| ‘It was scary’: Residents react to fire that destroyed OKC apartments, displacing over a dozen people >

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook asking for help looking for the suspect who is believed to be on foot. They said he is a white man last seen wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans, considered armed and dangerous.

Officials said that the burglary happened near 3380 Road and 880 Road, almost seven miles northwest of Chandler near Bell Cow Lake.

The original call came in around 5 p.m. when police reported they were looking for two suspects thought to be armed.

Around 8 p.m. the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Facebook page reported that one person of interest was detained but was still searching for a suspect.

Officials said that if anyone has information then they are asked to call Lincoln County Communications at 405-258-9933.

Neighbors said it started as a typical night enjoying outdoors.

"I heard this loud bang," said Lee White, a resident.

Lee White was among one of the first people scrambling to alert those inside the building that was quickly blanketed in smoke.

"I didn't have time to think about anything else, just the lives of the people that were in here," said White.

The explosive three-alarm fire displaced 16 families from their homes and sent two people to the hospital.

"As we arrived on scene we did get information that there were two people trapped in a second story apartment," said District Chief Scott Douglas with the OKCFD. "We pulled them down the ladder from a second story window, it was an adult male and one adult female."

White explained he didn't grasp the severity of the fire until other neighbors crowded outside.

"It was scary and chaotic, I mean people everywhere," said White.

The remains from the fire now serve as a devastating memory for White.

"I would have never thought in a matter of seconds that these apartments just went up like that," he said.

A spokesman for American Red Cross told News 4 they're working to help the ones displaced.

Several Red Cross disaster workers responded to Penn Station Apartments on Friday night to offer help and hope to residents displaced by a large fire. Our volunteers provide comfort during what can be the worst days of people’s lives, and our thoughts are with those who were injured. We are currently working with several residents to ensure their immediate needs are met, and we will help guide them through the recovery process.

American Red Cross Oklahoma Region

White said he's happy his neighbors are getting help.

"I hope that the neighbors that I had...that were in here, will come back," said White.

Nine congressmen have stepped up for the job, or have signaled they may. The new nominee will be the third in as many weeks after Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) withdrew his Speaker bid before Jordan.

The caucus will meet to find a new nominee in a closed-door meeting on Monday evening.

Amid the crowded group is Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), who officially announced his candidacy just after the meeting where the caucus abandoned Jordan.

Here’s what you need to know about him:

McDonald's magnate

Hern made his start as a McDonald’s operations manager outside Little Rock, Ark., in the late 1990s.

He later purchased a franchise there, before moving to Oklahoma in the early 2000s. 

Hern quickly built a small empire of McDonald’s franchises, owning at least 18 near Tulsa, Okla. His business also expanded to other fields, including a hog farm and a small furniture manufacturer.

The Republican then leaned on his business acumen when running for Congress in 2018.

Elected to Congress

With no prior elected political experience, Hern won a contested Republican primary for an open seat and won election that November.

He currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and as the chair of the Republican Study Committee.

A loyalist to former President Trump, Hern has consistently stood by and defended the former president during his career in Congress — including unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

Hern was among 126 Republicans who signed an amicus brief advocating for a Supreme Court case brought by the state of Texas alleging that the election was stolen. The court declined to hear the case.

He later voted against certifying the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021, alongside 146 other Republicans in the House.

First potential Speaker bid

Hern considered running for Speaker of the House in January 2023, amid the protracted effort which saw Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) named Speaker after 15 ballots.

He was first nominated by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) on the ninth ballot of that marathon voting session, and received as many as seven votes on the 11th ballot. Each time, Hern voted for McCarthy.

When McCarthy was ousted earlier this month in a historic vote, Hern initially bowed out of consideration, saying a three-man race between himself, Jordan and Scalise would hurt the party.

“I called, texted or met in-person with all 221 members of the House Republican Conference, asking each member what they want to see in the next Speaker and how we can move forward as a Majority,” he said in a statement at the time. “The overwhelming response I heard from you is that we must unify and come out of this situation stronger as a Majority."

"While many of you have emphasized the necessity for new blood in our leadership, the need for unity comes first and foremost," the Oklahoma Republican added.

During Scalise’s attempt at the Speakership, Hern made clear his intention to be named the new Majority Leader, passing out fliers alongside McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches.

Hern announces official run for Speaker

But, on Friday, he officially threw his hat in the ring again — after both Scalise and Jordan failed to get enough support to take the job.

He pitched himself as a unifier.

"It’s pretty obvious that our delegation is looking at something to be different than what we’ve seen so far," he told reporters on Friday when asked why he is running. "I bring a different perspective than possibly anybody else that could be running in this race."

“People want to be heard, they want to be valued, and I think that’s what you’re seeing right now,” he added. “There’s a lot of historical relationships that some are not going to ever be able to work around and I don’t have those negatives out there.”

Lawmakers have until Sunday to declare their candidacy.

In Mustang, the Lions Club has opened up a haunted house of their own.

You’ll see some freaky and frightening sites inside—monsters, skeletons and zombies, all kinds of creepy creatures. But this haunted house offers something special that you won't find in many other haunted houses.

“The Paralyzed Veterans of America helped us financially and what we have done is we have created a haunted house that is completely wheelchair accessible," said Rob Estes, president of the Mustang Lions Club.

"All the walkways are four feet wide, so anyone in a wheelchair or a walker or any kind of impediment can get through the haunted house at their pace with nothing to hinder them or stopping them.”

The Lions Club of Mustang adapted their haunted house for people with physical challenges or use a wheelchair to get around. There are plenty of frightening scenes inside and even a zombie daycare center.

The Lions Club haunted house is on the 300 block of north Trade Center Terrace, so go out there and don’t be afraid to be a scaredy cat.

BLAINE COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) - A woman was ejected and killed after a single-vehicle crash in Blaine County Saturday according to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol.

| UPDATE: Two in critical condition after three-alarm fire in NW OKC >

Officials said that the crash happened around 9 a.m. about one and one-half miles east of Southard.

The woman killed was 63-year-old Carla Schultz.

The other two in the vehicle were wearing their seatbelts and OHP reported that they would survive.

According to the OHP, the vehicle involved was going west on county road E660 when the driver became distracted by the radio. The vehicle left the roadway, struck a bridge embankment, and spun back onto the roadway.

| OHP searching for missing woman last seen in NW OKC >

Officials report that what happened is under investigation but it started just before 7 a.m. near Cimarron Road about 100 feet south of Piedmont.

In the OHP report, it stated that the woman who was killed was 37-year-old Amanda Redwine of Moore, she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Injured in the crash were 41-year-old Justin Palmer of Edmond and a 9-year-old boy who was sent to OU Children's Hospital in Oklahoma City per OHP.

| Leaving Oklahoma: These are the top destinations for people who move out >

The driver and passenger in the third car were not injured.

There are many other details yet to be revealed, OHP reports that they will update when it becomes available.

Undersheriff Travis Dinwiddie said Felipe Reyes Wright Jr., 27, was at his mother's house when he approached Charles Rodgers, who was housesitting next door.

An altercation occurred for an unknown reason, and Wright allegedly killed Rodgers by striking him with an axe.

Wright left the scene and called police as he walked down the eastbound lanes of I-40. Police intercepted Wright and took him into custody.

| UPDATE: Two in critical condition after three-alarm fire in NW OKC >

Wright has been booked into the Pottawatomie County Jail on a first-degree murder charge.

Dinwiddie stated that they believe drugs may have been involved, but the cause of the attack is still under investigation.

OHP posted an update on X, formerly known as Twitter, announcing that Keylicia Johnson has been found.

ORIGINAL STORY

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Oklahoma Highway Patrol has activated an endangered missing advisory for a 22-year-old woman last seen near the 7600 block of Northwest 6th Street.

OHP says 22-year-old Keylicia Johnson was last seen wearing a sports bra, shorts and a hair bonnet, with her hair in short twisted braids.

If you have seen this woman or have any information, please call 911.

| UPDATE: Two in critical condition after three-alarm fire in NW OKC >

The information was shared in a post that the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation put on their Facebook page Saturday.

They say 59-year-old Terry Len Hause has been missing for quite some time but did not give details on where he was last seen. OSBI and Harrah Police have started searching for him.

They are asking for anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact OSBI at tips@osbi.ok.gov.

Literacy Link received two grants allowing the organization to assist more adults who cannot read or write.

Literacy Link helps people in multiple cities on the eastern side of Oklahoma City. The grant comes at a good time so they can hire more tutors and add to what they can do, because more students continue to sign up.

"So, it's been a year when I started. We had eight students and four tutors," Antonia Walker, Executive Director of Literacy Link said. "We now have nine tutors, including myself, and we have 17 students."

Literacy Link is growing in hopes of lowering the states illiteracy levels. Oklahoma is currently ranked 23rd in the nation.

"When I found out there are all these adults, like the same age as my parents, it kind of hurt my heart because I was just like, that person has gone through majority of their life not knowing how to read properly, and they've covered it up by any means to not let you know that they have what in essence is a disability," Walker said.

The Oklahoma Department of Libraries awarded Literacy Link a $9,600 grant and ProLiteracy awarded them a $3,500 grant to help support their program.

With a rising number of students ranging from 18 to 76 years old, Walker says more tutors are needed.

"It's hard to find tutors," Walker said. "I'm getting a lot of students, but in essence, I need more tutors to come in, and it's not even an hour and a half a week that it takes."

Walker added that she knows it's uncomfortable for adults to come forward saying they can't read or write, so her goal is to put them in a welcoming environment on the road to success.

"We already know that they're coming in, not feeling the best of themselves or feeling that they're judged," Walker said. "The first interaction that I've had with a student is that we just sat there and we just talked. I don't want you to jump into it if you're not ready to do so. Like the first few sessions, it could just be getting to know each other."

If you're interested in becoming a tutor, or want to strengthen your reading and writing skills, you can call Literacy Link at (405) 732-2737 or send an email to litlink@gmail.com.

The lawsuit filed Friday afternoon said the board is violating the religious liberty of Oklahoma voters.

Attorney General Gentner Drummond said members on the board who approve the application for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic virtual school would violate their oath to uphold the Constitution.

Though even with the caution from the Attorney General, three board members still signed.

"With the exception of two of its members who actually take seriously their oath of office, three did not....three have violated their oath, and Oklahoma law," said Drummond.

The statewide virtual charter school board voted 3-2 earlier this year, approving the nation's first ever taxpayer-funded religious school.

Brian Bobek, Dr. Scott Strawn and Nellie Tayloe Sanders voted yes.

William Pearson and Dr. Robert Franklin voted no.

"If we proceed with this contract in violation of the constitution, federal law and state law, then we jeopardize $1.13 billion of funding from the federal government upon through which our educational system is funded," said Drummond.

Tuesday, the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma told News 4 they signed the contract to move forward with the school and they're waiting for the board to sign off.

"I signed an oath that said I would uphold the state's constitution. This contract I feel violates that. It also violates the charter school law," said Robert Franklin, the chairman of the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board.

The lawsuit filed by the Attorney General claims that moving forward is impossible.

"We are prohibited from funding religious education by constitution and to we are prohibited from controlling religious entities, which we would be through the money," said Drummond.

The lawsuit has been expected ever since the board first approved the contract.

Immediately after, Drummond announced he would not represent the state if it were sued in relation to St. Isidore.

In response, the Virtual Charter School Board hired it's own outside legal counsel.

Multiple statements were sent to News 4 on Friday.

The American Civil Liberties Union along with other groups against the school said:

We applaud Attorney General Drummond for his efforts to protect church-state separation and public education in Oklahoma. The law is clear: Charter schools are public schools that must be secular and serve all students. St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School plans to discriminate against students, families, and staff and indoctrinate students into one religion. Allowing a religious public charter school like St. Isidore to operate would be a sea change for our democracy. Our clients filed OKPLAC, Inc. v. Statewide Virtual Charter School Board because they are committed to ensuring that our public schools  welcome and serve all Oklahomans. The lawsuit filed today demonstrates that AG Drummond shares this commitment.

American Civil Liberties Union

Governor Kevin Stitt wrote:

This lawsuit is a political stunt and runs counter to our Oklahoma values and the law. AG Drummond seems to lack any firm grasp on the constitutional principle of religious freedom and masks his disdain for the Catholics’ pursuit by obsessing over non-existent schools that don’t neatly align with his religious preference. His discriminatory and ignorant comment concerning a potential Muslim charter is a perfect illustration," said Gov. Stitt. "The creation of St. Isadore’s is a win for religious and education freedom in Oklahoma. We want parents to be able to choose the education that is best for their kids, regardless of income. The state shouldn’t stand in the way.

Governor Kevin Stitt

State Superintendent Ryan Walters said:

The Constitution is crystal clear on religious liberty, but that fundamental truth is lost on some people. Oklahomans hold their faith and their liberty sacred, and atheism should not be the state-sponsored religion. We should not play politics with the future of our kids through this misguided lawsuit. Oklahoma parents know what is best for their kids and deserve the most expansive system of school choice in the country so they can make the right decision for their families. The approval of St. Isidore of Seville is a landmark in the battle for educational and religious freedom, and I am proud that Oklahoma is leading the way. We will never back down.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters

St. Isidore of Seville wrote:

Attorney General Drummond's lawsuit employs the language of fear and discrimination, twists the law of religious liberty beyond recognition, and ignores the very real successes of faith based schools in our country.  Sadly, he also attempts to pit people of different faiths against each other. Religious freedom for all is a cornerstone of our society.   We are optimistic that the court will see this lawsuit for what it is: a baseless attempt to enforce exactly the kind of religious discrimination that the Supreme Court has made clear the First Amendment forbids.  We hope that the lawsuit will resolve quickly so that St. Isidore can focus instead on its critical mission to open the door to a new and innovative learning opportunity to those families and children most in need.

St. Isidore of Seville

Oklahoma Natural Gas (ONG) says that natural gas service has safely been restored to residents at the Penn Station Apartments on Saturday afternoon.

Utilities had been shut off at the apartment complex on Friday night as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

UPDATE @ 10:00 P.M.

News 4's Ashley Moss provided updates live on the scene following a three-alarm fire at the Penn Station Apartments that left two people with severe injuries on Friday night.

The two adult victims—one man and one woman—were treated for smoke inhalation before being transported to the hospital in critical condition.

Families from 16 units at the apartment complex are currently displaced due to the heavy structural damage.

"When our firefighters were making the rescue, we had a large ball of fire, the ceiling collapsed [and] the majority of the fire was in the attic," said District Chief Scott Douglas with the OKCFD.

Community action organizations, including the American Red Cross, are currently on the scene to help the displaced families find a safe place to sleep for the night.

UPDATE @ 8:33 P.M.

District Chief Scott Douglas with OKCFD says the firefighter who was evaluated for injuries is alert and oriented, and their injuries were due to the flames.

UPDATE @ 8:18 P.M.

OKCFD stated in an update that the fire is officially out and was contained to one building.

Two adult victims who were rescued from a window are being transported to the hospital in critical condition, and one firefighter is currently being evaluated for injuries.

ORIGINAL STORY

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — The Oklahoma City Fire Department is responding to a three-alarm apartment fire near North Pennsylvania Avenue and Northwest 122nd Street.

News 4 has a crew at the scene and will provide updates as they become available.

This is a developing story.

"The best thing that can happen from it is conversations,” said the center’s director of collections Jeff Briley. “What are we going to say to each other? What is going to be the end result of this?"

The exhibit is called Trust and Betrayal in Osage Country.

"We wanted to give visitors to the museum a little bit of an overview and an opportunity to discover other resources, but also see some material culture items from the Osage of the last century,” Briley said.

The pocket exhibit as it’s called gives a glimpse into the story of dozens of horrific murders of Osage Native Americans in the 1920s.

Some research suggests hundreds may have been killed as local authorities didn’t investigate most of the crimes. But the exhibit also discusses the paradox of the state at the time of the murders. Specifically, it details that with the creation of our state flag by a young artist from Ponca City named Louise Fluke’s. She entered into a statewide contest to design it. She ended up using Osage leader Black Dog II shield on it in what we see today as Oklahoma’s state flag. The original from well over 100 years ago is also on display.

"So the idea that, on the one hand, we're cherishing the indigenous peoples of Oklahoma and across the county line, the FBI is just into their first year of this investigation of what is horrible on a truly monumental scale,” Briley said.

Other items and narratives are also on display. However, Briley said the goal isn’t to retell the whole reign of terror story over again. As he originally said, it’s only to start conversations and keep them going.

"It will open these pathways to good conversation and a more realistic understanding is everything we want,” he said.

The exhibit will be on display in the ONEOK Inc. gallery until March 1, 2024.

For more information, visit okhistory.org.

"To be targeted and be shot at, it's kind of crazy," said Genaro Sexton, who lives nearby.

Residents at a northwest Oklahoma City apartment complex are relieved the officer was only slightly injured.

Genaro Sexton was walking home from the gym when the chaos unfolded.

"It was very, very hectic," said Sexton.

Documents show the shooting was not random, but that Wilson planned to "pop a cop" in retaliation.

Wilson claims this was for his cousin who was shot by police in Cleveland County.

Sexton served in the Army for seven years and he said he's seen it all, but never expected this.

"I was absolutely floored when I heard it was really targeted that cop," said Sexton.

The arrest affidavit revealed Wilson was on a mission, stating he went to a gas station that day earlier with a friend and stood in line behind a police officer.

According to the document, the friend had to convince Wilson to not shoot the officer.

Hours later, Wilson opened fire and an officer's arm was hit by shrapnel.

"We're very fortunate, very thankful that nobody was seriously injured in this," said MSgt. Gary Knight.

Wilson is now sitting in jail facing multiple charges, including shooting with intent to kill.

Sexton said it brings him major comfort knowing Wilson is in custody.

"It does give you a peace of mind knowing that the coverage of the cops involved did everything they could to catch this criminal and to get them off the street," said Sexton.

The new report from the FBI shows hate crimes against the Jewish community averaged just over 1,000 nationally.

But here in Oklahoma, there have been a total of 2,000 anti-Semitic hate crimes. That's nearly double the national average.  

“It’s tough, it’s really hard to see it,” said Rachel Johnson, executive director of The Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City. 

The Oklahoma City Jewish community is already on high alert after the attack on Israel. 

Unfortunately, they’ve been experiencing hate firsthand. 

“The Jewish community has seen a rise in anti-Semitic incidents. Not all of those have been hate crimes because there are different variables to what actually qualifies as a hate crime,” said Johnson. 

Earlier this year, News 4 reported many residents in Oklahoma City neighborhoods were finding hateful, anti-Semitic fliers on the foot of their driveways. 

Several different notes contained anti-Semitic messages casting Jews as villains destroying society and promoting things like pornography and financial scandals. 

Neighbors told News 4 they were worried it would lead to violence.  

“This kind of hate can beget consequences, and those consequences have the potential for violence. Hopefully, nothing will happen,” said Jon Lundeen, who found anti-Semitic messages on driveway. 

Rachel Johnson with the Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City said they’ve been dealing with this issue since the start of this year, and unfortunately, things are only getting worse. 

“Unfortunately, in just this amount of time even, through the first half of the year we really saw that our numbers kind of doubled from last year. So, I’m sure it will just keep increasing,” said Johnson. 

Johnson said the hate has taken a toll on the community. 

“We really just try to come together as a community with our interfaith leaders and other community members just to show that there are more of us that are trying to spread good and there are those trying to spread bad,” said Johnson. 

The Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office weighed in on the topic on Friday. 

“The state’s statute is very clear; you can't target somebody violently or for harassment solely based on the person’s race, color, religion, ancestry national origin or disability,” said Aaron Brilbeck, public information office with the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office. 

The Oklahoma County Sheriff's Office says hate crimes come with a cost. 

“If a person is convicted of a hate crime, they can face up to a $1,000 fine, it's a misdemeanor and up to one year in prison,” said Brilbeck.  

The Jewish Federation of Greater Oklahoma City asks if you see this in your neighborhood to report it to them or the Anti-Defamation League.   

You can also report it to your local police.   

The other two big categories hate crime falls under here in Oklahoma are race and sexual orientation. 

It will be an apartment complex with amenities through the buildings; 265 residential units along with retail stores, restaurants and more.

The Harlow will offer a bunch of amenities to its residents starting in the basement with apartments, retail shops and restaurants.

The second floor will have amenities like a movie theater, and on the top floor, residents will be wanting to look out on the balcony over downtown OKC.

"We've got one bedrooms, two bedrooms, a tremendous amount of amenities," Richard Tanenbaum, building owner said. "We do theaters, we do bowling alleys in the lower level."

Workspaces, retail stores a dog park ad so much more is being put into the new Harlow apartment complex in downtown Oklahoma City.

"It's really spectacular," Tanenbaum said. "We put one in the Presley. The residents absolutely love it; and besides, you're downtown. You're one block from Myriad Gardens. You're two blocks from this Retail Park. All of downtown is the amenity."

Two historic buildings, getting a new look while also keeping some original structures together to give it the perfect mix of history and modern day.

"This was named after Jean Harlow, the 1920 movie star, and the decor is going to be like The Great Gatsby," Tanenbaum said.

He adds that this is going to be a place that everyone wants to be at.

"Once you live here, you're not going to want to leave," Tanenbaum said.

Construction has began and the first building is expected to be done in March of 2025. The second building is expected to be done by June of 2025.

Since the overturn of Roe v. Wade, unexpected pregnancies have left some scrambling for options.

But in Oklahoma City, for more than a century there has been one resource used by countless families to facilitate adoption.

It's one many have turned to, particularly recently.

Countless lives have been changed by the services provided at Deaconess Pregnancy and Adoption, including some of those who help others seeking resources.

"We adopted our daughter in July of 2012," said David Quirk, who adopted his daughter Hannah through Deaconess. "This place created our family and that's what I'm grateful for."

In fact, Deaconess Pregnancy and Adoption is so close to Quirk's heart he now works there, helping families just like they helped his own.

"The way Deaconess approaches adoption is a lifelong process for all the parties," Quirk said. 

That process, Deaconess says, can start as early as six weeks into the pregnancy - or as late as in the hospital after the baby's born.

"Helping women understand what their choices are because I think they deserve to understand what options they have," said DPA Executive Director Heather Hails.

Hails says calls to the agency about those options have increased since the overturning of Roe. vs. Wade.

"In the spring of this year, we saw a large increase in calls," Hails told News 4. "We've continued to see calls from earlier on in pregnancy, which I think may be connected to those changes."

The free service allows expectant women to choose the adoptive family & the child's name.

They're directed to prenatal care services.

Adoptive families cover the cost of birth, and up until they go to court to finalize the adoption, expectant mothers can decide to parent.

No matter the choice, counseling is still available for all parties after birth.

"Our agency is a framework of lifelong care," said Hails. "We don't view adoption as this one time experience or a transaction. It is really a journey that families and women go on."

We should emphasize, while calls from expectant women are up, Deaconess is not claiming that adoptions are up.

In fact, only about one in six women who seek their services decide on adoption and their wait list of families hoping to adopt is long.

Hails says their services for adoptive families, including legal and medical costs, range from $20,000 to $24,000.

That's about half of the national average price, split up over time and there can be grant options to help. 

Deaconess is holding a gala on November 2 to help raise funds for their services.

You can find more on that here. 

Attorney General Gentner Drummond brought the suit against the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board for approving what would be the nation's first religious charter school funded by public tax dollars.

“The board members who approved this contract have violated the religious liberty of every Oklahoman by forcing us to fund the teachings of a specific religious sect with our tax dollars,” Drummond said.

“Today, Oklahomans are being compelled to fund Catholicism. Because of the legal precedent created by the Board’s actions, tomorrow we may be forced to fund radical Muslim teachings like Sharia law. In fact, Governor Stitt has already indicated that he would welcome a Muslim charter school funded by our tax dollars. That is a gross violation of our religious liberty. As the defender of Oklahoma’s religious freedoms, I am prepared to litigate this issue to the United States Supreme Court if that’s what is required to protect our Constitutional rights.”

Earlier this week, the chairman of the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board refused to sign the contract allowing the nation's first religious online public charter school because it was "unconstitutional."

Dr. Robert Franklin said he was adamant that the school, paid for by Oklahoma tax dollars, was not legal.

“I signed an oath that said I would uphold the state’s constitution. And this contract I feel violates that,” said Franklin. “It also violates the charter school law.”

In June, the board voted 3-2 to approve the application for St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual Charter School.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and Diocese of Tulsa attempted application approval earlier this year.

“The Charter School Act is pretty clear that you cannot establish a charter school with religious affiliation or religious curriculum,” said Karen Heineman, with the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

Brett Farley is the executive director of Catholic Conference of Oklahoma. He said the school would run like a Catholic school and simply be another option for parents.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma told News 4 Tuesday that they signed the contract and were not waiting on the board to move forward, stating that their next step was “to continue the process of building the school in preparation for our planned launch in the Fall of 2024.”

The lawsuit was filed with the Oklahoma State Supreme Court and says the state Constitution expressly prohibits "sectarian control" of public schools.

The suit also says the proposed school impinges on religious liberty by violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

You may remember in 2016 Oklahoma voters overwhelmingly rejected amending the state Constitution which would have allowed public money to be used by sectarian organizations.

“We applaud Attorney General Drummond for his efforts to protect church-state separation and public education in Oklahoma. The law is clear: Charter schools are public schools that must be secular and serve all students. St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School plans to discriminate against students, families, and staff and indoctrinate students into one religion. Allowing a religious public charter school like St. Isidore to operate would be a sea change for our democracy.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State

“Attorney General Drummond's lawsuit employs the language of fear and discrimination, twists the law of religious liberty beyond recognition, and ignores the very real successes of faith based schools in our country. Sadly, he also attempts to pit people of different faiths against each other. Religious freedom for all is a cornerstone of our society.

We are optimistic that the court will see this lawsuit for what it is: a baseless attempt to enforce exactly the kind of religious discrimination that the Supreme Court has made clear the First Amendment forbids. We hope that the lawsuit will resolve quickly so that St. Isidore can focus instead on its critical mission to open the door to a new and innovative learning opportunity to those families and children most in need.”

St. Isidore of Seville Virtual School

In addition to the new lawsuit filed against the Statewide Virtual Charter School Board, the Americans United for Separation of Church and State as well as several other groups filed a separate lawsuit in June.

"We're really upset about St. Isidore because we're really worried for our nation and our democracy. What's happening with the approval of the nation's first religious public charter school is un-American. A breach of church, state separation and the undermining of our public schools and, you know, honestly, it's happening here in Oklahoma right now. But tomorrow it could happen everywhere, all across the country," said the President and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Rachel Laser on Friday.

Laser told KFOR Americans United is not against faith, but it is against protecting each individuals freedom of religion.

"Our public schools are state government sort of machines really, that, you know, have a lot of power and need to uphold our country's promise of religious freedom, which is guaranteed by our First Amendment and guaranteed by the Oklahoma state constitution. The Oklahoma state constitution actually states that public schools have to be nonsectarian, non-religious, and also states that taxpayer dollars can't fund religion," explained Laser.

She added litigation is part of the path to stopping St. Isidore from fully taking flight, but said Oklahomans need to project their voices.

"The people across this country, not just the people in Oklahoma, [need] to wake up to how serious these threats are, not just to church, state separation, but to our public schools and to our democracy," said Laser. "I think religious extremists have been playing the long game, trying to take tax dollars for religious indoctrination, trying to divert tax dollars to private religious education and religious extremists. And their lawmaker allies have been emboldened by recent Supreme Court decisions. The ultra conservative majority on the Supreme Court has ruled many times in recent years to undermine church, state separation in the realm of public schools."

Laser said she believes AU and the other groups involved have a strong case against St. Isidore.

"It's so clear from [Oklahoma] law that charter schools are public schools. It's so clear in our Constitution that public schools have to be non-sectarian. I think that's why you're seeing your Republican Attorney General say absolutely not," stated Laser.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters released the following statement on Friday regarding the lawsuit:

The Constitution is crystal clear on religious liberty, but that fundamental truth is lost on some people. Oklahomans hold their faith and their liberty sacred, and atheism should not be the state-sponsored religion. We should not play politics with the future of our kids through this misguided lawsuit.

Oklahoma parents know what is best for their kids and deserve the most expansive system of school choice in the country so they can make the right decision for their families. The approval of St. Isidore of Seville is a landmark in the battle for educational and religious freedom, and I am proud that Oklahoma is leading the way. We will never back down.

State Superintendent Ryan Walters

But most of those folks didn't go too far. The No. 1 destination for people leaving the Sooner State was just across the Red River. The Census estimates about 24,000 people made the move from Oklahoma to Texas last year.

Continuing that trend, the second and third most popular states for people leaving Oklahoma were other neighboring states: Kansas and Arkansas. About 6,500 former Oklahoma residents went north, while 6,000 went east.

Even the fourth and fifth most popular destinations share a border with Oklahoma, albeit smaller ones. About 4,500 people moved from Oklahoma to Colorado, and 3,500 moved to Missouri, according to the data.

The least likely destinations for Oklahomans leaving the state were Delaware, Maine, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont.

The new data comes the U.S. Census Bureau’s annual American Community Survey. The survey happens more frequently than the official Census and gives people a better idea of changes happening in their community year to year.

But even with tens of thousands of people hopping across Oklahoma's many borders, the state saw more people move in than move out last year. An estimated 118,000 people relocated to Oklahoma. Continuing the trend of neighborly love, more than 26,000 new arrivals were from Texas.

According to officials, the Pawhuska Fire Department responded to call regarding a car fire around 5 p.m. Thursday afternoon. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered the fire spread to the attic of Assistant Principal Chief RJ Walker's home.

PFD says the Pawhuska Police Department and the Osage Nation also responded to the fire. The Osage Nation even helped provide water to fight the fire.

Officials say the fire took a while to knock down because the it was at its largest in the attic. Firefighters had a hard time reaching the attic safely to put out the fire and continued working until around midnight.

A gun safe and some valuables were removed before the fire spread. PFD was also able to keep the fire away from part of the house where many of Walker's family's valuables and personal items were, officials say.

Both Pawhuska FD and the Osage Nation confirm the family is okay.