Public Affairs

In the March 1980 Republican primaries, George Bush had already lost what he called his “Big Mo” to Ronald Reagan. He bounded off his campaign plane in conservative Augusta, Georgia, for another obligatory meeting with local reporters.

The new Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Foundation has officially launched, with the purpose of providing support for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and its activities in managing the state’s fish and wildlife resources.

The Oklahoma primary elections with multiple run-off races are set for late August. Some notes:

OKC-County Health Department (OCCHD) is a data-driven organization, focused on directing resources to areas of our community where the greatest impact can be made. Every few years the Wellness Score is released, providing a summary of community health status.

It took four days for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to reach the H-1B visa cap for the 2019 fiscal year. This is the sixth consecutive year it was met within a week.

Community leaders and students impacted by the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program joined FWD.us for a teleforum call to discuss education and immigration.

America is in the throes of a prescription opioid epidemic, and tragically Oklahoma is close to ground zero — costing us thousands of lives and billions of dollars. Consider: four out of five heroin users started out using prescription drugs.

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program for children brought to the country illegally is under imminent threat. DACA could be gone by Sept. 5, putting the 6,900 Oklahoma recipients who contribute $344 million annually to the state’s GDP at risk for immediate deportation.

Amid state budget cuts, Oklahomans for Better Roads and Bridges is deploying a campaign to let the public know just how little goes to fund fixing roads and bridges.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin announced the appointment of avid sportsman James Barwick to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Attending over 100 commission meetings during his public service career with the state AG’s office, Barwick is a six-time state BCO archery (traditional) champion; winner of eight Sooner State Games gold and silver medals in archery; hunted numerous book animals and qualified for the Super Ten of North American Big Game.

1. Close Calls: If you don’t vote, others are making the decisions for you without your input. Even in presidential elections, one vote can be the difference between winning and losing (AKA – Florida 2000).

The easiest way to make your voice heard is to vote. Three steps to voting in Oklahoma:

1. Register. You can register to vote if you are 18, a citizen of the US and an Oklahoma resident. The last chance to register before the general election is Oct. 14.
2. Find a polling place. Polling places are typically in churches or public community centers. You must vote in the county you registered in. If you are going to be outside your county at the time of the election, you can fill out an absentee ballot.
3. Vote. The general election is Nov. 8.