OKC Homeless Count Taken; Deportations Could Include Students

Everything’s a new tradition when your newsletter is brand new!

New Tradition 1: Featured Events
Every Friday, the newsletter will include a curated list of events, starting with a focus on Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Have an event in your town you’d like featured? From Guymon to Idabel, send the details to [email protected].

You can absolutely send me a press release. I know what to do with it! 🙌

New Tradition 2: Fist-Bump Fridays
Know someone working hard behind the scenes for their state, city, town, or neighborhood? Share their story! Send me a photo, a brief description, and some details, along with a phone number where you can be reached. They might just get a spotlight!

Headlines, work, and then the weekend. Let’s go…

(What Canva’s AI ‘Dream Lab’ produced when I prompted it with “relaxing weekend.”)

Oklahoma Weekend Weather

Good news and, well, good news for your weekend! It will be warmer, and we’re not expecting rain. No, it won’t feel like spring—but hoodie season continues.

🌡️ Highs in OKC 52°, 48°, 43°
🌡️ High in Tulsa 50°, 49°, 43°

I’d better check myself here because News 9 Chief Meteorologist David Payne says we could see some sprinkles on Sunday. As for next week, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday look like the most likely days for rain. ☔

🗞️ Big Story: ‘Point In Time’ Count Conducted in OKC

It’s kind of a census that happens once a year to get funding “to address homelessness and housing,” reports Oklahoma City Free Press editor Brett Dickerson. Volunteers moved throughout OKC very early Thursday to survey the unhoused.

While the Point In Time Count wouldn’t have official numbers already from Thursday’s survey, Brett details in his story the results of the 2024 survey. KOCO’s Kilee Thomas talked to officials who said that not only would homeless numbers likely be up this year, they will probably continue to rise unless steps are taken to address affordable housing.

News 9’s Anna Denison put together a list of resources for the homeless community. KFOR’s Natalie Clydesdale talked to the CEO of a group that depends on this count to strategize for the year.

ICYMI from Thursday: Housing Insecurity Forcing Seniors To Move

Supt. Walters Confirms Deportations Could Include Students

Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters told KOCO’s Alyse Jones that he’s awaiting direction from President Donald Trump on how to proceed with deportations, part of the new president’s immigration reform plans. The first step, Walters told KOCO, was to document student citizenship status.

PBS’ Adam Kemp reported Wednesday on the administrative rule that would allow that documentation to happen.

In other Ryan Walters news from Thursday, he updated the state’s history standards to include the newly named Gulf of America and the renamed Mount McKinley (formerly Denali).

NonDoc: Edmond Mayoral Candidates Debate Budgets, Housing, Transit

“All four Edmond mayor candidates took the stage before throngs of voters Wednesday evening at the University of Central Oklahoma, debating their various visions for housing plans, budget fixes and long-term development.”

Read the story and watch the debate at NonDoc.com.

Oklahoma Headlines

• Education the focus for Tulsa Regional Chamber (2 News Oklahoma)
• Tulsa group making it easier to be sober (2 News Oklahoma)
• Traffic stop with state senator turns contentious (News On 6 and NonDoc)
• Former OSU student sues Stillwater, says her arrest unlawful (KFOR)
• Trauma kits packed for local schools (ChickashaNews.com)

Oklahoma Memo’s Business Briefs

If you live or work in Oklahoma, you might be familiar with Bee Healthy Cafe. When I worked at Griffin Media downtown, I used to get their Wild Alaskan Salmon Quinoa Bowl pretty regularly. Anyhoo…

Big news was announced on Thursday as the equity firm behind that restaurant announced the acquisition of Nature’s Table, a group of restaurants in the Deep South—Florida, Alabama, Georgia. (And Indiana!)

The man behind that equity firm? Former chairman and CEO of Sonic, Cliff Hudson.

And the man behind the company (Fast Fresh Brands) that will oversee them both? Edmond’s own Cody Pepper.

Read more about Thursday’s big business news on FranchiseTimes.com.

🎉 What’s Going On This Weekend In Oklahoma?

Oklahoma City

• OKC Pro Rodeo (Jan. 24-25 | OKC Fairgrounds)
• 42nd Triangle Winter Sale (Jan. 24-25, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. | OKC Fairgrounds)
• “Medea” (Jan. 24-25, 8 p.m. 3rd Act Theatre Company)

Tulsa

• Tulsa Farmer’s Market (Jan. 25, 8a-Noon)
• Play with Spider Man! Kids 6 & Under (Jan. 25, 9-11 a.m.)
• Robert Ellis @ Mercury Lounge (Jan. 25, 8 p.m.)

✨ Don’t Miss This!

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named an NBA All-Star starter for the second consecutive season. Those of us in Oklahoma City know SGA as the future league MVP! But it was not to be for the Thunder on Thursday as they lost to the Mavs 121-115.

Quick Stat: 3 of Oklahoma City’s 8 losses have been to Dallas.

But THAT’S not why the Thunder are in ‘Don’t Miss This!’ THIS IS:

👀 Businesses: Activate Like A Newsroom!

Imagine what your public relations and communications efforts could be if your teams truly activated like a newsroom.

• Going direct-to-audience with your messages

• Owning the narrative

• Capturing attention faster

It’s what I do in my new post-newsroom life: work with businesses, brands and entrepreneurs to show them how to ‘activate like a newsroom’ to level up the attention they need to succeed at scale!

Visit my website at doabledigitalmedia.com, or message me anytime at [email protected].

📬 Subscribe Now:

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Have a terrific weekend! Eat local, and if you wouldn’t mind doing so—tell a friend about the ‘Oklahoma Memo!’

🗣️ 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.

My mission is to amplify quality journalism, rekindling the daily news habit!

Best way to reach me is via email at [email protected].