What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is Monday, July 21, and it’s our birthday! Kind of.

Oklahoma Memo was born six months ago today — and to celebrate, I am expanding what we’re doing on this platform.

On Saturday, I saw the news that former Oklahoma Teacher of the Year and candidate for state superintendent Jena Nelson would seek the Democrat nomination for Congress in District 5. She announced at Millwood High School in northeast Oklahoma City.

And then I posted a story about it on Oklahoma Memo, which signals the next step in this journey — original content. The goal will be to produce original content that is:

• Useful or super timely
• Thought-provoking
• Entertaining

I’m not planning on sending any more than the one email per day, the daily newsletter that goes out at 0700 M-F. Someday, especially if you really want it, I’ll send breaking news emails (only if REALLY big breaking news) and some weekend content.

But the website itself could soon be filled with content that’s useful, timely, thought-provoking or entertaining. This is all the more reason not only for you to subscribe to the daily newsletter but also to bookmark the home page for OklahomaMemo.com and stop by throughout the week.

If there is content that falls under the ‘useful’ category that would make your universe a little smoother, I’d love to know about it.

You can message me anytime at [email protected].

Weather Update ☀️

Dangerously hot, folks. Check on your neighbors in need!

🌡️ Monday's high in OKC 96°
🌡️ Monday’s high in Tulsa 95°

After string of staff departures, Oklahoma Education Department keeps resignation records secret

By Nuria Martinez-Keel
Click to read the story.
Donate to Oklahoma Voice.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Following an exodus of several senior employees from state Superintendent Ryan Walters’ administration, the Oklahoma State Department of Education is now refusing to release records explaining the departures.

The agency denied open records requests from Oklahoma Voice for resignation letters, widely considered to be public documents, of seven top-level administrators who have left over the past nine months. It then refused a subsequent request for all resignation letters submitted to the agency since Jan. 1.

The response is a heel-turn from the department’s practices only months ago. Like most state agencies, the Education Department provided resignation letters in response to open records requests, doing so for Oklahoma Voice as recently as February.

On Feb. 24, the agency provided the resignation letter of its former communications director, Dan Isett, who had left two weeks earlier.

However, as more members of Walters’ inner circle departed over the following months, the department abruptly stopped turning over these documents — a move that prompted a lawsuit from another news outlet and raised questions among some of the very employees whose resignation letters are being withheld.

When Oklahoma Voice requested Isett’s resignation letter again on June 17, the agency denied the request.

Isett declined to comment. His departing letter, which Oklahoma Voice obtained through its first request, was brief.

“Please accept this letter as my formal resignation as Director of Communications at OSDE, effective February 10, 2025,” Isett wrote in a message addressed to Walters.

A key basis for all of the denials, the agency said, is a section of the Open Records Act relating to employee privacy. 

The state law gives public bodies sole discretion to keep personnel documents confidential if “disclosure would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” 

In court, the agency has contended a resignation letter would violate an employee’s privacy and would only satisfy the requester’s curiosity, rather than serving the public interest.

The Education Department also cited a provision in the open records law stating a public agency doesn’t have to release resignation records if they pertain to an internal personnel investigation.

However, agency spokesperson Quinton Hitchcock declined to confirm whether such an investigation exists.

“I am unable to comment on personnel matters,” Hitchcock said.

Click to finish the story.

Brookings: Native communities in Oklahoma stand to lose $3 billion from proposed funding freeze

By Thomas Pablo, KOSU
Click to read the story.
Donate to KOSU.

Oklahoma’s Native American communities could lose $3 billion in funding for essential services due to the Trump administration’s proposed mass grant freeze, according to a new report.

The report, authored by the think tank Brookings Institution, says Native communities nationwide could lose $24.5 billion in total – temporarily or permanently. Oklahoma would be among the most affected states, ranking only behind Arizona.

The federal government is obligated to issue funding to tribes annually because of treaties and legally binding agreements dating to the United States’ infancy. Since 2018, the U.S. has provided around $93 billion in grants and cooperative agreements for more than 1,700 tribal governments and Native-owned businesses and non-profits, according to Brookings.

In January, Trump’s Office of Management and Budget ordered a halt on all federal grants, throwing trillions of dollars into question.

Click to finish the story.

The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

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

• Hundreds of dogs pulled from central Oklahoma breeding facility, owner arrested (KOSU)

• The fight against human, sex trafficking now extends to lawsuits against OKC hotels (The Oklahoman)

• $2 billion Vinita theme park remains in limbo two years after announcement (Tulsa World)

• Williams Companies' Alan Armstrong: Natural gas, infrastructure, and Oklahoma can lead U.S. energy future (News On 6)

• CareerTech sees $7.5M in adult education funding frozen by Trump administration (Oklahoma Voice)

• Owasso police investigate deaths of two people found in home (KTUL)

• Garvin County assistant district attorney arrested, accused of DUI (KXII)

• Why OU football GM Jim Nagy says Sooners have NFL player at 'every position' (The Oklahoman)

• Deputies looking for man following shooting in Marshall County (KXII)

• Bystanders help save Ada man after water incident at Lake Texoma (KTEN)

• Mario Andretti reunites with vintage Mustang at OKC karting grand opening (News 9)

• Blake Shelton holds surprise show in Tishomingo with stepson Zuma Rossdale (KXII)

• Nonprofit, faith groups lose refugee aid funds to Trump cuts (Oklahoma City Free Press)

• 'We need more': Wagoner County leaders working to bring in retail and restaurants (2 News Oklahoma)

• EMSA medical heat alert continues as sweltering temperatures hit Oklahoma (KOCO)

• Mayor Holt says OKC’s homeless percentage is decreasing (KFOR)

• Seen a horned lizard lately? Oklahoma’s wildlife biologists want to know about it (KGOU)

• 2 found dead in overnight fire in Duncan (Duncan Banner)

• 1 dead after Johnston County crash (KXII)

• Work to repair spillway in Henryetta to begin July 21 (Fox 23)

• Pedestrian Struck and Killed on I-40 Near Canute Early Saturday Morning (KECO-FM)

• Lawton part of Oklahoma’s economic development success (Lawton Constitution)

• Clinton Regional Airport to Add New Hangars Thanks to $1.9M in Grants (KECO-FM)

• 'Good trouble' folks tout peaceful push for social justice (Tahlequah Daily Press)

• Good trouble: Tulsans evoke John Lewis’ legacy to remain hopeful (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• Ardmore boy helping neighbors by mowing lawns (KTEN)

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Our Mission, Sociedia & 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.

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

Contact Us

Message Oklahoma Memo at [email protected].