By Keaton Ross | Oklahoma Watch Jun 4, 2021
5 hrs ago
Michael Washington holds a sign with the number of an inmate who was infected with COVID-19. Washington, who was incarcerated in the 1970s and helps inmates with legal paperwork, joined a small crowd outside of the Department of Corrections Oklahoma City headquarters in December to protest prison conditions. Whitney Bryen / Oklahoma Watch
Looking to prevent widespread COVID-19 outbreaks behind bars, corrections officials in several states moved quickly in 2020 to release medically vulnerable and nonviolent prisoners.
Wisconsin freed 1,600 people from its prisons from March 2 through May 4, 2020, most of them serving time for parole and probation violations. The Iowa Department of Corrections approved the release of 700 prisoners on March 23 of last year.
On the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre, we asked a cross-section of Oklahoma elected officials two questions: When and how did you first learn of the massacre, and
O’Connor: Community building events draw attention to NE OKC
Cathy O’Connor
As Oklahoma City welcomes spring, we’re seeing the return of outdoor events.
The annual oNE OKC Street Festival is a great one to catch. It’s a vibrant community event that stimulates creativity, strengthens relationships, and highlights the rich history of northeast Oklahoma City. The festival will take place on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at Booker T. Washington Park. There will be live performances, music, food trucks, kids’ activities and local vendors. ONE OKC is seeking additional volunteers, vendors and food trucks for the festival. Visit oneokcevent.org for more information.
Kyle Berryhill is only 30, but since COVID-19 hit, he’s now the oldest in his family.
Within a matter of weeks in late 2020, he lost his uncle who was more like an older brother to him and his grandfather to COVID-19. He’s relied on his Christian faith to push through the past year as he’s tried to keep his wife and children safe.
Kyle’s uncle, Phillip Berryhill, was a choir director with the Chickasaw Nation. He had a natural gift for interacting with kids and a wonderful voice he used to sing songs from old movies and musicals, his nephew said. Kyle and his uncle were close and spent time together just about every weekend. The family would watch movies, play games just be together.