'Hands Off' Protests, More DOGE Cuts and Cross Canadian Ragweed

What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is April 7, and here are a few quickies:

• It could be a bumpy day on the Stock Market as the financial world continues to reel from President Trump’s tariff plan. Live updates here.

• Them ‘Boys from Oklahoma’ (Cross Canadian Ragweed) are prepping for what is sure to be one of Oklahoma’s biggest music events ever.

• UConn wins 12th women’s national title, beating South Carolina 82-59.

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Weather Update ☀️

Beautiful all week. Next chance for severe weather appears to be around April 16.

🌡️ Monday's high in OKC 64°
🌡️ Monday’s high in Tulsa 64°

Allergy Report for April 7 🤧

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

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

Hundreds, likely thousands attend ‘Hands Off!’ protests across Oklahoma

By Ryan Welton, Oklahoma Memo
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A friend of mine said it better than anybody Saturday night: “If your news source didn’t cover the protests today, their master is revealed.”

If you weren’t aware, somehow, hundreds if not thousands of Oklahomans organized in protest of President Donald Trump and the man he appointed to make cuts across the federal government, Elon Musk.

I’d like to peel back the onion just a bit about how newsrooms operate, especially on Saturdays. They can be pretty bare resource-wise. Heck, on sports weekends, there might not even be any newscasts. My former newsrooms, News 9 and News On 6, had NCAA basketball to broadcast and only an early-morning newscast and an after-the-game newscast.

Late. Really late.

However, they covered the protests — and so did most newsrooms. When something big happens, the vast majority of newsrooms jump to it.

This is what journalists do.

One of my dreams for Oklahoma Memo is for it one day to be big enough so that it becomes the primary source of what I do. My strategy for coverage would have been heavy on social media with photos and videos from folks willing to be identified. That might have included a livestream if the signal out were decent enough.

On the other hand, is growth the chicken or is it the egg? It might be that to grow a newsletter like this, I need to be at events like this. As a person who believes in extreme responsibility, this is more likely the case.

And that means I need to be more plugged in. We all do.

Enough from me. How about some highlights from the awesome coverage newsrooms across Oklahoma provided this weekend on the protests, including the story I’ll lead off with from Alex Gatley of Oklahoma City Free Press, a terrific news site.

Protest Coverage 🪧

• 'Hands Off': Protests echo through Oklahoma City streets (News 9)

• More than 1,000 Oklahomans participate in “Hands Off” protest outside City Hall (KFOR)

• Large Oklahoma City crowd gathers for Hands Off protest to oppose Trump, Musk policies (Oklahoman)

• Photos: Hands Off protest at Dream Keepers Park (Tulsa World)

• Hundreds attend dual protests against recent government actions (2 News Oklahoma)

• Local citizens gather in Tulsa to take part in nationwide Hands Off protest (Fox 23)

'A devastating loss:' DOGE cuts to National Endowment for the Arts includes Oklahoma

By Hannah France
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The Department of Government Efficiency has directed the National Endowment for the Humanities to terminate general operating support grants to humanities councils across the country, including in Oklahoma.

“It will result in loss of programming to veteran centers, rural libraries, centers of incarceration, K-12 public schools… it will be a devastating loss to the preservation of Oklahoma’s stories and culture,” said Caroline Lowery, the executive director of Oklahoma Humanities.

Click to finish the story.

Oklahoma A&M regent meetings cost nearly $70K with pricey meals and entertainment, records show

By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Over the past year, the board that governs one of Oklahoma’s flagship public universities has racked up tens of thousands of dollars in bills while eating costly meals, listening to live music and enjoying optional social events and other entertainment outside board meetings. 

In all, it has cost over $69,000 to host 13 Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents meetings, according to an analysis of over 270 pages of the receipts from the meetings compiled by Oklahoma State University in response to an open records request. That figure excludes about $11,000 in mileage reimbursement. 

When that’s factored in, it cost on average over $6,100 each time the regents met.

Click to finish the story.

Retired cops sound alarm on pension board shift

By Paul Monies, Oklahoma Watch
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A group of retired police officers are questioning the qualifications of a new appointee to the Oklahoma Police Pension and Retirement Board amid worries it could tip the balance of the board to a powerful police union.

House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, who has one appointee on the 13-member board, named John Weber to the board in March. Weber is a captain at the Sallisaw police department and a vice-president of the statewide Fraternal Order of Police. 

Weber’s appointment gives current officers seven members on the board, enough to push through any policies or approve retirements and disability benefits. By law, six board members are elected by current law enforcement employees across the state on a regional basis for three-year terms. One board position is elected statewide by retired members. Three candidates are running for the retired position, with ballots accepted until April 21. 

Click to finish the story.

The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

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

• Several people taken into custody after southwest OKC marijuana dispensary robbery (KOCO)

• Former Yukon private school principal arrested once for child pornography back in jail facing more charges (KFOR)

• Mayor Nichols to unveil repair plans for survivors and descendants of 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre (Black Wall Street Times)

• 'Roll with the punches': Construction industry bracing for tariff's effects (2 News Oklahoma)

• With tariffs all the talk, new policy could hurt farmers (NonDoc)

• Tulsa man charged with first-degree murder after priest shot in Seneca, Kansas (News On 6)

• OU SGA President Carter Strickland resigns following impeachment charges (OU Daily)

• Stillwater announces Red Dirt music week (News 9)

• Tulsa Zoo launches behind-the-scenes penguin encounters (News On 6)

• Indianola man killed in motorcycle crash (KTUL)

• 2 Texas teens killed in 5-car pile-up on US-69 in Atoka County, Oklahoma (KTUL)

• Tulsa City Auditor announces "Evaluate the 918" campaign (Fox 23)

• Construction resumes on I-44 and Highway 75 interchange Monday (Fox 23)

• Walkingstick residency claim rejected by high court, faces campaign finance fine (Cherokee Phoenix)

• Ballot order set for June 7 election (Cherokee Phoenix)

• Nation’s legal battle over reservation status reignites after two decades (Osage News)

• Muscogee (Creek) National Council enacts felony child endangerment law (Mvskoke Media)

• Nervous Smokeshop Owners in Compact Limbo (Mvskoke Media)

• Ardmore police probe allegations against high school coach (KTEN)

• Avoid these Atoka roads washed out by storms (KXII)

• Hobbie named Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper of the Year (Durant Democrat)

• Port Muskogee expands river access with $1.4M purchase (Muskogee Phoenix)

• Barn destroyed in eastern Logan County fire (Guthrie News Page)

• Rep. John Pfeiffer announces candidacy for Oklahoma Labor Commissioner in 2026 (Guthrie News Page)

• 2 jailed in meth bust that nets 30 lbs. of drugs (Lawton Constitution)

• Hundreds celebrate girls and women during ‘Church Girl’ 2025 in Lawton (KSWO)

SPORTS 🏀⚾🥎🏈

Oklahoma baseball: Better hope it's a slump

By Clay Horning, Oklahoma Columnist
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This is what it came to for coach Skip Johnson’s Sooner baseball team Saturday afternoon.

Trying to avoid being swept on its home diamond and needing two runs to tie it in the bottom of the ninth inning, rather than send .310-hitting Kyle Branch to the plate to face LSU reliever Zac Cowan, he pinch-hit .154-hitting Brayden Horton instead.

Then, two batters later, rather than sending Dawson Willis to the plate, who’s hitting .243 with some pop, he sent .200-hitting Christian Hoffman to collect just his seventh plate appearance of the season.

On its face, it was crazy.

Yet, absurdly, it made real sense.

Click to finish reading his column.

More Sports Headlines 👀

• Lakers wallop NBA-leading Thunder 126-99 (News On 6 / AP)

• OU learns from LSU just how tough the SEC can be (Tulsa World)

• Cowboys pitching dominates in baseball sweep (OKState)

• 3 Takeaways: OSU baseball clinches series win over No.22 Kansas State (O’Colly)

• Cowgirls softball drops rubber game of series vs. Arizona (OKState)

• OSU tight end Josh Ford blossomed as freshman, aims for increased productivity in 2025 (Tulsa World)

• Oklahoma men win 20th MPSF conference championship (SoonerSports)

• OU softball beats UCF 6-0 (SoonerSports)

Community Notes 🏡

SAVE THE DATE: Beckham County Community Baby Shower

Families with little ones up to age 5 are invited to the Beckham County Community Baby Shower on Thursday, April 25, from 10 AM to 2 PM at Western Technology Center in Elk City. This free event is a chance for parents, grandparents, and caregivers to connect, celebrate, and access helpful resources. There will be giveaways, support for families, and a cookout — details coming soon!

The event also supports the “Stock the Nursery” initiative, gathering baby essentials and non-perishables for Elk City Help, Inc. Donations of new baby items or monetary support are welcome. Vendor spots are still available for organizations wanting to participate. Hosted by the Beckham County Health Department and HELP Inc. For questions or to arrange donation pickups, call 580-583-5709.

🗣️ Story Tips, Ideas, Feedback

My inbox is always open. If you have a link I should add to the newsletter, a story that isn’t getting enough attention, a press release, a press event you’d like to invite me to—or you just want to offer some good old-fashioned feedback, I’m available to you.

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