Oklahoma Watch
Was the shopping cart invented in Oklahoma in 1937?
Discover the surprising history of the shopping cart, from Sylvan Goldman's 1937 Oklahoma debut to initial public rejection and the eventual design innovations that revolutionized the way we shop.
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14mStill Waiting: Oklahoma’s Mental Health System Leaves Defendants Waiting in Jail Despite Court Order to Fix Delays
Oklahoma faces federal scrutiny as mentally ill defendants languish in county jails for months, awaiting court-ordered competency restoration treatment in a system struggling with capacity and constitutional delays.
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26mSealed Records, 11-Minute Hearings, Hidden Conflicts: Inside Oklahoma's Broken Guardianship System
Oklahoma's guardianship system is failing the vulnerable people it is meant to protect, marked by sealed records, compressed hearings, undisclosed conflicts of interest and judges without adequate training. Three cases from a single Oklahoma County courtroom expose structural weaknesses that experts say are widespread but particularly acute in Oklahoma.
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8mNicotine Products in Oklahoma Prisons Raise Revenue, Public Health Concerns
Citing a persistent problem with contraband tobacco, the Oklahoma Department of Corrections started selling e-cigarettes to prisoners this month. Public health experts said the decision could lead to medical costs for taxpayers.
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2mIs Oklahoma No. 3 in the nation for law enforcement turning people over to ICE?
Oklahoma ranks among the highest in ICE arrest rates nationally as new legislation seeks to mandate local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities through 287(g) agreements.
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17mOklahoma's Housing Paradox: Vacant Units Everywhere, Affordable Ones Nowhere
Oklahoma has more than 220,000 vacant housing units, yet faces a shortage of 80,000 rental homes affordable to its lowest-income residents. Rising construction costs, aging housing stock and a broken financing system mean empty buildings coexist with a housing crisis — and experts say there is no single fix.