Good morning, Norman.

Mahogany Shaw lost her 15-year-old son Jeremiah when a speeding car struck his vehicle on Saturday, July 5th at 10:28 p.m.—she now hopes tougher DUI laws will prevent similar tragedies as driver Laterrance Gage was arrested on DUI and first degree manslaughter charges.

At Friend Public School, teacher Bailey Smith is preparing for her fourth year as she works with OU’s PRIME program—federally funded to train mental health counselors in rural schools—that will lose its grant funding in December, which may reduce the number of support providers in high-need areas. The program was created with a $5.6 million federal grant to address student mental health needs, but the funding cut reflects changes in federal priorities announced after previous budget cuts.

Norman native Paul Chambers—a professor who was lecturing at a local university—escaped military custody in Thailand after spending two months on house arrest with an ankle monitor and is now returning home as his case is to be dismissed.

A new budget proposal calls for eliminating funding for NOAA's climate labs, tornado research, and weather research programs — and the Norman National Weather Service office may close if the cuts are approved; lawmakers will review the plan further.

Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed Senate Bill 128 today, a measure that would have extended Oklahoma’s eviction timeline to give tenants extra time before lockouts.

Data shows hearings occur only three days after summons—leading to rapid evictions—and policymakers say extending the timeline could help address the state’s high eviction rate.

The new Oklahoma law, effective November 1, will strengthen DUI penalties by making speeding, crashing, or transporting a child while impaired an aggravated DUI—a shift that brings felony charges and jail time.

It is named after Marissa Murrow and was developed with input from her family after they lost their daughter in a 2020 incident.

Sen. James Lankford warned that delays in the E-7 Wedgetail program at Tinker due to Boeing’s delivery issues could weaken air defense.

He also urged SNAP reforms that will force states to cover 5% to 15% of costs if error rates do not drop within two to three years—he noted Oklahoma's error rate was about 10%.

Thunder GM Sam Presti said that Nikola Topic made strong progress during his redshirt season and made his NBA Summer League debut last Saturday at 6 p.m. in Salt Lake City against the Grizzlies—joining rookie Brooks Barnhizer as the team tested different lineups after his ACL injury sidelined him last season.

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical

2:00 – 3:30 PM — Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma — Ticket prices vary — Experience the timeless music and inspiring story of Carole King in this acclaimed musical.

Beats & Bites Festival featuring John Waite and Paul Young

6:30-10:00 p.m. — Riverwind Casino — Check event page for pricing — Celebrate Oklahoma's finest with live music, food trucks, and a fireworks show.