PROOF.

STARRING GWYNETH PALTROW AND ANTHONY HOPKINS.

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

SUPERINTENDENT WALTERS DECLINES TO ATTEND A MEETING OF THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION, CALLED BY THE BOARD MEMBERS THEMSELVES.

WELL, IF IF I WAS A BETTING MAN, WHICH I'M NOT, I WOULD HAVE BET THAT HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HERE.

IMPROVING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN FIRST RESPONDERS AND PEOPLE DEALING WITH PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITIES.

IT'S GOING TO CREATE A BETTER ATMOSPHERE OR ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM, AND THEN WE CAN INTERACT WITH THEM IN A SAFER MANNER.

WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS CELEBRATED IN CLAREMORE.

WE NEED TO DO AN EVENT, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING BIG AND GRAND FOR THESE GUYS.

AN IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION ON THE PREVALENCE OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN OKLAHOMA.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT SEX.

THIS IS ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL.

MEET THE VISIONARY BEHIND THE SUCCESSFUL RESTORATION OF AN OKLAHOMA LANDMARK.

THIS HAS BEEN A PASSION PROJECT.

I'VE BEEN A LEON RUSSELL FAN MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND SO IT REALLY NEEDED TO HAPPEN.

PLUS, A PROFILE OF THE MAN BEHIND THE BANJO STRUMMING FROG.

NEXT ON THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT.

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

I'M RICH LENZ.

NO ONE WAS QUITE SURE WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN STATE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS CALLED THEIR OWN SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD AFTER SUPERINTENDENT RYAN WALTERS CANCELED THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED MONTHLY MEETING LAST WEEK.

SO HOW DID IT GO?

EDUCATION REPORTER TAYLOR JACKSON JOINS US NOW WITH THE ANSWER.

TAYLOR.

RICH.

THIS WEEK'S MEETING LOOKED A LOT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'RE USED TO SEEING.

IN FACT, THIS IS ONE OF THE SHORTEST STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS I'VE EVER BEEN TO.

ALL RIGHT, IT'S 10:00.

I'M GOING TO CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER WITH SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION RYAN WALTERS NOWHERE IN SIGHT.

AT WEDNESDAY'S SPECIAL BOARD MEETING HELD AT THE STATE CAPITOL, THE BOARD CARRIED ON WITHOUT HIM.

I WOULD APPRECIATE THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE FOR THEIR HELP.

BRANDON TATUM, SECRETARY OF STATE SANDERS IS HERE WITH US TODAY.

SHE DID A LOT BEHIND THE SCENES.

MIKE TENNEY, WHO SERVED AS THE CHAIR AT WEDNESDAY'S MEETING, SAYS HE AND OTHER MEMBERS WEREN'T ENTIRELY SURE IF THE SUPERINTENDENT WOULD SHOW UP.

I THINK HE TOLD CHRIS THAT HE WAS GOING TO BE HERE.

THEN WE HEARD HE WAS NOT GOING TO BE HERE.

AND BEFORE THAT, MAYBE WE WE DID NOT KNOW UNTIL THE MEETING STARTED.

WE WERE WONDERING WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS GOING TO COME.

IF IF I WAS A BETTING MAN, WHICH I'M NOT, I WOULD HAVE BET THAT HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN HERE.

THERE WERE INDICATIONS COMING FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION THAT HE WOULD BE HERE.

I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS JUST PART OF HIS NORMAL SHTICK TO KEEP THINGS IN FLUX, BUT WE WE PLANNED AS IF HE WOULDN'T.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FIRST SIT DOWN BETWEEN BOARD MEMBERS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT SINCE MEMBER BECKY CARSON AND RYAN DEATHRIDGE REPORTED TO NONDOC AND THE OKLAHOMAN THAT THEY SAW NUDE IMAGES ON WALTERS TV DURING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION IN JULY, CARSON WAS ASKED IF SHE THOUGHT THE TV SCANDAL MAY HAVE PLAYED A ROLE IN WALTERS ABSENCE.

WELL, I WOULD HOPE I KNOW THAT THE BOARD MEMBERS THAT WERE REPRESENTED HERE TODAY ARE ADULTS.

WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT OURSELVES AS PROFESSIONAL ADULTS, AND THAT THAT'S WHAT I WOULD HOPE HE COULD DO.

WE CONTACTED THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO SEE WHY SUPERINTENDENT WALTERS WAS NOT PRESENT AT WEDNESDAY'S MEETING.

THE OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S PRESS SECRETARY SAYS SUPERINTENDENT WALTERS IS FOCUSED ON TACKLING THE BIG ISSUES FACING OKLAHOMA SCHOOLS AND IS PLEASED TO WELCOME RYAN LEONARD TO THE TEAM.

TWO OTHER BOARD MEMBERS, SARAH LEPAK AND ZACHARY ARCHER, WERE MISSING WEDNESDAY MORNING AS WELL.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANKS TO EVERYBODY THAT HELPED SET THIS MEETING UP.

WITH THAT WE WANT TO GET INTO.

NOT ONLY IS THIS THE FIRST MEETING, SPECIAL MEETING, BUT I HOPE IT'S ALSO THE SHORTEST BOARD MEETING WE'VE EVER HAD.

IN SHORT, IT WAS LESS THAN EIGHT MINUTES, TO BE EXACT.

THAT'S THE WAY A BOARD MEETING SHOULD GO.

NO.

NO THEATRICS, NO ANYTHING.

AND JUST TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS.

IT'S A SHAME THAT WE HAD TO DO THAT.

THEY HAD TO DO THIS.

YOU KNOW, WITH ONLY TWO ACTION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, THE BOARD GOT STRAIGHT TO BUSINESS.

MR. CHAIRMAN, I MAKE A MOTION THAT THE BOARD VOTED TO HIRE RYAN LEONARD AS THE OKLAHOMA BOARD OF EDUCATION'S NEW ATTORNEY.

THE NEW ATTORNEY COMES FROM THE LEONARD LONG AND CASTEEL LAW FIRM, AND WAS NAMED SPECIAL COUNSEL FOR NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS TO GOVERNOR STITT IN 2020.

WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING AN ATTORNEY.

WE'VE BEEN REQUESTING TO GET THINGS PUT ON THE AGENDA, AND THAT'S BEEN REPUDIATED.

ATTORNEY GENERAL DRUMMOND, WHO OVERSEES THE BOARD'S LEGAL COUNSEL CONTRACTS, DISAGREED WITH THE BOARD'S CHOICE.

THE BOARD'S DECISION TO HIRE A POLITICALLY CONNECTED ATTORNEY WITH LITTLE TO NO EXPERIENCE ADVISING A STATE BOARD IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE DYSFUNCTION THAT HAS PLAGUED PUBLIC EDUCATION SINCE GOVERNOR STITT FIRST APPOINTED RYAN WALTERS.

WHILE MR. LEONARD MAY BE A TALENTED PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY AND HAS COUNSELED THE GOVERNOR THROUGH VARIOUS LEGAL BATTLES AGAINST OKLAHOMA'S NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES, HE IS WOEFULLY INADEQUATE TO SERVE AS GENERAL COUNSEL TO THE STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION.

SOME BOARD MEMBERS AND THE PREVIOUS LEGAL COUNSEL, CHAD KOOPMAN, DIDN'T ALWAYS SEE EYE TO EYE, AND HE WAS A GOOD ATTORNEY.

I HAVE NO KNOCKS AGAINST HIS QUALIFICATIONS AS AN ATTORNEY.

OUR ISSUE IS HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHO HIS CLIENT WAS.

HE BELIEVED HIS CLIENT WAS RYAN WALTERS, THE CHAIRMAN OR PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD.

THAT WAS NOT HIS ROLE.

IT WAS TO REPRESENT THE FULL BOARD.

SO HOPEFULLY WHEN WE HAVE AN ATTORNEY THAT REPRESENTS THE WHOLE BOARD, WE CAN START MOVING THINGS FORWARD.

THE BOARD ALSO VOTED TO BEGIN THEIR SEARCH FOR A BOARD SECRETARY.

DURING THE JULY MEETING, BOARD MEMBERS QUESTIONED WHY THEY WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE REMOVAL OF THE PREVIOUS SECRETARY, AMY LONDON.

AND THERE WAS ANOTHER PERSON THAT SHOWED UP AS SECRETARY, BUT WE WEREN'T EVEN INTRODUCED TO THAT PERSON.

SHE SEEMED VERY CAPABLE AND QUALIFIED.

NO ISSUES THERE.

BUT AGAIN, SHE THINKS SHE WORKS FOR RYAN WALTERS.

SHE WORKED THAT POSITION, WORKS FOR THE BOARD.

THE FOUR PRESENT BOARD MEMBERS RYAN DEATHRIDGE, MIKE TINNEY, CHRIS VAN DIEN AND BECKY CARSON CALLED FOR THE SPECIAL MEETING AFTER THE AUGUST MEETING WAS CANCELED.

SO WE FELT LIKE THAT LEFT US NO CHOICE BUT TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE CALL A SPECIAL BOARD MEETING.

CARSON HOPES THE BOARD CAN NOW MOVE FORWARD.

MY ONLY COMMENT WOULD BE THAT I THINK MAYBE THIS IS THE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, THAT THIS MAYBE PUSHES US FORWARD TO BE ABLE TO DO THE JOB WE WERE APPOINTED TO DO BY THE GOVERNOR.

THE OKLAHOMA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE CONCLUDED ITS INVESTIGATION INTO WALTERS TV.

THEY TURNED IN THEIR FINDINGS INTO THE DA'S OFFICE AT THE END OF JULY.

THE NEXT STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING IS SET FOR SEPTEMBER 25TH.

RICH TAYLOR, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE TY BURNS HAS RESIGNED HIS OFFICE AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO DOMESTIC ABUSE AND ASSAULT.

THE REPUBLICAN FROM PAWNEE AGREED TO STEP DOWN AFTER FACING THREE MISDEMEANOR CHARGES RELATED TO FAMILY MEMBERS.

BURNS WILL OFFICIALLY LEAVE OFFICE ON OCTOBER 1ST, AND STEVEN HARP, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, IS ALSO LEAVING HIS POST, BUT FOR DIFFERENT REASONS.

HARP IS RESIGNING TO TAKE A NEW POSITION IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR.

HE WAS APPOINTED BY GOVERNOR STITT IN 2022.

HARPS LAST STATE, THE D.O.C.

WILL BE SEPTEMBER 30TH.

STATE HAS NAMED HIS CHIEF OF STAFF.

JUSTIN FERRIS REPLACED HARP ON AN INTERIM BASIS, ACCORDING TO WORLD POPULATION REVIEW.

IN 2023, OKLAHOMA RANKED FIFTH IN THE NATION IN THE NUMBER OF REPORTED CASES OF RAPE.

AND KEEP IN MIND, RAPE REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERREPORTED CRIMES THERE IS.

THE PREVALENCE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IN OUR STATE IS THE FOCUS OF OUR UPCOMING IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH MODERATOR KASSIDY MUDD.

HERE'S A PREVIEW OF THAT DISCUSSION.

IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THE MESSAGE WE PUT OUT TO PEOPLE IS THAT IT IS OKAY.

PLEASE REPORT THESE THINGS.

UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE VICTIM.

UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO, YOU KNOW, SHOW WHO YOUR SUSPECT IS AND GET JUSTICE FOR YOURSELF.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THE SOCIETY ABOUT OUR WHOLE SOCIETY, ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS POWER AND CONTROL.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT SEX.

THIS IS ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL.

SURVIVORS ARE ALREADY EXPECTING TO NOT BE BELIEVED.

THEY ARE EXPECTING TO HAVE TO CONVINCE SOMEONE THAT THIS TERRIBLE THING REALLY DID HAPPEN.

SO IF WE START BY BELIEVING, IT GOES A LONG WAY TO PAVING THAT THAT ROAD WITH TRUST THROUGH THE REST OF THAT DISCUSSION COMING UP IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.

IT CAN BE DIFFICULT FOR SOME PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL OR MENTAL DISABILITIES TO COMMUNICATE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS, AND THAT LACK OF COMMUNICATION CAN HAVE TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES.

NOW, THE OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT IS DOING SOMETHING TO REMEDY THAT.

STEVE SHAW HAS OUR REPORT.

SHE LIVED WITH IT FOR 20 TWO HALF OF HER LIFE.

SHE LIVED WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.

FRANCIS KERSEY IS PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER OKLAHOMA CITY CHAPTER OF THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS, OR NAMI.

KERSEY'S DAUGHTER, MELANIE, WAS A 1996 PUTNAM CITY NORTH GRADUATE AND HONORS STUDENT WHO WENT TO COLLEGE ON AN ACADEMIC AND BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP.

AND THEN THE WHEELS FELL OFF.

SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, AND SHE SHE LIVED WITH US, AND THERE WERE PROBABLY THREE INSTANCES WHERE I HAD TO CALL THE POLICE BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT MEDICATED, NOT TAKING HER MEDICINE, AND SHE HAD DELUSIONAL VISIONS OF THAT.

SHE JUST COULDN'T CONTROL.

FRANCIS SAYS HER FAMILY DID THE BEST THEY COULD TO HELP MELANIE.

BUT LAST FEBRUARY 3RD, LIKE SO MANY OTHERS DO, MELANIE OVERDOSED AND DIED.

VERY SADLY.

UNFORTUNATELY, SHE IS ONE OF THE STATISTICS NOW FOR ACCIDENTAL OVERDOSE OF FENTANYL POISONING.

SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, THE OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT UNVEILED WHAT THEY CALL THEIR NEW ONLINE AWARENESS NOTIFICATION FORM FOR RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS TO ADVISE POLICE OF CONDITIONS THAT COULD INFLUENCE AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE AT THAT PARTICULAR ADDRESS, SOMEONE THAT'S DEAF OR BLIND, OR EVEN ANY KIND OF MENTAL OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUE.

SOME PEOPLE MAY HAVE A SENSITIVITY TO LIGHT.

SO THEN WE KNOW TO TURN OFF OUR LIGHTS WHEN WE'RE RESPONDING.

AND SO THAT MAY HELP WITH THE INTERACTION.

AND AND, YOU KNOW, TALKING TO THAT RESIDENT, SOMEONE MAY HAVE SOME SORT OF MOBILITY ISSUES AND THEY CAN'T GET TO A DOOR.

THEY CAN FILL THAT OUT AND LET US KNOW.

THAT WAY, WHEN WE GET CALLED FOR ANY REASON, WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION BEFOREHAND, AND WE KNOW THAT THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COME TO THE TO THE DOOR TO ANSWER.

SO WE KNOW HOW TO GET IN OR HOW TO MAKE CONTACT OR RESPOND BETTER WITH THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE.

YOU THINK MAYBE SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AN ONLINE NOTIFICATION SYSTEM COULD HAVE HELPED YOUR DAUGHTER?

OH, ABSOLUTELY.

ABSOLUTELY WOULD HAVE WOULD HAVE HELPED HER TO KNOW WHAT RESPONSE WAS NEEDED.

IT BENEFITS US ALL BECAUSE IT MAKES IT SAFER AND CAN HELP WITH A BETTER RESPONSE.

SO IF A RESIDENT CAN HAVE THAT RESPONSE FROM US TO WHERE IT'S GOING TO CREATE A BETTER ATMOSPHERE OR ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM, AND THEN WE CAN INTERACT WITH THEM IN A SAFER MANNER, OR WE CAN RESPOND QUICKER AND HAVE THAT RELATIONSHIP BUILT PRIOR TO OUR ARRIVAL, BECAUSE WE'RE ALREADY AWARE OF CERTAIN THINGS THAT MAY HELP WITH THAT INTERACTION ONCE WE ARRIVE.

AND SOMETHING ELSE THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.

POLICE SAY THEY REALLY WOULD LIKE THAT ONLINE AWARENESS FORM BE UPDATED ONCE A YEAR, WHICH OKLAHOMA CITY RESIDENT SARAH SMITH THINKS IS A REALLY GOOD IDEA.

WE MET SARAH TUESDAY AFTERNOON AT OKLAHOMA CITY'S MYRIAD GARDENS, WHICH IS WHERE SARAH FOUND HER OLDER SISTER COURTNEY, ALONE.

FIVE YEARS AGO.

MY SISTER WAS MISSING FOR EIGHT MONTHS AND DURING QUARANTINE I FOUND HER HERE DURING COVID.

YES, SARAH SAYS HER BIG SISTER, COURTNEY, ALSO HAS STRUGGLED WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA FOR MANY YEARS.

SHE LIVES OUT OF TOUCH FROM REALITY.

SHE SEES AUDITORY AND ACTUAL VISUAL HALLUCINATIONS THAT AREN'T THERE.

SHE WAS IN FAIR CONDITION.

SHE HAD FOOD.

SHE HAD WATER.

SHE WAS AT PEACE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, FOR A NORMAL PERSON, THEY WOULDN'T BE OKAY IN THAT SITUATION.

BUT SINCE SHE'S OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY, SHE WAS OKAY WITH IT.

SARAH SAYS WHILE COURTNEY IS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT TODAY, COURTNEY ALSO STILL BELIEVES HER YOUNGER SISTER HAS BEEN DEAD FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

FOR THAT AND SO MANY OTHER REASONS, SARAH SAYS THE OKLAHOMA CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT'S NEW ONLINE AWARENESS NOTIFICATION SYSTEM WILL HELP MANY FAMILIES.

AFTER HIGH SCHOOL, SHE HAD A JOB FOR 16 YEARS ON PAPER 22 ALTOGETHER.

BECAUSE SHE WAS HIRED AS A TEMP, SHE DID VERY WELL.

SHE BOUGHT A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE AND WHENEVER SHE WAS 41, A YOUNG MAN DROWNED IN FRONT OF US AT THE LAKE AND SHE STARTED DISPLAYING ODD BEHAVIORS, VERY PARANOID.

AND THAT'S WHERE OUR STORY STARTED.

THE TRAIN WAS OFF THE TRACKS.

YES.

I THINK WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET A GOOD HANDLE ON IT.

WE REALIZE THAT THERE'S CERTAIN THINGS THAT AS POLICE OFFICERS, WE'RE NOT EXPERTS AT.

SO WE'VE REALLY PARTNERED WITH A LOT OF DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND OTHER OUTSIDE ENTITIES THAT HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE TO COME IN AND HELP WITH THOSE PROBLEMS.

AND THEY THEY HAVE THE EXPERTISE TO TO DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH.

BUT ALSO WE ARE THERE IN CASE THERE'S SAFETY ISSUES.

CAPTAIN LITTLEJOHN SAYS SHE KNOWS THERE ARE FOLKS WHO CAN'T FILL OUT THE ONLINE FORM.

THEY CAN JUST CALL US.

THEY CAN CALL OUR FRONT DESK.

IT'S 405 2971189, OR THEY CAN CALL OUR DISPATCH CENTER.

YOU CAN CALL 911.

YOU CAN CALL ANY OF OUR BRIEFING STATIONS.

OFFICERS ARE MORE THAN WILLING TO HELP FILL THAT OUT FOR YOU.

STEVE SHAW, THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT STEVE.

THANK YOU.

THE NUMBER OF WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS STILL ALIVE CONTINUES TO DWINDLE.

SO ANYTIME WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE WHAT THE GREATEST GENERATION MEANS TO OUR COUNTRY, IT IS WELL WORTH DOING.

JASON DOYLE JOINS US NOW WITH MORE ON HOW THESE LONG AGO WARRIORS WERE HONORED IN CLAREMORE.

THIS WEEK, JASON RICH, IT WAS 80 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK THAT THE JAPANESE SIGNED THE SURRENDER IN TOKYO BAY, FORMALLY ENDING THE WAR.

THAT MEANS AROUND 66,000 REMAINING LIVING WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS ARE EITHER NEARING THE CENTURY MARK OR HAVE ALREADY CROSSED IT, LEAVING PRECIOUS LITTLE TIME TO COLLECT THEIR STORIES.

THE ROGERS STATE UNIVERSITY GOLD PROGRAM HONOR GUARD POSTS THE COLORS AT THE CEREMONY HELD AT THE CLAREMORE VETERANS CENTER.

AND I WANT TO WELCOME YOU ALL TO WINGS OF HONOR, A TRIBUTE TO OUR WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS AND THE LEGACY OF THE RUPTURED DUCK.

THE RUPTURED DUCK IS HOW VETERANS DESCRIBE THEIR ANTICIPATION OF GETTING READY TO REENTER CIVILIAN LIFE, LIKE A DUCK RUPTURING OUT OF THE WATER.

EVENT ORGANIZER AND OWNER OF BISON CHALLENGE COINS, SCOTT HANNAFORD, DESIGNED A SPECIAL HONOR COIN COMMEMORATING THE RUPTURED DUCK AND SEVEN WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS WHO STAY AT THE VETERANS CENTER.

THE COIN IS IN THE SHAPE OF THE RUPTURED DUCK.

ON ONE SIDE, IT DEPICTS THE RUPTURED DUCK, AND ON THE BACK SIDE IS JUST A SIMPLE THANK YOU MESSAGE TO WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS.

EACH VETERAN IN ATTENDANCE TODAY WAS PRESENTED WITH A CHALLENGE COIN THAT HAD THEIR NAME LASER ENGRAVED IN THE BOTTOM, ALONG WITH THEIR BRANCH OF SERVICE AND CONFLICT.

HANNAFORD SAYS THE IDEA CAME FROM A RELATIVE WHO ALSO SERVED.

I GOT THE IDEA FROM MY UNCLE, WHO'S A WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN.

HE WAS JOKING AROUND AND TOLD ME TO TURN THE RUPTURED DUCK INTO A CHALLENGE COIN.

AND THEN I FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO.

AND, YOU KNOW, THINGS STARTED TURNING IN MY HEAD AND I'M LIKE, HEY, WE NEED TO DO AN EVENT, YOU KNOW, DO SOMETHING BIG AND GRAND FOR THESE GUYS.

THAT IDEA RESULTED IN TUESDAY'S CEREMONY AT THE VETERANS CENTER.

WHO?

SAY, CAN YOU SEE, BY THE DAWN'S EARLY LIGHT?

ONE OF THE VETERANS RECEIVING THE HONOR AND RECOGNITION FOR HIS SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRY IS JOSEPH MENNINGER, UNITED STATES ARMY.

JOSEPH M IT WAS A SURPRISE PARTY TO ME.

I SAW THE NOTICE ON OUR FALLEN BOARD, BISON MEDAL, COIN, WHATEVER, AND I NEVER PAID ANY ATTENTION TO IT.

I SAID, I'LL GO DOWN AND SEE WHAT THAT IS ANYWAY.

WHEN I GOT DOWN HERE, I SAW A TABLE WITH MY NAME ON IT, AND HAD I KNOWN, I WOULD HAVE HAD MY FAMILY THERE.

MENNINGER SAYS THAT HE FEELS LUCKY BECAUSE HE NEVER SAW COMBAT DURING WORLD WAR TWO.

I WAS IN THE ARMY AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY.

I DIDN'T SEE ANY ACTION IN WORLD WAR TWO.

I WAS A LITTLE BIT YOUNG THEN.

I WAS 17 OR 18.

I COULDN'T COULDN'T GET IN SERVICE BECAUSE I COULD NOT HEAR.

HE WENT ON TO SERVE DURING THE KOREAN WAR.

UNITED STATES NAVY.

PRESTON WHEATON, ANOTHER WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN BEING HONORED.

WHO DID SEE SOME ACTION IS PRESTON WHEATON.

I WAS IN THE ATLANTIC THEATER.

OKAY.

AND I SAW PATROL.

THAT WAS WHEN THE GERMANS AND THE ITALIANS WERE STOPPING THE SHIPPING IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC.

THEY WERE TRYING TO IN A WAY, HE SAYS IT WAS ALL WORK AND NO PLAY FOR HIM IN THE NAVY.

BY THE WAY, WHEATON TURNS 100 YEARS OLD LATER THIS YEAR.

WHAT I LIKE TO DO IN THE U.S. NAVY.

I. I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING BECAUSE I WORKED ALL THE TIME, BECAUSE IN THAT TIME WE HAD WE HAD SEVEN DAYS OF WEEK THAT WE WORKED.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY TIME OFF.

SO I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TIME FOR ANYTHING BESIDES WORK.

EVENTS LIKE THIS AT THE CLAREMORE VETERANS CENTER ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE TIME IS RUNNING OUT.

WE'RE LOSING WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS NEARLY EVERY DAY.

AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO SHARE THOSE STORIES FROM ONE GENERATION, THE GREATEST GENERATION, TO ANOTHER.

THE IMPACT THAT YOU MADE ON NOT JUST OUR LIVES, OUR COUNTRY, BUT THE WORLD WILL BE FELT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

AND THANK YOU FOR THAT.

VFW POST 577 COMMANDER JOSH STARKS PROVIDED THE KEYNOTE SPEECH DURING THE CEREMONY, EXPLAINING WHY SHARING THESE STORIES IS VITAL.

THERE'S TWO TWO SIDES OF THE SPECTRUM THERE FROM WORLD WAR TWO, BECAUSE I REALLY THINK THAT WHEN IT COMES TO THE WARS, THE IMPACTS THAT THAT THE WARS MAKE ON NOT JUST US BUT THE WORLD, AS A VETERAN MYSELF, THAT WHAT I DEAL WITH NOW IS THE INDIVIDUALS.

AND I SEE THE IMPACTS BOTH POSITIVE, BOTH NEGATIVE, AND HOW THAT AFFECTS THE FAMILIES AND HOW THAT INTERWEAVES INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR SOCIETY.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ALWAYS TRY TO DO WHEN I COME ACROSS SOMEONE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE WORLD WAR TWO VETERAN OR NOT, YOU KNOW, ANY ONE OF OF ANY SENIORITY TO ME, OF ANY SIGNIFICANCE.

I TRY TO GET THEIR STORY.

YOU KNOW, I LIKE TO CARRY A VOICE RECORDER WITH ME BECAUSE I WANT TO HEAR THE STORY IN THEIR WORDS AND TRY TO BE ABLE TO PASS THAT ON.

OUR FRIEND PRESTON WHEATON SAYS THAT HE'S SEEN A LOT OF HISTORY IN HIS NEARLY 100 YEARS, AND HAS APPRECIATED THE CHANGES SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO.

CULTURALLY, THAT IS, IT WAS.

IT'S CHANGED A LOT, THOUGH, BECAUSE WHEN WHEN I WENT IN, THEY HAD TO THE RACES WERE SEGREGATED AND AND I DIDN'T LIKE THAT AT ALL.

BUT BUT THAT CHANGED.

HISTORY IS OUR MOST PRECIOUS COMMODITY IN LIFE.

IF YOU DON'T, YOU KNOW, PAY HOMAGE TO HISTORY.

IF YOU DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO IT, YOU'RE YOU'RE DESTINED TO REPEAT IT.

AND ESPECIALLY WITH THESE WORLD WAR TWO VETERANS, YOU KNOW, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM ARE 100.

THERE'S THERE'S A COUPLE IN ATTENDANCE TODAY THAT ARE 100 YEARS OLD.

AMERICA, MY HOME SWEET HOME.

THE UNITED STATES SENT APPROXIMATELY 16 MILLION SERVICE MEMBERS TO FIGHT IN WORLD WAR TWO.

THERE ARE FEWER THAN 1% OF THOSE VETERANS LIVING TODAY.

RICH JASON, REALLY NICE STORY.

THANK YOU FOR THAT.

WELL, CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, FROM COLLEGE TO KINDERGARTEN NEED TO BE MINDFUL OF STAYING HYDRATED AND EATING RIGHT.

THAT'S THE MESSAGE FROM OU HEALTH.

NOW THAT CLASSES ARE BACK IN SESSION.

THE STRESS OF COLLEGE LIFE AND THE NIGHTLIFE THAT SOMETIMES GOES WITH IT CAN LEAD TO DEHYDRATION AND POOR NUTRITION.

ACCORDING TO OU HEALTH, THE KEY IS INSTALLING GOOD EATING HABITS EARLY IN LIFE.

NUTRITION IS A BIG PART OF DEVELOPING EITHER OBESITY OR OTHER CHRONIC DISEASES, ESPECIALLY LATER IN LIFE.

AND SO WE WANT TO INSTILL THESE HEALTHY HABITS IN KIDS EARLY ON.

ONE OF THE TIPS THAT I USE A LOT IS TO BRING YOUR CHILD TO THE GROCERY STORE.

THAT GETS THEM KIND OF INVESTED AND INVOLVED IN THE DECISION MAKING, WHICH AS WE KNOW, KIDS WANT PART OF THAT DECISION, RIGHT?

AND SO BRINGING THEM IN, LETTING THEM CHOOSE, GETTING THEM IN THE KITCHEN IS ALSO A REALLY GREAT TIP TO HELP THEM, AGAIN, FEEL EMPOWERED, FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER WHAT'S GETTING PUT ON THEIR PLATE.

OU HEALTH JUST WRAPPED UP THEIR SUMMER LUNCH PROGRAM, WHERE KIDS CAN ACCESS THE CAFETERIA AT THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL AND ENJOY NUTRITIOUS MEAL.

THIS SUMMER, THEY SERVED MORE THAN 1700 CHILDREN.

THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT TAKING SOMETHING THAT'S BROKEN AND PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN, EVEN BETTER THAN IT WAS BEFORE.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT A TULSA ENTREPRENEUR HAS DONE WITH ONE OF THE MOST ICONIC PIECES OF REAL ESTATE IN OKLAHOMA.

THE CHURCH STUDIO BEGAN LIFE AS THE GRACE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN 1915, JUST EIGHT YEARS AFTER OKLAHOMA BECAME A STATE.

ITS HISTORY IS NOW THE SUBJECT OF A COFFEE TABLE TOME.

WEIGHING A HEFTY 6 POUNDS AND PACKED WITH HUNDREDS OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND A TEXT WRITTEN BY THE VISIONARY RESPONSIBLE FOR BRINGING ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAMER LEON RUSSELL'S FAMED RECORDING STUDIO BACK TO LIFE, EMBODY WHAT?

WELL, I WROTE THE BOOK SANCTUARY OF SOUND BECAUSE I THINK THE STORY OF THIS BUILDING IS SO IMPORTANT AND REALLY NEEDED TO BE TOLD.

SO I'VE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW OVER 400 PEOPLE.

THERESA AND HER HUSBAND, IVAN, BOUGHT THE DILAPIDATED CHURCH STUDIO IN 2016.

SHE SPENT SIX AND A HALF YEARS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS RESTORING THE BUILDING THAT LEON AND HIS FAMOUS FRIENDS RECORDED IN FROM 1972 UNTIL 1976.

WE HAD OVER 300 CONTRACTORS AND SUBCONTRACTORS THAT WERE HERE ON SITE.

OF COURSE, WE HAD TO REDO THE PLUMBING AND THE WIRING, ALL THE MECHANICAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE BROUGHT IN 28 MILES OF WIRE TO THE BUILDING, AND ALL OF THAT COMMENCED BEFORE THE STUDIO WAS ADDED TO THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN 2017.

CAREFUL WHAT YOU ASK FOR, BECAUSE WHEN YOU FOLLOW THOSE BEST PRACTICES SET FORTH BY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, IT YOU KNOW, IT ADDS A WHOLE LAYER OF SCRUTINY AND DIFFERENT THINGS YOU HAVE TO DO.

SO WE WENT WAY OVER BUDGET, BUT THIS HAS BEEN A PASSION PROJECT.

I'VE BEEN A LEON RUSSELL FAN MY ENTIRE LIFE, AND SO IT REALLY NEEDED TO HAPPEN.

RECOUPING THOSE INVESTMENTS IS AN ONGOING PROCESS, BUT THE SUCCESS OF THE REFURBISHED RECORDING STUDIO IS EXCEEDING ALMOST EVERYONE'S EXPECTATIONS.

IT IS KIND OF SHOCKING HOW BUSY WE ARE.

WE HAVE RECORDING SESSIONS OFTEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK ON AVERAGE 5 TO 6 DAYS A WEEK.

PEOPLE ARE CHOOSING TO COME TO OKLAHOMA TO RECORD WITH US, SO IT'S REALLY GREAT FOR OUR CITY, FOR OUR STATE, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT'S PART OF THAT TOURISM, PART OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AND TOURISM HAS ON OUR STATE.

I WANT TO LOOK IN THE EYES OF THE DEVIL.

HERE.

ONE OF THE FIRST ACTS TO BREAK IN THE NEW STUDIO IN 2022 WAS JAKE AND THE IDOLS, A SOUTHERN SOUL FUNK ROCK POWER QUINTET THAT FELT RIGHT AT HOME RIGHT AWAY.

WE KIND OF GOT TO BE THE THE GUINEA PIGS HERE BECAUSE IT WAS IT HAD JUST OPENED FOR THE MOST PART, AND THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF ARTISTS THAT HAD GOTTEN TO COME IN AND KIND OF TEST OUT THE NEW FACILITY, AS IT HAD BEEN JUST REBUILT AND REVAMPED.

IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST SOUND.

ME AND MY HOOLIGANS ARE IN THE ACTUAL ROOM, BANGING ON ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN GET OUR HANDS ON.

COMING IN HERE IS DIFFERENT THAN ANY OTHER STUDIO.

YOU KIND OF GET A VIBE BECAUSE OF THE HISTORY OF EVERYTHING, AND IT JUST REALLY LOOKS COOL.

I MEAN, WALKING INTO A CHURCH AND THEN INTO THIS GIANT, GIANT, STINKING ROOM.

IN.

THE CHURCH OPERATES AS A 501 C3 NONPROFIT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION.

STANTON DOYLE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CHURCH STUDIO MUSIC FOUNDATION.

THE CHURCH STUDIO'S ROLE IS TO SUPPORT, EDUCATE AND INSPIRE THOSE MUSIC MAKERS.

WITH AN INCREDIBLE RECORDING STUDIO, NUMBER ONE, AND THEN OUR INTERPRETIVE EXHIBITS THAT TALK ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH STUDIO, THE TULSA SOUND, AND THAT EDUCATION INCLUDES ON SITE INSTRUCTION FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF SOUND ENGINEERS.

I COME FROM CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

THAT WAS MY CAREER BEFORE EMBARKING ON THIS CHAPTER AND NEVER THOUGHT I'D START ANOTHER SCHOOL, BUT WE WENT AHEAD.

SO WE OFFER A SOUND ENGINEERING PROGRAM, AND WE ALSO OFFER LIVE SOUND ENGINEERING, AND WE HAVE A MUSIC VIDEO PRODUCTION COURSE THAT WILL BE OFFERED IN 2026.

WE TAKE SIX STUDENTS AT A TIME.

IT'S A HYBRID PROGRAM.

VINTAGE IS ANTIQUE.

THAT'S BEEN BROUGHT BACK UP TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS.

THIS BUILDING IS CHOCK FULL OF REALLY COOL STUFF FROM THIS NEVE 8068 CONSOLE, PURCHASED FROM PRODUCER DANIEL LANOIS AND USED BY BOB DYLAN, NEIL YOUNG, WILLIE NELSON, EMMYLOU HARRIS AND OTHER LUMINARIES.

AND THERE'S THE COMMISSIONED STAINED GLASS PANELS IN THE CHURCH'S BELFRY.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE LEON RUSSELL.

WE HAVE WILLIE NELSON, WE HAVE GEORGE HARRISON, WHO WAS HERE.

WE HAVE BOB DYLAN.

WE HAVE TOM PETTY.

TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS GOT THEIR START HERE.

ERIC CLAPTON HAD A ROLE IN THE STUDIO IN THE 1970S, SO HE HAS A STAINED GLASS PORTRAIT AS WELL, AND CLAPTON'S ROADCASE GAGA'S THE TOP OF THE STAIRS TO JUST ABOVE THE LENTICULAR IMAGE OF A YOUNG AND AN OLDER LEON RUSSELL.

BUT THIS HAS TO BE MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE.

CHECK OUT THIS SCULPTURE.

NOT FROM THAT ANGLE.

FROM THAT ANGLE.

YEP, THE CHURCH STUDIO IN 3D.

LIKE I SAID, PRETTY COOL.

1972 IS WHEN LEON WAS SITTING ACROSS THE STREET AND HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO BUY THE BUILDING.

YEAH, THERE'S ABOUT TEN EMPLOYEES AND APPROXIMATELY 150 VOLUNTEERS.

ABOUT 50 OF THOSE VOLUNTEERS ARE DOCENTS, SO THEY ACTUALLY PROVIDE TOURS ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS.

MARK ZELTNER, A RETIRED MUSIC PROFESSOR, IS ONE OF THEM.

AND THOUGH HER OFFICIAL TITLE IS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT HEART, THIS TULSA ENTREPRENEUR IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN, A LIFELONG FAN OF THE TULSA SOUND AND THE MUSICIANS WHO CREATED THE MUSIC THAT DEFINED THE TERM.

I'VE BEEN COLLECTING LEON RUSSELL MEMORABILIA, AND REALLY A LOT OF OTHER TULSA ARTISTS LIKE J.J. HILL AND DAVID GATES, AND I STARTED COLLECTING WHEN I WAS EIGHT YEARS OLD, ACQUIRED MY FIRST PIECE, AND THEN STARTED COLLECTING RECORDS.

I HAVE PROBABLY 8000 VINYL RECORDS, I HAVE OVER 40 TURNTABLES, AND I'M JUST REALLY PROUD OF ALL THE ARTISTS THAT CAME FROM MY HOME STATE OF OKLAHOMA, AND IT'S JUST SOMETHING I REALLY CLING TO.

AS A CHILD, IT MOTIVATED ME AND INSPIRED ME, AND STILL TO THIS DAY.

A GREAT SUCCESS STORY.

WELL, COULD NUCLEAR POWER BECOME A REALITY IN THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA?

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

THE OKLAHOMA CORPORATION COMMISSION THIS WEEK APPROVED THE ISSUE OF A NOTICE OF INQUIRY TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY OF GENERATING ELECTRICITY THROUGH NUCLEAR POWER GENERATION.

THE STUDY WAS ORDERED BY THE LEGISLATURE AND IS SEEKING TO DETERMINE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF GENERATING NUCLEAR ENERGY IN THE STATE, AND TO DETERMINE METHODS OF MAXIMIZING THE EXISTING WORKFORCE AND RESOURCES FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NUCLEAR FACILITIES.

THE REPORT IS EXPECTED THIS SPRING.

A PROJECT WAS ON THE BOOKS IN THE 1970S TO BUILD A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN OKLAHOMA, BUT PROTESTERS AFTER THE THREE MILE ISLAND INCIDENT IN 1979 LED TO THE PROJECT BEING CANCELED.

TULSA BASED BLACK TECH STREET IS TEAMING UP WITH TECH GIANT NVIDIA TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF AI AND HI TECH JOBS AND EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE GREENWOOD DISTRICT.

THE AGREEMENT'S GOAL IS TO EXPAND AI EDUCATION IN THE GREATER TULSA REGION, HELP SUPPORT TECH STARTUPS IN THE GREENWOOD DISTRICT, AND CREATE A NATIONAL MODEL FOR AN AI POWERED SOCIETY.

THE PARTNERSHIP WILL PROVIDE TEACHING MATERIALS AND HELP FIND GRANTS THAT WILL ENCOURAGE MORE TECH START UPS.

OKLAHOMA CITY BASED CYTOVANCE BIOLOGICS IS EXPANDING THE SERVICES IT OFFERS TO BIOTECH AND PHARMACEUTICAL CLIENTS.

THE COMPANY HAS LAUNCHED AN IN-HOUSE FORMULATION DEVELOPMENT SERVICE, WHICH CAN HELP ACCELERATE DEVELOPMENT TIMELINES FOR ITS CLIENTS.

CYTOVANCE IS A CONTRACT DEVELOPMENT MANUFACTURING ORGANIZATION, OR CDMO, WHICH HELPS BIOTECH COMPANIES DEVELOP A MANUFACTURING PROCESS FOR ITS MEDICINES AND TREATMENTS.

THE NEW SERVICES ARE BEING OFFERED TO NEW AND EXISTING CLIENTS.

BIG WIRELESS WANTS TO COME AFTER ME.

I'M A MAN.

I'M NOT 40.

I'M 58.

OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY HEAD FOOTBALL COACH MIKE GUNDY REENACTED HIS INFAMOUS RANT FOR CONSUMER CELLULAR'S NEW TV COMMERCIAL.

GUNDY IS TAKING ON BIG WIRELESS IN THE SPOT.

THE COMMERCIAL BEGAN AIRING AROUND THE COUNTRY THIS WEEK.

GUNDY SAYS IT WAS A NO BRAINER TO TEAM UP WITH THE CELL PHONE COMPANY BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE TO FAKE THE FRUSTRATION.

THIS IS THE OKLAHOMA BUSINESS REVIEW.

JASON.

THANKS.

THERE HAVE BEEN SOME RECENT WELL PUBLICIZED INCIDENTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN OKLAHOMA, BUT IT REMAINS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERREPORTED CRIMES OF ALL.

AND ONCE A VICTIM DOES COME FORWARD, IT SOMETIMES TAKES MONTHS OR EVEN LONGER FOR THE RESULTS OF THEIR RAPE TEST TO BE COMPLETED.

CAN WE DO BETTER?

THAT'S THE FOCUS OF THIS WEEK'S IN-DEPTH DISCUSSION WITH MODERATOR KASSIDY MUDD.

IN HUNTER PARK HAVE LEFT TULSA CITIZENS IN THE AREA ON HIGH ALERT.

JOINING US TO SEE HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT ADVOCATES AND SURVIVORS ARE WORKING TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND SUPPORT VICTIMS IN TULSA IS TULSA POLICE CAPTAIN RICHARD MEULENBERG.

WE'RE ALSO JOINED BY MAKAYLA RHODES FROM THE YWCA IN OKLAHOMA CITY AND LINDA TERRELL, THE CO-CHAIR OF THE SAFE BOARD WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.

NOW, CAPTAIN MEULENBERG, LET'S START WITH THE RECENT ATTACKS.

WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT WHERE THE INVESTIGATION IS AT THIS TIME?

YOU KNOW, I WISH WE COULD TALK ABOUT SOMETHING LIGHTER.

AND TULSA IS IN THE NEWS.

UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE WE HAD TWO RECENT ATTACKS IN VERY PUBLIC AREAS, BOTH AT PARKS, WHERE THERE'S A SENSE OF, YOU KNOW, KIND OF SAFETY IN A PARK AREA.

BUT WE HAD ONE ATTACK EARLIER AT TURKEY MOUNTAIN HAPPENED IN THE EVENING, AND SOMEONE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THERE.

AND THEN WE HAD ANOTHER ATTACK, JUST MAYBE A WEEK OR SO LATER OVER AT HUNTER PARK, WHICH IS IN SOUTH TULSA, WHERE SOMEONE WAS ATTACKED, AND BASICALLY IN DAYLIGHT HOURS THERE.

SO THE FIRST ATTACK, WE HAVE LIMITED SUSPECT INFORMATION, BUT THE SECOND ATTACK, WE WORKED WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH THE OSBI.

WE'VE DEVELOPED A PRETTY GOOD SKETCH, AND WE PUT THAT OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY THIS PERSON.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THESE TYPES OF ATTACKS ARE JUST SO HORRIBLE AND VIOLENT THAT, YOU KNOW, TO GET INFORMATION FROM THE VICTIM IS VERY DELICATE.

SO WE WE TREAT IT VERY DELICATELY.

SO WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH BOTH VICTIMS BECAUSE THEY'RE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF TRAUMA STILL.

SO WE'RE STILL TRYING TO GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE SUSPECT AND COUNTING ON OUR PUBLIC AND OUR COMMUNITY TO HELP US FIND THESE PREDATORS BEFORE THEY STRIKE AGAIN.

BUT RIGHT NOW, WE'RE STILL WORKING WITH THE VICTIM, WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY.

WE'RE GETTING LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF TIPS.

SO TO SORT THROUGH THOSE TIPS AND START THE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE POTENTIAL SUSPECTS, AND WE'LL BE KEEPING UP WITH YOU FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.

NOW, LINDA, AS A SURVIVOR AND SOMEONE WHO WORKS IN POLICY, WHAT DID YOU THINK WHEN YOU SAW THIS NEWS?

SO SAD.

AND I ALSO KNOW THAT IT TRIGGERS EVERYONE THAT HAS HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM.

AND SO THE FEAR RISES.

THE INTENSITY LEVEL OF WATCHING AROUND YOU AND TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF IS SO IMPORTANT.

YOU KNOW, DURING THIS TIME WHEN YOU'RE ALMOST RELIVING THE SITUATION THAT MAYBE YOU HAVE DEALT WITH YOURSELF.

WELL, MAKAYLA, WHEN SOMEONE EXPERIENCES SEXUAL ASSAULT AND THEY COME TO THE YWCA FOR HELP, WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM?

SO WE PROVIDE 24 OVER SEVEN CONFIDENTIAL, FREE AND VOLUNTARY SERVICES TO SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND STALKING.

WHEN THEY COME TO US, THEY ARE ABLE TO GET A FREE SEXUAL ASSAULT EXAM AND ADVOCACY THAT ADVOCATE CAN BE WITH THEM THROUGH A VARIETY OF OH, WHAT'S THE RIGHT WORD?

THAT ADVOCATE CAN BE WITH THEM FOR A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT INTERACTIONS.

SO MAYBE THAT'S WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT, MAYBE THAT'S WITH A PROSECUTOR.

BUT IT COULD ALSO BE THINGS LIKE ATTENDING COURT WITH THEM AND HELPING THEM FILE THOSE PETITIONS, OR MEETING WITH THEM AND THEIR FAMILY TO HELP THEIR FAMILY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENED AND HOW THEY CAN HELP.

SO THEY'RE NOT LEFT ALONE IN THIS PROCESS?

ABSOLUTELY.

NOW, CAPTAIN, WHAT RESOURCES DOES TPD PROVIDE IN THIS INSTANCE AND HOW DO WE TRAIN OUR OFFICERS?

YOU KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT EARLIER, BUT THIS IS A VERY DELICATE SITUATION.

HOW ARE WE TRAINING OUR OFFICERS TO WORK WITH VICTIMS?

YEAH.

MUCH IN THE VERY SAME WAY THAT WE HAVE OUR PARTNERS OUT THERE.

SO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL DECADES, LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS SHIFTED WHERE WE UNDERSTAND THE NEEDS OF VICTIMS AND OFFICERS AS WELL, AND MENTAL HEALTH GOES INTO IT.

SO WE'VE ADOPTED SEVERAL PROGRAMS NOW, A PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN WITH US FOR MANY YEARS IS OUR SAME PROGRAM, THE SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINER PROGRAM.

IT'S A FANTASTIC PROGRAM.

SO THAT'S REALLY THE FIRST STEP THAT SOMEONE HAS.

WHEN LAW ENFORCEMENT GETS INVOLVED, IT'S ALWAYS DIFFICULT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TALKING TO US AND HERE WE ARE IN UNIFORM AND WE'VE GOT GUNS AND AND SO WE THIS IS THE FIRST PART OF THE FORENSIC EXAMINATION.

SO AND THESE ADVOCATES, THESE NURSES ARE JUST AMAZING AT WHAT THEY DO.

AND THEY GATHER THE EVIDENCE FOR US, BUT THEY ALSO OFFER SOME COMFORT.

SO THAT IS STEP ONE, THE SAME PROCESS.

WE DO THAT TO ALL OF OUR SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS.

AND THEN THE SECOND PART, WE HAVE A VICTIM ADVOCATE ADVOCACY PROGRAM HERE IN THE DEPARTMENT.

WE'VE GOT NON-SWORN PERSONNEL, CIVILIANS, IF YOU WILL, AND THEIR JOB IS TO WORK WITH THESE VICTIMS, WALK THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS, TELL THEM WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.

SO EVERY STEP OF THE INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS, EVERY STEP OF COURT AND EVERYTHING WE DO, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WORKING WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT THEY ARE COMFORTABLE AND UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING, AND GET REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS ABOUT HOW LONG THIS TAKES.

SO WE ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF THE VICTIM AND TRY TO HELP THEM EVERY WAY THAT WE CAN.

AND LINDA, THE STATE HAS MADE PROGRESS AND YOU'RE PART OF THIS.

ON THE RAPE KIT BACKLOG.

CAN YOU TELL US HOW WE'RE WORKING TO GET THOSE RAPE KITS TAKEN CARE OF?

AND THEN ALSO, IT'S A LONG PROCESS AND YOU'RE WAITING FOR THOSE ANSWERS.

WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR THE VICTIMS?

SO THE RAPE KIT KIT BACKLOG HAS BEEN AN ISSUE THAT HAS BEEN NATIONAL, NOT JUST THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, BUT WE ARE ADDRESSING IT BY MAKING SURE THAT THE KITS ARE SENT TO THE INVESTIGATIVE AGENCIES SO THAT THEY CAN CHECK TO SEE WHAT THE YOU KNOW, IF THE PERSON WAS IF CODIS HIT HAPPENS.

RIGHT.

SO IF THERE A CODIS IS A DATABASE, AN ELECTRONIC DATABASE AUTHORIZED BY THE FBI, THAT THEN TAKES IF SOMEONE IS ARRESTED, THEIR DNA GOES INTO CODIS.

AND THEN IF A KIT IS TESTED, THERE MAY BE A CODE IS HIT SO THAT YOU CAN FIND OUT IF THERE'S A SERIAL RAPIST THAT'S INVOLVED.

IN A CERTAIN CASE, THESE KITS THAT WERE BACKLOGGED FOR SO LONG ARE BACKLOGGED SOME OF THEM FOR DECADES.

RIGHT.

SO PEOPLE HAVE MOVED ON WITH THEIR LIVES.

AND THEN NOW THESE KIDS ARE GETTING TESTED.

AND SO VICTIMS NOW SURVIVORS ARE GETTING NOTIFIED THAT IN FACT, THE RAPIST HAS SHOWN UP ON THIS CODIS HIT OR HAS SHOWN UP IN CERTAIN OTHER AREAS, AND THEY NOW PERHAPS CAN PROSECUTE.

AND SO IT'S COMPLETELY RETRAUMATIZING FOR THE WOMEN.

EXACTLY.

SAME THING HAPPENED IN MY SITUATION.

MY RAPIST WAS DISCOVERED 28 YEARS LATER, NOT THROUGH THIS KIT TEST BACKLOG, BUT I ALSO HAVE GONE THROUGH THAT RETRAUMATISATION.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THE SAFE TASKFORCE HAS DONE AND NOW THE SAFE BOARD IS DOING LEGISLATIVELY, IS HELPING TO DEVELOP PROTOCOL TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THE VICTIM SURVIVORS, RIGHT, SO THAT THEY CAN, IN FACT, HOPEFULLY HELP LAW ENFORCEMENT AND WORK WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MEDICAL COMMUNITY TO PROSECUTE.

AND, LINDA, ANOTHER THING HERE IS RAPE IS ONE OF THE MOST UNDERREPORTED CRIMES.

WHY IS THAT?

WELL, BECAUSE THERE'S A STIGMA ABOUT IT.

OFTENTIMES THE MAJORITY OF TIMES ACTUALLY RAPISTS OR RAPE HAPPENS WITH SOMEONE, YOU KNOW.

AND SO THERE'S ALL SORTS OF REASONS ALL THE WAY FROM FAMILIES PUTTING PRESSURE TO NOT TELL TO EVERYBODY'S GOING TO KNOW, YOU KNOW, IN SMALL COMMUNITIES ALL THE WAY FROM THAT TO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT SURE IF WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO ME WAS RAPE.

AND SO AS A RESULT OF THAT AND BEING FEARED THAT THEY WON'T BE BELIEVED, THAT IS A REALLY BIG THING.

IT IS.

AND AND SO WHAT HAPPENS THEN IS ONLY A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE ARE REPORTED.

EVEN SMALLER PERCENTAGE ARE PROSECUTED, AND EVEN SMALLER PERCENTAGE ARE ACTUALLY INCARCERATED.

BECAUSE.

AND THEN A LARGE THING HERE REALLY IS STIGMA, WHICH IS WHY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

BUT MICHAELA, HOW MUCH DOES THE WAY WE TALK ABOUT RAPE, THE WAY WE REPORT ON RAPE, THE WAY THAT THE MEDIA SHOWS THE RAPE OR SHOWS RAPE AND COMMUNITY SPACES, HOW DOES THAT IMPACT SURVIVORS AND WHETHER THEY FEEL SAFE OR NOT?

GREATLY.

OUR COMMUNITIES ARE INFORMED BY MEDIA AND PEOPLE AROUND THEM.

SO WHEN IT COULD BE A NEWS STORY THAT DEPICTS SEXUAL ASSAULT AS SOMEHOW THE VICTIM'S FAULT.

THAT COULD PREVENT OTHER VICTIMS FROM COMING FORWARD FEELING SAFE ENOUGH TO DO SO, FEELING LIKE THEY'LL BE BELIEVED AND TAKEN SERIOUSLY.

BUT IT COULD ALSO BE THE CONVERSATIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR SOCIAL CIRCLES AND WITH OUR FAMILIES.

WE HAVE WORKED WITH SURVIVORS WHO THEIR REASON FOR NOT REPORTING IS THAT THEY'VE HEARD THE WAY THAT THEIR FAMILY MEMBER TALKS ABOUT THESE THINGS, AND THEY DON'T WANT THOSE THINGS SAID ABOUT THEM THE WAY WE TALK ABOUT IT.

BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, WITH THESE CASES, I'VE BEEN HEARING, ARE YOU HEAR IT A LOT?

WHAT WAS SHE WEARING?

HOW OLD WAS SHE OUT?

THAT DOES NOT HOW MUCH ALCOHOL IS INVOLVED.

EXACTLY.

SO WHAT DO WE HOW DO WE CHANGE THOSE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'RE HAVING?

LINDA, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO EDUCATE THE SOCIETY ABOUT OUR WHOLE SOCIETY, ABOUT THE FACT THAT THIS IS POWER AND CONTROL.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT SEX.

THIS IS ABOUT POWER AND CONTROL.

AND UNTIL WE TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE PERSON WEARS, IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW MUCH ALCOHOL THE VICTIM HAS.

IT'S REALLY MORE ABOUT HOW MUCH ALCOHOL DID THE PERPETRATOR HAVE, WHAT WAS GOING ON WITH THE PERPETRATOR WHO GROOMED THE VICTIM BY GIVING HER OR HIM MORE ALCOHOL?

I MEAN, WE'VE GOT TO GET THE THE FOCUS OFF THE VICTIM AND ONTO THE PERPETRATOR.

YOU NEVER HEAR WHAT WAS THE PERPETRATOR WEARING?

YOU NEVER HEAR THAT.

WELL, CAPTAIN MUILENBURG RIVER PARK ANNOUNCED THAT THEY'LL BE ADDING MORE CAMERAS, AND THEY'LL BE HAVING PEOPLE PATROLLING ON BIKES THAT STARTED SEPTEMBER 1ST.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER CHANGES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN TULSA?

YOU KNOW, IF I MAY, JUST GIVEN THE REPORTING ISSUE AND EVERYBODY IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

WE SEE IT'S UNDERREPORTED THIS CRIME AS WELL AS DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

AND I THINK REALLY THE ISSUE IS WE CAN ASK AND PLATFORMS LIKE THIS AND ASK THE MEDIA TO DO DIFFERENT THINGS.

WE NEED TO NORMALIZE IT IN OUR SOCIETY THAT REPORTING IS OKAY BECAUSE PEOPLE FEEL VULNERABLE.

THEY FEEL LIKE THEY LIKE THEY LIKE.

IT'S BEEN SAID THEY DON'T WANT TO MAKE REPORTS BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SURE THE OUTCOME.

THEY DON'T THEY DON'T.

NOT REALLY SURE.

IT'S EASY TO REPORT SOMEONE WHO'S A STRANGER, WHETHER THEY ROBBED YOU OR ASSAULTED YOU, BECAUSE YOU DON'T FEEL THAT CONNECTION.

AND THE CONFUSION AROUND REPORTING APPROPRIATENESS.

BUT WE NEED TO INSTILL UPON PEOPLE THAT YOU SHOULD REPORT THINGS.

YOU SHOULD ABSOLUTELY FEEL COMFORTABLE REPORTING THINGS AND KNOW WHERE YOU ARE UNTIL AS A SOCIETY, WE KIND OF GET TO THAT TIPPING POINT WHERE EVERYBODY JUST IS, YOU KNOW, JUST NOT ONLY ACCEPTED BUT ENCOURAGES REPORTING BECAUSE THERE IS A SEGMENT OF OUR SOCIETY THAT NEEDS TO BE PUT IN JAIL, OR THEY NEED PUNISHMENT FOR DOING TERRIBLE THINGS.

UNLESS WE KNOW ABOUT THAT, THERE'S GOING TO DO IT TO SOMEBODY ELSE AND SOMEBODY ELSE, AND WHO KNOWS HOW MANY TIMES THEY WILL OFFEND BEFORE SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS ABLE TO JUST KIND OF COME TOGETHER AND GET IT TAKEN CARE OF.

SO THAT'S IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT THE MESSAGE WE PUT OUT TO PEOPLE IS THAT IT IS OKAY.

PLEASE REPORT THESE THINGS, UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE A VICTIM, UNDERSTAND THAT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO, YOU KNOW, SHOW WHO YOUR SUSPECT IS AND GET JUSTICE FOR YOURSELF.

AND IT'S JUST UNTIL THE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE GETS THERE.

WE JUST NEED TO NORMALIZE THAT PROCESS.

AND SO GOING BACK TO YOUR QUESTION IS SO WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OF THINGS WE'RE GOING TO PUT RESOURCES OUT THERE.

TECHNOLOGY FOR US IS A FORCE MULTIPLIER.

CAMERAS SURVEILLANCE.

THESE PREDATORS THOUGH THEY WORK UNDER THE COVER OF DARKNESS.

THEY DO IT VERY QUICKLY.

AND SO WE CAN PUT PREVENTATIVE MEASURES OUT THERE EVERY PLACE AND PUT OFFICERS OUT THERE.

AND IT'S REALLY A COMBINATION BETWEEN WHAT WE CAN DO WITH OUR PERSONNEL AND TECHNOLOGY VERSUS JUST EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY BEING AWARE, EVERYBODY LOOKING OUT FOR ONE ANOTHER, BUT SOMEONE WHO IS OF A DEPRAVED MIND, YOU KNOW, THEY MAY NOT BE DISSUADED BY THAT.

SO WE JUST HAVE TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT ALL THE TIME.

AND ANOTHER REALLY BIG PART OF THIS, I THINK WE ACTUALLY TALKED ABOUT THIS RIGHT BEFORE WE STARTED, BUT I SPOKE ON THE PHONE WITH DVIS IN TULSA, AND THEY SAID, ANOTHER REALLY BIG THING IS, OF COURSE, HOW YOU APPROACH THE VICTIM.

I REMEMBER HEARING HER SAYING, FIRST THING YOU WANT TO SAY IS, I BELIEVE YOU.

YES.

CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT?

MICHAELA?

SURVIVORS ARE ALREADY EXPECTING TO NOT BE BELIEVED.

THEY ARE EXPECTING TO HAVE TO CONVINCE SOMEONE THAT THIS TERRIBLE THING REALLY DID HAPPEN.

SO IF WE START BY BELIEVING, IT GOES A LONG WAY TO PAVING THAT THAT ROAD WITH TRUST AND GIVING THEM, EMPOWERING THEM TO TO TELL THEIR STORY AND TO FEEL LIKE THEY'RE DOING THAT IN A WAY THAT'S SAFE FOR THEM.

AND MY EXPERIENCE AS AN ADVOCATE, EVEN WHEN SOMEONE HASN'T INDICATED TO ME THAT THEY ARE WORRIED, I DON'T BELIEVE THEM.

EVEN IF THAT HASN'T COME UP.

WHEN YOU TELL A SURVIVOR I BELIEVE YOU, YOU WATCH THEIR SHOULDERS DROP, YOU WATCH SOME OF THE TENSION THAT THEY'RE HOLDING.

LIKE LIKE THEY CAN EXHALE BECAUSE THEY WERE WORRIED, EVEN IF THEY HAVEN'T SAID IT, BECAUSE THEY'RE JUST SO ON EDGE.

I'M SORRY.

EXCUSE ME.

THEY'RE SO ON EDGE BECAUSE OF THE EXPERIENCES THAT THEY HAD.

LINDA, UNFORTUNATELY.

AND WE'RE JUST ABOUT OUT OF TIME HERE.

BUT LINDA, I WANT TO GIVE YOU FINAL THOUGHTS.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU HAVE TO MAYBE ANY WOMEN OR PEOPLE THAT ARE WATCHING THAT HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN TO THEM?

WHAT ADVICE, WHAT HELPED YOU GET THROUGH IT?

AND YOU'RE NOW AN ADVOCATE.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE.

OH THANK YOU.

I THINK MY BIGGEST ADVICE IS TO FIND YOUR NETWORK OF PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE YOUR SUPPORTS.

AND IT'S PROBABLY SOMETIMES IT'S NOT YOUR BIOLOGICAL FAMILY, IT'S YOUR CHOSEN FAMILY OR YOUR FRIENDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE FOR YOU.

REACH OUT TO THEM WHEN YOU NEED TALK TO THEM.

REMEMBER, YOU CAN'T POUR OUT OF A HALF FILLED A CUP THAT'S EMPTY, SO MAKE SURE YOU POUR INTO YOURSELF.

THAT'S ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE.

I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL SO VERY MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY.

THANK YOU.

THANK, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

AND THANK YOU, CASSIDY.

LAST I CHECKED, FROGS CAN'T PLAY THE BANJO UNLESS THEIR NAME IS KERMIT.

BUT EVEN THE ORIGINAL MUPPET NEEDS A LITTLE BEHIND THE SCENES HELP TO PULL OFF THE RAINBOW CONNECTION.

AND THAT'S WHERE LUCAS ROSS COMES IN.

NOAH JOINS US NOW WITH THE DETAILS.

NOAH RICH LUCAS ROSS HAS BEEN PLAYING THE BANJO FOR 15 YEARS.

HE WORKS AT THE AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM HERE IN OKLAHOMA CITY.

BUT HIS SIDE HUSTLE IS ANSWERING THE CALL WHENEVER THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS FROG NEEDS A LITTLE BANJO ASSISTANCE.

NO, THAT'S NOT KERMIT PLAYING THE BANJO.

OOPS.

WRONG NOTE.

KERMIT DOESN'T HIT WRONG NOTES.

JUST ME.

THAT'S LUCAS ROSS, A LOCAL OKLAHOMA ARTIST AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR THE AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM IN DOWNTOWN OKLAHOMA CITY.

IF THERE IS ANOTHER BANJO MUSEUM OR A LARGER COLLECTION THAN THIS ONE, TELL ME, BECAUSE I WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND AND I WANT TO COME VISIT.

BUT AS FAR AS WE KNOW, THIS IS THE ONLY BANJO MUSEUM LIKE THIS ANYWHERE.

THE MUSEUM HOUSES OVER 400 INSTRUMENTS AND OTHER BANJO RELATED ITEMS, AND JUST DEBUTED A NEW EXHIBIT CALLED POP GOES THE BANJO, AN HOMAGE TO THE BANJO'S PRESENCE ACROSS POPULAR CULTURE.

AT THE CENTER IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ICONS EVER TO STRUM THE INSTRUMENT.

KERMIT THE FROG WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE WALT DISNEY ARCHIVES WHO CAME OUT, DROVE KERMIT OUT IN HIS LIMO, AND FIRST CLASS DELIVERED HIM, AND PERCHED HIM RIGHT THERE WITH THE BANJO.

THAT LITTLE BANJO PROP IS PRETTY SPECIAL.

THAT BANJO WAS FROM THE 1979 PROMOTION OF THE MOVIE THE MUPPET MOVIE.

AND THAT'S THE MOVIE THAT I FIRST HEARD THE BANJO IN, AND IT KIND OF SOLIDIFIED IT FOR ME.

BEFORE I EVEN KNEW WHAT THE INSTRUMENT WAS I WAS HEARING.

I JUST LOVED IT.

THOSE OPENING STRUMS OF RAINBOW CONNECTION ARE ICONIC AND BEAUTIFUL, AND YOU JUST KIND OF SUSPEND BELIEF WHENEVER KERMIT IS SITTING THERE PLAYING AND SINGING.

SOMEDAY WE'LL FIND IT.

THE RAINBOW CONNECTION I WAS AN 80S KID, SO I WAS BORN LIKE, RIGHT AT THE PINNACLE OF WHEN THE MUPPETS WERE, LIKE, WORLD RENOWN WITH THE MUPPET SHOW, THE SUCCESS OF, YOU KNOW, OVER A DECADE OF SESAME STREET.

I THINK MY FIRST WORDS WAS WERE OSCAR AND BERT AND ERNIE.

I DON'T KNOW IF I EVER SAID MOM AND DAD UNTIL LATER ON.

LUCAS GREW UP IN MINCO, OKLAHOMA, AND BANJO WIELDING LEGENDS LIKE KERMIT AND STEVE MARTIN LED HIM TO EVENTUALLY SET OUT TO LEARN THE INSTRUMENT.

THE DEERING BANJO COMPANY SPONSORED LUCAS, AND HE RECORDED HIS FIRST ALBUM, SON OF A BEEKEEPER.

THEY MADE ME THIS BANJO THAT HAS A REFERENCE TO MY FAMILY'S BUSINESS ON IT.

IT'S GOT A HONEYCOMB HEAD ON IT, REFERENCING MY MY FAMILY'S BUSINESS.

I HAVE ALL MY SIGNATURES ON THE INSIDE HERE OF WHO'S WHO.

ALL THE BANJO PLAYERS I'VE GOT TO MEET OVER THE YEARS HAVE SIGNED MY BANJO.

KRISTIN SCOTT BENSON AND OH MAN, GREG AND JANET DEERING, WHO MADE THE BANJO FOR ME.

HANS KRUEGER.

GARY BISCUIT DAVIS, WHO PRODUCED AND PLAYED THE BANJO FOR DOLLY PARTON.

ROY CLARK EVEN SIGNED IT.

BUT RIGHT NEXT TO ROY CLARK IS KERMIT THE FROG.

SO WHENEVER KIDS COME UP TO ME, THEY'RE LIKE, DO YOU REALLY KNOW KERMIT THE FROG?

I SAY, YEAH, I SIGN MY BANJO, AND HE'S GOT GREAT PENMANSHIP.

AND IT WAS THAT CONNECTION THAT LED LUCAS TO THE BIGGEST GIG OF HIS LIFE.

I'VE BEEN CALLED MULTIPLE TIMES.

KERMIT'S BANJO ADVISOR.

SO IF DISNEY IS EVER LOOKING TO DO ANYTHING SPECIAL WITH BANJOS WITH KERMIT, THEY MIGHT ASK ME ABOUT THAT.

KERMIT KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT BANJOS.

SOMETIMES HE JUST DOESN'T HAVE TIME BECAUSE PIGGY'S KEEPING HIM VERY BUSY.

WHEN KERMIT PERFORMS WITH HIS BANJO.

OFTENTIMES, DISNEY WILL TAP LUCAS TO BE KERMIT'S BANJO PROXY, PROVIDING THE MUSIC TO SYNC UP WITH THE PERFORMANCE LIKE HIS DUET WITH COUNTRY LEGEND WILLIE NELSON, LUCAS GOT TO COME ON STAGE FOR THE LAST SONG.

OH LORD.

IT'S HARD TO BE HUMBLE, BUT IN THAT MOMENT I WAS LIKE, I'M ON STAGE WITH WILLIE NELSON AND KERMIT THE FROG.

IT IS HARD TO BE HUMBLE.

AND THAT'S WHEN I, THE LORD, WAS HUMBLED ME VERY FAST THAT DAY BECAUSE MY FINGERPRINT.

SO THE WAY THAT I WAS PLAYING, I HAVE A THUMB PICK AND THEN THESE TWO FINGER PICKS HERE AND MY ONE OF MY FINGER PICKS HIT THE STRING AND FLEW UP IN THE AIR AND TUMBLED ONTO THE GROUND AND ROLLED OVER BY WILLIE'S FOOT.

BUT I DIDN'T THINK ANYBODY SAW IT.

AND I WAS LIKE, OKAY.

AND I JUST KEPT STRUMMING.

BUT THIS LITTLE VOICE OVER MY SHOULDER IN BETWEEN SINGING, OH LORD, IT'S HARD TO BE HUMBLE.

DID YOU JUST DROP A PICK?

I'M LIKE, WHEN YOU'RE PERFECT IN EVERY WAY.

I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE SUCH AN UNPROFESSIONAL.

SO KERMIT'S TEASING ME, SAYING, WHAT IF WILLIE STEPS ON THAT PICK AND I'M LIKE, OH MY GOODNESS, THIS IS THE BEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE.

LUCAS ALSO PROVIDED THE BANJO TRACK FOR KERMIT'S PANDEMIC ERA RENDITION OF RAINBOW CONNECTION, WHICH HE RECORDED HERE IN THIS HOME STUDIO BELONGING TO HIS FATHER IN LAW, ANOTHER OKLAHOMA MUSICIAN.

MY FATHER IN LAW, BOBBY LASHLEY, WHO HAS PASSED, WAS AN AMAZING MUSICIAN AND INCREDIBLE OKLAHOMAN, AND LUCAS AND HIS SONS CARRY ON THE LEGACY.

HE TOLD ME THAT HE'S DOING WHAT HE DREAMED ABOUT.

I GUESS JUST WORKING WITH THE MUPPETS SINCE AS A KID.

LUCAS OLDEST SON, HENSON, NAMED AFTER JIM HENSON, CREATOR OF THE MUPPETS, LOOKS UP TO HIS DAD'S ACCOLADES.

YEAH, IT'S JUST REALLY INSPIRING BECAUSE, LIKE, I COULD DO THAT IF I WANTED TO.

HIS YOUNGEST SON, SIMON, HAS A KNACK FOR EDITING AND MIXING, AND THEY'RE ALL MUSICIANS.

THE PRODUCT OF WHAT JIM HENSON SET OUT TO DO WHEN HE DREAMT UP KERMIT AND THE MUPPETS TO INSPIRE ALL THE LOVERS AND DREAMERS.

KERMIT AND THE REST OF THE EXHIBIT WILL BE AROUND FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

YOU CAN VISIT HIM AT THE AMERICAN BANJO MUSEUM THROUGH OCTOBER 2026.

RICH NOAH, LOVE THAT STORY.

THANK YOU.

ON THE NEXT EDITION OF THE OKLAHOMA NEWS REPORT, A DISPUTE BETWEEN GOVERNOR STITT AND THE MAYOR OF TULSA OVER HOW TO DEAL WITH THE NUMBER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE ON TULSA CITY STREETS.

TAYLOR JACKSON REPORTS FRIDAY AT SEVEN.

OKAY, IF YOU'RE A FAN OF THE SHOW THE OFFICE, WE THINK YOU'RE GOING TO REALLY APPRECIATE OUR CLOSER THIS WEEK PUT TOGETHER FOR US BY OITA LEGACY.

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

AND IF YOU'D LIKE TO WATCH ANY OF THE REPORTS IN THIS NEWSCAST AGAIN, THEY WILL BE AVAILABLE ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL BY MONDAY EVENING.

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

I'M RICH.

LENS.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.

BIRD IS HERE.

DID YOU SAY BIRDIES HERE?

ALL RIGHT, I KNOW I'M GONNA BE THE BAD GUY HERE, BUT ARE WORKING WITH BIRDIE.

IT'S SO UNTENABLE.

I MEAN, SHE JUST DRAWS EVERYBODY'S ATTENTION.

I CAN'T GET ANY WORK DONE AROUND HERE WHEN SHE'S IN THE ROOM.

SHE JUST TAKES EVERYBODY'S TIME AROUND HERE.

THEY.

THEY'VE GOT TO CATER TO EVERY NEED THAT SHE HAS.

AND I'M JUST SIMPLY TRYING TO PUT ON A TV SHOW.

YEAH.

SO I AM THE TELEVISION DIRECTOR.

BUT TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH YOU, BIRDIE IS THE REAL DIRECTOR.

HEY, COMING TO YOU IN FIVE FOR BIRDIE WANTS EVERYTHING PERFECT.

THE CAMERAS HAVE TO BE PERFECT.

IF YOU MOVE THE CAMERA WRONG BY JUST A LITTLE BIT BY A CENTIMETER, SHE WILL YELL AT ME.

YEAH.

YOU KNOW, BIRDIE IS AWESOME.

I REALLY LIKE BIRDIE.

WORK WITH HER FOR A LONG TIME.

LEARNED A LOT FROM HER.

BUT MAN, IT'S JUST NOT MUCH OF A TEAM PLAYER.

BIRDIE, DO YOU THINK MAYBE YOU COULD HELP ME OUT A LITTLE BIT?

NOPE.

NO.

OKAY, OKAY.

NO, I GET IT.

I GET I MEAN, I DON'T WANT TO BE I DON'T WANT TO BAD MOUTH ANYBODY, BUT SOMETIMES I JUST FEEL LIKE I'M KIND OF ON MY OWN, YOU KNOW?

SO BIRDIE IS, I WOULD SAY, OUR ALL AROUND BEST TEAM MEMBER.

SHE IS THE BEST LIAISON FROM DEPARTMENT TO DEPARTMENT.

SHE IS ALL OVER THE BUILDING.

SHE LOVES TO GREET EVERYBODY AND MAKE SURE EVERYBODY IS DOING WHAT THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.

BUT SHE ALSO LIFTS THE MOOD.

I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HER PEOPLE SKILLS.

I MEAN, ANYBODY NEW THAT COMES INTO THE BUILDING, SHE'S RIGHT THERE TO SAY HELLO.

SHE KEEPS US ALL ON TRACK.

SHE TELLS US WHEN WE NEED TO BE PLACES.

AND, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ASK FOR OKLAHOMA.

AGRICULTURE STARTS AT SUNUP.

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