Articles
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Economy, Culture & the Family
For Oklahoma saddle maker, COVID response may be worse than broken neck
Clinton “Doc” Hole is no stranger to adversity. But he said the government-ordered closure of businesses across Oklahoma in response to COVID-19/coronavirus may do what a broken neck and tornadoes couldn’t.Ray Carter | March 27, 2020
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Budget & Tax
Senate leader: State budget was in trouble before virus
When the State Board of Equalization approved the revenue estimates used by lawmakers for budget writing, the state faced a shortfall of $85 million. Things have gotten much worse since that February meeting due to the COVID-19/coronavirus event, but Senate President Pro Tempore Greg Treat said the budget’s downward spiral preceded even the virus outbreak.Ray Carter | March 26, 2020
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Culture & the Family
States’ COVID-19 responses based on faulty data?
In Oklahoma and nationwide, government officials have often pointed to graphs showing the predicted impact of COVID-19/coronavirus, yet one source for many of those charts—the organization COVID Act Now—is now coming under fire for questionable methodology that critics say makes many dire predictions dubious.Ray Carter | March 26, 2020
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Education
Oklahoma public schools to go online
While public school buildings will remain closed to students, the system will shift to educating children online and through other distance-learning methods under an order approved by the Oklahoma State Board of Education.Ray Carter | March 25, 2020
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Economy, Culture & the Family
Businesses ordered closed in 19 Oklahoma counties
Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered the closure of “nonessential” businesses in the 19 Oklahoma counties that have at least one confirmed positive COVID-19/coronavirus case. Those employers must stay closed for the next 21 days.Ray Carter | March 24, 2020
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Culture & the Family
Calls for unity quickly abandoned for partisanship
Calls for national unity in dealing with the COVID-19/coronavirus event have quickly fallen by the wayside at both the state and federal levels.Ray Carter | March 24, 2020
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Education
In north Tulsa, educators innovate to continue learning
Due to coronavirus and concerns about students’ access to the Internet, Oklahoma public schools have been ordered to halt learning through at least April 6, a mandate that applies to all options, including online learning. But it’s full steam ahead for one private school serving working-class students in north Tulsa.Ray Carter | March 24, 2020
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Education
Resources available for parents thrust into homeschooling
The Homeschool Oklahoma website has vital information for parents “thrust into home education without any preparation.” They have joined other homeschool organizations nationwide to reach out to parents who suddenly find themselves with children at home and schools canceled for the indefinite future.Mike Brake | March 23, 2020
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Culture & the Family
Legislature to close for another week
Due to the COVID-19/coronavirus event, the Oklahoma Legislature will not convene in session at the Oklahoma Capitol for at least another week, officials have announced.Ray Carter | March 20, 2020
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Health Care
Thousands added to Medicaid through expansion already have coverage
As Oklahoma expands its Medicaid program to include up to 628,000 able-bodied adults, one feature of the expansion that is often overlooked is that tens of thousands being added to the program already have coverage or access to care.Ray Carter | March 20, 2020