Latest news with #OklahomaZoologicalSociety
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Quit ‘monkeying around' and pass tax cuts, Stitt tells Oklahoma Legislature
A white-faced monkey is pictured in a tree at Silvestre Cipancí Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica on May 10, 2025. (Photo by Jacob Fischler/States Newsroom) OKLAHOMA CITY – Gov. Kevin Stitt accused lawmakers of acting 'bananas' and wrote over the weekend that they needed to stop 'monkeying around' and pass tax cuts. The Republican, who has ramped up his calls for income tax cuts in recent days, appeared to try to poke fun at lawmakers as he vetoed legislation creating a special license plate benefitting the Oklahoma City Zoo. He also on Saturday signed a number of measures, including one that could ban some drag shows. Senate Bill 837 would have allowed Service Oklahoma to enter an agreement with the Oklahoma Zoological Society to use its logo. The Oklahoma Zoological Society, a nonprofit which supports the Oklahoma City Zoo, would receive not more than $20 for each plate sold. The measure, which also created a motorcycle plate for Tulsa's Greenwood Historical District and allowed $27 of the fee paid for the plate to go to the Tulsa Juneteenth Festival, was one of seven bills he vetoed on Saturday. 'It's bananas that our Legislature has time to dedicate to creating more novelty license plates but doesn't have the time to pass tax cuts,' Stitt's veto message said. 'The Legislature should stop monkeying around and address the elephant in the room. It is time to boa (sic) up and pass tax cuts.' Oklahoma has over 200 specialty license plate options ranging from those that honor the military to those supporting various colleges, occupations, groups and causes. One of those is for the Tulsa Zoo. 'The Legislature's overzealous commitment to vanity license plates has resulted in a bloated catalogue full of taxpayer funded advertisements for special interest groups,' Stitt wrote. Stitt has been pushing lawmakers to reduce the state's 4.75% income tax rate and find a way toward elimination. In the past week, he's posted social media videos praising 17 state senators, who he said support cutting taxes, and of school-aged children, being urged on by an adult, chanting 'tax cut, tax cut' on his official Facebook page. Stitt used social media to explain why he had signed other measures, including House Bill 1217, calling it a 'no brainer.' 'We are basically banning drag shows in front of kids,' Stitt said. House Bill 1217 makes it a crime to engage in adult performances that have obscenity, or permit them, on public property where a minor could view them. 'Go check out and see who voted against that bill,' Stit said. 'Crazy.' Critics said the measure is unconstitutional. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Artists wanted: Deadline nears for OKC Zoo license plate design contest
Ready to see your art hit the road? Time is running out. The Oklahoma Zoological Society has launched a design contest for a new specialty license plate in honor of the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. The deadline for submissions is Friday, Feb. 21. They're asking for talented Oklahoma-based artists to submit their original design for a license plate representing the OKC Zoo. The contest's winning design will become an official Oklahoma license plate that will help raise awareness, funds, and support for the OKC Zoo's mission. More: Oklahoma's top 10 specialty plates, from 'In God We Trust' to 'Don't Tread on Me' 'We're excited about this campaign and engaging our state's talented artists to help inspire action for the OKC Zoo,' said Mandy Heaps, OZS executive director. The OKC Zoo cares for more than 1,000 individual animals and nearly 330 species from around the world. Contest entries should be original illustrations that artistically showcase the OKC Zoo's current animal family, including anticipated additions such as African penguins coming in spring 2027 as part of the Shore to Sea exhibit that will also house California sea lions and harbor seals. Artists are encouraged to highlight Zoo wildlife that aren't currently represented in existing Oklahoma license plates. License plates designed to support other organizations already feature bison (Oklahoma Conservation Commission), monarch butterflies (Nature Conservancy of Oklahoma) and giraffes (Tulsa Zoo). "(Specialty) license plates are extremely popular and we know that people take pride in acknowledging a favorite cause or organization, and soon, they will have the opportunity to support our beloved zoo," Heaps said. "We hope this effort provides ongoing support for the zoo while creating a fun cause that generations of fans can get behind." The Oklahoma Zoological Society will form a selection committee to review all art submissions and select designs ahead of the semi-finalist round. Later this spring, the public will have an opportunity to vote on the final list of selected designs and choose their favorite to become an official Oklahoma license plate for the OKC Zoo. The winning license plate design will be revealed by May 1 and which will be available to the public for purchase at a later date. For contest guidelines and rules and to upload official art submissions, visit Contest entries will be accepted through Friday, Feb. 21. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Zoo license plate design contest deadline is Feb. 21
