By Patrick B. McGuigan Associate Publisher In the 2013 legislative session, State Sen. David Holt, R-Oklahoma City, shepherded into the statute books a major economic policy reform. He says it was not easy, despite the overwhelming majorities Republicans have in both Houses of the Legislature. In fact, the first-term legislator told The City Sentinel, his [...]
To The Editor: How highly do we regard Oklahoma veterans? That is the question we would pose after an important bill to address their needs was blocked by one man, the Senate Appropriations Committee chair, who refused to give it a hearing this legislative session. House Bill 1942 would have created the Oklahoma Veteran Recovery [...]
by Kay Floyd On May 24, I wrapped up my first legislative session as a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives. I was elected in 2012 as a Democrat to represent an urban district in the heart of Oklahoma City, which placed me squarely in the minority. Although being in the minority presented many [...]
By Patrick B. McGuigan Associate Publisher No doubt, I often err. My beloved wife sometimes reminds me of her favorite among my thousands of Chinese fortune cookies: “Firm in opinion, always in the wrong.” I am but a lowly scribe, whose policy views incline to the Right – a reporter, analyst, commentator, pundit. Every now [...]
By Patrick B. McGuigan Associate Publisher OKLAHOMA CITY — It was 9:01 a.m. Late for the daily editorial meeting with E.L. Gaylord, publisher of The Oklahoman, I was rushed. The elevator I entered on Ninth did not stop until reaching the ground. About fourth or fifth floor, there was a slight sway in the vessel. [...]
by Marcy Price special to the paper Israel is a land of contrasts – ancient and uber-modern, dotted with biblical sites and high tech corridors of innovation. Israel archeologists continue to explore and uncover layers of history and artifacts from biblical days, and the younger generation dance to the hip beat of Tel Aviv, recently [...]
Patrick B. McGuigan OKLAHOMA CITY – State officials say a shift away from Oklahoma’s close-to-first-in-the-nation incarceration rate, toward data-proven programs aiming to more sensibly address non-violent offenses, is on track. Still, skeptics wonder. As the first round of bill deadlines nears this Thursday, March 14, the Oklahoma Legislature is considering ten bills to create new [...]
By Patrick B. McGuigan Oklahoma City — American prisons are often graduate schools of crime, places where foundational purposes of Western law – restitution and justice – are myths. In Oklahoma, prisons and jails are more crowded than ever, as Corrections trails only Health Care as a cost-driver. People convicted of comparatively [...]
Special to the paper Over the last three years state legislation to repeal tobacco preemption has been introduced. Each time the measure has failed to be heard by the full Oklahoma Legislature, despite demonstrated support from the more than 30 communities who have enacted city ordinances to ban tobacco use in areas of their communities [...]
By Scott Nachatilo Owner of OKC Home Realty Services, LLC. I recently got a call from a couple (I’ll call them Mr. and Mrs. Smith) after they had their home listed with a realtor for six months. During that time they only had a few showings, and didn’t get a single offer on their property. [...]
