10. Driving one of Canoo’s electric vehicles with company CEO Tony Aquila
June 13
As part of The Frontier’s ongoing coverage of the electric vehicle startup Canoo, we sent Executive Editor Dylan Goforth and Staff Writer Clifton Adcock to test-drive a car. They found a mostly empty factory in Arkansas and got to visit with the company’s colorful chief executive. Oklahoma has offered the company a lucrative package of job creation incentives as well as a no-bid contract to buy state vehicles.
9. Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen sometimes charged extra fees as part of a costly restaurant overhaul at state parks
April 15
A Frontier investigation found that Oklahoma’s operator for restaurants at state parks sometimes padded invoices, inflating prices for some items and charging extra fees. A criminal investigation was launched and the state director of tourism resigned.
8. GOP contender for Oklahoma’s only open congressional seat says he would vote ‘no’ on most bills
Aug. 24
We profiled Josh Brecheen after he defeated Avery Frix in a runoff, leaving him an easy path to victory for Oklahoma’s Second Congressional seat in the November general election. Brecheen won with the help of the anti-tax Club for Growth and its affiliate School Freedom Fund, which spent over $3.5 million in support of his campaign against Frix.
7. Oklahoma is prosecuting pregnant women for using medical marijuana
Sept. 13
The Frontier found 26 women charged with felony child neglect in Oklahoma since 2019 for using marijuana during their pregnancies. The crime can carry a term of up to life in prison in Oklahoma, though previous defendants pleaded guilty and received probation. At least eight of the women had medical marijuana cards, meaning they could legally use the substance with a doctor’s recommendation.
6. Oklahoma’s Attorney General is investigating whether 51 books violate state obscenity law
Feb. 22
The Frontier broke the news that Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor was reviewing dozens of books found in public school libraries to determine whether they violated state obscenity law. The books included many classics like Of Mice and Men and Lord of the Flies. O’Connor later dropped his investigation after public outcry.
5. We fact-checked the Oklahoma governor’s debate between Kevin Stitt and Joy Hofmeister
Oct. 21
A clip of Gov. Kevin Stitt pushing back against challenger Joy Hofmeister’s claim that violent crime was on the rise went viral on social media. We fact-checked both candidates and found multiple dubious statements.
4. Seeking to boost the image of state parks, Oklahoma tourism officials sank millions into a private restaurant venture
March. 17
The Frontier broke the story that state tourism officials had paid an Oklahoma company millions of dollars to operate a chain of restaurants at state parks with little oversight.
3. She was charged with manslaughter after a miscarriage. Cases like hers are becoming more common in Oklahoma
Jan. 7
A Frontier investigation found a growing number of women facing criminal charges for substance use during pregnancy in Oklahoma. Experts and health care providers say the practice can be harmful for mothers and babies, keeping women from seeking prenatal care and drug treatment.
2. Stitt gave families $8 million for school supplies in the pandemic; They bought Christmas trees, gaming consoles and hundreds of TVs
May 2
The Frontier’s joint investigation with Oklahoma Watch uncovered missteps in the state’s efforts to rapidly distribute relief money intended to help families with educational expenses as schools shut down during the pandemic.
The news organizations found families had purchased at least 548 TVs worth $191,000. Families also bought pressure washers, car stereo equipment, coffee makers, exercise gear and smart watches.
1. State asks U.S. Supreme Court to uphold conviction in ‘Innocent Man’ case
Jan. 24
The Frontier broke the news that the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office had asked the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the conviction of Karl Fontenot in the 1984 murder of an Ada convenience store worker. Fontenot and codefendant Tommy Ward were featured in the John Grisham book and Netflix series The Innocent Man. The high court later declined to hear the case.
