Poll results:

We received 286 votes on the Thursday poll, “Do you donate to political candidates?”

13 said, “Yes, regularly.”
83 said, “Sometimes, depending on the candidate.”
69 said, “Rarely”
121 said, “Never”

New poll question at the bottom of today’s newsletter. (You can also suggest a poll question by emailing me at [email protected].)

Holt doubles down on Flock vote as critics flood social media

Mayor David Holt during a meeting of the Oklahoma City Council in December 2024 (B.DICKERSON/Okla City Free Press)

By Brett Fieldcamp, Oklahoma City Free Press
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One week on from the Oklahoma City Council’s 5-3 vote to renew the City’s contract with controversial Flock Safety, a growing chorus of backlash and criticism has settled primarily on Mayor David Holt, who joined four other council members to pass the vote in Flock’s favor.

Flock Safety – an Atlanta-based surveillance tech company that produces Automated License Plate Reader cameras, or ALPRs, and an AI-powered data network to connect them – has come under nationwide scrutiny in recent months thanks to numerous stories of non-existent oversight, police stalking, employee misuse, and more than 90 cities across America severing ties with the company.

In light of that widespread, and often bipartisan, pushback, roughly 30 residents turned out at the August 18^th City Council meeting hoping to sway councilors toward denying the contract renewal, with many appealing to Mayor Holt directly.

Despite the elevated profile and contentiousness of the issue, Holt declined to speak or explain his thinking before the vote was called, leaving the chamber in a loud uproar when he voted in favor of Flock, albeit with a sweeping new collection of “guardrails” in a new amendment.

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The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

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

Here’s what’s happening in Oklahoma today:

Oklahoma changed its early-release law after Sara Polston’s release. Now she’s fighting it in court. (The Frontier)
Explosion at Sand Springs business complex damages at least 25 businesses (News On 6)
Bystanders save tennis player's life at Tulsa club (KJRH)
Stitt move creating Oklahoma ballot measure is illegal, critics say (Oklahoma Voice)
State, national leaders worry about prediction markets' impact on tribal sovereignty (Tulsa World)*
Oklahoma childcare system unlikely to have ‘large scale’ fraud but DHS has risk areas, report finds (Oklahoma Voice)
Oklahoma to receive over $230 million in Meta settlement (KOSU)
El Reno water leak found, schools back open on Friday (KFOR)
Oklahoma Senate runoffs: Freedom Caucus cofounder Prieto ousted, incumbent Stewart loses seat (NonDoc)
“It literally saved my life”: Norman’s ‘A Better Way’ program will be shut down (Oklahoma Watch)
Grandmother whose 2 grandsons died in OKC bombing sues medical examiner over unidentified leg (KOCO)
The Trump administration is shifting funding for HIV prevention. Vulnerable Oklahomans could suffer (OPMX, StateImpact Oklahoma)
Oklahoma voters oust two incumbent Senate Republicans. Third lawmaker barely advances (Oklahoma Voice)
Mazzei comments on Inola smelter the morning after Republican nominee win (Public Radio Tulsa)
Virginia Ave homeless encampment closed; 55 people moved into housing (Oklahoma City Free Press)
Execution date set for Oklahoma County killer (Oklahoma Voice)
Tulsa City Council: Pete Regan wins D9, Vanessa Hall-Harper, Corinice Wilson head to D1 runoff (NonDoc)
Muskogee breaks ground on new Fire Station No. 5 (KJRH)
At this annual conference, Tulsa Latinas take center stage (La Semana)
‘The Outsiders’ stays gold in striking new musical at Civic Center (Oklahoma City Free Press)
How a Chickasaw composer is tackling language revitalization through classical music (KOSU)