One of my favorite traditions in OKC — and one my wife and I look forward to every year — is happening this weekend.

It’s the 2025 Oklahoma City Greek Festival.

The food is ridiculously good, and I mean everything. The Alfa beer is always cold, and it’s become one of my favorites. And the dancing and general conviviality is contagious.

If you’ve never been, please go this year. You won’t regret it.

Let’s get to the rest of our Friday list:

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You can message me anytime at [email protected].

Sunny, warm. Pretty much second summer. (Enjoy the weather!)

🌡️ Friday's high in OKC 85°
🌡️ Friday’s high in Tulsa 82°

By Nuria Martinez-Keel, Oklahoma Voice
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Without reading the morning headlines, one might believe Thursday’s Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting was routine, even more tame than usual. The crush of cameras and celebrations outside told a different story.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters dedicated his opening remarks to the assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk and went on to present a mostly flat budget proposal for public education next year. 

Walters did not acknowledge his impending resignation from elected office, a bombshell he revealed live on FOX News the night before. He told FOX host Trace Gallagher he would step down from office to become the CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, an anti-teacher-union organization founded earlier this year. 

The Teacher Freedom Alliance announced Thursday morning that Walters would start in his new role on Wednesday.

Gov. Kevin Stitt will appoint a replacement to finish Walters’ term through January 2027. Stitt helped launch Walters’ political career when he chose the former high school teacher to be his education secretary, but the two had a public falling out earlier this year.

“I wish Ryan and his family the best in this next chapter,” Stitt said in a statement Thursday. “Oklahoma students remain my top priority, and with my first appointment to this role, I will be seeking a leader who is fully focused on the job Oklahomans expect: delivering real outcomes and driving a turnaround in our education system.”

A spokesperson for the Governor’s Office, Abegail Cave, confirmed Stitt does not yet have a resignation letter from Walters.

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Well, my long-time friend Jeremy and I had been talking about launching a sports podcast for a few weeks.

And then Mike Gundy got fired.

And then John Mateer got hurt.

Who needs a plan, right? It was ‘go’ time.

The ‘Bedlam Buds’ podcast was born. Hosted by University of Oklahoma graduate and long-time Sooners devotee (and ‘Oklahoma Memo’ editor) Ryan Welton and Oklahoma State University graduate and long-time Cowboys supporter Jeremy Cook, we prove that rivalry doesn’t have to be unfriendly.

We’ll talk sports in a candid, fun way — and we hope you’ll give it a watch and even subscribe to our YouTube channel. The podcast will eventually be everywhere you listen to audio, too.

By Robby Korth, Lionel Ramos and Graycen Wheeler, KOSU
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Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced he is resigning from his elected position as the state’s top education official in a national television appearance.

The outgoing superintendent’s tenure has been marked by political scandal and charged rhetoric, while Oklahoma’s education system continued to lag behind the rest of the country.

Walters first announced his resignation late Wednesday night on FOX News. He said he’ll be taking his fight against what he calls radical left teachers' unions to a national arena.

“I'll be stepping down as Oklahoma State Superintendent and taking on the role as the CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance,” he said. “We're going to destroy the teachers' unions.”

Walters explained he’ll do that by building “an army of teachers” who will help push his anti-union agenda. The Teacher Freedom Alliance is an offshoot of the conservative Freedom Foundation.

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Monthly contracts available, and I can be super flexible to make the partnership meet your business needs.

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

• State Superintendent Ryan Walters announces resignation, legislators react (KSWO)

• Announcement of Ryan Walters' successor held up by his lack of formal resignation (Tulsa World)

• ‘I control the agenda’: Walters avoids mentioning resignation, beefs with board as departure looms (NonDoc)

• Ryan Walters has yet to answer questions about his pending resignation (The Frontier)

• Cherokee Nation to take over operation of last hospital on Oklahoma reservation operated by feds (Oklahoma Voice)

• Oklahoma regulators to balance costly nuclear potential with projected wave of energy demand (StateImpact Oklahoma)

• New Oklahoma Corporation Commission law could lead to ‘rate shock’ for consumers, commissioner says (The Oklahoman)

• Lawmakers accuse turnpike authority of bullying, traumatizing Oklahomans (The Oklahoman)

• Lawton mayor uses ChatGPT to craft shelter policy that won't attract 'more homeless' people (KOSU)

• After Dallas shooting, Tulsa ICE protests continue (Public Radio Tulsa)

• Executive director of Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board steps down (KOSU)

• Edmond Veterinarian and staff separately address controversial post about assassination of Charlie Kirk (News 9)

• Unique drone testing facility opens in Tulsa (Tulsa World)

• Drummond joins push for U.S. Supreme Court to uphold girls’ sports laws (KSWO)

• HorseChief’s sculpture permanently installed in Cherokee Cultural Pathway (Cherokee Phoenix)

• Dash cam footage released from last week's Carter County pursuit (KTEN)

• Ponca City official gives updates to city commissioners on housing and new cinema (Kay News Cow)

• 'I think it's great': New trail system coming to Owasso (2 News Oklahoma)

• Plaza Calle Dos Cinco opens as Capitol Hill centerpiece (Oklahoma City Free Press)

• Why Doug Meacham calls himself 'lucky' to be Oklahoma State football interim coach (The Oklahoman)

• Michael Hawkins Jr. set to step in for injured Oklahoma QB John Mateer (KOCO)

• Update on Sooners quarterback John Mateer’s hand surgery (KOCO)

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.

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✅ Make you smarter.
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