Paul Monies
@pmonies.bsky.social
“Bluesky ain’t real life.” 🤷♂️ Native Scotsman. Honorary Texan and Okie. Reporting without fear or favor. #FOI Send me news tips: [email protected].
https://oklahomawatch.org/author/paulmonies/
https://oklahomawatch.org/author/paulmonies/
Pinned
Paul Monies
@pmonies.bsky.social
· Feb 7
I’ve been waiting here since September. Just sayin’…. 😉
(Photo by Doug Hoke)
(Photo by Doug Hoke)
Reposted by Paul Monies
NEW: Organizers in Montana and Missouri have faced years of attacks against popular initiatives.
So they're going on the offense—they've qualified 2 measures for November that would amend their state constitutions and significantly strengthen direct democracy.
Fascinating pro-voter maneuver:
So they're going on the offense—they've qualified 2 measures for November that would amend their state constitutions and significantly strengthen direct democracy.
Fascinating pro-voter maneuver:
To Protect Direct Democracy, Two States Are Mulling a New Approach: Name It As a Right - Bolts
After years of attacks on voters’ power to take matters into their own hands, democracy advocates are going on the offensive in Montana and Missouri. They’ve placed constitutional amendments on... Rea...
boltsmag.org
September 18, 2026 at 4:44 PM
NEW: Organizers in Montana and Missouri have faced years of attacks against popular initiatives.
So they're going on the offense—they've qualified 2 measures for November that would amend their state constitutions and significantly strengthen direct democracy.
Fascinating pro-voter maneuver:
So they're going on the offense—they've qualified 2 measures for November that would amend their state constitutions and significantly strengthen direct democracy.
Fascinating pro-voter maneuver:
Reposted by Paul Monies
Missing guns, 17 vehicles, and even a meat slicer. 🚗🔫
Since 2021, state audits of Oklahoma sheriff’s departments have found over 3,000 unaccounted-for items during leadership handovers.
Brenna Witchey breaks down what's missing and why 👇
https://ow.ly/Mglg50ZOMjn
Since 2021, state audits of Oklahoma sheriff’s departments have found over 3,000 unaccounted-for items during leadership handovers.
Brenna Witchey breaks down what's missing and why 👇
https://ow.ly/Mglg50ZOMjn
September 18, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Missing guns, 17 vehicles, and even a meat slicer. 🚗🔫
Since 2021, state audits of Oklahoma sheriff’s departments have found over 3,000 unaccounted-for items during leadership handovers.
Brenna Witchey breaks down what's missing and why 👇
https://ow.ly/Mglg50ZOMjn
Since 2021, state audits of Oklahoma sheriff’s departments have found over 3,000 unaccounted-for items during leadership handovers.
Brenna Witchey breaks down what's missing and why 👇
https://ow.ly/Mglg50ZOMjn
Reposted by Paul Monies
NEW - A Starbucks store in Ponca City and another in south Norman have voted to unionize, citing OKC stores as inspiration as calls for boycott sweep the nation | Alex Gatley reports:
North OK Starbucks union wins election amid expansion, calls for boycott
A Starbucks store in Ponca City and another in south Norman have voted to unionize, citing OKC stores as inspiration as calls for boycott sweep the nation
freepressokc.com
September 17, 2026 at 11:10 PM
NEW - A Starbucks store in Ponca City and another in south Norman have voted to unionize, citing OKC stores as inspiration as calls for boycott sweep the nation | Alex Gatley reports:
Reposted by Paul Monies
The dam complaint is settled. Now the Coffee family is seeking permits to draw water from the same streams feeding Cedar Lake. Residents can protest once public notice goes out.
https://ow.ly/1ASU50ZP5lI
https://ow.ly/1ASU50ZP5lI
September 18, 2026 at 12:01 PM
The dam complaint is settled. Now the Coffee family is seeking permits to draw water from the same streams feeding Cedar Lake. Residents can protest once public notice goes out.
https://ow.ly/1ASU50ZP5lI
https://ow.ly/1ASU50ZP5lI
After a regulatory settlement over unpermitted dams, the water fight at Cedar Lake is shifting to who can draw water from streams feeding the lake — including permit applications from the family of former lawmaker Glenn Coffee.
oklahomawatch.org/2026/09/18/c...
#okwater #okgov
oklahomawatch.org/2026/09/18/c...
#okwater #okgov
Cedar Lake Water Fight Deepens After State Approves Dam Settlement - Oklahoma Watch
The Oklahoma Water Resources Board approved a dam consent order Tuesday with companies connected to former state Senate President Pro Tempore Glenn Coffee, fining them $2,500 and requiring compliance ...
oklahomawatch.org
September 18, 2026 at 12:20 PM
After a regulatory settlement over unpermitted dams, the water fight at Cedar Lake is shifting to who can draw water from streams feeding the lake — including permit applications from the family of former lawmaker Glenn Coffee.
oklahomawatch.org/2026/09/18/c...
#okwater #okgov
oklahomawatch.org/2026/09/18/c...
#okwater #okgov
Reposted by Paul Monies
Tulsa's eviction rate is 13% and rising. More than 600 students were caught in eviction filings last school year. Linda Jacobson of The 74 examines what the district is doing about it.
https://ow.ly/bpJ650ZOxzN
https://ow.ly/bpJ650ZOxzN
September 17, 2026 at 12:01 PM
Tulsa's eviction rate is 13% and rising. More than 600 students were caught in eviction filings last school year. Linda Jacobson of The 74 examines what the district is doing about it.
https://ow.ly/bpJ650ZOxzN
https://ow.ly/bpJ650ZOxzN
Reposted by Paul Monies
ICYMI — Oklahoma County confusion: Accounting errors, embezzlement inquiry spur audit calls https://nondoc.com/2026/09/16/oklahoma-county-confusion-accounting-errors-embezzlement-inquiry-spur-audit-calls/
Oklahoma County confusion: Accounting errors, embezzlement inquiry spur audit calls
The Oklahoma County Board of Commissioners is set to vote whether to audit the county's financial ledger Sept. 18, 2026.
nondoc.com
September 17, 2026 at 6:01 PM
ICYMI — Oklahoma County confusion: Accounting errors, embezzlement inquiry spur audit calls https://nondoc.com/2026/09/16/oklahoma-county-confusion-accounting-errors-embezzlement-inquiry-spur-audit-calls/
Reposted by Paul Monies
The outgoing Osage County sheriff's last day was Dec. 31. Auditors showed up that morning. His deputies were on sick leave. The list of unaccounted items, 796 in total, fell to the new sheriff.
https://ow.ly/e6Ul50ZNYfS
https://ow.ly/e6Ul50ZNYfS
September 16, 2026 at 7:00 PM
The outgoing Osage County sheriff's last day was Dec. 31. Auditors showed up that morning. His deputies were on sick leave. The list of unaccounted items, 796 in total, fell to the new sheriff.
https://ow.ly/e6Ul50ZNYfS
https://ow.ly/e6Ul50ZNYfS
Reposted by Paul Monies
“Right now, we really are relying on cities and local developers to come up with these solutions,” Kirt said.
Oklahoma needs state leadership to focus on our housing challenges across the state. This new federal law makes that even more obvious.
oklahomawatch.org/2026/09/14/c...
Oklahoma needs state leadership to focus on our housing challenges across the state. This new federal law makes that even more obvious.
oklahomawatch.org/2026/09/14/c...
Congress Passed the Biggest Housing Bill in Decades, but Oklahoma Advocates Say the State Still Has Work to Do - Oklahoma Watch
Congress passed the largest housing affordability bill in decades this summer, but Oklahoma advocates say the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is no magic bullet for the state's 84,125-unit affordable...
oklahomawatch.org
September 15, 2026 at 12:37 PM
“Right now, we really are relying on cities and local developers to come up with these solutions,” Kirt said.
Oklahoma needs state leadership to focus on our housing challenges across the state. This new federal law makes that even more obvious.
oklahomawatch.org/2026/09/14/c...
Oklahoma needs state leadership to focus on our housing challenges across the state. This new federal law makes that even more obvious.
oklahomawatch.org/2026/09/14/c...
Reposted by Paul Monies
The EPA will test America's drinking water for abortion medication & birth control—caving to a years-long pressure campaign from anti-abortion extremists.
BREAKING: EPA Will Test Drinking Water for Abortion Pills & Contraception
The federal agency just caved to years of anti-abortion pressure
jessica.substack.com
September 14, 2026 at 4:50 PM
The EPA will test America's drinking water for abortion medication & birth control—caving to a years-long pressure campaign from anti-abortion extremists.
Reposted by Paul Monies
The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to repeal rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas.
EPA to eliminate limits on climate pollution from power plants
The rule, which is expected to face immediate legal challenges, also could prevent future administrations from regulating greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, sources said.
cbsn.ws
September 14, 2026 at 6:45 PM
The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to repeal rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas.
Reposted by Paul Monies
Oklahoma advocates are praising the bill, but said state leaders need to act to address the affordable housing shortage and eviction rates. Jake Ramsey explains what comes next.
https://ow.ly/uHXc50ZNcmt
https://ow.ly/uHXc50ZNcmt
September 14, 2026 at 11:52 AM
Oklahoma advocates are praising the bill, but said state leaders need to act to address the affordable housing shortage and eviction rates. Jake Ramsey explains what comes next.
https://ow.ly/uHXc50ZNcmt
https://ow.ly/uHXc50ZNcmt
Reposted by Paul Monies
#foioklahoman By Alex Gladden, oklahoman.com: Joey Senat, an expert in Oklahoma open records law and a recently retired professor at Oklahoma State University, disputed that any such calendar would not be subject to an open records request.
www.oklahoman.com/story/news/p...
www.oklahoman.com/story/news/p...
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt keeps copies of past calendars secret
An expert in Oklahoma open records law disputed that records of official business were not public.
www.oklahoman.com
September 14, 2026 at 12:19 PM
#foioklahoman By Alex Gladden, oklahoman.com: Joey Senat, an expert in Oklahoma open records law and a recently retired professor at Oklahoma State University, disputed that any such calendar would not be subject to an open records request.
www.oklahoman.com/story/news/p...
www.oklahoman.com/story/news/p...
Reposted by Paul Monies
What lies ahead for Oklahoma schools post-election? 🍎
Join us on Nov. 12 at OCCC for First Bell: Getting to Work for Oklahoma Students, featuring a panel with the newly elected State Superintendent.
🗓️ Nov 12 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 OKC
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://oklahomawatch.org/first-bell/
Join us on Nov. 12 at OCCC for First Bell: Getting to Work for Oklahoma Students, featuring a panel with the newly elected State Superintendent.
🗓️ Nov 12 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 OKC
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://oklahomawatch.org/first-bell/
September 14, 2026 at 3:00 PM
What lies ahead for Oklahoma schools post-election? 🍎
Join us on Nov. 12 at OCCC for First Bell: Getting to Work for Oklahoma Students, featuring a panel with the newly elected State Superintendent.
🗓️ Nov 12 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 OKC
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://oklahomawatch.org/first-bell/
Join us on Nov. 12 at OCCC for First Bell: Getting to Work for Oklahoma Students, featuring a panel with the newly elected State Superintendent.
🗓️ Nov 12 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 OKC
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://oklahomawatch.org/first-bell/
“Are we supposed to pause staircase development until we can be absolutely certain that staircases will never kill anybody? And let the Chinese win? No way.”
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/tec...
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/tec...
Technically, There Is a Non-Zero Chance That Anything Might Kill Off Humanity in the Next Decade: A Response from Anthropic’s Claude
“Human lives are fragile. A piano might fall on a person’s head. A person might get mistaken for a piñata at a birthday party and get beaten to death. An aut...
www.mcsweeneys.net
September 13, 2026 at 2:36 PM
“Are we supposed to pause staircase development until we can be absolutely certain that staircases will never kill anybody? And let the Chinese win? No way.”
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/tec...
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/tec...
Reposted by Paul Monies
What lies ahead for Oklahoma schools post-election? 🍎
Join us on Nov. 12 at OCCC for First Bell: Getting to Work for Oklahoma Students, featuring a panel with the newly elected State Superintendent.
🗓️ Nov 12 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 OKC
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://oklahomawatch.org/first-bell/
Join us on Nov. 12 at OCCC for First Bell: Getting to Work for Oklahoma Students, featuring a panel with the newly elected State Superintendent.
🗓️ Nov 12 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 OKC
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://oklahomawatch.org/first-bell/
September 11, 2026 at 11:01 AM
What lies ahead for Oklahoma schools post-election? 🍎
Join us on Nov. 12 at OCCC for First Bell: Getting to Work for Oklahoma Students, featuring a panel with the newly elected State Superintendent.
🗓️ Nov 12 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 OKC
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://oklahomawatch.org/first-bell/
Join us on Nov. 12 at OCCC for First Bell: Getting to Work for Oklahoma Students, featuring a panel with the newly elected State Superintendent.
🗓️ Nov 12 | 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
📍 OKC
🎟️ Grab your tickets now: https://oklahomawatch.org/first-bell/
Reposted by Paul Monies
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is inching closer to rules regulating the use of AI-generated political messaging. At a meeting on Thursday, they discussed the route they'll likely take to get it done. www.kgou.org/politics-and...
Oklahoma Ethics Commission inches toward disclosure rules around AI political messaging
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is inching closer to rules regulating the use of AI-generated political messaging. At a meeting on Thursday, they discussed the route they'll likely take to get it done.
www.kgou.org
September 11, 2026 at 3:52 PM
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission is inching closer to rules regulating the use of AI-generated political messaging. At a meeting on Thursday, they discussed the route they'll likely take to get it done. www.kgou.org/politics-and...
Reposted by Paul Monies
Oklahoma's existing scholarship program has organizations that miss the 90% spending requirement, outdated audits and at least one group that probably shouldn't qualify at all. Now it's the model for a $24 billion federal program.
https://ow.ly/P58i50ZM1LW
https://ow.ly/P58i50ZM1LW
September 11, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Oklahoma's existing scholarship program has organizations that miss the 90% spending requirement, outdated audits and at least one group that probably shouldn't qualify at all. Now it's the model for a $24 billion federal program.
https://ow.ly/P58i50ZM1LW
https://ow.ly/P58i50ZM1LW
Reposted by Paul Monies
Residents at a private lake community near Hinton are watching their lake shrink and their wells dwindle. They blame unpermitted dams upstream, while state regulators point to a tangle of factors. www.kgou.org/science-tech...
Why are wells running dry at Cedar Lake? Residents, Oklahoma officials have different answers
Residents at a private lake community near Hinton are watching their lake shrink and their wells dwindle. They blame unpermitted dams upstream, while state regulators point to a tangle of factors.
www.kgou.org
September 10, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Residents at a private lake community near Hinton are watching their lake shrink and their wells dwindle. They blame unpermitted dams upstream, while state regulators point to a tangle of factors. www.kgou.org/science-tech...
Reposted by Paul Monies
USAO just hit a 20-year enrollment high of 1,100 students. Its faculty says proposed changes could undermine the small-school model that got them there.
https://ow.ly/k9r650ZLInc
https://ow.ly/k9r650ZLInc
September 10, 2026 at 7:00 PM
USAO just hit a 20-year enrollment high of 1,100 students. Its faculty says proposed changes could undermine the small-school model that got them there.
https://ow.ly/k9r650ZLInc
https://ow.ly/k9r650ZLInc
Reposted by Paul Monies
"McClatchy, whose titles include The Miami Herald and The Sacramento Bee, executed its most severe layoffs in years on Thursday, cutting newsroom staff at some papers by upwards of 40%."
I don't know if democracy can survive this death of this industry.
www.poynter.org/business-wor...
I don't know if democracy can survive this death of this industry.
www.poynter.org/business-wor...
McClatchy cuts more than 90 staff in its most severe layoffs in years - Poynter
At least 13 papers — including The Miami Herald, The Sacramento Bee and The Kansas City Star — lost reporters
www.poynter.org
September 10, 2026 at 10:34 PM
"McClatchy, whose titles include The Miami Herald and The Sacramento Bee, executed its most severe layoffs in years on Thursday, cutting newsroom staff at some papers by upwards of 40%."
I don't know if democracy can survive this death of this industry.
www.poynter.org/business-wor...
I don't know if democracy can survive this death of this industry.
www.poynter.org/business-wor...
Reposted by Paul Monies
IRS under Trump unlawfully shared taxpayer info with immigration authorities, court rules reut.rs/468D6y5
IRS under Trump unlawfully shared taxpayer info with immigration authorities, court rules
A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday upheld an injunction blocking an Internal Revenue Service policy that allowed it to share thousands of taxpayers' addresses with immigration authorities, saying the Trump administration's practice violated federal law.
reut.rs
September 8, 2026 at 7:35 PM
IRS under Trump unlawfully shared taxpayer info with immigration authorities, court rules reut.rs/468D6y5
Reposted by Paul Monies
Oklahoma City is set to bring in water from Canton Lake to restore water levels in Lake Hefner, which stores about 40% of OKC's drinking water. www.kgou.org/oklahoma-new...
Oklahoma City to bring in water from Canton Lake
The release of water from Canton Lake to Oklahoma City is scheduled to begin in mid-September.
www.kgou.org
September 8, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Oklahoma City is set to bring in water from Canton Lake to restore water levels in Lake Hefner, which stores about 40% of OKC's drinking water. www.kgou.org/oklahoma-new...
Reposted by Paul Monies
Oklahoma passed a law requiring proxy advisors to justify votes against company management. A global advisory firm says that's unconstitutional. The law takes effect November 1 unless a judge stops it first.
https://ow.ly/WCnP50ZJ1vF
https://ow.ly/WCnP50ZJ1vF
September 4, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Oklahoma passed a law requiring proxy advisors to justify votes against company management. A global advisory firm says that's unconstitutional. The law takes effect November 1 unless a judge stops it first.
https://ow.ly/WCnP50ZJ1vF
https://ow.ly/WCnP50ZJ1vF
Reposted by Paul Monies
#foioklahoma By Barbara Hoberock, oklahomavoice.com: Oklahoma Voice immediately requested a copy of the severance agreement under the Open Records Act but was denied. Editor Janelle Stecklein sued on behalf of Oklahoma Voice in May 2024 seeking the document’s release.
Oklahoma wildlife officials release severance agreement after two-year legal fight • Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY – After more than two years of litigation and tens of thousands in legal fees, a state agency Thursday released the severance agreement for its former executive director. The agreement b...
oklahomavoice.com
September 4, 2026 at 10:05 AM
#foioklahoma By Barbara Hoberock, oklahomavoice.com: Oklahoma Voice immediately requested a copy of the severance agreement under the Open Records Act but was denied. Editor Janelle Stecklein sued on behalf of Oklahoma Voice in May 2024 seeking the document’s release.