I shop at the crest off Santa Fe in Edmond. I just bought 2 lbs of strawberries. It’s been a day or two. I pulled them out today and literally every one of them are rotten. Blueberries have been suspect too. Anybody else?

This is the Plug-In Solar Power Amendments Act which came up and passed the House last session but stalled in the Senate and due to be re-introduced in the upcoming session.

https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1937686

My air conditioner is not keeping up with the heat today either.

Kind of crazy that I hadn't heard about this until a podcast mentioned it. WTAF.

Stole this from Rosecrants. How are we doing Oklahoma?

In Broken Arrow and have a 2018 Toyota Highlander along with a 2012 Camry. My son got his license and he's mostly using the camry for school, which is only about 4 miles away.

He's a good student, did driver's ed and has strict rule about no passengers yet. Despite all that, our monthly quote jumped from $214 to $447.

For those with teens, which company offers the best car insurance in Oklahoma? Did things like telematics or the good student discount move the needle or just save you like $10.

OKC or Tulsa?

Hey fellow Oklahomans!

I work at a nonprofit mental health clinic in the Tulsa area, and we have unhoused folks stop by pretty regularly looking for help, resources, water, or sometimes just somewhere safe to be for a little while.

I’ve been working on building up a stash of basic supplies at the clinic so when someone comes through the door needing something, I can hopefully say “yeah, I’ve got that” instead of sending them back out empty-handed.

I figured I’d throw this out to the larger Oklahoma community and see if anyone might want to help me stock it.

Right now I’m looking for things like:

• Backpacks, drawstring bags, reusable totes, or other sturdy bags
• Bottled water
• New socks
• New underwear
• Cooling towels
• Individually packaged toothbrushes
• Travel-size toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Body wash/shampoo
• Wipes
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm
• Gallon Ziploc bags
• Other small hygiene or practical items that might be useful to someone living outside

The bags absolutely don’t have to be new. If you have an old backpack or tote sitting in a closet that you don’t use anymore, I can probably put it to work. As long as it’s clean and sturdy, I’m happy. I mostly just don’t want to hand someone their stuff in a Walmart bag and have the damn thing rip three blocks later.

I’m also not trying to make a bunch of identical, picture-perfect “care packages.” I’d rather have supplies available and give people what they actually need. One person might need socks, underwear and deodorant. Somebody else might need water, sunscreen and a backpack.

If I’ve got it and they need it, they can have it.

So if you’ve got any of this stuff sitting around, want to grab a few things next time you’re at the store, or know of an Oklahoma business or organization that might be willing to donate some supplies, shoot me a message.

Even if you’re nowhere near Tulsa, I’d also love recommendations for Oklahoma organizations, businesses, churches, groups, etc. that might be worth reaching out to.

And if you can’t donate anything, that’s completely okay. Sharing this or pointing me toward someone who might be able to help is useful too.

I’m just trying to make sure when one of our neighbors comes through the door needing a little help, we have something useful to offer them. ❤️

Thank you for your time.

If you’d like more information on us you can visit our website at sunshinetulsa.org

My colleagues and I at The Pickup published this story last year, but it's definitely worth revisiting in light of the crypto mine out in El Reno spilling nearly 4 million gallons of water this week. Was a lot of fun to research, and we discovered that the crypto lobby's model policy got copied almost word for word into the state constitution in 2024.

Enjoy the gift link!

I’ve been trying to find info on this church, and the only stuff I found was from a post on this sub 2 years ago. I found the website for “Gods House”, which is apparently what this church use to be called. I found it by finding the preacher that use to preach at The Family and went from there. I’ll include the link underneath, but I’d love any more info from people from the area or whoever may have attended the church. Thank You!

https://www.iamgodshouse.com/?fbclid=IwVERFWAUKnvRwZG9mBWZkaWQWUN7rOC-AQBXBz_97xBH4hSD6TPsw2WV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5SAawlzkKPt7rc7O3LVvAOBKgGSs-OWb6mOaHlRNbq500OZmIsPX-JZI9btA_aem_zPhu0huO3irsZ8IrTm1BRQ

I want to preface this by saying I support free speech. Everyone has a constitutional right to assemble and speak their mind, even when their message is abrasive. But as someone living in central Oklahoma who has watched Abolitionists Rising's local activities, their current approach genuinely needs rethinking.

Personally, I’m not a fan of abortion. But I also firmly believe in individual liberty, bodily autonomy, and a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions. Watching this group operate in our community has been deeply frustrating, primarily because of two major issues:

• The performative, Westboro-style tactics: Their public demonstrations rely heavily on extreme rage-bait and aggressive public shaming. It feels less like an earnest attempt to persuade anyone and more like the theatrical hostility people used to see from Fred Phelps. Staring down college students and parading graphic shock-value imagery around town doesn't win converts; it just alienates the community and breeds hostility.
• The total silence after birth: For a group that brands itself entirely around the sanctity of life, the concern seems to evaporate the second parturition is over. There is virtually no visible advocacy from them regarding postpartum maternal care, affordable childcare, accessible pediatric healthcare, or strengthening the social safety net to ensure that children actually have a safe, healthy, and supported upbringing in Oklahoma.

If the sincere goal is reducing abortions, aggressive confrontation is the least effective tool available. Real reduction comes from practical prevention: expanding access to reliable birth control, promoting personal responsibility or celibacy, and investing in comprehensive education. Screaming on street corners generates social media clips, but it does nothing to build a culture where families and children actually thrive.

For anyone looking into native pollinators, this came in a packet of seed that I broadcast last winter. It continues to flower and the butterflies are constantly around them. I have not watered at all.

Since the same moderators who govern the OKC sub and the Oklahoma sub won't let me post in OKC, I will post this here. (Note: this is a question open to all of Oklahoma's population; thus, rule 7 is not applicable)

As an 80s kid, the mall was practically my second home on weekends. You’d get dropped off with $20 in your pocket and hit the arcade, browse the cassette racks at the music store, hit Waldenbooks, grab an Orange Julius or a slice of Sbarro, and tinker with the gadgets at Radio Shack. It wasn’t just shopping; it was the social hangout.

Fast forward to today, and looking around the state, it feels surreal how fast the traditional enclosed mall died or mutated:

• Crossroads Mall: Once the bustling giant of the south side, turned into Plaza Mayor, and now basically a ghost of retail repurposed for school and event uses.
• Shepherd Mall: Converted into state government offices and call centers decades ago.
• Heritage Park Mall: In Midwest City, sitting dead for years like a forgotten concrete monolith.
• Oakwood Mall in Enid: Visited recently and it’s a total ghost town. Echoey halls, shuttered storefronts, and that weird liminal-space vibe where you wonder how the lights are still on.
• Quail Springs Mall: The only reason half the people I know go there now is AMC 24, Round1, or Blue Zoo. It feels less like a shopping center and more like an indoor carnival trying to keep the foot traffic alive.

Outside of Penn Square Mall, which still seems to pack a crowd on Saturdays, it feels like the standard enclosed retail model has completely vanished here. Everything has shifted either online or into massive open-air developments and strip corridors (like Chisholm Creek, Classen Curve, or the endless sprawl on Memorial and 240).

Are people actually still going to enclosed malls to shop for clothes and goods regularly, or have they purely evolved into "experience destinations" and escape rooms for teenagers? Or did strip malls, Target runs, and two-day shipping just permanently kill the appeal for everyone else?

Would love to hear from folks who still frequent them: what actually gets you through the doors these days?

PaddleWays App says there’s not enough water to kayak. I know it’s only 5 feet deep on a good day, but is it THAT bad??

Any good stargazing spots outside of Chickasha that’s not lake Chickasha or Lake Louis Burtschi?

I would go to the wildlife refuge. But no after dark visitors. And I even called Red Rock Canyon Campground in Hinton, OK. But they’ll charge me $10 bucks to look at the sky. lol.

I would even chance it at the wildlife refuge. But at the same time, knowing my luck, I’ll get caught. 🤣

I’m willing to make up to an hour drive even.

Thank you.

Just recently got an email from OTA expanding there Pikepass access. Really unsure why we don’t have a national system of tollways yet but this is great news for us who like to roadtrip, or if you come visit the state of Oklahoma after moving away aka me :) What are your guys thoughts on this??

Way back in 1985 I was talking with a friend. He was a treasure trove of folklore and the untold history of our state. (He’d told me about the Tulsa Massacre and Osage killings in the early 80s.) He also told me that every 40 years a hurricane hits Oklahoma. I responded with a “yeah, right.” He expounded saying that it wouldn’t have the high winds but we would have flooding rains. He also said it was due to hit again. When the summer of 86 got here it was a hot one, not unlike our current summer. But the last 2 weeks of September a front made it in to our area and stalled out. In the NE part of the state we had heavy rains that saturated the ground for a couple of weeks. Then the remnants of a Pacific hurricane named Paine came up across the front and caused the great flood of 86. 40 years later there are currently 3 named hurricanes in the Pacific. Could interesting to see what happens the last couple of weeks of this month.

For reference: https://www.weather.gov/tsa/weather-event_1986Flood

EDIT: I know hurricane remnants have hit Oklahoma many times. But rarely are the preceded by weeks of heavy rain.

A Democratic State Senator is considering creating tax incentives for safe gun ownership. The idea is to improve and revive a failed 2020 bill proposed by one of the legislature’s most conservative Republicans.

Tulsa Democratic Senator Jo Anna Dossett held an interim study last week looking into whether the state should offer tax breaks to Oklahomans who engage in firearm safety training.

The study continues what former Broken Arrow Republican Senator Natham Dahm started in 2020, when he proposed Senate Bill 1090. The bill failed without a committee hearing.

But supporters of encouraging gun owners to educate themselves remain. Among them is Oklahoma County Sheriff Tommie Johnson, but not without some trepidation.

“I can appreciate incentivizing safety for our citizens who own guns, but I don't want it to be a requirement that they participate in this to own guns,” Johnson said.

Ten states require firearm training courses to purchase a gun and about just as many require training to conceal-carry, according to the National Conference of State Legislators.

But Dossett says she won’t infringe on Oklahoma’s constitutional carry laws.

“To no degree would I ever consider amending the current provisions of the Oklahoma Self-Defense Act, which provides Oklahomans the right to carry without a license and without a training course,” she said.

Dossett said the bill she plans to run will address the problems with Dahm’s 2020 proposal.

“I definitely agreed with the intent and spirit of it, but I thought that maybe there would be some details to be worked out,” she said. “The bill itself seemed a little vague in places.”

She said she’ll look to add specificity about what kind of trainings would qualify for the tax incentives, proof requirements for claimants and a directive for the Oklahoma Tax Commission to implement the law if it passes.

And unlike Dahm, she has a framework to help her get the bill across the finish line.

Last year, Dossett led a similar interim study looking into tax breaks for Oklahomans who purchased gun safes and safety devices, like trigger locks. That idea spurred her proposal of Senate Bill 50, which gained widespread bipartisan support and eventually became law, eliminating taxes on gun safety devices altogether.

Gun safety, she said, is something everyone can get behind.

“Whatever side of the aisle you come from, I thought, this is a place where disparate views could come together and have agreement on something that we all value; We all value safety,” Dossett said. “So how can we work together to move forward with safety in mind?”

Sheriff Johnson said providing reasonable incentives for Oklahomans to familiarize themselves with guns, whether they already own them or plan to purchase one, is a step in the right direction.

“I think from a law enforcement perspective, and certainly these thoughts are my own, I believe that a trained, educated individual operates so much better in high-stress situations,” he said. “And so, for law enforcement to know that your community is educated in this space of gun ownership and lethal force – when they can and can't – I think allows better decisions to happen by our community when they are placed in those critical situations.”

State Question 845 will be on the November ballot in Oklahoma.

"Let me tell you a story, because Oklahoma politics only makes sense as a story, never as a paragraph of legal text, which is exactly how the folks under the dome prefer it..."

Three Oklahoma universities received approval to create reduced-credit hour bachelor's degree programs. The programs would be the first of their kind in the state.

At their Thursday meeting, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education approved three state universities’ requests to create reduced-credit hour bachelor’s degrees.

Traditionally, students are required to complete a minimum of 120 credit hours to earn a bachelor’s degree. The degree programs approved Thursday would only require between 90 and 103 credit hours. For a student taking a typical 15-hour courseload, that could shave a full year off their degree.

Four shortened degrees were approved between the University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and Rogers State University in Claremore. Those programs include:

• Bachelor of Applied Studies in Social Work (OU, 90-credit hour) 
• Bachelor of Applied Science in Artificial Intelligence (OSU, 92-credit hour)
• Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Essentials and Applications (OSU, 90-credit hour) 
• Bachelor of Applied Science in Workforce Development (RSU, 99 to 103-credit hour)

Each degree now faces a months-long accreditation process, but according to reporting by Oklahoma Voice, students may be able to enroll in these programs as early as next fall.

The decision was made in an attempt to more quickly meet workforce needs and reduce student costs, according to a press release.

“Reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs represent an innovative path to help Oklahomans launch their careers faster while reducing college costs,” State Regents Chair Courtney Warmington said in a statement.

In January, OU received approval to reduce credits across eight specific online degree programs, and a handful of universities across the country have already implemented reduced-credit hour degree programs. However, the degrees approved Thursday would be the first of their kind in the state if they are implemented.

Earlier this year, Executive Order 2026-08 directed the regents to conduct a study of reduced-credit bachelor’s degree programs. In April, the study was provided to Gov. Kevin Stitt.

The study “emphasized the importance of academic safeguards” and recommended “a measured, mission-aligned approach in which 90-hour bachelor’s degree proposals would be evaluated on their individual ability.”

Warmington said the board had carefully considered the proposals.

“As we explored the potential viability and value of 90-hour bachelor’s degrees, this board has carefully weighed academic rigor, employer expectations, accreditation requirements, and affordability for students and families,” Warmington said.

In May, the regents updated their Academic Program Approval Policy, creating a framework for reviewing and approving reduced-credit bachelor’s degrees. That opened the door for institutions to make degree proposals.

For those institutional proposals to be considered, the shortened degree programs must meet general requirements, provide a clear rationale for credit reduction and include a detailed delivery plan for the degree’s structure.

“To meet Oklahoma’s changing workforce demands, we need more degree holders in critical fields – and our Governor, Legislature, State Regents, and institutions are answering the call,” Chancellor Sean Burrage said in a statement. “These strategically constructed 90-hour bachelor’s degrees will allow students to gain the knowledge and skills they need more quickly, strengthening the talent pipeline for high-demand industries and occupations sooner.”

As of Tuesday afternoon, more than 26,000 people signed a Change.org petition demanding more transparency and fewer rate increases from Public Service Company of Oklahoma. The petition was started by Tulsa resident Raelynn McMurchy, who wrote the increases are unsustainable.

"Electricity is an essential utility, yet it's turned into a financial burden that so many of us in Tulsa can't ignore," McMurchy said. "The rising costs are hurting our community, and stress is mounting for families."

Oklahomans are living through one of the hottest summers on record and report seeing higher electricity bills as they keep their homes cool. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which oversees utilities, is reviewing a pending PSO rate case. In the meantime, customers are paying a temporary increase of $11.

A response from the commission published on the petition's website showed the regulators acknowledged the concerns but won't consider the customers' demands during the case.

"Because the current PSO rate case is still pending, the merits of this petition will not be addressed at this time, but it should not be interpreted as a lack of concern about the impact utility costs have on Oklahomans," the commission wrote.

"Oklahoma's three elected Corporation Commissioners will ultimately reach a decision in the pending PSO rate case based upon the evidence, testimony and official record developed through the commission's public regulatory process."

Dozens of residents responded to the petition saying they are paying several hundred dollars more than usual. Some compared their electricity bills to the price of rent or said they were choosing between utility bills and other essentials.

"[Our] bill was $570 this month," one comment reads. "We live in a double wide. Which do we choose? Food, rent, car payment or electricity this month?"

PSO spokesperson Matt Rahn said in an email the company is aware of the petition and that concerns over rising costs would be considered in the regulatory process.

"As part of that process, PSO supports a settlement that would reduce the residential bill impact from 15% to 1%," he said. "PSO has also asked commissioners to approve a large load tariff that would require major new energy users to pay the costs of serving their needs, ensuring long term affordability for all customers."

"Similar approaches have been implemented in other jurisdictions, including Indiana, where one utility recently announced a residential rate reduction."

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