A deal between the City of Tulsa and the Muscogee Nation doesn’t apply to Freedmen descendants who don’t have documentation of a degree of Indian blood. @cliftonhowze.bsky.social and Allison Herrera find out why. www.readfrontier.org/stories/desp...

Two legislators behind a controversial bill that would have limited the locations of homeless shelters will hold a hearing at the Oklahoma Capitol on creating new regulations.

Our newsletter brings Frontier journalism straight to your inbox. From behind the scenes interviews with our reporters, to interviews with newsmakers you won't find anywhere else, our newsletter will help you be a better informed Oklahoman.

New story from Kayla Branch: A federal policy allows employers to pay workers with disabilities below minimum wage. Some states have already moved away from the practice.

There’s no competitive bidding process through the state for pregnancy resource centers, faith-based groups and other nonprofits to get public money if they go through an organization like the Oklahoma Life Foundation.

The state is asking the court to cap the application of bird waste, penalize poultry companies for violating the state’s anti-pollution law and order them to pay for cleanup.

The nonprofits that get funding through the Oklahoma Life Foundation aren’t required to apply in a competitive process through the State Department of Health like groups the state funds directly.

For decades, funding for a state scholarship program memorializing the 1921 burning of Black Wall Street was limited, and students related to massacre victims weren’t prioritized in the selection process.

Reporter Nick Bowlin will join The Frontier as part of ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network’s 50 State Initiative

ICYMI: "Russ’ involvement with the shareholder resolutions marks a new front in an effort by conservative groups to ally with GOP elected officials to pressure public companies over their corporate policies." oklahomawatch.org/2025/06/20/f... (via @oklahomawatch.bsky.social) #okgov #okleg #DEI #ESG

A Tulsa political operative used his grandmother’s name to set up political action committees

Each week, you’ll hear directly from the journalists breaking the news, as well as from the people making it. These insights and interviews with newsmakers aren’t published anywhere else — only newsletter subscribers get the full picture.

The grandmother was named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by a candidate who was criticized in campaign mailers from one of the groups during the Democratic primary for Tulsa County Commissioner in 2024. Her name surfaced in campaign filings for a shadowy network of political groups.

Awards recognized our reporting on Oklahoma’s marijuana industry, deaths at a private prison and the collapse of a sports media startup.

Congrats to @cliftonhowze.bsky.social and Garrett Yalch!

Guest appearances here from @benfelder.bsky.social @cliftonhowze.bsky.social @briokc.bsky.social @kassiemcclung.bsky.social and even Scott Pruitt! thepickup.com/an-oral-hist...

I spoke with Sen. Ally Seifried this week about her "bell to bell" bill that would remove cell phones from Oklahoma schools. player.captivate.fm/episode/68c6...

Today Texas, lawmakers are debating a bill to significantly change standards for who can legally receive abortion care. The bill was prompted by @propublica.org reporting on three Texas women who died after they miscarried and doctors delayed or denied care. www.propublica.org/article/texa...

Good reminder to follow @readfrontier.bsky.social please!

Had an old "In the Heat of the Night" episode playing in the background, when I look up and notice that there's a fresh-faced Walton Goggins on screen.

Robert Bates went to prison. Sheriff Stanley Glanz was indicted and ended a storied career in disgrace. The scandal that rocked Tulsa and the country. | via @dmgoforth.bsky.social

The #Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted today to pursue prosecution against State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters over alleged campaign finance law violations. nondoc.com/2025/03/13/e...

Records show one Oklahoma women’s prison rarely substantiated abuse allegations or forwarded cases for criminal prosecution. Victims sometimes fear reprisal from other prisoners and staff.

Ahh, the memories (from 2022) www.readfrontier.org/stories/reco...

Oklahoma, thank god, has many dedicated, hard-working reporters who care about you and the state, and want you to be informed. Here's the ones I know of on Bluesky (tag the ones I'm missing and I'll add them.)

One judge told Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office officials that there were “serious constitutional concerns” about conditions at the jail including lack of access to attorneys, health care and clean clothing.

@cliftonhowze.bsky.social took another look at the "Innocent Man" case out of Ada. Almost everyone agrees these guys are innocent of the murder they were convicted of, so why is the case moving so slow? www.readfrontier.org/stories/okla...

@cliftonhowze.bsky.social and Garrett were named semifinalists for a prestigious national investigative reporting award for their series on Chinese government influence in Oklahoma's medical marijuana market. www.readfrontier.org/stories/impa...

Our "Fields of Green" investigation into Oklahoma's medical marijuana black market and the outside government influences impacting it has been named a semi-finalist for the Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting. goldsmithawards.org/announcing-t...

These cases highlight how six years after legalization, powerful Chinese mafias continue to thrive in Oklahoma’s marijuana industry, exploiting legal loopholes and quietly outmaneuvering the state’s efforts to crackdown. www.readfrontier.org/stories/crim...

Proposed laws target organized crime in Oklahoma's marijuana industry. Are they enough? www.readfrontier.org/stories/crim...

Samantha Butler isn’t smiling in her wedding photos. She was 15 and pregnant when she says family members pressured her to marry the 25-year-old father of her child in 2010. www.readfrontier.org/stories/wed-...

I sat down with @cliftonhowze.bsky.social to talk about his story on the fate of the two defendants in the "Innocent Man" murder case out of Ada. www.readfrontier.org/stories/list...

Your outtie loves investigative journalism and donates to several outlets

Hey guys, im looking for some loyal, dedicated @readfrontier.bsky.social readers/donors/supporters to help me out with a little project. If you're interested reply here or send me a message please.

This is kind of ironic. The Oklahoma State Chamber of Commerce was a major funder of an independent expenditure campaign through the primary, runoff and general election in 2022 that helped get Walters elected to the State Superintendent position in the first place. www.oklahoman.com/story/busine...

State lawmakers are trying for a second year to require commercial users to more accurately track water usage. Farmers have opposed previous efforts to create stricter water monitoring. www.readfrontier.org/stories/as-o...

I did not watch the Super Bowl last night. My social media feeds this morn are not even showing me who won, only people whining/rage posting about whatever happened during the halftime show and crowd reactions to celebrities who attended. Maybe we truly do deserve what's coming.

BILLIONAIRE: Ive done it all. This world has nothing for me ???: I can give you the mind & soul of Dylan Klebold BILLIONAIRE: Hm. Jack me in

Frontier podcast: Gentner Drummond is running for Oklahoma Governor. Who might join him? www.readfrontier.org/stories/list...

The only Doge I recognize is Doge Dandolo, who was blind and in his 80s (possibly 90s) when he led the sack of Constantinople in 1204. Notably, he was NOT a flighty little creep desperate to fill the gaping hole in his soul created by lack of a father's love and approval.

A ruling in a 20-year-old lawsuit could have far-reaching environmental consequences for the river and surrounding region. | via @cliftonhowze.bsky.social www.readfrontier.org/stories/a-tr...

There’s a shortage of Oklahoma landlords willing to lease to people with rental assistance www.readfrontier.org/stories/ther...

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a declassified World War II-era CIA guide to sabotaging fascism in the workplace has become one of the most popular free ebooks on the internet: www.404media.co/declassified...

Listen Frontier: Gentner Drummond is running for Oklahoma Governor. Who might join him? player.captivate.fm/episode/d3ad...

Hundreds of Oklahomans lost their Section 8 housing vouchers last year. Officials say most couldn’t find homes that accepted rental assistance before their benefits expired. www.readfrontier.org/stories/ther...

The bill could make it easier for prosecutors to file child neglect charges against expectant mothers who use marijuana with doctor-approved medical licenses after recent court rulings. www.readfrontier.org/stories/its-...

Chinese criminal networks have taken over much of the illicit marijuana market in Oklahoma, stoking a wave of crime that includes violence, money laundering and human trafficking. www.readfrontier.org/special-proj...

Yooooo thank you for helping @readfrontier.bsky.social reach 4,000 followers on Bluesky. I think that makes us the Oklahoma newsroom with the largest reach here, for what that's worth. Here's some recent stories worth reading. www.readfrontier.org/stories/its-...

A growing number of women have faced criminal charges in Oklahoma after using drugs during their pregnancies in recent years. But an appeals court ruled expectant mothers who used medical marijuana can’t be prosecuted. | via @briokc.bsky.social www.readfrontier.org/stories/its-...