Federal health care cuts, Boys from Oklahoma — and Rory McIlroy

What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is April 14, and here are a few quickies:

• Rory McIlory got his green jacket. Man, was it a tense finish! I don’t even watch golf much, and I was glued to the TV.

• A 38-year-old man was arrested in connection with an arson at home of Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

• Stock futures rise on tariff exemptions. Click here for live updates.

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Weather Update ☁️

The work week starts much cooler. It will still be pleasant.

We’ll warm up mid-week, and then next weekend gets stormy.

🌡️ Monday's high in OKC 71°
🌡️ Monday’s high in Tulsa 72°

Allergy Report for April 14 🤧

Tree pollen will be Very high today.
Grass pollen will be high.
Ragweed pollen won’t be an issue.

For more depth on Monday’s allergy news, click here.

Cuts to federal health care grants could have ‘substantial’ impact in Oklahoma

By Sierra Pfeifer, KOSU
Click here to read the story.
Donate to KOSU.

Oklahoma has some of the highest rates of mental illness and substance use disorders in the country. But nonprofits, state agencies, lawmakers and dedicated Oklahomans have been working to change the stats.

Hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for those efforts has come directly from the federal government – including grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the primary federal agency charged with advancing the nation’s behavioral health.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that SAMHSA will be consolidated with several other health-related agencies into a new “Administration for a Healthy America.” The consolidation, along with recent and looming cuts to SAMHSA’s workforce and funding, has prompted significant uncertainty about the agency’s future services and grants.

According to Executive Director of Healthy Minds Policy Initiative Zack Stoycoff, Oklahoma has a lot to lose. The nonprofit, nonpartisan policy group put together a report on the state’s mental health grants to better illustrate what’s at stake.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

‘Boys from Oklahoma’ concerts an all-time event for Oklahoma

All the good-time energy in the state of Oklahoma was in Stillwater as Red Dirt music took center stage on Thursday through Sunday. Cross Canadian Ragweed played for the first time together in 15 years. Also playing were Red Dirt giants The Turnpike Troubadours, The Great Divide, Jason Boland & The Stragglers and Stoney LaRue.

If you were there and wanted to share your perspective on the event — and share some photos with Oklahoma Memo — that’d be cool. Email me at [email protected].

Coverage 👀

• Cross Canadian Ragweed Celebrate Resilience and Red Dirt at Massive Oklahoma Comeback Concert (Rolling Stone)

• Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame inducts Red Dirt legends during Boys From Oklahoma concert (News 9)

• 'The atmosphere is just joyous': Night 2 of the Boys from Oklahoma concert brings college friends back to Stillwater (News On 6)

• Stillwater sees massive economic boost from The Boys From Oklahoma (KFOR)

• OSU student working to bring visitors from Boys from Oklahoma home safe (KOCO)

The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

A concise summary of the latest news from across the state.

• Putnam City High School student injured in hit-and-run Wednesday, mother seeks help identifying driver (News 9)

• Timothy McVeigh's letters to Oklahoma journalist offer window into bomber's mind (Tulsa World)

• The children of the Oklahoma City bombing remain symbols of the city's growth (Oklahoman)

• Oklahoma City bombing, 30 years later: Our city's stories of strength, healing and hope (Oklahoman)

• Despite tweet from governor, state Democrats and Republicans tout cooperating on lawmaking (Oklahoman)

• Lawsuit claims malpractice, wrongful death for inmate who died hours after arrest (Oklahoman)

• OKC Zoo launches initiative to dim lights for migrating birds (KFOR)

• Nonprofit Pet Food Pantry worries of closing due to low monetary donations (KFOR)

• Man arrested following deadly shooting in east Tulsa (2 News Oklahoma)

• 5 Things To Know: How Oklahomans can get federal money to install storm shelters (News On 6)

• Osage County Sheriff's Office searching for person of interest in Osage Casino Hotel shooting (Fox 23)

• Concerned TPS parent says 5-year-old child was mistakenly allowed to walk home (Fox 23)

• Pryor woman arrested for taking juvenile to fight, faces child neglect charges (KTUL)

• Osage firefighter Jake Heflin honored at Oscars ceremony (Osage News)

• Turnpike toll bill to tax all motorists with tribal plates fails to pass in state legislature (Mvskoke Media)

• Butterfly release honors those lost to violent crime (Mvskoke Media)

• Ada nurse reflects on 62 years of helping people (KTEN)

• Ringling residents die in crash (KTEN)

• Residential construction booms in March: Third phase of Indian Hills development begins (Ardmoreite)

• Football player-turned math tutor tackles state’s low test scores (Black Wall Street Times)

• Fetgatter to Further Study Storm Chasing Licensing Bill (Okemah News Leader)

SPORTS 🏀⚾🥎🏈

• Wiggins and Carlson lift Thunder past Pelicans 115-100 in regular-season finale (KOCO / AP)

• College football: When you know it’s gone too far (Clay Horning)

• 'You see transformation': What head coach Brent Venables said after OU concludes spring practice (OU Daily)

• With OU football spring practice ending, here is what we learned about 2025 Sooners (Oklahoman)

• What are OU football's top needs in the spring transfer portal? (Tulsa World)

• What are OSU football’s top needs in the spring transfer portal? (Tulsa World)

• Sooners softball drops game to Alabama; rubber match Monday night (SoonerSports)

• OU baseball drops finale to Vandy, but takes 2 of 3 (SoonerSports)

• ‘It’s in our head’: Missed opportunities cost OSU softball as it drops series against Iowa State (O’Colly)

• 3 takeaways: OSU baseball falls to No. 24 Arizona despite quality showings from Schubart, Pesca (O’Colly)

• Berry Tramel: Stoic Nick Gallo becomes Thunder cult hero (Tulsa World)

• Seminole High School golf teams place first and second (Seminole Producer)

🗣️ Story Tips, Ideas, Feedback

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