What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is May 9, and here are a couple of headlines before we get started:

• A new Pope has been elected, and he was born in the United States, making him the first American Pontiff. Robert Francis Prevost will go by the name Leo XIV.

• President Trump appoints Fox News host Jeanine Pirro as top prosecutor in Washington, D.C.

• A new trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom was introduced on Thursday.

• Stock futures are flat, but investors are hopeful the trade deal between America and Great Britain portends more deals to come. Click for live updates.

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Weather Update ⛅

Simply exquisite weather this weekend. Enjoy.

🌡️ Friday's high in OKC 76°
🌡️ Friday’s high in Tulsa 76°

Allergy report: tree pollen (moderate), grass pollen (very high)

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Oklahoma Agencies Publish Private School Tax Credit Recipients Under Transparency Law

By Paul Monies, Oklahoma Watch
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Oklahoma officials have released the names of the thousands of taxpayers who received the new Parental Choice Tax Credit for tuition and expenses at private schools. 

After repeated requests by Oklahoma Watch dating back to December, the Oklahoma Tax Commission sent the tax credit recipient data to the state’s open data website. The information is limited to just the name of the taxpayer and the amount of private school tax credits they received in 2024. It doesn’t include school or student information. 

The tax credit program provides up to $7,500 annually per child for private school expenses. Lawmakers capped the overall cost of the program at $150 million in tax year 2024, but it rises to $250 million in tax year 2026. 

If they qualified, most taxpayers received half the credit early in the year and the other half later in the year. The total credit amount doesn’t show how many children in a family received the private school tuition tax credit. The top recipient received more than $24,000 in tax credits in the second half of 2024, according to the data. 

The data is posted at the state’s open data website, which is maintained by the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. 

Click to finish the story.

Stitt’s Oklahoma DOGE portal sought to find savings. People used it instead to troll Republicans.

By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Dozens of people suggested that state government could be made more efficient without state Superintendent Ryan Walters and Gov. Kevin Stitt, according to submissions made to a statewide portal that asks the public for ideas about how to save money.

In all, of the 90 submissions made to the Oklahoma Division of Government Efficiency portal around half targeted Walters, Stitt, and other Republicans leaders, including those serving in state’s congressional delegation, according to Oklahoma Voice’s analysis of portal submissions, which were released in response to an Open Records request.

Submitters were particularly critical of Republicans’ policies, including spending public money to pay for private school education, attempts to incorporate “religion in schools and government,” and for removing options for state employees to work from home.

Better known as “DOGE-OK,” the Stitt-led initiative is modeled after President Donald Trump’s federal Department of Government Efficiency. It requested submissions from the public in what a spokesperson for Stitt said is intended to be a “jumping off point” to find savings within the state government. Stitt’s office did not return a request for comment on if any submissions have been used to inform savings yet.

DOGE-OK has reported finding over $51 million in savings in state government spending since its launch in February, though none of the existing savings appeared to align with the public suggestions in the portal.

Click to finish the story.

Wind tower setback bill revived after failing on Oklahoma House floor

By Chloe Bennett-Steele, StateImpact Oklahoma
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Senate Bill 2 may get another chance to convince lawmakers of new regulations on wind turbine placement in certain parts of the state.

The legislation did not receive the necessary votes during a House session Tuesday. But Rep. Trey Caldwell (R-Faxon), who authored it with Sen. Grant Green (R-Wellston), said he wanted lawmakers to reconsider.

On Wednesday, the body moved to send the legislation to conference, where it could be altered and put back to a vote.

The bill would require new wind turbines to be set back at least 1.5 times the tower’s height from non-participating property lines or a half nautical mile from a dwelling. It only applies to counties with a population density greater than 8.5 people per square mile and an average wind speed of less than 9.5 miles per hour.

Lawmakers have largely referred to eastern counties as the affected areas.

Proponents of the bill say it would protect property owners, while those against it have voiced concern over its constitutionality and potential hindrance to the wind energy industry.

While debating against the legislation, Rep. Nick Archer (R-Elk City) referenced the U.S. Constitution’s Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.

“You cannot take someone's right to income from their property without just compensation,” he said.

Landowners have received income from leasing property to wind energy companies, particularly in western Oklahoma.

Click to finish the story.

Mother’s Day events across Oklahoma

Whether you’re celebrating your mom, your mother-in-law, your grandmother or whoever the special woman in your life is, there are plenty of ways to say, “I love you,” across Oklahoma.

• Mother’s Day events across Oklahoma (News On 6)

• Mother’s Day weekend in OKC (VisitOKC.com)

• Family-friendly Mother’s Day weekend events in OKC (MetroFamily Magazine)

• Need the perfect brunch spot for Mother’s Day in OKC? Here are 7 options. (Oklahoman)

• Mother’s Day in Tulsa (Tulsa Kids)

• 6 outdoors ideas for Mother’s Day (Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation)

And if you really have an extra 5-7 minutes on your hands, here’s a tribute to my mom that I wrote shortly after her passing in 2018.

The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

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

• 'Big surprise': Oklahomans express shock over American being chosen as new pope (Oklahoman)

• TULSA TIES: Pope Leo XIV's work with Green Country community (2 News Oklahoma)

• Child dies during dental procedure in Edmond; ADA shares safety tips for parents (News 9)

• ‘No new vouchers’: Tulsa Housing Authority approves emergency plan, hopes to avoid terminations (NonDoc)

• Tulsa airport moves closer to offering international flights (KWGS)

• Mayfest 2025 brings art, music—and now fitness—to downtown Tulsa (News On 6)

• All sports betting legislation dies in State Senate Thursday (Fox 23)

• Tulsan crunches river water quality data, finds shocking results (KTUL)

• No update on suspects in Oklahoma City mass shooting (KOCO)

• Oklahoma City Police Department to freeze positions due to budget cuts (KOCO)

• ‘It does affect your community’: Federal funding freezes rattling Oklahoma nonprofits (KFOR)

• Former Choctaw Nation Councilman charged with sexual battery (KTEN)

• Rooster Creek bridge closes at Lake Texoma State Park for flooding risk (KXII)

SPORTS 🏀⚾🥎🏈

NBA Playoffs Game 3: Oklahoma City @ Denver

Best-of-seven series tied 1-1. Game 3 is tonight at 9:00. on ESPN.

• Thunder Playoff Guide: OKC gets blowout win over Nuggets in Game 2 of Western Conference semis (KOCO)

• How did Chet Holmgren bounce back for Thunder vs Nuggets Game 2? 'Can’t be afraid to fail' (Oklahoman)

• Deer Creek art teacher’s Thunder fan art signed by players (KFOR)

• Landry Spins Gem, No. 2 Sooners Knock off No. 9 LSU to Advance to SEC Semifinals (SoonerSports)

• Cowgirl Softball falls to Arizona State in quarterfinal round of Big 12 Championship (OKState)

• Cowgirl Golf ranked 25th heading into NCAA Championship (OKState)

• Former OU star Ebi Ere named as McLain's boys basketball coach (Tulsa World)

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