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In today’s Memo:
Evictions: An Oklahoma City lawmaker is reviving a bill to slow the state’s eviction timeline by excluding weekends and holidays — a change supporters say would give renters a fairer shot to get help and make court.
OSU football: Oklahoma State’s quarterback room is suddenly wide open after two portal exits, fueling speculation of a significant NIL-driven move — potentially with a North Texas QB and skill players in tow.
TOP STORY:
Oklahoma lawmaker will try again to slow state’s eviction timeline, which includes holidays.
Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City
By Maddy Keyes, The Frontier
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Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, will try again to extend Oklahoma’s eviction timeline after Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a similar measure last legislative session.
Kirt hopes to lessen the burden on courts and renters by removing weekends and holidays from the period tenants have to appear in court after getting an eviction summons with Senate Bill 1209, a new measure she filed in advance of the 2026 legislative session.
“When the banks are closed, when nonprofits that might be able to help tenants are closed, that wouldn’t be part of the eviction timeline,” Kirt said. “I do feel like it’s kind of the bare minimum.”
Oklahoma has one of the quickest eviction processes in the country, churning out more than 237,000 eviction filings since March 2020, according to data collected by the nonprofit Legal Services Corporation. Hearings have to be set within 10 days of an eviction being filed, a window that includes weekends and holidays, according to the nonprofit Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, which provides help in eviction court for people with limited income. Tenants are only required to receive three days’ notice of their hearing. This means someone could learn on a Thursday they have to be in court the following Monday, leaving little time to find a way to pay past-due rent or to arrange child care and time off to appear in court.
OSU quarterback room clears as portal moves signal big NIL swing
By Ryan Welton & Jeremy Cook, Bedlam Buds
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Oklahoma State’s quarterback room is officially in flux — and it may be by design.
Quarterbacks Hauss Hejny and Zane Flores have entered the transfer portal, clearing the path for what appears to be a major NIL-driven move at the position. Multiple reports indicate Oklahoma State is closing in on North Texas standout Drew Mestemaker, a transfer now viewed as one of the top quarterbacks in the portal.
The intrigue doesn’t stop at quarterback. North Texas skill players — including running back Caleb Hawkins and receiver Wyatt Young — are also portal-eligible, raising the possibility of a ready-made offensive core arriving in Stillwater.
Jeremy and Ryan react to the news in this latest edition of “Bedlam Buds.”
Quick national links:
Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.
Vigil held for victims of Swiss bar fire which killed at least 40 and injured 115 (BBC)
A Monumental Church in Amsterdam Is Ravaged by Flames on New Year’s Day (The New York Times)*
Russia rings in new year with mass drone strike on Ukraine, Putin says he's confident of victory (NBC News)
Zohran Mamdani sworn in as New York City mayor as he seeks to advance his progressive agenda (NBC News)
Trump says he got a CT scan instead of an MRI (ABC News)
The Oklahoma Rundown 📰
Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.
A hand-curated list of the best journalism from across the state:
• Oklahoma lags behind in mental health care access. Here's what's being done to improve (The Oklahoman)*
• Oklahoma City police investigate two New Year’s Day shootings, three people injured (KOCO)
• Hit-and-run kills pedestrian in Coweta, driver arrested (News On 6)
• Mustang High School student dies after motorcycle crash (KOCO)
• Logan County deputies seek help identifying burglary suspect at farm equipment store (Guthrie News Page)
• “Don’t tell anyone”: Retired Kingfisher teacher nearly loses $30,000 in holiday cyber scam (News 9)
• Sean Patrick Flanery on his new movie and his move to Oklahoma: “I brought 90 miles an hour to Stillwater” (News On 6)
• Key to Home reaches milestone of 500 people housed in OKC (Oklahoma City Free Press)
• 'There is hope': 18-year-old singer battles rare disorder, seeks treatment (2 News Oklahoma)
• Vintage stoplight stolen from a home in Guthrie (KFOR)
• Then and now: See how Tulsa’s streets have changed through the decades (Tulsa Flyer)
• Hauss Hejny's portal departure means OSU has no remaining quarterbacks from 2025 roster (Tulsa World)*
• OU football to fire tight ends coach Joe Jon Finley, per reports (Tulsa World)*
• Tulsa Oilers return to ice after ECHL players union reaches new contract deal (2 News Oklahoma)
Oklahoma Memo’s Mission
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