Lawmaker wants DPS recordings to be made public

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A state senator has filed a bill that would allow audio and video recordings of the Department of Public Safety to be made public.

The bill by Sen. Jim Wilson, a Tahlequah Democrat, would amend the Oklahoma Open Records Act to include the recordings, which now do not fall under the definition of a “record.”

Wilson says releasing the recordings would provide the public more transparency into the actions of the agency, of which the Oklahoma Highway Patrol is a part.

Wilson cited a recent case involving a confrontation between an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper and a Creek Nation paramedic. In that case, the OHP initially refused to release video from the trooper’s dashboard camera but later relented and made the video public.

SandRidge to buy Forest Oil properties for $800M

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — SandRidge Energy Inc. says it has agreed to buy Permian Basin oil and gas properties from Forest Oil Corp. for $800 million.

Oklahoma City-based SandRidge Energy announced on Monday it would acquire the west Texas properties, which cover more than 90,000 net acres. The purchase will increase SandRidge’s leasehold in the Permian Basin to more than 130,000 net acres.

The independent oil and natural gas company says about $720 million of the purchase price is attributable to reserves and $80 million to undeveloped acreage, equipment and other assets. The acquired acreage has more than 1,200 drilling locations.

SandRidge says the deal with Denver-based Forest Oil should close by Dec. 31.

Earlier this month, SandRidge said it was dropping a $230 million bid to buy oil driller Crusader Energy Group Inc.

NASCAR champ donates almost $1 million to schools

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson on Monday awarded nearly $1 million in education grants to school districts in California, North Carolina and Oklahoma.

Johnson, who wrapped up his record fourth consecutive Cup championship in the Nov. 22 season finale, received more than 80 applications from schools in districts both he and his wife, Chandra, attended, as well as the greater Charlotte area, where they live.

The grants from the Jimmie Johnson Foundation totaled $922,000. The awards included $347,000 toward science and technology needs, $357,000 for outdoor classrooms, playgrounds and athletic facilities and $27,000 for accelerated reading programs.

The Johnsons awarded the California grants at a special ceremony at Crest Elementary, in El Cajon, Calif., a school the driver attended. That school received $45,900 to create hands-on activities in science, technology, health and fitness, the arts, and after school programs.

His other two alma maters also received grants. Greenfield Middle School was awarded $31,572 for a lunch area and equipment, while Granite Hills High School received $31,155 to assist with stadium renovations.

“It was amazing to review the proposals and read firsthand about the pressing needs of our schools,” Chandra Johnson said. “The funding requests were so diverse. I am particularly excited about the projects in Oklahoma as this is our first opportunity to give back in my hometown.”

In Oklahoma, Muskogee High School received $30,000 for up-to-date science technology equipment, and an additional $9,900 to create a foreign language lab.

Nine schools in the greater Charlotte area received funding, including $65,000 to Smithfield Elementary for a new playground, and $62,061 for two science labs at Ashley Park Elementary.

In all, 26 schools across the three states received a grant.