It’s a complicated story, but maybe you heard about the FBI bust on Thursday. An NBA player was arrested, an NBA coach, too, and several crime families were pegged in an online poker scheme.

It’s a mess, and I don’t understand most of it.

But I get the sports part. Federal investigators believe NBA players, former players and perhaps even coaches were doing things like revealing insider information to help gamblers, basically insider trading. Investigators also believe that NBA players conspired to rig “prop bets,” things like overs and unders for anything from steals to assists to minutes played.

From this Associated Press story:
In one instance, (Terry) Rozier, while playing for the Charlotte Hornets in 2023, told people he was planning to leave the game early with a supposed injury, allowing gamblers to place wagers earning them tens of thousands of dollars, authorities said. That game against the New Orleans Pelicans raised eyebrows at the time. Rozier played the first 9 minutes and 36 seconds of the game before leaving, citing a foot issue. He did not play again that season.

I bring all this up because earlier this year, the NCAA instituted a new rule, taking effect next week, that would allow college athletes to bet on pro sports. When that came out, I immediately saw red flags.

The risk isn’t only to young athletes who have bright futures getting into life-altering trouble, it’s to the very leagues we love to watch.

We love to joke from time to time that a game we’re watching or a league we love is “rigged.”

It’s all a joke, until it isn’t.

Message me anytime at [email protected].

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By Ryan Welton, Oklahoma Memo

The federal government shutdown has stretched into its 23rd day, and U.S. Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) says Washington needs a better system to prevent these recurring crises.

In an interview with Oklahoma Memo, the state’s senior senator said talks have been stalled over whether to extend enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act — a debate that has overshadowed budget negotiations.

He said both parties have supported temporary funding in past standoffs but that this one became more complicated when health-care policy was added to the mix. “This is a very detailed and complex issue that takes weeks to work through,” he said. “We can’t do that with the government closed.”

Lankford has opposed making the COVID-era ACA subsidies permanent, arguing that Oklahoma’s Affordable Care Act premiums have risen 200% in six years, compared with 29% for employer-based insurance. He cited fraud and inequities in subsidy distribution and said Congress must figure out why costs are climbing ten times faster than in the private market.

The shutdown’s local impact could soon be felt. About 687,000 Oklahomans who rely on SNAP food assistance could see benefits disrupted if the stalemate continues into November. Lankford said the administration has already redirected tariff funds to keep the WIC program running but may not have enough to cover SNAP without congressional action.

However, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, nearly a month’s worth of SNAP funding is readily available:

“But nearly two-thirds of the funds needed for a full month of benefits are available in SNAP’s contingency fund and must be used when regular funding for SNAP runs short. The Administration must release those funds immediately as SNAP law requires, to ensure that families can put food on the table next month.”

To prevent future federal government shutdowns, Lankford continues to champion the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act, which would keep the government funded at current levels during a budget impasse while requiring Congress to remain in session seven days a week until appropriations are passed.

For a bit of context, however, Republicans shut down the federal government in 2013 over — you guessed it — the Affordable Care Act. The senator talked about how that situation compared to this one. When asked if this act could derail Republicans the next time they’re the minority, he responded, “The act is the act.”

The senator’s sentiment was: budget discussions are complicated, tough, and deserve significantly more dialogue — and that can’t happen when the government is shut down. It also shouldn’t happen while creating “chaos” for federal workers and their families.

Lankford also backed the Shutdown Fairness Act, designed to ensure federal employees who continue working during a funding lapse still receive paychecks. However, that legislation failed Thursday in the Senate, 55-45. It needed 60 votes to pass.

Both Lankford and Sen. Markwayne Mullin voted for the act.

Democrats had their own version of the shutdown fairness act, one that would have lasted only "through this fiscal year” and included “furloughed employees and limits reduction in force (RIFs).” Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) blocked the Democrat version from being considered.

According to ABC News, the two bills were 95% the same. The differences in length of coverage, inclusion of furloughed employees and limits on RIFs were enough for the GOP to turn it away.

Despite the political tension, Lankford said personal relationships across party lines still matter. He mentioned friendships with Sens. Chris Coons (D-Del.), Angus King (I-Maine) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) as essential to keeping dialogue alive.

Watch the video at the top of this story, or listen to the conversation wherever you get your podcast. If you’d be willing to leave a 5-star review for the podcast, it would help Oklahoma Memo audio get distributed to more listeners.

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If there is an Oklahoma leader I should talk to for a podcast, message me at [email protected], and I’ll try to make it happen.

1. What is the Prevent Government Shutdowns Act?
The act, sponsored by Sen. James Lankford, would automatically fund the government at current levels during a budget impasse and require Congress to stay in session until appropriations are completed.

2. How long has the federal government been shut down?
As of this interview, the shutdown had reached 23 days, with no clear path to reopening.

3. Why is the shutdown happening?
Negotiations broke down over whether to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, which were originally expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

4. How is the shutdown affecting Oklahomans?
Nearly 687,000 residents who rely on SNAP food benefits could face disruptions if the shutdown continues into November, and some farm aid payments were delayed earlier in the month.

5. What are Sen. Lankford’s concerns about ACA subsidies?
Lankford cited rapid cost increases, possible fraud, and the extension of subsidies to higher-income households as reasons he opposes making them permanent.

After 20 years leading hundreds of benefit meetings across Oklahoma, I’ve seen how employees tune out when things get too complex — and that’s where real dollars are lost.

At Bigbie Insurance & Benefits, we make renewals clear, personal, and human again — helping employers cut through the noise so their people actually understand their benefits.

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By Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice
Click here to read the story.
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s new chief of public schools said changes could be coming to the controversial academic standards for social studies that the state passed earlier this year.

State Superintendent Lindel Fields said Thursday he intends to restart the process of reviewing the social studies standards, obtaining public input, and presenting a draft to the Oklahoma State Board of Education and the state Legislature for approval. Typically updated every six years, academic standards are a lengthy list of topics that Oklahoma public schools must teach to students at each grade level.

Oklahoma already adopted new social studies standards this year under Fields’ predecessor, Ryan Walters, but they faced significant criticism over the last-minute addition of dubious content and for their inclusion of Bible teachings. The Oklahoma Supreme Court has blocked schools from implementing Walters’ social studies standards while two lawsuits are pending over them. 

Fields said his administration will ask the Court to extend that pause through the rest of the current school year, leaving state officials time to review the standards and potentially make rewrites.

Click here to finish the story.

Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.

A hand-curated list of the best journalism from across the state:

• Gov. Stitt says Oklahoma won't 'stand by' amid shutdown, orders review of federal funding (The Oklahoman)*

• Oklahoma State Board of Education approves $4 billion budget request (Oklahoma Voice)

• State Board of Education to ‘reset’ accreditation process, review social studies standards (NonDoc)

• Higher education leaders ask Oklahoma Legislature to increase budget by millions (Oklahoma Voice)

• Oklahoma Supreme Court orders contentious attorney Ron Durbin disbarred (Tulsa World)*

• Military aircraft crash-lands in southeast Oklahoma City, crew unharmed (KOCO)

• From camp to village: Tulsa organization is moving city’s unhoused into affordable homes (Tulsa Flyer)

• How Oklahoma's state law tied up in the courts could impact immigration enforcement (KOSU)

• In heart of Hispanic Tulsa, fear of ICE presence triggers slower sales, empty stores (Tulsa Flyer)

• Amid Trump’s immigration crackdown, Tulsa’s refugees are living in fear (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• Muskogee County Sheriff's Office investigating sexual assault at public school (2 News Oklahoma)

• Lawmakers continue to grapple with how to regulate Oklahoma’s wind industry (Oklahoma Voice)

• USDA announces plan to ‘strengthen’ beef industry (Oklahoma Voice)

• Farm Service Agency offices to reopen Thursday across Oklahoma (KOSU)

• EMBARK driver charged after bus runs over pedestrian (Oklahoma City Free Press)

• Former Thunder player arrested in Haskell County (News On 6)

• Comanche Nation offers aid to tribal members amid SNAP delays (KSWO)

• Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education seek $426 million budget increase from Legislature (OU Daily)

The ‘Oklahoma Memo’ mission is simple: Reignite the daily local news habit by connecting Oklahomans and those who love Oklahoma to quality sources of news and vetted information.

✅ Save you time.
✅ Make you smarter.
✅ Protect Democracy.