tagged w/ Oklahoma
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Darlene Mayes, a 74 year old grandmother in Oklahoma, was accused of being the ringleader of a multi-state drug operation. On Friday, at the request of her defense attorneys Josh Lee and Clint Ward, a judge dismissed the charges, according to court documents (case number CF-2012-69 in District Court of Craig County).
Last year, the arrest of Mrs. Mayes made television and print headlines around the world when, according to court documents, authorities accused her of possessing several pounds of marijuana and nearly $300,000 in cash. Attorney Josh Lee had maintained that Mrs. Mayes is innocent of the charges. Law enforcement officials, however, claimed that she was responsible for a large, multi-state drug operation that was possibly responsible for 40 percent of the marijuana trade in the Grand Lakes area.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/ganja-granny/2013-04/prweb10608296.htmDarlene Mayes, a 74 year old grandmother in Oklahoma, was accused of being the... more
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What was the first US city to undergo an attack from the air?
No, not NYC, 2001. And it wasn’t Honolulu, 1941, either.
No, it occurred during what was probably the worst, bloodiest, deadliest and most destructive “race” riot in American history occurred in 1921: in the “Black” neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma, called Greenwood. The Governor of Oklahoma ordered military aircraft to attack the Greenwood district of Tulsa with incendiary bombs and sniper fire on Sunday, June 1, 1921, to suppress a “Negro Rebellion.”What was the first US city to undergo an attack from the air?
No, not NYC, 2001. And... more
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by The Daily Editorial Board
Our View: Oklahoma should follow Colorado and Washington in legalizing recreational marijuana.
You may have missed it amidst all the giddy cheers and apocalypse woes of election night, but voters in Washington and Colorado chose to legalize recreational marijuana use within those states.
It may seem that, left toitself, Oklahoma will be the very last state to consider such a move. But that shouldn’t be the case.
Oklahomans like to say they support limited government, and it certainly seems to be true in many circumstances. So shouldn’t the Sooner state rally around an individual’s right to control his or her personal behavior — just as the state recently rallied in support of open carry?
Though the field of research is complicated and in places incomplete, it is clear that marijuana is less addictive than cigarettes and less harmful to the body than both tobacco and alcohol. Given the similarities marijuana shares with these legal and largely culturally accepted products, marijuana prohibition seems irrational.
It looks even less rational when you consider the resources involved in the marijuana segment of the drug war. In 2010, police made 853,838 arrests for marijuana-related offenses, according to the FBI’s annual report. Of those charged with marijuana violations, 88 percent were arrested for offenses involving only possession, not manufacture or sale.
http://www.oudaily.com/news/2012/nov/12/ourviewmarijuana/by The Daily Editorial Board
Our View: Oklahoma should follow Colorado and... more
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Patricia Spottedcrow sold $31 in marijuana to an informant and received 12 years in prison.
She was one of women profiled in the series that investigated why Oklahoma is ranked No. 1 in the nation in the number of women in prison.
The state incarcerates 134 women per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 69 per 100,000, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. While the number of women entering Oklahoma’s prisons each year has remained somewhat stable in recent years – 1,284 in 2009 – the number of women in the system has grown to a high for the decade as tougher sentencing laws have passed.
The cost to taxpayers is high, up to $43 per inmate per day at one facility. Meanwhile, experts say the children of female prisoners are at risk to continue the cycle.
In 2011, the Tulsa World partnered with Oklahoma Watch -- an independent, non-profit investigative reporting team -- to explore the issue of female incarceration.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/webextra/continuingcoverage/default.aspx/Women_In_Prison/15Patricia Spottedcrow sold $31 in marijuana to an informant and received 12 years in... more
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Michelle McCutchan, 40-year-old former teacher from Checotah (Eufaula), Oklahoma, has been sentenced by McIntosh County judge to 15 years in prison with five years suspended, for having a sexual relationship with students.
McCutchan entered a blind plea to nine out of 29 counts filed against her. She admitted to one count of rape, three counts of sodomy, one count of child neglect, and four counts of furnishing alcohol to a minor. The felony charges will run concurrently and fall under Oklahoma’s 85 percent statute, meaning McCutchan will spend almost 13 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
McCutchan, a fifth grade teacher at Marshall Elementary School in Checotah, was initially arrested in May 2011 and was first charged with two counts of second degree rape and one count of sodomy. The five alleged acts between McCutchan and the teen boy, who was her daughter's boyfriend, took place between January and February 2011 at the teacher's home and the teen's home. She also confessed to setting up a video camera to film two of the romps.
Police found out about the affair when the teen boasted to his friends about the home made sex tape. After being interviewed by detectives McCutchan admitted she had videoed herself having sex with her teen lover.
The arrest report said the teacher had sex four times at her home and once at the boy's home.
Source:
http://femaleteachersinheat.blogspot.fi/2012/09/michelle-mccutchan.html?t=crMichelle McCutchan, 40-year-old former teacher from Checotah (Eufaula), Oklahoma, has... more
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U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla) calls renowned National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist James Hansen "an extremist"
By Randy Krehbiel, World Staff Writer
Published: 8/7/2012 2:25 AM
U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe downplayed the latest claims by climate-change activist James Hansen on Monday, calling the National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientist an extremist in his own camp and admonishing the press "to be balanced in its representation" of Hansen's claims.
Hansen released a paper Monday that he says backs up his assertion that last year's record heat and drought - and the accompanying forest and range fires - in Oklahoma and Texas were related to manmade climate change.
Hansen argues that incidents of extreme heat have become more common in the past 30 years, which would be consistent with his theory of climate shift.
"Hot summer anomalies occur when and where weather patterns yield an extended period of high atmospheric pressure," Hansen wrote. "This condition is amplified by global warming and the ubiquitous surface heating due to elevated greenhouse gas levels, thus increasing the chances of an extreme anomaly.
"Yet global warming also increases atmospheric water vapor overall, causing, at other times or places, more extreme rainfall and floods, consistent with documented changes over Northern Hemisphere land and the tropics."
Hansen is the latest climate-change advocate to make the searing heat and cloudless skies over middle America for the past 15 months a focal point for their arguments.
The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held its first hearings on the matter in more than three years last week, and Inhofe twice came under fire on the Senate floor for his insistence that climate change is a hoax.
As if to get in one last shot before the current five-week recess, Inhofe filed a bill late last week that, among other things, would eliminate federal funding for all climate-change research and activities.
On Monday, Inhofe cited one of Hansen's most steadfast opponents, Alabama State Climatologist John Christy.
Christy, Inhofe said, "disputed the link between man-made global warming and heat waves in Oklahoma, testifying that instead of saying that this summer is 'what global warming looks like,' it is 'scientifically more accurate to say that this is what Mother Nature looks like.'"
Even among climate-change believers, Hansen has been criticized for his activism and what some believe is an overstatement of the threat from climate change.
"Many in the media will no doubt latch onto Hansen's alarmism because he is going well beyond what any other scientist will claim," said Inhofe. "At a recent conference call held by Climate Communication between scientists and reporters, even some of the most committed alarmist scientists would not directly make that link or say if any percentage of today's warm temperatures could be attributed to man-made causes."U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla) calls renowned National Aeronautics and Space... more
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On Sunday further evacuations in Oklahoma were necessary, as wildfires continue to grow and progress across the state. In one town nearly five dozen homes and buildings were destroyed.
By Tim Talley, Associated Press / August 5, 2012
Luther, Okla.
Several wildfires raging around the parched Oklahoma landscape prompted more evacuations on Sunday as emergency workers sought to shelter those forced out by flames that destroyed dozens of homes and threatened others in the drought-stricken region.
One roaring fire near Luther, about 25 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, destroyed nearly five dozen homes and other buildings before firefighters gained a measure of control Saturday. Authorities said several state roads remained closed early Sunday because of drifting smoke or nearby fires.
Mike Donegan, a communications supervisor with the Oklahoma State Highway Patrol in the scorched region, said evacuations continued overnight. He had no immediate details on the numbers forced from their homes but said officers went door to door in some communities, getting people to leave.
He said he saw thick smoke from a distance of about 50 miles from one of the fires as he drove into work.
"When I came in today ... we got ash falling even where I live. I thought it was raining at first. The smoke was thick," Donegan told The Associated Press by phone.
The Luther fire was one of at least 10 burning Saturday in Oklahoma, where a severe drought has settled on the countryside in a summer in which temperatures have topped 110 degrees in spots.
The fires include a large one in Creek County, in northeastern Oklahoma, that officials said had claimed about 78 square miles, and another about 35 miles to the west in Payne County.
Emergency management officials ordered residents of Mannford, in Creek County; Glencoe, in Payne County; Drumright, in Lincoln County; Oak Grove, in Pawnee County; and Quinton, in Pittsburg County, to leave their homes, according to Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management spokeswoman Keli Cain.
Cain said Saturday that no serious injuries had been reported.
Authorities suspect the fire near Luther may have been intentionally set, while the cause of the others was undetermined. The Oklahoma County sheriff's department said it was looking for someone in a black pickup truck seen throwing newspapers out a window after setting them ablaze.
Department spokeswoman Mary Myers said there were "no arrests, no suspects" but deputies were "working around the clock" to find anyone responsible.
Nigel Holderby, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross, inspected one shelter set up in Cushing, northeast of Oklahoma City. She reported about 50 people sought refuge there overnight.
"We do have several shelter operations in full swing," she said early Sunday. "We are providing food and water and we are also making sure the firefighters are hydrated and feeding them."
Though the fires are scattered across the region, she said a largely volunteer effort has been able to respond and several shelters have been set up.
Gov. Mary Fallin toured Luther on Saturday, hugging residents whose homes and belongings were destroyed by the fire that swept through treetops on 24 mph winds.
"It's heartbreaking to see families that have lost so much," Fallin said after talking with some who were milling around the still-smoking debris that had been their homes. "I gave them a hug, told them I was sorry."
The fire burned just over 4 square miles, including an area near the Turner Turnpike, which carries Interstate 44 between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The superhighway was briefly closed Friday.
In Creek County, county Commissioner Newt Stephens asked residents to be patient and to stay away from the flames in the northern part of the county.
On Saturday, those able to return their homes found charred timbers poking from the debris and the burned out shells of refrigerators, washers and dryers.
"It makes me feel sad," said Victoria Landavazo, clutching a young child in her arms. "It's all gone. All of our family pictures, everything."
Tracy Streeper was working in Oklahoma City, about 40 miles southwest, when she learned that the flames were approaching her home. Caught in traffic, it took her a long time to return home.
She grabbed a few clothes, medicine and her three dogs and left quickly.
"Your adrenaline is running. You're pumped up," Streeper said. "You could just see a wall of flames coming this way. Everything was on fire."On Sunday further evacuations in Oklahoma were necessary, as wildfires continue to... more
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Oklahoma will become the 25th state to allow the open carrying of handguns.
Gov. Mary Fallin signed into law Tuesday a measure that allows Oklahomans to openly carry handguns.
The measure, Senate Bill 1733, allows those who are licensed to carry a firearm under the Oklahoma Self Defense Act a choice: to openly carry a weapon or conceal it.
It also allows a property owner to openly carry a handgun on his or her land. No concealed carry permit would be required.
To receive a license under the Oklahoma Self Defense Act, applicants must take a firearms safety and training course and submit to a background check by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. Those convicted of felonies and certain misdemeanors may not receive a handgun license.
The measure takes effect Nov. 1.
Read more: http://newsok.com/oklahoma-gov.-mary-fallin-signs-open-carry-gun-bill-into-law/article/3675750#ixzz1v2czYbGDOklahoma will become the 25th state to allow the open carrying of handguns.
Gov.... more
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There is some news in the ongoing war on women, some good, some bad. Let’s start with the good.
http://veracitystew.com/?p=34135There is some news in the ongoing war on women, some good, some bad. Let’s start... more
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Read more here:
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2012/04/13/on-behalf-oklahoma-politicians-an-apology
Dear Americans,
On behalf of the great state of Oklahoma I want to take this opportunity to apologize. Wednesday evening, the Daily Show with Jon Stewart interviewed our Senator Ralph Shorty, the architect of the Oklahoma Personhood bill intended to declare a fertilized egg a person. Shorty explained that he couldn't add Senator Constance Johnson's "Every Sperm is Sacred" Amendment to his bill controlling women's bodies, because her amendment was an effort to control men's bodies. Senator Shorty will control women's bodies, but control of men's bodies Is. Not. Allowed. I promise you not all of our elected officials are this hypocritical, and most Oklahomans absolutely are not.
While I'm at it, I also want to apologize for all those oil companies. . .
Read more:
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/article/2012/04/13/on-behalf-oklahoma-politicians-an-apologyRead more here:... more
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District Judge Bryan Dixon ruled the statute passed by the Legislature in 2010 is an unconstitutional special law because it addresses only patients, physicians and sonographers dealing with abortions and does not address them concerning other medical care.
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District Judge Bryan Dixon ruled the statute passed by the Legislature... more
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As has been the case in other parts of the country in recent years, the parched region from eastern Texas to northern Louisiana and Arkansas is swinging sharply from experiencing severe drought to facing the risk of potential flooding in a span of just a few short months. Or as climate blogger Joe Romm might colorfully put it, Texas and nearby states may be swinging from “hell to high water.”
Just a few months ago this region was still mired in one of the worst droughts on record. Last year was Texas’ driest on record, and the vast majority of the state was classified as being in severe to exceptional drought. The scorching summer of 2011 only exacerbated the drought by drying out soils and reservoirs more quickly. Oklahoma and Texas both set records for the warmest summers of any state since records began in the U.S. in the late 19th Century.
As I detailed in late February, a wetter pattern has returned to eastern Texas and neighboring states, and drought conditions have eased. A slow-moving storm system is expected to drop several inches of rain in eastern Texas, northern Louisiana and much of Arkansas during the next three days. According to the National Weather Service, parts of northeast Texas and much of southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana may receive up to 4 inches of rain Thursday night, with more to come on Friday. The Weather Service is not yet warning of the risk of major flooding, but some flash flooding is certainly possible where slow-moving thunderstorms hit.
The feast-or-famine nature of rainfall in Texas and the Lower Mississippi River Valley lately is in line with broad-scale climate change projections and observational studies, which show that the hydrological cycle is already starting to intensify, bringing more frequent and severe heavy precipitation events and droughts.
More at the linkAs has been the case in other parts of the country in recent years, the parched region... more
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The video speaks to the insanity that exists when people vote against their own self-interests. Forget about birth control! It’s too bad that these young girls don’t realize that a President Santorum would have them ignorant through home schooling, barefoot, and pregnant.
http://veracitystew.com/?p=31899The video speaks to the insanity that exists when people vote against their own... more
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Dr. Daniel Fine of the New Mexico Center for Energy Policy discusses North Carolina's approach to shale gas and hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." Fine offered these comments during a Feb. 27, 2012, presentation to the John Locke Foundation's Shafesbury Society. Video courtesy of CarolinaJournal.tv. Watch full-length video of JLF events here: http://www.johnlocke.org/events/videos.htmlDr. Daniel Fine of the New Mexico Center for Energy Policy discusses North... more
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OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - A rally for Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was disrupted for 20 minutes on Sunday by Occupy Wall Street protestors chanting, "Get your hate out of our state," and "Pro-life, pro-war, what are you fighting for?"
~snip~
Santorum supporters clashed with the protestors and tried to shout them down with "We pick Rick!" One protester was shoved, but there were no other physical altercations. Santorum was calm, and preached tolerance, but also suggested the protestors should get jobs.
Wait, what? Santorum preached tolerance? Dear writer Rebecca Kaplan of CBSNews.com, I beg to differ! The guys entire career is built on a message of intolerance, saying that Santorun preaches a "message of tolerance" is like saying that Jeffery Dahmer was preaching a message of dietary recommendations.
http://tinyurl.com/6ujpjvwOKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - A rally for Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum was... more
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LOrion
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By Stephen C. Webster
Friday, March 2, 2012 9:44 EST
At a recent rally against a so-called “personhood” bill currently favored by Oklahoma lawmakers, state senator Judy McIntyre (D) was photographed holding a sign that read: “IF I WANTED THE GOVERNMENT IN MY WOMB, I’D FUCK A SENATOR.”
Explaining to a local reporter that she’d just borrowed the sign from a protester, she remarked: “I was like, I’ve got to have a picture of it.”
“I thought if my 87-year-old mother sees this, I’m going to get hell this weekend, but it was too late,” McIntyre added, according to NewsOK.com.
The protest, held Wednesday at the University of Oklahoma, took issue with a so-called “personhood” bill that would define human life as beginning at conception, effectively banning all abortions.
The Oklahoma State Medical Association is opposed to the bill because it may jeopardize the practice of reproductive medicine and criminalize acts that might harm an embryo, potentially sparking criminal investigations of women who miscarry. The bill was overwhelmingly approved by the state Senate last month, and a vote in the lower chamber is expected soon. It is not clear if the governor will sign it into law.
McIntyre acknowledged that some in Oklahoma, which is overwhelmingly Christian, may find her sign’s language offensive, but she wasn’t much concerned about them.
“I would hope they would have that same passion about how offensive it is for the Republican Party of Oklahoma to ramrod, because they have the votes to do so, bills that are offensive to women and take away the rights of women,” she reportedly said.
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/02/oklahoma-state-senators-sign-if-i-wanted-the-government-in-my-womb-id-fck-a-senator/
This video is from NewsOK.com, published Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012.
"Perhaps the sign should have read 'Republican Senator'???By Stephen C. Webster
Friday, March 2, 2012 9:44 EST
At a recent rally against a... more
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Despite being rebuffed by voters in Mississippi and Colorado, proponents of the “personhood” movement are still pushing to enact legislation in states like Ohio and Oklahoma that would give zygotes the same rights as American citizens. These bills would not only criminalize abortion in all circumstances, they would also outlaw common forms of contraception, as well as in vitro fertilization.
To poke fun at the absurdity of the measure, Oklahoma state Sen. Constance Johnson (D), has tacked on a provision affirming — in the words of a famous Monty Python song — that every sperm is sacred:
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2012/02/08/421018/oklahoma-democrat-adds-every-sperm-is-sacred-amendment-to-personhood-bill/Despite being rebuffed by voters in Mississippi and Colorado, proponents of the... more
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