Winter Storm + 3 Okla. Board Of Education Members Removed

Here are the big stories happening in Oklahoma:

• UPDATE: Ice and slick roads are a problem this morning.

• Gov. Stitt removes three state Board of Education members.

• Stephen Tyler Holman elected Mayor of Norman.

Enjoy this newsletter? It’s free. We’d be grateful if you’d subscribe. Subscribers get the ‘Oklahoma Memo’ in their inbox at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday.

My inbox is open for suggestions, comments, story tips, and press releases. The address is [email protected].

Weather Briefing 🧊

Wintry precip was forecasted to fall overnight causing travel issues this morning. Precipitation isn’t expected to last beyond noon, but anything that falls and freezes on Wednesday is likely to refreeze overnight on Thursday.

Lots of Oklahoma schools closed today, especially in central, northern, western, and northwestern Oklahoma. However, the Tulsa area (Green Country) is also seeing some closings.

See Also 👀

City of OKC crews prepare for new round of winter weather (Oklahoma City Free Press)

Winter Weather Resources:

• Oklahoma road conditions

• OKC snow routes

• Tulsa snow routes

🌡️ Tuesday high in OKC 33°
🌡️ Tuesday high in Tulsa 35°

Here’s what KFOR Chief Meteorologist Mike Morgan had to say late Tuesday:

1️⃣ Gov. Kevin Stitt Removes 3 Members Of Oklahoma Board of Education

By Nuria Martinez-Keel - Oklahoma Voice

Gov. Kevin Stitt on Tuesday replaced three of his appointees to the Oklahoma State Board of Education, criticizing the state’s top school board for driving up “needless political drama” rather than academic results.

The board shakeup follows “ongoing controversy at the Oklahoma State Department of Education and disappointing scores on the (biennial) National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP),” according to the governors’ announcement. 

Read the full story.

See Also 👀

• State Board of Education shakeup: Stitt replaces 3 with Deatherage, Tinney, and Vandenhende (NonDoc)

• Stitt cans 3 Oklahoma State Board of Education members after ‘needless political drama’ (KOSU)

• Gov. Kevin Stitt picking replacements for Board of Education sparks drama with Ryan Walters (KOCO)

2️⃣ Stephen Tyler Holman Elected Mayor Of Norman

There will be a new mayor in Norman. Stephen Tyler Holman scored a resounding win over incumbent Mayor Larry Heikkila on Tuesday night.

The final tally was:
Holman 11,273 61.1%
Heikkila 6,467 35%

Riley W. Mulinix got 712 votes for a total of 3.9%.

Elections Coverage ✅

• Norman City Council election results: Holman ousts Heikkila; Gandesbery topples Ball (OU Daily)

• Nash, Robins head to runoff for Edmond mayor (KOCO)

• Paula Lewis wins race for OKCPS board chairperson (KOCO)

• Oklahoma City Council: Shakeup in Ward 3; Ward 7 heads to runoff (News 9)

• $193M construction bond fails, transportation bond passes in Owasso (News On 6)

• Complete election results from the Oklahoma State Election Board

Oklahoma Headlines

• State completes Tulsa Public Schools audit, but results won’t be released for 2 weeks (2 News Oklahoma)

• Tulsa Mayor creates Office of Children, Youth and Families (Black Wall Street Times)

• Rejoice Christian School responds to accusations of racist taunts at basketball game (KTUL)

• Muskogee residents struggle with lukewarm water weeks after apartment waterline burst (KTUL)

• Braggs History Project highlights Civil War battle with roadside marker (Cherokee Phoenix)

• Osage Congress to meet for 4th Special Session starting Feb. 25 (Osage News)

• Oklahoma farmers react to USAID funding freeze (KFOR)

• 1 dead, 2 hurt in SW Oklahoma City shooting (KFOR)

👀 Businesses: Activate Like A Newsroom!

Imagine what your public relations and communications efforts could be if your teams truly activated like a newsroom.

• Going direct-to-audience with your messages

• Owning the narrative

• Capturing attention faster

It’s what I do in my new post-newsroom life: work with businesses, brands and entrepreneurs to show them how to ‘activate like a newsroom’ to level up the attention they need to succeed at scale!

Visit my website at doabledigitalmedia.com, or message me anytime at [email protected].

📬 Subscribe Now:

If you’re not subscribed to Oklahoma Memo, now’s the time to “get the Memo!”

Wake up to a round-up of the top news from all across Oklahoma, all in one spot.

If you wouldn’t mind doing so—tell a friend about the ‘Oklahoma Memo!’

🗣️ Story Tips, Ideas, Feedback

My inbox is always open. If you have a link I should add to the newsletter, a story that isn’t getting enough attention, a press release, a press event you’d like to invite me to—or you just want to offer some good old-fashioned feedback, I’m available to you.

My mission is to amplify quality journalism, rekindling the daily news habit!

Best way to reach me is via email at [email protected].