Oklahoma Capitol briefs, Oct. 11

The George Kaiser Family Foundation honored Oklahoma House Speaker Kris Steele on Wednesday for his commitment to addressing issues that affect the state's most vulnerable families and children and to improve its prisons. Community leaders and several lawmakers attended the ceremony at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee for Steele, R-Shawnee, who is term limited and cannot seek re-election. The foundation presented five community grants to nonprofits in Shawnee totaling $40,000. Grants were awarded to Gateway to Prevention and Recovery, Project Safe, Youth and Family Resource Center, Inc., Shawnee Boys and Girls Club, and Shawnee YMCA.

Fallin kicks off annual drive

Gov. Mary Fallin will kickoff her third annual Feeding Oklahoma Food and Fund Drive on Thursday. The statewide food drive runs from Oct. 15 through Nov. 15. At the kickoff event, the governor will talk about this year's goal of raising enough food and money to provide 1.2 million meals. The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City and the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma — and their affiliates — are partnering with the governor again for the food drive.