Student visas revoked, Stitt backs down on forestry — and an internet romance scam

What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is April 9, and here are a few quickies:

• Sad news in Sooner Nation. Former OU quarterback Patrick Fletcher has reportedly died. Several former players and coaches have confirmed.

• Federal judge says the Associated Press must be allowed to participate in pool coverage.

• Stock futures fall again Tuesday night. S&P 500 is “inches” away from bear market. Live updates.

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Weather Update ☀️

Perfection.

🌡️ Wednesday's high in OKC 77°
🌡️ Wednesday’s high in Tulsa 78°

Allergy Report for April 9 🤧

Tree pollen will be Very high today.
Grass pollen will be moderate.
Ragweed pollen won’t be an issue.

For more depth on Tuesday’s allergy news, click here.

U.S. government revokes 8 OSU international students’ visas

By Raynee Howell, The O’Colly
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Oklahoma State has joined the list of colleges reporting a number of international students’ visas have been revoked. 

Elisabeth Walker, the director of the Office of International Students and Scholars, said in a Faculty Council meeting Tuesday eight students had their immigration records terminated by the U.S. government. 

The Trump administration previously threatened to send students back to their home country for allowing “illegal protests.” There currently is no confirmed direct connection between previous protests on campus and the revoked visa statuses, yet political activity has been cited as a reason for at least one student.

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See Also 👀

• Trump administration revokes at least 8 student visas at Oklahoma universities (Oklahoman)

• Student visas revoked for 4 UCO students (News 9)

• OU SJP to release statement regarding Oklahoma international student visas revoked (OU Daily)

• Oklahoma colleges see student visas revoked by federal government (2 News Oklahoma)

• UPDATE: Several Oklahoma college students’ visas revoked by federal government (KFOR)

• Oklahoma college students have visas revoked by federal government, universities confirm (KOCO)

After efforts to address historic discrimination, future federal programs to help Oklahoma Black farmers are in question

By Anna Pope, KOSU, and by Ari Fife, The Frontier
Click to read the story on KOSU.
Click to read the story on The Frontier.
Donate to KOSU.
Donate to The Frontier.

Thousands of Oklahomans got payments from a Biden-era program to help address generations of farm lending discrimination. Now, the Trump Administration wants to end programs that could be labeled as DEI. Some Oklahoma programs have already seen funding freezes.

Right now, Richie Guess’ farm in Spencer isn’t very profitable.

Guess is also a full-time truck driver and his wife, Stephanie, works at a bank. Oftentimes, money from their day jobs goes back to their 19-acre farm.

“But what I envision is having some generational wealth for my kids and grandkids, something that they can have,” Guess said.

Guess looked to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for help with his dream. But he couldn’t get approved for a loan to purchase land or machinery. So he had to borrow from a bank instead at a higher interest rate.

He didn’t understand why he was able to get a loan through a bank but not the USDA. It never sat right with Guess and he now believes it was discrimination.

Click to finish the story on KOSU.
Click to finish the story on The Frontier.

Oklahoma governor backs down on forestry abolishment proposal after backlash

By Barbara Hoberock, Oklahoma Voice
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OKLAHOMA CITY – A key legislative leader said Tuesday he is pleased that Gov. Kevin Stitt has backed off his call to abolish the Forestry Service following historic March wildfires.

During a Tuesday interview with Oklahoma City television station News 9, the Republican governor said he no longer plans to abolish that state agency tasked with wildland fire detection and preserving the state’s forests. Stitt’s about-face came less than a day after he doubled down on his controversial call to shutter the agency and reallocate the funding to volunteer fire departments.

“It’s encouraging to hear the governor’s shifting position of abolishing the forestry department,” said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow. “I think Oklahomans said loud and clear that is not a good idea.”

Stitt told the television station Tuesday that he threatened to close the Forestry Service because his administration was not getting answers about the deployment of resources.

“Listen, we are not going to get rid of forestry,” Stitt told the station on Tuesday. “I love our forestry. Those guys are doing what they are told. The bureaucracy at the top, their management let them down by not deploying them accurately.”

He told the TV station Tuesday that he had fired “a couple more people at the top level at forestry because – they were – it was insubordination.”

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Federal directive to open more logging in Oklahoma’s public lands

By Chloe Bennett-Steele, StateImpact Oklahoma
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Donate to KGOU.

In a move to grow domestic timber production, the Trump administration designated more than half of national forests for increased logging.

Acreage within the Ouachita National Forest in far-eastern Oklahoma and what appears to be the Black Kettle National Grassland to the west were targeted in a memo from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. The new policy would expand and speed up harvesting on public lands to produce timber products in the U.S.

Rollins said the initiative is also focused on conservation and would lead to healthier forests, though some groups disagree.

“Healthy forests require work, and right now, we’re facing a national forest emergency,” Rollins said in a news release. “We have an abundance of timber at high risk of wildfires in our National Forests.”

Globally, scientists say, forests face threats from wildfires, extreme weather caused by climate change and invasive species. Management with careful harvesting is shown to help with forest health, though deforestation has led to a significant loss of biodiversity.

Click to finish the rest of the story.

The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

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

• Oklahoma House, Senate consider each other’s bills banning cellphones in schools (Oklahoma Voice)

• Oklahoma woman charged with laundering $1.5M from senior women through internet romance scam (KOCO)

• Tulsa school board approves Parents Bill of Rights with sex ed opt-out (Tulsa World)

• OKC City Council to discuss preparations for 2028 Olympics (KOCO)

• “VISIT LUTHER” Sign Dedication Celebrates Past, Present and Future on Route 66 (Luther Register News)

• Cry Baby Hill roadside attraction on hold, along with hotel project, Route 66 experience (Tulsa World)

• Several police and firefighter organizations endorse Jon Echols for Attorney General (News 9)

• 'It bothers me': OKCPS board members talk policy for off-campus religious, moral classes (Fox 25)

• Festival of the Arts street closures begin April 11-May 5 (KFOR)

• CBS, NPR personality Mo Rocca to speak in Tulsa on curiosity, storytelling (Tulsa World)

• Davis city manager is stepping down (KTEN)

• Love County Sheriff's Office investigating possible animal abuse (KTEN)

• Tupelo teacher accused of sexual relationship with student, charged with multiple child sex crimes (KXII)

• Marshall County TIF Review Committee gives recommendation for Pointe Vista project (KXII)

• Cherokee Nation $3.1 billion economic impact fuels jobs, growth, and community investments (Cherokee Phoenix)

• Tobacco negotiations stall between Nation and state (Osage News)

• Nervous Smokeshop Owners in Compact Limbo (Mvskoke Media)

• Tillman County jail chief arrested for embezzlement allegations (Lawton Constitution)

SPORTS 🏀⚾🥎🏈

• Thunder tops Lakers in final regular-season home game (Thunder / AP)

• Week 9 OU Baseball Report: Sooners must find their bats after being swept by Tigers (Clay Horning)

• OU's one-sided loss to UConn in NCAA Tournament looks different now | Berry Tramel's ScissorTales (Tulsa World)

• Sapulpa Schools unveils new baseball facility (Sapulpa Times)

• Guthrie’s Kolten Carlock named to OCA All-State football team (Guthrie News Page)

• OU men’s gymnastics earns No. 1 seed at NCAA Championships (SoonerSports)

Community Notes 🏡

YMCA Partners with Bee Healthy Cafe to Bring Healthy Eats to Local Y Locations

The YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City is teaming up with Bee Healthy Cafe to offer fresh, nutritious meals and snacks at select Y locations across the metro. The first in-YMCA cafe opens at Earlywine Park YMCA later this month, with a community launch event set for Saturday, April 26, from 9 a.m. to noon featuring free smoothie samples, giveaways, and family fun.

Both organizations say the partnership aligns with their shared mission to promote healthy lifestyles and make wellness more accessible. More locations are in development. Learn more at ymcaokc.org and beehealthycafe.com.

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