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Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Warmer but cloudy. 85-87. ⛅
Editor’s Note: You may notice a slightly different layout. I’m tightening up Oklahoma Memo to save you time while still giving you the news you need.
Send me your feedback! — Ryan
Poll results:
We received 144 votes on the Tuesday poll, “Who's most to blame for the Oklahoma Sooners' offensive woes?”
🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Ben Arbuckle (50)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Bill Bedenbaugh (6)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ John Mateer (14)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Brent Venables (74)
New poll question at the bottom of today’s newsletter. (You can also suggest a poll question by emailing me at [email protected].)
Oklahoma oil executive Harold Hamm commits $150 million to advance health education, research
From left: OU President Joseph Harroz, Jr., Harold Hamm, and Shelly Lambertz (PHOTO by Jonathan Kyncl)
By Jack Walters, Jillian Taylor & Logan Layden, KGOU
👉 Click here to support this newsroom
The University of Oklahoma announced a $150 million donation from billionaire oil executive Harold Hamm Tuesday.
The award is the largest single gift in the institution’s history and will support health education, research and workforce.
Of the $150 million commitment, $50 million will help advance research at the Harold Hamm Diabetes Center. The remaining $100 million will advance the broader academic and research enterprise at the university’s health campus, which will now be called the Harold Hamm Health Campus at the University of Oklahoma.
Today’s sponsor is Guardian Publishing. Sponsorships help keep Oklahoma Memo going, but sponsored content is separate from my editorial coverage.
Elon's new company is private. These 3 tickers aren't.
The next Apple may already exist. Insider sources say Elon has spent two years building a secret device inside Tesla's facilities — one he claims will be "10x bigger than the largest product in history."
There's just one problem: the company is private, and unless you know Elon personally, you can't buy a single share. That was true until Guardian's research team found three public ticker symbols sitting in the launch supply chain.
Click here to see all 3 tickers, free of charge.
You won't hear these names on CNBC — Wall Street hasn't published a word on the connection. But when the launch hits September 21, that quiet ends.
Some are already calling this the biggest opportunity since AI. For anyone who missed Apple before the iPhone, this may be a second look at that kind of setup.
The Oklahoma Rundown 📰
Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.
Here’s what’s happening in Oklahoma today:
U.S. Marshals arrest Texas fugitive in Blackwell (Kay News Cow)
Committee directs millions to drought relief for Oklahoma agricultural producers (Oklahoma Voice)
Tulsa City Council unanimously backs new eviction prevention program that could be a state model (Oklahoma Watch)
Oklahoma SNAP enrollment has dropped 20%. Here's what it sounds like in local food banks (KOSU)
10th Circuit sends lawsuit over Bobby Barrick’s death back to district court (NonDoc)
Paseo District coffee shop shares surveillance video after break-in (News 9)
Entomologist explains cricket infestation at NW OKC shopping center (KFOR)
Diversion Hub serving up jobs, support, experience with new food truck (Oklahoma City Free Press)
Flags fly high at east Tulsa’s celebration of Hispanic heritage (La Semana)
Where do Oklahoma universities rank among the nation’s best colleges? (Oklahoma Voice)
Dolly Parton’s legacy lives on through millions of books mailed to Oklahoma kids (News 9)
Hunting in 2026? Oklahomans can aim to beat these record-setting deer (The Oklahoman)*
Wednesday Poll
Should Oklahoma cities do more to prevent evictions before they happen?
Explain this to me!
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