Monday, February 2, 2026 • Partly cloudy and much warmer. Some of us may see highs in the lower 60s today. ⛅

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The lead story in today’s Oklahoma Memo is about the annual State of the State address Gov. Kevin Stitt will give for the final time as governor. The event usually starts pretty close to 12:30 p.m. and is broadcast and streamed by most local outlets across Oklahoma.

This address, given to a joint session of the Oklahoma legislature, kicks off the legislative session. This story is a podcast (with video) from KGOU and Quorum Call called Capitol Insider — “a weekly feature produced by KGOU in partnership with Quorum Call, an Oklahoma City-based legislative news and bill tracking service. KGOU general manager Dick Pryor talks to Quorum Call news director Shawn Ashley, elected officials and newsmakers about legislative matters in the state of Oklahoma. You can also watch Capitol Insider on YouTube.”

Click here to watch or listen.

By Stephen Martin, Oklahoma Watch
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Charlcey Plummer should have been in high cotton.

“In 2025, we grew the best cotton crop we’ve ever had,” said Plummer, an Oklahoma cotton grower whose family operation has weathered trade disputes, drought, and rising input costs over the past decade. “But then we profited the least amount we ever have.”

For farmers and ranchers, a certain amount of uncertainty is part of the business. In recent years, however, that uncertainty has grown alongside sharply rising costs.

“Every input on the farm is higher,” Plummer said. “Seed, chemicals, fertilizer, labor, equipment, even interest rates impact what we do on the farm.”

For more than half a century, the federal Farm Bill has served as one of Congress’s most durable and complex pieces of legislation. Renewed about every five years, it has traditionally bundled together farm safety nets, conservation programs, nutrition assistance, research funding, trade promotion, and rural development into a single, sprawling compromise.

That model is now under strain, as Congress has increasingly struggled to renew the bill on schedule.

Rather than including them in a Farm Bill, several major agricultural programs were enacted through H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Lawmakers from both parties are now signaling that the next Farm Bill, if it materializes at all, is likely to be significantly narrower than its predecessors. Instead of serving as the primary vehicle for farm and food policy, the Farm Bill may increasingly function as a secondary measure, addressing issues left unresolved by budget reconciliation bills.

Click here for the full story.

Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.

Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.

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

• How politics and power could shape Oklahoma Legislature in 2026 (The Oklahoman)*

• Insurance costs, reading outcomes likely on Legislature’s agenda, Oklahoma Senate leader says (Oklahoma Voice)

• Oklahoma lawmakers consider limits for pesticides, THC content in weed, among other measures (Tulsa Flyer)

• Stitt orders creation of civil asset forfeiture database (The Oklahoman)*

• Ransomware attack no threat to operations, Tulsa International Airport officials say (Tulsa World)*

• New SNAP work requirements, soda ban take effect in Oklahoma this month. See changes (The Oklahoman)*

• ‘A lot to implement’: OKC Mayor David Holt faces Matthew Pallares in pursuit of third term (NonDoc)

• Cheat sheet: Familiar names vie for Norman City Council Ward 5 (NonDoc)

• Campus Corner bar identified a possible measles exposure location (News 9)

• OU Police Department investigating sexual assault in university residence hall (KFOR)

• Tulsa-area public schools challenged by state's historic decline in students (Tulsa World)*

• Here are 14 ways to celebrate Black History Month in Tulsa (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• Pauls Valley pursuit ends in deadly standoff with explosive device (KTEN)

• Oklahoma Highway Patrol investigating what led up to woman being struck by train near Pauls Valley (KOCO)

• Reimbursement offered to those affected by Blanchard oil well blowout (KOCO)

• Man dead after Kiowa officer-involved shooting Saturday (KFOR)

• Entire fan section ejected during high school basketball game (KSWO)

• Former McAlester football coach cleared in embezzlement case (KTEN)

What happened: In this week’s conversation, congressional candidate John Croisant (OK-1) argues the politics around ICE are shifting — not just among Democrats, but among conservatives concerned about civil liberties and federal overreach.

Why it matters: Croisant’s core point is that “strategy” isn’t enough if the public sees tactics as authoritarian — and he says the backlash is being driven by regular people showing up, speaking clearly, and forcing leaders to respond.

What’s next:
Croisant says the real fix isn’t optics — it’s immigration reform and clear guardrails on enforcement that don’t “impede on anyone’s rights,” while still supporting border security.

Watch the video, and if you’re interested in learning more about John, visit his campaign website at croisantforcongress.com.

The ‘Oklahoma Memo’ mission is simple: Reignite the daily local news habit by connecting Oklahomans and those who love Oklahoma to quality sources of news and vetted information.

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