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Confucius Institutes, controlled by a Chinese government agency, once flowered on college campuses across the country, including at the University of Oklahoma.

But that has changed in recent years, particularly after the U.S. Department of State declared the institutes part of a “global propaganda and malign influence campaign.”

But a new report warns that many colleges and universities still have entities on campus that operate much the same as prior Confucius Institutes, but under new names.

Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor has joined a national coalition of state attorneys general to oppose the Biden administration’s efforts to force schools to embrace transgender policies, including policies that grant male students access to girls restrooms.

LAWSUITS

U.S. Bank N.A. vs. Coltan M. Middleton for $8,916.88 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Synchrony Bank vs. Zachary Myers for $4,285.50 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Synchrony Bank vs. Carlos Martinez for $8,306.79 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Portfolio Recovery Associates LLC vs. Voni Boyanton for $1,634.78 to pay a debt plus interest, costs and attorney fees.

Four candidates for two Oklahoma House of Representative seats all agreed addressing mental health issues should be a top priority for the state.

Unfortunately, they all agreed there is no clear-cut answer on how to do this.

The four attended last week’s gathering of El Reno Now, hosted for the last time by Mayor Matt White and outgoing School Superintendent Craig McVay.

Three newcomers to county politics and one incumbent spent close to an hour answering questions from residents during a 2022 Legislative Forum. The event was held at Redlands Community College.

The event, sponsored by the El Reno Chamber of Commerce, featured the four candidates seeking one of two Canadian County commissioner positions up for vote on June 28.

Marc Hader, current District 1 commissioner, is seeking re-election against fellow Republican Tom Manske.

Carolyn Leck will officially retire and step down as Canadian County treasurer June 30.

Leck will leave office early, citing health issues. She will be replaced by Jay Arnold, who will be sworn into office July 1.

It will mean the end of an era for the longtime county treasurer, who has served in that capacity for almost 12 years – leading an office she has worked in for 28 years.

El Reno schools held a free swim day at the city pool last week.

Norman Sheridan, Mobile Meals program director, accepts a donation of more than $500 from Mayor Matt White and outgoing School Superintendent Craig McVay.

The funds were raised at last week’s El Reno Now breakfast.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Reps. Kevin McDugle, R-Broken Arrow, and Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, held a press conference responding to findings from a third party investigation regarding the case of death row inmate Richard Glossip.

The investigation, conducted on a pro-bono basis in part due to the urging of multiple legislators to look into the case, was undertaken by a 30-lawyer team from the Reed Smith Law Firm, assisted by Crowe & Dunlevy of Oklahoma.

Almost $70 million in pandemic relief projects now await approval by Gov. Kevin Stitt as the Oklahoma Legislature continued work Wednesday on a special session on the state’s share of $1.87 billion under the federal American Rescue Plan Act.

The House approved a package of seven bills on Wednesday, two days after the Senate voted on the projects involving nonprofit relief, water projects, nursing education and optometry programs.