OSCAR FOR BEST ACTRESS, A CHAMPION FOR DEAF ACTORS.

ENJOY ODETTA FOR FREE ANYTIME.

TUNE IN OVER THE AIR OR VISIT ODETTA.

WHAT IMPACT WILL THE ONGOING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAVE ON OKLAHOMANS IN THE DAYS TO COME?

WHAT A RIDICULOUS WASTE OF TIME.

WHAT A PAINFUL, RIDICULOUS WASTE OF TIME FOR THE NATION OKLAHOMANS HONORED FOR THEIR WORK TO COMBAT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN OUR STATE.

OUR NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING IN OKLAHOMA.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

I'M EMBARRASSED.

OKLAHOMA CAN DO BETTER.

AND IT STARTS WITH VICTIM ADVOCACY.

HOW BEING FIREWISE MAY HELP OKLAHOMA HOMEOWNERS LOWER THEIR INSURANCE PREMIUMS.

THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME INSURANCE PREMIUM DISCOUNTS FOR ITEMS LIKE THIS THAT HELP TO CREATE RESILIENCY.

SMOKE DETECTORS INSTALLED AT NO COST THANKS TO THE OKLAHOMA RED CROSS.

UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN FIRES HAPPEN, ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THOSE FIRES WHERE THERE'S A DEATH IS BECAUSE THERE IS NOT WORKING SMOKE ALARMS.

IN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON HOW SCREEN ADDICTION IS HURTING YOUNG OKLAHOMANS, TOO MUCH OF THAT IS GOING TO BE HARMFUL PHYSICALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, EMOTIONALLY.

THOSE STORIES, PLUS STUDENT DAY AT OETA NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REMAINS SHUT DOWN, WITH BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE DIGGING THEIR HEELS IN AND REFUSING TO BUDGE AS THE SHUTDOWN ENTERS ITS SECOND WEEK.

ARE WE BEGINNING TO SEE IMPACTS HERE IN OKLAHOMA?

AND IF NOT, HOW LONG BEFORE WE DO?

AND IN WHAT WAYS?

SUSAN CADDELL HAS OUR REPORT ON THIS VOTE.

THE YEAS ARE 45, THE NAYS ARE 53/5 OF THE SENATORS DULY CHOSEN AND SWORN, NOT HAVING VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THE MOTION IS NOT AGREED TO.

THE US SENATE REMAINS IN A DEADLOCK RIGHT NOW AS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STAYS SHUT DOWN.

WHAT A RIDICULOUS WASTE OF TIME.

WHAT A PAINFUL, RIDICULOUS WASTE OF TIME FOR THE NATION.

REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS BLAME EACH OTHER, WITH DEMOCRATS HOLDING BACK THEIR VOTES OVER THE LACK OF AFFORDABLE CARE ACT FUNDING.

THEY'D RATHER KICK TENS OF MILLIONS OFF HEALTH CARE THAN SIT DOWN WITH US AND WORK WITH US ON ADDRESSING THIS SO IMPORTANT ISSUE.

BUT REPUBLICANS ARGUE THAT REOPENING THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE TOP PRIORITY.

NEGOTIATIONS CAN HAPPEN LATER.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I THINK THERE IS INTEREST ON BOTH SIDES IN TRYING TO ADDRESS WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH CARE IN THIS COUNTRY, BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HOSTAGE AND EXPECT TO HAVE A REASONABLE CONVERSATION ON THOSE ISSUES.

BOTH PARTIES HAVE DRAFTED THEIR PREFERRED STOPGAP BILLS, NEITHER GARNERING ENOUGH VOTES TO END THE SHUTDOWN.

OKLAHOMA'S SENIOR SENATOR, JAMES LANKFORD, SAYS THESE BILLS ARE STANDARD PRACTICE.

WE'VE HAD SEVERAL VOTES THAT HAVE HAPPENED HERE WHERE WE'VE HAD WHAT'S CALLED A CLEAN CONTINUING RESOLUTION.

THIS BODY KNOWS IT WELL BECAUSE WE VOTED ON 13 OF THEM IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, A CLEAN, CONTINUING RESOLUTION, AND PASSED ALL OF THEM.

IT WAS JUST A MOMENT TO SAY, CAN WE KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN AND CONTINUE TO NEGOTIATE THE BODY TO DETERMINE, YES, LET'S KEEP NEGOTIATING, BUT LET'S NOT HURT FEDERAL WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES, NOT LET'S HURT MEMBERS OF THE MILITARY AND THEIR FAMILIES, NOT HURT THEM.

LET'S KEEP THE NEGOTIATING HERE.

SO WE DID THAT 13 TIMES IN JUST THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

UNTIL NOW.

AS OF MID 2025, THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 60,000 CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES IN OKLAHOMA, ACCORDING TO THE OKLAHOMA EMPLOYMENT SECURITY COMMISSION.

ABOUT 110 HAVE FILED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS SINCE THE SHUTDOWN BEGAN.

SO VOLUMES ARE PRETTY LOW.

I BELIEVE THAT'S PROBABLY BECAUSE NOBODY'S MISSED THEIR FIRST PAYCHECK YET.

THAT COULD CHANGE HERE VERY SOON, AND THAT COULD CHANGE THE VOLUME AS WELL.

IF YOU ARE A FEDERAL EMPLOYEE WORKING 32 HOURS OR MORE, YOU DO NOT QUALIFY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS.

SHUTDOWNS ARE INTERESTING.

WHAT WE'VE SEEN AS FAR AS THE DATA SHOWS, IS THAT NO TWO ARE ALIKE.

EACH ONE IS KIND OF DIFFERENT.

SURE, YOU'LL HAVE FURLOUGHED EMPLOYEES.

SURE.

FOR THE MOST PART, THEY'VE ALL RECEIVED BACK PAY.

ONCE THE GOVERNMENT REOPENS.

THE CONGRESS HAS PASSED THOSE APPROPRIATIONS TO ALLOW THEM TO RECEIVE BACK PAY.

AND THEN BUSINESS GOES ON AS USUAL.

I THINK THERE'S JUST A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY AROUND THIS.

ONE IN PARTICULAR, IF BACK PAY IS ALLOCATED TO INDIVIDUALS RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS, THEY WILL NEED TO PAY THAT MONEY BACK AND THAT MONEY WILL ACCRUE INTEREST UNTIL IT IS FULLY REPAID.

BACK IN OKLAHOMA, STATE LAWMAKERS HAVE CONCERNS, ESPECIALLY HOUSE MINORITY LEADER CYNDI MUNSON.

I DON'T KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE KNOW THIS, BUT PER CAPITA, WE HAVE SOME OF THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF FEDERAL WORKERS HERE IN OKLAHOMA, IN THE NATION.

AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THINGS LIKE GOING TO THE AIRPORT OR OUR OUR SERVICE MEMBERS OR CIVILIAN MEMBERS WHO ARE WORKING AT TINKER AIR FORCE BASE OR PARK RANGERS THAT WORK AT THE OKLAHOMA CITY MEMORIAL AND NATIONAL MUSEUM, THOSE FOLKS ARE AT RISK OF LOSING THEIR JOBS OR NOT GETTING PAID.

AND THAT'S A VERY SCARY TIME.

AND THOSE ARE FUNCTIONS OF GOVERNMENT THAT I DON'T KNOW, THAT EVERYBODY REALIZES IS SO CRITICAL TO OUR EVERYDAY NEEDS.

OKLAHOMA TRANSPORTATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TIM GATZ ADDS MORE CONCERNS.

THE OTHER THING I WANT TO CALL INTO, TO, OR CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION, THE FEDERAL FUNDING PROGRAM.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE IN THE FINAL YEAR OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT AND JOBS ACT AUTHORIZATION.

WE WILL NEED A NEW HIGHWAY BILL AT THE END OF FEDERAL FISCAL 26.

AND THE CONGRESS IS WORKING ON THAT NEW HIGHWAY BILL RIGHT NOW IN ORDER TO SUSTAIN THE CURRENT FUNDING LEVELS.

IT'S GOING TO BE CHALLENGING BECAUSE THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND RIGHT NOW IS ONLY SUPPORTING SOMEWHERE AROUND 50 OR 60% OF ALL OF THE OUTLAYS.

JAY STEGALL IS A REPUBLICAN STATE REPRESENTATIVE FROM YUKON.

HE WANTS TO SUBMIT A BILL THAT WOULD CREATE SERIOUS PENALTIES FOR FEDERAL LAWMAKERS.

WE HAVEN'T HAD A BALANCED BUDGET PASSED SINCE 1997.

WE'VE BEEN OPERATING ON CARS EVER SINCE, AND THE PURPOSE OF THE BILL ITSELF IS TO PUT SOME TEETH INTO THE AMENDMENT TO REQUIRE OUR FEDERAL DELEGATION TO TO PUT SOME MORE EMPHASIS ON PUTTING A BALANCED BUDGET TOGETHER.

OF COURSE, THIS IS GETTING HIGHLIGHTED RIGHT NOW DURING THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, WHICH IS ANOTHER GOAL OF THE BILL ITSELF, IS TO PREVENT THESE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWNS.

SO THE TEETH THAT I'VE PLACED IN THIS BILL ITSELF WOULD MEAN THAT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, MEMBERS OF THE OF THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH SUCH AS PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT AND THE SUPREME COURT JUSTICES, NONE OF THESE ENTITIES WOULD RECEIVE PAY NOR BACK PAY FOR THE TIME THAT A GOVERNMENT IS ACTUALLY SHUT DOWN.

BUT THERE'S A CATCH.

STEGALL'S BILL MUST BE ADOPTED BY A MAJORITY OF STATES IN AMERICA TO EVEN BEGIN THE PROCESS OF CREATING THIS NEW FEDERAL AMENDMENT OR LAW.

FOR NOW, IT'S ALL UP TO THE LAWMAKERS ON CAPITOL HILL.

SUSAN CATO, FOR THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

SUSAN, THANK YOU.

THERE'S A NEW STUDY.

IT APPEARS TO CONFIRM THAT ADDICTION TO SOCIAL MEDIA, MOBILE PHONES AND VIDEO GAMES IS LINKED TO A HIGHER RISK OF SUICIDAL THOUGHTS AND BEHAVIORS AMONG CHILDREN.

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD AND HER PANEL OF GUESTS.

HOW BIG A PROBLEM IS THIS?

IS IT GETTING WORSE?

AND WHAT CAN WE CAN WE DO TO PREVENT IT?

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

IT'S SO NEGATIVE.

AND KIDS SEE THIS AND KIDS SEE HOW ADULTS REACT TO THE POST AND LEARNED BEHAVIOR.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

YOU HAVE TO PUT PARENTAL CONTROLS ON EACH OF THESE APPS THAT CHILDREN HAVE ON THEIR PHONES.

YOU SHOULD EXPLORE SOCIAL MEDIA WITH YOUR KIDS, AND THEY REALLY SHOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER THAT, IN MY OPINION, UNTIL THE TEENAGE YEARS, JUST BECAUSE IT IS SO TOXIC.

KIDS ARE DRAWN INTO THESE APPS MORE AND MORE.

I MEAN, THE BELLS, THE WHISTLES, THE CHIRPS, THE NOTIFICATIONS, THOSE ARE ALL DESIGNED RIGHT TO GRAB OUR ATTENTION AND KEEP US ON OUR SCREENS.

WE THINK OF X, TWITTER, FACEBOOK, SNAPCHAT, SOME OF THE BIG ONES.

BUT YOUTUBE IS A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.

PEOPLE, KIDS COMMENT AND THEY GET COMMENTS BACK AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE.

PINTEREST, YOU I MEAN, INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL CAN BE FOUND THERE.

SO YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY AWARE OF WHAT THOSE WHAT ALL THE APPS YOUR CHILDREN ARE USING A LOT OF GAMES ARE, ARE MULTI-PLATFORM, SO THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW, EVEN IN THE GAMES THEY'RE PLAYING.

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

LINDA FIELDS HAS BEGUN HIS TENURE AS OKLAHOMA STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT JUSTICE DUSTIN ROE, MAKING IT OFFICIAL ON TUESDAY AT THE STATE CAPITOL.

FIELDS IN OSU, GRADUATES SPENT MORE THAN 30 YEARS WORKING IN OKLAHOMA'S CAREERTECH SYSTEM.

HE WILL SERVE OUT THE REMAINDER OF RYAN WALTERS TERM, BUT SAYS HE DOES NOT PLAN TO RUN FOR ELECTION IN 2026.

THE NEW SUPERINTENDENT GOT RIGHT TO WORK CONVENING A 4.5 HOUR MEETING OF THE RECONSTITUTED STATE EDUCATION BOARD ON THURSDAY.

THE BOARD HAS TWO NEW MEMBERS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR STITT LAST WEEK, IN ADDITION TO A NEWLY FORMED ADVISORY BOARD OF STATE EDUCATION SPECIALISTS.

THE BOARD QUICKLY GOT TO WORK ADDRESSING A LARGE BACKLOG OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

SUPERINTENDENT FIELDS AND THE BOARD WANTED TO FOCUS TODAY ON MOVING THROUGH THOSE DECISIONS THAT WERE HOLDING PEOPLE'S LIVES IN LIMBO.

SO THOSE TEACHING CERTIFICATES, THOSE STUDENT TRANSFERS, WE HAD PEOPLE WAITING ON DECISIONS THAT WERE AFFECTING THEIR LIVES.

AND SO THAT WAS REALLY THE FOCUS OF TODAY'S AGENDA.

YOU NOTICE THAT WE'VE OPENED THE BLINDS.

WE WANT TO BE VERY OPEN.

WE DID REMOVE SOME OF THE BARRIERS IN HERE.

WE JUST WANT TO SIGNAL THAT WE ARE OPEN AND TRANSPARENT AND WILLING TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND HAVE PEOPLE COME AND BE PART OF THE PROCESS OF TURNING EDUCATION AROUND IN OUR STATE.

THE SEVEN MEMBERS OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS CALLING THE TURNAROUND TEAM WILL ASSIST THE BOARD IN IMPLEMENTING NEW POLICIES GOING FORWARD.

OCTOBER IS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH AND THIS WEEK, ATTORNEY GENERAL GENTNER DRUMMOND HANDING OUT AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE TO PEOPLE WHO HAVE DONE GREAT WORK TO HELP VICTIMS AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE.

THE EVENT WAS HELD AT THE STATE CAPITOL ON TUESDAY.

HERE'S A LIST OF THIS YEAR'S HONOREES.

BRITTANY MAINES WITH THE DELAWARE TRIBE OF INDIANS RECEIVED THE VICTIMS SERVICE ADVOCATE AWARD.

BRITTANY MAINES THAT WAS BRITTANY MAINES.

THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AWARD GOES TO JAKE CAREY, AN INVESTIGATOR IN THE WAGONER COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, AND THE PROSECUTOR AWARD IS BESTOWED ON JAMES GREEN, THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY FOR THE HASKELL COUNTY DA'S OFFICE.

I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE STANDING HERE AND IN THIS ROOM THAT'S BEEN VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OR SOME SORT OF ABUSE AT SOME POINT, AND SO WE'RE ALL FAMILIAR WITH IT.

AND TO HAVE THE COURAGE TO STEP OUT AND ASK FOR HELP OR ACCEPT THAT HELP IS IMPORTANT, AND THEN THOSE OF US THAT ARE PUT IN A POSITION LIKE A PROSECUTOR OR AN ADVOCATE TO ACTUALLY TREAT THOSE VICTIMS AS INDIVIDUALS, NOT JUST AS A JOB, IT'S ANY CLASS OF PERSON, IT'S ANY AGE OF PERSON YOU REALLY DON'T KNOW.

AND SO WE NEED TO BE READY AND AWARE OF THE SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND BE ABLE TO LISTEN, BELIEVE THE INDIVIDUAL WHO'S SHARING WITH US AND LOOK FOR AN ANSWER FOR THEM.

HELP THEM FIND THE ANSWERS THEY NEED AND THE HELP THEY NEED.

OUR NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING IN OKLAHOMA.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

I'M EMBARRASSED OKLAHOMA CAN DO BETTER.

AND IT STARTS WITH VICTIM ADVOCACY.

AND IT STARTS WITH GIVING A VOICE TO THE VICTIM.

THE VICTIM FOR DECADES HAS BEEN LIVING IN SILENCE, AND THE PERPETRATOR WINS.

AND WHAT WE DO IN THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERALS, WE ELEVATE THE VOICE OF THE VICTIM AND ELEVATE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

AWARENESS MATTERS.

SO MANY OF YOUR VIEWERS ARE SUFFERING FROM DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RIGHT NOW, AND I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SEEK HELP.

TUESDAY'S CEREMONY MARKED THE 17TH YEAR THAT THESE AWARDS HAVE BEEN GIVEN OUT.

OCTOBER IS ALSO DESIGNATED AS FIRE PREVENTION MONTH, AND SPECIFICALLY, THIS WEEK IS FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, DEVOTED THIS YEAR TO THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPERLY BUYING, CHARGING AND RECYCLING LITHIUM ION BATTERIES.

WE HAVE TWO REPORTS ON THE THREAT OF HOME FIRES, WHICH INCREASE AS WE HEAD INTO THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS.

JASON DOYLE REPORTS ON AN OKLAHOMA CITY PROGRAM THAT IS PROVIDING AND INSTALLING FREE SMOKE DETECTORS.

AND WE BEGIN WITH STEVE SHAW'S LOOK AT A NEW PROGRAM CALLED FIREWISE.

STEVE RICH, FIREWISE IS AN EFFORT BY OKLAHOMA'S DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY TO GIVE HOME AND PROPERTY OWNERS TIPS ON PROTECTION FROM WILDFIRES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT ONE OF THE REAL EASY THINGS THAT A HOMEOWNER CAN DO IS KEEP A COILED GARDEN HOSE THAT IS CONNECTED TO THEIR FAUCET WITH A NOZZLE ON IT AT THE READY.

DREW DALY IS DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF FOR OKLAHOMA FOREST SERVICES.

IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO JUST DO A WEEKLY CHECK, AND YOU CAN LEAF, BLOW OR RAKE THESE LEAVES AWAY FROM THE FOUNDATION OF A HOME, BECAUSE THOSE LEAVES WILL BE THEY WILL DRY OUT AND THEY WILL BECOME FUEL FOR THOSE EMBERS THAT MAY LAND IN THIS, THIS LANDSCAPING AND BECOME A SOURCE OF A FIRE THAT MAY EXTEND TO THE STRUCTURE ITSELF.

IT'S JUST THE LITTLE THINGS THAT IS THAT CAN COME BACK ON YOU.

IT IS.

AND VERY OFTEN YOU MENTIONED THE LITTLE THINGS.

THEY'RE JUST THEY'RE GENERALLY JUST GOOD HOMEOWNER CARE, HE SAYS.

OCTOBER THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR IN OKLAHOMA CAN BE TRICKY.

VEGETATION THAT GENERALLY IS PRESENT MOST OF THE YEAR GOES DORMANT AND DRIES UP, WHICH MAKES WILDFIRES A CONSTANT THREAT.

FIRE WISE IS JUST A METHODOLOGY FOR BEING JUST THAT WISE ABOUT THE WILDFIRE OCCURRENCE.

AND BASICALLY IT FOCUSES ON WHAT HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS OWNERS CAN DO AROUND THEIR PROPERTIES TO REDUCE THE RISK.

HE SAYS HOMES, FARMS AND BUSINESSES ARE VULNERABLE TO WILDFIRES IN TWO WAYS.

THE FIRST WAY IT HAPPENS, OBVIOUSLY, IS WHEN FLAMES ACTUALLY TOUCH THE HOME OR THE STRUCTURE.

BUT MORE FREQUENTLY, STRUCTURES CATCH FIRE FROM FIERY EMBERS THAT ARE LOFTED THROUGH THE AIR FROM A WILDFIRE OR PROPERTY FIRE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

THIS MAY SEEM SMALL, BUT I ASSURE YOU IT IS NOT.

HAVING A HOUSE NUMBER THAT'S VERY VISIBLE FROM THE ROAD IS VERY IMPORTANT.

AND DALY SAYS THOSE HOUSE NUMBERS NEED TO BE LARGE ENOUGH TO SEE AT NIGHT.

SO BASICALLY ON A DRIVEWAY, WE'RE LOOKING FOR A MINIMUM CLEARANCE OF 12 FOOT WIDE BY 15 FOOT TALL.

THAT WAY THERE IS GOOD VISIBILITY FROM THE ROAD TO THE HOUSE THAT FIREFIGHTERS CAN BEGIN TO DO THEIR SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND THEIR SIZE UP OF WHAT WORK MAY NEED TO BE DONE TO PROTECT A PARTICULAR HOME.

BUT ALSO THEY CAN MAKE THAT ACCESS BOTH IN AND OUT.

DO NOT STORE FIREWOOD RIGHT UP NEXT TO THE HOME, STORED AT LEAST 30FT AWAY FROM THE HOME, SO THAT IT DOES NOT ALSO POSE A THREAT.

DALY SAYS SOME OF THE BEST FIREWISE TOOLS ARE THINGS THAT MANY HOMEOWNERS ALREADY HAVE IN THEIR GARAGE.

STEVE, LET ME TELL YOU SOME OF THE BEST THINGS A PERSON CAN DO ARE THE NO NO COST.

BASICALLY SWEAT EQUITY WITH STUFF YOU HAVE READILY AVAILABLE AROUND YOUR HOME, THE TOOLS YOU NEED.

IF YOU'RE A HOMEOWNER, YOU PROBABLY HAVE THEM A LAWNMOWER, A, YOU KNOW, A CLIPPERS TO TRIM YOUR BUSHES, RAKE TO MAINTAIN, YOU KNOW, GET THE LEAVES AWAY FROM YOUR HOME AND THAT KIND OF STUFF.

MOST OF THAT STUFF THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY IS THIS TYPICAL HOMEOWNER STUFF THAT JUST TAKES THAT DUE DILIGENCE.

THE OKLAHOMA INSURANCE DEPARTMENT SAYS THERE'S A LIST OF WILDFIRE MITIGATION STEPS HOME AND PROPERTY OWNERS CAN DO TO LOWER INSURANCE PREMIUMS, LIKE INSTALLING INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR SMOKE DETECTORS, ADDING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND SPRINKLER SYSTEMS USING NONCOMBUSTIBLE ROOFING AND SIDING MATERIALS, AND PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY WIDE FIRE SAFETY PROGRAMS.

ASHLEY SCOTT IS DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS FOR THE OKLAHOMA INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.

CAN PEOPLE REALLY SAVE A LOT OF MONEY ON THEIR PREMIUMS?

SO YEAH, THERE'S THERE'S DEFINITELY SOME INSURANCE PREMIUM DISCOUNTS FOR ITEMS LIKE THIS THAT HELP TO CREATE RESILIENCY.

I KNOW FOR A FACT, LIKE WITH OUR STRENGTH IN OKLAHOMA HOMES PROGRAM, PEOPLE CAN SAVE UP TO 42% OFF OF THEIR WIND AND HAIL IF THEY FORTIFY THEIR ROOFS.

SO FIRE MITIGATION IS THE SAME, RIGHT?

ESPECIALLY IN THOSE WILDFIRE PRONE AREAS.

SHE SAYS PROPERTY OWNERS WHO ARE PROACTIVE ARE KEY.

INSURANCE COMPANIES ARE REALLY LEANING INTO PEOPLE BUILDING THEIR HOMES BETTER AND STRONGER TO PROTECT AGAINST THESE THINGS THAT WE JUST HAVE NO CONTROL OVER.

A LOT OF TIMES, ALICIA SUTHERLAND AND HER FAMILY MOVED INTO THEIR HOME IN CLEVELAND COUNTY 16 YEARS AGO.

YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A HEAVILY WOODED PROPERTY.

AND SO JUST TAKING ALL THOSE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION ARE EASY THINGS WE CAN DO.

JUST STARTING FROM RAKING UP ALL THESE LEAVES AROUND, AROUND OUR HOUSE AND OUR FLOWER BEDS.

DREW DALY SAYS SUTHERLAND'S FAMILY RECEIVES HIGH MARKS FOR LEANING THESE STONES AGAINST THE BASE OF THEIR BACK DECK.

THEY NOT ONLY PREVENT SMALL ANIMALS FROM CRAWLING UNDERNEATH, IT PREVENTS LEAVES, SMALL BRANCHES AND OTHER WILDFIRE FUEL FROM LODGING THERE AS WELL.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY CLOSE CALLS?

I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN HERE 16 YEARS.

WE HAVE.

SO WE'VE NOT HAD ANYTHING SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE, BUT DEFINITELY AROUND US.

YOU KNOW, JUST SOUTH OF OUR PROPERTY IS THUNDERBIRD LAKE.

AND SO THEY HAVE HAD SOME FIRES IN THAT AREA.

JUST TO THE WEST OF US IS DRAPER LAKE.

AND SO THEY HAVE HAD SOME ISSUES WITH FIRES.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE OTHER CONCERN I HAVE IS A HOMEOWNER, YOU KNOW, LIVING IN THIS KIND OF RURAL URBAN AREA.

WE DON'T HAVE FIRE HYDRANTS.

SO SHOULD WE GET A FIRE IN OUR AREA?

YOU KNOW, IT REALLY IS GOING TO BE UP TO ME AS A HOMEOWNER TO DO THAT INITIAL, YOU KNOW, TRY TO HELP.

SHE ALSO KNOWS THERE ARE AT LEAST A HANDFUL OF EASTERN RED CEDAR TREES, WHICH ARE EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE ALL OVER THE PROPERTY.

I FIGURED I WAS GOING TO GET DINGED ON THAT BECAUSE WE DO LIKE THEM.

I DO KNOW THAT THEY ARE A HIGH FIRE DANGER.

I MEAN, WE AS WE TRIM THE LEAVES, YOU KNOW, WE'LL PUT THE BRANCHES IN OUR LITTLE FIRE PIT.

I MEAN, THEY GO UP VERY RAPIDLY.

AND SO I KNEW THAT WAS GOING TO BE AN ISSUE.

BUT I LOVE THE TREES AT THIS HOME IN EARLSBORO DAILY SPOTTED ROT IN THE UNDERBELLY OF AN OVERHANG THAT IS PROBLEMATIC.

EMBERS THAT ARE PUSHED UP AT THIS TOWARDS THIS HOME.

SHOULD A WILDFIRE OCCUR, THAT IS A THAT IS AN AREA THAT COULD DEFINITELY CATCH AN EMBER AND THEN RESULT IN EXTENSION TO A HOME WOULD GET UP IN THERE.

AND IF IT DOES GET UP IN THERE INTO THAT ATTIC SPACE OR THE, YOU KNOW, THE ROOF SPACE, IT IS VERY HARD FOR A FIREFIGHTER TO OBSERVE THAT BEFORE IT BECOMES A REAL BIG PROBLEM.

SOMETHING ELSE THAT GOES A LONG WAY IN WILDFIRE PREVENTION IS INSTALLING WHAT ARE KNOWN AS CLASS A SHINGLES.

DREW DALY SAYS WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH A ROOFING COMPANY, THEY WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THAT PROCESS.

RICH, STEVE, GREAT REPORT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

AND IN OKLAHOMA CITY THIS PAST WEEKEND, VOLUNTEERS FROM THE AMERICAN RED CROSS PITCHED IN TO INSTALL 150 FREE SMOKE ALARMS.

LET'S CHECK IN WITH JASON DOYLE IN OUR NEWSROOM FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.

JASON.

RICH OKLAHOMA CITY IS A SIGNATURE CITY FOR THE RED CROSS SOUND THE ALARM EVENT, MAKING AN EXAMPLE OF A WAY TO PREVENT A DISASTER.

INSTEAD OF THE ORGANIZATION HELPING TO RECOVER FROM ONE.

OKAY, SO OKAY, THAT SMOKE ALARM JUST REPLACE JUST REPLACE IT COMPLETELY.

BEFORE RED CROSS VOLUNTEER TEAMS LIKE THIS COULD FAN THROUGHOUT NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA CITY TO INSTALL SMOKE DETECTORS ON SATURDAY, THEY FIRST HAD TO GET A LITTLE TRAINING.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.

WE'LL SEND THEM ON THEIR WAY AND THEY FIND THEIR TEAM.

STEPHEN DUKE CONDUCTED THE TRAINING FOR THIS GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS.

WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER A FEW THINGS TODAY.

CATCH UP ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

SO AS YOU GO OUT TO THESE HOMES, WE'RE GOING TO INTRODUCE OURSELVES WITH THE AMERICAN RED CROSS.

WE'RE PARTNERING WITH OKLAHOMA CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE HANGING SOME SMOKE DETECTORS TODAY.

WOULD YOU WOULD YOU WOULD YOU CARE IF WE HUNG A SMOKE DETECTOR FOR YOU?

UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN FIRES HAPPEN, ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THOSE FIRES WHERE THERE'S A DEATH IS BECAUSE THERE'S NOT WORKING SMOKE ALARMS.

AND SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE A BIG IMPACT AND BE ABLE TO GET OUT THERE AND WORK TO HELP KEEP FAMILIES SAFE.

YOU CAN HANG UP TO FOUR PER HOME.

DON'T BE STINGY.

ALL RIGHT.

FOUR PER HOME.

WE ARE WHAT'S CALLED A SIGNATURE CITY.

THIS YEAR.

WE'VE BEEN SELECTED TO DO THAT.

AND AS PART OF THAT IS WE ARE GOING TO AN AREA WHICH THE NORTHEAST OKLAHOMA CITY AREA HAS BEEN SELECTED, AND WE ARE INSTALLING SMOKE ALARMS FOR ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS HERE WHO WANT THEM.

HOWEVER, THIS EFFORT ISN'T JUST ABOUT INSTALLING A SMOKE DETECTOR OR TWO, IT'S ABOUT MAKING A PLAN TO MAKE THEM SAFER.

WE'RE INSTALLING AN EDUCATING.

WE'RE NOT JUST INSTALLING, WE'RE EDUCATE THEM.

WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER A ROUTE HOW TO GET OUT OF THEIR HOUSE.

SO YOU HAVE A FIRE ESCAPE PLAN.

I SHOWED YOU WHAT TO DO.

CORRECT.

NOW WHEN YOU DO GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, DO YOU GUYS HAVE A PLACE TO MEET WHEN YOU GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, A MEETING PLACE?

YES.

YOU HAVE THAT.

YES.

YES.

OKAY, GOOD.

WITH THIS EFFORT TO HELP EDUCATE FAMILIES ABOUT DISASTER PLANS, IT CONTRIBUTES TO MAKING A CITY MORE RESILIENT.

ACCORDING TO CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST OKLAHOMA, AMERICAN RED CROSS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LOIDA HAFFNER SALMOND.

WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A RESILIENT COMMUNITY, HOW DO YOU DO THAT?

WELL, WE GOT TO TEACH THEM BEFOREHAND.

AND SO ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE DO THAT IS WE PUT WE DON'T JUST HAND YOU THE SMOKE ALARM, WE MAKE SURE IT'S INSTALLED.

IT'S A TEN YEAR ALARM.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'RE ALSO EDUCATING THE FAMILIES.

SO THEY GET TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THAT YOU NEED TO GET OUT AND HAVE A PLAN.

PRACTICE YOUR DRILL OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.

WHEN WE ASK HOW MANY NUMBER OF SMOKE ALARMS INSTALLED AND TESTED, WE ARE ONLY DOING THE INSTALL.

SO IF YOU INSTALLED FOUR, PUT FOUR.

ONCE THE TRAINING WAS COMPLETED BY THE VOLUNTEERS, IT WAS TIME TO GATHER THE FIRE ALARMS, TOOLS AND OTHER THINGS THEY NEEDED BEFORE THEY HEAD OUT.

YOUR TEAM LEAD.

COME RIGHT OVER HERE THIS YEAR AND THAT'S YOUR BUCKET AND THE SMOKE ALARMS AND THE LADIES WERE EVEN.

SULLIVAN, A CERTIFIED CRISIS RESPONSE CANINE WITH HOPE.

ANIMAL ASSISTED CRISIS RESPONSE WAS READY TO GET STARTED.

SO YOU HAVE YOUR BUCKET THAT'S GOING TO HAVE A BUCKET NUMBER.

GRAB A LADDER FOR YOU.

CREWS GOT THEIR DESTINATIONS.

THEY'RE GOING TO DO ONE SMOKE ALARM INSTALLED.

YES.

JUST LIKE THIS PLACE.

THEN THE VOLUNTEERS LOADED UP AND HEADED OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

ONE OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS WAS WARD SEVEN CITY COUNCILMAN KAMAL PENNINGTON.

I'M VOLUNTEERING TODAY WITH THE RED CROSS AND JUST VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING.

IT'S SO CRITICAL THAT WE BUILD SAFE, HEALTHY, THRIVING COMMUNITIES.

AND SO THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IN SMOKE ALARMS IS ACTUALLY GOING TO HELP US PREVENT THOUSANDS OF DEATHS ALL ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.

PENNINGTON IS ENCOURAGING MORE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE WORKING SMOKE ALARMS.

I'VE HAD FAMILY FRIENDS WHO HAVE HAD HOUSE FIRES THAT HAVE BEEN DIRECTLY IMPACTED, AND SO A SMOKE ALARM SAVED THEIR LIVES, AND SO I KNOW FIRSTHAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY HAVE THOSE SMOKE ALARMS AND CAN LIVE SAFE LIVES.

IT WAS IN THE RIVERDALE NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE RAN INTO HOMEOWNER ARTHUR HOUSTON AND HIS SON GETTING READY TO DO SOME SATURDAY MORNING CHORES.

HE SIGNED UP FOR THE SPREAD THE ALARM EVENT ONCE HE HEARD IT WAS COMING TO HIS AREA.

AS THE RED CROSS CAME TO MY CHURCH ABOUT A COUPLE OF SUNDAYS AGO AND ONE OF THEIR REPRESENTATIVES SHARED WITH US THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING SAFE HOMES AND IF THERE WERE ANY HOMES IN THE AREA THAT NEEDED DETECTORS.

AND ONE MY HOMES HERE WE ARE MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO DO SO.

HOUSTON ALSO OWNS A RENTAL HOME IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, SO HIS TENANTS GOT A LITTLE EXTRA PROTECTION TOO.

BEING INSURED HOME OWNER, WE'RE WANTING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR DWELLING AND THAT THE SAFETY ALARMS ARE PROPERLY INSTALLED.

WHEN IT WAS HIS HOME'S TURN, HE LED THE VOLUNTEERS IN TO DO THE INSTALL, STARTING IN THE HALLWAY.

AND YOU GOT TO DRAW TWO WAYS OUT OF YOUR ROOM, OKAY?

OKAY, THAT'S WHAT THAT IS.

OKAY, OKAY.

AND IT STICKS ON YOUR REFRIGERATOR AFTER THAT.

THE NEXT STOP FOR OUR VOLUNTEER CREW WAS THE DINING ROOM.

OKAY, YOU GUYS GOT THE SCREWS?

YEP, YEP.

THERE YOU GO.

GET A GOOD SPOT.

YEAH, IT SHOULD BE FINE.

ALL RIGHT.

ONE AT A TIME.

GOOD.

RIGHT ABOUT HERE.

GO AHEAD AND PUT THE BAIT ON THIS ONE FOR 2025.

THERE'S THAT.

OKAY.

THEY INSTALLED TWO ALARMS IN ARTHUR'S HOME.

HOW MANY ALARMS ARE WE PUTTING UP?

SO WE HAVE ONE IN THE HALL OVER THERE.

THAT'S.

IT'S LOUD ENOUGH FOR ALL THREE BEDROOMS IF YOU WANT TO LEAVE IT AT THAT.

AND THEN I HAVE THIS ONE HERE, SO IT SHOULD COVER ALL OUR BASES.

THEN THE FINAL TASK.

THERE WE GO.

PUSH TEST BUTTON.

OKAY, LET'S TEST HER OUT.

SCREW IT ONE MORE TIME.

MAYBE.

THERE IT IS.

AND THAT'S HOW IT'S DONE.

THANK YOU.

VERY NICE TO MEET YOU GUYS.

YOU TOO.

THANK YOU SIR.

IT'S GOOD TO MEET YOU.

YES, SIR.

THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M SO GLAD TO HAVE THEM HERE.

AND EXCITED THAT THEY ARE ABLE TO ASSIST US WITH THIS IMPORTANT CAUSE.

THE RED CROSS SAYS HOUSE FIRES ARE THE MOST FREQUENT DISASTER IN THE US.

AND SINCE STARTING ITS HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN IN 2014, NEARLY 2500 LIVES HAVE BEEN SAVED BY A SMOKE ALARM.

RICH JASON, THANK YOU.

NOW WE DO HAVE ONE MORE FIRE RELATED STORY STILL AHEAD.

IN OUR NATIONAL VIEW SEGMENT, THERE'S A NEW APP THAT WOULD PROBABLY COME IN HANDY RIGHT HERE IN OKLAHOMA.

IT ALLOWS VOLUNTEERS ON THE WEST COAST TO PROVIDE THE VERY LATEST INFORMATION ON THE LOCATION AND SEVERITY OF WILDFIRES IN REAL TIME, AND FIREFIGHTERS IN SAN DIEGO SAY IT'S A GAME CHANGER.

WELL, BACK HOME, THE OKLAHOMA BROADCAST EDUCATION ASSOCIATION AND WETA TEAMING UP ONCE AGAIN FOR OUR ANNUAL STUDENT DAY SEMINAR, WELCOMING ABOUT 70 STUDENTS AND FACULTY TO OUR WETA STUDIOS.

ON WEDNESDAY, THERE WERE SESSIONS ON SPORTS, MEDIA, JOURNALIST RIGHTS, AND THE USE OF AI IN BROADCAST NEWS, ALL CULMINATING WITH THE AWARDING OF COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO SIX OUTSTANDING STUDENTS.

BUILDING A WEBSITE.

RIGHT, SO I WOULD WANT TO WORK IN THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO LET THEIR VOICES BE HEARD AND I WANT TO BE A VOICE FOR THEM.

SO THAT'S REALLY MY GOAL MOVING FORWARD.

WELL, I LOVE BEING AN ANCHOR.

I'M AN ANCHOR ON TV7, WHICH IS MY COLLEGE'S NEWS STATION, AND THIS IS MY FIRST SEMESTER ANCHORING, AND I'VE JUST REALLY ENJOYED GETTING TO KNOW MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND JUST FELLOW STUDENTS.

BEING A JOURNALISM EDUCATION MAJOR, I WANT TO TEACH HIGH SCHOOL KIDS, BROADCASTING YEARBOOK NEWSPAPER AND GIVE THEM SKILLS THAT THEY CAN GO ON TO USE IN WHATEVER CAREER PATH THAT THEY DECIDE IN.

THOSE SCHOLARSHIPS ARE VALUED AT $1,500 FOR EACH OF THE SIX RECIPIENTS.

ICE IS REOPENING THE SHUTTERED DIAMONDBACK CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN WATONGA TO HOUSE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT DETAINEES.

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

PRIVATE PRISON OPERATOR CORECIVIC HAS LANDED A CONTRACT TO REOPEN THE DIAMONDBACK CORRECTIONAL FACILITY IN WATONGA.

THE CONTRACT IS BETWEEN THE TENNESSEE BASED COMPANY, THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND U.S.

IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT.

THE 2160 BED PRISON HAS BEEN IDLE SINCE 2010.

THE CONTRACT IS FOR FIVE YEARS BUT CAN BE EXTENDED.

CORECIVIC ESTIMATES THE TOTAL ANNUAL REVENUE FROM THE DIAMONDBACK FACILITY CONTRACT WILL BE APPROXIMATELY $100 MILLION.

THE COMPANY WILL BE MAKING $13 MILLION IN RENOVATIONS REQUESTED BY ICE.

THE STATE'S TAX COLLECTIONS REBOUNDED IN SEPTEMBER.

STATE TREASURER TODD RUSS REPORTS THAT SEPTEMBER REVENUES INCREASED BY 17.8% OVER AUGUST, TOTALING $1.5 BILLION.

THAT'S SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN THE COLLECTIONS IN SEPTEMBER OF 2020, FOR TAKING A LONGER VIEW OF REVENUES OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS, THINGS ARE ABOUT THE SAME AS THE PREVIOUS 12 MONTHS.

TOTAL RECEIPTS REACHED $16.95 BILLION.

THE SEPTEMBER INCREASES ARE DUE TO IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN INCOME TAX AND OIL AND NATURAL GAS TAX REVENUES.

THERE IS A SLOWDOWN IN SALES AND USE TAX SIGNALING, SLOWER CONSUMER SPENDING, A TREND SEEN NATIONWIDE.

THE OKLAHOMA CORPORATION COMMISSION THIS WEEK HEARD THE FIRST APPLICATION UNDER A NEW CONSTRUCTION WORK IN PROGRESS, OR CW IP LAW, THAT ALLOWS ELECTRIC UTILITIES TO CHARGE CUSTOMERS BEFORE A NEW GENERATION PLANT IS FINISHED WITH CONSTRUCTION.

OG AND E WAS THE FIRST TO APPLY, STATING IT WOULD LIKE TO CHARGE RATEPAYERS $100 MILLION BEFORE TWO NEW GENERATORS GO ONLINE AT HORSESHOE LAKE POWER PLANT.

SEVERAL CUSTOMERS ALSO TESTIFIED DURING THE HEARING IN HOPES OF INFLUENCING THE COMMISSIONERS TO REJECT THE APPLICATION.

OG AND E SAYS USING THE IP PROCESS COULD SAVE RATEPAYERS MONEY ON INTEREST CHARGES TOTALING $176.5 MILLION.

THE CORPORATION COMMISSION WILL HOLD ITS NEXT HEARING ON THE APPLICATION OCTOBER 13TH.

INVESTORS INTO RILEY EXPLORATION PERMIAN WILL GET A BOOST IN THEIR STOCK DIVIDENDS.

THE COMPANY'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS INCREASED IT BY 5% TO $0.40 A SHARE.

THE STOCK MUST BE IN AN INVESTOR'S PORTFOLIO BY OCTOBER 21ST TO RECEIVE THE DIVIDEND ON NOVEMBER 6TH.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

A NEW REPORT RELEASED BY THE U.S.

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES HAS SOME GOOD NEWS CONCERNING THE MENTAL WELL-BEING OF AMERICAN TEENAGERS.

THE NATIONAL SURVEY ON DRUG USE AND HEALTH SAYS THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN AGES 12 TO 17 EXPERIENCING SERIOUS SUICIDAL THOUGHTS FELL FROM NEARLY 13% IN 2021 TO 10% IN 2024, AND THE PREVALENCE OF SUICIDE ATTEMPTS ALSO FELL SLIGHTLY, FROM 3.6% TO 2.7%.

SO THERE IS PROGRESS BEING MADE, BUT STILL OBVIOUSLY A LONG WAY TO GO BECAUSE OTHER PEER REVIEWED STUDIES APPEAR TO CONFIRM A LINK BETWEEN TEEN DEPRESSION AND ADDICTION TO SCREENS, CELL PHONES AND VIDEO GAMES.

AND THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD AND HER SPECIAL PANEL OF GUESTS, CASSIDY RICH.

WE'VE TALKED BEFORE ABOUT HOW SCREENS CAN BE HELPFUL FOR EDUCATION AND STAYING CONNECTED, BUT EXPERTS ARE WARNING ITS EXCESSIVE USE IS CHANGING THE WAY CHILDREN THINK, SPEAK AND SOCIALIZE.

SO WHEN TO SCREEN TIME BECOME TOO MUCH FOR KIDS?

JOINING US FOR THAT DISCUSSION IS JOHN TRUDGEN, WHO IS THE COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER FOR THE OKLAHOMA PARTNERSHIP FOR SCHOOL READINESS.

WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY JOE DORMAN, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OKLAHOMA INSTITUTE FOR CHILD ADVOCACY.

AND FINALLY JOINING US VIA ZOOM IS FLORENCE BRESLIN, WHO IS THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR OF THE CLINICAL REGISTRY SYSTEMS AT THE HARDEST CENTER FOR CLINICAL RESEARCH AND NEUROSCIENCE AT THE OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR HEALTH SCIENCES.

THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US HERE ON IN-DEPTH.

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

SO, JOE, AS WE MENTIONED IN THE INTRO, WE KNOW SCREENS AREN'T ALL BAD.

IT'S GOOD FOR EDUCATIONAL APPS.

IT'S GOOD FOR REACHING OUT WITH GRANDPARENTS, YOU KNOW, STAYING CONNECTED.

BUT WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEALTHY SCREEN TIME USE AND HARMFUL SCREEN TIME USE?

OH, IT'S JUST LIKE TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING WILL HURT YOU.

AND THAT'S THE CASE WITH SCREENS.

A LITTLE BIT OF SCREEN TIME IS NOT BAD, BUT WHEN YOU RELY ON SCREENS TO BE A BABYSITTER OR FOR KIDS TO BE ON THEM ALL DAY FOR ACADEMICS, OR IF YOU USE THEM AT HOME IN THE EVENING TO PUT THEM IN FRONT OF IT SO YOU CAN DO OTHER THINGS.

TOO MUCH OF THAT IS GOING TO BE HARMFUL PHYSICALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, EMOTIONALLY.

YOU CAN RUN DOWN THE LIST OF THE PROBLEMS YOU'RE GOING TO FACE LONG TERM BY USING SCREENS.

AND WHY IS SCREEN TIME SUCH A GROWING CONCERN FOR KIDS TODAY COMPARED TO EVEN TEN YEARS AGO?

WELL, I REALLY THINK IT COMES DOWN TO 2007.

THE LAUNCH OF THE FIRST IPHONE SCREENS HAVE BECOME JUST SUCH AN OMNIPRESENT PART OF OUR DAILY LIVES.

THEY DO EVERYTHING FOR US NOW.

I MEAN, WE ALL PULL OUT OUR SCREENS FROM OUR POCKET AT THE DROP OF A HAT, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT HAS CHANGED HOW WE INTERACT WITH CHILDREN TOO, AND HOW CHILDREN INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER.

SCREENS HAVE JUST BECOME THE DOMINANT FORM OF COMMUNICATION, AND THAT'S HAVING A HAVING AN EFFECT ON COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, FOR SURE.

AND FLORENCE, TALKING ABOUT COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT HOW SCREEN OR TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME AFFECTS CHILDREN'S BRAIN DEVELOPMENT AND LEARNING?

SCREEN TIME SEEMS TO BE SHOWING SOME CHANGES IN THAT IN THOSE REGIONS, AS WELL AS GLOBAL CORTICAL THICKNESS.

SO THE PART OF THE BRAIN THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR, YOU KNOW, DIRECT CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER PARTS, WE SEE A REDUCTION IN GLOBAL CORTICAL THINNING WITH INCREASED PARTICULARLY SOCIAL MEDIA TIME.

THERE'S THERE IS REALLY MIXED RESULTS IN THE FIELD ABOUT THE BRAIN, SPECIFICALLY THE BRAIN IN SCREEN TIME.

AND IT DEPENDS ON THE TYPE OF SCREEN TIME.

SO WE HAVE SOME DATA SHOWING NO CHANGES SPECIFICALLY IN GAMING WHERE THEY HAVE HIGHER IQ, IQ TESTING AND SOME ADVANCED AGING IN THAT PART OF THE BRAIN.

AND WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

WHEREAS OTHERS HAVE SHOWN KIND OF GLOBAL REDUCTION IN CORTICAL THICKNESS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER LEVELS OF SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO IT'S STILL SOMETHING WE'RE FIGURING OUT.

BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY CHANGES HAPPENING AND WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF THAT.

AND FLORENCE, LET ME PAUSE YOU RIGHT THERE.

YEAH.

I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD ON TO THAT.

I MEAN, TO WHAT SHE'S SAYING, THIS PART OF COGNITIVE BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, ESPECIALLY IN EARLY KIDS, THIS 0 TO 5 AGE RANGE IS CRITICAL FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT.

AND THESE NEURAL PATHWAYS THAT SHE'S TALKING ABOUT, THESE SYNAPSES NEED TO HAVE TIME TO WIRE AND DEVELOP.

THERE'S SOME INTERESTING STUDIES OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT HOW BRAINS ARE PHYSICALLY TRANSFORMING AS A RESULT OF TOO MUCH SCREEN ACTIVITY, AND THAT'S IMPACTING THE VISUAL ACUITY CENTERS OF THE BRAIN.

AND THEREFORE, AS A RESULT OF THE STIMULATION OF THE VISUAL ACUITY CENTERS, THOSE AUDITORY PROCESSING CENTERS AREN'T AREN'T HAVING THE CHANCE TO DEVELOP IN TURN.

AND SO THAT'S LEADING TO DELAYS IN KIDS WITH SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PROBLEMS.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY AN ISSUE.

AND JOE, WE TALKED BEFORE THIS, BUT TOO MUCH SCREEN TIME ALSO HAS AN EFFECT ON EYESIGHT.

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

WE'VE SEEN THE STUDIES ABOUT HOW IT WILL IMPACT THE DIFFERENT THINGS JUST LIKE JOHN MENTIONED.

BUT THERE ARE NOW RECENT STUDIES THAT HAVE SHOWN A POSSIBLE LINK TO MYOPIA, NEARSIGHTEDNESS.

SO WHEN YOU'RE FOCUSING ON THAT SCREEN UP CLOSE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, YOUR EYES DON'T HAVE THAT ABILITY TO ADJUST FOR NEARSIGHTEDNESS, FARSIGHTEDNESS.

AND SO THAT'S WHY WE RECOMMEND KIDS PUT THAT SCREEN DOWN, GO OUTSIDE, LET THE SUNLIGHT HELP YOU, AND HAVE THAT NORMAL EXPOSURE.

IT'S OKAY TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF SCREEN TIME.

THEY ACTUALLY SAY NO SCREEN TIME AT ALL FOR 0 TO 2 AND FROM 3 TO 5.

VERY LIMITED SCREEN TIME SUCH AS WATCH SESAME STREET, WATCH A SHOW FOR AN HOUR, BUT DON'T SPEND A LOT OF TIME WATCHING TV OR PLAYING ON SOME KIND OF TABLET, AND EVEN THROUGH GRADE SCHOOL, HAVE VERY LIMITED ACCESS.

IT'S UP UNTIL ABOUT TEN, 11, 12 YEARS OLD WHERE YOU REALLY SHOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER HAVING A CELL PHONE FOR A CHILD.

THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW, BECAUSE A LOT OF CHILDREN, WHENEVER I WAS YOUNG, I DIDN'T GET A CELL PHONE UNTIL I WAS 13, ALMOST 15.

BUT NOWADAYS IT'S ALMOST EIGHT YEARS OLD AND THE WORLD HAS CHANGED.

WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO STAY IN CONTACT.

BUT LAWRENCE, I WANT TO BRING YOU IN ON THIS.

THIS IS SOMETHING WE ALSO TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT BEFOREHAND.

BUT THE IDEA OF SAYING, YOU KNOW, IT'S EASIER TO POP YOUR KID IN FRONT OF THE TV OR, YOU KNOW, LET THEM BE ON THEIR CELL PHONES.

IT'S NOT ACTUALLY THAT SIMPLE.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT?

SO IT'S NOT.

AND THIS COMES UP WHEN YOU START LOOKING AT LARGE, DIVERSE POPULATIONS.

A LOT OF OUR RESEARCH AND IT HAPPENS IN SMALL COMMUNITIES AND WE TEND TO GET HIGHLY EDUCATED FAMILIES WHEN WE'RE DOING RESEARCH.

AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT ACCESS IS NOT EQUIVALENT.

SO TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

TIMES HAVE CHANGED.

AND KIDS DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE THE SAME ACCESS AS THEY DID WHEN I WAS A CHILD.

SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL THAT WE DON'T USE SCREEN TIME AS A WAY TO SHAME PARENTS FOR LACK OF ACCESS.

WE HAVE MORE AND MORE FAMILIES IN LOWER SES WHERE THE PARENTS ARE WORKING MULTIPLE JOBS, SO THE SAFE SPACE FOR THE CHILD MAY BE AT HOME WITH A SCREEN.

YOU KNOW, IT'S IT'S GREAT IF THEY CAN DO OTHER THINGS.

BUT IF YOU HAVE KIDS HOME BY THEMSELVES AND THEY DON'T HAVE SAFE SPACES TO PLAY OUTSIDE, IF THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO, YOU KNOW, SPORTS HAVE CHANGED DRAMATICALLY IN IN OKLAHOMA ESPECIALLY, BUT ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE THEY'RE NO LONGER FUNDED.

SO YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO PICK UP YOUR KIDS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO DROP OFF YOUR KIDS.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PAY FOR IT, EVEN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, LET ALONE ALL OF THESE PRIVATE GROUPS THAT DO SPORTS.

SO OUR ACCESS FOR KIDS TO DO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY USED TO DO INSTEAD OF ALL THE SCREEN TIME.

NOW, IT WAS BEFORE SCREENS TOO.

IT'S CHANGED.

SO WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL AND REALIZE THAT THIS IS A COMPLEX QUESTION AND ISSUE.

AND WHILE YES, WE SHOULD BE REDUCING SCREEN TIME, MOST KIDS HAVE TOO MUCH.

WE WE NEED TO AS A SOCIETY, THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE HELP FAMILIES AND CHILDREN HAVE ACCESS TO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES SAFELY.

THAT'S A VERY GOOD POINT.

AND I WANT TO PUT A PIN IN THAT RIGHT NOW.

BUT JOE, WHAT?

FLORENCE, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED EARLIER.

BUT JOE, WHAT ROLE DOES SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SPECIFICALLY PLAY IN SHAPING KIDS MENTAL HEALTH?

LOOK AT HOW IT'S SHAPING THE MENTAL HEALTH OF ADULTS.

IT'S HARD TO GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA RIGHT NOW THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT DOOMSCROLLING.

YES, YES, IT'S SO NEGATIVE.

AND KIDS SEE THIS AND KIDS SEE HOW ADULTS REACT TO THE POST AND LEARNED BEHAVIOR.

AND SO YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL.

YOU HAVE TO PUT PARENTAL CONTROLS ON EACH OF THESE APPS THAT CHILDREN HAVE ON THEIR PHONES.

YOU SHOULD EXPLORE SOCIAL MEDIA WITH YOUR KIDS, AND THEY REALLY SHOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER THAT, IN MY OPINION, UNTIL THE TEENAGE YEARS, JUST BECAUSE IT IS SO TOXIC AND WE'VE GOT TO DO A BETTER JOB OF BEING INVOLVED IN THE LIVES OF KIDS, WHETHER IT'S PARENTS, GUARDIANS, CAREGIVERS, SPEND THAT QUALITY TIME WITH THEM.

I KNOW DURING THE PANDEMIC, ONE OF MY BEST FRIENDS, SOMEONE REACHED OUT TO HIS DAUGHTER AND IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION.

THEY HAD TO HAVE THOSE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS.

YOU DON'T TALK TO STRANGERS, ESPECIALLY ONLINE, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS IN PERSON.

YES.

NOT NOT OVER THE PHONE.

NO.

SIT DOWN AT THE DINNER TABLE.

HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

SO MUCH OF WHAT WE'VE LOST IN LIFE IS THAT PERSON TO PERSON CONTACT, JUST LIKE WE'RE HAVING RIGHT NOW.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS LOOKING EYE TO EYE.

YEAH, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE REFLECTIONS ON PEOPLE'S FACES.

YOU'RE ENGAGED.

IT'S EXCITING.

IT'S WAY MORE FUN.

JOHN, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WELL, AND I WOULD SAY THAT THAT HOLDS DOUBLY TRUE FOR YOUNG KIDS AND BRAIN DEVELOPMENT TOO, THAT THAT INTERACTION AND BONDING WITH A CAREGIVER IS CRITICAL.

I MEAN, PARENTS ARE THE FIRST TEACHERS IN LIFE.

AND SO THERE IS MULTITUDES OF STUDIES GOING BACK TO THE 1930S THAT INDICATE, YOU KNOW, KIDS LEARN BEST THROUGH IMAGINATIVE PLAY, THINGS THAT WE'VE KNOWN FOR YEARS.

RIGHT?

THEY DEVELOP COPING SKILLS, THEY DEVELOP COGNITIVE ABILITIES, THEY DEVELOP FINE MOTOR SKILLS, EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING, ALL THESE THINGS THAT LEAD TO SCHOOL READINESS, SUCCESS IN LIFE BEYOND SCHOOL HAPPEN IN THIS 0 TO 5 RANGE.

WHEN YOU KNOW 90% OF YOUR BRAIN DEVELOPS IN THOSE FIRST FIVE YEARS.

AND SO WE HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO REALLY BE PRESENT WITH KIDS AND BE PART OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT.

WELL, YOU MADE A REALLY GOOD POINT THERE.

SO 0 TO 5 AND THESE DIFFERENT AGE GAPS.

WE STILL HAVE IPADS AND AND CORRECT.

DON'T WE HAVE IPADS IN KINDERGARTENS AND DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE THAT?

FLORENCE WHAT DO YOU THINK?

HOW CAN WE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

SO I THINK WE'VE DONE A GOOD JOB HERE IN OKLAHOMA IN MANY STATES HAVE IMPLEMENTED THE THE NO PHONES, THE NO DEVICES DURING SCHOOL.

AND IT'S IT'S ONCE AGAIN, IT'S A BALANCE.

RIGHT.

WE NEED ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE DO STATE TESTING.

WE DO NATIONAL TESTING ON DEVICES THAT WE NEED KIDS TO HAVE ENOUGH EXPOSURE, THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO USE IT WITHOUT HAVING TOO MUCH EXPOSURE.

SO I REALLY LIKED THE EARLIER COMMENT.

YOU KNOW, IN THE YOUNGER YEARS WE WANT TO KEEP THEM OFF THE SCREENS.

BUT AS YOU MENTIONED IN THE BEGINNING, WHEN YOU HAVE VERY LITTLE KIDS AND FAMILY, DISTANT FAMILY SCREENS, IPADS, FACETIME CAN BE GREAT TO RECOGNIZE.

THERE ARE STUDIES THAT SHOW THAT KIDS WHO DIDN'T GROW UP NEAR THEIR GRANDPARENTS, BUT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THEIR FACES, RATHER THAN JUST HEAR THEM OVER A PHONE ACTUALLY, WHEN THEY DO SEE THEM IN PERSON, CAN CONNECT BETTER BECAUSE OF THAT.

BUT DO YOU REALLY WANT THEM SITTING, STARING AT THAT SCREEN?

AND THERE'S RECOMMENDATIONS.

IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A YOUNG CHILD, 2 OR 3 INTERACT WITH GRANDMA OR GRANDPA VIRTUALLY, THAT THEY'RE PLAYING WITH THEIR TOYS AND GRANDMA AND GRANDPA ARE ON THE SCREEN KIND OF TO THE SIDE, AND THEY'RE SHOWING THEM LIKE THEY WOULD SHOW YOU, BUT THAT IT'S NOT SITTING AND STARING AT THE SCREEN.

SO KIND OF TRYING TO FIND THOSE BALANCES.

100% AGREE WITH THE SOCIAL MEDIA THAT THE OLDER THAT YOU CAN START SOCIAL MEDIA, THE BETTER.

AND I HAVE TEENAGERS AND THEY'RE LIKE, WELL, I NEED IT ALL MY FRIENDS.

AND IT TURNS OUT THAT IF YOU HOLD OUT THAT THEIR FRIENDS WILL ACTUALLY FIND THEM IN ANOTHER WAY.

YES.

TEXT MESSAGING, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THE ONLY OTHER THING I WOULD SAY ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT, IS BE AWARE WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS, BECAUSE AS PARENTS, WE THINK OF TWITTER, WE THINK OF OR WE THINK OF TWITTER, FACEBOOK, SNAPCHAT, SOME OF THE BIG ONES.

BUT YOUTUBE IS A SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM.

PEOPLE, KIDS COMMENT AND THEY GET COMMENTS BACK.

AND YOU DON'T KNOW WHO THOSE PEOPLE ARE.

PINTEREST, YOU I MEAN, INAPPROPRIATE MATERIAL CAN BE FOUND THERE.

SO YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY AWARE OF WHAT THOSE WHAT ALL THE APPS YOUR CHILDREN ARE USING A LOT OF GAMES ARE, ARE MULTI-PLATFORM, SO THEY'RE INTERACTING WITH OTHER PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW, EVEN IN THE GAMES THEY'RE PLAYING.

SO JUST KIND OF BE OH, SORRY TO CUT YOU OFF, BUT YOU MADE A REALLY GOOD POINT RIGHT THERE.

ONLINE GAMING I KNOW MY LITTLE BROTHERS LIKE TO PLAY.

IT'S NOT CRASH BANDICOOT THAT JUST NAMING MYSELF.

IT'S SOMETHING ONLINE WHERE THEY'RE GOING NUTS.

BUT ROBLOX AND MINECRAFT?

EXACTLY, EXACTLY.

BUT EVEN SOME OF THE THE MORE, YOU KNOW, VIOLENT GAMES, THEY'RE MORE AGGRESSIVE GAMES.

DO WE IS THERE ANY LINK BETWEEN EXPOSING KIDS TO THAT KIND OF CONTENT OR THEM BEING ABLE TO PLAY GAMES LIKE THAT AND THEN BECOMING MAYBE RADICAL IN ANY WAY?

JOE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY A CONNECTION.

YOU CAN LOOK AT THE RECENT ISSUES WE'VE SEEN IN OUR COUNTRY WITH VIOLENCE, EVEN GOING DIRECTLY INTO SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS WITH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS.

THEY'VE TRACKED BACK A LOT OF THESE SHOOTERS PLAYING THOSE ONLINE VIOLENT VIDEO GAMES WHERE IT'S NORMALIZED TO KILL A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S WHERE PARENTS USE THAT AS A BABYSITTER.

FOR TEENAGERS, YOU'RE NOT ENCOURAGING YOUR KIDS TO GET OUT AND MAKE FRIENDS IN PERSON.

YOU'VE GOT TO BE ACTIVE.

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THAT ABILITY TO HAVE REAL LIFE ACQUAINTANCES AND NOT JUST TALKING TO SOMEBODY OVER A HEADPHONE WHILE YOU'RE PLAYING A GAME.

AND IT CAN BE, OH YEAH, JOHN, I WAS JUST GOING TO ADD INTO THAT.

I THINK JOE'S ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ON WHAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT.

IT'S TALKING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA AND DOOMSCROLLING AND FOMO FEAR OF MISSING OUT.

KIDS ARE DRAWN INTO THESE APPS MORE AND MORE.

I MEAN, THE BELLS, THE WHISTLES, THE CHIRPS, THE NOTIFICATIONS, THOSE ARE ALL DESIGNED RIGHT TO GRAB OUR ATTENTION AND KEEP US ON OUR SCREENS.

AND KIDS ARE MUCH MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO THAT.

THE ADULTS ARE.

AND AS AN ADULT, I'M VERY SUSCEPTIBLE TO IT TOO, DON'T GET ME WRONG.

YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

BUT THERE ARE PRICES TO PAY FOR THAT.

I MEAN, THERE IS SOCIAL DISTRESS.

I MEAN, SCREENS HAVE BECOME A COPING MECHANISM FOR A LOT OF YOUNG CHILDREN, YOUNG ADULTS, AND AS A RESULT, THAT BECOMES THEIR WAY TO COPE WITH STRESS.

AND GUESS WHAT?

AS THEY GET MORE STRESSED, THEY GO TO THEIR SCREENS MORE AND MORE.

AND SO IT'S LIKE THIS PERFECT, PERFECT, VICIOUS CYCLE OF REPETITIVE PROBLEMS THAT CAN HAPPEN IF WE DON'T MONITOR IT AND WORK ON IT.

WELL, WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME, BUT LET'S FINISH THERE.

FINAL THOUGHTS FROM EVERYBODY.

BUT HOW DO WE KIND OF GET OUT BREAK OUT OF THAT CYCLE?

JOE, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT ONE OF THE POSITIVES.

THE BELL TO BELL, NO SELL POLICY.

I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE COMMENTS FROM TEACHERS TALKING ABOUT HOW KIDS ARE NOW PLAYING GAMES AND TALKING TO EACH OTHER IN THE LUNCHROOM, RATHER THAN JUST SITTING ON THEIR PHONES.

SO WE'RE SEEING SUCCESS FROM TAKING SOME OF THESE SCREENS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM.

WE'VE JUST GOT TO BE MORE ENGAGED, AND WE HAVE TO BE THE ONES TO LEAD WITH THAT EXAMPLE.

LIFE IS SO MUCH DEDICATED TO SCREEN TIME.

MOST OF MY WORK NOW HAPPENS ON A SCREEN, BUT WE HAVE TO INTENTIONALLY SET THOSE ASIDE AND THEN MAKE SURE WE DO THE SAME THING WITH OUR KIDS.

ANY ADVICE?

WHAT DO YOU DO?

STEP OUTSIDE.

GET SOME FRESH AIR.

I MEAN, ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD POINT TO IS WHAT WE DO AT OPSR.

WE ARE HIGHLIGHTING A LOT OF PARENTAL RESOURCES ON OUR WEBSITE TO HELP PARENTS ENGAGE WITH THEIR CHILDREN, BE PRESENT WITH THEIR CHILDREN.

ONE OF MY FAVORITE PROGRAMS THAT THE STATE HAS IS THE DOLLY PARTON IMAGINATION LIBRARY.

IT DOESN'T GET BETTER AT BONDING THAN A CHILD, A BOOK AND A LAP, GREAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO BE OFF SCREENS AND ENGAGING WITH PARENTS AND CREATE THOSE FAMILIAL BONDS THAT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE LONG TERM.

EXCELLENT.

LAWRENCE.

FINAL THOUGHTS?

SO I THINK, I MEAN, SCREENS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE A PLUS AND A MINUS.

WE YOU KNOW, JIM MADE A COMMENT.

WE DO SEE KIDS WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, THEM GETTING WORSE WITH MORE SCREEN TIME, PARTICULARLY SOCIAL MEDIA.

SO MAKING SURE YOU'RE ENGAGING WITH YOUR CHILD, CHECKING IN WITH THEM IF THE SCREEN USE IS CAUSING BEHAVIORAL ISSUES, IF YOU SEE THEIR THEIR MOOD CHANGING, YOU NEED TO BE VERY AWARE, HELPING THEM FIND OTHER WAYS WITHOUT THE NO SCREEN TIME.

SO WE TEND TO SEE THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WHEN PARENTS PANIC AND THEY'RE LIKE, WE'RE NOT DOING SCREENS AT ALL.

AND PARTICULARLY I STUDY OLDER KIDS.

SO, YOU KNOW, MIDDLE TEENS TO LATE TEENS, THEY THOSE KIDS NEED A LITTLE BIT OF CONNECTION.

THEY NEED TO KNOW HOW TO WORK AND SOCIALIZE IN THIS WORLD, BUT THEY ALSO NEED OTHER OPPORTUNITIES.

AND I WOULD SAY THE BIGGEST PIECE OF ADVICE I'D GIVE PARENTS TAKE IT OUT OF THE ROOM OR MAKE SURE IT GOES OFF AT NIGHT.

DON'T LET THEM SLEEP WITH IT.

PARENTS WILL TELL ME FROM LITTLE KIDS, OH, WE JUST TURNED THE IPAD ON AND LEAVE IT IN THEIR BED WHILE THEY SLEEP.

NO NO NO NO.

LIKE THE BRAIN IS NOT RESTING.

ALL OF THAT NEURAL DEVELOPMENT THAT HAPPENS DURING SLEEP IS NOT FULLY HAPPENING IF THERE'S CONSTANT STIMULATION.

SO JUST BE REALLY CAREFUL, REALLY MINDFUL OF GETTING THOSE DEVICES OFF AT NIGHT.

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

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

THANKS FOR HAVING US.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

YEP.

A LOT OF REALLY GREAT INFORMATION THERE.

THE PROLIFERATION OF WILDFIRES IN THE WEST HAS LED TO THE CREATION OF A NEW NONPROFIT APP CALLED WATCH DUTY.

IT ALLOWS VOLUNTEERS TO WORK WITH FIREFIGHTERS TO PROVIDE THE MOST UP TO DATE INFORMATION ON WILDFIRES.

AND THAT'S CRUCIAL WHEN SECONDS CAN MEAN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, SCOTT ROD EXPLAINS IN THIS REPORT FROM KPBS IN SAN DIEGO WITH USC.

AN AUTOMATED NOTIFICATION FLASHES ON LIAM WINSTEAD'S COMPUTER SCREEN, ALERTING HIM TO A POTENTIAL GRASSFIRE.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S NEAR THE THE MALL HERE IN CARLSBAD, ALONG THE 78 ON OCEANSIDE BORDER.

NOW THE CLOCK STARTS TICKING.

WINSTEAD IS A STAFF REPORTER WITH WATCH DUTY.

HE NEEDS TO CONFIRM IF THIS FIRE IS REAL AND WHETHER IT POSES ANY DANGER.

WINSTEAD PULLS UP LIVE LOOKOUT CAMERAS IN THE AREA.

I SEE THERE MIGHT BE ONE SUPER FAR AWAY ON PENDLETON.

THERE'S THIS SAN MARCOS PEAK CAMERA.

I DON'T SEE ANYTHING SUPER OBVIOUS.

HE CHECKS OUT TRAFFIC MAPS FROM CALTRANS TO SEE IF THERE'S A SLOWDOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 78.

THEN WINSTEAD PULLS UP MULTIPLE RADIO STREAMS.

HE USUALLY LISTENS TO TWO FEEDS AT ONCE.

WE NOTIFIED CARLSBAD CHIEF BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE VEGETATION FIRE IN THAT CITY.

SO THIS IS THE OCEANSIDE BATTALION CHIEF TELLING THE DISPATCHER TO NOTIFY THAT CARLSBAD HAS A POSSIBLE VEGETATION FIRE.

THIS IS RADIO TRAFFIC FROM LOCAL HAM RADIO OPERATORS, WHICH IS ALSO PICKED UP ON THIS FEED.

IF YOU'RE PICTURING WINSTEAD IN A COMMAND CENTER SURROUNDED BY WALLS OF MONITORS AND HIGH TECH EQUIPMENT, THINK AGAIN.

THE RECENT COLLEGE GRAD IS WORKING FROM THE BEDROOM OF HIS UTC APARTMENT.

HE USES A SMALL MACBOOK, A SINGLE COMPUTER MONITOR AND A RADIO.

BUT FROM THIS UNASSUMING SETUP, WINSTEAD CARRIES TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY.

HE CONFIRMS THE CARLSBAD FIRE IS REAL AND POSES A DANGER TO NEARBY RESIDENTS.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE GOING TO UPGRADE THE FIRE, SO NOW EVERYONE WILL GET A NOTIFICATION.

WINSTEAD SENT THE NOTIFICATION TO WATCH DUTY SAN DIEGO COUNTY SUBSCRIBERS.

THE ALERT LIT UP MORE THAN HALF A MILLION PHONES.

WATCH DUTY HAS ONLY BEEN AROUND SINCE 2021, BUT IT'S WIDELY CONSIDERED THE APP TO USE WHEN YOU NEED FAST, RELIABLE UPDATES ON A WILDFIRE.

IF I'VE SEEN ANYTHING, HAVE THE SINGLE GREATEST IMPACT ON ENGAGING THE PUBLIC, THIS IS THE TOOL THAT'S DONE IT.

KEN PIMLOTT IS THE FORMER CHIEF OF CAL FIRE, THE STATE'S FIRE PREVENTION AND RESPONSE AGENCY.

HE RETIRED IN 2018 AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS IN FIREFIGHTING.

WATCH DUTY HAS REALLY FOUND A NICHE THAT THAT HONESTLY NEEDED TO BE FILLED AS THE AS THE FIRE PROBLEM CONTINUES TO GROW AND, YOU KNOW, ACROSS THE WESTERN UNITED STATES, BUT CERTAINLY HERE IN CALIFORNIA, PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY FOR INFORMATION.

WATCH DUTY COLLECTS UPDATES ABOUT WILDFIRES AND EVACUATIONS FROM A NUMBER OF AGENCIES, AND THEN FUNNELS THAT INFORMATION INTO AN EASY TO USE APP.

PAID STAFF, REPORTERS AND AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS MONITOR RADIO TRAFFIC TO PROVIDE REAL TIME UPDATES.

BEFORE WATCH DUTY, YOU'D HAVE TO COMB THROUGH A BUNCH OF STANDALONE WEBSITES, APPS AND SOCIAL MEDIA PAGES TO GLEAN THAT INFORMATION.

WE'RE TRYING TO SYNTHESIZE ALL THE STUFF THAT'S GOING ON, ESPECIALLY DURING THE INITIAL ATTACK WHEN A FIRE IS FIRST DEVELOPING.

DAVID MERRITT IS THE CO-FOUNDER AND CTO OF WATCH DUTY.

WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT RELEVANT NOT TOO MUCH, NOT TOO OFTEN, BUT GIVE PEOPLE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO START MAKING DECISIONS ON THEIR OWN.

MERRITT EMPHASIZES THAT WATCH DUTY REPORTS ON UPDATES AND ORDERS FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES.

IT DOES NOT, FOR EXAMPLE, ISSUE EVACUATION NOTICES ON ITS OWN.

THE APP NOW COVERS 22 STATES AND HAS 17 MILLION USERS.

THAT INCLUDES MANY FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY RESPONDERS.

IT WAS A BIG SURPRISE THAT THE INFORMATION GAP ALSO EXISTED ON THE PROFESSIONAL SIDE.

YOU KNOW, WITH MUTUAL AID, WITH DIFFERENT FIREFIGHTING AGENCIES WORKING TOGETHER, THERE ISN'T A COMMON OPERATING PLATFORM FOR THAT WATCH.

DUTY OFFERS MULTIPLE PAID MEMBERSHIP TIERS, INCLUDING ONE GEARED TOWARDS PROFESSIONALS.

THE BASIC VERSION OF THE APP WITH THE MOST ESSENTIAL INFORMATION REMAINS FREE.

VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTORS PLAYED A HUGE ROLE IN ALLOWING WATCH DUTY TO SCALE UP.

SOME ARE RETIRED FIREFIGHTERS AND DISPATCHERS, OTHERS ARE FIRE TRACKING ENTHUSIASTS.

WINSTED THE SAN DIEGO BASED STAFF REPORTER STARTED MONITORING AND POSTING ABOUT WILDFIRES ON SOCIAL MEDIA IN HIGH SCHOOL.

HE WAS A STUDENT AT UC SAN DIEGO WHEN HE JOINED WATCH DUTY AS A VOLUNTEER.

I WAS KIND OF ALL IN.

I WAS PROBABLY PUTTING IN LIKE TEN, 20 HOURS A WEEK IN COLLEGE.

AND THEN WHEN SUMMER CAME, THAT KIND OF BECAME LIKE, INSTEAD OF HAVING AN INTERNSHIP I WORKED FOR, I VOLUNTEERED WITH WATCH DUTY.

HE GRADUATED WITH A DEGREE IN REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT, BUT DECIDED TO STICK WITH WATCH DUTY WHEN THEY CALLED, OFFERING HIM A JOB.

WHILE WINSTEAD REPORTS ON FIRES ACROSS WATCH DUTIES ENTIRE COVERAGE AREA, HE SPECIALIZES IN THE SAN DIEGO REGION, KNOWING WHERE A FIRE IS GOING TO SPREAD, KNOWING WHICH COMMUNITIES ARE GOING TO BE IMPACTED.

YOU REALLY CAN'T UNDERSTAND WITHOUT LOCAL KNOWLEDGE.

SOMETIMES IT BRINGS HIM A LITTLE TOO CLOSE TO THE ACTION, LIKE IN JUNE WHEN A FIRE BROKE OUT NEAR HIS PARENTS HOME WHERE HE WAS STAYING AT THE TIME.

I WENT OUTSIDE AND PRETTY SOON AFTER I STARTED LISTENING, THE SMOKE KIND OF STARTED BILLOWING TOWARDS ME.

ASH STARTED FALLING ON MY COMPUTER, ON ME.

WINSTEAD EVACUATED OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.

HE FINISHED REPORTING ON THE FIRE FROM A NEARBY STARBUCKS AS CAL FIRE PLANES PASSED OVERHEAD.

SCOTT RODD, KPBS NEWS.

WELL, MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME, BUT THEY DID ANYWAY.

THE CLASSIC ROCK BAND THREE DOG NIGHT, HEADLINING THE OKLAHOMA MEDICAL RESEARCH FOUNDATION'S 12TH ANNUAL TWO FOR ONE FUNDRAISER, A COMBINATION CONCERT AND GOLF TOURNAMENT THAT RAISED $870,000 FOR RESEARCH PROJECTS.

BRUCE AND CHERYL BENBROOK OF WOODWARD WERE THE SPONSORSHIP CHAIRS FOR THIS YEAR'S EVENT.

ON THE NEXT OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, THE SUPREME COURT REJECTS GOVERNOR STATE'S PLAN FOR BUSINESS COURTS, WHY THEY RULE THE WAY THEY DID, AND WHY THE GOVERNOR THINKS THAT'S GOING TO HURT OKLAHOMA'S REPUTATION AS A BUSINESS FRIENDLY STATE.

THAT'S NEXT FRIDAY AT SEVEN.

WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AT A NEW ART EXHIBIT AT OAK CONTEMPORARY IN OKLAHOMA CITY, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OETA'S JASON STEWART.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN ACCESS ADDITIONAL NEWS CONTENT BY VISITING OUR WEBSITE, AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH ANY OF THESE REPORTS IN THIS NEWSCAST, AGAIN, THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL BY MONDAY EVENING.

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

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

IS THERE A TIME FOR KEEPING YOUR DISTANCE?

THE TIME TO TURN YOUR EYES AWAY?

IS THERE A TIME FOR KEEPING YOUR HEAD DOWN?

FOR GETTING ON WITH YOUR DAY?

IS THERE A TIME FOR COAL AND LIPSTICK?

A TIME FOR CUTTING HAIR?

IS THERE A TIME FOR HIGH STREET SHOPPING?

TO FIND THE RIGHT DRESS TO WEAR?

IS HE COMING?

OH.

IT'S.

AROUND.

IS HE COMING?

TO TAKE A CROWN?

IS THERE A TIME TO RUN FOR COVER?

A TIME FOR KISS AND TELL.

IS THERE A TIME FOR DIFFERENT COLORS, DIFFERENT NAMES?

YOU FIND IT HARD TO SPELL?

IS THERE A TIME FOR FIRST COMMUNION?

A TIME FOR EAST 17?

IS THERE A TIME TO TURN TO MECCA?

IS THERE TIME TO BE A BEAUTY QUEEN?

YES.

SHE COMES.

BEAUTY PLAYS THE CLOWN.

IF SHE COMES.

SURREAL IN HER CROWN.

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE LEGACY OF JAMES BROWN, MUCH OF THAT WAS CREATED HERE IN CINCINNATI.

THE HISTORY OF KING RECORDS IS PRETTY ASTOUNDING,