Here's what you need to know about the judges on the 2024 ballot

It's voting time, and you're likely here because you don't want to be surprised when you see twelve judges and justices on your ballot that you know nothing about. Thanks for dropping by!

If you've ever done the frustrating task of searching for information on these courts and judges, I feel your pain. As I mentioned in previous election years, finding information on the justices and judges on the retention ballot can be a difficult task, and basic information such as their ages can be anywhere from difficult to find to completely unknown to even Google.

In this post, I'll cover the following justices and judges, which are on every Oklahoma voter's ballot:

• Supreme Court - Noma D. Gurich
• Supreme Court - Yvonne Kauger
• Supreme Court - James E. Edmondson
• Court of Criminal Appeals - William J. Musseman
• Court of Criminal Appeals - Scott Rowland
• Court of Criminal Appeals - David B. Lewis
• Court of Civil Appeals - James R. Huber
• Court of Civil Appeals - Timothy J. Downing
• Court of Civil Appeals - Thomas E. Prince
• Court of Civil Appeals - Robert Bobby Bell
• Court of Civil Appeals - E Bay Mitchell, III
• Court of Civil Appeals - Brian Jack Goree

Take a look: Aurora photos from the Muskogee area

Photo credit: Becky Faught near Sequoyah Bay State Park

If you didn't go out to look at the display of Aurora Borealis Thursday night, you missed out on a real treat! I went "aurora chasing" with my kids in the evening and we got to get our first glimpse of the Northern Lights up near Sequoyah Bay State Park.

Social media has been flooded with photos from all over the country. Auroras were sighted as far south as central Mexico and the Caribbean. You can view a large gallery of photos from around the world here at SpaceWeather.com's realtime aurora gallery (lots of pages of pictures there).

I posted on Facebook and Twitter, asking for local residents to submit photos that they took, and here are some of the Muskogee-area shots. A big thanks to all who responded! If you have additional photos you'd like to submit, send me an email at JamisonFaught@MuskogeePolitico.com, or reply on Facebook or on Twitter/X. 

Aurora alert: go outside after dark and look, Oklahoma!

UPDATE: view Thursday night's aurora photos from the Muskogee area in this post!

From @RyanHanrahan this evening in CT

The coronal mass ejection from Tuesday's X-class solar flare slammed into Earth's magnetic field hours ago, triggering a severe geomagnetic storm, and the Aurora Borealis ("Northern Lights") have already been sighted this evening as far south as the Bahamas! If you live in Oklahoma and want to see this tremendous atmospheric wonder, go outside and look to the north when it gets dark!

The geomagnetic storm is likely to last all night long, with "sub-storms" of varying intensity shifting auroras all over the map. 

Aurora Watch: Oklahoma has a good shot at Northern Lights on Thursday

UPDATE: view Thursday night's aurora photos from the Muskogee area in this post!

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Taken by Twitter user @Jen_McClure10 in Marlow, OK - May 10th, 2024

Heads-up, Oklahoma! Thursday night may be one of the best chances we have of seeing the Aurora Borealis ("Northern Lights") in years! As the result of a powerful solar flare, a severe geomagnetic storm is predicted for Thursday that could send auroras as far south as Alabama and Texas, or deeper.

Quick, non-scientific layman's explainer: The sun goes in regular periods of activity and inactivity. We are currently in the middle of the solar maximum portion of the current Solar Cycle 25, when the sun is frequent solar storms, flares, and sunspot. The current cycle is much more active than the previous one (2008-2019), and the past few months in particular have had several large X-class solar flares that have sent Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) in Earth's direction that have, in turn, produced geomagnetic storms with auroras sighted as far south as Arizona and Alabama. 

Group launches campaign to oust liberal justices on Oklahoma Supreme Court

We're one month out from the election, and finally, someone is actually attempting to do something about activist liberal justices on the Oklahoma Supreme Court and running a campaign to get folks to vote 'NO' on the judicial retention ballot. Since Oklahoma went to this system in the 1960s, no justice or judge has ever lost a retention vote.

Watch the ad from People for Opportunity:

A few brave State Reps decry Tinker AFB's "National Coming Out Day" event

We still have a few brave legislators willing to speak the truth:

Reps Issue Joint Statement Opposing Tinker AFB "National Coming Out Day" Event

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 7th) – A group of legislators is opposing an event at Tinker Air Force Base called "National Coming Out Day" and the affirmation that homosexuals are "born this way."

The following statement is issued by Reps. Jim Olsen, R-Roland; David Hardin, R-Stilwell; Clay Staires, R-Skiatook; Kevin West, R-Moore; Rick West, R-Heavener; and Danny Williams, R-Seminole.

"As one of the nation's most important and strategic military bases, Tinker should remain focused on our national defense and not expend taxpayer dollars to promote a lifestyle contrary to the values of the majority of Oklahomans.

State Auditor: audit shows town of Red Rock misappropriated 39% of expenditures

FORENSIC AUDIT SHOWS TOWN OF RED ROCK MISAPPROPRIATED 39% OF EXPENDITURES

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (October 1, 2024) -- Oklahoma State Auditor & Inspector [SA&I] Cindy Byrd today released her forensic audit report for the Town of Red Rock in Noble County. Auditor Byrd launched the investigation after receiving a request from District Attorney Brian Hermanson.

The SA&I investigation covered a five-year period between January 1, 2019 and December 31, 2023. The audit exposed a significant number of questionable expenditures among the Town Clerk/Treasurer and Town Board members. 

OCPA column: Researchers find Oklahoma Supreme Court is liberal

Researchers find Oklahoma Supreme Court is liberal

By Jonathan Small

Oklahoma has a reputation for being one of the nation’s most conservative states with Republicans routinely elected to statewide office and the legislature, where the GOP has long held supermajorities.

But our judiciary has been well to the left of the electorate for decades, according to recent independent research.

Oklahoma Freedom Caucus supports Walters' Bibles in classroom initiative

Oklahoma Freedom Caucus Supports Bibles in Classroom Initiative

OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 2nd) – In support of bolstering educational excellence and understanding the formation of the United States, the Oklahoma Freedom Caucus (OKFC), led by Sen. Shane Jett, R-Shawnee, Rep. Jim Olsen, R-Roland, and Sen. Dusty Deevers, R-Elgin, has thrown its support behind the Bible initiative in public schools proposed by Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters.

The Freedom Caucus applauded Walters' initiative to ensure the availability of a Bible in public school classroom across the state. Walters announced last week he would include $3 million in the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request to fund the initiative.

Drummond launches Attorney General's "10 Most Wanted" campaign to capture criminals

Drummond launches Attorney General's "10 Most Wanted" campaign to capture criminals

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 25, 2024) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond launched a new campaign today to help capture some of Oklahoma’s most wanted fugitives from justice.

Drummond has partnered with the U.S. Marshals Service and other federal, tribal, state, county and local law enforcement agencies to identify 10 Most Wanted fugitives and to work to hold them accountable for their actions. Individuals on the Most Wanted list pose serious threats to public safety.

“The fugitives on this list are a threat to public safety. It is critical that we work together to hold these individuals accountable for their alleged crimes,” Drummond said. “We hope to enlist the help of all Oklahomans in this campaign to get these dangerous criminals off the street.”

Gann highlights suppression of license plate scanner evidence by State Court

Gann Highlights Suppression of License Plate Scanner Evidence by State Court

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 30th) – Rep. Tom Gann, R-Inola, has taken notice of what he believes is the first of many actions by Oklahoma courts to suppress evidence obtained from license plate scanners.

“The decision will place many cases against perpetrators of criminal acts in jeopardy,” Gann explained.

According to Gann, the issue arises from local government entities entering into contracts with a nationwide big-tech firm, Flock, to install 24/7 vehicle scanning technology—despite such actions being prohibited by Oklahoma law.

“When the government uses these devices to scan every passing vehicle, they are violating Oklahoma law. This puts every resulting conviction in jeopardy,” Gann stated.

AFP-OK testifies against non-November School Board elections

AFP-OK Testifies Against Non-November School Board Elections

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (October 3rd) - In case you missed it, Americans for Prosperity-Oklahoma (AFP-OK) Deputy Director Bradley Ward, Ph.D., testified during a state House of Representatives interim study on Tuesday to advocate for moving Oklahoma's school board elections to align with state and federal elections. 

Ward argued that Oklahoma's laws requiring standalone school board elections earlier in the year is a waste of money - nearly $17 million - that could instead fund education.