Oklahoma News Report

January 25, 2010 (28:40)

Over the weekend the Women’s Resources Center in Norman held an auction and sold off the last of its office equipment and supplies and then closed. Its one casualty in what those involved in helping people recover from domestic violence say, is likely a statewide trend if budget cuts become larger. There is a tentative deal to avoid laying off Tulsa firefighters that is being voted on by Union members through Friday. However, no new tentative deal has been reached with Tulsa police, instead a new offer is on the table but it still involves a 5.2% pay cut. One of Oklahoma’s major union leaders doesn’t care for the new U.S. Supreme Court ruling that removes limits on corporate and labor union campaign donations. Jimmy Curry heads the Oklahoma AFL-CIO and talks live tonight on the ONR on his view of the impact from the high courts decision. He may have missed the January 1st deadline but Governor Brad Henry says he hopes to find a new Chief Information Officer sometime next month. 244 people applied for the job and 55 met the minimum qualifications. About 100 jobs at Claremore –based Centrilift are being lost to Houston. No further information was released on why the Baker-Hughes branch company is moving the jobs out of state.

Originally broadcast on January 25, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 22, 2010 (28:41)

Hundreds of Tulsa police, firefighters and non-uniformed employees lost their jobs today as city officials were unable to find common ground with labor unions on other plans to save money. Mayor Bartlett also asked for the Police Chief Ron Palmer to resign. The state Ethics Commission is voting on new rules to get into compliance with a new ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that allows corporations and labor unions to spend unlimited funds for or against political candidates. What can one person do? For an elderly Mustang man, watching senior nutrition programs across the state being shut down due to budget cuts meant he had to do something to help. The story of one manÂ’s effort to feed senior citizens. Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe has angered Muslim groups with comments he made during a meeting of the Armed Service Committee. Inhofe endorsed racial and ethic profiling and said all terrorists, with a few exceptions, are Muslims. Where the Jobs are. The special segment from Horizon features the effort to upgrade the states work force to be more competitive in the global market place.

Originally broadcast on January 22, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 21, 2010 (28:39)

19 employees of the Board of Career and Technology Education have resigned as part of a voluntary separation plan because of ongoing state budget cuts. The board was hoping more than 30 workers would take the deal. Senate GOP leaders have rolled out the second half of their agenda for the new session. Public Safety and transportation funding are top priorities plus harsher penalties for human trafficking and making it easier to get a gun license. State employees are now banned from sending text messages while driving. The governor signed an executive order to that effect this morning. Mobile home park owners donÂ’t care for a proposed new law that would require evacuation plans or storm shelters in their parks. Many are concerned about the costs involved. The bills author says he is revamping his measure to meet their concerns. We talk In-Depth tonight with a political science professor on the implications of a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling that allows corporations and unions to spend as much money as they want endorsing or opposing a specific candidate

Originally broadcast on January 21, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 20, 2010 (28:40)

Oklahoma News Report

Originally broadcast on January 20, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 19, 2010 (28:39)

Altus Air Force personnel are gearing up for deployment to Haiti. The crews of the 58th Airlift Squadron began preparing two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft over the weekend. State Rep. David Dank has a message for House Speaker Chris Benge: support my property tax cap or step down. Benge is not expected to change his opinion on the measure or step down. Dank wants property tax increases capped at three percent, per year. How much would it cost, who would do it and how do you make sure they know what they're doing? All questions the Oklahoma News Report will attempt to get answers for concerning a bill that would require couples to attend pre-marital counseling before being allowed to get a marriage license. It’s one of thousands of new bills lawmakers will begin work on in less than two weeks. Tonight an interview with the governor’s Innovation director for Public Education, on the state’s application for Race to the Top funds. Another Oklahoma museum is struggling to make it through budget cuts and reduced tourism. Officials of the Will Rogers Museum in Claremore are looking for ways to cope with the loss of funds and keep the facility operating. It’s that time of year and free filing is available to Oklahomans to take care of their tax returns. We talk with the IRS about how to do it tonight on the ONR.

Originally broadcast on January 19, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 15, 2010 (28:40)

The earthquake swarm that has been shaking central Oklahoma got more intense today as another quake hit the Jones area and hit 4.0. It was felt all across Oklahoma and parts of Logan and Lincoln counties. Organizations, charities, university students and others across the state are launching fund drives to raise money to aid in relief efforts in Haiti. The latest state agency to layoff employees is the Indigent Defense System. 8 employees are being let go as the agency that provides defense attorneys to defendants unable to pay for a private attorney, copes with a $1.8-million budget cut. District Attorney's statewide are now looking at furloughs as a way to cope with the ongoing budget crisis. So far only one D.A. has decided to furlough employees but several are still studying such a plan and most are more concerned about the budget they will face for fiscal year 2011 which begins this July. January is mentoring month. Tonight we profile a man who began mentoring school kids with his wife. After she passed away, mentoring children is now his primary activity.

Originally broadcast on January 15, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 14, 2010 (28:40)

Originally broadcast on January 14, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 13, 2010 (28:40)

Originally broadcast on January 13, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 12, 2010 (28:39)

Another state revenue report is due out this afternoon. State agencies are on the second month of a 10-percent across the board cutback. Senate Republicans unveil, half of their agenda for the upcoming legislative session. The GOP members of the senate want to cap property taxes at 3% a year and are opposed to any new taxes. The state Fire Marshal has begun a furlough plan to deal with ongoing budget cuts. The days off work without pay will impact only the administrative staff. The state schools for the blind and deaf are being impacted by state budget cuts more than other departments in the state Department of Rehabilitation Services. The schools operate just off of state funds and donations. Agency officials say they are doing all they can to keep both schools accredited and intact. For the first time since the 2003 budget crisis, the average amount of money spent for each student in Oklahoma public schools is going down. The mid-year allocations were sent out to the school districts this week. The Hitachi Computer Products plant in Norman is doubling in size with the addition of a new distribution center. That will mean about 75 new jobs.

Originally broadcast on January 12, 2010

Oklahoma News Report

January 11, 2010 (28:39)

A regional economist with the Federal Reserve Board says Oklahoma is showing the early signs of economic recovery. However, Chad Wilkerson says the states full recovery is precarious due to ever changing energy prices. The latest service to be slashed due to ongoing revenue failures in state government will impact victims of domestic abuse. The cuts include counseling and prevention services. Staff and benefits are also being cut to keep shelters for battered women in operation. Thursday is the deadline for lawmakers to pre-file bills for the new legislative session. Among the hundreds of new laws being introduced is a bill from Senator Steve Russell to allow hunters to use silencers on their weapons. The aftermath of frigid arctic air is broken water mains. While there is no official count, between Tulsa and Oklahoma City there may be 30 repair jobs or more waiting for crews to fix. The Tulsa trucking company that closed its doors, stranding hundreds of drivers across the nation three days before Christmas, is now filing for bankruptcy. Over the weekend Arrow Trucking company filed the paperwork to seek liquidation.

Originally broadcast on January 11, 2010