, IS THIS ACTUALLY A TRAUMA VICTIM.

SOME OF THOSE ANSWERS WE MAY NOT KNOW UNTIL WE GET TO THE FORENSIC PHASE OF THE WORK.

WE HAVE HAD INSTANCES, THOUGH, WHERE WE HAVE ACTUALLY OBSERVED BULLETS IN PLACE DURING THE EXCAVATION PROCESS.

CLEARLY, THOSE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE THAT ARE GOING TO MEET OUR CRITERIA, OF COURSE.

WELL, DOCTOR STACKELBECK, AFTER A DNA OR GENEALOGY OR GENEALOGY MATCH IS CONFIRMED, HOW WAS HOW ARE THOSE RESULTS SHARED WITH FAMILIES, DESCENDANTS AND THE PUBLIC WHILE ALSO KEEPING THIS INFORMATION PROTECTED?

THAT'S A THAT'S SUCH A GOOD QUESTION.

I WILL SAY WE REALLY KEEP PROTECTION OF DESCENDANTS AND POTENTIAL DESCENDANTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MINDS AND ARE VERY, VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT.

WE HAVE KIND OF AN IMBRICATED PROCESS, LIKE, I STAY IN MY LANE, I AM NOT GOING TO STEP INTO DANNY'S LANE OR THE GENETIC GENEALOGIST.

RIGHT?

THEY HAVE THEIR JOBS, RIGHT?

SO BUT OUR GENETIC GENEALOGY TEAM, WHICH JUST CONSISTS OF JUST INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WHO POUR THEIR HEARTS AND SOULS INTO THIS AND SPEND MANY, MANY HOURS, THEY MAKE VERY PERSONAL CONNECTIONS WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE POTENTIAL DESCENDANTS, WHERE WE THINK MIGHT BE POTENTIAL CANDIDATES OF BEING RELATED TO SOME OF THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WE HAVE EXHUMED FROM THE SITE.

SO, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S A VERY IT'S NOT A SMALL THING.

THIS IS A VERY PERSONAL, PERSONAL THING.

AND SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE MINDFUL AND THAT WE ARE RESPECTFUL AT EVERY STEP IN THE PROCESS.

SO CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT WE STRIKE THAT BALANCE OF, OF RELEASING THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN RELEASE.

BUT ALSO THAT'S I WOULD JUST SAY THAT'S REALLY MORE THE REALM OF THE GENETIC GENEALOGICAL TEAM, WHERE THEY THEY ASCERTAIN HOW BEST TO NAVIGATE, WHAT TO PUT OUT AND WHAT TO PUT FORWARD.

BECAUSE, OF COURSE, TO SOME OF THAT PUBLIC INFORMATION THEN BECOMES IMPORTANT FOR HOW WE ACTUALLY GET INTEREST ON THE PART OF PEOPLE IN THE DIASPORA OF DESCENDANTS OF TULSA WHO WERE PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO WERE IN TULSA AT THAT POINT IN TIME.

BECAUSE, OF COURSE, AFTER THE EVENT, MANY PEOPLE LEFT TULSA.

AND IN THE YEARS AFTER, OF COURSE, KIDS, GENERATIONS LATER, THEY MOVE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO WE'RE NOT JUST LOOKING FOR PEOPLE IN TULSA.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO OF COURSE THEY HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT INFORMATION IN TERMS OF LIKE POTENTIAL SURNAMES OR COUNTIES OR STATES OR CITIES WHERE SOME OF THE DESCENDANTS THEY THINK MIGHT RESIDE, AS THEY REALLY DO A LOT OF OUTREACH TO TRY AND GET PEOPLE ENGAGED TO PARTICIPATE.

BECAUSE REALLY, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT US SCIENTISTS MAY DO ON OUR END OF THINGS, IT'S MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AND IT'S MEMBERS OF THE DESCENDANT COMMUNITIES THAT REALLY GET THIS ACROSS THE FINISH LINE IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY BEING ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY RECOVER IDENTITIES.

WELL, WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME HERE, BUT I WANTED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENS NEXT FOR THIS INVESTIGATION.

WELL, SO WE JUST RECENTLY WRAPPED UP OUR FIELD WORK IN TERMS OF THE ARCHEOLOGICAL FIELD WORK FOR THIS LATEST ROUND, THIS LATEST SEASON, DOCTOR STUBBLEFIELD'S WORK IS ONGOING, SO WE'LL BE LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING WHAT SHE HAS TO SAY ABOUT ANY ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS THAT SHE MAY HAVE FOR THE INDIVIDUALS THAT SHE'S CURRENTLY LOOKING AT IN HER ON SITE LABORATORY.

ONCE SHE COMPLETES HER WORK, AND WE HAVE A MOMENT OR TWO TO DIGEST THE ARCHEOLOGICAL SIDE OF OF THE WORK AND THE DATA THAT WE RECOVERED, WE'LL TAKE THAT INFORMATION AND WE'LL COMPILE AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THIS YEAR'S INVESTIGATION.

AND THEN WE WILL BE WORKING ON A FINAL, LARGER REPORT THAT WILL COME OUT SOME MONTHS LATER.

OUR HOPE IS THAT WITH THAT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY, THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE ENOUGH CONTENT TO PROVIDE AN ASSESSMENT OF OUR KEY FINDINGS AND THEN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ANY NEXT STEPS THAT OUR TEAM BELIEVES ARE ARE WARRANTED.

WELL, THAT'S ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR THIS DISCUSSION.

AND THANK YOU FOR WORKING SO DILIGENTLY ON THIS.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

LEARNED A LOT.

THANK YOU.

CASSIDY.

NOVEMBER IS NATIONAL LUNG CANCER AWARENESS MONTH, AND IF YOU FIT ANY OF THE FOLLOWING THREE CRITERIA, YOU SHOULD GET SCREENED FOR LUNG CANCER.

IF YOU SMOKED FOR 20 YEARS OR MORE.

IF YOU'VE QUIT SMOKING LESS THAN 15 YEARS AGO, AND IF YOU ARE OVER THE AGE OF 50.

IF SO, GET CHECKED OUT.

WE'RE PRETTY MUCH LAST IN THE COUNTRY IN LUNG CANCER SCREENING, AND I THINK THAT'S MORE SO BECAUSE WE JUST HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO REALLY GET THE WORD OUT.

AND SO WITH THIS MONTH, WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY, WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO DO IS TELL EVERYONE THAT IF YOU MEET THAT THAT CRITERIA, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY GET SCREENED FOR LUNG CANCER, BECAUSE THE IDEA IS, IF YOU CAN FIND LUNG CANCER WHEN IT'S SMALL AND BARELY THERE, WE CAN DEFINITELY TREAT IT.

AND YOUR CHANCE OF NEVER HAVING TO DEAL WITH IT AGAIN IS, YOU KNOW, 75, 80, ALMOST 90%.

A LUNG CANCER SCREENING IS PAINLESS AND TAKES ABOUT 30 MINUTES START TO FINISH.

KAVA BARS ARE GROWING IN POPULARITY THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, INCLUDING HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

FOR MANY, THEY'RE PROVIDING AN ALTERNATIVE TO ALCOHOL WITHOUT THE HANGOVER OR THE THREAT OF A DUI.

IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO HEAD DOWN TO THE SUNSHINE STATE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS ANCIENT SOUTH PACIFIC DRINK.

COURTESY OF WUFT IN GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA.

YEAH.

MY PARTNER AARON, ALSO MY BUSINESS PARTNER, THE OTHER OWNER, SHE TOOK ME TO MY FIRST KAVA BAR IN MY LATE 20S, EARLY 30S, AND I JUST KIND OF FELL IN LOVE WITH THE ATMOSPHERE AND THE MADE ME FEEL.

WELL, ALL OF US HERE ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY CONGRATULATIONS TO REPORTER STEVE SHAW.

THIS PAST SATURDAY IN OKLAHOMA CITY, THE OKLAHOMA FARM BUREAU HONORED STEVE AS ITS 2025 JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR, ALONG WITH HIS VIDEOGRAPHERS CORTEZ COLBERT AND SCOTT CASSIDY.

STEVE'S EXCELLED IN THE LAST YEAR, BRINGING YOU GREAT INFORMATION ON THE ISSUES FACING OKLAHOMA FARMERS AND RANCHERS, INCLUDING EARLIER IN THIS NEWSCAST AS WELL.

STEVE, CONGRATULATIONS.

WELL DESERVED.

WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK WITH A TOUR OF THE MARTIN PARK NATURE CENTER IN OKLAHOMA CITY, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OITA'S LEGACY KOTO AND A PROGRAMING NOTE BEFORE WE SAY GOODBYE, THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT WILL NOT AIR NEXT FRIDAY AT 7:00, SO THAT WE CAN BRING YOU THE CONCLUSION OF KEN BURNS EPIC, SIX PART SERIES ON THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION THAT DEBUTS ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH AT 7:00 HERE ON OETA.

WE'LL RETURN ON NOVEMBER 28TH WITH OUR YEARLY BEST OF THANKSGIVING EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

UNTIL THEN, I'M RICH LENZ.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

WE'RE BOTH WISHING.

SOFT SUMMER BREEZE.

MAKES ME THINK OF MY BABY.

I LEFT DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS.

I LEFT.

DOWN IN NEW ORLEANS.

MAGNOLIA, YOU SLEEP.

YOU DIE ON ME, MAN.

I GOT TO GET BACK TO YOU, BABY.

YOU'RE THE BEST I EVER HAD.

FROM FREE SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK.

ENTER A LAND OF DISGUISES.

CONCEAL ME WHAT I AM.

SURPRISES AND SHEER