What’s happening, Oklahoma? It is Tuesday, June 24, and this morning’s edition of Oklahoma Memo comes to you from…home.

It is so good to be back.

There are so many things to unpack — bags, suitcases and even memories. One of my big takeaways about Europe, honestly, is in how lucky we are in the United States. It’s wonderful to visit, but the only city I could ever see living in overseas is London.

If you’re interested in my observations from Europe, I’ll be writing about them on ryanwelton.com.

Now that I’m back, it’s time to hit the news.

And then it’s time to hit the sack. I can barely keep my eyes open!

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Weather Update ☀️

If you’re headed to the Thunder parade in Oklahoma City today, prepare for heat. It will already in the low 80s when the celebration begins. Stay hydrated, and wear sunscreen!

🌡️ Tuesday's high in OKC 91°
🌡️ Tuesday’s high in Tulsa 92°

What you need to know about the Oklahoma City Thunder championship parade

By Robby Korth, KOSU
Click to read the story.
Donate to KOSU.

Oklahoma City will host a parade following the Thunder’s first-ever NBA Championship.

The route will snake through Downtown before ending at Scissortail Park.

Mayor David Holt says the event will be a great way to showcase OKC.

“You’ll see what’s awesome about Oklahoma City in the half a million people watching,” Holt said in a news conference in the lead-up to the event. “It’s going to be an amazing moment unifying our city like we’ve never seen before.”

Oklahoma City officials announced the parade will start at 10:30 am Tuesday, with a route that starts at the intersection of 10th Street and Harvey Avenue and end at Scissortail Park.

Before the parade starts, Thunder players and staff will participate in the Champions Opening Ceremony inside Paycom Center at 9 a.m. The event will be closed to the public but will be televised locally and streamed on the Thunder’s YouTube channel.

The city anticipates that 500,000 people or more will attend the parade itself. Attendees should prepare for big crowds, long walks and hot conditions.

“We encourage parade attendees to make a plan for the day,” City Manager Craig Freeman said in a statement. “Have at least one or two backup options for parking and arriving safely at the event. You may need to walk long distances to and from the parade route.”

EMBARK is working to ease some traffic issues with a park-and-ride offering. Pickup will run from 7:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., and return trips will run from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Here are the park and ride locations:

Shuttle Parking: State Fair Lot - R Lot
Shuttle Drop-off/Return: Main & Lee (near SGA Mural)

Shuttle Parking: Remington Park West Lot (MLK Ave. & Remington Dr.)
Shuttle Drop-off/Return: Broadway between NW 7th & 8th

Shuttle Parking: Capitol Lot - South Lot (21st and Lincoln)
Shuttle Drop-off/Return: Broadway between NW 7th & 8th.

During the event, OKC’s downtown transit center won’t be available, so a temporary transit center will open up at the state fairgrounds.

After the parade ends, heavy traffic is expected to continue. Downtown Oklahoma City tells its members that parade cleanup will begin immediately following the conclusion of the event, however closures will remain in place until that’s completed.

For more information on the parade route, visit the city's website set up for the event.

Click to finish the story. 

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The Oklahoma Rundown 📰

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

• Thunder fans leave message at the Oklahoma City Memorial honoring late father as Thunder take home NBA Championship (News 9)

• 2 arrests made near downtown during Thunder celebrations; Scissortail Park shooter still outstanding (KOCO)

• Everyone invited to Thunder parade, but be prepared for traffic, parking challenges (The Oklahoman)

• Parents Swallow Junk Fees to Pay for School Lunches (Oklahoma Watch)

• While some warn of groundwater depletion in Oklahoma, efforts to tighten monitoring fail again (The Frontier)

• Police ID man killed in shooting at Tulsa's Juneteenth Festival (Tulsa World)

• Gov. Stitt lashes out at still-secret consent decree involving Tulsa, Muscogee Nation (Tulsa World)

• Tulsa mayor announces plan to address city's gun violence, proposed downtown curfew (News On 6)

• Gailard Sartain, beloved Tulsa-born actor and comedian, dies at 81 (News On 6)

• Hern backs Trump's view of Iran’s nuclear capabilities as Oklahomans evacuate Israel (Public Radio Tulsa)

🗣️ Story Tips, Ideas, Feedback

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