Weekly Wrap for July 24th
The country continues to bake from unprecedented heat, while the Biden administration passes rules protecting workers toiling in the elements.
This and more in the Observer’s Weekly Wrap:
Congress seems to be headed for a fall shutdown as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy barely eeked out the votes on a few budget bills. House Republicans are putting poison pills in the bills that remain to fund the US government, and the Senate bills don’t align with the House’s. Look for a rocky fall for the federal government…
Senate Leader Mitch McConnell had a frightening freeze-up on camera yesterday, spurring concerns about the 81 year-old’s health. The long-time Kentucky senator insists he is just fine.
Even Sen. Tim Scott rejects fellow presidential candidate Fla. Gov. Ron deSantis’ new state education standards that teach the enslaved gained taught valuable skills through slavery…
And finally, perennial presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump faces additional federal charges, the office of the special counsel announced today. In addition to last month’s espionage charges, indictments in Florida, potential indictments in Georgia, and also in New York state, these additional charges allege Trump attempted to “alter, destroy, mutilate, or conceal evidence” at his Mar-a-lago estate.
From Oklahoma Watch, most jails in Oklahoma failed Health Department inspections in 2022.
Finally, after two contentious town hall meetings in Norman and Lawton, Wrecking Ball Ryan Walters, state superintendent of public instruction, said at the Oklahoma State Department of Education Board of Education meeting Thursday that Tulsa Public Schools would have to wait until August for its annual accreditation review but that all possible actions were on the table. This could even mean TPS loses accreditation, forcing the schools to shut down and lose funding from the state. One of the two largest districts in the state, Tulsa’s accreditation is only in question after accusations it violated HB 1775 last year in a staff implicit bias training.
Don’t miss this week’s episode of Observercast with Oklahoma Policy Institute Executive Director Shiloh Kantz as we discuss the state’s abysmal KIDS COUNT data report this year.
And mark your calendars for two Observer events in August:
Brews and Views at 7 pm, August 13th at BIG Brewing Company in Norman. This month, we talk with Nicole McAfee and Paula Sophia about the issues impacting the trans and LGBTQ2S community in our state.
But first, head to Full Circle Bookstore in OKC for the back-to-school edition of Newsmakers with Rep. Jacob Rosecrantz, Mid-Del Superintendent Rick Cobb, and veteran teacher Sandra Valentine.
Hope to see you then!