OSDE meeting gets contentious; it's OKC Marathon weekend — and, WOW, what a Thunder comeback!

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What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is April 25, and here are a few quickies:

• The 59th annual Festival of the Arts is happening through Sunday in Oklahoma City’s Bicentennial Park.

• The Norman Music Festival is happening through Saturday night in downtown Norman.

• Is it going to be a winning week? Stock futures rise amid 3-day winning streak.

• How did your team do in the NFL Draft? Track all the picks, round by round.

Don’t forget to support local journalism wherever you can, if you’re able. For journalism to thrive, it’s important that journalists be supported.

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Weather Update 🌩️

Rain and storm chances daily — and those chances ramp up this weekend!

🌡️ Friday's high in OKC 80°
🌡️ Friday’s high in Tulsa 79°

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State Board of Education talk on social studies standards included accusations of lying

By Lenzy Krehbiel-Burton, Tulsa World
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite not being on the agenda, the proposed academic standards for social studies prompted more than 30 minutes of discussion at Thursday’s Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting.

“If I would’ve known what I know now, I would’ve voted no,” Tulsa-area representative Chris VanDenhende said. “It’s too late. They’re out the door.”

The social studies standards were approved at the board’s February meeting and are still awaiting action by the Oklahoma Legislature. After Thursday’s OSBE meeting, a joint resolution was filed with the Senate calling for the disapproval of both the social studies and science standards.

However, since that Feb. 27 meeting, three board members have publicly said they were not given a full picture of what they were voting on and questioned Thursday whether they were misled by state Superintendent Ryan Walters about the content and vote timing.

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More Coverage 👀

• Walters accuses board members of lying to media as tensions run high in meeting (NonDoc)

• Oklahoma Senate education leader requests rejection of social studies standards (Oklahoma Voice)

Oklahoma's St. Isidore case will be heard by SCOTUS next week. Here's what's at stake

By Beth Wallis, KOSU
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The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond case next week.

The case will decide whether the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School can be a state-funded public school. Oklahoma’s attorney general brought the lawsuit against the state charter school board that approved St. Isidore’s application.

Click here for the case FOR and AGAINST.

Lawmakers frustrated by Oklahoma agency CFO’s inability to answer basic budget questions

By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
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OKLAHOMA CITY — House lawmakers questioned the qualifications of the mental health department’s chief financial officer after he was unable to provide basic information about the agency’s budget shortfall and why it cannot pay its bills. 

Lawmakers spent three hours peppering Skip Leonard with questions about the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services’ $43 million deficit, what steps they’ve taken to fill the gap, and how a $6.2 million supplemental request would be enough to carry the agency through the end of the fiscal year. 

Leonard, the agency’s interim chief financial officer tasked with managing the agency’s over $610 million budget, was unable to give specific examples to many questions, but promised a renewed budget request of the Legislature by next week. 

Leonard’s testimony, which was made under oath, filled the second day of a special House committee hearing investigating the agency’s finances. Lawmakers are probing reports of financial disarray at the agency as well as why some provider contracts were abruptly cut or canceled. Allie Friesen, the mental health commissioner, who testified last week has pointed fingers at previous administrations for financial problems and a failure to make proper budget requests.

Click to finish the story.

Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon reflections, events guide

By Ryan Welton, Oklahoma Memo
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The state of Oklahoma’s best event happens this weekend, and it’s also its most meaningful.

I’ve run the Oklahoma City Memorial (Half) Marathon three times — in 2016, 2017 (in sleet) and 2018. My favorite conditions were in sleet. If you know, you know. It gets hot out there! Sleet and 39 degrees at the end of 13.1 miles was wonderful.

This weekend, I’m running the 5K on Saturday for the third time. First, I’m almost 55. Second, I’m way out of shape — but I can knock out a 5K in my sleep albeit slowly. And I’m grateful to be able to do so because the starting line at this event gives me chills.

Every. Single. Time.

If you’re an Oklahoman who was around in 1995, it gets you. Even if you aren’t “Running To Remember” somebody specific, you’re running to remember — the tragedy itself, the 168 people killed, the survivors, the genesis of the Oklahoma Standard, and if I’m being honest… the white nationalist environment that led to the worst act of domestic terrorism in American history.

I love to run. Wish I could do it more often.

But I revere getting the privilege to run any of the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon’s events. It’s simply the best.

Click here for all the weekend’s events!

Be sure to tune in to News 9 for coverage of Sunday’s marathon starting at 6 a.m.

Plan your visit to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum.

The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

A concise summary of the latest news from across the state:

• WATCH: Tornado touches down in Freedom (News 9)

• State Auditor reveals Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office overspent budget by millions (OU Daily)

• Oklahoma bill requires truck, bus drivers to be English proficient, be licensed by certain countries (Oklahoma Voice)

• Sports betting bills advance from Oklahoma Senate panel (Oklahoma Voice)

• 'So disappointing': GRDA monitoring on Kerr dam threatens homes with flood water (2 News Oklahoma)

• Tulsa police investigating fight at Woodland Hills Mall (News On 6)

• McAlester man pleads guilty to stealing training missile (News On 6)

• 2 suspects arrested in connection to Osage Casino Hotel shooting (Fox 23)

• Muscogee Creek Nation police investigate Dewar Schools incident involving explicit video (KTUL)

• Ranchers form alliance to protect declining bird species found in just 5 states, including Oklahoma (KGOU StateImpact Oklahoma)

• 'Hee Haw' cast member and gospel singer Lulu Roman dies (Tulsa World)

• Dollar Tree announces return to Marietta (KXII)

• Driver arrested after hit-and-run pursuit in Atoka County (KXII)

• Leadership Oklahoma to recognize Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma for contributions to communities (McAlester News)

• Ardmore Police sergeant to make MMA debut on Saturday (Ardmoreite)

• Guthrie High School students witness DUI mock wreck in powerful safety simulation (Guthrie News Page)

• OU history museum is one of largest holders of Native American remains (Gaylord News)

Community Notes & Events 🏡

YMCA Partners with Bee Healthy Cafe to Bring Healthy Eats to Local Y Locations

The YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City is teaming up with Bee Healthy Cafe to offer fresh, nutritious meals and snacks at select Y locations across the metro. The first in-YMCA cafe opens at Earlywine Park YMCA later this month, with a community launch event set for Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to noon featuring free smoothie samples, giveaways, and family fun.

Both organizations say the partnership aligns with their shared mission to promote healthy lifestyles and make wellness more accessible. More locations are in development. Learn more at ymcaokc.org and beehealthycafe.com.

SPORTS 🏀⚾🥎🏈

NBA Playoffs Game 3: Oklahoma City 114, Memphis 108

The Oklahoma City Thunder lead the Memphis Grizzlies 3-0 in their Best of 7 playoff series. Game 4 is 2:30 p.m. Saturday on TNT.

• Box score from NBA.com

• NBA playoffs: Ja Morant exits Thunder-Grizzlies Game 3 with hip injury (Yahoo!) 

• Social Media Reacts to Historic OKC Thunder Comeback Over Grizzlies (Sports Illustrated)

More sports headlines:

• Star University of Central Oklahoma wide receiver Terrill Davis commits to Oklahoma State Cowboys (KOCO)

• Kyson Witherspoon pitches 7 innings as Sooners beat No. 10 Georgia in Athens, 8-6 (SoonerSports)

• Sooners Host Longhorns at Love’s Field for first time; Senior Day set for Sunday (SoonerSports)

• Texas coach Mike White: OU still 'ones to beat' (and which players is he glad graduated?) (Tulsa World)

• Cowgirl Softball heads to Lawrence for final Big 12 road series (OKState.com)

• Cowboy Baseball Set For First Series In Cincinnati (OKState.com)

• FC Tulsa Acquires Veteran Defender Lucas Stauffer via Transfer from Lexington SC (FC Tulsa)

• Ramos, Strong Pitching Lead Tulsa Drillers to Second Straight Win (MILB.com)

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