GROOVE AND WE JUST GO.

THURSDAY NIGHT AT SEVEN ON OETA.

OE IS JUST A CLICK AWAY.

VISIT US TODAY.

RYAN WALTERS, WALKING AWAY FROM HIS ROLE AS STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

AS LONG AS I'M HERE, IT WILL BE MY DECISION OF WHAT'S PRESENTED TO THE BOARD, AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

AND AGAIN, YOU GUYS CAN SUE ME.

I DON'T REALLY CARE.

AFTER 39 YEARS WITH THE COWBOY PROGRAM AS A PLAYER AND COACH, MIKE GUNDY IS OUT AT OKLAHOMA STATE.

I'M 22 YEARS OLD.

THE ENTIRETY OF MY LIFETIME, ALL I'VE KNOWN IS MIKE GUNDY AS HEAD COACH.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY A BIT OF A SHOCK.

THE OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY RELEASES REVISED PLANS FOR NEW HIGHWAY NEAR NORMAN.

SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN.

WILL THE OTA EVER GET IT?

THE THE NORMAN.

THE PEOPLE OF NORMAN DO NOT WANT THE TURNPIKES.

A MASSIVE BRONZE SCULPTURE TO COMMEMORATE THE 1958 CIVIL RIGHTS SIT IN AT AN OKLAHOMA CITY DRUGSTORE IS NEARING COMPLETION.

MY HEART IS STILL HEAVY.

I WANTED TO CRY, BUT I'M TOO BIG TO CRY.

AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THE RISE OF AUTISM IN THE UNITED STATES.

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 90 AND 120,000 INDIVIDUALS IN OKLAHOMA ON THE SPECTRUM, PLUS THE GOVERNOR AND THE GARDEN IN AN UNLIKELY PLACE.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

THE TUMULTUOUS THREE YEAR TENURE OF STATE SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS IS COMING TO AN END.

WALTERS ANNOUNCING ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT THAT HE IS LEAVING TO TAKE A JOB WITH A NONPROFIT TEACHER, FREEDOM ALLIANCE.

WALTERS DID NOT DISCUSS HIS DECISION DURING THURSDAY'S REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

EDUCATION REPORTER TAYLOR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE OSCE.

TAYLOR.

RICH, WE WERE TOLD THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD SPEAK TO THE MEDIA AFTER THE MEETING, BUT HE DID NOT MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE.

SO WHAT'S NEXT?

WELL, GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT WILL CHOOSE WALTERS REPLACEMENT TO FULFILL HIS TERM THROUGH 2027.

GOOD RIDDANCE TO BAD RUBBISH.

YEAH.

THE NEWS OF RYAN WALTERS IMPENDING RESIGNATION WAS MET WITH CHEERS BY HIS CRITICS PRIOR TO THE START OF THURSDAY'S MEETING.

IT'S A VICTORY, AND I MEAN LITERALLY VICTORY.

LOCAL IRISH PUB OWNER SEAN CUMMINGS SAYS IT SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED SOONER.

THE ACTUAL BLAME IS RIGHT OVER THERE.

HIS FELLOW COMPADRE, REPUBLICANS THAT WOULD NOT STAND UP TO HIM, WOULD NOT DISCIPLINE HIM, WOULD NOT TAKE HIM DOWN A NOTCH, WOULD NOT DO THE THINGS THAT WE HIRED THEM TO DO.

ON THE OTHER HAND, SOME FOLKS AREN'T READY FOR WALTERS TENURE AS SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION TO END.

HE'S RESIGNING FOR A BETTER CALLING, I BELIEVE, A BETTER POSITION WHERE HE CAN REACH MORE PEOPLE.

HE'S DONE HIS BEST FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS FOR OKLAHOMA.

I HATE TO SEE HIM LEAVE AS OUR SUPERINTENDENT BECAUSE HE HAS AFFECTED SO MUCH CHANGE.

DEMOCRATIC HOUSE ASSISTANT LEADER MELISSA PROVENZANO SAYS SHE HOPES THIS WILL BRING TEACHERS BACK TO OKLAHOMA CLASSROOMS.

IN A STATEMENT THAT READS IN PART, TODAY BRINGS A NEW BEGINNING AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS AND OUR CHILDREN.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO TO HEAL THE DAMAGE OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

TEACHERS, STICK WITH US.

STAY.

IF YOU'VE LEFT, PLEASE COME BACK.

WALTERS DID NOT MENTION THE ANNOUNCEMENT HE MADE ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT ON FOX NEWS REGARDING HIS NEW POSITION.

I'M EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE I'LL BE STEPPING DOWN AS OKLAHOMA STATE SUPERINTENDENT AND TAKING ON THE ROLE AS THE CEO OF THE TEACHER FREEDOM ALLIANCE.

ACCORDING TO THE TEACHER FREEDOM ALLIANCE WEBSITE, THE CONSERVATIVE NONPROFIT SERVES AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TEACHERS UNIONS.

THE ORGANIZATION SAID IN A RECENT PRESS RELEASE THAT WALTERS START DATE IS OCTOBER 1ST.

SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS, WHO SITS ON THE BOARD BY VIRTUE OF HIS ELECTED POSITION UNTIL HE RESIGNS, SUBMITTED HIS OPENING REMARKS TO CHARLIE KIRK, THE FOUNDER OF TURNING POINT USA, EARLIER IN THE WEEK.

THE SUPERINTENDENT CALLED FOR EVERY HIGH SCHOOL IN THE STATE TO ADD A CHAPTER OF THE CONSERVATIVE, CHRISTIAN BASED ORGANIZATION.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO INSPIRE STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN FREE SPEECH, DEBATE AND UNDERSTAND AMERICAN VALUES AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE COUNTRY.

AND I BELIEVE IT'S VITAL FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA TO CONTINUE THIS MISSION.

TURNING POINT USA SOUTHERN REGIONAL MANAGER MASON COTTRELL SAYS HE WILL ENSURE OKLAHOMA STUDENTS CAN TAKE PART IN THE ORGANIZATION.

WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY MOBS.

WE WILL NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY ASSASSINS.

WE WILL WORK LATE INTO THE EVENING.

WE WILL WAKE UP EARLY.

WE WILL REACH EVERY CONSERVATIVE STUDENT TO EMPOWER THEM TO LEAD AND CREATE CHANGE ON THEIR CAMPUS.

THE WORK TO SAVE AMERICA CONTINUES AND WILL BE STRONGER THAN EVER.

THE SUPERINTENDENT ALSO PRESENTED HIS PROPOSED BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027 TO THE BOARD.

$2.6 MILLION WOULD BE CUT FROM PROGRAMS SUCH AS GREAT EXPECTATIONS, AG IN THE CLASSROOM AND CIVIL RIGHTS CURRICULUM.

THESE LINE ITEMS RECEIVED FUNDING IN PREVIOUS YEARS.

THE BUDGET REQUEST ALSO SHOWS A $23 MILLION INCREASE FOR FLEXIBLE BENEFITS ALLOWANCE.

ULTIMATELY, THE BOARD TABLED THE BUDGET.

WALTERS SAYS THEY HAVE UNTIL OCTOBER 1ST TO SEND IN THEIR BUDGET REQUEST.

THIS GOES TO THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE, GOES TO THE SPEAKER, GOES TO THE PRESIDENT PRO TEM OF THE SENATE.

THEN INFORMAL MEETINGS BEGIN WHERE THE LEGISLATURE WILL COME IN.

START ASKING QUESTIONS OVER THE BUDGET.

THERE THEN IS A BUDGET PROCESS.

THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS AND BOARD MEMBERS RYAN DEATHRIDGE, MIKE TINNEY, CHRIS VANDERHAM AND BECKY CARSON SAT FACE TO FACE SINCE THE JULY MEETING THAT EVENTUALLY LED TO AN INVESTIGATION INTO NUDE IMAGES ON WALTERS TV.

NO CRIMINAL CHARGES WERE FILED.

THE ATMOSPHERE WAS CALM DURING MOST OF THE MEETING, HOWEVER, TENSIONS ROSE TOWARDS THE END.

I SAW THE AGENDA YESTERDAY.

I EXPECTED TO SEE SEVERAL ITEMS RELATED TO TEACHER CERTIFICATION, DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS.

NOT NOT ON THE LIST.

SO NOW WE'RE TWO MONTHS WITH NO ACTION ON ON FOLKS.

AND AND I FIND THAT TROUBLING.

AS LONG AS I'M HERE.

AND IF YOU GUYS WANT TO RUN FOR STATE SUPERINTENDENT, GO FOR IT.

BUT AS LONG AS I'M HERE, IT WILL BE MY DECISION OF WHAT'S PRESENTED TO THE BOARD.

AND THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IT.

AND AGAIN, YOU GUYS CAN SUE ME.

I DON'T REALLY CARE.

YOU GUYS CAN RUN FOR STATE SUPERINTENDENT, GO OUT AND GET HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF VOTES ACROSS THE STATE, REPRESENT PARENTS AND STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.

GOOD LUCK.

GO FOR IT.

MIKE TENNEY SPOKE TO THE MEDIA AFTER THE MEETING ABOUT THE HEATED EXCHANGE.

WHAT CAN I SAY?

YOU GUYS SAW WHAT HAPPENED.

IT CERTAINLY OUR BEST INTEREST IS THE STUDENTS AND THE KIDS IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA.

BUT AS I SAID, YOU CANNOT JUST GO AFTER PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GO AFTER PEOPLE.

AND YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW THE LAWS OF THIS COUNTRY.

AND TEACHERS ARE, YOU KNOW, IF THEY'VE DONE SOMETHING BAD.

YES.

WE HAVE BEEN VERY DILIGENT TO TRY TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT IN THE CLASSROOM.

TENNEY SAYS HE IS CONFIDENT THAT THE GOVERNOR'S APPOINTMENT WILL BE THE RIGHT FIT.

THAT WILL BE ETHICAL AND HONEST, AND WORK WITH THE BOARD THAT WE CAN GET TOGETHER AND START MOVING THIS THING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

CARSON SAYS WALTERS RESIGNATION ALLOWS THE BOARD TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE PROGRESS.

WE DON'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO BUT UP.

AND SO I HOPE THIS, LIKE I SAID, OPENS THE DOOR FOR US TO MAKE PROGRESS TO TO EDUCATE CHILDREN IN THE BEST WAY POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT TEACHERS IN DOING THAT.

AS OF FRIDAY AFTERNOON, WALTERS REPLACEMENT HAD NOT BEEN NAMED.

MOST OF THE PEOPLE I SPOKE TO AT THE MEETING SAY THEY JUST WANT SOMEONE THAT WILL PUT STUDENTS FIRST.

RICH TAYLOR, THANK YOU.

WALTERS DECISION TO LEAVE WAS NOT THE ONLY STUNNING DEPARTURE IN OKLAHOMA THIS WEEK.

THE WINNINGEST, LONGEST TENURED FOOTBALL COACH IN OKLAHOMA STATE HISTORY IS OUT OF WORK.

MIKE GUNDY HAS BEEN A PART OF COWBOY FOOTBALL FOR 39 YEARS, WAS ABRUPTLY FIRED ON TUESDAY.

NOAH MACK IS BACK FROM STILLWATER AND JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON THAT BIG NEWS, NOAH.

WELL, RICH, THE FIRING CAME AS A SHOCK TO COLLEGE FOOTBALL FANS AND STUDENTS.

OSU ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CHAD WEIBERG HELD A PRESS CONFERENCE TAKING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DECISION.

AS YOU KNOW, TODAY, WE MADE THE DECISION TO PART WAYS WITH COACH GUNDY.

THESE DECISIONS ARE NEVER EASY AND HAPPEN ONLY AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION.

OSU ATHLETICS IS NOW IN SEARCH OF A NEW HEAD COACH AFTER THEIR MOVE TO FIRE MIKE GUNDY ON TUESDAY.

THIS FOLLOWS THE COWBOYS UNEXPECTED LOSS AGAINST THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA FRIDAY OF LAST WEEK.

THIS WAS NOT SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, I THOUGHT WE WOULD BE DOING TODAY ON THIS TUESDAY, RIGHT?

I FULLY EXPECTED TO BEAT THE UNIVERSITY OF TULSA.

YOU KNOW, I EXPECTED THE RESULTS OF THIS SEASON TO BE DIFFERENT THAN THEY'VE BEEN SO FAR.

THE LAST TIME OSU LOST TO TULSA WAS BACK IN THE 90S, AND THE LAST HOME GAME THEY LOST TO TULSA WAS BACK IN THE 50S.

THAT UPSET WAS COMPOUNDED BY THE 69 TO 3 LOSS TO OREGON IN THE SEASON OPENER AND ZERO CONFERENCE VICTORIES LAST SEASON.

A DAY BEFORE HIS TERMINATION, GUNDY RESPONDED TO A QUESTION ABOUT HIS STANDING WITH THE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT.

OBVIOUSLY, THE STATE OF THINGS RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY HAVE FOR FOR THIS PROGRAM OR ME FOR YOU.

YEAH, YEAH.

HAVE THERE BEEN THE FANS?

HAVE THERE BEEN ANY CONVERSATIONS WITH ANY OF THEM JUST ABOUT THE FUTURE, WHAT THEY EXPECT MOVING FORWARD?

I DON'T NECESSARILY THINK THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION THERE HAS.

I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT, NO, BUT I THINK THAT THEY SHARE THE SAME VISION THAT I HAVE, AND I THINK MAYBE THE CONVERSATION HASN'T REALLY HAD TO TAKE PLACE BECAUSE I'VE BEEN HERE FOR 21 YEARS, AND I THINK THEY KNOW WHAT'S ON MY MIND.

AND I CERTAINLY KNOW.

WELL, I SHOULDN'T SAY I DON'T.

THAT WOULD BE JUDGMENTAL, BUT I PROBABLY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD FEEL FOR WHAT THEY WANT.

SO I DON'T REALLY KNOW THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.

BUT IRREGARDLESS OF GUNDY'S INTUITION OR A SATURDAY GAME AGAINST BAYLOR, OSU ATHLETICS MOVED TO FIRE HIM ANYWAYS.

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR CHAD WEIBERG ARGUED THEY WERE LOOKING OUT FOR THE LONG TERM PROSPERITY OF OSU FOOTBALL.

IT WAS JUST ABOUT WHAT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF MOVING THE PROGRAM FORWARD IN THE LONG TERM.

I MEAN, I GET THAT WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THINGS RIGHT HERE IN THE HERE AND NOW, THIS WEEK, TODAY, TOMORROW.

BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO BE LOOKING AT WHAT'S BETTER FOR THE PROGRAM OVER THE NEXT YEAR.

TWO YEARS, FIVE YEARS.

GUNDY'S CONTRACT UNDERWENT SOME MODIFICATIONS LAST YEAR, INCLUDING A STEEP SLICE IN SALARY BY ALMOST $20 MILLION, GOING FROM 25.3 MILLION TO 6.75 MILLION.

THE CONTRACT ALSO HAS A $15 MILLION BUYOUT IF FIRED WITHOUT A CAUSE THROUGH DECEMBER 2027.

IN THE INTERIM, THEY TAPPED OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DOUG MEACHAM AS THE INTERIM HEAD COACH.

WHILE THE DEPARTMENT LOOKS FOR GUNDY'S REPLACEMENT.

YEAH, GUYS, UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE AT THIS POINT.

YOU KNOW, I OWE A LOT TO COACH GUNDY.

HE'S HIRED ME TWICE, RIGHT?

PLAYED WITH HIM.

LEGENDARY COACH.

UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS BUSINESS THAT'S THAT'S KIND OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN.

IF YOU DO IT LONG ENOUGH, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

UNFORTUNATELY FOR US, YOU KNOW IT HAPPENED TO BE AT THIS TIME.

AND I LEARNED A LOT FROM HIM.

AND I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING HE'S DONE FOR ME IN MY LIFE.

DURING THE PRESS CONFERENCE, WEIBERG DID LEND CREDENCE TO GUNDY'S PRODIGIOUS TRACK RECORD AS HEAD COACH.

DURING HIS 20 YEAR TENURE, GUNDY WON 170 GAMES, OVER 100 MORE THAN ANY OTHER COACH IN OSU HISTORY.

GUNDY ALSO LED THE TEAM TO WIN 12 BOWL GAMES AND A BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IN 2011.

GUNDY WAS ALSO KNOWN FOR HIS SPIRITED AND PUGNACIOUS PERSONA, EVIDENCED BY HIS INFAMOUS TIRADE ABOUT A NEWSPAPER ARTICLE TARGETING ONE OF HIS PLAYERS.

THAT'S WHY I DON'T READ THE NEWSPAPER, BECAUSE IT'S GARBAGE, AND THE EDITOR THAT LET IT COME OUT IS GARBAGE.

WHERE ARE WE AT IN SOCIETY TODAY?

COME AFTER ME.

I'M A MAN.

I'M 40.

I'M NOT A I'M NOT A KID.

GUNDY HAS BEEN A FIXTURE IN OKLAHOMA STATE FOOTBALL FOR NEARLY 40 YEARS, TRIGGERING THE COWBOY OFFENSE IS A REMARKABLE YOUNG PERFORMER.

TRUE FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK MIKE GUNDY DEMONSTRATES POISE, INTELLIGENCE, AND A GRASP OF THE COLLEGE GAME BEYOND HIS YEARS.

HE WAS A QUARTERBACK FOR THE COWBOYS FROM 86 TO 89, THEN HIRED AS ASSISTANT COACH IN 1990, STAYING ON FOR FIVE YEARS.

IN 2001, HE WAS BROUGHT ON AS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR.

FOUR YEARS LATER, HE WAS PROMOTED TO HEAD COACH.

ULTIMATELY, GUNDY BECAME ICONIC WITH FANS AND BELOVED WITH PLAYERS.

HEY, LET'S GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.

HE BECAME THE WINNINGEST COACH IN OSU.

GUNDY'S DEPARTURE CAME AS A SURPRISE FOR SENIOR ANNA BRUMMEL.

I'M 22 YEARS OLD, SO THE ENTIRETY OF MY LIFETIME, ALL I'VE KNOWN IS MIKE GUNDY AS HEAD COACH.

SO IT'S DEFINITELY A BIT OF A SHOCK.

ANOTHER LONGTIME COWBOY FAN, FRESHMAN JACOB MEYER, HOPES GUNDY WILL BE REMEMBERED FONDLY.

HE'S A GOOD COACH.

HE'S A GOOD PERSON, AND I THINK IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT IT WENT THE WAY IT WENT.

HOPEFULLY THAT HE GETS A STATUE OUT HERE LIKE BOONE PICKENS.

I THINK HE DESERVES IT.

I DON'T THINK THERE IS OKLAHOMA STATE FOOTBALL WITHOUT MIKE GUNDY.

AND EVEN OSU ALUM GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT WEIGHED IN ON THE FIRING.

YOU KNOW, NOBODY CAN FORGET WHAT GUNDY DID FOR OUR PROGRAM AND FOR OKLAHOMA STATE FOR THOSE 20 YEARS.

AND THEN ALSO HIS TIME AS AN ASSISTANT AND ALSO HIS TIME AS A PLAYER.

SOMETIMES YOU JUST NEED A CHANGE IN WHETHER IT'S AN ORGANIZATION OR A SPORTS FRANCHISE AND AND NEW FRESH IDEAS.

AND AND OKLAHOMA STATE WAS STRUGGLING.

I THINK EVERYBODY SAW THAT.

NOW THE SEARCH BEGINS FOR THE NEW HEAD COACH.

AND WE HAVE A LOT OF WE'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS HERE, RIGHT, WITH OUR WITH OUR ALUMS.

AND COACH GUNDY OBVIOUSLY BEING ONE OF THE BEST EXAMPLES OF THAT.

BUT WE'VE ALSO HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS HERE WITH WITH NON ALUMS.

AND SO WE WILL BE LOOKING FOR THE BEST PERSON FOR THE JOB REGARDLESS OF THAT.

NONETHELESS, IT IS SAFE TO SAY COACH MIKE GUNDY HAS LEFT HIS IMPRINT ON OKLAHOMA STATE AND THE BROADER WORLD OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL.

A COUPLE OF NAMES THAT HAVE POPPED UP AS GUNDY'S LONGTERM REPLACEMENT INCLUDE FORMER OSU QUARTERBACK ZAC ROBINSON, NOW OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR FOR THE ATLANTA FALCONS, AND FORMER OSU ASSISTANT DANA HOLGORSEN, AMONG OTHERS.

RICH, THANKS A LOT.

APPRECIATE THAT.

GREAT REPORT.

NOW, IN OTHER NEWS FROM STILLWATER, THIS WEEK, US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT RANKING OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY AS THE BEST VALUE PUBLIC UNIVERSITY IN OKLAHOMA.

THAT WAS BASED ON A METRIC THAT INCLUDES ACADEMIC QUALITY AGAINST THE COST OF TUITION FOR OUT OF STATE STUDENTS WHO RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID, LIKE O.U.

THIS YEAR, OSU WELCOMED ITS LARGEST FRESHMAN CLASS IN HISTORY, AND OVERALL ATTENDANCE IS ALSO AT A RECORD HIGH OF ALMOST 37,000 STUDENTS.

THE PRESBYTERIAN HEALTH FOUNDATION HAS SECURED NAMING RIGHTS TO A SOON TO BE BUILT CHILDREN'S HEART HOSPITAL IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

THE $20 MILLION GIFT WILL HELP FUND A STATE OF THE ART HOSPITAL TO ENHANCE PEDIATRIC HEART CARE IN OUR STATE.

PLANS FOR THE 250,000 SQUARE FOOT FACILITY INCLUDE ROOM FOR 90 BEDS, TWO OPERATING ROOMS AND 30 OUTPATIENT EXAM ROOMS.

THIS IS THE LARGEST CASH GIFT FF HAS MADE IN OUR 40 YEAR HISTORY, AND IT MARKS A MILESTONE MOMENT FOR BOTH OUR FOUNDATION AND FOR THE PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA.

THIS EXTRAORDINARY INVESTMENT WILL CREATE THE NEW OKLAHOMA CHILDREN'S OU HEALTH, PRESBYTERIAN HEALTH FOUNDATION HEART CENTER.

LONG WORD, BUT VERY MEANINGFUL.

THE STATE LEGISLATURE, THEY STOOD UP IN A WAY THAT WAS HISTORIC.

THIS PAST SESSION.

THEY COMMITTED $200 MILLION TO CREATE THIS PEDIATRIC HEART CENTER.

THEY'VE PLEDGED ANOTHER 50 MILLION, WHICH WILL REMIND THEM OF.

AND SO IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN UNLESS IT WAS FOR CREATING AN ACADEMIC HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.

IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WITHOUT THE STATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERSHIP THAT HAS DONE THIS.

AND THANK THEM.

CONSTRUCTION ON A NEW HOSPITAL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN 2027 AND BE OPENED IN EARLY 2030.

THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PUSHBACK TO THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SHARING NEW GUIDANCE THAT WOMEN SHOULD NOT TAKE TYLENOL WHILE PREGNANT TO HELP LESSEN THE CHANCES OF THEIR CHILD BEING BORN WITH AUTISM.

MANY SCIENTISTS AND DOCTORS SAY THAT'S JUST NOT TRUE.

THIS MUCH IS TRUE.

THE NUMBER OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN IN AMERICA HAS RISEN DRAMATICALLY IN RECENT DECADES.

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

HERE'S A PREVIEW.

WE CAN SURMISE FROM THE CDC'S PREVALENCE 1 IN 31 CHILDREN, 1 IN 45 ADULTS, THAT IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 90 AND 120,000 INDIVIDUALS IN OKLAHOMA ON THE SPECTRUM.

I THINK WE'RE BETTER AT SPOTTING IT.

CLINICIANS ARE SPOTTING IT EARLIER.

I MEAN, PARENTS HAVE A BETTER GENERAL AWARENESS.

THERE'S ALSO A DESTIGMATIZATION IN SOCIETY.

I THINK THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION MAKES THAT PICTURE HARD TO PAINT, BECAUSE THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION IS THERE'S ONE FLAVOR OF AUTISM.

AND THE REALITY IS THAT IT'S SUCH A BROAD SPECTRUM THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE SO DIFFERENTLY.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION, IS THAT WHAT THEY SEE ON TV OF MAYBE A CERTAIN CHARACTER IS WHAT EVERY AUTISTIC PERSON IS, AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS AT ALL.

AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO THEIR OWN UNIQUE STRENGTHS AND ABILITIES THAT CAN COME FROM IT AS WELL.

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

THE OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY FIRST ISSUED PLANS TO EXPAND THE TURNPIKE SYSTEM THROUGH THE NORMAN AREA IN 2022.

IT WAS MET WITH IMMEDIATE RESISTANCE.

PROPERTY OWNERS DID NOT WANT A NEW HIGHWAY RUNNING THROUGH THEIR BACKYARDS, BUT THIS WEEK, THE OTA RELEASED NEW PLANS.

WHAT WAS THE REACTION THIS TIME?

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW TO TELL US JASON RICH.

THE NEW SOUTHERN ALIGNMENT IS FURTHER AWAY FROM LAKE THUNDERBIRD AND CLOSER TO THE CITY OF NORMAN.

ONE GROUP IS PUSHING BACK, EVEN AS HOMEOWNERS ARE TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THE NEW PATH AFFECTS THEIR PROPERTY.

THANK YOU EVERYBODY FOR TUNING IN TODAY AS WE SHARE THE NEW TURNPIKE ALIGNMENT IN EAST NORMAN.

ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON, THE OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY DID SOMETHING IT HAS NEVER DONE IN THE PAST.

RELEASE INFORMATION ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW TURNPIKE TO EVERYONE AT THE SAME TIME THROUGH AN ONLINE PRESENTATION.

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME OTA HAS COME UP WITH A PATH FOR A NEW TURNPIKE IN THE CLEVELAND AND MCLEAN COUNTY AREA IN THE LAST THREE YEARS.

THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS CLOSER TO LAKE THUNDERBIRD, AND WAS REJECTED BY THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF RECLAMATION.

THE NEW ALIGNMENT IS NOW FURTHER WEST FOR THE 19 MILES OF TOLL ROAD APPROVED THROUGH THE ACCESS OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE PLAN.

IT IS ONE OF FOUR NEW TURNPIKE ALIGNMENTS IN THE 15 YEAR, $8.2 BILLION PLAN LAUNCHED IN 2021.

THE OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JOEY KELLY, MADE THE PRESENTATION ONLINE AND SAYS THAT THE NEW ALIGNMENT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE OF EXPECTED INCREASED TRAFFIC ON I-35 FROM I-35.

THERE ARE NO EXISTING ROADWAYS TODAY THAT CAN SUPPORT THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC EXPECTED IN THE AREA IN THE NEXT TWO DECADES, 40 YEARS, OR EVEN BEYOND.

ODOT HAS NO SURPLUS OF RESOURCES TO FURTHER WIDEN I-35 IN THE NORMAN AND MOORE AREA, NOR IS IT FEASIBLE WITH DEVELOPMENT ALONG EACH FRONTAGE ROAD.

ODOT IS THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NON-TOLL HIGHWAYS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

OTA WAS CREATED TO ASSIST ODOT IN SOLVING SURFACE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES.

THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED 75 HOMES THAT OTA WILL NEED TO ACQUIRE FOR THIS PATHWAY.

THAT'S ABOUT THE SAME AS THE ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT.

HOWEVER, A VOCAL GROUP OUT OF NORMAN DOES NOT WANT THE TURNPIKE.

NO MATTER WHAT ROUTE IT TAKES AROUND OKLAHOMA'S THIRD LARGEST CITY.

SO HERE WE ARE AGAIN.

WILL THE OTA EVER GET IT?

THE THE NORMAN.

THE PEOPLE OF NORMAN DO NOT WANT THE TURNPIKES.

OKLAHOMANS FOR RESPONSIBLE TRANSPORTATION, ALSO CALLED PIKE OFF OTA, HAVE THE BACKING OF NORMAN MAYOR STEPHEN HOLMAN.

I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR THAT IN MY RECENT CAMPAIGN RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF NORMAN, THIS ISSUE WAS THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT I HEARD AT THE DOORS, NOT JUST IN RURAL EAST NORMAN OR NORTH NORMAN, WHERE THIS IS PROPOSED TO GO, BUT ALL OVER NORMAN.

PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AND THE OVERWHELMING FEEDBACK THAT I HAVE HEARD FROM NORMAN RESIDENTS CONSISTENTLY FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS IS THAT WE DO NOT WANT THIS.

NORMAN.

THE NEW ALIGNMENT IS MEANT TO ALLEVIATE THE TRAFFIC BURDEN ON I-35 SOUTH OF THE GREATER OKLAHOMA CITY METRO.

THESE PROJECTS WERE PUT IN STATUTE MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO.

WE'RE WE ARE TRYING TO FULFILL A NEED WHERE THE STATE OTHER STATE RESOURCES CANNOT PROVIDE A SOLUTION.

THE I-35 CONGESTION, THE DAILY ACCIDENTS THAT HAPPEN ON I-35.

WE'RE TRYING TO PROVIDE A SOLUTION.

MAYOR HOLMAN DOESN'T BELIEVE THE TURNPIKE ON THE EAST SIDE OF NORMAN WILL HELP.

IT WILL NOT IMPROVE TRAFFIC IN NORMAN.

IT WILL NOT BENEFIT NORMAN RESIDENTS, AND IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CAUSE SERIOUS HARM TO THE RURAL CHARACTER OF NORMAN.

TO THE LAKE THUNDERBIRD WATERSHED, TO WILDLIFE, TO THE ENVIRONMENT.

OVERALL, THERE'S JUST SO MANY NEGATIVE ASPECTS OF THIS.

HE ADDS, THE STATE COULD CONSIDER A REGIONAL TRANSIT PLAN INSTEAD OF A NEW TURNPIKE, AND THOSE SOLUTIONS ARE WHAT WILL ACTUALLY REDUCE TRAFFIC ON I-35 AND MAKE IT SAFER, NOT THIS TOLL ROAD.

THIS GROUP TRIED TO STOP THE PREVIOUS ALIGNMENT BY TAKING OTA TO COURT.

THE OKLAHOMA SUPREME COURT RULED 6 TO 3 IN AUGUST OF 2023 THAT OTA HAD THE AUTHORITY TO ISSUE THE BONDS, AND HAS THE AUTHORIZATION TO BUILD THE TURNPIKES IN THE ACCESS OKLAHOMA EXPANSION PLAN.

EVEN IN THAT SUPREME COURT RULING, THEY SAID, YOU CAN GO SELL BONDS ON THESE PROJECTS AND YOU CAN GET STARTED, EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO REALIGN AND MOVE WEST OF LAKE THUNDERBIRD.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE WENT TO THE COURT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS IN STATUTE AND INTERPRETED CORRECTLY IN THE COURT, AGREED WITH THAT.

SO THERE'S REALLY NOTHING THAT'S GOING TO STOP IT.

WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

THE PROJECT IS GOING TO BE BUILT DURING THE ONLINE PRESENTATION, OTA ENGINEER TRENTON JANUARY EXPLAINED WHAT THEY TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN CREATING THE NEW SOUTHERN ALIGNMENT AND REVAMPING THE SOUTH EXTENSION TURNPIKE ALIGNMENT.

WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL FACTORS, SUCH AS THE NUMBER OF IMPACTED HOMES AND AVOIDING SUBDIVISIONS, DENSE DEVELOPMENTS AND SECTION LINES, ROADS WHERE POSSIBLE.

WE ALSO CONSIDERED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, SUCH AS LESS DISRUPTION TO THE POTENTIAL ROADS, ROCK FORMATIONS, AS WELL AS CONSIDERING MUNICIPAL LONG RANGE PLANS AND MOBILITY FOR TRAFFIC IN THE AREA, THE OTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAYS.

NOW, THE AGENCY WILL MEET WITH PROPERTY OWNERS IN THE NEW ALIGNMENT PATH TO ANSWER QUESTIONS AND BEGIN NEGOTIATIONS.

ALL OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING OUR OUR RIGHT OF WAY ACQUISITION, WE'RE ALL OKLAHOMANS.

WE'RE ALL BASED RIGHT HERE.

SO THIS IS NEIGHBORS WORKING WITH NEIGHBORS ON THIS PROJECT.

AND SO WE DON'T WANT TO MISTREAT ANYBODY AT ALL.

THE ACTIVISTS WITH OKLAHOMANS FOR RESPONSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SAY THEY WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT AGAINST THIS TURNPIKE DEVELOPMENT UNTIL WE GET PUBLIC OFFICIALS WHO UNDERSTAND AND RESPECT OUR ATTACHMENT TO THESE PROPERTIES, OUR COMMITMENT TO GOOD GOVERNMENT, OUR INSISTENCE ON TRANSPARENCY AND HONESTY, WHICH WE HAVE HAD NONE OF FROM THE TURNPIKE AUTHORITY.

WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY AT ALL.

DOCTOR TASSIE HIRSCHFELD WAS THE LEAD PLAINTIFF IN THE LAWSUIT AGAINST OTA FOR THE ORIGINAL ALIGNMENT ON THE TURNPIKE.

AS FAR AS ANOTHER POSSIBLE LAWSUIT.

STAND BY, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO GET EXCITING, NORMAN.

STATE SENATOR MARY BOREN SAYS LAWMAKERS SHOULD FIND A WAY TO HOLD OTA ACCOUNTABLE.

INSTEAD OF STANDING BY AND ALLOWING THE TURNPIKE PLAN TO GO THROUGH TO FRUITION.

YOU CAN'T HOLD AN ACCOUNTABLE AN ORGANIZATION THAT DOESN'T HOLD ITSELF ACCOUNTABLE.

AND THAT'S WHAT THESE PEOPLE ARE HERE.

WHEN YOU SEE THESE SIGNS, THIS IS WHAT ACCOUNTABILITY LOOKS LIKE IN OKLAHOMA.

IT'S BIPARTISAN AND IT'S PEOPLE LED.

AND I'M MORE THAN PROUD HERE TODAY TO STAND WITH THEM, TO HOLD OKLAHOMA GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABLE.

THE OKLAHOMA TURNPIKE AUTHORITY HAS ALREADY HELD A PUBLIC MEETING FOR AREA RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS.

THE NEXT ONE WILL BE AT THE NCD CONFERENCE CENTER IN NORMAN ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON, AND THE THIRD AND FINAL PUBLIC MEETING WILL BE AT NOBLE HIGH SCHOOL MONDAY EVENING.

RICH, JASON, THANK YOU.

OKLAHOMA CITY COMMUTERS ARE GOING TO BE DEALING WITH TRANSPORTATION ISSUES OF THEIR OWN.

THE CITY'S TROLLEY LINE IS TEMPORARILY SHUTTING DOWN IN AN EFFORT TO EVENTUALLY IMPROVE AND EXPAND THE SYSTEM.

STEVE SHAW JOINS US NOW TO EXPLAIN WHAT'S GOING ON.

STEVE.

RICH OKC STREETCARS PARTIALLY SHUT DOWN FOR TWO DAYS EARLIER THIS WEEK.

IT'S RELATED TO THE DEMOLITION OF THE OLD MYRIAD CONVENTION CENTER TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER ARENA.

OKC STREETCARS WILL COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN THIS MONDAY FOR A MONTH.

YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO MAKE IT TO A THUNDER GAME THIS YEAR.

OH YEAH.

YEAH I'M ALWAYS I'M A THUNDER FAN.

I'VE GOT A TATTOO ON MY NECK HAHA.

TROY WEBB THE THIRD IS A 1996 JOHN MARSHALL HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE.

THESE DAYS, TROY IS A HEATING AND AIR SPECIALIST WHO WORKS DOWNTOWN.

HAVE YOU EVER.

DO YOU EVER RIDE THE STREETCARS?

YES, SIR.

EVERY DAY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THOSE?

IT'S EXCITING.

YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?

I GET TO VENT, AND I GET TO RELAX, AND I GET TO GET AWAY FROM THE TEMPERATURES OUTSIDE THE HUMIDITY.

TROY WASN'T AWARE THAT STARTING MONDAY, THE CITY'S 4.8 MILE, 22 STOP STREETCAR SYSTEM WILL SHUT DOWN FOR WHAT LOOKS LIKE WILL BE A MONTH.

JESSE RUSH IS DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC TRANSIT AND PARKING FOR OKLAHOMA CITY.

HE SAYS A LOT GOES IN TO TEARING DOWN THE OLD MYRIAD CONVENTION CENTER THAT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT IN 1972.

IT WILL ALSO BE THE NEW BILLION DOLLAR HOME OF THE 2024 2025 NBA WORLD CHAMPION OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER.

THE NEW ARENA IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN THE SUMMER OF 2028.

CITY SPOKESPERSON KRISTIE YEAGER TOLD ME THIS WEEK THE THUNDER COULD STILL PLAY A FEW GAMES IN 2028 AT PAYCOM CENTER UNTIL THE NEW ARENA IS READY.

OKLAHOMA CITY'S METROPOLITAN AREA PROJECTS, OR MAPS, IS IN CHARGE OF THAT.

AND PART OF THAT MEANS THAT THEY HAVE TO PUT IN WHAT'S CALLED SHEET PILING TO PROTECT THE DEMOLITION.

AND SO TO DO THAT, THEY ACTUALLY HAVE TO SET UP IN TRAFFIC ALONG THE STREETCAR TRACKS.

AND SO IT PREVENTS US FROM BEING ABLE TO PROVIDE SERVICE.

AND THIS ALSO GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT AND DO SOME CLEANUP ON OUR PLATFORMS, SOME SOME NEEDED MAINTENANCE ON OUR PLATFORMS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS.

BUT AS FAR AS SERVICE GOES, WE'LL BE PROVIDING WHAT'S CALLED A BUS BRIDGE.

SO WE'LL ACTUALLY BE RUNNING SOME SOME OF OUR BUSSES ON THE ROUTE, SO THEY REALLY WON'T SKIP A BEAT WITH THE BUSSES.

RIDERS WILL BOARD A SHUTTLE AT ANY OF OKLAHOMA CITY'S 22 STREETCAR STOPS, AND THEY WILL COME BY EVERY 25 30 MINUTES.

JUST LIKE THE STREETCARS.

WE TECHNICALLY WON'T MISS A DAY OF SERVICE, BUT THE STREETCARS WON'T BE PROVIDING THAT SERVICE.

OKC STREETCARS STARTED ROLLING IN DECEMBER OF 2018 AFTER A GREAT FIRST YEAR.

RIDERSHIP TOOK A DIP DURING THE PANDEMIC, SO DID JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE.

THIS YEAR, RIDERSHIP IS UP OVER 50,000 FROM LAST YEAR.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO SEE A LOT MORE FOLKS COMING AND LIVING DOWNTOWN JUST TO BE A PART OF WHAT'S GOING ON, SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED TO SEE ALL OF IT, AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE A PART OF IT.

TROY WEBB SAYS HE CANNOT BELIEVE HOW FAR OKLAHOMA CITY HAS COME.

WE CAME A LONG WAYS.

WE'RE GETTING SIDEWALKS AND LIKE, BIKES CAN RIDE.

THEY GOT THEIR OWN LITTLE AREA THAT THEY CAN RIDE, SO IT'S LIKE PRETTY MUCH MORE SAFER TO COMMUTE.

IS THIS STREETCAR PAUSE GOING TO IMPACT THE THUNDER GAMES AT ALL.

SO THERE'S A POTENTIAL THAT THE STREETCAR PAUSE COULD HAVE SOME IMPACT TO THOSE FIRST COUPLE OF GAMES.

BUT AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO BE PROVIDING THAT BUS SERVICE, RUSH SAYS.

AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE MOVE TO DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY, THE POPULARITY OF STREETCARS AND BUSSES WILL GROW.

SO THE BUS SERVICE IS DOWN TO 75 BUS SERVICE.

WE'RE SEEING EXPONENTIAL GROWTH ALSO, JUST LIKE WE ARE ON THE STREETCAR, WE'RE GOING TO SEE OVER 3 MILLION FOLKS USE OUR BUS SERVICE THIS COMING YEAR.

CHARLES STOUT DIRECTS OPERATIONS AT THE BRICKTOWN BREWERY.

HE'S BEEN THERE FOR 33 YEARS.

YEAH, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF TEAR DOWNS AND A LOT OF BUILD UPS.

AND EVERY TIME IT'S BETTER AFTERWARDS.

YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME THE THE STREETCARS ARE A GREAT PART OF WHAT WE DO DOWN HERE.

THE PEOPLE LOVE THEM AND THEY'RE FUN.

BUT EVERYBODY LOVES THE THUNDER MORE, YOU KNOW.

AND THE THUNDER ARE A FOLK OUR FOCUS AND AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO BUILD A BEAUTIFUL NEW ARENA.

THAT'S NBA TOP TEN.

WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT UP WITH A LITTLE CONSTRUCTION FOR A WHILE.

WE'RE ALL USED TO IT.

OKLAHOMA CITIZENS ARE GREAT.

THEY ALWAYS FIND US NO MATTER WHAT WE DO TO THE ROADS, HE SAYS.

BUSINESS BOOMS IN BRICKTOWN.

WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A LOT MORE ACCEPTABLE IN OKLAHOMA CITY THAN IT HAS BEEN IN A LONG TIME.

THE TROLLEYS DID A LOT FOR THAT.

AND THEN PEOPLE START LOOKING AROUND.

THEY REALIZE THE BUS IS PRETTY NICE TOO.

THOSE BUSSES ARE REALLY, REALLY NICE, AIR CONDITIONED, AIR CONDITIONED, AND THEY GET YOU THERE FAST AND IT SAVES YOU PARKING AND CAN ACTUALLY SAVE YOU A TON OF MONEY USING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

MIKE PETRIE AND HIS WIFE JULIE WERE IN TOWN THIS WEEK ON A WORKING VACATION FROM THEIR HOME IN NEW MEXICO.

WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF OKLAHOMA CITY?

I LOVE OKLAHOMA CITY, ESPECIALLY BRICKTOWN.

MIKE WORKS IN OIL AND GAS.

WELL, THIS IS MY FIRST TIME TO RIDE A BUS OR A STREETCAR HERE.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

IT'S GREAT.

YOU WATCH THE OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER MUCH DOWN THERE?

YES I DO.

ARE THEY GOING TO REPEAT?

I THINK THEY COULD.

THEY HAVE THE YOUNG TALENT TO DO IT FOR SURE.

AS THIS NEW GENERATION COMES UP, WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

AND THIS INTERRUPTION TO THE TROLLEY IS JUST A BLIP IN THE OCEAN.

IT WILL NOT TAKE LONG.

AND THEN ONCE WE GET BACK, I THINK IT WILL COME BACK EVEN STRONGER.

CHARLES STOUT ALSO NOW HEADS THE BRICKTOWN ASSOCIATION, AND HE SAYS THE THUNDER HAVE DRIVEN AN INCREDIBLE DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY RENAISSANCE, AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WILL PLAY ITS ROLE GOING FORWARD.

RICH, STEVE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

A REMARKABLE FIVE TON SCULPTURE TO COMMEMORATE THE CIVIL RIGHTS SIT IN AT THE KATZ DRUGSTORE IN 1958, IS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE AT A PLAZA IN DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY.

IT'S LOCATED ON THE SITE OF THE ORIGINAL DRUGSTORE, WHICH NO LONGER EXISTS.

IT'S BEING CONSTRUCTED BY A STUDIO IN BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, AND IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY NOVEMBER 1ST.

NOW THAT THE LUNCH COUNTER IS IN PLACE, SEVERAL STANDING FIGURES WILL SOON BE ADDED TO COMPLETE THE SCULPTURE.

WE STAGED A PHOTO SHOOT AT THE PROSPECT CHURCH, IN WHICH WE BROUGHT A SHIPPED OUT FROM NEW YORK.

A MOCK UP OF THE LUNCH COUNTER AND PASTOR LEE COOPER GATHERED A GROUP OF YOUNG STUDENTS TO FUNCTION AS ACTORS FOR US, AND WE DID A PHOTO SHOOT IN WHICH WE DID A RECREATION OF THE SET, AND THAT WAS USED TO ESTABLISH THE POSES FOR THE STANDING FIGURES, WHICH YOU DON'T SEE HERE, BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW IS HALF THE PROJECT.

CLARA LUPER WILL BE HERE.

THERE'S A WAITRESS AND I THINK 6 OR 7 STANDING STUDENTS.

I WANTED TO CRY, BUT I'M TOO BIG TO CRY, BUT I JUST, I, I STOOD BACK AND I REALIZED THAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, SOMEBODY PAID ATTENTION.

BUT I AM SO PROUD OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE IN OKLAHOMA CITY THAT HELPED MAKE THE CHANGE, BECAUSE WE WERE 7 TO 17 YEARS OLD THAT WENT DOWN TO CATCH DRUGSTORE.

OF COURSE, MARILYN WAS ONE OF THE CHILDREN WHO TOOK PART IN THAT SIT IN 67 YEARS AGO.

A NEW AI DATA CENTER IS OPENING IN OKLAHOMA CITY THAT WILL OPERATE WHAT ITS CREATORS SAY IS THE LARGEST COMPUTER CHIP IN THE WORLD, 56 TIMES LARGER THAN ANYTHING ELSE CURRENTLY IN USE.

ACCORDING TO CEREBRAS CEO AND FOUNDER ANDREW FELDMAN, THE NEW FACILITY IS CALLED THE SCALED DATA CENTER ON THE EXPAND ENERGY CAMPUS.

IT IS BUILT TO WITHSTAND TORNADOES AND EARTHQUAKES.

AND YES, A CHIP THAT SIZE IS GOING TO USE A HUGE AMOUNT OF ELECTRICITY.

A CONCERN FOR MANY COMMUNITIES WHERE THESE LARGE DATA CENTERS ARE BEING CONSTRUCTED.

I DOES USE A LOT OF POWER.

THERE'S NO WAY AROUND THAT.

THE QUESTION IS TWOFOLD.

ONE, HOW DOES IT COMPARE TO TO OTHER CHIPS WHO ARE TRYING TO DO SIMILAR WORK?

AND WE USE ABOUT A THIRD THE POWER PER UNIT COMPUTE.

SO IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARILY EFFICIENT DEVICE.

THAT'S NUMBER ONE.

AND THE SECOND IS WHEN YOU USE POWER ANY AMOUNT OF POWER, THE QUESTION IS WHAT GOOD CAN YOU CAN YOU GET FROM IT.

AND WITH OUR WORK WE HAVE SEEN MAJOR BREAKTHROUGHS IN MEDICINE.

OUR INDUSTRY HAS AN OBLIGATION TO TO TO NOT JUST USE POWER, BUT TO USE IT FOR GOOD.

FELDMAN SAYS HE EXPECTS THE NEW DATA CENTER WILL CREATE HUNDREDS OF NEW JOBS WHEN FULLY OPERATIONAL.

17 MONTHS AFTER A DEVASTATING TORNADO.

DOLLAR TREE BREAKS GROUND ON A NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN SOUTH CENTRAL OKLAHOMA.

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

DOLLAR TREE BROKE GROUND THIS WEEK ON ITS NEW 1,000,000 SQUARE FOOT DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN MARIETTA, REPLACING THE ONE WHICH WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BY A TORNADO IN APRIL OF 2024.

THIS MARKS THE RETURN OF THE COMPANY TO THE REGION, SINCE THE TWISTER RIPPED THROUGH THE LOVE COUNTY TOWN.

DOLLAR TREE ALSO ANNOUNCED $50,000 IN COMMUNITY GRANTS TO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA.

THE NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER IS EXPECTED TO BE OPERATIONAL IN THE SPRING OF 2027.

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY HAD AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $3.82 BILLION ON OKLAHOMA'S ECONOMY LAST YEAR.

OSU SUPPORTED NEARLY 27,000 JOBS THROUGH THAT ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND PRODUCED $110.3 MILLION IN STATE AND LOCAL TAX REVENUE.

THE REPORT FROM THE OKLAHOMA STATE REGENTS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION SHOWS THAT OSU RECEIVED $231.4 MILLION IN STATE APPROPRIATIONS LAST YEAR, AND BREAKING THAT DOWN FOR EVERY DOLLAR INVESTED BY LAWMAKERS, IT GENERATED $16.51 IN TOTAL ECONOMIC OUTPUT.

THE REPORT SHOWS THAT THE TOTAL ECONOMIC IMPACT BY THE STATE'S ENTIRE HIGHER ED SYSTEM WAS $14.61 BILLION.

TEN VOLUNTEER LINE WORKERS FROM FIVE ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES IN OKLAHOMA RECENTLY TRAVELED TO SHIPROCK, NEW MEXICO, TO WORK WITH THE NAVAJO TRIBAL UTILITY AUTHORITY TO BUILD POWER LINES IN THE HIGH DESERT REGION.

THE LIGHT UP NAVAJO PROJECT BEGAN IN 2019 TO EXPAND ELECTRIC SERVICE TO AREAS POORLY SERVED.

IT'S BROUGHT ELECTRICITY TO SOME NAVAJO FAMILIES FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME.

900 PLUS HOMES IN THE NAVAJO NATION NOW HAVE ELECTRICITY.

IT'S ESTIMATED ABOUT 10,000 NAVAJO HOMES ON THE RESERVATION DO NOT HAVE ELECTRIC SERVICE.

REAL ESTATE AND FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPANY BARRY ROCK HAS BROKEN GROUND ON ITS NEW BUILDING IN OKLAHOMA CITY'S FLATIRON DISTRICT, NEAR DOWNTOWN.

THE FOUR STORY BUILDING WAS DESIGNED BY OKLAHOMA ARCHITECT RAND ELLIOTT TO BE A SIGNATURE BUILDING IN THE URBAN CORE.

BARRY ROCK'S HOME, REAL ESTATE, INSURANCE AND MORTGAGE DIVISIONS WILL BE LOCATED IN THE BUILDING.

IT WILL ALSO HOST PRISON BANK AND A BRANCH LOCATION FOR OKLAHOMA CITY.

ABSTRACT AND TITLE CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO TAKE 18 MONTHS.

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR OGE ENERGY CORP.

DECLARED A FOURTH QUARTER DIVIDEND OF FOUR AND A QUARTER CENTS A SHARE.

IF SHAREHOLDERS HAVE THE COMPANY'S COMMON STOCK IN THEIR PORTFOLIO BY OCTOBER 6TH, THEY'LL RECEIVE THE DIVIDEND PAYOUT ON OCTOBER 31ST.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON, THANKS.

THE MAKERS OF TYLENOL AND MANY SCIENTISTS AND DOCTORS ARE DISPUTING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S NEW GUIDANCE THAT PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD AVOID TAKING THE PAIN RELIEVER BECAUSE IT MAY CAUSE THEIR CHILD TO BE BORN WITH AUTISM.

WITH MORE ON THAT, AND WHY IT HAS BEEN SO DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN THE RAPID RISE OF AUTISM AMONG AMERICAN CHILDREN, HERE'S MODERATOR CASSIDY MUDD AND HER PANEL OF GUESTS WITH THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION.

CASSIDY, RICH.

JUST THIS WEEK, BOTH THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OBSTETRICIANS AND GYNECOLOGISTS AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION HAVE SAID THAT THERE IS NO CONCLUSIVE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE LINKING ACETAMINOPHEN USE DURING PREGNANCY TO AUTISM.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE FDA HAS ANNOUNCED IT IS MOVING TO CHANGE THE LABELING ON ACETAMINOPHEN TO SUGGEST THAT IT MAY CAUSE AUTISM.

JOINING US NOW TO TALK ABOUT WHAT WE DO KNOW ABOUT AUTISM IS EMILY SCOTT, WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AUTISM FOUNDATION OKLAHOMA.

WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY DALE SPOONAMORE, WHO IS A BOARD MEMBER AT AUTISM OKLAHOMA.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US HERE ON IN DEPTH.

SO, EMILY, TO START, CAN YOU EXPLAIN FOR US AND VIEWERS THAT MAY NOT KNOW WHAT AUTISM IS?

AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN WE SAY SOMEBODY IS ON THE SPECTRUM?

SURE.

SO AUTISM IS A NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDER.

IT'S TYPICALLY CHARACTERIZED BY COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES, DIFFICULTY WITH SOCIAL INTERACTIONS, REPETITIVE BEHAVIOR, AND SPECIAL INTERESTS.

USUALLY, YOU KNOW, WE RECOMMEND THAT CHILDREN BE SCREENED AS EARLY AS 18 MONTHS AND A DIAGNOSIS BEFORE THE AGE OF THREE IS DEFINITELY PREFERRED.

AND SO, DALE, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION THAT WE HEAR ABOUT AUTISM?

AND KIND OF PAINT A PICTURE FOR US OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

I THINK THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION MAKES THAT PICTURE HARD TO PAINT, BECAUSE THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION IS THERE'S ONE FLAVOR OF AUTISM, AND THE REALITY IS THAT IT'S SUCH A BROAD SPECTRUM THAT AFFECTS PEOPLE SO DIFFERENTLY.

SO I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION, IS THAT WHAT THEY SEE ON TV OF MAYBE A CERTAIN CHARACTER IS WHAT EVERY AUTISTIC PERSON IS, AND THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT IS AT ALL.

AND EVERYONE HAS THEIR OWN UNIQUE CHALLENGES, BUT ALSO STRENGTHS S THAT CAN COME FROM IT AS WELL.

AND I WISH MORE PEOPLE WOULD KNOW.

I THINK YOU KIND OF JUST LAID IT OUT THERE, BUT ANYTHING ELSE?

THE GENERAL POPULATION JUST YOU KNOW THAT AGAIN, IT IS THERE'S A BROAD SPECTRUM OF, OF OF EXPERIENCES THAT PEOPLE HAVE.

AND THERE'S ALSO A BROAD SPECTRUM OF, OF BENEFITS AND ABILITIES PEOPLE LIKE THAT HAVE AS WELL.

AND THAT I THINK A LOT OF TIMES IT'S PAINTED AS SOMETHING THAT'S ALWAYS NEGATIVE.

AND I THINK THERE ARE CERTAINLY CASES WHERE IT CREATES A VERY DIFFICULT LIFE FOR SOME PEOPLE.

THERE'S ALSO CASES WHERE IT ALLOWS FOR THINGS LIKE THE IPHONE AND THE INTERNET TO BE MADE, BECAUSE IT TAKES PEOPLE ON THE SPECTRUM TO BE ABLE TO LASER FOCUS AND FIGURE SOME OF THESE THINGS OUT.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK JUST UNDERSTANDING THE REALITY THAT IT IS A SPECTRUM, AND THAT'S A VERY GOOD WORD FOR IT.

I LIKE HOW YOU PUT POSITIVE, YOU KNOW, POSITIVE EFFECTS.

LIKE TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN LOCKING IN.

YOU KNOW, TELL US.

WELL I CAN SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE ON THIS, SO I'M ON THE SPECTRUM.

WHEN I WAS A KID, I ACTED WAY DIFFERENT THAN I DID NOW.

I'VE READ A LOT OF BOOKS, AND I'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, MORE ABOUT MYSELF.

BUT I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT MY ABILITY TO, YOU KNOW, I LEARNED HOW TO GARDEN.

AND THEN I BUILT A GARDENING APP, AND NOW IT'S ONE OF THE LARGEST GARDENING APPS IN THE APP STORE.

AND THAT WAS BECAUSE OF MY LASER FOCUS ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO LEARN HOW TO CODE AND THEN BUILD AN APP AND THEN DEDICATE FIVE YEARS TO MARKETING IT AND DOING ALL THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, LIKE, THAT'S INCREDIBLE BECAUSE I GET LOCKED IN AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A BENEFIT.

BUT AGAIN, THERE'S ALSO I WANT TO BALANCE THIS WITH THE REALITY THAT THERE'S A BROAD SPECTRUM.

AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY HARSHER REALITIES.

BUT EVEN WITHIN THOSE HARSHER REALITIES, I'VE MET PEOPLE THROUGH OUR ORGANIZATION THAT YOU MAY NOT RECOGNIZE THE TALENT THEY HAVE, BUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THEIR MIND IS SO BEAUTIFUL.

AND IF WHEN THEY GET IT OUT THROUGH ART AND THROUGH DIFFERENT FORMS OF EXPRESSION, IT'S BREATHTAKING.

INCREDIBLE.

WELL, EMILY, HOW WAS AUTISM DIAGNOSED TODAY AND WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT PARENTS CAN BE LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY THINK THAT THEIR CHILD MIGHT HAVE AUTISM?

SURE.

SO TYPICALLY IT'S DIAGNOSED BY A PHYSICIAN, LIKE A NEURODEVELOPMENTAL PEDIATRICIAN OR A PSYCHIATRIST, AND THAT IT'S BASED OFF OF PARENT OBSERVATION AND THE OBSERVATION OF THAT PHYSICIAN.

THE DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL, IT'S CALLED DSM.

I THINK WE'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT IN THE LAST WEEK IS USED TO DIAGNOSE CHILDREN.

WE'RE IN OUR FIFTH EDITION NOW, AND IT WAS LAST UPDATED IN 2013.

AND THAT'S WHEN AUTISM BECAME A SPECTRUM DISORDER.

SO AGAIN, IT'S USUALLY THAT PARENT OBSERVATION PHYSICIAN OBSERVATION.

AND I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND QUESTION.

NO, THE SECOND QUESTION IS JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT PARENTS SHOULD LOOK FOR.

SO SPEAKING OF APPS, THERE'S A REALLY GREAT APP THAT THE CDC HAS THAT TRACKS DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONES.

AND SO WE OFTEN RECOMMEND THAT TO FAMILIES.

THERE ARE SEVERAL MILESTONES THAT YOUR CHILD SHOULD BE HITTING AT DIFFERENT AGES AND STAGES OF THEIR LIFE.

AND SO BEING ABLE TO TRACK THOSE THROUGH SOMETHING LIKE AN APP CAN BE REALLY HELPFUL.

WHEN YOU TAKE CONCERNS TO YOUR PHYSICIAN.

AND EMILY, IN RECENT DECADES, WE'RE HEARING ABOUT DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM RISING.

WHY ARE WE SEEING THAT?

SO UNFORTUNATELY, WE DON'T HAVE A CENTRAL AGENCY OR ORGANIZATION COLLECTING OKLAHOMA DATA IN THAT WAY.

WE CAN SURMISE FROM THE CDC'S PREVALENCE, 1 IN 31 CHILDREN, 1 IN 45 ADULTS, THAT IT'S SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 90 AND 120,000 INDIVIDUALS IN OKLAHOMA ON THE SPECTRUM.

AND THEN I THINK THAT THAT'S I'M REALLY GLAD YOU ASKED THE QUESTION ABOUT THE RISING DIAGNOSIS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S GETTING LOST IN THE CONVERSATION A LOT.

I THINK WE'RE BETTER AT SPOTTING IT.

CLINICIANS ARE SPOTTING IT EARLIER.

I MEAN, PARENTS HAVE A BETTER GENERAL AWARENESS.

THERE'S ALSO A DE-STIGMATISATION IN SOCIETY.

BUT I THINK THE BIGGEST ONE IS THAT CHANGING DIAGNOSTIC CRITERIA.

I MEAN, I KNOW WHEN MY SON WAS DIAGNOSED IN 2006, HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PDD-NOS.

IT'S A PERVASIVE DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY.

IN 2013, WHEN THE CRITERIA CHANGED, EVERYONE WHO WAS DIAGNOSED PREVIOUSLY WITH ASPERGER'S OR PDD-NOS NOW FELL UNDER THE DIAGNOSIS OF AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER.

AND THAT CHANGE IN 2013 REALLY BROADENED THE POPULATION.

SO A LOT OF CHANGES THERE.

AND DALE, TALKING ABOUT WHAT WHAT BARRIERS STILL EXIST FOR PEOPLE WITH AUTISM WHEN IT COMES TO EDUCATION, JOBS OR HEALTH CARE OR BEING IN SCHOOL?

I THINK THERE'S STILL JUST AN UNDERSTANDING.

I'VE BEEN IN SITUATIONS MYSELF WHERE MAYBE I'M IN A JOB INTERVIEW AND IT'S FOR A CODING THING, AND THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE INTERVIEW ROOM NEXT TO ME WHERE IT'S A LOUD NOISE THAT ISN'T A CONSISTENT BEAT, AND I'M TRYING TO, LIKE MY BRAIN CANNOT HELP BUT THINK ABOUT THAT WHILE THEY'RE ASKING ME TO SOLVE A CODING PROBLEM.

AND IN THAT SITUATION, I FELT LIKE THEY REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, LIKE WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE ON THE SPECTRUM, OR AT LEAST THAT ASPECT OF IT FOR ME, WHERE I CAN'T DO THE THINGS I NORMALLY DO, WHEN I'M ABLE TO SOLVE HARD PROBLEMS AND DO ALL THE CODING CHALLENGES I CAN DO NORMALLY IF I'M IN MY SAFE SPACE.

BUT IF I'M NOT IN THAT SAFE SPACE, I'M LIKE, NOT ME.

AND IT'S ALMOST LIKE, FEELS LIKE SUPERMAN WITHOUT A CAPE.

ALMOST.

OR HOWEVER YOU WANT TO ANALOGY, YOU WANT TO GIVE.

YOU KNOW, I JUST FEEL LIKE THE POWERS I CAN NORMALLY TURN TO THAT I'VE DONE IN MY WHOLE LIFE SOMETIMES AREN'T THERE.

AND THAT'S A TERRIFYING FEELING BECAUSE IT MAKES ME FEEL LIKE, OH, I'M A FRAUD OR, YOU KNOW, AND THEN JUST MAKES YOU FEEL OUT OF YOUR ELEMENT.

YES.

YEAH.

SO JUST AN UNDERSTANDING OF THAT, THAT THE MORE THEY CAN DO TO CREATE SPACES THAT MAYBE ARE CONSIDERING SENSORY THINGS AND MAYBE DON'T HAVE ONE RANDOM FLICKERING LIGHT THAT'S A DIFFERENT SHADE OF LIGHT THAN ALL THE OTHER COLORS IN THE ROOM THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME CANNOT HELP BUT THINK ABOUT.

IT'S JUST IT JUST TAKES OVER YOUR BRAIN BECAUSE YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT IT AND YOU'RE LIKE, I CANNOT FOCUS NOW.

YEAH.

AND WHEN PEOPLE BRING.

YEAH.

AND WHEN PEOPLE BRING THESE UP, LISTEN TO THEM, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S LIKE, YOU KNOW, JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE LISTENING FOR THINGS LIKE THAT AND NOT, YOU KNOW, MAKING FUN OF IT OR DOWNPLAYING IT.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WAS WHAT HAPPENED A LOT 20 YEARS AGO, WHEREAS NOW IT'S REALLY BEING BEING MORE UNDERSTANDING.

YEAH, IT'S WAY BETTER BECAUSE IT DOESN'T AFFECT ME.

DOESN'T MEAN IT DOESN'T AFFECT YOU.

YEAH.

WELL, EMILY, TELL US A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT.

HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR EVERYONE?

DEFINITELY CONTINUING EDUCATION, LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE SPECTRUM AND HOW IT AFFECTS THE BROAD POPULATION.

I THINK WHAT WE HEARD A LOT THIS PAST WEEK IN THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS CONFERENCE WAS ABOUT ONE SUBSET OF AUTISM THAT'S SEVERE AND PROFOUND, BUT IT IS A VERY BROAD DIAGNOSIS WITH THREE DIFFERENT LEVELS.

AND, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO INCLUDE THESE INDIVIDUALS IN THE WORKPLACE, AS DEL SAID, ALSO IN SCHOOL, THAT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT, DOING THAT DIRECT OUTREACH, BEFRIENDING, YOU KNOW, BEYOND EMPLOYMENT AND PROVIDING SOCIAL OPPORTUNITIES IS ALSO CRITICAL.

DALE, WHERE CAN FAMILIES IN OKLAHOMA GO TO FIND RESOURCES?

SO AUTISM OKLAHOMA.

ORG.

WE HAVE 85 DIFFERENT PROGRAMS SET UP THAT HELP 84,500 PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE ON A YEARLY BASIS.

AND WE HAVE COMMUNITY GROUPS THAT ARE SET UP FOR DIFFERENT INTEREST GROUPS.

AND WE HAVE PROGRAMS LIKE FILM PROGRAMS AND ART PROGRAMS AND MIX AND MINGLE EVENTS FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS.

AND SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHERE WE'RE A GREAT RESOURCE FOR FOR FAMILIES TO TURN TO.

IS FOUNDED IN 2002 BY, BY FAMILIES THAT WANTED TO CREATE AN ORGANIZATION TO, TO GET THEIR KIDS TOGETHER AND MEETING WITH OTHER KIDS ON THE SPECTRUM.

SO THAT'S STILL THAT'S THE CORE FOCUS OF THE ORGANIZATION TODAY.

EMILY, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ORGANIZATION.

SO WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A SIMILAR ORIGIN STORY.

AND BECAUSE AUTISM OKLAHOMA DOES SUCH FANTASTIC WORK IN THE COMMUNITY THE WAY THEY DO, WE WORK A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES.

WE WORK ON INCLUSION IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO WE TRAIN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS, POLICE, FIRST RESPONDERS, CHILD CARE WORKERS SOON WILL BE TRAINING CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PROFESSIONALS.

AND SO WE REALLY WANT TO TOUCH THE AREAS THAT ARE TOUCHING THE LIVES OF AUTISTIC OKLAHOMANS AND HOW WE CAN HELP THEM BETTER SERVE THIS POPULATION.

DALE, WHAT CAN OKLAHOMANS DO TO HELP BETTER SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH AUTISM?

AND WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT REALLY HELPED YOU OUT PERSONALLY?

THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE THAT WAS MADE FOR ME WAS JUST AN UNDERSTANDING OF GETTING THAT, LIKE, NOT OF UNDERSTANDING HOW I WAS DIFFERENT AND THEN BEGINNING TO GO DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE OF BOOKS ABOUT IT AND ALL OF THAT, AND THEN LEARNING ALONG THE WAY HOW TO ARTICULATE THAT TO OTHER PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I'M WALKING IN WITH A SET OF RULES OF HOW YOU HAVE TO INTERACT WITH ME, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT WAS A CHALLENGE IN THE BEGINNING.

YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THAT PERSON THAT'S LIKE DIFFICULT TO WORK WITH, YOU KNOW?

SO I THINK JUST WHAT OKLAHOMA CAN DO IS I THINK WHAT OKLAHOMA DOES A GREAT JOB OF IS HAVING EMPATHY FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND DOING AND TRYING TO DO A GOOD JOB OF PUTTING THEMSELVES IN OTHER PEOPLE'S SHOES.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THERE'S A GREAT VIDEO OUT THERE ON YOUTUBE THAT'S A AUTISM SIMULATION VIDEO OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE IN A SHOPPING MALL IN THE SPECTRUM, AND IT REALLY DOES A GOOD JOB, AND ESPECIALLY IF YOU DO IT IN VR, I'VE DONE IT IN VR.

TELL ME ABOUT IT.

TELL ME ABOUT IT.

OH, IT'S IT'S BASICALLY BEING IN A MALL AND IT'S ALL THE SOUNDS AMPLIFIED AND EVERYTHING JUST BEING HEIGHTENED, RIGHT?

YEAH.

AND I'VE HAD PEOPLE DO THAT EXPERIENCE.

MY WIFE DO IT.

AND SHE WAS LIKE, OH MY GOSH.

LIKE, NOW I UNDERSTAND.

AND NOW WHEN WE'RE IN THOSE EXPERIENCES, SHE GOES BACK TO THAT SIMULATION.

AND NOW SHE'S ABLE TO LIKE HELP UNDERSTAND WHY I'M STARTING TO FREAK OUT.

SO WE'RE HAVING ALL THIS GOING ON BECAUSE SHE'S EXPERIENCED THAT.

SHE'S UNDERSTOOD WHAT IT FELT LIKE.

CAUSE YOU'RE LISTENING TO EVERYTHING AT ONCE, LIKE EVERY CONVERSATION AT ONCE YOU CAN HEAR, AND THEN YOU'RE ALSO TRYING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU AND YOU'RE LIKE, OKAY, WOW.

YES.

YEAH.

AND WHAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD WANT POLICYMAKERS TO KNOW, EMILY, ABOUT THIS TOPIC.

SO WE DO A GREAT JOB IN THIS STATE WITH EARLY INTERVENTION, EARLY IDENTIFICATION.

I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE SERVICES FOR ADULTS.

WE CALL IT THE CLIFF.

OFTEN.

A LOT OF TIMES WHEN KIDS GRADUATE HIGH SCHOOL, THERE'S A LACK OF SERVICES AFTER THAT.

SO THINGS LIKE JOB SKILLS, LIFE SKILLS TRAINING ARE REALLY CRITICAL.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES ARE VERY CRITICAL, SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE MORE OF THAT.

I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE SAFETY INITIATIVES AS WELL.

WHAT DO YOU THINK, DALE?

SPEND TIME WITH US.

COME OUT TO OUR EVENTS.

MEET PEOPLE ON THE SPECTRUM, UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE, BUT ALSO SEE THE BENEFITS THAT WE HAVE AND RECOGNIZE THE BEAUTY AND SOME OF THE ART THAT CAN COME OUT OF IT.

AND AND JUST, YOU KNOW, BE AND BRING US INTO OUR COMMUNITY, INTO YOUR COMMUNITY AS AND COME OUT AND TALK TO US AND LISTEN TO US COME OUT AND SPEAK.

AND YOU'RE KIND OF SPOKE ON THIS, BUT LIKE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT.

I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT VERY BRIEFLY.

YOU'VE SPOKEN ON THIS.

BUT, EMILY, THE STIGMA, HOW DO WE CUT THROUGH THAT?

AGAIN?

JUST LEARNING WHAT AUTISM IS, LEARNING THE VALUE IN THESE INDIVIDUALS AND WHAT THEY ADD TO OUR LIVES.

I LOVE THE EXAMPLE THAT YOU GAVE OF, YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO REALLY HONE IN AT WORK.

I THINK THAT THAT'S SO CRITICAL.

THERE'S JUST SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS ABOUT AUTISTIC PEOPLE.

AND SO LEARNING ALL ABOUT THE DISORDER REALLY HELPS TO DESTIGMATIZE AND SUPPORT FOR FAMILIES.

HOW DO WE HOW DO HOW DO YOUR ORGANIZATIONS HELP SUPPORT FAMILIES?

AND HOW CAN VIEWERS LIKE ME AND HOW CAN WE HELP SUPPORT FAMILIES?

SO AUTISM OKLAHOMA.

ORG WE HAVE AGAIN 85 GROUPS THAT ARE SET UP ACROSS THE STATE.

WE HAVE GROUPS IN TULSA AS WELL.

OUR FILM PROGRAM HAS GONE ON TO WIN AWARDS AND HAVE FILMS THAT HAVE BEEN FEATURED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND HAVE DONE JUST AMAZING THINGS, AND IT'S CREATED THIS COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN TOGETHER.

SOME OF OUR STORIES OF OF KIDS THAT HAVE GROWN UP AND HAVE BEEN IN THE PROGRAM FOR 20 YEARS, AND NOW THEY'VE MET THEIR SPOUSE THROUGH THE PROGRAM, AND NOW THEY'RE MARRIED, AND NOW THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, AND THERE'S ARE SO MANY COUNTLESS EXAMPLES.

SO DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ALONE IF YOU'RE OUT THERE AND YOU'RE ON THE SPECTRUM, OR IF YOU HAVE A, YOU KNOW, A KID THAT WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED, THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT ARE IN YOUR SAME POSITION AND A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THESE COMMUNITIES.

VERY BRIEFLY, CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THE FILM PROGRAM?

THAT SOUNDS REALLY EXCITING.

YEAH, SO I CAN I WISH I COULD TELL YOU MORE ABOUT IT.

I KNOW THAT THEY'RE VERY DEDICATED AND THEY'VE PRODUCED DOCUMENTARIES AND OTHER THINGS.

I WISH I COULD SPEAK MORE INTELLIGENTLY.

THAT'S OKAY, THAT'S OKAY.

YEAH.

THAT'S OKAY.

WELL, WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME HERE.

BUT, EMILY, I WANTED TO SEE IF YOU HAD ANY FINAL THOUGHTS, ANY MESSAGES GOING FORWARD.

TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR, YOUR PHYSICIAN, WHEN YOU'RE MAKING HEALTH CARE DECISIONS.

WE KNOW IT'S REALLY HARD AS A MOM, AND WE KIND OF INNATELY HAVE THAT GUILT THE MOMENT A BABY IS BORN, YOU KNOW, JUST IT'S JUST MOM GUILT, RIGHT?

AND SO I'M REALLY CONCERNED RIGHT NOW ABOUT MOMS FEELING LIKE SOMETHING IS THEIR FAULT AND FEELING GUILTY.

AND AND I HOPE THAT THAT WON'T BE THE CASE.

WE ARE DEFINITELY HERE TO SUPPORT JUST AS AUTISM OKLAHOMA.

WE'VE GOT A RESOURCE LINE THAT IS OPEN 8 TO 5 DURING THE WEEK.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING AT ALL, I WOULD ENCOURAGE THEM TO CALL AUTISM FOUNDATION OF OKLAHOMA.

AND EVEN IF THAT'S JUST TO TALK.

THAT'S WONDERFUL.

DALE, ANY FINAL THOUGHTS ON THIS TOPIC?

YES.

THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING US IN THE CONVERSATION.

AND AGAIN, ANYONE THAT'S OUT THERE THAT FEELS LIKE THEY'RE ALONE, YOU KNOW YOU'RE NOT.

AND ANYONE OUT THERE THAT FEELS LIKE YOU'RE NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE YOU'RE ON THE SPECTRUM.

YOU ARE AND YOU'RE VALUED.

AND THERE'S A LOT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE.

SO I APPRECIATE YOU BOTH SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR THIS DISCUSSION.

YEAH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU CASSIDY.

THANK YOU.

SANTA WILL GIVE INMATES PURPOSE IN TEACHING THEM NEW SKILLS.

THE CLEVELAND COUNTY JAIL IS TEAMING UP WITH LOCAL BUSINESSES TO ESTABLISH A LARGE PRODUCE GARDEN ON THE GROUNDS OF THE DETENTION CENTER IN NORMAN ON THURSDAY.

GOVERNOR KEVIN STITT ATTENDING A RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY FOR THE GARDEN, WHICH WILL PROVIDE INMATES WITH FRESH LETTUCE, SPINACH, RADISHES, CUCUMBERS, SQUASH AND BEANS.

I'M TRYING TO PROMOTE HEALTHY, YOU KNOW, MAKE OKLAHOMA HEALTHY AGAIN.

AND SO I JUST THINK FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, NOT ONLY GIVING INMATES HOPE, GETTING THEM OUTSIDE, TEACHING THEM ABOUT NATURE, BUT ALSO HEALTHY, HEALTHY LIVING, HEALTHY EATING.

I JUST THINK IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR OUR SOCIETY.

BUT MORE THAN ANYTHING, JUST SEEING THE SMILE ON THESE LADIES FACES WAS REALLY COOL.

I THINK IT'S REALLY COOL TO PUT IN THE HARD WORK AND LABOR, AND THEN HAVING THE PATIENCE TO WATCH SOMETHING GROW, AND IT MAKES ME THINK ABOUT THAT.

I NEED TO DO THE SAME THING IN MY LIFE WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE, TO REALLY CULTIVATE CHANGE IN MY LIFE.

IT GIVES US A CHANCE TO GO OUTSIDE.

VITAMIN D IS AMAZING FOR MENTAL HEALTH.

AND THERE'S, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF LOT OF MENTAL HEALTH GOES GOES IN WITH ALL OF THIS.

AND IT IT DEFINITELY LIFTS OUR SPIRITS WHEN WE GO BACK IN THERE FOR SURE.

MATERIALS AND SEEDS FOR THE GARDEN WERE PROVIDED BY PRAIRIE DIRT SOLUTIONS AND ECO WOOD SOLUTIONS.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, STATE OFFICIALS SOUND THE ALARM ON THE ALARMING RATE OF ELDER ABUSE IN OUR STATE IS LEADING TO LIVES WELL LED BEING RUINED.

STEVE SHAW REPORTS FRIDAY AT SEVEN.

WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE YOU THIS WEEK WITH AN EARLY MORNING LOOK AT OU'S MEMORIAL STADIUM ON GAME DAY, PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY JASON STEWART.

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

AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO WATCH ANY OF THE REPORTS ON 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.

JUST FOR THE RECORD, OKLAHOMA HAS THE BEST HOME RECORD IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THIS CENTURY.

142 AND 15 YOU DIDN'T KNOW THAT, DID YOU?

LOOK IT.

SEE, THAT'S A GOOD STAT.