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Tag: Oklahoma

  • Oklahoma attorney facing charges after allegedly helping set up illegal marijuana business

    Oklahoma attorney facing charges after allegedly helping set up illegal marijuana business

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    Another Oklahoma attorney is facing charges after allegedly helping set up an illegal marijuana business.The state said this is only the tip of the iceberg in their investigation. The document details the illegal activity, claiming attorney Matthew Stacy registered for more than 300 limited liability companies to get medical marijuana and manufacturing licenses.”We’re just scratching the surface,” said Mark Woodward with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.A multicounty grand jury indicted Stacy, a local attorney, for allegedly obtaining licenses for marijuana farms illegally.”These lawyers, these consultants, will recruit people to come to Oklahoma, and they will tell these people I will get you a 75% owner,” Woodward said.Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said Oklahoma residents were recruited to become ghost owners, signing paperwork to own the farms but having no day-to-day operations. Instead, out-of-state clients will operate the farms, something OBN said contributes to the black market.”Meanwhile, the criminal organization is bringing their 25% work crew in. They’re the ones moving the plants, moving the money and the workers and the 75% owner in many cases knows nothing about the farm,” Woodward said.The affidavit said, “on many occasions,” Stacy told officials the grows weren’t operating, but officials found “thousands of marijuana plants actively growing with sometimes dozens to hundreds of pounds of fully processed and/or packaged marijuana located on the premises.””To know that these criminal organizations shouldn’t have even been here had it not been for a law firm that had stepped up and submitted fraudulent paperwork so they could obtain a license for these criminal groups to move here and cause all this destruction and now we’re having to clean it up,” Woodward said.

    OKLAHOMA CITY —

    Another Oklahoma attorney is facing charges after allegedly helping set up an illegal marijuana business.

    The state said this is only the tip of the iceberg in their investigation. The document details the illegal activity, claiming attorney Matthew Stacy registered for more than 300 limited liability companies to get medical marijuana and manufacturing licenses.

    “We’re just scratching the surface,” said Mark Woodward with the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics.

    A multicounty grand jury indicted Stacy, a local attorney, for allegedly obtaining licenses for marijuana farms illegally.

    “These lawyers, these consultants, will recruit people to come to Oklahoma, and they will tell these people I will get you a 75% owner,” Woodward said.

    Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics said Oklahoma residents were recruited to become ghost owners, signing paperwork to own the farms but having no day-to-day operations. Instead, out-of-state clients will operate the farms, something OBN said contributes to the black market.

    “Meanwhile, the criminal organization is bringing their 25% work crew in. They’re the ones moving the plants, moving the money and the workers and the 75% owner in many cases knows nothing about the farm,” Woodward said.

    The affidavit said, “on many occasions,” Stacy told officials the grows weren’t operating, but officials found “thousands of marijuana plants actively growing with sometimes dozens to hundreds of pounds of fully processed and/or packaged marijuana located on the premises.”

    “To know that these criminal organizations shouldn’t have even been here had it not been for a law firm that had stepped up and submitted fraudulent paperwork so they could obtain a license for these criminal groups to move here and cause all this destruction and now we’re having to clean it up,” Woodward said.

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  • Oklahomans Will Vote On Recreational Marijuana Next Year

    Oklahomans Will Vote On Recreational Marijuana Next Year

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    Oklahoma, one of the most conservative states in the U.S., will ask voters next year if they want to legalize recreational marijuana.

    The proposal, known as State Question 820, will be on the ballot for a special election on March 7, Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) announced Tuesday after supporters of the proposal submitted enough voter signatures. If it’s passed, Oklahomans ages 21 and up will be allowed to use the drug and purchase it from licensed retailers.

    A 15% excise tax on those sales would fund the implementation of the law, with any excess spent on substance abuse programs in schools, addiction treatment programs and other state spending needs.

    Last year, around 4,000 people in Oklahoma were arrested for selling or possessing marijuana, making up more than one-third of drug-related arrests in the state, the advocacy group NORML reports.

    Medical marijuana is already legal in Oklahoma.

    “We are grateful the voices of over 164,000 Oklahomans who signed the petition and want to vote on legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in Oklahoma have been heard,” said Yes On 820′s campaign director, Michelle Tilley.

    SQ 820′s supporters were hopeful the proposal would be approved in time to appear on November’s midterm election ballot. However, a new signature verification process that the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s office conducted with an outside firm took more than twice as long as usual, the campaign said.

    Democrats were also hopeful that the proposal’s appearance on the ballot in November would energize liberal voters to turn up at the polls.

    Stitt, a Republican, has said he opposes the legalization proposal because the federal government still considers marijuana a dangerous, illegal substance.

    “Do I wish that the feds would pass legalized marijuana? Yes. I think that would solve a lot of issues from all these different states,” Stitt previously told The Associated Press. “But in our state, just trying to protect our state right now, I don’t think it would be good for Oklahoma.”

    Despite no documented deaths associated with marijuana overdoses, U.S. drug officials still categorize it as a Schedule I drug, ranking it with heroin and ecstasy in terms of risk levels.

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  • Remains found in Oklahoma river belong to 4 missing men

    Remains found in Oklahoma river belong to 4 missing men

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    OKMULGEE, Okla. — Four Oklahoma men who were last seen riding their bicycles more than a week ago were shot and dismembered, police said Monday, and a man considered a person of interest has since disappeared.

    Okmulgee Police Chief Joe Prentice said the bodies found late last week in the Deep Fork River are those of the four missing friends: Mark Chastain, 32, Billy Chastain, 30, Mike Sparks, 32, and Alex Stevens, 29.

    The men were believed to have left a house in Okmulgee on bicycles the evening of Oct. 9. The police chief said that the official cause of death was pending but that all four men had gunshot wounds and that their bodies had been dismembered.

    Police interviewed a man Friday who owns a scrap yard in the area, but that man has since been reported missing and may be suicidal, Prentice said. No charges have been filed.

    The bodies were discovered Friday after a passerby saw something suspicious in the river near a bridge, police said. The bicycles have not yet been found, Prentice said.

    The men were all from Okmulgee, which has a population of around 11,000 and is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Tulsa.

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  • Apple workers in Oklahoma vote to unionize in 2nd labor win

    Apple workers in Oklahoma vote to unionize in 2nd labor win

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    NEW YORK (AP) — Workers at an Apple store in Oklahoma City voted to unionize, marking the second unionized Apple store in the U.S. in a matter of months, according to the federal labor board.

    The vote on Friday signaled another win for the labor movement, which has been gaining momentum since the pandemic.

    Fifty-six workers at the store, located at Oklahoma City’s Penn Square Mall, voted to be represented by The Communications Workers of America, while 32 voted against it, according to a preliminary tally by National Labor Relations Board. The approximate number of eligible voters was 95, the board said.

    The labor board said Friday that both parties have five business days to file objections to the election. If no objections are filed, the results will be certified, and the employer must begin bargaining in good faith with the union.

    The union victory follows a vote to unionize an Apple store in Towson, Maryland, in June. That effort was spearheaded by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers in Maryland, which is preparing to begin formal negotiations.

    In a statement emailed to The Associated Press on Saturday, Apple said, “We believe the open, direct and collaborative relationship we have with our valued team members is the best way to provide an excellent experience for our customers, and for our teams.”

    Apple also cited “strong compensation and exceptional benefits,” and noted that since 2018, it has increased starting rates in the U.S. by 45% and made significant improvements in other benefits, including new educational and family support programs.

    The Communications Workers of America could not be immediately reached for comment.

    Worker discontent has invigorated the labor movements at several major companies in the U.S. in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which triggered tensions over sick leave policies, scheduling, and other issues.

    In a surprise victory, Amazon workers at a Staten Island warehouse voted in favor of unionizing in April, though similar efforts at other warehouses so far have been unsuccessful. Voting for an Amazon facility near Albany, New York, began on Wednesday and is expected go through Monday. Well over 200 U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize over the past year, according to the NLRB.

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  • Oklahoma daycare evacuated after car fire in parking lot

    Oklahoma daycare evacuated after car fire in parking lot

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    An Oklahoma daycare was evacuated after a car fire in their parking lot.The flames reached two cars next to the building, forcing everyone to get out. The daycare workers said that the fire scared them as much as it scared the children.When Jones Fire Department arrived to put out the fire, Nannie’s Daycare was already getting children to safety.”Before we could look up, all the women that worked there at Nannie’s daycare had a perfect plan in place,” said Mark Taylor, Jones Fire chief.The fire department said they were responding to a call of a car on fire in a shopping center parking lot.”Upon our arrival we found one car fully engulfed, impending on the second vehicle next to it. It had already blew out the windows and blew the tires out of that also,” Taylor said.In the shopping center, the staff was already working on getting children out.”The director went and pulled the fire alarm and proceeded to evacuate all the children out of the facility. Then she ran out to the playground to help with getting the children off of the playground because it was pretty close to where the car had caught on fire,” said Sherry Minnick, owner of Nannie’s Daycare.While the fire department worked to put out the blaze, the children were down the road at a local bank.”The people from the bank, who are right behind us, they actually came out and said, ‘Hey, bring those kids in here,’” Minnick said.The owner said it comes as no surprise that everyone around them was willing to help get the children to safety.”It’s a small community so everybody knows just about everybody and when the bank saw what was happening, they started handing out waters and suckers to the kids,” Minnick said.The owner said she’s extremely grateful for the help from their neighbors and the fire department.

    OKLAHOMA CITY —

    An Oklahoma daycare was evacuated after a car fire in their parking lot.

    The flames reached two cars next to the building, forcing everyone to get out. The daycare workers said that the fire scared them as much as it scared the children.

    When Jones Fire Department arrived to put out the fire, Nannie’s Daycare was already getting children to safety.

    “Before we could look up, all the women that worked there at Nannie’s daycare had a perfect plan in place,” said Mark Taylor, Jones Fire chief.

    The fire department said they were responding to a call of a car on fire in a shopping center parking lot.

    “Upon our arrival we found one car fully engulfed, impending on the second vehicle next to it. It had already blew out the windows and blew the tires out of that also,” Taylor said.

    In the shopping center, the staff was already working on getting children out.

    “The director went and pulled the fire alarm and proceeded to evacuate all the children out of the facility. Then she ran out to the playground to help with getting the children off of the playground because it was pretty close to where the car had caught on fire,” said Sherry Minnick, owner of Nannie’s Daycare.

    While the fire department worked to put out the blaze, the children were down the road at a local bank.

    “The people from the bank, who are right behind us, they actually came out and said, ‘Hey, bring those kids in here,’” Minnick said.

    The owner said it comes as no surprise that everyone around them was willing to help get the children to safety.

    “It’s a small community so everybody knows just about everybody and when the bank saw what was happening, they started handing out waters and suckers to the kids,” Minnick said.

    The owner said she’s extremely grateful for the help from their neighbors and the fire department.

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  • 4 bodies found in Oklahoma river amid search for missing men

    4 bodies found in Oklahoma river amid search for missing men

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    Four bodies were found and recovered from a river in Oklahoma Friday amid a search for four men who were reported missing earlier this week.

    The bodies were found after “suspicious items” were reported in the Deep Fork River, southwest of the city of Okmulgee, Police Chief Joe Prentice said Friday. Responding officers found “multiple human remains,” and four bodies were later recovered from the river. 

    The bodies had not been identified as of late Friday. They were being taken to the medical examiner’s office in Tulsa for autopsy and official identification, Prentice said in a Facebook post.

    Mark Chastain, 32; Billy Chastain, 30; Alex Stephens, 29; and Mike Sparks, 32, were reported missing overnight Monday – the first time Prentice has seen four adult men go missing all at once, he said earlier this week, according to CBS affiliate KOTV.

    “I can’t make sense of the actual set of circumstances because it is so unusual,” Prentice said.

    The men, close friends, were believed to have left Billy Chastain’s home in Okmulgee Sunday night, reportedly on bicycles, according to police. 

    They visited a salvage yard west of Okmulgee before stopping at a station, KOTV reported. They then went to a different salvage yard, which is where Mark Chastain’s phone died or turned off.

    Prentice said the area where the bodies were found was never considered a search area by police.

    “All of the information that we had up to this point indicated that our missing men — based on telephone data — had gone east leaving town and then ultimately south on 75. This is in the opposite direction,” he said.

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  • Apple store workers in Oklahoma to vote on labor union | CNN Business

    Apple store workers in Oklahoma to vote on labor union | CNN Business

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    CNN
     — 

    Apple workers in Oklahoma City are set to vote this week on whether to form the second-ever labor union at one of the tech giant’s US stores.

    The Apple store workers in Oklahoma are seeking to gain representation with the Communication Workers of America union. Voting is set to take place on Thursday and Friday, with the vote-tally scheduled for Friday evening. Just under 100 employees at the Apple store in the Penn Square Mall are eligible to vote in this union election.

    Earlier this year, Apple store workers at a mall in Towson, Maryland, made history when they voted to become the first unionized Apple store in the United States. The move was lauded by President Joe Biden, among others. In late June, the National Labor Relations Board officially certified the union election win, paving the way for the workers and Apple management to negotiate their first contract.

    The organizing efforts at Apple stores come amid the backdrop of a tidal wave of workplace activism emerging at major companies from Amazon to Starbucks after the pandemic exposed new pressures on frontline workers and a tight labor market gave these workers new leverage.

    Leigha Briscoe, a worker at the Oklahoma Apple store, said that their group was inspired to organize after “seeing what was happening in the labor movement across the United States with other large corporations.”

    “Particularly watching Amazon and Starbucks has been the two that really stuck out to me,” she said. “That really kind of brought to light the possibility of us being able to do that in our store.”

    Watching these other workers seize new power via organizing also helped in “shifting my view of what a labor union was, and seeing that, ‘Hey, this is something that can still be done in the modern workforce,’” Briscoe added. “That’s really what kind of helped me see that this was going to be valuable for our team, and I think it’s safe to say that a lot of our other team members were also watching that happen as well, and that kind of inspired them in the same way as it has me.”

    “Fundamentally, what we’re looking for is being able to have a seat at the table and negotiate what our experience looks like,” she said.

    An Apple spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the Oklahoma City vote. Ahead of the union election at the Maryland store earlier this year, Apple said in a statement that it deeply values its retail team members and emphasized that it offers a “very strong compensation and benefits for full time and part time employees.”

    One of the worker organizers at the Maryland location previously told CNN that “compensation is important” but “the most important” goal was “having a say” in store policies that impact staff.

    Patrick Hart, another worker at the Oklahoma City Apple store, echoed that sentiment. Hart said he was tired of hearing from his managers that “that’s just how it is” when he raised concerns or brought feedback to them about their workplace experiences. He said they are seeking more of a voice in their workplace with their unionization efforts.

    Hart also emphasized that he was inspired by the resurgence of the organized labor movement, and especially efforts to unionize Amazon warehouses. The new labor push comes as union membership overall in the United States has plummeted in recent decades. The unionization rate for all wage and salary workers in the United States last year was some 10.3%, Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data indicates, compared to 20.1% in 1983, which was the first year comparable data was available.

    After taking inspiration from others, Hart said he hopes that their efforts in Oklahoma can similarly embolden fellow workers to band together – no matter what industry they may be in.

    “I want everyone to realize unions aren’t just for those bad and hard workplaces, it is for everyone in America, we have the right to unionize,” Hart said. “I just want people to realize that, because it can do a lot of good for a lot of people who feel they’re stuck in their workplace.”

    Hart continued: “They don’t have to leave their job, they can just make their current one a better place.”

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  • Tulsa Public Schools talks security, safety at board meeting following deadly shooting

    Tulsa Public Schools talks security, safety at board meeting following deadly shooting

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    Tempers flare at school board meeting

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  • Julius Jones Coalition petitions Gov. Stitt to end death penalty in Oklahoma

    Julius Jones Coalition petitions Gov. Stitt to end death penalty in Oklahoma

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    Coalition petitions Gov to end OK death penalty

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  • 1 teen killed, 1 wounded in Tulsa homecoming game shooting

    1 teen killed, 1 wounded in Tulsa homecoming game shooting

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    TULSA, Okla. — A teenager was killed and another was wounded in a shooting at a high school homecoming game in Oklahoma Friday night, police said.

    The victims, both 17, were shot during the event at McLain High School for Science and Technology shortly before 10 p.m., according to a statement by the Tulsa Police Department posted on Twitter and Facebook.

    “When Officers arrived, we found two victims amongst the crowd of hundreds. One 17-year-old male was pronounced dead at the scene,” the post said.

    The surviving victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition but has improved to stable condition, the statement said.

    Several officers and a K-9 unit searched nearby neighborhoods but were not immediately able to find the suspected shooter, who fled the scene on foot, police said.

    The school on N. Peoria Avenue has an enrollment of 666 students, according to the McLain High School website.

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  • Yukon Police Department seizes nearly 150 pounds of marijuana during traffic stop

    Yukon Police Department seizes nearly 150 pounds of marijuana during traffic stop

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    150 pounds of marijuana seized during traffic stop

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  • Walking on Air

    Walking on Air

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    Walking on Air – CBS News


    Watch CBS News



    At the first ever Quiktrip Air and Rocket Racing Show, thousands watched while one woman walked on air. As KOTV’s Jeffrey Smith reports, this wing walker leaves her fear on the ground

    Be the first to know

    Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.


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  • Supreme Court halts execution of Richard Glossip | CNN Politics

    Supreme Court halts execution of Richard Glossip | CNN Politics

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    CNN
     — 

    The US Supreme Court on Friday put on hold the execution of Richard Glossip, an Oklahoma death row inmate whose capital conviction the state attorney general has said he could no longer support.

    The latest round of litigation was brought to the Supreme Court by Glossip, with the support of the Oklahoma Attorney’s General office, who asked for his May 18 execution to be set aside.

    The emergency hold on his execution will stay in place while the justices consider his request that they formally take up his case.

    There were no noted dissents from Friday’s order. Justice Neil Gorsuch did not participate in Friday’s ruling.

    Glossip has maintained his innocence, having been convicted in 1998 of capital murder for ordering the killing of his boss.

    A review launched by Oklahoma’s Republican attorney general found that prosecutors had failed to disclose evidence to Glossip that they were obligated to produce and that the evidence showed that the prosecutors’ key witness – the supposed accomplice of Glossip’s who committed the murder – had given false testimony.

    Despite Oklahoma’s assertions that it could no longer stand by Glossip’s conviction, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeal declined Glossip’s request that his execution be halted.

    In their filings with the US Supreme Court, Glossip’s attorneys argued that – in addition to the obviously irreparable harm he would suffer if the execution moves forward – Oklahoma “will also suffer harm from its Department of Corrections executing a person whom the State has concluded should never have been convicted of murder, let alone sentenced to die, in the first place.”

    Glossip’s case has been before the Supreme Court before, including in a major challenge the justices heard in 2015 that he and other death row inmates brought to the lethal injection protocol used in executions.

    In that case, the court’s conservative majority rejected the inmates’ claims that the lineup of the lethal drugs, which had come under scrutiny after several botched executions, violated the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

    Glossip has narrowly avoided being executed on several occasions, including months after the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling, when the execution was called off at the last minute by state officials because of questions about the drugs they were planning to use.

    This story has been updated with additional details.

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  • Oklahoma governor calls on officials to resign over recording of racist and threatening remarks | CNN

    Oklahoma governor calls on officials to resign over recording of racist and threatening remarks | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    The governor of Oklahoma is calling on four McCurtain County officials to resign after they allegedly participated in a secretly recorded conversation that included racist remarks about lynching Black people and talking about killing journalists.

    The McCurtain Gazette-News over the weekend published the audio it said was recorded following a Board of Commissioners meeting on March 6.

    The paper said the audio of the meeting was legally obtained, but the McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it was illegally recorded and is investigating. The sheriff’s office also said it believes the recording had been altered.

    “I am both appalled and disheartened to hear of the horrid comments made by officials in McCurtain County,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a statement Sunday. “There is simply no place for such hateful rhetoric in the state of Oklahoma, especially by those that serve to represent the community through their respective office. I will not stand idly by while this takes place,” the statement said.

    The governor called for the immediate resignations of McCurtain County Sheriff Kevin Clardy, District 2 Commissioner Mark Jennings, sheriff’s investigator Alicia Manning and jail administrator Larry Hendrix. He also said he would ask the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to look into the case.

    McCurtain County is in southeastern Oklahoma, about 200 miles from Oklahoma City.

    The recording was made hours after Gazette-News reporter Chris Willingham filed a lawsuit against the sheriff’s office, Manning and the Board of County Commissioners, alleging they had defamed him and violated his civil rights, the newspaper reported.

    In the recording, Manning spoke of needing to go near the newspaper’s office and expressed concern about what would happen if she ran into Willingham, the Oklahoman reported, citing additional reporting from the Gazette-News.

    According to the Oklahoman report, Jennings said, “Oh, you’re talking about you can’t control yourself?” and Manning replied: “Yeah, I ain’t worried about what he’s gonna do to me. I’m worried about what I might do to him. My papaw would have whipped his a**, would have wiped him and used him for toilet paper … if my daddy hadn’t been run over by a vehicle, he would have been down there.”

    Jennings replied that his father was once upset by something the newspaper published and “started to go down there and just kill him,” according to the Gazette-News.

    “I know where two big, deep holes are here if you ever need them,” Jennings allegedly said. Clardy, the sheriff, allegedly said he had the equipment.

    “I’ve got an excavator,” Clardy is accused of saying during the discussion. “Well, these are already pre-dug,” Jennings allegedly said.

    In other parts of the recording, officials expressed disappointment that Black people could no longer be lynched, according to the paper.

    CNN has not been able to verify the authenticity of the recording or confirm who said what. CNN has reached out to all four county officials for comment.

    The Oklahoma Sheriffs’ Association voted Tuesday to suspend the membership of Clardy, Manning and Hendrix, the group’s executive director told CNN.

    Willingham and his father, Bruce Willingham, the paper’s publisher, have been advised to temporarily leave town, CNN affiliate KJRH reported.

    “For nearly a year, they have suffered intimidation, ridicule and harassment based solely on their efforts to report the news for McCurtain County,” Kilpatrick Townsend, the law firm representing the Willingham family, told CNN in a statement.

    The McCurtain County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Monday that there is an “ongoing investigation into multiple significant violations” of the Oklahoma Security of Communications Act, which makes it “illegal to secretly record a conversation in which you are not involved and do not have the consent of at least one of the involved parties.” It also said the recording has yet to be “duly authenticated or validated.”

    “Our preliminary information indicates that the media released audio recording has, in fact, been altered. The motivation for doing so remains unclear at this point. That matter is actively being investigated,” the statement said.

    The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has received an audio recording and is investigating, Communications Director Phil Bacharach said.

    The FBI wouldn’t confirm or deny whether it was involved in the investigation, with spokesperson Kayla McCleery saying it is agency policy not to comment.

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  • AFBC: Want to Be Paid to Move? Tulsa, Oklahoma, May Be Looking to Do Just That

    AFBC: Want to Be Paid to Move? Tulsa, Oklahoma, May Be Looking to Do Just That

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    Press Release
    –


    updated: Nov 28, 2018


    EMERYVILLE, Calif., November 28, 2018 (Newswire.com)
    –
     Figuring out where to plant some roots and begin a new chapter in life isn’t always easy. There are all sorts of things to consider before moving and no one’s going to cover the costs to move. Or will they? American Financial Benefits Center (AFBC), a document preparation service company that has helped many student loan borrowers, says that more and more towns and states are trying out ways to entice people to move to their area and that student loan borrowers may have a golden opportunity ahead of them if they’re willing to relocate.

    Tulsa, Oklahoma, has recently created Tulsa Remote, which is a special program designed to entice people to move there. Eligible applicants who agree to move to and live in Tulsa for a year while working remotely will receive $10,000 over a period of time; $2,500 will be received in the beginning to cover relocation expenses, $500 a month for a year and then $1,500 once the program is completed. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? “Student loan borrowers often need all the help they can get. Even if some programs aren’t inherently designed to help them, they may find new opportunities to help ease the struggle,” said Sara Molina, manager at AFBC.

    Student loan borrowers often need all the help they can get. Even if some programs aren’t inherently designed to help them, they may find new opportunities to help ease the struggle.

    Sara Molina, Manager at AFBC

    The point of the program, of course, is not to just have people move in for a year, but to encourage them to move and stay to help with economic and community growth. Job-seeking young professionals, from researchers and writers to tech-savvy opportunity seekers that are 18 or older and willing to work for a company already based out of Tulsa County, making a pledge to move to Tulsa and live there for the year-long requirement might just be a newfound opportunity some may have hoped for. For now, only around a dozen people will be selected to participate, but Ken Levit, an executive director of George Kaiser Family Foundation, says the city hopes to have up 300 workers in the program someday. At that time, they may even open up the restrictions a little to not only have semi-locals able to relocate but some people looking to move into this opportunity.

    When student loan repayment is at the forefront of the mind, it can be hard to find opportunities that help with the situation instead of potentially making it an even harder struggle. Borrowers struggling with student loan repayment may be able to find help with the grant systems more places are starting up, but also with federal-level programs. AFBC has helped thousands of struggling student loan borrowers apply for income-driven repayment programs that have potentially lowered their monthly payment and gotten them on track for student loan forgiveness after 20-25 years of being in the program. “We believe student loan repayment shouldn’t have to be a struggle. That’s why we’re so committed to helping our clients better their loan situation and through the yearly recertification process,” said Molina.

    About American Financial Benefits Center

    American Financial Benefits Center is a document preparation company that helps clients apply for federal student loan repayment plans that fit their personal financial and student loan situation. Through its strict customer service guidelines, the company strives for the highest levels of honesty and integrity.

    Each AFBC telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

    American Financial Benefits Center Newsroom

    Contact

    To learn more about American Financial Benefits Center, please contact:

    American Financial Benefits Center
    1900 Powell Street #600
    ​Emeryville, CA 94608
    1-800-488-1490
    ​info@afbcenter.com

    Source: American Financial Benefits Center

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  • Blind and Vision-Impaired Teens Learn Independent Living and Job-Readiness Skills

    Blind and Vision-Impaired Teens Learn Independent Living and Job-Readiness Skills

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    Tulsa, Oklahoma, July 11, 2017 (Newswire.com)
    –
    ) – Teens who are blind and visually impaired are participating in NewView Oklahoma’s Keys to Work Transition Institute for two weeks in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  While participating in the program, 15 students will learn independent living and job-readiness skills while interacting with leaders from the Tulsa community.

    “The Keys to Work transition program was established to equip our students with job-readiness skills to lay a solid groundwork as they enter the professional world,” said Lauren Branch, president and CEO of NewView. “After graduating from our program, teens will be career ready and know how to advocate for themselves in a competitive job market.”

    “After graduating from our program, teens will be career ready and know how to advocate for themselves in a competitive job market.”

    Lauren Branch, president and CEO

    Keys to Work provides hands-on experience with the latest assistive technology, teaches resume building, interview skills and self-advocacy, and offers networking opportunities with professionals in the Tulsa market. Participants in the program will also learn independent living skills including cooking, cleaning, organization and independent travel. Upon completing the program, youth have the skills and an individualized plan that will serve as a roadmap for future success.

    The Tulsa Keys to Work program runs Monday, July 10 to Friday, July 21 with a special graduation service and celebration Thursday, July 20 at 6:00 p.m.

    To learn more, visit http://www.newviewoklahoma.org/transition-program.

    Media Opportunities: photos/videos of students participating in program activities, interviews with teens and program leaders, Wednesday, July 12 to Thursday, July 20 from 8:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

    ###

    NewView Oklahoma is a private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1949 with a mission to empower people who are blind and visually impaired to achieve their maximum level of independence through employment, low vision rehabilitation, and community outreach. NewView Oklahoma is the leading employer of the blind and visually impaired individuals in Oklahoma and offers the only comprehensive Low Vision clinics in the state. Visit online at www.newviewoklahoma.org or follow on Facebook and on Twitter.

    Contact: Brenda Bennett, vice president of communications at 1-918-933-4036

    Source: NewView Oklahoma

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  • Medill Justice Project Investigates ‘Three-Strikes Law’

    Medill Justice Project Investigates ‘Three-Strikes Law’

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    Tulsa man convicted in spate of purse snatchings serving a life sentence. Oklahoma beginning to grapple with consequences of habitual offender law as other states reform sentences.

    Press Release
    –

    Sep 19, 2016


    TULSA, Okla., September 19, 2016 (Newswire.com)
    –
    In a 10-week investigation, The Medill Justice Project probed the complex issues involved in the three-strikes laws that have swept the country. The story examines prison overcrowding, the costs of incarceration, prosecutors’ discretion in pursuing convictions and the case of prisoner Rodney Fisher, a Tulsa man convicted of multiple burglaries and robberies in the 1980s and sentenced under the habitual offender law to 52 years in prison.

    In 2004, Fisher was found guilty of escaping from a minimum-security prison, yet again triggering the state’s habitual offender law. Typically, the sentence for a prison escape would range from two to seven years. But because Fisher had already been convicted of multiple felonies, the law allowed for the punishment to be multiplied. The range suddenly rose to six years to life.

    Fisher got life.  

    Under Oklahoma law, those convicted of murder can serve as little as 10 years. A robbery sentence can bring less time than that. Some nonetheless say Fisher, now 52, got what he deserved. Others point to action in states that have reformed draconian sentences. In Oklahoma, leaders are beginning to grapple with the consequences of one of the highest incarceration rates in the nation and the consequences of its habitual offender law.

    “The three-strikes laws raise important issues about crime and punishment in the United States that need to be addressed but offer no easy answers,” said Northwestern University Prof. Alec Klein, MJP’s director.

    Three Northwestern University students at The Medill Justice Project worked in collaboration with Oklahoma Journalists for Justice, a nonprofit investigative journalism organization based in Tulsa.

    The story is available at www.medilljusticeproject.org.

    About The Medill Justice Project

    The Medill Justice Project, founded at Northwestern University in 1999, is an award-winning national investigative journalism center that examines potentially wrongful convictions, probes national systemic criminal justice issues and conducts groundbreaking research. As journalists, MJP advocates only for the truth.

    For more information:
    Prof. Alec Klein, Northwestern University
    Director, The Medill Justice Project
    (847) 467-4476
    alec-klein@northwestern.edu

    Amanda Westrich
    Director of operations, The Medill Justice Project
    (847) 467-5307
    amanda.westrich@northwestern.edu

    Source: Medill Justice Project

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  • FBM to showcase its products tailored for the American market at Oklahoma’s OIGA Conference and Tradeshow | Yogonet International

    FBM to showcase its products tailored for the American market at Oklahoma’s OIGA Conference and Tradeshow | Yogonet International

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    Casino games and cabinets provider FBM announced Thursday its participation in the upcoming edition of the OIGA Conference and Tradeshow. The event, taking place from August 14th to 16th at Tulsa’s Cox Business Convention Center, Oklahoma presents an opportunity for FBM to showcase its casino gaming solutions “tailored for the American market” at Booth 718.

    In a statement, the company said it will captivate attendees with the selection of Mythic Link and Easy$Link gaming collections and casino cabinets, “designed to illuminate the path to success for operators across the United States.”

    According to the supplier, attending OIGA is a “crucial step” toward strengthening its position as it expands in the North American market. With an expanding client portfolio in the country, the casino gaming brand said the event provides it with an opportunity to further solidify its presence by attracting new clients and establishing widespread brand awareness.

    “At FBM, we believe in pushing boundaries and reimagining the possibilities of casino gaming. The OIGA Conference and Tradeshow 2023 provides an ideal platform for us to unveil our FBM slots game collection and casino cabinets in an engaging booth that speaks directly to the Oklahoma players”, explained Mike Medlin, Sales & Operations Manager at FBM.

    The gaming brand promises attendees can expect “captivating game designs, cutting-edge technology, and immersive gameplay experiences” at its booth. In addition to the stand display, the brand will host dedicated networking sessions and offer comprehensive customer support throughout the event.

    The trade show calendar has more stops scheduled for FBM in this second semester. From October 9 to 12, the FBM Group will also attend the G2E Las Vegas global gaming trade show. 

    “With a customer-centric approach, FBM aims to foster long-term partnerships, providing ongoing support and collaboration to ensure the success of its clients in the ever-evolving gaming landscape,” the brand said in a statement. “If you want to play like a Champion, visit Booth 718 and enjoy FBM’s thrilling slots.”

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