May News Byte 2024
Severe weather and grassroots movements
Hi there, Verified News Community.
Here’s VNN’s Rachael Schuit with our quick May News Byte!
It was another active month for severe weather in Oklahoma this month.
One person died and several more were injured after an EF-4 hit Barnsdall. 40 homes were damaged.
NWS reports it’s the first year the state has had two EF-4 tornadoes since 2013. There have been over 80 tornadoes in Oklahoma this year so far, twice the typical average for that timeframe.
Some encouraging news for survivors of domestic abuse in the state of Oklahoma.
Governor Kevin Stitt signed a revised version of the Oklahoma Survivors’ Act into law this May. The bill makes a way for courts to reduce sentences for survivors who commit crimes relating to that abuse. It’s also retroactive, extending to currently incarcerated people who meet the requirements.
In other news from the Capitol, people organized there and other locations across Indian Country for the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women earlier this month.
New VNN affiliate 1 Girl Revolution also contributed to raising awareness for MMIW, with their premiere story on Shelly Denny, co-founder of Medicine Wheel Ride – a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to raising awareness and support for MMIW and their families.
In Affiliate News, Broken Arrow Sentinel told us about a new Indigenous pop-up in BA. The Native Fashion Arts Collective recently unveiled their pop-up store in the Museum of Broken Arrow. The store features more than 900 square feet of Indigenous art, clothing, accessories, and hair and skin care products.
Turning to election coverage, VNN Oklahoma spoke with Tulsa mayoral candidates about their positions on Indigenous issues this month.
The candidates answered questions regarding their opinions on McGuirt impacts and plans to make Tulsa more inclusive for Indigenous community members.
May is also Mental Health Awareness Month. We spoke with two counselors about the mental health provider crisis ongoing in Oklahoma, following the state’s transition from SoonerCare to managed care.
Traveling across the country, VNN’s Rahkiya Brown provided us with an uplifting update from New York.
It’s the three-year anniversary of Stellar Human, a thrift store that’s taken upcycling to the next level with dedicated space for community and creativity.
And looking ahead, VNN Oklahoma is gearing up for our Intertribal Symposium “Indigenous Roots: Navigating Indian Country History” this July at the Osage Casino in Tulsa.
The symposium will provide education about Oklahoma’s Allotment Era and its modern-day impacts.
Click here to register for our free event now.
That’s all for this month’s newscast. We have so much more available in the VNN newsfeed. Download our free app to your home screen, register your free account, and make our diverse content part of your news routine.
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Thanks for another great month, Verified News Community. See you in the summer!