Latest news with #Munson
CBS News
05-05-2025
- CBS News
Denver increases police presence downtown with Mounted Patrol
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston says the city is making progress on its goal to reduce crime. The mayor's office is touting a 63% reduction in firearm-related homicides and a 56% drop in homicides overall. The mayor's Downtown Safety Plan, announced just last month, aims to continue that trend. The Denver Police Mounted Patrol CBS The plan includes increased police and outreach resources along the 16th Street Mall, so the mayor is designating Denver Police's Mounted Patrol downtown. The officers and their horses work together to curb crime and engage with the public. "We're the Wild West, and so having the Mounted Patrol just re-instills that," said Sgt. Austen Munson, who oversees DPD's Mounted Patrol unit. The unit is one of the last of its kind in Colorado, with officers on horseback patrolling the city and engaging with the community. "They start asking questions about our horses, they'll pet them," said Officer Aaron Carson, who's served with the unit the last four years, "and then they'll start asking questions of us, like, 'Hey, I saw this thing in my neighborhood the other day, what do you think about that?'" Carson's horse, Ollie, and his partner's named Max, aren't just conversation starters – they're crime stoppers. Just recently, Carson said they were called to a park near the mall where a woman was threatening people with a knife. The Denver Police Mounted Patrol CBS "We came up to her on our horses and she dropped the knife just like that," said Carson with a snap of his fingers. "I think seeing the horses was just something different that person hadn't seen before, and it just de-escalated it immediately without me even saying anything. She saw the horse and just dropped it." While the mounted patrol is nothing new, they do have a renewed presence downtown as part of the mayor's directive to improve public safety. "When we look at the stats, it looks like crime is trending downward. But, I understand that when we have incidents that occur on the mall, that perception is really what we need to address," said Munson. "So, having our mounted patrol down here, having officers visible really addresses that perception of feeling safe." Members of the six-person, five-horse unit are out on the mall several days a week, as well as for big events like the Nuggets' NBA Playoffs run. "As it gets busier down here, having them at that higher vantage point allows them to see things that officers at the ground level may not," Munson said. The Denver Police Mounted Patrol on the 16th Street Mall. CBS Denver may be part of the Wild West, just not too wild… at least when the DPD Mounted Patrol rides in. "Whether you're up to no good or not, or whether you have the best of intentions, just seeing these [horses] makes you think," Carson said.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cyndi Munson joins in race for Oklahoma governor: Who's running so far? What to know
The list of candidates for Oklahoma's next governor is growing as the first Democrat jumped into the race Tuesday. Democrat and Oklahoma House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson is the latest to announce a bid for the office in an effort to improve life for all Oklahomans. Munson joins four Republicans running for governor: former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former House Speaker Charles McCall and businesswoman Leisa Mitchell Haynes. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt's second term ends in January of 2027. Here's what you need to know about the candidates and the election for the next governor. So far, five people have announced their candidacy for Oklahoma's next governor. They are: House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, Republican Former Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall, Republican Choctaw resident and entrepreneur Leisa Mitchell Haynes, Republican Former State Sen. Mike Mazzei Munson, who represents Oklahoma City's 85th House district, was raised in Lawton. Before going into politics, Munson worked in the nonprofit sector, including for the Girl Scouts of Western Oklahoma. Munson became the first Asian-American woman elected to the Oklahoma legislature in 2015, when she beat Republican nominee Chip Carter in a special election for the empty House District 85 seat. She has since won reelection five times. She graduated from college, the first in her family to do so, with a bachelor's in political science from the University of Central Oklahoma. Drummond was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma and raised east of Hominy on the Drummond Ranch in Osage County. He has an extensive history in the legal realm, having served as assistant district attorney in Osage and Pawnee Counties and founding his own law firm, Drummond Law, in 1998. Drummond also served as a U.S. Air Force jet pilot during the Persian Gulf War. Drummond was sworn in as Attorney General of Oklahoma on Jan. 9, 2023. McCall, a Republican and fifth-generation Atoka resident, served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 2012 to 2024, serving as Speaker of the House from 2016 on. He was the longest-serving Speaker of the House in Oklahoma. Outside of politics, McCall is a community banker, which led him to focus on "getting the state's fiscal house in order," according to his House biography. He is the CEO and Board Chairman of AmeriState Bank in Atoka, a fourth-generation family bank. McCall also served as Mayor of Atoka from 2005 to 2012, and previously held tenures as Chairman of the Atoka City Industrial Development Authority, Chairman of the Lake Atoka Reservation Association and Vice Chairman of the McGee Creek Authority. He received his bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Oklahoma, and later completed University of Colorado in Boulder's Graduate School of Banking. Haynes was the first to announce her bid for governor, making the official announcement in July of 2024. The Choctaw resident holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Central Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in communications from East Central University. She worked for Oklahoma Department of Commerce as the assistant state director from 1989 to 2001, according to LinkedIn, and she has also owned a small business with eight employees, according to her campaign website. She also has served as a city manager in Mangum and Tuttle and in New Mexico, according to the McCurtain Gazette. Haynes has been married for 30 years and has three children. Mazzei, a Republican from Tulsa, served 12 years in the Senate before he was term-limited. While a Senator, Mazzei advocated for tax cuts, pension reform and reducing ineffective tax credits, according to Oklahoma Voice. Mazzei, a financial planner and the founder and CEO of Trinity Strategic Wealth, also served two years as budget secretary for Gov. Stitt. He also previously ran for Oklahoma treasurer, dropping out of the race in 2021 due to a conflict with his employer. Mazzei holds a bachelor's in government and politics from George Mason University and a master's in personal financial planning from the College for Financial Planning. Primary elections for the 2026 general election are scheduled for June 16, 2026. The general election is held on Nov. 3, 2026. Candidates aren't official until they file for the election. However, there is not a date set yet for candidate filing. No one can serve as governor for more than eight years, which don't need to be consecutive, according to the Oklahoma Constitution. However, if someone serves as governor for less than a full term to fill a vacancy, it is not included in the eight-year term limit. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Cyndi Munson announces bid for Oklahoma governor: Who's running so far?
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
State Rep. Cyndi Munson announces campaign for Governor of Oklahoma
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – House Democratic Leader Representative Cyndi Munson announced her run for Governor of Oklahoma on Tuesday. 'I'm here today because Oklahoma and its leaders invested in me,' said Rep. Munson. 'I want Oklahoma to be a state that continues to invest in its people and help everyone who works toward their dreams.' LOCAL NEWS: OSDE offers up to $20K signing bonus for special education teachers Officials say she has led the bipartisan effort to revoke state sales tax on groceries and fought for more funding for public schools. The announcement comes after both Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond and former Speaker of the House Charles McCall announced they're running for governor in 2026. 'I'm not what you would call a 'typical candidate' for Governor,' said Munson. 'I work for a living. I pay my student loans, I rent my house, and I know what it is like to live within a budget. I feel the pressure of rising costs of our daily necessities. I don't come from a wealthy family. I'm not an extremist. I have a proven track record of working across the aisle to get things done and won't pander to Washington, DC politicians who only want to continue deepening our political divide.' Munson is the first Democrat to announce her bid for governor. Four Republicans have officially announced their intention to run for governor: Charles McCall, Gentner Drummond, Mike Mazzei, and Leisa Mitchell Haynes. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House Democrat leader announces run for Oklahoma governor
House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, D-Oklahoma City, announces herself as a candidate for Oklahoma governor in the 2026 election on Tuesday outside the state Capitol. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY — Democrat House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson announced she'll run for governor in 2026 during a campaign event outside the state Capitol Tuesday. Munson, 39, of Oklahoma City, was first elected to the Oklahoma House in 2015 as the first Asian-American woman in the state Legislature. She said she will continue to serve in her role as House Minority Leader until her term ends in 2026. 'I'm going to spend the next year-and-a-half traveling our beautiful state, listening to people and asking them what's important to them,' she said. 'I want to know what they love about Oklahoma and what they think we can do better, because that is what this campaign is about, the people of our great state, and that is what I will carry with me as your next governor.' She filed paperwork with the Oklahoma Ethics Commission on Monday. Munson is the only Democrat to announce a bid for governor during the 2026 election cycle thus far, but already faces opposition from a crowded Republican field that includes Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former House Speaker Charles McCall, former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, and Leisa Mitchell Haynes of Choctaw. Gov. Kevin Stitt, a Republican, cannot run again due to term limits. She said she was the first Democrat to flip her seat from Republican, and plans to use the same strategy of listening to Oklahomans regardless of their political affiliation in her campaign for governor. 'I know I'm not what you would call a typical candidate for governor. I work for a living, I pay my student loans, I rent my house, and I know what it is like to live within a budget,' she said. 'I feel the pressure of rising costs of our daily necessities. I don't come from a wealthy family. I'm not beholden to any political party. I'm not an extremist. I have a proven track record of working across the aisle to get things done and won't pander to Washington D.C. politicians who only want to continue deepening our political divide. And as your next governor, I will fight for the things that will help everyday Oklahomans.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrat Cyndi Munson announces bid for Oklahoma governor against growing field of Republicans
Oklahoma's gubernatorial race drew its first Democrat on Tuesday when state Rep. Cyndi Munson, the minority leader in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, announced she was seeking the post. Munson, 39, joins four Republicans seeking the post, including former state Sen. Mike Mazzei, Attorney General Gentner Drummond, former House Speaker Charles McCall and businesswoman Leisa Mitchell Haynes. In an interview with The Oklahoman, Munson said she wanted to be governor to improve life for all Oklahomans. The Oklahoma City lawmaker said she believed the 2026 governor's race should be about the issues facing people in Oklahoma and not just federal politics. "I think economic challenges are going to prevail," she said. "Those are still going to be concerns for Oklahomans. And I think they (state residents) are ready to hear from a normal Oklahoman who understands living paycheck to paycheck." More: McCall, others announced their 2026 bid for Oklahoma governor: Who's running? What to know More: Despite tweet from governor, state Democrats and Republicans tout cooperating on lawmaking She said she believes state voters have been frightened by how politicized both state and national issues have become. "With everything that is happening on the federal level there is so much uncertainty," she said. "What you see happening on the state government right now, almost every statewide leader is vying for the president's attention and looking at national politics versus listening to what Oklahomans have to say." Munson said cultural war issues have sidelined more important issues such as increasing teacher pay and making college more affordable. Munson said she also wants to address the state's infrastructure needs and improve roads and highways. "I've spent way too much money on car tires," she said. As one of the younger candidates in the contest, Munson, who turns 40 in May, said she's ready for the hard work. She said she was good at building relationships and connecting with people with different ideas. "You have to sometimes put some of your differences away and figure out where you have common ground," she said. "I think I have been able to do that. I get it that there will be moments where they (Republicans) want to fight me. But they fight the current governor who is in their party right now — that's not unusual." Munson faces several serious challenges to become governor. The last time Oklahomans elected a Democratic governor was in 2006, when voters reelected then-Gov. Brad Henry to a second term. Republicans have held a majority in the Oklahoma Legislature for more than 20 years. Currently, Democrats hold 20 seats in the Oklahoma House of Representatives to the GOP's 81. In the state Senate, Democrats hold eight seats to the Republicans' 40. Those numbers, however, don't worry Munson. Munson said she was ready for the fight. "I love a challenge," she said. "In a state like Oklahoma where people think that Democrats can't win or can't retain their seats or that they have no resources or no infrastructure — we can overcome those challenges and make a way and hopefully change some minds throughout the country." Oklahomans will return to the polls next year to decide the state's next governor. The primary election is scheduled for June 16, 2026, with the general election set for Nov. 23, 2026. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Democrat Cyndi Munson will run for Oklahoma governor in 2026
