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THE GOVERNOR AND THE MAYOR AT ODDS OVER HOW TO HANDLE THE HOMELESS POPULATION IN TULSA.

IF THE CITY REFUSES TO DO THEIR JOB, THEN WE WILL BE FORCED TO PURSUE EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO DO IT FOR THEM.

HAD THE GOVERNOR REACHED OUT TO US ABOUT IT, WE WOULD HAVE EXPLAINED TO HIM SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT EXIST.

HE DID NOT DO THAT.

DOES OKLAHOMA NEED A NEW GOVERNOR'S MANSION?

IN MANY STATES, QUITE FRANKLY, HAVE GONE TO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE LIKE AN UPDATED MODERN RESIDENCE FOR THE FAMILY AND THEN THE HISTORIC GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

I MADE A REQUEST OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO WEIGH IN ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THIS COMMISSION, MAKING AN INDEPENDENT DECISION.

OUR VACCINATION RATES GOING UP OR DOWN IN OKLAHOMA.

WE HAVE DONE ALL KINDS OF PROJECTS TO INCREASE OUR VACCINATION RATES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE WISH THEY WERE.

OKLAHOMA LOSES MORE THAN $200 MILLION IN FEDERAL FUNDING TO INCREASE INTERNET ACCESS IN RURAL AREAS.

YOU KNOW, ALL THIS STUFF IS JUST ESSENTIAL FOR FOR RURAL OKLAHOMA AND RURAL AMERICA.

AND AND THEY'RE OVERLOOKED.

NOBODY WANTS TO COME OUT HERE.

IT'S NOT A PROFIT PROPOSITION.

PLUS, OKLAHOMA MARKS THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NINE OVER 11 TERROR ATTACKS.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

MOST EVERYONE CAN AGREE THAT THE HOMELESS DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH DIGNITY AND COMPASSION.

THE DISAGREEMENT COMES IN DETERMINING WHAT THAT ENTAILS AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT AND TULSA MAYOR MONROE NICHOLS HAVE VERY DIFFERENT VIEWPOINTS ON THAT.

CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE TULSA'S HOMELESS POPULATION.

TAYLOR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE TAYLOR.

WELL, RICH GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT LAUNCHED OPERATION SAFE TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN TULSA.

BUT FACILITIES THAT ASSIST THE HOMELESS IN THAT AREA SAY THEY WERE NOT PREPARED.

CONTRARY TO THE BELIEF OF SOME, TULSA MAYOR MONROE NICHOLS WAS TAKEN ABACK BY THE GOVERNOR'S ACTIONS THAT BEGAN THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH, AND IS STILL GOING ON.

NICHOLS SAYS HE AND THE GOVERNOR HAD BEEN IN CONTACT A FEW WEEKS PRIOR, BUT THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF HIM STEPPING IN TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS.

I DID HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE GOVERNOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO.

IN THAT CONVERSATION, I ASKED THE GOVERNOR TO SUPPORT US IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

ONE OF THOSE WAYS WAS TO HELP SUPPORT US IN FINDING PLACES FOR PEOPLE TO GO.

THE OTHER WAS TO REALLY TALK ABOUT WAYS THE STATE COULD INVEST IN OUR CITY, AND IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND EVERY CITY ACROSS THE STATE THAT'S FEELING THE EFFECTS OF HOMELESSNESS.

TULSA IS NOT THE ONLY CITY.

ACCORDING TO TULSA'S 2025 POINT IN TIME COUNT, THERE WERE 1449 PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN JANUARY.

THE 2025 POINT IN TIME COUNT FOR OKLAHOMA CITY WAS 1882.

WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A POSITION TO WORK WITH THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA TO DO THIS RESPONSIBLY, IN A COORDINATED WAY.

HAD THE GOVERNOR REACHED OUT TO US ABOUT IT, WE WOULD HAVE EXPLAINED TO HIM SOME OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT EXIST.

HE DID NOT DO THAT.

AND SO FOLKS ARE DISPLACED UNDER OPERATION SAFE, OPE BEGAN CLEARING OUT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS ON STATE PROPERTY.

ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, STATE TROOPERS ARE OFFERING INDIVIDUALS FOUND IN ENCAMPMENTS TWO OPTIONS A RIDE TO A TREATMENT FACILITY OR HOUSING FACILITY, OR A RIDE TO JAIL IF THEY REFUSE HELP AND CONTINUE BREAKING THE LAW.

SO TO SEND SOMEONE TO JAIL FOR SIMPLY NOT HAVING A PLACE TO LIVE IS NOT GOING TO FIX ANYTHING.

IT'S GOING TO COST OUR JAIL MORE MONEY.

IT'S GOING TO COST LAW ENFORCEMENT MORE MONEY.

AND WHEN THE PERSON IS RELEASED, THEY GO RIGHT BACK TO HOMELESSNESS.

MAYOR NICHOLS WASN'T PLEASED WITH HOW INDIVIDUALS FOUND IN ENCAMPMENTS WERE BEING TREATED DURING REMOVAL.

I HEARD IS THAT OHP WAS GOING TO TRANSPORT PEOPLE TO FIND THE SERVICE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR.

THAT IS NOT THE CASE.

WHAT I HEARD IS PEOPLE HAVE TIME TO COLLECT THEIR BELONGINGS, BUT WHAT WE'RE STARTING TO FIND IS PEOPLE HAVE HAD THEIR IDS AND THEIR PAPERWORK TAKEN FROM THEM, MAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOUSE THEM A LOT MORE DIFFICULT.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, MAYOR NICHOLS ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN TULSA.

HIS PLAN INCLUDES REDUCING THE EVICTION RATE, THE CREATION OF AN ENCAMPMENT DECOMMISSIONING TEAM, AND A STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE WINTER.

IN AUGUST, TULSA CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A $6 MILLION REHOUSING PROGRAM CALLED SAFE MOVE TULSA.

THE REHOUSING PLAN WOULD HELP ABOUT 300 FAMILIES OR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

MAYOR NICHOLS HOPES TO ACHIEVE FUNCTIONAL ZERO HOMELESSNESS BY 2030.

HOUSING IS ESSENTIAL TO HOMELESSNESS.

OF COURSE, WE NEED MORE OF IT AND WE NEED IT TO BE AFFORDABLE.

HOWEVER, WE DO BELIEVE THAT THE ISSUES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO MOST OF THE FOLKS THAT WE'RE SEEING AT THE STREET LEVEL HOMELESS PART THAT'S VISIBLE TENTS.

ENCAMPMENTS NEED MORE INTENSIVE CARE TO BE HOUSING READY.

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT GAVE AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY HE LAUNCHED OPERATION SAFE VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.

THIS RESPONSIBILITY FALLS FIRST ON THE CITY, AND THE CITY WILL NEED TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THEIR CURRENT POLICIES AND EMPHASIZE ENFORCEMENT FIRST.

IF THE CITY REFUSES TO DO THEIR JOB, THEN WE WILL BE FORCED TO PURSUE EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES TO DO IT FOR THEM.

BEFORE I GOT ELECTED, HOMELESSNESS GREW BY 23% IN TULSA.

THIS YEAR, IT GREW BY 4%.

SO IF THE GOVERNOR SAYS THAT MY POLICIES WON'T KEEP UP WITH PEOPLE COMING IN, I WOULD REMIND HIM THAT BEFORE DECEMBER THE 2ND, THEY WEREN'T MY POLICIES AND IT GOT WORSE.

HOWEVER, HE WAS THE GOVERNOR, AND SO MAYBE IT WAS SOME OF HIS POLICIES THAT COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH THE INFLOW OF FOLKS WHO WERE HOMELESS.

MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION CEO CARRIE BLUMHARDT SAYS OPERATION SAFE DOESN'T SEEM TO SOLVE THE ISSUE.

DOING A SWEEP OF ENCAMPMENTS DOESN'T ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSE.

THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SWEEPS AND WHAT WE CALL DECOMMISSIONING.

AND SO WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS DOING IS A SWEEP.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY MOVING FOLKS TO ANOTHER STREET CORNER, ANOTHER OVERPASS, AND NOT GETTING THEM THE SERVICES AND THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT THEY NEED.

BLOOMER'S ORGANIZATION WORKS WITH INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS REGULARLY.

WE SENT OUTREACH WORKERS OUT AS MANY TIMES AS IT TAKES TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM.

FILL OUT ALL THE PAPERWORK THEY MIGHT NEED TO GET ACCESS TO A HOUSING VOUCHER OR SNAP BENEFITS, AND THEN WE MOVE THEM INTO SUPPORTIVE HOUSING.

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT OFFER PROGRAMS FOR THE HOMELESS IN THE TULSA AREA INCLUDE TULSA DAY CENTER, THE SALVATION ARMY, AND JOHN 316.

UNFORTUNATELY, MOST FACILITIES THAT PROVIDE SHELTERS ARE NEAR OR AT FULL CAPACITY.

JOHN 316 CEO STEVEN WHITAKER SAYS HE SAW A FEW MORE FOLKS THAN USUAL AFTER THE SWEEPS BEGAN, AND THEY WEREN'T GIVEN ANY WARNING BEFORE THE OPERATION BEGAN.

SO WE SAW LIKE, A DELAYED RESPONSE.

SO SUNDAY WAS BUSIER FOR US AT OUR SHELTER AND AND THOSE THAT ARE WANTING TO NOT GO TO JAIL AND WANTED TO FIND SOME PLACE TO BE SAFE.

THE STATE ADMINISTRATION SAYS AS OF WEDNESDAY, THEY HAD SHUT DOWN 30 ENCAMPMENTS AND REMOVED MORE THAN 250 TONS OF DEBRIS FROM STATE PROPERTY.

BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE MAKING IT EASY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO STAY IN ENCAMPMENTS, AND WE NEED TO LEARN OUR LESSON HERE BECAUSE THE GOVERNOR IS NOT DONE.

WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ALTERNATIVES.

AND WE'RE WE'RE BEING SERIOUS AND URGENT ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE IN FOR HELP.

IF YOU COME ACROSS AN INDIVIDUAL STAYING IN AN ENCAMPMENT, YOU CAN CALL MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION OKLAHOMA AT THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN.

RICH TAYLOR, THANK YOU.

ON WEDNESDAY, CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST CHARLIE KIRK WAS CUT DOWN BY AN ASSASSIN'S BULLET ON FRIDAY MORNING.

A SUSPECT WAS IN CUSTODY.

22 YEAR-OLD TYLER ROBINSON WAS TURNED IN TO POLICE BY HIS FATHER LESS THAN 36 HOURS AFTER KIRK WAS MURDERED ON THE CAMPUS OF UTAH VALLEY UNIVERSITY DURING A RALLY.

CHARGES HAVE NOT BEEN FILED AT THIS POINT, AND NO ONE ELSE HAS BEEN CHARGED.

THE STATE OF UTAH DOES HAVE THE DEATH PENALTY.

THURSDAY MARKED THE 24TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NINE OVER 11 TERRORIST ATTACKS.

AND IN EDMOND, OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY PLACED 168 AMERICAN AND 168 OKLAHOMA FLAGS AT THE ENTRANCE OF THEIR CAMPUS, COMMEMORATING THE LIVES LOST IN THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING AS WELL.

ALMOST 3000 PEOPLE DIED ON SEPTEMBER 11TH, 2001.

THE SCHOOL ALSO HAS A SURVIVOR TREE MEMORIAL PLAZA, WHICH FEATURES TWO TREES GROWN FROM SEEDLINGS AND CUTTINGS FROM TREES THAT SURVIVED THE ATTACKS IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND NEW YORK CITY.

THE TULSA COUNTY JUDGE HAS DENIED SENTENCING RELIEF FOR APRIL WILKINS FOR THE 1998 KILLING OF TERRI CARLTON.

WILKINS WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO APPLY FOR THE OKLAHOMA SURVIVORS ACT, WHICH ALLOWS JUDGES TO CONSIDER A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ABUSE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO A PERSON'S CRIME WHEN DETERMINING THEIR SENTENCE.

THE JUDGE ACKNOWLEDGED WILKINS HAD BEEN ABUSED, BUT QUESTIONED WILKINS PAST DRUG USE AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES.

APRIL WILKINS ATTORNEY IS CONSIDERING AN APPEAL.

THE OKLAHOMA GOVERNOR'S MANSION WAS COMPLETED IN 1928, MAKING IT JUST SHY OF 100 YEARS OLD.

FOR MORE THAN A DECADE NOW, THERE'S BEEN AN EFFORT TO SECURE PRIVATE FUNDING TO BUILD A NEW MANSION.

IS IT NEEDED, AND WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE CURRENT BUILDING?

SHOULD IT BE BUILT?

JASON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THE CONTROVERSY SURROUNDING THIS NEW CONSTRUCTION.

JASON.

RICH.

THE CAPITOL PRESERVATION COMMISSION GAVE ITS APPROVAL TO MOVE FORWARD ON BUILDING A NEW $6 MILLION GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE IN LATE AUGUST.

BUT ONE LAWMAKER BELIEVES THAT DECISION SHOULD FALL ON THE LEGISLATURE'S SHOULDERS.

FIRST LADY, GREAT TO SEE YOU.

NICE TO SEE YOU.

WELCOME TO THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

FIRST LADY SARAH STITT GAVE US A TOUR OF THE CURRENT GOVERNOR'S MANSION AND SAT DOWN WITH US TO DISCUSS THE NEW RESIDENCE.

SHE KNOWS THE INS AND OUTS PROBABLY BETTER THAN MOST.

THAT'S BECAUSE SHE LED THE MOST RECENT EFFORT TO RENOVATE THE HISTORIC BUILDING.

SHORTLY AFTER GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT FIRST TERM BEGAN.

WE REALLY DID A HISTORIC AND ENGINEERING RENOVATION ON THE MANSION.

IT NEEDED TO BE DONE.

THE FUNDS WERE ALREADY SECURED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE PRIOR TO KEVIN'S ENTRANCE AS GOVERNOR.

AND SO WE REALLY I TOOK THAT ON AS KIND OF A PERSONAL PASSION.

THE FIRST LADY SAYS THERE WAS A LOT TO UPDATE.

WE HAD A LOT OF STRUCTURAL AND ENGINEERING IMPROVEMENTS.

THERE WAS THE ORIGINAL BOILER CHILLER SYSTEM FROM THE 40S, AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT THERE WAS COLD ROOMS, HOT ROOMS, DAMP ROOMS.

AND SO PEOPLE ASK ME, WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT THE RENOVATION?

THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

AND WHEN WE FIRST MOVED IN, IT WAS THE FACT THAT THE TEMPERATURE COULD BE CONTROLLED IN ALL OF THE ROOMS BECAUSE IT MADE IT A LOT EASIER TO LIVE HERE AND OBVIOUSLY TO CONTROL THE ENVIRONMENT WITH ALL OF THE HISTORIC PIECES WE HAVE HERE.

THE PROPOSED NEW HOME IS TENTATIVELY PLANNED TO BE BUILT ON THE CURRENT FOOTPRINT OF THE PROPERTY, JUST TO THE SOUTH OF THE EXISTING MANSION.

BUT ONE LAWMAKER SAYS NOT SO FAST.

REPRESENTATIVE ANDY FUGATE BELIEVES THE DECISION TO BUILD A NEW GOVERNOR'S MANSION SHOULD BELONG TO THE LEGISLATURE.

ANY TIME THE STATE IS EXPENDING MONEY, IT SHOULD BE THE LEGISLATURE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE CONSTITUTION SAYS IT IS THE LEGISLATURE'S RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THAT DECISION.

IN THIS CASE, WE HAVE A COMPLETELY UNELECTED COMMISSION THAT HAS DECIDED THAT IT'S TIME TO ADD A SECOND GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

THE $6 MILLION WAS RAISED FROM PRIVATE DONATIONS, SO THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WILL NOT DIP INTO TAXPAYER MONEY.

HOWEVER, FUGATE FEELS THE DONORS SHOULD REVEAL THEMSELVES.

YOU KNOW, WE PUT A DOME ON THE CAPITOL BUILDING AND WE USED DONOR DOLLARS TO DO THAT, AND THOSE PEOPLE WERE PROUD OF THE FACT THAT THEY WERE DOING THAT.

SO MUCH SO THAT THEY HAVE THEIR NAMES INSCRIBED EITHER ON BRICKS OR AROUND THE TOP OF THE THE DOME.

AND THAT'S IF WE'RE GOING TO USE DONOR DOLLARS.

THAT'S THE WAY WE OUGHT TO DO IT.

THE OKLAHOMA CITY DEMOCRAT HAS ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR AN OFFICIAL OPINION ON WHETHER OR NOT THE CAPITOL PRESERVATION COMMISSION HAS THE AUTHORITY TO START THE NEW BUILDING, MADE A REQUEST OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO WEIGH IN ABOUT THE LEGALITY OF THIS COMMISSION, MAKING AN INDEPENDENT DECISION TO BUILD A SECOND MANSION, ONE THAT WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURES OF FUNDS FOR UPKEEP FOR THINGS LIKE INSURANCE, MAINTENANCE, STAFFING.

WELL, THE CURRENT GOVERNOR'S MANSION IS REVERED FOR ITS HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE TO THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

IT JUST CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE TIMES, WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THEY'VE DECIDED TO BUILD A NEW RESIDENCE.

ONE OF THOSE REASONS IS COMPLIANCE WITH THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.

CREATING ANOTHER GOVERNOR'S MANSION IS NECESSARY FOR ACCESSIBILITY REASONS.

YES.

SO MY MOM WAS CONFINED TO A WHEELCHAIR FOR TEN YEARS.

SHE WAS COMPLETELY PARALYZED.

AND SO WHEN KEVIN WAS FIRST INAUGURATED, SHE CAME IN THE MANSION ONE TIME WHILE SHE WAS ALIVE, AND IT WAS HIS INAUGURATION DAY OF HIS FIRST INAUGURATION, AND WE COULD GET HER IN HERE.

BUT WHEN SHE WAS IN HERE, IT WAS WE HAD TO TAKE HER OUT OF HER WHEELCHAIR TO GET HER IN HERE.

IT WAS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

FIRST LADY STITT ALSO BELIEVES THE NEW RESIDENCE IS NECESSARY TO HELP KEEP THE CURRENT GOVERNOR'S MANSION AS AN HISTORIC BUILDING, WE'VE SET MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES OF DIFFERENT THINGS TO KEEP THE LEEKS AND THE LIMESTONE AND EVERYTHING IN TOP CONDITION SO IT DOESN'T GO BACK INTO DISREPAIR, BUT IT'S MUCH EASIER TO DO THAT WITHOUT A FIRST FAMILY LIVING HERE FULL TIME, OR A GOVERNOR WHO'S HAVING MEETINGS AND ENTERTAINING, WHICH WE ENTERTAIN HERE EVERY SINGLE DAY AND HAVE MEETINGS.

BUT IT'S A LOT MORE DOABLE IF YOU'RE NOT LIVING HERE.

THIS IS A RESIDENCE AREA.

WE DON'T HAVE THIS FOR TOURS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE DO OPEN IT UP ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS.

ANOTHER ARGUMENT TO MOVE FORWARD ON THE PROJECT IS A LESSON THAT THE FIRST FAMILY LEARNED.

THIS BEING THE 21ST CENTURY.

PRIVACY, I THINK IS A BIG ISSUE FOR FAMILIES, ESPECIALLY FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.

I THINK THE STATESMANSHIP OF DAYS GONE PAST IN POLITICS, WHERE FAMILIES WERE LEFT OUT OF ARGUMENTS AND OUT OF REALLY THE LINE OF FIRE CHILDREN, THAT'S IT'S NOT LIKE THAT NOW.

AND SO FOR US, WE HAD A LOT OF CHILDREN HERE AND A VARYING AGES.

WE HAD TEENAGERS AND LITTLE ONES.

WE KIND OF EXPERIENCED FIRSTHAND HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO LIVE IN A FISHBOWL.

STITT SAYS OTHER STATES HAVE BUILT ADDITIONAL RESIDENCES TO HELP PROVIDE SOME PRIVACY FOR THEIR FIRST FAMILY.

IN MANY STATES, QUITE FRANKLY, HAVE GONE TO A PRIVATE RESIDENCE LIKE AN UPDATED MODERN RESIDENCE FOR THE FAMILY, AND THEN THE HISTORIC GOVERNOR'S MANSION.

AND SOME STATES IT'S NOT AN OPTION TO LIVE IN THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION BECAUSE IT'S A MUSEUM.

WE'RE GOING BACK INTO ANOTHER PART OF THE RESIDENTIAL AREA.

THIS IS THE FAMILY ROOM.

VERY, VERY COZY, VERY QUIET.

AT ONE TIME, IT WAS ACTUALLY TWO ROOMS.

THAT PARTICULAR RENOVATION HAPPENED BEFORE THE CURRENT FIRST FAMILY MOVED IN.

WOULD ALSO TOOK US TO SEE ONE OF THE BEST VIEWS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S MANSION THAT FEW PEOPLE GET TO EXPERIENCE.

THIS IS THE PRIVATE PATIO FOR THE FIRST FAMILY.

THE VIEW IS SPECTACULAR.

ALL RIGHT, SO COME ON OUT.

THE CURRENT FIRST FAMILY WILL NOT OCCUPY THE NEW MANSION IF AND WHEN IT'S BUILT.

BUT FIRST LADY STITT SAYS PRESERVING THE CURRENT MANSION FOR OTHERS TO TAKE IN OKLAHOMA HISTORY SHOULD BE A PRIORITY.

I THINK THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF SADNESS THINKING THAT WE WERE THE LAST FIRST FAMILY THAT COULD POSSIBLY LIVE HERE.

BUT THERE'S ALSO, I THINK FOR ME, A SENSE OF PEACE THAT THIS MANSION WILL BE PRESERVED FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.

THE GOAL OF THE CAPITAL PRESERVATION COMMISSION IS TO HAVE THE GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE READY FOR THE NEXT FIRST FAMILY WHEN THEY ARRIVE IN JANUARY OF 2027.

THE CURRENT GOVERNOR'S MANSION WILL REMAIN OPEN FOR TOURS AND OFFICIAL EVENTS.

RICH.

YEAH, VERY, VERY GOOD.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JASON.

IN RECOGNITION OF SICKLE CELL AWARENESS MONTH, WE'RE DEVOTING OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH SEGMENT TO THE CUTTING EDGE RESEARCH BEING DONE RIGHT HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY TO COMBAT THE DISEASE.

MODERATOR KASSIDY MUDD AND HER GUESTS WILL DISCUSS THE PROGRESS THAT'S BEEN MADE AND THE WORK STILL TO BE DONE.

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

IT STARTED TWO WEEKS AFTER SHE WAS BORN.

THEY BROUGHT US IN AND TOLD US, AND THEN WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH A LITTLE CLASS ABOUT WHAT IT WAS AND VERY DIFFICULT.

THROUGH THE YEARS, SHE WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN DAILY AND A LOT OF HOSPITAL VISITS.

AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TOUGH IT IS UNTIL YOU'RE IN IT.

WE BELIEVE AN ESTIMATED 40,000 SICKLE.

PEOPLE WITH SICKLE CELL TRAIT LIVE IN OKLAHOMA.

AND THEN WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE OVER 6000 THAT ARE IMPACTED WITH SICKLE CELL.

SICKLE CELL TRAIT IS YOU'VE INHERITED ONE OF THE MUTATED GENES FROM ONE PARENT, AND THEN A NORMAL GLOBIN GENE FROM THE OTHER PARENT.

AND SO THEY WILL STILL HAVE A FEW SICKLE CELLS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE VASO OCCLUSION AND THE COMPLICATIONS.

THE REST OF THAT DISCUSSION COMING UP A LITTLE BIT LATER ON IN THIS NEWSCAST.

THERE WAS BIPARTISAN CRITICISM OF ROBERT F KENNEDY JR. S TESTIMONY BEFORE A SENATE COMMITTEE LAST WEEK.

MOST OF IT CENTERED AROUND HIS VACCINE POLICIES IN OKLAHOMA.

THERE ARE NINE REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS FOR CHILDREN, BUT THERE ARE EXEMPTIONS WITH MORE ON OUR STATE'S VACCINE MANDATES AND HOW THEY MIGHT CHANGE.

WITH KENNEDY IN CHARGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

WE'RE JOINED NOW BY NOAH MACK.

NOAH.

YEAH.

RICH FLORIDA'S SURGEON GENERAL INTENDS TO ELIMINATE VACCINE MANDATES IF SUCCESSFUL, THE FIRST STATE TO DO SO FOR OKLAHOMA, THOUGH KIDS ARE BACK TO SCHOOL AND SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE PUSHING PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO GET UP TO DATE ON VACCINES.

THIS IS ACTUALLY MY CLINIC RIGHT BEHIND US HERE.

WE DO VACCINES ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.

DOCTOR KATHERINE MIMS IS A PEDIATRICIAN HERE AT OKLAHOMA CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.

AND WHEN THE NEWS CAME DOWN THAT FLORIDA'S SURGEON GENERAL IS SEEKING TO END VACCINATION REQUIREMENTS, EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM, DOCTOR MIMS, BECAME UNEASY.

I FEEL FAIRLY CONFIDENT THIS IS GOING TO RESULT IN KIND OF A RECURRENCE OF A LOT OF THE VACCINE PREVENTABLE ILLNESSES.

I'M REALLY WORRIED FOR FLORIDA.

I'M REALLY WORRIED.

YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THE REST OF THE COUNTRY KIND OF TAKES UP THE SAME STANCE?

OKLAHOMA REQUIRES NINE DIFFERENT VACCINES WITH MULTIPLE DOSES THROUGHOUT GRADE SCHOOL, FROM EARLY CHILD CARE UP TO SENIOR YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL.

THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH PROVIDED DATA FROM THE 2022 2023 ACADEMIC YEAR DETAILING THE VACCINATION RATES OF KINDERGARTNERS.

RATES OVERALL TOOK A SLIGHT DIP FROM 2020 DATA, SITTING AT 87.5%, STILL A HEFTY MAJORITY.

THE VARICELLA VACCINE WAS THE HIGHEST RATE, WHILE MEASLES WAS THE LOWEST, DROPPING OVER FIVE PERCENTAGE POINTS FROM THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD.

AND OKLAHOMA DOES OFFER VACCINE EXEMPTIONS.

ANYONE CAN PRINT OFF THAT FORM AND TURN IT INTO SCHOOL FOR ANY ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

OBVIOUSLY, A MEDICAL EXEMPTION REQUIRES A SIGNATURE FROM US THAT'S USUALLY IN AN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED KID, SOMEBODY WHO CAN'T GET VACCINES.

THE OTHERS ARE FOR RELIGIOUS OR PERSONAL REASONS, AND THE PARENTS CAN FILL THOSE OUT AND SEND THEM IN TO SCHOOL AS WELL, IN LIEU OF THE VACCINE RECORD.

AS FOR VACCINE EXEMPTION RATES AMONG KINDERGARTNERS, PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE AT 4.6%, WHILE PRIVATE SCHOOLS ARE AT 6.5%.

IT IS WORTH NOTING THE EXEMPTIONS REFLECTED IN THESE NUMBERS ARE PRIMARILY NON-MEDICAL, SO PERSONAL OR RELIGIOUS REASONS.

HERE AT A LOCAL MIDWEST CITY PHARMACY, FLU SHOT SEASON IS UNDERWAY.

IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT STICKY.

SIDE EFFECTS ARE USUALLY PRETTY WELL TOLERATED.

A LOT OF TIMES YOU MIGHT HAVE A LITTLE SORENESS WHERE WE STICK YOU.

OWNER DOCTOR JUSTIN WILSON HAS SEEN A STEADY STREAM OF FOLKS COMING TO GET INOCULATED.

HOWEVER, HE HAS NOTED A GENERAL DROP SINCE THE PANDEMIC.

I THINK COVID PROBABLY AFFECTED THE VACCINE RATES THE MOST.

I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE GAVE TONS AND TONS OF COVID VACCINATIONS, BUT AT SOME POINT PEOPLE STARTED TO GET SHOT, FATIGUED A LITTLE BIT.

THEY WERE TIRED OF COMING IN EVERY 3 TO 6 MONTHS FOR ANOTHER BOOSTER.

AND AND SO WE HAVE SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF A DECLINE IN THE FLU VACCINATION RATES, AT LEAST IN MY PRACTICES OVER THE LAST PROBABLY 2 TO 3 YEARS.

ON TOP OF FLORIDA'S MOVE TO ELIMINATE VACCINE MANDATES, HEALTH SECRETARY ROBERT F KENNEDY JR, IN A RECENT SENATE HEARING, DEFENDED HIS SKEPTICISM OF VACCINES.

WE'RE GOING TO GO BACK AND DO OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES ON THE EXISTING VACCINES TO SEE IF THEY'RE LINKED TO ANY OF THESE CHRONIC DISEASE EPIDEMICS, SO THAT PEOPLE CAN UNDERSTAND THE RISK PROFILE OF THOSE PRODUCTS AND MAKE GOOD ASSESSMENTS FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH.

DRAWING SHARP SCRUTINY FROM SENATORS OF BOTH PARTIES, INCLUDING SOME WHO VOTED TO CONFIRM RFK.

REPUBLICAN SENATOR JOHN BARRASSO OF WYOMING, WHO IS A DOCTOR, WAS AMONG THEM.

SECRETARY KENNEDY, IN YOUR CONFIRMATION HEARINGS, YOU PROMISED TO UPHOLD THE HIGHEST STANDARDS FOR VACCINES.

SINCE THEN, I'VE GROWN DEEPLY CONCERNED.

THE PUBLIC HAS SEEN MEASLES OUTBREAKS.

THE LEADERSHIP OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH QUESTIONING THE USE OF MRNA VACCINES.

THE RECENTLY CONFIRMED DIRECTOR OF CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION FIRED AMERICANS DON'T KNOW WHO TO RELY ON.

DOCTOR WILSON HAS ALSO GROWN CONCERNED OVER THIS DETERIORATION OF TRUST IN VACCINES.

I THINK IT'S INCREDIBLY ALARMING.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T SEEN MEASLES IN THIS COUNTRY IN, WHAT, 20 YEARS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

YOU KNOW, AT LEAST ON HIGH RATES, IT'S BECAUSE THE VACCINES WORK AND THEY'RE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE.

AND I THINK YOU HAVE THAT SHIFT IN, IN THOUGHTS ON VACCINE HESITANCY THAT WE'RE NOW SEEING A DIRECT IMPACT OF THAT SHIFT.

THE PRACTICE OF EXPOSING PEOPLE TO DEADLY DISEASES TO STRENGTHEN THEIR IMMUNE SYSTEMS HAS BEEN AROUND FOR CENTURIES.

AND SINCE THE ADVENT OF THE FIRST EFFECTIVE VACCINE IN 1796, THEY HAVE BEEN CENTRAL IN MEDICAL RESEARCH.

VACCINES HAVE BEEN AROUND A LONG, LONG TIME, AND THEY'VE BEEN STUDIED OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND THERE'S NEVER BEEN ANY LINKS TO ANY SERIOUS HEALTH CONDITIONS UNLESS THE PATIENT HAS SOME SORT OF CONTRAINDICATION, LIKE AN EGG ALLERGY.

YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO GET A FLU SHOT WITH THAT TYPE OF POPULATION.

SO WE KNOW THERE ARE CERTAIN RISKS FOR FOR DIFFERENT VACCINES, BUT FOR THE MOST PART THEY'RE SAFE.

THEY'RE EFFECTIVE.

THEY JUST SAVE LIVES.

AS FOR DOCTOR MIMS, SHE REMAINS FOCUSED ON HER COMMUNITY'S IMMUNIZATION NEEDS.

WHEN KIDS STARTED GOING BACK TO SCHOOL LAST MONTH, OU HEALTH INCREASED EFFORTS TO GET STUDENTS ALL UP TO DATE ON THEIR INOCULATIONS WEEK BEFORE SCHOOL AND THEN THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL.

OUR FIVE PEDIATRIC CLINICS THROUGHOUT THE CITY SORT OF TOOK TURNS HOUSING EXTENDED HOURS.

AND WE WE WERE PLANNING ON BEING ONLY OPEN UNTIL SIX.

AND AS IT TURNS OUT, WE JUST HAD SUCH A GREAT TURNOUT OF KIDS.

WE HAD DAYS WHERE WE WERE HERE UNTIL 9 P.M.

SEEING PATIENTS, PARTICULARLY AT OUR CLINIC AND THEN HERE AT PEDIATRICS.

THEY SAW AROUND 300 KIDS ADMINISTERING AROUND 1000 VACCINES, SUCH A LARGE TURNOUT THAT A NEW ISSUE AROSE.

WE RAN OUT OF VACCINES.

AND SO AT A CERTAIN POINT, WE HAD TO TELL PEOPLE TO COME BACK TOMORROW.

WE SPENT THOSE TWO WEEKS LITERALLY SCOURING OUR WHOLE CAMPUS, TRYING TO GET THE VACCINES THAT WERE NEEDED FOR SCHOOL.

BUT AT A CERTAIN POINT, WE ACTUALLY JUST RAN OUT OF WHAT WE NEEDED.

AMID POLITICIZATION AND NEW UNCERTAINTY FOR THE FUTURE OF VACCINE REQUIREMENTS, DOCTOR MIMS REITERATES, GETTING THE JAB IS THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO, NOT ONLY FOR YOUR HEALTH BUT FOR THE HEALTH OF YOUR COMMUNITY.

THAT INITIATIVE TO KEEP CLINICS OPEN LATER WILL RETURN NEXT MONTH.

SO IF YOUR KIDS BEHIND ON VACCINATIONS COME OCTOBER, YOU'LL GET A LITTLE MORE BREATHING ROOM TO GET THEM IN AND UP TO DATE.

RICH KNOW A GREAT JOB.

THANK YOU.

THE OKLAHOMA STATE FAIR BEGAN ITS 11 DAY RUN ON THURSDAY AT THE OKLAHOMA CITY FAIRGROUNDS, AND AS ALWAYS, IT PROMISES PLENTY OF UNUSUAL FOOD COMBINATIONS, BRIGHT LIGHTS, THRILLING RIDES AND ANOTHER FEATURE THIS YEAR IS THE MOMENTUM REFRESH MOBILE RESTROOM, AN ADA COMPLIANT FACILITY THAT IS FULLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE DISABLED.

THIS MOBILE UNIT ALSO INCLUDES A CALMING SPACE FOR ANYONE NEEDING A BREAK FROM THE SENSORY OVERLOAD OF THE CARNIVAL MIDWAY.

THE FAIR IS FOR EVERYONE YOU CAN IF YOU NEED ACCESSIBLE RESTROOM WITH A LIFT OR A UNIVERSAL CHANGING TABLE OR ARM REST THAT MIGHT MOVE THINGS LIKE THAT.

YOU HAVE THAT SIDE.

THE CALMING SPACE PROVIDES JUST A QUIET AREA.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS HAPPENING AT THE FAIR THE NOISES, THE LIGHTS.

SO IF SOMEONE MIGHT JUST NEED TO HAVE A FEW MINUTES TO GET RID OF SOME OF THOSE SENSORY THINGS, THEY CAN COME IN AND ENJOY JUST A QUIET SPACE.

THE CALMING SPACE HERE AT MOMENTUM REFRESH ALSO DOUBLES AS A LACTATION ROOM.

SO IF THERE'S A NURSING MOTHER, THERE'S ALSO A QUIET SPACE THAT YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF THAT.

THE MOMENTUM REFRESH MOBILE UNIT WILL ALSO BE AT THE TULSA STATE FAIR, WHICH WILL BEGIN ITS 11 DAY RUN ON SEPTEMBER 25TH AT THE TULSA FAIRGROUNDS.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION ALLOCATED OKLAHOMA $750 MILLION TO BUILD AND INSTALL BROADBAND INTERNET IN UNDERSERVED AREAS.

NOW, THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS CLAWED BACK A REPORTED $225 MILLION OF THAT.

WHAT IMPACT WILL THAT HAVE?

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW WITH THE INFORMATION STEVE.

RICH, I TALKED TO THE STATE BROADBAND DIRECTOR EARLIER THIS WEEK.

HE SAYS NEW EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES WILL DRIVE DOWN THE FINAL COST OF PLUGGING ALL OF EVEN THE MOST RURAL PARTS OF OKLAHOMA INTO THE INTERNET.

WHERE ARE WE?

WE'RE IN OKEMAH, OKLAHOMA.

WE GOT LOST TRYING TO FIND YOU.

YEAH.

MONICA GRANDSTAFF FAMILY HAS LIVED ON THIS LAND FOR THREE GENERATIONS.

CONNECTING TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STRUGGLE.

IN ORDER FOR US TO WATCH ANYTHING, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO A HOTSPOT OR JUST CONNECT OUR PHONE TO THE TV.

LAST WEEK, AFTER MONTHS OF EFFORT BY EAST CENTRAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE, MONICA GRANDSTAFF AND HER FAMILY LOGGED INTO THE INTERNET FROM HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME.

SO IT WAS REALLY COOL.

THEY THEY COME IN.

IT'S PROBABLY BEEN, I DON'T KNOW, A FEW MONTHS AGO THEY STARTED THE COMING DOWN OUR ROAD WITH IT.

AND SO WE WERE ALL GETTING EXCITED ABOUT IT.

THE CABLE.

YEAH.

THE CABLE, THE THE FIBER.

AND THEN THEY FINALLY CONNECTED IT TO OUR A FEW OF OUR HOUSES UP HERE.

JIM HALL REPRESENTS EAST CENTRAL ELECTRIC.

HE SAYS SINCE 2019, EAST CENTRAL HAS WORKED TO CONNECT MORE THAN 32,000 EAST CENTRAL CUSTOMERS TO THE INTERNET.

HE SAYS IT COSTS $125 MILLION TO DO IT, WITH THE HELP OF A $40 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT.

SEVEN YEARS AGO, WE ACTUALLY STARTED RIGHT BEFORE COVID.

AND MAN, COVID REALLY SHONE A LIGHT ON WHAT WE WERE DOING AND PROVED TO US THAT WE WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING.

BECAUSE NOW, JUST LIKE MONICA SAID, YOU KNOW, SHE'S RUNNING BUSINESSES.

SHE'S, YOU KNOW, EDUCATING HER KIDS.

YOU KNOW, ALL THIS STUFF IS JUST ESSENTIAL FOR FOR RURAL OKLAHOMA AND RURAL AMERICA AND AND THEY'RE OVERLOOKED.

NOBODY WANTS TO COME OUT HERE.

IT'S NOT A PROFIT PROPOSITION.

YOU DON'T YOU DON'T MAKE MONEY OFF THIS KIND OF STUFF IN RURAL OKLAHOMA.

WE'RE PROVIDING A SERVICE.

IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

YES, SIR.

SO I SILVERSMITH.

SO I MAKE ALL THIS OUT OF STERLING SILVER.

THESE ARE JUST SOME OF MY STUFF.

AND THEN I HAVE THESE.

MONICA GRANDSTAFF NOT ONLY MANAGES HER BROTHER'S TRUCKING BUSINESS, SHE'S ALSO JUST DAYS AWAY FROM LAUNCHING A WEBSITE TO HELP SELL HER SIDE HUSTLE.

SHE MAKES SILVER AND TURQUOISE JEWELRY.

IT'S BEEN REALLY, REALLY COOL.

AND IT'S FAST TO.

HERE'S A FEW THINGS OVER IN OKMULGEE COUNTY IN SHELTER.

MICHELLE AND DENNIS SMITH SAY EAST CENTRAL PLUGGED THEM IN NINE MONTHS AGO.

IT HAS JUST OPENED UP ALL KINDS OF DOORS.

SO BEFORE I SPENT I SPENT HALF OF MY 20 PLUS YEAR CAREER COMMUTING AS A NURSE BECAUSE IN TULSA, JUST AT DIFFERENT HOSPITALS, YOU'RE YOU'RE AN HOUR AWAY FROM TULSA.

YES.

AND AND THEREFORE, I WASTED TEN HOURS A WEEK JUST COMMUTING.

DENNIS TEACHES RADIOGRAPHY, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE PIPELINE INDUSTRY.

BUT WHAT IT HAS ALLOWED ME TO DO IS CONSULT WITH A CONSULTANT THAT'S HELPING US BUILD AN ONLINE PLATFORM.

SO INSTEAD OF DRIVING OR TRAVELING TO HOUSTON OR HIM COMING UP HERE, WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF THAT CURRICULUM ONLINE.

EAST CENTRAL'S JIM HALL SAYS THEIR EFFORTS WEREN'T AFFECTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S $225 MILLION CLAWBACK.

THAT'S BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR GRANT MONEY BACK IN 2018.

WE SERVE A HUGE AREA OUT HERE SOUTH OF TULSA, 6500 MILES OF ELECTRIC UTILITY LINE.

AND THAT IS HOW WE INSTALL THE THE BROADBAND TO EVERYBODY IS WE USED OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.

CHOCTAW NATION SENIOR TRIBAL BROADBAND OFFICER LANCE BROWDER SAYS LOSING THAT FUNDING WILL AFFECT THEM.

WELL, IT ABSOLUTELY HAS.

YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT DOES IS IT REDUCES THE OPPORTUNITIES AND THE REACH THAT THAT WE CAN PUT OUT THERE IN OUR IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

RIGHT.

IT IT JUST SEVERELY RESTRICTS THE, THE DISTANCES THAT, THAT WE CAN TRAVEL.

BUT HE SAYS CHOCTAW NATION WILL BE 98% PLUGGED IN BY THE YEAR 2029.

I MEAN, JUST WITH WHERE OUR RESERVATION AREA IS AND WITH WHERE SOME OF THE REGIONS ARE, THAT WE HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO COVERAGE WHATSOEVER.

IT'S THAT WAY FOR A REASON, RIGHT?

I MEAN, IT'S IT'S IT'S ROCKY, IT'S MOUNTAINOUS.

IT'S IT'S VERY DIFFICULT.

IT'S SPARSELY POPULATED.

OKLAHOMA BROADBAND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR MIKE SANDERS SAYS TECHNOLOGY IS ADVANCING SO RAPIDLY.

BROADBAND PROVIDERS ARE NOW USING SATELLITE AND FIXED WIRELESS TO GET PEOPLE CONNECTED.

HE SAYS SATELLITE AND FIXED WIRELESS ARE CHEAPER THAN FIBER, WHICH WILL ACTUALLY DRIVE THAT.

$225 MILLION CLAWBACK NUMBER WAY DOWN.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT THE FINAL NUMBER WILL BE.

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COVER THE SAME AMOUNT OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME SPEEDS, JUST WITH DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGY.

IS TECHNOLOGY GETTING THAT GOOD THAT FAST TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS?

BELIEVE IT OR NOT, YES.

THIS IS WHAT'S EXCITING, STEVE.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE STATE.

THE STATE.

WE WILL HAVE CLOSED THAT DIGITAL DIVIDE.

AND THAT IS EXCITING.

BY 2030, BY 2030, SANDERS SAYS THEY SHOULD KNOW IN DECEMBER HOW MUCH THE FINAL PRICE TAG TO CONNECT ALL OF OKLAHOMA WILL BE.

HE SAYS 95% OF THE STATE WILL BE COMPLETELY CONNECTED BY THE END OF NEXT YEAR.

RICH.

VERY INTERESTING.

THANK YOU.

STEVE.

THE STATE'S GENERAL REVENUE FUND IS DOING BETTER THAN EXPECTED.

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

COLLECTIONS FOR THE STATE'S GENERAL REVENUE FUND IN AUGUST BEAT ESTIMATES, BUT ARE A LITTLE BELOW LAST YEAR'S FIGURES.

THE DEPOSIT FOR AUGUST WAS $599.1 MILLION.

THAT'S $20.7 MILLION, OR 3.6% HIGHER THAN ESTIMATES AND 0.6% BELOW LAST YEAR'S NUMBERS.

SO FAR, IN THE TWO MONTHS OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE STATE HAD DEPOSITED $1.2 BILLION INTO THE GENERAL REVENUE FUND.

THAT'S 4.1% ABOVE ESTIMATES, BUT 1.3% LESS THAN WAS COLLECTED DURING THE SAME TIME LAST YEAR.

THE STATE'S GENERAL REVENUE FUND IS THE MAIN SOURCE OF FUNDING WHEN THE LEGISLATURE CRAFTS THE STATE BUDGET, NAUGHT ACTIVATED CARBONS PRIOR OKLAHOMA FACILITY HAS SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED A PROCESS THAT COULD HELP ELIMINATE FOREVER CHEMICALS OR PFAS FROM WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS.

THE COMPANY'S THERMAL REACTIVATION PROCESS IS CAPABLE OF CONSISTENTLY ACHIEVING 99.98% DESTRUCTION OF PFAS COMPOUNDS IN SPENT GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON FROM MUNICIPAL WATER TREATMENT APPLICATIONS.

THE PROCESS ALSO PURIFIES THE ACTIVATED CARBON THAT IT CAN BE REUSED IN MUNICIPAL WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS, WHICH ARE ACCUSTOMED TO ONE TIME USE ONLY.

TULSA BASED GREYSTONE LOGISTICS REPORTED ITS FULL FISCAL YEAR EARNINGS AT MORE THAN $1.9 MILLION.

THE MANUFACTURER OF RECYCLED PLASTIC PALLETS ACHIEVED THAT PROFIT THROUGH NEARLY $57.9 MILLION IN SALES ON THE YEAR.

THE COMPANY ALSO WAS ABLE TO REDUCE ITS DEBT BY MORE THAN $2.2 MILLION.

TULSA BASED ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION SERVICES COMPANY THE MATRIX SERVICE COMPANY REPORTS THAT DESPITE A LOSS IN ITS FISCAL YEAR FOURTH QUARTER, THE COMPANY SAW SIGNIFICANT REVENUE GROWTH.

REVENUES INCREASED BY 14% TO $216.4 MILLION.

THE NET LOSS FOR THE QUARTER TOTALED $11.3 MILLION.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON, THANKS.

OKLAHOMA CITY IS HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SICKLE CELL DISEASE RESEARCH IN THE COUNTRY.

AND WITH THIS SEPTEMBER BEING SICKLE CELL AWARENESS MONTH, WE HAVE DEVOTED OUR IN-DEPTH SEGMENT THIS WEEK TO THAT TOPIC.

HERE'S MODERATOR KASSIDY MUDD AND OUR SPECIAL PANEL OF GUESTS.

KASSIDY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THIS DISCUSSION.

IS VELVET BROWN WATTS, THE FOUNDER AND CHAIRPERSON OF SUPPORTERS OF FAMILIES WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE.

WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY KAMERON DUKES, WHOSE DAUGHTER WAS ORIGINALLY LIVING WITH SICKLE CELL.

BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO FIND A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT.

AND LASTLY, WE'RE JOINED BY ASHLEY BAKER, A PEDIATRIC HEMATOLOGIST AND DIRECTOR OF THE SICKLE CELL PROGRAM AT THE OU COLLEGE OF MEDICINE.

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

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

NOW, VELVET, TO START OFF, FOR OUR VIEWERS WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THIS DISEASE, CAN YOU TELL US WHAT SICKLE CELL IS AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE BODY?

SO THE WAY THAT I LIKE TO EXPLAIN SICKLE CELL DISEASE IS THAT IT'S A GENETIC INHERITED DISORDER WHICH IMPACTS THE RED BLOOD CELLS.

WHEN WE TALK TO FAMILIES, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AND VERY CLEAR AND ACCURATE WAYS.

AND SO WE WANT TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT IT TAKES A PERSON WHO HAS SICKLE CELL TRAIT TO HAVE A 1 IN 4 CHANCE OF A BABY BEING BORN WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE.

AND IT TAKES BOTH PARENTS.

AND SO WE CALL THIS IN OUR WORLD.

WE CALL IT A RUSSIAN ROULETTE.

THAT 1 IN 4 CHANCES OF EACH PREGNANCY.

AND I ALWAYS TELL FAMILIES THAT IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR GENES AND WHAT YOU MAY CARRY.

AND SO HOW AND, DOCTOR BAKER, HOW EARLY CAN THIS SCREENING BE DETECTED, ESPECIALLY IF WE CAN SEE IT IN THE GENES.

CAN PARENTS BE TESTED BEFOREHAND AND HOW DOES THAT WORK?

WELL, IN THE UNITED STATES, ACTUALLY, ALL BABIES THAT ARE BORN ARE TESTED AT BIRTH.

IT'S PART OF NEWBORN SCREENING.

SO THOSE BABIES WILL BE IDENTIFIED AS HAVING EITHER SICKLE CELL TRAIT OR SICKLE CELL DISEASE.

AND SO IT'S IT'S POSSIBLE AT THIS POINT THAT SOME PARENTS MAY NOT KNOW THAT THEY HAVE SICKLE CELL TRAIT.

AND THEN YOU CAN ALSO KIND OF ONCE YOU'RE OUT OF THE NEWBORN PERIOD, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED A HEMOGLOBIN ELECTROPHORESIS THAT WILL IDENTIFY IF YOU HAVE SICKLE CELL TRAIT OR SICKLE CELL DISEASE.

AND SHOULD PARENTS BE BRINGING THEIR CHILDREN BACK IN FOR THAT, OR ARE THERE ANY WAYS TO KIND OF TELL IF A BABY IS HAS HAS SICKLE CELL?

WELL, IT IS TESTED ON ALL BABIES AT BIRTH.

AND THEN THEY GET A NEW ANOTHER A REPEATED NEWBORN SCREEN ABOUT TWO WEEKS AFTER THEY'RE BORN.

AND IF THOSE ARE POSITIVE, THEY'RE THEY NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WHO NOTIFIES US, AND WE BRING THEM IN FOR CONFIRMATORY TESTING.

OKAY.

AND VELVET REALLY QUICKLY HERE.

HOW MANY PEOPLE IN OKLAHOMA ARE BEING AFFECTED?

YOU SAID 1 IN 4.

LIKE RUSSIAN ROULETTE?

WELL, 1 IN 4.

IF YOU CARRY THE GENETIC MARKERS.

WHEN WE LOOK AT OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA HAS OVER 6000.

SO WE HAPPEN TO HAVE JUST DONE AN ANALYST WITH THE OKLAHOMA HEALTH CARE AUTHORITY, AND WE WERE FROM 2015 THROUGH 2025.

WE'VE HAD OVER 6000 PEOPLE IMPACTED BY SICKLE CELL.

AND YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT'S JUST THIS PERIOD OF TIME.

SO WE TELL PEOPLE THAT WE BELIEVE AN ESTIMATED 40,000 SICKLE.

PEOPLE WITH SICKLE CELL TRAIT LIVE IN OKLAHOMA.

AND THEN WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE OVER 6000 THAT ARE IMPACTED WITH SICKLE CELL THROUGH UNDER THE HEMOGLOBINOPATHY.

SO WHETHER IT'S SICKLE CELL, SC OR SS OR OTHER RARE FORMS OF SICKLE CELL.

SO WE HAVE QUITE A FEW PEOPLE AND WE ARE VERY DIVERSE IN OUR IN OUR ACCOUNTING.

AND SO I THINK PEOPLE SOMETIMES BELIEVE THAT ONE RACE IS MORE PREVALENT.

WHEN WE LOOK AT SICKLE CELL DISEASE IN OKLAHOMA WE ARE QUITE DIVERSE.

6.9% IS CAUCASIAN, 1.9 IS NATIVE AMERICAN, 0.9% IS PACIFIC ISLANDERS.

ANOTHER 11% MAY BE OF TWO RACES OR MORE.

AND SO WE ARE VERY DIVERSE.

AND SO WHAT WE LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE IS WE WANT TO DEBUNK A MYTH THAT IT'S JUST ONE RACE.

I WANT TO GO BACK INTO SOME OF THOSE MYTHS THAT WE DO WANT TO DEBUNK LATER.

BUT CAMERON, SO YOUR DAUGHTER NO LONGER HAS SICKLE CELL.

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

TELL US THE NEWS.

SO 2017, WE DID A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT WHERE I GAVE HER MY BONE MARROW, AND THEY PUT IT IN A BAG AND JUST WATCHED IT GO IN.

AND MOST INCREDIBLE THING THAT I'VE EVER SEEN.

AND SHE NO LONGER HAS THE DISEASE.

HOW DOES THAT WORK?

DOCTOR BAKER, TELL US ABOUT THAT.

FOR BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT, THEY THE PATIENTS RECEIVE SOME CHEMOTHERAPY TO KIND OF REDUCE THEIR OWN STEM CELLS AND BLOOD MAKING CELLS.

AS MR. DUKE SAYS, HE WAS HER DONOR.

AND SO WE TOOK HIS STEM CELLS AND THEY GET PROCESSED AND INFUSED INTO HER.

AND SO NOW HER BODY MAKES BASICALLY HIS BLOOD CELLS.

GOTCHA.

SO THE REGULAR CELLS HAPPY.

FULL CIRCULAR CELLS.

YES.

HAPPY FULL CIRCULAR CELLS.

AND YOU CAN HAVE A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT, LIKE IN THIS CASE, YOU CAN USE SOMEONE WITH SICKLE CELL TRAIT AS THE DONOR.

AND THAT THAT PATIENT WILL NOW HAVE SICKLE CELL TRAIT INSTEAD OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE, BUT DOESN'T COME WITH ALL THOSE COMPLICATIONS OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE.

TO CLARIFY REALLY QUICKLY, WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING THE TRAIT AND HAVING THE DISEASE AND SICKLE CELL TRAIT IS YOU'VE INHERITED ONE OF THE MUTATED GENES FROM ONE PARENT, AND THEN A NORMAL GLOBIN GENE FROM THE OTHER PARENT.

AND SO THEY WILL STILL HAVE A FEW SICKLE CELLS, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE THE VASO OCCLUSION.

AND THE COMPLICATIONS TYPICALLY THAT SICKLE CELL PATIENTS HAVE.

AND WE KNOW THAT THIS ISN'T THE ONLY CURE.

TELL US ABOUT THAT VELVET.

WELL, WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT'S COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE FOR CURES.

WE'RE LOOKING AT GENE THERAPY.

AND SO I'M SURE DOCTOR BAKER CAN EXPLAIN TO US ALL ABOUT THE GENE THERAPY.

WE ARE.

THAT'S PROBABLY THE MOST RECENT THERAPEUTICS THAT WE HAVE.

WE CALL IT TRANSFORMATIVE CARE.

OKAY.

AND SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT.

AND TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.

GENE THERAPY WAS APPROVED BY THE FDA, I THINK 2023 AT THE VERY END OF THE YEAR.

IT IS AVAILABLE FOR PATIENTS OVER THE AGE OF 12.

AND ESSENTIALLY WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TAKE THE PATIENT'S OWN STEM CELLS AND THEN GENETICALLY ENGINEER THEM TO MAKE NORMAL HEMOGLOBINS, AND THEN THEY INFUSE THEM BACK INTO THE PATIENT, AND THAT BECOMES THEIR BLOOD MAKING SYSTEM.

SO THEY'RE NO LONGER MAKING SICKLE CELL.

THAT IS INCREDIBLE.

THAT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE.

SO THERE'S A LOT GOING ON IN HOPE FOR, YOU KNOW, REALLY WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.

BUT CAMERON, YOU KNOW, TAKE US BACK TO WHEN YOU FOUND OUT THAT YOUR DAUGHTER HAD SICKLE CELL AND WHAT THE PROCESS IS LIKE.

I MEAN, IT'S INCREDIBLE.

YOU SAID SHE WANTS TO BE A LAWYER NOW, WHICH IS JUST PHENOMENAL.

THAT IS SO AWESOME.

BUT THE CHANGE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, YOU STUCK WITH HER THROUGH ALL OF THAT.

YEAH.

SO, LIKE, DOCTOR BAKER WAS SAYING, IT STARTED TWO WEEKS AFTER SHE WAS BORN.

THEY BROUGHT US IN AND TOLD US, AND THEN WE KIND OF WENT THROUGH A LITTLE CLASS ABOUT WHAT IT WAS AND VERY DIFFICULT THROUGH THE YEARS.

SHE WAS IN A LOT OF PAIN DAILY AND A LOT OF HOSPITAL VISITS.

AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TOUGH IT IS UNTIL YOU'RE IN IT.

AND EVEN WITH THE WITH THE BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT, LIKE, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WERE BLESSED TO HAVE.

BUT EVERYBODY IS NOT ABLE TO JUST JUMP INTO THOSE LANES.

AND SO IT'S REALLY TOUGH DISEASE.

I WOULDN'T WISH IT ON ANYONE.

AND.

ORGANIZATIONS LIKE VELVET'S AND DOCTOR BAKER, WHO CARES ABOUT THEIR PATIENTS IS VERY IMPORTANT AND AND SUPPORT SUPPORTING THESE THINGS WITH PEOPLE WITH THE DISEASE.

AND WHEN SHE GOT THE BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT, HER LIFE DID CHANGE INSTANTLY.

AND ONE THING THAT I ALWAYS REMEMBER IS, SHE SAYS, EVERY MORNING NOW THAT I WAKE UP, I KIND OF LIKE PANIC A LITTLE BIT TO SEE IF I'M GOING TO FEEL PAIN AND IT'S NOT THERE.

AND SO THAT DRAMATICALLY CHANGED HER LIFE.

AND NOW SHE'S IN SCHOOL AND AND IN COLLEGE, AND SHE'S NOT MISSING DAYS.

WE USED TO MISS ABOUT 50 DAYS A YEAR OF REGULAR SCHOOL.

AND SO IT'S JUST A TOTALLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE.

I'M SO HAPPY FOR HER.

I'M SO HAPPY THAT SHE HAD SOMEBODY LIKE YOU THERE FOR HER, AS I ALWAYS REMINDED THAT, YOU KNOW, SHE DOESN'T DO WHAT I TELL HER TO DO.

I SAVED YOUR LIFE.

YOU BETTER LISTEN.

YOU BETTER LISTEN.

WELL, THAT BRINGS UP SOME IMPORTANT POINTS, THOUGH.

HOW DOES THIS DISEASE AFFECT THE BODY?

AND I MEAN IN PAIN EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE WHAT THAT MUST FEEL LIKE.

IT DOES.

AND THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLICATIONS.

PAIN IS REALLY THE NUMBER ONE COMPLICATION THAT PATIENTS WILL EXPERIENCE MORE FREQUENTLY.

IT'S THE MOST COMMON REASON THAT THEY'RE ADMITTED TO THE HOSPITAL.

YOU KNOW, A LOT OF PATIENTS WILL MANAGE THEIR PAIN AT HOME WITH ORAL MEDICATIONS.

AND SOMETIMES IT GETS TO BE IT CAN'T BE MANAGED BY THAT.

AND THEY COME INTO THE HOSPITAL FOR IV PAIN MEDICATIONS.

THEY'RE ALSO AT RISK FOR STROKES, YOU KNOW.

SO THAT'S A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCE.

YEAH I DID SEE THAT EVEN LIKE SMALL CHILDREN CAN HAVE THEM, WHICH IS JUST TERRIFYING.

IT IS.

AND THE COMPLICATIONS ARE CAUSED BY THE SICKLING OF THE BLOOD VESSELS, WHICH REALLY CAN AFFECT ANY ORGAN LIKE THE BRAIN.

THEY CAN HAVE PNEUMONIA MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHERS.

IT AFFECTS THEIR SPLEEN, SO INCREASES THEIR RISK OF LIFE THREATENING INFECTIONS IN THAT WAY AS WELL.

AND OTHER ORGANS, YOU KNOW, KIDNEY EYES, EVERYTHING.

I MEAN, BLOOD GOES EVERYWHERE IN YOUR BODY.

SO WE WANT TO.

SO, VELVET, TELL ME ABOUT WHY YOU BECAME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR STORY, ABOUT WHY THIS BECAME SO IMPORTANT TO YOU.

SO I'M ORIGINALLY FROM CHICAGO AND MY MOTHER'S A NURSE, AND I'VE ALWAYS KNOWN I CARRIED SICKLE CELL TRAIT.

AND WHEN I MOVED HERE TO GO TO SCHOOL, I MET MY HUSBAND.

AND HE DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME HE CARRIED SICKLE CELL TRAIT.

OKLAHOMA DID NOT START TESTING UNTIL 1990, AND SO HE WAS BORN WAY BEFORE THEN.

AND WHEN I ASKED HIS MOTHER WHAT SHE TOLD ME, SHE SAID HER OLDEST SON CARRIED SICKLE CELL TRAIT, BUT SHE NEVER TOLD ME THE MILITARY TESTED HIM.

MY HUSBAND WAS NEVER TESTED.

AND SO WHEN OUR SON WAS BORN, WE GOT A I TELL PEOPLE IT WAS A REALLY, REALLY, REALLY PRETTY RED LETTER IN THE MAIL FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH TELLING US THAT OUR SON HEMOGLOBIN WAS ABNORMAL AND THAT WE NEEDED TO DO A CONFIRMATORY TEST, AND THAT THEY WAS OF SUSPECT THAT HE HAD SICKLE CELL SS.

AND SO FOR US, THAT WAS VERY CATASTROPHIC.

AND BY TRADE, I'M A I'M A SOCIAL WORKER.

AND WHAT DO WE DO?

WE GET IN TO HELP FAMILIES.

AND SO I HAD ALREADY BEEN WORKING IN MY FIELD, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE COULD NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM.

AND SO WE STARTED WITH FIVE FAMILIES AND AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE, SAYING THAT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT FAMILIES KNEW HOW TO NAVIGATE THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY HAD THE SUPPORT THEY NEEDED.

AND SO THROUGHOUT JEREMIAH'S JOURNEY, WE FACE A LOT OF DIFFERENT, A LOT OF DIFFERENT COMPLICATIONS.

AS DOCTOR BAKER SAID, SICKLE CELL IMPACTS ORGANS.

SO JEREMIAH'S KIDNEY FAILED AT THE AGE OF 16, AND HE WAS PUT ON DIALYSIS.

AND SO IT WAS DUE TO THE COMPLICATIONS OF SICKLE CELL.

AND SO THAT FOR US KIND OF I DON'T I DON'T THINK I REALIZED HOW COMPLICATED IT COULD GET UNTIL THAT HAPPENED.

WE KNOW THAT THEY EXPERIENCE PAIN, BUT WE DON'T TALK A LOT ABOUT THE ORGAN DAMAGE AND THE ORGAN FAILURE.

AND SO IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR FAMILIES TO TRULY EDUCATE THEMSELVES ALONG WITH THEIR DOCTORS, LEARN, ASK QUESTIONS SO THAT THEY CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT THEY CAN POSSIBLY DO IN THEIR STRENGTH, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A QUALITY OF LIFE.

AND SO THAT'S HOW WE GOT STARTED.

AND IT REALLY WAS JUST THIS HOPE.

IT WAS REALLY ABOUT HOPE.

HOW CAN WE CREATE HOPE?

BECAUSE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT SICKLE CELL DISEASE, YOU DON'T NECESSARILY THINK ABOUT HOPE BECAUSE IT'S SO CATASTROPHIC.

SO HOPE WAS MY MAIN THING.

HOW DO I GIVE FAMILIES HOPE?

HOW DO WE CREATE HOPE?

HOW DO WE GIVE HOPE?

HOW DO I BECOME A HOPE DEALER?

WAS MY QUESTION.

AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

AND THAT'S THE LET'S LET'S LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT NOW THOUGH.

HOPE.

SO.

LET'S TALK ABOUT RESOURCES.

WE HAVE DOCTORS.

WE HAVE EXPERIENCES RESOURCES.

IF FAMILY FINDS THIS OUT WHAT DO THEY DO.

WELL OUTSIDE OF YOUR MEDICAL CARE THERE IS AN ORGANIZATION IN THE STATE, SUPPORTERS OF FAMILIES WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE THAT IS HERE.

OUR ORGANIZATION IS COMPRISED OF THOSE THAT ARE IMPACTED.

SO WE KNOW WHAT IT IS TO WALK A MILE IN YOUR SHOES.

WE HAVE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WHO ARE IN THE COMMUNITY ABLE TO HELP YOU.

WE HAVE OTHER HEALTH EDUCATORS THAT ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION TO GO TO THE DOCTOR WITH YOU.

WE HELP FAMILIES PROVIDE WRAPAROUND CARE.

AND SO THE GOAL IS INTEGRATION.

HOW DO I INTEGRATE WHAT WE DO IN THE COMMUNITY AND HELP THEM TO INTEGRATE THAT WITH THEIR MEDICAL CARE, SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE A HOLISTIC, WELL-ROUNDED CARE?

AND SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT IS IMPORTANT.

SO RESOURCES INCLUDE WE HELP WITH UTILITIES.

WE HELP YOU FIND MEDICATION.

WE HELP WITH TRANSPORTATION.

WE WORK WITH FAMILIES TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT IS YOUR NEED.

WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME HERE.

BUT CAMERON, FOR THOSE VIEWERS WHO ARE WATCHING THAT ARE EXPERIENCING THIS AS A CARETAKER, AS SOMEBODY WITH THE DISEASE, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?

GET AS EDUCATED AS YOU CAN ABOUT THE DISEASE.

AND, YOU KNOW, JUST FIND WAYS TO PREVENT, YOU KNOW, PAIN CRISIS AND, YOU KNOW, EAT HEALTHY, TRY TO WORK OUT IF YOU CAN AND JUST EDUCATE YOURSELF ABOUT THE DISEASE SO THAT YOU CAN CARE FOR THE PERSON YOU KNOW THAT YOU LOVE.

AND DOCTOR BAKER, FINAL THOUGHTS.

BUT I DO WANT TO ASK VERY QUICKLY AS THOUGH AS WELL, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU MENTIONED, EXERCISE, EATING HEALTHY, WHAT CAN YOU DO TO, YOU KNOW, NOT FEEL AS MUCH PAIN AND FINAL THOUGHTS ESTABLISHED CARE WITH HOPEFULLY WITH A DOCTOR WHO KNOWS ABOUT SICKLE CELL AND HOW TO PREVENT SOME OF THOSE COMPLICATIONS.

WE DO HAVE MEDICATIONS AVAILABLE NOW THAT CAN MINIMIZE YOUR RISK OF INFECTIONS AND HOPEFULLY YOUR PAIN.

YOU KNOW, JUST BE INVOLVED IN YOUR MEDICAL CARE AND FIND SUPPORT FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

LIKE I SAID, IT DOES TAKE A VILLAGE.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE.

WELL, THANK YOU ALL FOR JOINING US TO TALK ABOUT THIS TOPIC.

AND THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE FOR OKLAHOMANS.

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

THANK YOU.

AND CASSIDY, THANK YOU.

IN THIS WEEK'S NATIONAL VIEW, WE'RE GOING TO BE HEADING TO THE GREAT NORTHWEST, WHERE DEVASTATING WILDFIRES CLAIMED LIVES AND DESTROYED THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF TREES FIVE YEARS AGO.

HOW HAS NATURE RESPONDED?

TURNS OUT, IN SURPRISING WAYS, THAT STORY, COURTESY OF OUR PARTNERS AT OREGON PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

GET READY.

IT'S GOING TO GET EXCITING.

FISHY, FISHY.

OH, I SAW ONE.

SOMETIMES TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING IN A STREAM, SCIENTISTS HAVE TO GO FISHING.

YEAH, I SEE IT IN YOUR NET.

SWEET ELECTRIC FISHING IS TEMPORARILY STUNNING.

THE FISH IN THE WATER AND THEN SNATCHING THEM UP AS FAST AS YOU CAN IN A NET.

YEP.

IT'S VERY RARE.

FISH IN YOUR NET, OUT OF YOUR NET.

GOING DOWN.

IT JUMPED RIGHT IN YOUR NET, RIGHT IN THE NET AND THEN JUMPED OUT.

THE FISH ARE DOING THEIR BEST TO HIDE FROM US.

OH, THERE IT IS UNDER HERE.

NEXT TIME.

THE FISH ARE PRETTY CRAFTY AT AVOIDING THE NETS, BUT MOST WILL EVENTUALLY GET SCOOPED UP.

THEY'LL HELP THESE SCIENTISTS UNDERSTAND HOW STREAMS CHANGED FOLLOWING THE MOST EXTREME FIRE EVENT IN OREGON'S RECENT HISTORY.

I REMEMBER IT VERY DISTINCTLY.

LABOR DAY 2020.

COVID.

EVERYTHING WAS CLOSED.

WE WERE IN THE RIVER THAT DAY.

IT WAS QUITE HOT.

IT WAS A GLORIOUS DAY UNTIL IT WASN'T.

911.

WHAT IS YOUR EMERGENCY?

WE NEED HELP IN GATES.

THERE'S A FIRE COMING UP IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

IT'S HUGE.

OH MY GOD.

THAT DAY, A MASSIVE WINDSTORM MOVED ACROSS THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, FUELING MORE THAN 20 FIRES.

THEY WOULD EVENTUALLY BURN MORE THAN A MILLION ACRES.

WHEN THE FIRES WERE FINALLY OUT, NEARLY A DOZEN PEOPLE WERE DEAD, AND THOUSANDS OF HOMES AND BUSINESSES WERE DESTROYED.

THE LANDSCAPE AND RIVERS, THE SOURCES OF DRINKING WATER FOR MILLIONS OF OREGONIANS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY.

WE KNEW IT WAS BAD AND WE KNEW THAT IT NEEDED TO BE STUDIED.

THE TEAM OF BIOLOGISTS AND ECOLOGISTS SPRUNG INTO ACTION, SEARCHING FOR STREAMS THAT HAD BURNED AT VARYING SEVERITIES ACROSS TREE PLANTATIONS, OLDER NATURAL FORESTS, AREAS WHERE THE BURNED TREES WERE LOGGED AFTER THE FIRE, AND SOME UNBURNED STREAMS TO SERVE AS A BASELINE.

THIS STUDY IS UNIQUE IN THAT WE HAVE 30 STREAMS ACROSS THREE BIG MEGA-FIRES IN WESTERN OREGON.

IT'S GOT TO MEASURE THE DEPTH.

EVERY SUMMER SINCE THE FIRES, THE CREWS HAVE TESTED WATER QUALITY AND HOW THE ANIMALS AND THE STREAMS HAVE FARED.

CEDAR CREEK BURNED IN THE BEACHIE CREEK FIRE.

WHAT WAS ONCE A SHADY CREEK IS NOW EXPOSED TO THE HEAT OF THE SUN FOR MUCH OF THE DAY.

YEP YEP YEP YEP YEP YEP.

THERE IT IS RIGHT THERE.

I THINK THAT WAS THE RAINBOW TROUT.

NICE.

MANY OF THESE SPECIES DEPEND ON GOOD WATER QUALITY AND COLD WATER TO THRIVE.

AND AFTER FIVE YEARS OF COUNTS, THE TEAM HAS STARTED SEEING SOME TRENDS.

DESPITE EXTREME TEMPERATURES GETTING REALLY WARM IN THESE SYSTEMS AFTER THE FIRE, THE FISH POPULATIONS ARE REMAINING JUST AS HIGH OR HIGHER THAN THE UNBURNED SITES ARE.

THE STREAMS ARE WARMER, BUT MORE SUN MEANS MORE ALGAE, WHICH FEEDS THE FOOD WEB.

ALSO, WITHOUT TREES AND VEGETATION SUCKING UP WATER ON THE SURROUNDING HILLSIDES, THERE'S MORE LEFT FOR THE RIVERS.

WITH THE EXTRA RAINS THAT ARE COMING STRAIGHT DOWN AND INTO THE STREAM WITH THAT RUNOFF, YOU'RE GETTING ADDITIONAL FRINGE HABITATS ALONG THE STREAMS.

BUT WHILE THE FISH HAVE GOTTEN THE POST-FIRE BUMP, THE STORY ISN'T AS CLEAR FOR AMPHIBIANS.

STREAMS IN THE WEST CASCADES ARE HOME TO COASTAL GIANT SALAMANDERS AND TAILED FROGS.

SALLY THE SALLY'S ARE TOUGH TO CATCH.

AND IT'S GONE.

THEY'RE POTENTIALLY THIS SQUIRMY.

IT'S WAVING.

I'M JUST PRESSING HIS HEAD AND HE DOESN'T.

OH NO NO NO NO NO.

OH, NO.

OKAY, I GOT THREE OF THEM.

OKAY.

THERE'S A THERE'S A YOUNG EAR BY YOUR FEET.

OH, WE GOT A MOM.

FROG AND TADPOLE NUMBERS IN PARTICULAR HAVE DROPPED IN SOME STREAMS, BUT THE PRELIMINARY DATA ARE SHOWING FIRES AREN'T THE CAUSE.

INSTEAD, THE DECLINES HAPPENED IN AREAS WHERE LOGGING CREWS HARVESTED BURNED TREES MOST HEAVILY AFTER THE FIRES.

FOR THE LONGEST TIME, STREAM ECOSYSTEMS WERE THOUGHT TO SUFFER BECAUSE OF WILDFIRE.

BUT IN THE FIVE YEARS SINCE THE LABOR DAY FIRES, THESE SCIENTISTS ARE SEEING SIGNS THAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY THRIVING.

EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT WE KNEW ABOUT FIRE, WE'VE KIND OF TURNED IT ON ITS HEAD HERE ON THE WEST SIDE OF OREGON.

AND THE RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THE TRAGEDY OF THE LABOR DAY FIRES HAS TURNED INTO AN OPPORTUNITY, A CHANCE TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE OUR FORESTS AFTER WILDFIRE, TO PROTECT OUR STREAMS AND ALL THE LIFE THEY CONTAIN.

INTERESTING.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, HAS CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM LEGISLATION LED TO AN INCREASE IN HOMELESSNESS IN OKLAHOMA?

ONE COUNTY SHERIFF BELIEVES IT HAS.

OTHERS DISAGREE.

JASON DOYLE REPORTS FRIDAY AT SEVEN.

WE'RE GOING TO SAY SO LONG THIS WEEK WITH A LOOK AT THE TOY AND ACTION FIGURE MUSEUM DOWN IN PAULS VALLEY, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY JASON STEWART.

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

I'M RICH.

LUNTZ.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

123.

FOUR.

ONE.

TWO.

THREE.

OKLAHOMA AGRICULTURE STARTS AT SUNUP.

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