Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026 • Pretty much perfect. Upper 60s. ☀️

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In today’s Memo:

• New party push: A newly formed Sooner State Party says it has collected 22,000 of the 35,000 signatures needed by Feb. 20 to qualify for Oklahoma’s ballot, positioning itself as an alternative for independents shut out of partisan primaries.

• OU academic freedom fight: The American Association of University Professors is demanding answers from the University of Oklahoma over its handling of an essay dispute, arguing the case raises serious concerns about instructor safety, grading authority, and political interference.

• OSU portal moment: Oklahoma State may be setting up a rare transfer-portal turnaround, importing a quarterback, running back, and wide receiver from North Texas who accounted for elite national production — and brought system continuity with them.

By Barbara Hoberock, Oklahoma Voice
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OKLAHOMA CITY – A new political party hopes to gather enough signatures to appear on this year’s ballot.

The Sooner State Party must gather 35,000 signatures by Feb. 20 to become a recognized political party, said co-founder C.J. Webber-Neal.

Webber-Neal said supporters have gathered 22,000 signatures.

The Sooner State Party formed in July and has about 45 members, he said. If approved, the party plans to open its primaries to independent voters for every election, he said.

Currently, independent voters are barred from participating in all state’s partisan primary elections after the State Election Board last year determined no party submitted the proper paperwork to open its primaries.

State law presumes partisan primaries are closed to unaffiliated voters unless a political party notifies the state Election Board within a specific time frame that it will open them to independents, who are not a recognized political party. 

Democrats had previously opened primaries to independents, while Republicans and Libertarians had not.

Webber-Neal said when news broke that independents couldn’t vote in any partisan primary, the group received so much website traffic that it crashed their site.

Webber-Neal said the Sooner State Party is more aligned with independents than Democrats, Republicans or Libertarians.

Click here to read the full story.

By Beth Wallis, StateImpact Oklahoma
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The American Association of University Professors delivered a petition to OU administrators Friday demanding answers regarding its handling of an academic freedom case that has garnered national attention.

In November, OU psychology junior Samantha Fulnecky filed a formal claim of illegal discrimination after receiving a zero on an essay on gender stereotypes in which she cited the Bible as her sole source, later published by The Oklahoman.

The instructor, Mel Curth, said in her grading comments the paper did not follow the assignment and was at times “offensive.” In the essay, Fulnecky wrote that the “lie that there are multiple genders… is demonic and severely harms American youth,” as well as “lies spread from Satan.”

Curth was placed on administrative leave during the university’s investigation and was later relieved of all instructional duties at the investigation’s conclusion — a decision Curth is appealing, according to a Bluesky post from civil rights attorney Brittany Stewart.

OU claimed Curth’s grading of the paper was “arbitrary.” It did not release the findings of the investigation into Fulnecky’s religious discrimination claim, and the grade appeal was decided in her favor.

The petition, which has 24,571 signatures as of Monday afternoon and is addressed to OU President Joseph Harroz, demands OU:

“OU’s decision to place the instructor on administrative leave following a routine grading dispute — a decision it has yet to adequately explain — and subsequent failure to defend her from harassment and discrimination, including reported death threats, raises serious concerns about the University’s commitment to educational standards, academic freedom and instructor safety,” the petition reads.

Click here to read the full story.

By Ryan Welton & Jeremy Cook, Oklahoma Memo
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Oklahoma State didn’t just add transfers—it imported a fully functional offensive core. Ryan and Jeremy (Bedlam Buds) talk about what Jeremy (ahem) correctly predicted last week — that Drew Mestemeyer, Caleb Hawkins and Wyatt Young would all become Cowboys.

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

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

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

• Flu cases in Tulsa are rising and show little signs of slowing down (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• Oklahoma to receive $223 million for rural health care (KGOU)

• Oklahoma lawmaker aims to hold universities accountable in wake of Samantha Fulnecky essay (KOCO)

• Deer Creek teacher, family stranded in Caribbean following Venezuelan unrest (News 9)

• Cherokee Nation announces proposed nursing partnership with OU (Tulsa World)*

• Construction is bringing traffic delays to Highway 75 in Tulsa. Here’s how to avoid it. (Tulsa Flyer)

• Brown water persists for months in eastern Pittsburg County (KJRH)

• UPDATE: Warr Acres City Council charged in lewd or indecent acts with child (KFOR)

• Pair held for body armor, guns, driving infractions (The Lawton Constitution)

• Oklahoma Highway Patrol reports more than 129 arrested for DUI in December crackdown (The Oklahoman)*

• FAA records show aircraft in Guthrie airport incident registered to city council member (Guthrie News Page)

• Hearing screenings in Oklahoma public schools could help boost outcomes, some say (Oklahoma Voice)

• Autism Foundation of Oklahoma launches endowment to support long-term services and growth (KOSU)

• After 107 years, Nott’s Grocery in Miami to close, ending a family legacy: ‘It’s time’ (News On 6)

• Many Latin families will celebrate Three Kings Day Jan. 6. Here’s what it means. (Tulsa Flyer • La Semana)

• New program aims to help Canadian Jews move to Tulsa (Tulsa World)*

• Caddo cemetery restoration project aims to preserve damaged headstones (KXII)

• Rural Oklahoma backpack program encourages kids to learn about invasive species (KOSU)

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