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Aug. 3, 2020
Date: _______________ Media & PR
405-521-6000
17
Clips: _______________
4
Crashes: ____________
Transportation
Media Clips
Top Stories
Division News
Crashes
8/3/2020 TVEyes Media Monitoring Suite - [Reports]
Reports
8-3-2020
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KWTV-OKC (CBS) 7/31/2020 6:02:58 AM [Media Center]
Crash: Local
H.E. Bailey Local Viewership: 32,690
Publicity
Value:
Turnpike // $1,467.60
Note:
Div. 3 the victim is expected to be ok. no names have been released. also
[View] [Download]
new this morning. the oklahoma highway patrol says a chickasha
man is dead another is fighting for his life after a crash on the a t
bailey turnpike near newcastle it happened just before 9 o'clock last
night....
KTUL (ABC) 7/31/2020 11:43:46 AM [Media Center]
Crash: Local
Publicity
Local Viewership: 18,489
SH-266 // Value:
$1,045.10
Div. 8 Note:
[View] [Download] >> welcome back. at 11:43. taking a look outside of our lives can.
it looks like we are looking at the expressway and 169. 78 degrees.
chris has a forecast in just a mont. >> we have breaking news right
now life from the port of catoosa. highway 266 is closed....
OETA (PBS) 7/31/2020 7:17:44 PM [Media Center]
Local
Aeronautics Local Viewership: 1,818
Publicity
/ Drones / Value:
$107.01
Comm. Note:
Grimsley [View] [Download] >> also focus on technology. senator requested an interim study to
look at how unmanned aircraft systems are intersecting in oklahoma
>> we're working closely and we're trying to build our aerospace
sector. it came from the aeronautics commission, we...
OETA (PBS) 7/31/2020 7:23:28 PM [Media Center]
Local
Speed limit Local Viewership: 1,818
Publicity
Value:
increases / $107.01
Note:
Traffic / [View] [Download] >> okay. are you one of those folks who can't drive 55. how does 80
OTA sound? increasing the speed limit in rural areas on turnpikes to 80
miles an hour. 19 mile stretch when it opens earlier this year >>
however, it is going to take a few months to install the new...
OETA (PBS) 7/31/2020 7:23:58 PM [Media Center]
Local
FYI: School Local Viewership: 1,818
Publicity
Value:
bus $107.01
Note:
seatbelts >> only eight states currently require seat belts on new school
[View] [Download]
busses. our neighbors do mandate them. however the seat belts and
seats themselves will now be manufactured in tulsa. the facility
opened for business near the airport. it will provide 30 new well-
paying jobs...
KOTV (CBS) 8/2/2020 10:05:50 PM [Media Center]
Local Viewership: 70,604 Local
mms.tveyes.com/NetReport.aspx?ReportHash=518378e09b817c02296c6507c5b5e2a2 1/2
8/3/2020 TVEyes Media Monitoring Suite - [Reports]
Publicity
Value:
Aug. Comm. Note:
$4,382.28
meeting starting to meet in person again, but others are still many
preview: unfortunately to continue practicing physical distancing. oklahoma
department of transportation will be holding their monthly meeting
[View] [Download]
Speed limit virtually tomorrow morning. this month, they plan to talk about
increasing...
increases
KWTV-OKC (CBS) 8/3/2020 5:24:43 AM [Media Center]
Local
Publicity
Local Viewership: 29,646
Value:
$1,240.20
Note:
[View] [Download] see at this hour, i'll see you back in. >> thanks healthy happening
today, the oklahoma transportation commission is considering
raising the speed limits on some sections of i 35 and i 40 that
meeting starts at 11 this morning, we'll let you...
KOCO-OKC (ABC) 8/2/2020 10:26:32 PM [Media Center]
Aug. Comm. Local
meeting Local Viewership: 40,823
Publicity
Value:
preview: $3,548.50
Note:
Speed limit only one hurdle stands between oklahoma driver's and faster speed
[View] [Download]
increases limits the state department of transportation is expected to give the
green light to change is that it's board meeting tomorrow night. but
(TA) before you step on the gas, there's some things you should...
Items in this report: 8
Total Local Viewership: 197,706
Total Local Market Publicity Value: $12,004.71
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8/3/2020 Speed increased on stretches of rural turnpikes | Local News | theadanews.com https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/speed-increased-on-stretches-of-rural-turnpikes/article_ed422800- 26fd-5ddb-b83d-bc0756e30d17.html Speed increased on stretches of rural turnpikes By Janelle Stecklein | CNHI State Reporter Jul 31, 2020 OKLAHOMA CITY — The state Turnpike Authority quenched lawmakers’ need for speed and agreed to hike speed limits along five rural stretches of existing roadway. The governing board voted to increase the speeds limits from 75 mph to 80 mph along the Turner Turnpike between Bristow and Sapulpa; the Muskogee Turnpike between Muskogee and Tulsa; the Cherokee Turnpike; The Indian Nation Turnpike between State Highway 9 and Interstate 40; and the H.E. Bailey Turnpike’s Norman spur. Later this year, the speed limit also will be 80 mph with the opening of the Kickapoo Turnpike, which will connect Interstate 40 and the Turner Turnpike in eastern Oklahoma County. Speed limit increases / Traffic / OTA https://www.theadanews.com/news/local_news/speed-increased-on-stretches-of-rural-turnpikes/article_ed422800-26fd-5ddb-b83d-bc0756e30d17.html 1/2
8/3/2020 Speed increased on stretches of rural turnpikes | Local News | theadanews.com
Officials said the speed limit increases won’t officially take effect until the new signage is installed.
That process could take several months. Until then, troopers said they plan to enforce the current
posted limits.
The Oklahoma Department of Transportation also is expected to approve speed limit increases
along rural stretches of public highway in the coming weeks.
Lawmakers recently passed House Bill 1071, which allows transportation officials the option to
increase speed limits up to 75 mph on rural interstates and 80 mph on rural turnpikes.
Transportation officials said they looked at roadway geometry, sight distance, collision history, traffic
flow and existing speed patterns before deciding which highways and turnpikes were eligible for
speed limit increases.
Speed limits will not increase along Will Rogers, the main portion of the H.E. Bailey, Cimarron and
Chickasaw turnpikes.
“This is a subject matter that in the transportation space is extremely serious,” said Tim Gatz, state
secretary of transportation. “It’s one that we do not take lightly, and it’s one that we have had a long
history of conversations with our partners in the Legislature about what the appropriate speeds
should be.”
Janelle Stecklein covers the Oklahoma Statehouse for CNHI’s newspapers and websites. Reach
her at jstecklein@cnhi.com.
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8/3/2020 Speed limits could soon rev up on Oklahoma’s rural turnpikes, interstates | TheTrucker.com
Speed limits could soon rev up on
Oklahoma’s rural turnpikes, interstates
By The Trucker News Staff - July 31, 2020
Following studies by the Oklahoma Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority, the state has
determined that speed limits on some rural interstates and turnpikes should be raised.
OKLAHOMA CITY — Drivers on some rural roadways in Oklahoma may see increased
speed limits in the near future. Following extensive studies by the Oklahoma
Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority (OTA),
the state has determined that speed limits on portions of rural interstates and
turnpikes are due for a tune-up. Recommendations on the changes are now heading to
the respective boards of each agency for consideration.
The recent passage of Oklahoma HB 1071 set the stage for statewide studies on
potential maximum speed limit increases of 75 mph on rural interstates and 80 mph on
rural turnpikes. Existing maximum speed limits in larger urban areas will not change;
but limit increases could be considered in the future.
According to a July 27 statement, ODOT and OTA carefully evaluated several safety
factors including roadway geometry, sight distance, collision history, traf c ows and
existing speed patterns to determine locations eligible for raised speed limits.
“Discussions with safety and law enforcement partners were also key to the decision-
making process and will be ongoing,” the statement notes.
“We appreciate that our legislators recognized safety concerns needed to be forefront
Speed limit
in this process,” said Tim Gatz, Oklahoma Secretary of Transportation. “Any increase in
increases /
speed limits on interstates or highways must be carefully considered to ensure safety, Traffic / OTA
and it’s not just a one-size- ts-all approach. Rep. Daniel Pae’s thoughtfulness and
https://www.thetrucker.com/trucking-news/the-nation/speed-limits-could-soon-rev-up-on-oklahomas-rural-turnpikes-interstates/ 1/2
8/3/2020 Speed limits could soon rev up on Oklahoma’s rural turnpikes, interstates | TheTrucker.com
diligence helped the agencies develop a comprehensive plan for a statewide
implementation.”
Because both ODOT and OTA are separate agencies, each of their respective
transportation authority bodies will consider approval on the proposed locations. The
OTA board heard recommendations at a July 28 meeting, and the Oklahoma
Transportation Commission will consider ODOT’s proposed locations on August 3 at its
regular meeting.
“I appreciate ODOT and OTA thoughtfully evaluating this issue and performing the
engineering studies to make sure these changes are done safely, and the Oklahoma
Highway Patrol’s commitment to ensuring the speed limits are properly enforced,” said
Pae (R-District 62). “I’m very pleased that HB 1071 got the discussion started on
modernizing Oklahoma’s rural interstate and turnpike speed limits to bring them into
consistency with our neighboring states and existing patterns.”
ODOT and OTA says drivers should be aware that, following approvals, the old posted
speed limits will remain in place until the signs are changed. The new signs will need to
be manufactured and installed in the corridors, which could take several months or
more to complete.
“The Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) and local law enforcement will strictly enforce
speed limits to make sure everyone is being safe,” said OHP Lieutenant Chris Arnall.
“Drivers must ensure they’re driving at a speed that is reasonable and proper for the
conditions. The higher the speed violation, the lower our tolerance for those who break
the speed limit.”
The July 27 statement notes that ODOT and OTA will closely monitor the changes in
the corridors and that if the new speed limits create an unsafe situation, adjustments
could be made for the safety of the traveling public. Details on approved locations will
be announced following the respective meetings for each agency.
The Trucker News Staff
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which
has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to
provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News
Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
https://www.thetrucker.com/trucking-news/the-nation/speed-limits-could-soon-rev-up-on-oklahomas-rural-turnpikes-interstates/ 2/2
8/3/2020 Page A4 | Tulsa World E-edition | tulsaworld.com
Letters to the Editor for Monday, Aug.
3, 2020
07.30.20
Call in National Guard
Why can’t the Oregon governor call out the National Guard to defend Portland and the state against federal border patrol,
also known as President Donald Trump’s secret police?
Con ne the federal agents to their marginally legitimate area of responsibility, like the block around the federal
courthouse, but no more?
They want to defend federal property, well that stops at the sidewalk.
Isn’t that the very point of a well-regulated militia? To defend against tyranny of the crown? With arms if needed?
Trump’s bully boys don’t hesitate to beat up on defenseless moms standing arm-in-arm and dads armed only with leaf
blowers.
But, they’ll probably scurry away like the cowards they are if they had real American soldiers standing up against them.
Call out the National Guard to defend the people of Oregon and their constitutional rights.
I may just be a dumb Okie, halfway across the country, but seems to me, it’s time.
Tom Neal, Tulsa
Narrow pro-life de nition
For a party that touts itself as being pro-life, it seems the Republican Party has been void of that sentiment in recent years.
Unless it means the phrase to refer exclusively to saving babies from abortion, they don’t seem to be strongly supportive of
other de nitions of life.
As if abortion were the only obstacle to a child’s growing up to realize her full potential and live a long productive life!
If the party truly values God-given life, why doesn’t it support Black life? Why doesn’t it rally behind the lives of peaceful
protesters who are adhering to the laws while exercising their First Amendment rights?
It appears our Republican leaders pick and choose the amendments they favor as well as the de nition and color of life
they lift up.
Where is the party’s outcry on behalf of student and teacher lives?
By allowing virtual teaching/learning to continue, they could actually save life instead of putting people directly in harm’s
way. Opening public schools for on-site classes in the middle of a global pandemic in a state with cases of and deaths from
COVID-19 rising daily is de nitely not pro-life.
Speed limit increases / Traffic / OTA
https://tulsaworld.com/eedition/page-a4/page_64834040-24af-535a-96fa-4864e2991c55.html 1/2
8/3/2020 Page A4 | Tulsa World E-edition | tulsaworld.com This Republican slogan may be pro-white conservative, pro-economy, pro-bottom line, pro-party image and pro-status quo, but it is certainly not pro-life. Unfortunately, perhaps because many of their children attend private schools, it’s another item to add to an already long list of examples of life that does not matter to them. Diana Keathley, Tulsa Faster state turnpikes Are they kidding with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation increasing turnpike speeds to 80 mph? What in the world are they thinking? People are driving 5 mph over the limit already. Carole Fox, Jenks https://tulsaworld.com/eedition/page-a4/page_64834040-24af-535a-96fa-4864e2991c55.html 2/2
8/3/2020 A well-earned retirement - The Oklahoman, 8/1/2020
SCISSORTALES | OUR OPINIONS TAKE FLIGHT
A well-earned retirement
Astory this week by The
Oklahoman’s food editor, Dave
Cathey, provided a charming respite
from the continuing grind of the
coronavirus pandemic and
overheated politics.
Cathey wrote about Rosita Parker,
Rosie Parker working at Cattlemen’s who since 2003 has been the
Steakhouse, where she retired this woman behind the renowned garlic-
week at age 81.
cream house dressing at
[DOUG HOKE/THE Cattlemen’s Steakhouse, and who
OKLAHOMAN] retired Thursday after 62 years
working at restaurants across
Oklahoma City.
“She always came to work with a smile on her face. Always positive,” said Dick Stubbs, Cattlemen’s
owner, who first hired Parker at one of his restaurants 50 years ago. She followed him to three others
during the next half-century. “But more than anything, Rose always wants to get things right,” Stubbs said.
“Always looking for the quality, wanting it to be consistent.”
Parker came to the United States from Panama in 1944, at age 5. She started working at 19, as a carhop,
and never stopped, putting her nose to the grindstone every day while raising six children.
Now 81, she is grandmother to 13 and great-grandmother to 12, but says she has no immediate retirement
plans other than to relax. “It’s going to be my time!” she told Cathey.
Here’s hoping Parker has a long and fulfilling retirement. She certainly has earned it.
Another success for OSBI’s cold case unit
In announcing the formation of a new cold case unit in late 2018, Ricky Adams, director of the Oklahoma
State Bureau of Investigation, said perpetrators of unsolved killings or abductions should know “that we
will not stop looking for them.” The OSBI is following through on that pledge. Prosecutors recently filed a
first-degree murder change in Lincoln County against Earl W. Wilson, 55, who is accused in the stabbing
death of Oklahoma City florist Paul Aikman in September 1985. The attack happened at a former rest stop
along the Turner Turnpike. OSBI agents turned up few clues at the time, but last year DNA results from
cigarette butts and fingerprints taken from the scene led authorities to Wilson. This is the fourth “win” for
the cold case unit, which is reviewing more than 1,200 homicides and missing persons cases dating to
1950. Kudos.
New speed limits coming for turnpike stretches
Speed limit increases / Traffic / OTA
digital.newsok.com/Olive/ODN/Oklahoman/PrintArticle.aspx?doc=DOK%2F2020%2F08%2F01&entity=ar01003&ts=20200801082739&uq=201910110… 1/28/3/2020 A well-earned retirement - The Oklahoman, 8/1/2020 At a meeting Tuesday, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority increased the speed limit to 80 miles per hour, from 75 mph, on stretches of some of its highways. These include a newly widened 13-mile portion of the Turner Turnpike, between Bristow and Sapulpa; a 31-mile stretch between Muskogee and Tulsa on the Muskogee Turnpike; and 25 miles of the Cherokee Turnpike, from mile marker 3 to marker 28. The changes will not take effect until new speed limit signs are posted, which could take months. In the meantime, many motorists will continue to travel at 80 mph or higher anyway. As anyone who has driven the Turner Turnpike between Oklahoma City and Tulsa knows, setting the cruise to 75 can regularly get you passed as if you’re standing still. Hoping virus outbreak is behind VA center The executive director of Oklahoma’s Department of Veterans Affairs, Joel Kintsel, says he is optimistic the worst is behind a state veterans’ center hit hard by COVID-19. We pray that’s the case. Ten residents of the Claremore center died in July after testing positive for COVID-19, officials said at a news conference Tuesday. They said 18 residents had tested positive and were experiencing moderate or severe symptoms; 34 were positive but asymptomatic or had mild symptoms, and 21 employees were isolating at home after testing positive. Kintsel said the outbreak likely began when an asymptomatic employee unknowingly transmitted the virus to a resident. Ben Robinson, Oklahoma’s secretary of military and veterans affairs, said, “Since the onset of COVID-19, we’ve been working diligently to keep our veterans safe.” Thank goodness, no virus-related deaths have been reported at the state’s six other veterans’ centers. digital.newsok.com/Olive/ODN/Oklahoman/PrintArticle.aspx?doc=DOK%2F2020%2F08%2F01&entity=ar01003&ts=20200801082739&uq=201910110… 2/2
8/3/2020 Census speeds up count schedule - The Oklahoman, 8/1/2020
Census speeds up count schedule
By Mike Schneider
The Associated Press
ORLANDO, Fla. — The U.S. Census Bureau sped up the timetable for crunching 2020 census numbers on
Friday after an earlier request for an extension stalled in the Senate and as pressure mounts to turn in data
used to determine congressional districts by year’s end, when President Donald Trump is still in office.
On its website Friday, the bureau listed the deadline for processing data used to apportion the districts as
Dec. 31. As recently as Thursday, it had listed a time frame of Oct. 31, 2020 to April 30, 2021 — an
estimate based on a request for an extension that it submitted to Congress in April.
Census experts and civil rights activists worry the sped-up deadline could affect the thoroughness of the
count, which determines how $1.5 trillion in federal spending is distributed and how many congressional
districts each state gets.
“The rapidly changing census schedule is not only alarming; I fear that it will undermine confidence in the
Census Bureau and call into question the thoroughness of remaining counting operations and quality of
data processing,” said Terri Ann Lowenthal, a former congressional aide who now is a census consultant
for foundations and philanthropic groups.
Facing delays caused by the pandemic, the Census Bureau had asked Congress in the spring to extend the
deadline for turning in apportionment data from Dec. 31, 2020, to April 30, 2021. As recently as this
month, top Census Bureau officials said it would be impossible to meet the end-of-the-year deadline, and
that the bureau expected bipartisan support for the request.
The request passed the Democratic-controlled House as part of coronavirus-relief legislation but is now
stalled in the Senate. The chamber’s inaction coincides with a memorandum Trump issued last week to try
to exclude people living in the U.S. illegally from being included during the process for redrawing
congressional districts.
FYI: Census deadlines
digital.newsok.com/Olive/ODN/Oklahoman/PrintArticle.aspx?doc=DOK%2F2020%2F08%2F01&entity=ar00701&ts=20200801082739&uq=201910110… 1/18/3/2020 City of Tulsa to remove Black Lives Matter street sign – The Journal Record
City of Tulsa to remove Black Lives Matter street sign
By: Associated Press July 31, 2020 0
TULSA (AP) – The city of Tulsa
has decided to remove a massive
“Black Lives Matter” sign painted
on a city street following a
request from a group of local
Republicans seeking permission
to paint a “Back the Blue” sign.
Tulsa councilors decided to get
rid of the sign during a council
meeting in which they discussed
whether paintings on city streets
are legal without permits.
People walk along Greenwood Avenue in Tulsa on June 19 where the words
“Black Lives Matter” have been painted on the road as people mark The discussion kicked off after
Juneteenth, in the location of the former Black Wall Street neighborhood. (AP
photo/Sue Ogrocki) Bob Jack, chairman of the Tulsa
Republican Party, asked his
councilor about the procedure for
painting a mural in support of law enforcement officers. Jack said it was a rhetorical question because he already
knows the city does not have a process for street paintings.
Jack said he is not against the signs, but he doesn’t think it should be on a city street.
Tulsa City attorney David O’Meilia said paintings on city streets are allowed only for safety reasons, like crosswalks
or yield signs.
Councilor Connie Dodson said she is not against what the “Black Lives Matter” sign represents.
“But (as) this discussion has shown, it is kind of a slippery slope when it gets into that kind of activity,” Dodson said.
Dodson asked the City Attorney’s Office to draft an ordinance “that would prohibit this type of free speech on our
sidewalks and streets so that it is clear and then we don’t have the ambiguity anymore.”
Without the city’s approval, a group of activists and volunteers painted the sign just before the arrival of President
Donald Trump for a campaign rally and Juneteenth, a state holiday commemorating the emancipation of Black
slaves in America.
Briana Shea, who helped make the 250-foot-long sign, said she thought it healed the community in the days
surrounding Trump’s visit.
“I am kind of disappointed that it was left up to a city vote, not a community vote, because it was all based around
community and community (donated) dollars, not city dollars,” Shea said.
The Mayor’s Office said that there is not a scheduled day or time to remove the “Black Lives Matter” sign.
City Traffic Engineer Kurt Kraft said he was told not to remove the street sign until the City Council could meet with
the Mayor’s Office to discuss next steps.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten,
or redistributed.
FYI: City of Tulsa / City Street Painting // Div. 8
https://journalrecord.com/2020/07/31/city-of-tulsa-to-remove-black-lives-matter-street-sign/ 1/18/3/2020 Page A6 | Tulsa World E-edition | tulsaworld.com
News
'Black Lives Matter' message in the
Greenwood District of historical
signi cance, community stakeholders
say
By Harrison Grimwood Tulsa World
08.02.20
Greenwood District community members voiced their support Sunday for keeping the “Black Lives Matter” message on
the street.
About two dozen people gathered Sunday outside the Greenwood Cultural Center, located about a half-block from where
the mural is painted on Greenwood Avenue, one of the most prominent streets in the Greenwood District, the location of
the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.
“Being right here is very signi cant because Black lives matter on Black Wall Street, which in 1921 didn’t matter,” said
Mareo Johnson, a founder of the Black Lives Matter chapter in Tulsa. “We saw a whole community destroyed.”
A group of activists painted the street sign without the city’s permission just before Juneteenth and the arrival of
President Donald Trump for a campaign rally at the BOK Center. That prompted a group of local Republicans to seek
permission from the city to paint a “Back the Blue” sign on a city street.
City councilors concluded last week that the legal obstacles and practical implications of allowing such signs would not
make good public policy. City attorneys told councilors that there were no laws to allow turning a street into a canvas.
“It’s down there now, and not only is it down there now, it’s in a historical district,” Johnson said.
Johnson surmised that those seeking the mural’s removal do not live in, visit or patronize the Greenwood District.
The topic was brought to attention in July when Bob Jack, chairman of the Tulsa County Republican Party, sent a letter to
City Councilor Ben Kimbro and the Mayor’s Of ce seeking information on the application process for painting a sign on
the street.
“A group has approached me with a plan to paint on a city street in large letters “BACK THE BLUE” and “BABY LIVES
MATTER,” Jack wrote. “As you are aware, the city did not intervene in the painting of “BLACK LIVE(S) MATTER” on
Greenwood, just north of Archer, and the group is requesting the same right to voice their opinion.”
Briana Shea was one of the artists and community organizers who spearheaded the effort to paint the sign on the street
on the eve of Juneteenth.
She said she and several others are looking at what process or laws may bolster their position in keeping the lettering. The
mural was a “gift from the community to the community,” Shea said. Local community members contributed supplies and
labor to painting it, and Shea noted that the painting of the mural cost the city no money.
FYI: City of Tulsa / City Street Painting // Div. 8
https://tulsaworld.com/eedition/page-a6/page_deada536-d508-5c16-833f-943cd517ff41.html
1/28/3/2020 Page A6 | Tulsa World E-edition | tulsaworld.com
“We thought we should have some say in it rather than the city just deciding for the community,” Shea said.
As of early Sunday afternoon, more than 11,200 people have signed a Change.org petition in a request to make the mural
permanent.
Gallery: 'Black Lives Matter' painted overnight on street in Tulsa's Greenwood District
Gallery: 'Black Lives Matter' painted overnight on street in Tulsa's Greenwood District
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Tulsans march in solidarity with Black and Indigenous people, demand permanent Black Lives Matter street
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https://tulsaworld.com/eedition/page-a6/page_deada536-d508-5c16-833f-943cd517ff41.html 2/28/3/2020 Page A7 | Tulsa World E-edition | tulsaworld.com
Local
TOPICAL
Tulsans march in solidarity with Black
and Indigenous people, demand
permanent Black Lives Matter street
mural
By Kelsy Schlotthauer Tulsa World
08.01.20
About 100 people gathered under shade trees at Centennial Park on Friday to stand in solidarity with Black and
Indigenous people, and mayoral candidate Greg Robinson said that’s just what made the evening so special.
“I’m full of hope because we protested over a month ago, and we’re still gathering today,” Robinson said, referencing initial
and ongoing protests sparked by George Floyd’s death in police custody in Minnesota in May.
Robinson was one of a handful of speakers who addressed the crowd, which included people of all colors and ages in
masks, as well as dogs, spaced out over the green.
Topics ranged from human rights for marginalized people to social change and municipal restructuring, but mention of the
Black Lives Matter mural painted on the pavement of Greenwood Avenue was recurring.
City of cials said Wednesday that the painted words would have to be removed after some Tulsa Republicans requested
permission to fashion a similar “Back the Blue” mural on a street in support of law enforcement of cers or a “Baby Lives
Matter” sign against abortion.
City Attorney David O’Meilia said that if councilors allowed one message on a street they would have to allow them all,
and Senior Assistant City Attorney Mark Swiney told councilors that although they have the authority to approve
temporary street closings for events, “there really isn’t anything in our laws that make a street into canvas to convey a
message or to essentially make a sign out of a street surface.”
Dozens of community activists and volunteers painted the BLM mural on the roadway overnight before Juneteenth to
show support for the movement and make sure President Donald Trump could see it as he ew in for a campaign rally on
June 20.
More than 10,800 people have signed a Change.org petition in a request to make the mural permanent.
When the Rev. Robert Turner, pastor of Vernon AME Church, mentioned the city’s decision about the removal of the
mural, he drew boos from the crowd.
“Said it didn’t follow legal procedure. … When did this government ever care about legal procedure?” Turner asked,
drawing scoffs from the crowd. “How in the heavens did they get this land in the rst place? So don’t lecture me about legal
procedure. …
FYI: City of Tulsa / City Street Painting // Div. 8
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State-and-regional
COVID-19: 494 new cases, 1 more
death reported in Oklahoma
From Sta Reports
08.02.20
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 494 new cases and one more death from COVID-19 on Sunday.
As of Sunday, 550 Oklahomans have died of the deadly virus. The total number of state cases is now 38,225 with 30,820
considered recovered.
The state’s seven-day rolling average of cases, which has been on an upward trajectory for weeks, declined for the rst
time since a slight dip in late July — from 1,093 cases on Saturday to 991 on Sunday.
Tulsa County added 65 new cases on Sunday, according to state data. Tulsa County had a total of 9,051 cases as of Sunday
with 7,705 considered recovered and 101 deaths.
Oklahoma County had the most cases of any county in the state with 9,357 and 98 deaths. A total of 7,568 cases in
Oklahoma County are considered recovered.
The state’s overall positivity rate as of Friday stood at 6.7%.
Oklahoma’s state epidemiology report indicated that new infections increased by 71.6% since July 17.
Deaths during that period jumped by 59% and con rmed hospitalized cases rose by 8.7%.
Interactive graphic: See number of active COVID-19 cases by county
Coronavirus Cases Update
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