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The dozens of independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan news organizations that make up the Rural News Network are developing the broadest news alliance reporting on rural America. These newsrooms are pursuing coverage that provides a more complete picture of what it means to live and work in these communities.
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LATEST NEWS FROM THE NETWORK
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Trump Administration Wants to Close Down Key Weather Labs Nationwide
July 08, 2025
The National Storms Lab in Norman Severe would be shuttered.
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Cell, no! After Two Years of Debate, Schools Get Months to Ban Phones
July 07, 2025
The bill’s Senate author said the legislation transformed from a voluntary pilot program when she first introduced it to the statewide ban now in place.
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Are rural hospitals in Oklahoma at risk of closing?
July 02, 2025
According to the American Hospital Association, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (HR 1) would lead to a reduction of $50.4 billion in federal Medicaid spending on rural hospitals over ten years.
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Lawmakers Don’t Know Why Trump Keeps Denying Disaster Mitigation Grants
June 26, 2025
FEMA’s hazard mitigation grants were nearly a given after a federal disaster, but Oklahoma’s application after the March wildfires was denied, as were six others this spring.
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Few Shareholders Support Oklahoma Treasurer’s Anti-DEI Push
June 20, 2025
State Treasurer Todd Russ said brands like Google parent company Alphabet, Amazon and Netflix should be focusing on their financial responsibilities rather than what he called ideological activism.
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Double Jeopardy: Two Levels of Justice in Rural Oklahoma
June 06, 2025
The legal entanglements of a Texas County mother and son — stories separated by a quarter century — illustrate the bifurcated nature of justice in rural Oklahoma, where who you know can make all the difference in the kind of justice you receive.
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An Egregious Backlog: Interior Department Searches for Ways to Speed Up Native American Probate Court
June 02, 2025
In early May, tribal leaders discussed the sometimes generations-long wait for probate court with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a meeting, according to a tribal governor.
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These Tribes Want a Key Piece of Oklahoma Land Returned
May 19, 2025
The governor of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes spoke with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in early May about transferring nearly 10,000 acres.
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Tom Cole’s Bipartisan Reputation Gets Put to the Test in Trump’s Partisan Washington
May 09, 2025
The Oklahoma Republican oversaw one of the most partisan appropriations cycles in history, but Democrats believe they can still work with him.
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Did an Oklahoma member of Congress have over a million dollars in business loans forgiven while serving as a representative?
April 30, 2025
Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s various plumbing businesses received $1.45 million in Paycheck Protection Program loans in April 2020 that have been forgiven.
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Is Oklahoma considering a law that would ban lab-grown meat?
April 10, 2025
Three states have passed laws banning cultivated meat so far; Florida and Alabama were the first two in May of 2024, and Mississippi followed suit this past March.
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Rep. Tom Cole Says DOGE Is ‘Pretty Responsive’ to His Concerns
March 25, 2025
On a telephone town hall with constituents, the senior appropriator said lawmakers can get results by flagging issues with the Department of Government Efficiency.
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Court Blocks Superintendent Walters’ Bible Purchase, For Now
March 11, 2025
A group of parents, students, teachers and faith leaders sued Oct. 17, challenging the Bible mandate under the state constitution, which prohibits public money from being spent for religious purposes.
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Long Story Short: Bill to Boost Rural Mental Health and Diversion Programs Advances
March 11, 2025
In its podcast series, Long Story Short, Oklahoma Watch journalists discuss effort to boost rural participation in a statewide county mental health program.
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Traffic Scheme Nets Texas County DA’s Office Millions
February 12, 2025
Two days after Oklahoma Watch visited Guymon to interview officials, the district attorney chose to end the public safety emphasis program.
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