Flu Packing A Wallop On Oklahoma; Some School Districts Close, Go Virtual

The biggest stories of the day across Oklahoma:

• Students, teachers both hit hard by the flu across Oklahoma

• Federal funding freeze still intact despite memo’s rescission

• Ryan Walters seeks $100 million more for education budget

• National breaking news: Passenger jet from Wichita collides with military helicopter over Potomac River in Washington, D.C.

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Weather Briefing ☂️

Wednesday’s rain was light but steady across much of the state. It turned into thick fog just in time for the evening commute. Thursday’s weather is more of the same…at least until midday.

And then we warm up.

The weekend is looking wonderful! ☀️

🌡️ High in OKC 62°
🌡️ High in Tulsa 59°

I said the weekend was looking “wonderful,” and News 9 Chief Meteorologist David Payne called it “amazing.” What kind of weekend plans are you drumming up?

🗞️ Big Story: Some Oklahoma School Districts Close, Go Virtual Due To Rampant Illness, Flu

Oklahoma has been hit hard by cold and flu season to start the year, and now multiple school districts are either closed or going virtual. Not only are many students sick, so are teachers—so much so that the Deer Creek School District has gone to virtual learning for Thursday and Friday.

Piedmont Schools will not be in session at all Jan. 30 and 31, reported the Piedmont-Surrey Gazette. News 9’s Elizabeth Fitz talks to school officials, who said they would be closing to do a deep clean of the campus.

News 9 also has a list of school closings atop its website.

How bad is it right now in Oklahoma? It’s so bad that the Walgreen’s Flu Index has Oklahoma at No. 1 in the country for “flu activity.”

KOCO’s Jono Greco used Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) data combined with information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to dive in to a comparison between Oklahoma’s flu activity and other states’.

KTEN reports on the impact flu and other illnesses are having on school districts in southern Oklahoma.

Update: Federal Freeze Memo Rescinded, But The Freeze Itself Stays Intact

A memo from the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ordering a federal funding freeze on Tuesday was rescinded on Wednesday.

That is: the memo was rescinded.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt made it clear late Wednesday that the freeze itself was not rescinded.

KTUL’s Tanya Modersitzki reports that nonprofits are still confused about the order. She also talked to Tulsa City Councilor Laura Bellis, who expressed concern given that “nearly 50% of the state's revenue comes from federal grants.”

Dave Hamby with the Oklahoma Policy Institute called the freeze “very hurried, sloppy, and not well thought out,” per a report from KFOR’s Austin Breasette.

Jessica Marshall with the Stillwater News-Press talked to Stillwater residents and officials about the freeze.

Walters Presents OSDE Budget To Legislative Committee, Seeks More Money

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters presented his department’s budget to a legislative committee on Wednesday, seeking $92.47 million more this year than last year. KOCO’s Dacoda Wahpekeche reported on the back-and-forth Walters had with some legislators, who questioned him about the $3 million he seeks for Bibles.

"The most cited book, the most read book in American history, is back in the classroom,” Walters said.

Per reporting from Nuria Martinez-Keel at Oklahoma Voice, the questioning Walters faced was bipartisan.

The Frontier: Section 8 Voucher Participants Struggle To Find Somebody Willing To Rent To Them

The number of landlords renting to voucher participants has stagnated in recent years, housing authority officials told The Frontier. 

It’s hard enough for the tens of thousands of families on a waitlist to secure one of the coveted vouchers. Lack of federal funding has forced some housing authorities to indefinitely close their waitlists, while others have only enough funding to help those with priority status for vouchers because they’re experiencing homelessness or have a disability. 

But even for those who receive a voucher, housing isn’t a guarantee. 

Read more on The Frontier’s website.

Oklahoma Headlines

• Ambulance service, subscription debated at Blackwell City Council (Blackwell Journal-Tribune)

• City of Lawton won’t ban pit bulls (Lawton Constitution, paywall)

• City of Norman owes University Town Center developers $2.1 million (News 9)

• Gov. Stitt makes push for tax cuts ahead of State Of The State address (Fox 23)

• Police shooting body cam released by OKCPD (Oklahoma City Free Press)

• OKCPS chairperson debate recap (NonDoc)

• Edmond North girls wrestling team’s season suspended over parents’ actions (KFOR)

• Meet the candidates vying for Oklahoma County commissioner (KOCO)

• Oklahoma’s aerospace sector aims to retain talent amid Boeing layoffs (Fox 25)

• Expansion plans announced for Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum (KFOR)

Reaction To Wichita Plane Crash In Washington, D.C.

Thoughts and prayers went out Wednesday night for everybody impacted by the air tragedy in our nation’s capital. U.S. Sen. James Lankford was one of many Oklahoma officials to react, posting this to X:

More Crash Coverage:
• KSN
• KWCH
• KAKE
• Wichita Eagle

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