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The Oklahoman's Watchdog team is a dedicated group of journalists here to expose corruption in Oklahoma. If you have any information about possible fraud, waste or abuse click on the Whistle Blower link below or call (405) 475-3322 and let us know.

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Feed The Children board fires founder Larry Jones

News | 11 hr ago | Comments

Feed The Children President Larry Jones was fired Friday from the charity he founded 30 years ago. He plans to sue to try to get his job back.
Ongoing coverage: Feed the Children

Midwest City slaying suspect’s kin say she’s mentally ill

News | 10 hr ago

A Midwest City woman who admitted killing a retired nurse after a chance encounter suffers from bipolar disorder, a boyfriend and relatives told a judge Friday. \know it: Mental Health

Pharmacist Jerome Ersland murder trial to be on TV, Internet

News | Yesterday

A judge Thursday ruled a pharmacist’s murder trial will be televised so the public can witness justice unfold in a case she says has "ignited passions” like no other case in the state.
Ongoing coverage: Pharmacy Shooting

Watchdog Stories from The Oklahoman

Midwest City slaying suspect’s kin say she’s mentally ill 10 hr ago A Midwest City woman who admitted killing a retired nurse after a chance encounter suffers from bipolar disorder, a boyfriend and relatives told a judge Friday. "She seemed to be getting worse...

Insurance, donations help cover costs for Duncan baby’s care 11 hr ago | Add a comment DUNCAN — Kayden Ward has known the kind touch of helping hands his whole life. This week, his family felt it too. Kayden’s parents and grandmother learned Tuesday that SoonerCare will...

Police allege Newalla man used 'quick draw method' in indecent exposure case 16 hr ago HARRAH - A Newalla man is accused of exposing himself using what law enforcement officials are calling the "quick draw method." Michael Scott King III, 22, was arrested Wednesday on indecent...

Pontotoc County will open a new 200-bed jail Thu, Nov 5, 2009 | Add a comment ADA — Pontotoc County Sheriff John Christian is getting a new jail for Christmas. "I’ve been in law enforcement for more than 25 years, and I never thought it would happen in my...

Oklahoma City pharmacist to face trial Thu, Nov 5, 2009 The pharmacist who fatally shot a robber was ordered Wednesday to face a murder trial. Oklahoma County Special Judge Greg Ryan agreed prosecutors had sufficient evidence against pharmacist Jerome...

Vandalism of Ada church saddens members Thu, Nov 5, 2009 ADA — Blondell Colbert said she knows racism is alive in her community, but never thought it would target her church. Threats, racial slurs and a Ku Klux Klan symbol were spray painted on the...

Fake checks hit Oklahoma victims in wallet Mon, Nov 2, 2009 | Add a comment Tom Farrier said a check that arrived in his mailbox two weeks ago at first seemed like a blessing. But it was a trap. Farrier, 47, of Oklahoma City, said his wife, Deena, received a letter mailed...

Oklahoma City woman says she’s treated like trash Mon, Nov 2, 2009 | Add a comment Copyright © 2009 The Oklahoman WEWOKA — Stephanie Sills says she has been strip-searched twice, repeatedly forced to pay for drug urinalysis tests and treated like garbage....

Larry Jones OK’d hidden mikes, Oklahoma City police told Sat, Oct 31, 2009 | Add a comment Copyright © 2009 The Oklahoman Police have been told Feed The Children founder Larry Jones authorized putting hidden microphones in the offices of three top executives, The Oklahoman has...

Duncan family is seeking money for special suits to ease swelling Fri, Oct 30, 2009 | Add a comment DUNCAN — Kayden Ward hasn’t lived long enough to know he’s different. He smiles, gurgles and flops around on his father’s knee like a normal 10-week-old boy. But he does all...

Ada school reviews wall discipline Fri, Oct 30, 2009 | Add a comment ADA — Parents who object to a school policy of lining students up against the side of the brick school house as punishment can now put their names on a list, Willard Grade Center Principal...

Oklahoma City police name suspect in OCU student’s death Fri, Oct 30, 2009 An Oklahoma City man identified by police as belonging to the Juarito street gang has been accused in a first-degree murder charge of gunning down an Oklahoma City University student in September....

Oklahoma spending Web site needs update, critics say Thu, Oct 29, 2009 | Add a comment State legislators and government watchdog groups are pushing for an enhanced version of the state’s Web site that tracks government spending. The state’s Open Books Web site was among...

Ada wall discipline prompts concerns Wed, Oct 28, 2009 | Add a comment ADA — A mother who kept her sixth-grader out of school for a week because of a disagreement over how he was punished said her son will go back to school today. Amy Caton’s son,...

Marketing cereal leaves bitter taste Tue, Oct 27, 2009 | Add a comment Whether it’s a lop-eared rabbit or a smiley leprechaun, ads for some of the most sugary cereals for children get the biggest push on television, according to a new Yale University study....

Concordia Life Care Community, Bob Mills family reach settlement Mon, Oct 26, 2009 | Add a comment A northwest Oklahoma City retirement center accused of negligence in the 2008 death of the mother of Oklahoma City furniture store owner Bob Mills has settled the lawsuit. Garvin Isaacs, attorney...

Army loses $650K on project at Fort Sill Sat, Oct 24, 2009 | Add a comment Copyright 2009 © The Oklahoman FORT SILL — Taxpayers are out almost $650,000 because the U.S. Army scrapped construction of a warehouse here on sacred American Indian land, records show....

Legality questions arise after Oklahoma dog adoption fair Sat, Oct 24, 2009 | Add a comment SHAWNEE — State animal rescue laws may have been broken at an adoption fair this week for about 100 dogs saved from an alleged puppy mill, Pottawatomie County Sheriff Mike Booth said. At the...

Judge orders trial for Joshua Durcho to advance in deaths of El Reno mom, kids Fri, Oct 23, 2009 EL RENO — A judge Thursday rejected legal challenges to the death penalty in a murder case involving the strangulations of a woman and her four children. The rulings came during a 30-minute...

Shawnee adoption fair helps dogs find ‘good homes’ Fri, Oct 23, 2009 | Add a comment SHAWNEE — Friendly wags were exchanged between John Rawls’ old best friend, Russell, and a newly adopted canine companion, Elliot. The two labradoodles met at an adoption fair Thursday...

Eufaula council to draft police improvement plan Fri, Oct 23, 2009 | Add a comment EUFAULA — It took nearly seven hours of discussion and deliberation, but city officials decided Wednesday night to reinstate Police Chief Don Murray. Murray has been suspended with pay since...

Most rescued Tecumseh dogs get new homes Thu, Oct 22, 2009 | Add a comment SHAWNEE — About 90 rescued dogs found new homes at an adoption fair today outside a newspaper office. The dogs were rescued Monday from a home in Bethel Acres by the Tri-County Humane...

Dogs rescued from Bethel Acres mill need homes Thu, Oct 22, 2009 | Add a comment TECUMSEH — Cara Baxter cradles four small dogs in her lap, allowing them to nuzzle their muddy faces against her clean shirt without a care. "We’re going to get you all good homes...

Oklahoma open records law ruling draws fire Wed, Oct 21, 2009 | Add a comment The state Supreme Court has signed a $1 million contract with a Duncan company to get electronic court records from 64 counties ready for a unified system of public access on the Web. The...

Oklahoma has 7th worst child death rate Wed, Oct 21, 2009 | Add a comment Oklahoma had the seventh worst child death rate from abuse and neglect in the nation during 2007, a setback from the previous year. Thirty-one Oklahoma children died from abuse and neglect in...

Are you an avid user of social media? Wed, Oct 21, 2009 | Add a comment Do you spend a lot of time using social media? How much? Why? Please respond to scolberg@opubco.com.

Oklahoma is investigating vehicle parts company Tue, Oct 20, 2009 | Add a comment Texas resident Heather Craig said an Oklahoma City business picked up her used Range Rover to sell its parts off for cash. The problem is she’s still awaiting the $800 payment for the...

Victim to talk about U.S. child sex trafficking Tue, Oct 20, 2009 | Add a comment TULSA — No one suspected Theresa Flores, a middle-class teenager, was part of a child sex trafficking ring. "That’s because people don’t think the sex industry could touch a...

Feed The Children may owe Oklahoma $1.1M Mon, Oct 19, 2009 | Add a comment Two accountants who worked at Feed The Children say the charity owes $1.1 million to the state of Oklahoma in back taxes on purchases. They allege the chief financial officer wanted to cover it up....

Searches draw praise, scorn from Oklahomans Mon, Oct 19, 2009 | Add a comment You, a local terrorism expert and terror suspect Najibullah Zazi could potentially share a border crossing experience. That’s because border agents can search laptops and smart phones and...

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Watchdog Blog

The Watchdog team keeps you up to date with new developments, upcoming stories and important information about fraud, waste or abuse

Mark Hutchison - Watchdog editor

Mark Hutchison has been in Oklahoma newspapers since 1986, first at the Enid Morning News & Eagle. He joined The Oklahoman in 1989 in the Lawton Bureau and has been a reporter and editor since. He has won several state and regional reporting awards for investigative, breaking news and feature stories. Among them are coverage of an American Indian chief who was indicted and imprisoned; malfeasance that led to the resignation and firings of public officials and problems within the state juvenile justice system. A journalism graduate from the University of Kansas, he has three daughters.

phone: (405)990-6160
email: mhutchison@opubco.com

Randy Ellis

For the past 26 years, staff writer Randy Ellis has exposed public corruption and government mismanagement in news articles. Ellis has investigated problems in Oklahoma's higher education institutions and wrote stories that ultimately led to two college presidents being sentenced to prison and a former chancellor being forced to resign. He has written about abuses of Oklahoma's workers compensation system, corruption in the state's municipal bond industry, bid-rigging by county officials, self-dealing by state housing officials, misconduct involving state legislators and a variety of other topics. Ellis, 52, has won more than 80 state, regional and national awards for journalistic excellence. Prior to joining The Oklahoman in 1982, Ellis worked at Arkansas newspapers. He is a 1977 graduate of Kansas State University.

phone: (405)475-3522
email: rellis@opubco.com

Ann Kelley

Ann Kelley has been an Oklahoma journalist for 10 years. She was a reporter for The Ada Evening News and The Shawnee News-Star before joining The Oklahoman in 2002. Kelley has received numerous awards for breaking news, investigative and government reporting. In 1999, she was an Associated Press sweepstakes winner for her stories about two wrongfully convicted men. Her work is featured in John Grisham’s bestselling book, “The Innocent Man,” and used as a source in “Actual Innocence,” co-authored by attorney Berry Scheck, founder of the Innocence Project.

Kelley is a graduate of Fresno State University. Prior to her career in jounalism, she worked as a social worker and as a legal assistant.

phone: (405)475-4097
email: akelley@opubco.com

Paul Monies

Paul Monies is the Database Editor for The Oklahoman. He’s in charge of maintaining the newsroom’s databases for everything from voter information and state finances to inspections and campaign finance. Paul has worked at newspapers in Texas and Missouri and spent five years as an award-winning business reporter for The Oklahoman. He is a native of Scotland who graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas, and has a master’s degree from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

phone: (405)475-3730
email: pmonies@opubco.com

Vallery Brown

Vallery Brown has been covering Oklahoma since she started working for Oklahoma Today magazine. She spent time in Washington, D.C. learning about national government. She has a journalism degree from the University of Central Oklahoma and is working toward a master's degree. Brown joined The Oklahoman in 2008 covering health and medical news before joining the watchdog team, where her work has aided in the prosecution of criminals, business reform and government accountability. Born in Montana, Brown is an accomplished vocalist.

phone: (405)475-3464
email: VBrown@opubco.com

Nolan Clay

Nolan Clay was born in Oklahoma and has worked for The Oklahoman since 1985. He covered the bombing trials and witnessed bomber Tim McVeigh's execution. His investigative reports have brought down public officials, exposed shysters and resulted in reforms in such areas as day care oversight and workers' compensation court. He is a proud father and Sooner football fan. His wedding in 2001 was on the 50-yard line of Owen Field.

phone: (405)475-3929
email: nclay@opubco.com

Sonya Colberg

Sonya Colberg has worked as a reporter and editor in Oklahoma since 1986, first for the Sapulpa Herald, then Tulsa World before joining The Oklahoman in 2000. She has received state and regional awards for investigative, business and feature stories. Her stories include those on the fatal Interstate 40 bridge collapse; problems with a state foreign trade office; and a multi-million dollar investor scam. A journalism graduate from Colorado State University, she is married and has one son.

email: scolberg@opubco.com