AGP Executive Report

Off-Broadway Buzz: September’s theater slate leans bold and personal, from Sarah Jones’ therapy-for-America solo show to a Korean Chekhov reimagining of “The Cherry Orchard,” plus a Basquiat tribute and a nearly bare-naked literary sprint. Oklahoma Sports Spotlight: Oklahoma State pulled off a major upset, beating No. 6 Oregon 39-31 in Stillwater and ending a 21-game skid vs. FBS foes—while Michigan rebounded to beat No. 11 Oklahoma 17-10. College Football Shake-Up: Texas stunned No. 1 Ohio State 24-23 with a 20-point fourth-quarter comeback, reshuffling the AP Top 25 and College Football Playoff chatter. Immigration & Community Impact: Oklahoma ICE partnerships helped drive record immigration arrests, with most arrestees reported as having no criminal convictions. Health & Policy Watch: A federal judge ended Kansas’ in-state tuition for undocumented students, part of a broader legal push that has already hit Oklahoma and other states. Local Safety Alert: Ada authorities are searching for a missing 16-year-old who depends on insulin, making every hour count.

College Football Culture: Oklahoma State’s historic 39-31 upset over No. 6 Oregon put Stillwater on fire, ending a 21-game skid vs. FBS foes and snapping Oregon’s long streaks—while Michigan also bounced back to beat No. 11 Oklahoma 17-10. Local Sports & Community: Oklahoma State’s “Plants and Bugs” camp is getting kids hands-on with millipedes and tarantulas, turning science into a feel-good weekend. Indigenous & Arts: Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival runs Sept. 25–Oct. 3, culminating Oct. 3 in Tishomingo; and a Lenape/Lunáapeew pow wow returns to Prospect Park Oct. 3–4, reviving a long-dormant tradition. Immigration & Public Life: Oklahoma law enforcement partnerships with ICE helped drive record immigration arrests—over 1,800 from January through July—with most arrestees reported as having no criminal convictions. Health & Safety: Ada teen Melissa Black, insulin-dependent, remains missing since Sept. 9, prompting an urgent statewide search.

Oklahoma Education & Law: A federal appeals court upheld and narrowed Oklahoma’s HB 1775, saying schools can’t treat “discriminatory concepts” as facts while the lawsuit over vagueness continues. Immigration & Tuition: The DOJ escalated its push against in-state tuition for students in the country without legal permission, filing new suits targeting Hawaii, Arkansas, Utah and Washington, D.C., arguing it conflicts with federal law. Native Culture & Community: Oklahoma’s Little Raven Elementary kept an Arapaho tradition alive with a start-of-year assembly featuring Fred Mosqueda teaching Snake and Buffalo dances tied to Chief Little Raven. Sports & Local Identity: Carpenter Square Theatre in OKC opens its 43rd season with “King James,” a LeBron-focused comedy about Cleveland fans and the highs and lows of following a superstar. Health & Aging: OU researchers in Tulsa are working on a caregiver-supported, virtual fall-risk assessment for older adults living with dementia, aiming to make home safety protocols more practical. Higher Ed & Career Pathways: Southeastern Oklahoma State unveiled the “Rise Here” tagline, leaning into its mission of turning student goals into real-world momentum. Public Memory: Oklahoma City and New York City are marking shared terror-attack history with a new documentary on the importance of remembrance.

Education & Law: The 10th Circuit upheld and narrowed Oklahoma’s HB 1775 “divisive concepts” curriculum limits, saying educators can’t require teaching certain race- and sex-related ideas as correct principles, while allowing discussion in historical or popular context. Higher Ed & Safety: A new survey of faculty in the South finds rising fear over political pressure—some professors report intimidation and even death threats. Immigration & Tuition: The DOJ sued Utah (and others) over state rules letting undocumented students pay in-state tuition, arguing it undermines federal law. Oklahoma Culture & Community: Carpenter Square Theatre in OKC launches its 43rd season with “King James,” a LeBron-focused comedy about fandom and the ups and downs of following a superstar. Local Remembrance: Rogers State University held a 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb honoring first responders, with participants climbing the equivalent of 110 stories. Arts & Literature: Caldecott winner Andrea L. Rogers talks “Death in the Tallgrass,” a novel rooted in Cherokee history and early Oklahoma horror. Sports & Scholarship: OSU’s Ferguson College of Agriculture awarded an agriculture education scholarship to Lee County student Natalie Pratt. Fitness: VASA Fitness and HYROX announced HYROX Training Clubs launching at select VASA locations, including Oklahoma City.

Route 66 Spotlight: The Oklahoma Historical Society is rolling out free screenings for its new documentary “Crossroads of America: Oklahoma’s Route 66,” with dates across Claremore, Weatherford, El Reno, and more. Choctaw Language Tech: The Choctaw Nation launched a Rosetta Stone partnership and a new Chahta Anumpuli language app to help preserve fluent speakers and grow new learners. Tribal Gaming Security: Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises renewed ZeroEyes AI gun-detection across its properties, including two new locations, aiming to improve threat response and training. Education & Community: McDonald’s owner/operators in Northeast Oklahoma unveiled the Outstanding Educator Awards, inviting nominations for K–12 teachers. Culture & Lifestyle Oddity: An Edmund Wendy’s is advertising a “T-Rex” nine-patty burger challenge—finish in nine minutes for a prize. Sports (Oklahoma angle): Week 2 college football kicks off with Oregon at Oklahoma State, setting up a big slate of ranked matchups. Policy Watch: The DOJ continued suing states over in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, including Oklahoma-related developments.

Education & Culture Policy: A federal appeals court upheld Oklahoma’s HB 1775 but narrowed how it can be enforced, saying teachers can’t present banned race and gender ideas as facts while classroom discussion remains possible. Public Safety & Mental Health: Oklahoma’s First Responder Wellness Division launched “Not One Mor” to prevent first responder suicides, offering tools and a culture-aware support line. Immigration & Legal Fight: Rivas & Associates highlighted federal lawsuits over DHS/ICE/USCIS delays and detention decisions, while the DOJ continued challenging state policies that give in-state tuition benefits to unlawfully present students. Community & History: Tulsa will unveil a historical marker for the Charles and Bertha Blevins House, honoring its role as a polling place that helped Black Tulsans vote. Indigenous Leadership: Osage News reports Ida Doyle resigned from Tillman’s executive leadership team, with praise for her work on tribal sovereignty, education, and workforce development. Arts & Film: Tulsa film restorer Todd Gatewood completed a restoration of the Patterson-Gimlin “Bigfoot” film sequence, set for release Oct. 20. Sports & Local Pride: Oklahoma’s football matchup at Michigan drew heavy betting coverage, and Langston’s football rivalry revival after a 30-year hiatus is back on the calendar.

Oklahoma Education Funding & School Stability: Oklahoma schools are set to receive $3 billion more, but much of it is reportedly sitting in the bank—raising questions about how quickly classrooms will feel the impact. Local School Budget Cuts: Tulsa Public Schools is weighing closing or consolidating schools as enrollment drops and spending outpaces state revenue, with public meetings underway. Higher Ed Governance Clash: The University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma is in open conflict after faculty voted “no confidence” over proposed policy changes tied to shared governance, class size approvals, and curriculum control. Indigenous Culture & Storytelling: Filmmaker Marie Clements is spotlighting Indigenous women’s stories in new work, including an interview with Gloria Steinem that emphasizes shared ground over division. Public Safety Tech in Indian Country: Muscogee Nation Gaming Enterprises renewed and expanded ZeroEyes gun-detection deployment across its properties. Immigration Enforcement in Oklahoma: Oklahoma law enforcement partnerships with ICE under 287(g) have driven more than 1,800 immigration-related arrests through July, with most arrestees reported as having no criminal convictions. Community Events: Norman’s Second Friday Art Walk and the Cleveland County Fair bring weekend arts, music, and family-friendly attractions. Agriculture Scholarship: An Oklahoma student received an Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture scholarship for 2026-27.

Oklahoma Education & Culture: USAO faculty are in open conflict with university leadership over proposed changes that could reshape the 118-year-old public liberal arts college—faculty cite fears of more online classes, heavier adjunct use, program consolidation, and curriculum authority shifting away from faculty. Community & Learning: Volunteers across Oklahoma are teaching kids about agriculture through Accurate Ag Book Week, aiming to show where food comes from with realistic, non-fiction portrayals—readers include educators, lawmakers, and ag professionals. Digital Access: Oklahoma’s public libraries are becoming broadband access hubs via “community access portals,” designed to help rural residents with telehealth, job searches, and education. Native Language & Identity: The Choctaw Nation and Rosetta Stone are launching a free Chahta Anumpuli language app, built from recorded Choctaw speakers and tied to cultural learning. Historic Preservation: Rabbit Creek School in Cotton County has been added to the National Register of Historic Places for its WPA-era two-room schoolhouse legacy. Public Health Research: OU researchers are launching a culturally tailored at-home PSA screening study to boost prostate cancer screening among Black men in Oklahoma. Immigration & Enforcement: A new analysis says Oklahoma partnerships with federal immigration forces led to more than 1,800 arrests since January, with most arrestees reported as having no criminal convictions.

Leadership & Culture: Transformational coach Melissa J. Marks is pitching a “10 out of 10 culture” model built on human-centered leadership, alignment, and accountability. Sports & Community Identity: A new Oklahoma City–library broadband push expands private internet access through community access portals, aiming to boost telehealth, workforce help, and education in rural areas. Higher Ed & Access: Gov. Stitt’s tenure ban is already hurting rural universities’ ability to land top faculty, with candidates declining tenure-track roles. Agriculture & Health Infrastructure: OSU announced sites for a $330M veterinary teaching hospital and a new Agronomy Discovery Center in Stillwater, backed by major state funding. Reproductive Health: ProPublica reports ectopic pregnancy deaths have nearly doubled, with the worst impacts in states with abortion bans. Indigenous History & Memory: A Ponca story traces forced removal to Indian Territory, while Cherokee author Traci Sorell and journalist Will Chavez promote “Riding the Trail” book-signing tied to a youth remembrance bike ride ending in Tahlequah. Local Life & Learning: Oklahoma’s school meal access remains a national focus as states compete on reach and participation. Public Safety & Services: ICE launched a CDL fraud tipline as part of a broader crackdown tied to deadly crashes.

9/11 Remembrance in OKC: The Oklahoma City National Memorial and Museum is highlighting how lessons from the 1995 Murrah bombing shaped memorials worldwide, including new exhibits linking Oklahoma City with New York and Oslo as the Sept. 11 anniversary nears. SoonerCare Work Requirements: Oklahoma Health Care Authority letters are going out to SoonerCare recipients about new work requirements starting Jan. 1, 2027, with guidance to update contact info first. Higher Ed, Faster Degrees: State Regents approved four reduced-credit bachelor’s degrees (90–103 hours) at OU, OSU, and Rogers State, aiming to cut costs and speed workforce entry. School Meals Fallout: Oklahoma districts say they were blindsided by the state’s decision to end an extended-day school supper option, leaving families and schools scrambling. Native Culture on TV: “Chikasha Poya” returns with a new episode spotlighting Chickasaw storytelling, history, and tourism across Chickasaw Country and beyond. OSU Growth in Vet + Ag: OSU unveiled sites for a $330M veterinary teaching hospital and a new Agronomy Discovery Center in Stillwater. Local Sports & Community: UCO cross country opened with an 11th-place finish at Rogers State’s Distance After Dark 5K, while OKC’s civic life also gets a boost from minority chambers planning engagement events.

Oklahoma Digital Access: Oklahoma is pushing past the “just get connected” phase with Community Access Portals—tech-equipped pods rolling out to libraries statewide (175 planned) to help residents actually use online services. Education & Community Impact: Oklahoma County teen pregnancy prevention is in flux after a federal grant was cut early, threatening programs run through local nonprofits. School Meals Fallout: Hartshorne Public Schools says it was blindsided when the state moved to end a federal extended-day supper option on Oct. 1, leaving districts scrambling. Culture & Heritage: Chickasaw Cultural Center’s 10th annual Monarch Butterfly Day (Sept. 12) blends conservation with stomp dance and native plant giveaways. Sports & Identity: The WNBA eligibility debate heats up as former Thunder player Enes Kanter Freedom is declared ineligible, reigniting questions about gender and league rules. Indigenous History: Two federal Indian boarding school students are set for repatriation to tribes in Oklahoma, adding to the long push for healing and return.

Labor Day in Henryetta: The town’s blue-collar history and union roots power its Labor Day celebration, with coal mining and glassmaking shaping a tradition that honors workers and safer conditions. Education & access: University of Central Oklahoma’s six-year bachelor’s completion rates show big gaps by race, while Tulsa’s Barnes & Noble textbook switch is credited with cutting wait times. Healthcare career pipeline: TSET highlights Oklahoma high school students getting hands-on hospital volunteer experience as they explore nursing and other medical roles. Culture & community spaces: Northeastern State University partners with Regent Bank Amphitheater to turn live-entertainment work into internships and classroom learning. Sports with local flavor: Oklahoma native Christopher Bell snaps a winless streak at Darlington, boosting his Chase hopes. Public health: A new analysis finds alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in the U.S. have doubled since 1990, with liver, esophageal, and colorectal cancers carrying much of the burden. History & remembrance: A grandmother tied to the OKC bombing seeks court-ordered release of medical records and retained tissue as her decades-long search for answers continues.

Cherokee Nation Leadership: Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. delivered his final State of the Nation address, touting housing, childcare, and workforce training proposals as the tribe looks to finish strong in his last year. Immigration Crackdown: A Washington Post report says Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers are helping ICE with traffic stops under “Operation Guardian,” as the deportation push leans on state and local enforcement. Remembering 9/11: UAFS Army ROTC will host a Sept. 11 stair climb in Fort Smith, inviting campus and community members to honor victims with a 110-flight challenge. Education & Equity: New data highlights Oklahoma County bachelor’s completion rates for Asian students at UCO, while other county-by-student-group figures continue to shape the conversation on access and outcomes. Sports Spotlight (Oklahoma): Christopher Bell, an Oklahoma native, snapped a winless drought by taking the Southern 500 at Darlington, launching his Chase momentum. Culture & Community: A Labor Day powwow in Stockton showcased Native traditions and intertribal gathering—an example of how cultural events keep community ties strong. Wildfire Preparedness: Oklahoma’s extreme heat and drought are driving reminders on wildfire prevention and protecting homes.

Oklahoma Community & Culture: Tulsa’s Zomi community is hosting a major culture-and-leadership conference at the Mabee Center on ORU’s campus, with organizers expecting more than 5,000 attendees and programming built around health, youth leadership, and cultural performances. Local Faith & Community Life: Multiple Oklahoma City-area Catholic adoration schedules are set for Sept. 6-12, including events in East OKC, North OKC, and nearby communities—another reminder of how local faith calendars shape weekly life. Education & Opportunity: New reporting breaks down six-year bachelor’s completion rates by race and county across Oklahoma, including figures for Payne County (Asian and white students) and Woods County (white students), spotlighting where higher-ed pathways are working—and where they aren’t. Public Safety & Preparedness: With Oklahoma’s extreme heat and drought continuing, a wildfire-preparedness guide urges residents to protect homes and plan ahead before conditions worsen. Food & Health Watch: Walmart added Great Value Organic Triple Berry Blend to an E. coli O145 outbreak recall list, including Oklahoma among the affected states. Arts & Entertainment: “The Phantom of the Opera” is headed to ASU Gammage in September, bringing the North American tour’s revamped production to Arizona audiences.

Beer Culture: A new Google Trends-based ranking puts Wisconsin at the top for beer search interest, with the Midwest “beer belt” dominating the top spots—good news for Oklahomans who love a craft scene. Local Governance & Services: The Cherokee Nation rolled out a redesigned Cherokee.gov focused on easier access to health care, housing, education, careers, and more. Education & Tech: Big-city districts like NYC and LA are starting the year with AI bans for most student use, adding to a patchwork of rules nationwide. Community & Faith: An Oklahoma City bombing victim’s grandmother shared her Christian witness and long fight for answers. Arts & Entertainment: The North American tour of “The Phantom of the Opera” lands at ASU Gammage in mid-September. Sports & Lifestyle: Darlington sets the NASCAR Cup lineup after qualifying was canceled, with Tyler Reddick on the pole. Higher Ed Watch: New data highlights lower six-year bachelor completion rates for some Oklahoma student groups at Northwestern Oklahoma State University and UCO.

Higher Education Policy: Oklahoma State Regents approved reduced-credit bachelor degree programs at OU, OSU, and Rogers State, aiming to let students finish in as little as three years—an accessibility and workforce pipeline story with big implications for how Oklahomans plan college. Community & Culture: The Sequoyah Birthplace Museum is hosting a book signing for “Riding the Trail: Cherokees Remember the Removal,” tying youth education to the long-running Remember the Removal bike ride that retraces the Trail of Tears. Native Heritage Spotlight: Peña Adobe Park held a Native-American heritage celebration, centering Indigenous educators, artists, and descendants to teach living history before visitors even reach the adobe-era story. Public Safety & Health: Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics served search warrants tied to marijuana operations in Rogers and Tulsa counties, seizing thousands of plants and processed product while also finding illegal pesticides. Local Sports Life: A Lawton-area profile highlights Ginger Sloan’s path from mowing yards to building a women-focused home-based work model in Oklahoma. Education Outcomes (Data): New six-year bachelor completion figures show county-by-county differences for Black, Hispanic/Latino, and two-or-more-races students across Oklahoma’s public four-year institutions.