What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is Thursday, July 31, and the state is mourning the loss of former Gov. George Patterson Nigh.

Did you know?…
Nigh technically served four terms as Oklahoma governor, although the first term was for only nine days and the second for five. Sen. Robert S. Kerr died on Jan. 1, 1963, and outgoing Gov. J. Howard Edmondson stepped aside before his term ended so that then Lt. Gov. Nigh could move up to governor and appoint him to that seat before Governor-elect Henry Bellmon could officially take over.

Do you think that political maneuvering could happen in 2025 with Nigh being a Democrat and Bellmon a Republican, just days before the other was to take over?

Not a chance.

But then Nigh’s political career took off, culminating in his tenure as Oklahoma’s governor from 1979-87.

And, heck, Bellmon served a second term as governor, replacing Nigh after he was finished with his two terms.

Bellmon and Nigh had this in common — they were both reputed to be total gentlemen.

Nigh’s “second” term came at the end of David Boren’s run as governor when the Governor-elect assumed office five days early in 1979.

But that’s not why I open with Gov. Nigh this morning.

The McAlester connection
George was a McAlester boy, as was my father and my uncles and grandparents. My grandfather (Rev. W. Roy Welton) was a Methodist minister and a postman in town for many years. Nigh graduated from McAlester High School in 1945, and my dad (Bill ‘Billy’ Welton) followed him a year later, 1946.

Go Buffaloes.

Nigh served in the Navy, and my father in the Army.

George went into teaching and public service, and my dad played jazz piano.

And, strangely, that’s how I remember them together in the only instance I ever saw of them in the same place, at the same time. It was late early 1990s in Henryetta, and the Anchor Glass Container plant in town was having some kind of celebration. I think something there had been rebuilt or redone — or, heck, maybe it was just Labor Day.

Henryetta celebrates the heck out of Labor Day.

Dad was comptroller for the plant, but on this day, he was playing piano for the band he was with. That might have been when he was playing with a local ‘big band’ from eastern Oklahoma called Route 66.

The ex-governor was a guest of honor for whatever the plant celebration was.

Dad had always told me that he knew Nigh and Nigh him, although they were not close friends by any means.

McAlester chums. Kids who went to high school together. Before Facebook!

And on that day, many years ago, I got proof of their acquaintanceship as I caught them chatting it up out of the corner of my eye.

Although, truth be told, that proved nothing. That’s just the kind of friendly, gentlemanly guy Gov. Nigh was.

Come to think of it, my dad, too.

You can message me anytime at [email protected].

Weather Update ☁️

Significantly cooler today, and rain chances return.

🌡️ Thursday's high in OKC 87°
🌡️ Thursday’s high in Tulsa 86°

Former Oklahoma governor George Nigh dies at 98

By Graycen Wheeler, KOSU
Click here to read the story.
Donate to KOSU.

George Nigh, Oklahoma’s longest-serving governor, has died at the age of 98.

Throughout his decades-long career, the McAlester Democrat held office as a state representative, lieutenant governor, governor and the president of the University of Central Oklahoma. He was also a Navy man, a teacher, a member of the JCPenney board and a public relations contractor.

As a state representative, Nigh introduced the bill that made “Oklahoma!” the official state song.

He served four different gubernatorial terms, although two were short substitute governor shifts covering for J. Howard Edmondson and David Boren, when they moved on to serve in the U.S. Senate. Although his first stint as governor only lasted nine days, Nigh made the most of it.

“He fired and replaced the members of the Oklahoma Planning and Resources Board to facilitate the approval of an agreement with the federal government to build the Arrowhead and Fountainhead lodges on Lake Eufaula,” Nigh’s friend and biographer Bob Burke wrote for the Oklahoma Historical Society’s Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.

Nigh was elected governor in 1978 and became Oklahoma’s first re-elected governor four years later.

Click to finish the story.

See Also 👀
Remembering Gov. George Nigh: Oklahoma, McAlester officials reflect on Nigh’s lifetime (McAlester News-Capital)

Oklahoma County District Attorney asks OSBI to get involved with investigation into nude images on Ryan Walters’ TV

Several new developments on Wednesday in the situation involving the state superintendent and a television that caused an uproar during a state Board of Education executive session on July 24.

The first is that Oklahoma County District Attorney Vicki Behenna has asked the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) to get involved in the investigation into Ryan Walters’ TV.

It’s been a week since two Board members say they saw pornography appear on Walters’ TV during a meeting, prompting what another Board member called a “kerfuffle.”

The purpose of OSBI getting involved, Behenna told Oklahoma Voice reporter Barbara Hoberock, is to determine whether “criminal activity occurred.”

Three Board members appeared on News 9 at 4 to talk to anchors Karl Torp and Robin Marsh. You can watch that exclusive interview here.

From News 9: “The board members, Becky Carson, Ryan Deatherage, and Mike Tinney, allege they saw nude images playing on Walters’ office television during an executive session.”

Also from that interview, none of the three people Karl and Robin talked to have any intention of resigning.

And then early Wednesday evening, NonDoc reporter Sasha Ndisabiye filed a report with fresh details from a Yukon digital forensics company that contradicted much of what Walters said in his press conference on Tuesday.

Point 1: That TV wasn’t merely a cable television receptacle. It could have been connected to a variety of things, including shared screens from mobile devices belonging to anybody in the vicinity of it with access. However, on a test phone the company used, that TV wasn’t automatically seen as a destination.

Point 2: The TV was connected to an open WiFi network.

The company acknowledged that the logging capabilities of the TV were limited but that a deeper look should include devices (phones, tablets) that could have been within range of the television.

They also suggested investigators look into accounts owned by the Oklahoma State Department of Education employee who possessed the TV prior to Walters, Mendy Hooks. She spent less than two years with the department including just two months as Chief Academic Officer before joining Amira Learning as its Vice President of Strategic Programs.

Would you like to be here? 💰

If you’d like to advertise in the Oklahoma Memo newsletter daily, reach out to me at [email protected] or call me at 405.358.7184. I’d be happy to send you a rate card.

• Founded on Jan. 21, 2025
• 537 subscribers as of July 30
• Open rate above 64% daily
• CTR rate above 10% daily
• TikTok audience over 2 channels: 17,000+
• YouTube, Instagram, podcast opportunities available

Monthly contracts available.

The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

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

• Police arrest an Arkansas man in connection to the killings of a married couple hiking at Devil’s Den State Park (News On 6)

• 'You can’t just let things happen' | Tulsa man stops attack at River Parks (2 News Oklahoma)

• In Enid, a fatal overdose highlights a lack of drug treatment options (The Frontier)

• Oklahoma City woman’s tragic story of domestic violence ends in Kansas standoff (KOCO)

• Tulsans confront immigration misinformation through firsthand accounts from refugees (Public Radio Tulsa)

• Tom Cole’s Powerful Spot on the Appropriations Committee Is Motivating Him to Stay in Congress (Oklahoma Watch)

• Bus service changes at Union Public Schools could mean 3 riders per seat (Tulsa World)

• Wagoner city councilor and activist demand action after human waste found in creek (KTUL)

• Prosecution rests in dog fighting trial of former NFL player LeShon Johnson (Tulsa World)

• Kay County Commissioner accused of stealing nine cows (Kay News Cow)

• Contractor files nearly $1 million lawsuit against City of Bixby for work on Downtown River District (Fox 23)

• Edmond police arrest suspect in fatal hotel stabbing after early morning incident (Fox 25)

• Oklahoma reverses course, restores access to some paper vehicle titles access (Oklahoma Voice)

• USA TODAY named its Bars of the Year. This Oklahoma City favorite made the list (The Oklahoman)

• Durant PD to host benefit fish fry for Captain battling cancer (KTEN)

• Ardmore detective recognized for saving girl from sex trafficking (KTEN)

• Weathers TV & Appliance, new owner hit with complaints, latest closing in downtown Edmond (The Oklahoman)

• Sen. James Lankford discusses trade deals in online town hall (KOCO)

• Temple Grandin returns to Woodward for autism keynote, cattle conference (Woodward News)

• THE EYES HAVE IT: NSU celebrates opening of new optometry facility (Tahlequah Daily Press)

• How yoga, film sessions brought Oklahoma football’s offensive line group closer (Norman Transcript)

• Former Lt. Gov. Jari Askins joins 7News anchors for in-studio interview (KSWO)

• Cushing ex-con gets 15 years in prison on multiple stolen property charges (1600kush.com)

• The partnership that helped save a language (Osage News)

• Elders fight the loneliness epidemic together at exercise summit (Mvskoke Media)

• Shooting reported in Byng (The Ada News)

• KOSU debuts its guide to all things Oklahoma City (KOSU)

• The “End of Summer” events start this weekend in Sapulpa (Sapulpa Times)

Ad: Your digital strategy can’t be stuck in 2015.
Your business deserves more than a dusty Facebook page and the occasional newsletteIn audits to build authority.
🧠 Comms strategy audits to align everything you say, everywhere you say it.
🎙️ Podcasts that sound pro and work hard for your brand.
📲 Vertical video clips to grab attention fast.
📺 YouTube optimization that gets you watched and remembered.
📬 Newsletters that actually get opened.

I started Doable Digital Media in 2025 to be your hands-on, “done-with-you” digital partner — getting you up to speed and training your team to stay there.

If you’re ready to make that investment — message me: [email protected]

Our Mission, Social Media & Feedback

The ‘Oklahoma Memo’ mission is simple: Reignite the daily news habit by connecting Oklahomans and those who love Oklahoma to quality sources of news and vetted information.

Frictionless. Painless. Stress-free.

Social Media

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.

We also have a YouTube channel! It’s new. Pardon our dust.

Contact Us

Message Oklahoma Memo at [email protected].