Osage Nation gets rebuffed
A federal judge essentially said “nice try” to the Osage Nation in rejecting the tribe’s claim that its members who live in Osage County should be exempt from state income taxes.
The tribe filed suit in Tulsa in 2001, saying all of Osage County should be considered Indian Country because Congress never formally did away with the Osage Reservation. In his ruling last week, U.S. District Judge James Payne said the tribe was offering “an unprecedented challenge” that “disregards established law.”
Payne said Congress and the courts have held for more than a century that there are no reservations in Oklahoma. And, he noted that according to 2000 Census figures, only 20.7 percent of Osage County residents were American Indian and just 5.4 percent identified themselves as Osage.
Exempting Osage tribal members “would have significant practical consequences not only for income taxation but potentiall for civil, criminal and regulatory jurisdiction in Osage County,” Payne wrote.
Here’s hoping the ruling will cause Chief Jim Gray, who pursued the case from the outset, to drop this fight and spend his time in a more productive way.
Priest plea: A few bad apples …
As pastor of a Catholic church in Delray Beach, Fla., the Rev. Francis Guinan in 2005 implored his church to discontinue an investigation into alleged financial improprieties. Now we know why.
On Wednesday, Guinan’s colleague Monsignor John Skehan pleaded guilty to embezzling $370,000. His plea came on the day jury selection was to begin in the case. Authorities believe Skehan may actually have made off with millions during his 40 years at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, but the statute of limitations restricted the timeline to 2001 through 2006.
Guinan is accused of stealing $488,000 during his 19 months as pastor. He is to be tried next month and has pleaded not guilty.
In his 2005 letter to his church, Guinan noted that priests “devote their lives to the church with little thought for personal gain. They are generous, charitable and compassionate.” About that he was absolutely correct, which makes stories like this all the more disappointing and sad.
Priest plea: A few bad apples …
As pastor of a Catholic church in Delray Beach, Fla., the Rev. Francis Guinan in 2005 implored his church to discontinue an investigation into alleged financial improprieties. Now we know why.
On Wednesday, Guinan’s colleague Monsignor John Skehan pleaded guilty to embezzling $370,000. His plea came on the day jury selection was to begin in the case. Authorities believe Skehan may actually have made off with millions during his 40 years at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, but the statute of limitations restricted the timeline to 2001 through 2006.
Guinan is accused of stealing $488,000 during his 19 months as pastor. He is to be tried next month and has pleaded not guilty.
In his 2005 letter to his church, Guinan noted that priests “devote their lives to the church with little thought for personal gain. They are generous, charitable and compassionate.” About that he was absolutely correct, which makes stories like this all the more disappointing and sad.
Legislator butting in again
State Sen. David Myers is back with another effort to clamp down on restaurant smoking areas.
Myers, R-Ponca City, wants to abolish such smoking areas by Sept. 1 of next year, and prevent new or existing restaurants from adding these rooms after Sept. 1 of this year.
Myers pursued a similar course of action during last year’s session, without success. The Oklahoma Restaurant Association stayed out of that fight but has come out against this newest version. Perhaps that’s why Myers told the Tulsa World, “To be honest, it is going to be difficult to get this bill passed.”
Let’s hope so. Banning smoking areas would further pinch restaurant owners who paid handsomely to have their separately ventilated rooms operational by March 2006 as required by law. Lawmakers ought to stomp out this latest proposal.
Party time for Wanda Jackson fans
We suggested last fall that fans of Wanda Jackson might just do like her biggest hit song says – Let’s Have a Party – if she were elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Well, break out the noisemakers and confetti.
Jackson was chosen for induction this week.
Jackson, 71, is a native of Maud and now lives in Oklahoma City. She began her career singing country music in the early 1950s but later switched to rock ‘n’ roll. Jackson will be inducted in the hall’s “early influence” category.
Congratulations to the Queen of Rockabilly, whose cause for the hall was championed for years by colleagues including the likes of Elvis Costello. Let the party begin.
Obama quite a salesman
President-elect Barack Obama is getting a sarcastic salute from a news service that caters to outdoors enthusiasts. The Outdoor Wire named Obama its “Gun Salesman of the Year” because of the way gun sales have increased since his election.
We’ve seen it in Oklahoma, where gun shops report brisk business since Election Day when Obama beat John McCain and Democrats increased their majorities in the U.S. House and Senate. Some dealers have even advertised “pre-inauguration specials.”
Outdoor Wire publisher Jim Shepherd said he’s just giving credit where it’s due. The president-elect, Shepherd said, has “made it plain to anti-gun groups that despite what he might say to the contrary, he’s on their side. … Buyers we’ve surveyed across the country seem to have a single explanation for their rush to purchase firearms – Obama.”
On a Rolle toward success
The question faced by many high-level college football players this week has been, do I stay and play or go and play? That is, stay in school or go to the pros. Florida State’s Myron Rolle decided to go – and learn.
Rolle, a defensive back, was awarded a Rhodes scholarship in November and plans to take advantage of the opportunity by studying at Oxford in pursuit of a master’s degree in medical anthropology.
He could have chosen to make himself available for the NFL draft, where as a projected early round pick he likely would have made head-turning money. Instead he plans to do that in 2010.
Rolle is a true student-athlete – he took graduate-level courses this year after finishing his undergraduate work in just 2½ years, and hopes one day to attend medical school.
Rainy Day ruckus
We’re just halfway through the 2009 fiscal year, and already there’s talk of using the Rainy Day Fund to prop up the FY 2010 budget. The noise by some at the Capitol follows news from the state Tax Commission that receipts for next fiscal year could be down by $250 million. Gov. Brad Henry has prudently left the Rainy Day Fund alone during his six years in office, and as a result there’s now about $600 million available. Henry says he doesn’t favor tapping it. Neither does Senate President Pro Tem Glenn Coffee, who’s correct in saying next year could be worse and so it’s best to keep away. Energy-rich Alaska faces up to a $400 million deficit in this year’s budget, but Gov. Sarah Palin isn’t reaching into her state’s sizable reserve fund. “It’s not pouring rain in Alaska. It’s sprinkling,” she said this week. The same is true for Oklahoma.
Campus gun bill won’t go away
Legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle are uneasy with the resurrection of a bill allowing students to carry concealed weapons on campus. But unfortunately, it’ll probably happen anyway. Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, has said he’ll likely file a measure similar to the one that died last year. The amended version of that bill would have restricted the privilege to military veterans and to students who have gun training. At a State Chamber function this week, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, and Republican leaders all said they opposed the measure. But, as House Minority Leader Danny Morgan said, “The political reality of it is it’s going to be difficult to stop if it’s pushed in that (state Capitol) building.” Here’s hoping Morgan’s wrong about that.
Campus gun bill won’t go away
Legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle are uneasy with the resurrection of a bill allowing students to carry concealed weapons on campus. But unfortunately, it’ll probably happen anyway. Rep. Jason Murphey, R-Guthrie, has said he’ll likely file a measure similar to the one that died last year. The amended version of that bill would have restricted the privilege to military veterans and to students who have gun training. At a State Chamber function this week, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate, and Republican leaders all said they opposed the measure. But, as House Minority Leader Danny Morgan said, “The political reality of it is it’s going to be difficult to stop if it’s pushed in that (state Capitol) building.” Here’s hoping Morgan’s wrong about that.
