Friday Dumpster Fire (2)

Here at TLO, there’s lots that runs across the newsdesk each week that, for whatever lazy excuse or reason, doesn’t get the full TLO treatment.

Instead of letting this waste away into eternal oblivion, we’re going to start sharing items in the weekly Friday Dumpster Fire – a subscribers-only collection of news stories, reader tips, and other things we’re monitoring, watching, or reading but didn’t (or haven’t) covered.

For example...

• There’s talk about the Oklahoma credentials of a fresh young politico on the scene, with some insiders already calling them the Democrats’ Paul Bondar. Always good when the résumé checks out somewhere between “inspirational newcomer” and “car rental mystery.”

• A local FitCamp instructor reportedly lost a chunk of clients after turning a workout class into a weird spiritual confessional about his personal and marital problems. Squats, burpees, and deep emotional unraveling — the holy fitness trinity.

• With Paycom laying off staff, insiders are quietly questioning whether With Paycom laying off staff, some insiders are questioning the company’s sports sponsorships.

• Hoot Industries is hosting Friendsgiving Trivia all next week! If you have friends in town and are looking for something fun to do (or want to show off your encyclopedic knowledge of 90s sitcoms), hit us up!

As always, if you have anything to add to the dumpster fire, hit us up on the TLO Tip Line at tips@thelostogle.com.

In the meantime, here are some news stories that caught our attention...

Supreme Court Appears Skeptical of Oklahoma Lawmakers’ Attempt to Usurp Citizen Rights…

The Supreme Court heard arguments in the lawsuit that challenges the legislature's attempt to take rights away from the people and sabotage citizen petition initiatives. 

The justices seemed skeptical of the idea that you can prioritize certain voters over others without trampling citizen rights and violating the state constitution. Then again, that’s just my Harvard on May armchair legal analysis. More to come.

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7-Eleven Employee Fired For Being a Badass

I get why 7-Eleven has rules against employees carrying guns, but when one uses that gun to shoot a guy who was actively trying to strangle her… maybe save the HR lecture and give her a raise.

Instead, they canned her. Maybe she can get hired as security at OnCue.

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Disgraced Ex-Attorney Now Harassing School Districts 

Rob Durbin-Poison, the infamous weed attorney who, in addition to being disbarred, is best known for his confrontational, harassing, Tasmanian Devil style of activist journalism, is turning his manic eye toward school districts. 

Even if he’s over the top, out of line, and makes a principal or two have a heart attack, I think we need the Ron Durbins of the world to both hold people accountable, and serve as a reminder to cut back on the sativa. 

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Stitt Gears Up For His Final Tribal Fight?

Kevin Stitt – the kid who insisted on being the cowboy in every childhood game, even freeze tag – is prepping for another showdown with Gentner Drummond and tribal nations. This time over which government permission slip you need to shoot an animal.

I don’t know what law means what, but I do know this: if you’re walking around rural Oklahoma with a gun looking for things to shoot, you should probably have some kind of license. Then again, this is an open-carry state, so who am I kidding?

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OU Football To Build A New Area For Rich People…

OU dropped renderings for the next phase of its stadium upgrade — and shocker — it replaces the old-school lounge with opulent suites and a private walled-off VIP enclave. Because nothing says “college football tradition” like recreating the gated communities your donors already live in.

The wall is already getting roasted online and will definitely be regretted once the first drunk donor tries to pull a Kool-Aid man when OU loses. That said, I kind of dig the dystopian vibe and can’t wait for some rich person to invite me to a game in a 50-years-out suite. Dreams do come true!

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Kroger Vans to Leave Oklahoma Roadways

Four years after they announced they were arriving in town, Kroger has fled town like a college graduate looking for good work:

Launching a grocery delivery service in a state where you don’t have any stores was always a bold — if not completely deranged — strategy. Hard to win in the land of Walmarts, Amazons, and more Walmarts. They would have been better off working out a licensing deal with Homeland or Crest. Womp womp. 

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Turnpike Authority Confuses People With Real Life Collection Letters

A couple of months ago, I got a letter in the mail from some collection agency demanding $12 in unpaid turnpike tolls. Like all the turnpike scam texts going around, I didn’t think it was legit and tossed it in the trash. 

I guess I’m not the only one... 

Janelle Stecklein at Oklahoma Voice got the same letters — thought they were fake — and then got more. Being a journalist (and not me), she checked. Turns out they’re real and the OTA just sucks at communications, billing, customer service, and pretty much everything except adding more turnpikes.

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The Oklahoma Pop Culture Museum Meets Fundraising Goal

We have good news if you’re a low-level celebrity from Oklahoma who wants to make a museum! After a long and laborious fundraising campaign, the Oklahoma Pop Culture Museum announced they mmmbopped the money needed to open:

The Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture, or OKPOP, announced Friday it reached its goal of $18 million just one day before the funding deadline.

The money will be matched by a state grant and should pave the way for the museum's long-awaited opening.

"This is it. We are moving forward. It is coming together," said Abby Kurin, managing director of OKPOP's charitable foundation.

"Now the museum team can move forward with their design-development. That will begin in early of next year, early 2026, and then they'll also move into production and fabrication."

That’s cool. I wish them the best of luck staying open, and encourage them to use one of our exhibit ideas:

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That’s it for this week. If you have a news tip, or think there’s a news story out there we need to know about, hit us up on the TLO Tip Line. 

Stay with The Lost Ogle. We’ll keep you advised.