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Gov. Mary Fallin’s Thanksgiving Day Statement

Chris Casteel — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 20:48:43 +0000

OKLAHOMA CITY – Governor Mary Fallin today released the following Thanksgiving Day statement:

“I continue to be thankful for the opportunity and the honor to serve as Oklahoma’s governor, as well as for my wonderful family and friends.

“Like Americans everywhere, I am also thankful that we live in a nation that cherishes liberty and for the brave men and women of our military who protect our freedoms.

“As we approach Thanksgiving Day, I’m wishing all Oklahomans a safe and happy Thanksgiving holiday season.”…

Gov. Mary Fallin to Speak in Prime Time Tuesday at Republican National Convention

Chris Casteel — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:58:27 +0000

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin has been given a speaking slot on Tuesday at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, FL.
In a message sent from her campaign account, the governor said she will talk about Oklahoma’s success.
“My message will be simple: the U.S. must focus on policies that allow hardworking families and businesses _ not government bureaucracies _ to thrive.
“In Oklahoma, we’ve pursued policies that set the stage for success and job growth in the private sector. We’re not interested in more government handouts. The results of our pro-jobs agenda speak for themselves.
“We are currently experiencing:
“An unemployment rate of only 4.9%, the lowest in the country for any state with a population of 2 million people
“The addition of 47,000 new jobs, ranking Oklahoma #1 in the nation for manufacturing jobs created, and #3 overall
“The growth and restoration of our Rainy Day Savings Account that has increased from under $3.00 in 2011 to over $577 million today.”

Fallin spokesman Alex Weintz said the governor’s speaking slot is expected to be about 7:50 p.m. central time on Tuesday.

He said she would talk about Oklahoma’s economic prosperity resulting from the hard work of people in energy and other fields.

The convention officially begins Monday night and will end Thursday with a speech by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Fallin will be speaking on the same night as several other GOP governors. Here is the schedule for that night:

7:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Convention convenes

Presentation of Colors

Pledge of Allegiance

National Anthem sung by Philip Alongi

Invocation

Video

Remarks by Janine Turner

Video and remarks by Mayor Mia Love (Saratoga Springs, UT), U.S. congressional candidate

Remarks by former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum

Segment to be announced

Remarks by U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (NH), accompanied by Jack Gilchrist

Remarks by Governor John Kasich (OH)

Video

Remarks by Governor Mary Fallin (OK)

Video

Remarks by Governor Bob McDonnell (VA), accompanied by Bev Gray

Remarks by Governor Scott Walker (WI)

Video

Segment to be announced

Remarks by Governor Bobby Jindal (LA)

Videos

Remarks by Sher Valenzuela (small business owner, candidate for DE Lt. Governor)

Remarks by Governor Susana Martinez (NM)

Video

Remarks by Governor Chris Christie (NJ)

Benediction and adjournment

C-SPAN in Oklahoma City This Week for Some Local History

Chris Casteel — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:53:12 +0000

The public affairs channel C-SPAN, which provides gavel-to-gavel coverage of Congress along with a broad array of government- and history-related programming, is in Oklahoma City this week preparing some features on the city’s history and literary life.

The producers and organizers have an interesting agenda for the productions, which will air during a special Oklahoma City feature weekend of May 5th and 6th on C-SPAN2’s BookTV and C-SPAN3’s American History TV.

Here are some of the highlights, provided by C-SPAN:

· Interview with Bruce Fisher, son of Ada Lois Sipuel. Sipuel attempted to enroll at the University of Oklahoma Law School in 1946, helping to the lay the foundation for Brown v. Board of Education.

· Tour the Oklahoma City National Memorial with the memorial’s director, Kerrie Watkins. Watkins explains the history of building the memorial and explains future plans for the memorial to the victims.

· Hear historian Blue Clark explain the significance of Indian relocation to Oklahoma’s history. Clark discusses the tribes that came into the state from across the country, as well as his family’s own relocation experience.

· Interview with Mayor Mick Cornett at Chesapeake Energy Arena about Oklahoma’s professional basketball team, the Thunder, and its impact on the city post-Hurricane Katrina.

· Tour the Oklahoma State Capitol building with tour guide Bill Parks. Learn about the history of the building, and how Oklahoma City became the state’s capital.

· Interview with Oklahoma historian Currie Ballard about his discovery of rare film taken of Oklahoma’s African American communities dating back to the 1920s. Ballard’s remarks are filmed in Langston, a historic African American community where his family has roots.

· Visit Oklahoma University’s Political Communication Center and the Julian P. Kanter Political Commercial Archive to learn how political television commercials have changed over time and hear how political commercials reflect the changing landscape of American politics.

· Interview with Norman, Oklahoma mayor Cindy Rosenthal at the Carl Albert Center. Mayor Rosenthal takes us through the papers of several U.S. Senators and Congressmen as well as talks about Carl Albert, Speaker of the House under Richard Nixon from 1971-77.

· Tour the Oklahoma History Center where we look at rare items in their collection, including a bison skin teepee and one of only two copies of a Certificate of Friendship offered to Indian leaders by Lewis and Clarke.

BookTV programming highlights:

· Interview with Full Circle Books owner Jim Tolbert about the literary scene in Oklahoma City as well as the state of the independent book business.

· Hear “Winning the West with Words” author and Oklahoma City University professor James Buss examine narrative, rhetoric and language used by Anglo-Americans to justify westward expansion and the removal of Native Americans.

· Listen to “Race and the University: A Memoir” author George Henderson recount his experience as the third African American professor hired at the University of Oklahoma and the obstacles he had to overcome.

· Interview “A Nation in Transition” author Michael Lovegrove about the story of Douglas Henry Johnston, the governor of the Chickasaw tribe during the critical transitional time of the early 19th century.

· Tour the University of Oklahoma’s Special Collections at Bizzell Memorial Library.

· Interview with “The Triumph of Voting Rights in the South” author Keith Gaddie about the history of voting right in the South and its effect on the current political climate. Gaddie is a professor at the University of Oklahoma.

· Hear Dr. Joe Foote, Dean and Edward L. Gaylord Chair in the Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Oklahoma, talk about the state of journalism today and the role it will play in the future.

Gov. Mary Fallin will welcome C-SPAN to town on Thursday, April 12, at a press conference at the state Capitol. The public is invited to the press conference, which will be held at 11 a.m. in the Blue Room on the second floor.

Gingrich Adds More Oklahoma Supporters

Chris Casteel — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 21:55:06 +0000

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich announced more Oklahoma endorsements on Wednesday. Here are the names announced by his campaign less than a week before Oklahoma voters go to the polls as part of the Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses.

Republican Majority Leader Tad Jones (Claremore)
State Representative Todd Thompson (Ada)
State Representative Mike Jackson (Enid)
Former State Representative Robert Worthen (Oklahoma City)
State Senator Rob Johnson (Yukon)
Former Cleveland County Republican Party Chairman Aaron Curry
Former Oklahoma County Republican Party Chairman Steve Curry
State Senator Bryce Marlatt (Woodward)
State Representative Leslie Osborne (Chickasha)
State Representative Don Armes (Faxon)
State Representative Dan Kirby (Broken Arrow)
State Senator Greg Childers (Del City)
Norman City Councilman Hal Ezell
State Senator Kim David (Wagoner)
State Representative Colby Schwarz (Yukon) …

Santorum rally site changed

Michael McNutt — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:22:55 +0000

The site for the rally for Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum has changed.

It will be at the Magnuson Hotel and Meridian Convention Center, 737 S. Meridian Ave. It’s just south of Interstate 40.

The venue was changed because of the overwhelming response, according to the Oklahoma Republican Party’s website. It originally was scheduled at the nearby H&H Shooting Sports Complex.

The time remains the same at 9 a.m. There is no charge to attend the rally.

Santorum’s visit today comes two days after he swept victories in Minnesota, Missouri and Colorado. The sweep of the three contests again puts the former senator from Pennsylvania in position to contend for the Republican nomination, analysts say.

His Oklahoma visit today is arranged by the Oklahoma Republican Party, which is not endorsing any contender. It has invited all GOP residential candidates to the state.

After his Oklahoma City visit, Santorum will go to Tulsa. He is scheduled to appear at 1:30 p.m. at the Mabee Center at Oral Roberts University.

- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau

Rep. Tom Cole Praises Selection of House Speaker Designate

Chris Casteel — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:24:23 +0000

U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, R-Moore, praised the selection of state Rep. T.W. Shannon, R-Lawton, as the House speaker designate. If all goes as planned, Shannon would be speaker of the state House of Representatives in early 2013.
Cole and Shannon are both citizens of the Chickasaw Nation. Shannon once served on Cole’s staff.
“I am enormously pleased and proud that the Oklahoma House of Representatives has selected T.W. Shannon as their next Speaker,” Cole said in a prepared statement.
“As someone who knows and has worked closely with T.W., I am not surprised that his colleagues have recognized his character, integrity and leadership abilities.
“T.W. has been a trail blazer his entire life. As an African American, as well as a Native American, he brings a unique and historic perspective to public service. I am certain in the coming years that T.W Shannon will continue to acquit himself in a manner that brings pride to his family, friends and colleagues.”

Oklahoma lawmakers: Social media being used more

Michael McNutt — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 13:39:13 +0000

Several legislators who use social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter say they are effective ways to communicate with constituents.
Some said they were apprehensive when U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., said last week that his Twitter account had been hacked and someone sent a lewd photograph of himself to a woman. Weiner admitted Monday that he had sent the picture.
In Oklahoma, several officials or their staff frequently change passwords and monitor the accounts to delete any inappropriate names of followers or content posted by followers. Several post personal and government items on their personal accounts, but some have political pages on Facebook where they put information about governmental issues and events.
Senate President Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, has a personal Facebook page where he posts personal and Senate information, but he’s not an avid user, said Jarred Brejcha, Bingman’s spokesman.
Brejcha and other staff members oversee and update a Facebook page and a Twitter account for Senate Republicans, which mostly contain information about legislation.
Brejcha said “a good portion” of the 48 senators have a Facebook or a Twitter account.
“To my knowledge, they all update their own accounts,” he said Tuesday.
Senate Minority Leader Andrew Rice, D-Oklahoma City, mixes personal and legislative messages on his Twitter account. He also has a political Facebook page where he posts campaign and legislative events. He also maintains a personal Facebook account, which is aimed mostly for family members and friends.
“I try to keep them somewhat separate, but it’s hard to,” he said. “Anybody who’s in a public position should always be concerned about having control over what you’re putting out there … but I don’t have too much of a concern that there are political opponents on either side are trying to hack into social networking sites.”
Rep. Joe Dorman, D-Rush Springs, said he posts mostly legislative matters on his Twitter account and tries to restrict personal comments to his personal Facebook page and legislative matters and his weekly column on his Facebook political page.
“Everything becomes a blurred line when you’re in politics,” he said. “People don’t really see the difference unless you yourself are isolating it completely and then people think you’re hiding something. So with mine, everything’s an open book.”
During the December 2009 blizzard, he used his social media accounts to post information on power outages and where residents could seek shelter.
“People were charging their cellphones in their cars and following my updates to get information because all of the power was out,” Dorman said. “That is just the best example of how you can help people through social networking.”
House Speaker Kris Steele, R-Shawnee, does not use any social media for personal or legislative matters, said John Estus, the speaker’s press secretary.
The subject of social media use to stay in touch with constituents and report what is happening at the state Capitol was addressed briefly with freshman House members during last year’s orientation session, Estus said.
“All Oklahoma House members are fully aware that in this day and age, they need to exhibit the same good judgment in their use of social media as they would with any other form of communication, public or private,” Estus said.

- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau

Elections 2010: Tracking tweets about the Oklahoma governor candidates

Paul Monies — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 19:16:36 +0000

The New York Times has an interesting interactive on its website that lets you compare tweets by and about various candidates for the U.S. Senate and governor. Here’s the one for Oklahoma’s gubernatorial race:

–Paul

Calvey baby arrives

Michael McNutt — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 02:46:08 +0000

Kevin Calvey, involved in a GOP congressional runoff race that will be determined in two weeks, is a new dad.

Thomas Calvey was born Tuesday evening at an Oklahoma City hospital.

He weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces and is 21 inches long, a campaign spokesman said.

Calvey’s wife, Toni, and Thomas are doing fine, the spokesman said. Thomas is their second child; Anastasia is about 22 months old.

Calvey, of Oklahoma City, faces James Lankford, of Edmond, in the Aug. 24 Republican primary for the 5th Congressional District seat being vacated by Mary Fallin, who is running for governor.

- Michael McNutt, Capitol Bureau

House strengthens ban on texting while driving

Julie Bisbee — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 23:10:01 +0000

Rep. Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa

House members have revived efforts to ban texting while driving. As reported Thursday by the Capitol Bureau’s Micheal McNutt, Rep. Sue Tibbs, R-Tulsa, put language into a Senate bill that would prohibit a person from driving and using an electronic device to write, send or read a text.

They could be fined up to $1,000, if ticketed under this version of the bill.

The new language to Senate Bill 1908 is much harsher than the Senate version of the bill. Under the language that Tibbs stripped in a committee meeting on Wednesday, a driver could use an electronic communication device if they were able to obey other traffic laws. A driver could only be ticketed for using a cellular phone if that distraction caused them to break another law. That bill by Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, had already passed the Senate.

SB 1908 passed the House Public Safety Committee and now heads to the full House for consideration. Tibbs is the chairman of the House Committee.

Gov. Brad Henry has already prohibited state employees from texting while driving state vehicles.