PM NewsBrief: Sept. 26, 2023

Voters To Decide Proposed Arena For OKC ThunderOklahoma City voters will decide in December whether taxpayer funds go toward a nearly $1 billion arena.The Oklahoma City Council voted today to put taxpayer funding for a new OKC Thunder arena on the ballot in a special election Dec. 12.Mayor David Holt’s proposal for the new arena promises to keep the Thunder in Oklahoma City for another 25 years. The team’s current long-term agreement ended earlier this year, but they’ve agreed to stay if a new arena is built.An OK Progress Now-funded campaign called buyyourownarena.com is asking the owners of the Thunder to pay for the new arena.Communications director Nick Singer told reporters the proposal is an unfair bargain for taxpayers at a city hall news conference.“We need to demand a better deal. We need to ask the owners of the Thunder, who are fantastically wealthy, deep ties to Oklahoma, generational businesses here, to pay their fair share and buy their own arena,” Singer said.The new arena would cost at least $900 million to build, with $70 million planned to come from MAPS 4 funds and $50 million from the owners of the team.The remaining funds would come from a 72-month one-cent sales tax.Longhorn Gored Man In Wildlife RefugeA 75-year-old man is recovering after being gored by a longhorn in a wildlife refuge over the weekend.Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge officials say the man was out listening to Elk bugling when he got too close to a longhorn.Refuge officials urge the public to heed the warning signs around the refuge and listen to guidance given by staff.Free range longhorn and bison are dangerous.Officials say visitors to the refuge must be aware of their surroundings and keep a safe distance away, when observing wildlife.They want to remind the public about the rule of thumb, which is that if you can’t cover up the entire animal with your thumb outstretched at arm’s length, then you are too close.U.S. Department of Labor Investigation Into McAlester Work SiteThe U.S. Department of Labor accuses a contractor in southeast Oklahoma of exposing employees to a hazardous work environment.Investigators found a project manager and other workers employed by Rocking L Dozer and Land Management LLC could have prevented a trench collapse that fatally injured one of their workers at a McAlester work site in May.According to a news release from the Department of Labor, workers were putting down gravel around a newly replaced sewer line in a 10-foot deep excavation when the trench collapsed.OSHA investigators found that by not following federal safety standards for trenching and excavation work - the company exposed employees to trench hazards.The agency has proposed more than $82,000 in penalties.The contracting company has 15 business days to comply with the penalties or contest the findings.Election Results For Muscogee NationMuscogee Nation Principal Chief David Hill will return for another four years in office.Chief Hill faced several challengers in the primary that concluded last week, but ultimately walked away with more than 58% of the votes.The results weren't official until last Friday - the last day anyone could file a challenge.Second Chief Del Beaver will also get another four years in office with more than 67% of the vote.Mvskoke Media's Angel Ellis says voter turnout was low.“A lot of people tend to have this attitude of, well, maybe I'm too busy at the primary and I won't bother until we decide in the general. Well, that kind of mentality often can lead to just other people making the decision for you, like this time,” El