Blake Douglas

Despite 'clear' constitutional issue, Edmond 'freeholder' requirement lingers in charter Charter language requiring candidates for office in Edmond be "freeholders" remains unchanged despite a 2025 AG's office advisory letter.

It may be an old-fashioned notion, but you decide dear reader if following the Constitution and allowing renters to run for office counts as a pressing issue: nondoc.com/2026/02/24/d...

Celebrate NonDoc's decade of independent journalism NonDoc will be celebrating a decade of producing independent journalism at Lively Beerworks in Oklahoma City from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 4 2025.

Join us as we celebrate a decade of independent journalism from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 4, at Lively Beerworks in #OKC!

Can’t make it? You can still help us celebrate by contributing $10 to help sustain our mission of delivering quality journalism with context.

nondoc.com/2025/08/05/c....

Woman 'shoved' by Edmond officer at jail files lawsuit over 'objectively unreasonable' broken leg Brittany Gordon is suing Edmond and Oklahoma County after sustaining a broken ankle when Sgt. Nathan Fountain shoved her in June 2024.

When he responded to a house fire and shot a lighter-wielding man experiencing psychosis, #Edmond PD Sgt. Nathan Fountain was already under internal investigation for shoving a handcuffed woman to the ground and breaking her leg in the #OkCounty Jail.

nondoc.com/2025/08/18/l...

After Minnesota murder, Oklahoma Ethics Commission to let lawmakers use campaign funds for security The Oklahoma Ethics Commission ruled Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, that state officials may use campaign funds to pay for security measures

A rising tide of political violence across #America has caused officeholders around the country, including #okleg members, to wonder if campaign funds can be used to provide for security expenses.

The #Oklahoma Ethics Commission now says they may.

nondoc.com/2025/08/14/a...

Sexual assault survivors allege Edmond PD breached privacy, violated rights Edmond sexual assault victims allege the Edmond Police Department released personal information and violated rights guaranteed by state law.

While everyone who spoke for this piece has seen their perpetrators prosecuted to different extents, multiple women say Edmond Police detectives mishandled personal information and were regularly “dismissive” of victims during sexual assault investigations:

nondoc.com/2025/06/11/s...

Accepting applications: Promotion opens NonDoc journalism job NonDoc is accepting applicants for its Edmond-based journalism job. Those seeking an Oklahoma journalism job can find more details within.

Candidates for NonDoc reporting positions should possess strong written communication skills, technological aptitude and #journalism-related experience.

Learn more and find application details within.
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nondoc.com/2025/05/20/a...

Accepting applications: Promotion opens NonDoc journalism job NonDoc is accepting applicants for its Edmond-based journalism job. Those seeking an Oklahoma journalism job can find more details within.

There’s a lot going on in Edmond — as I step into a new role, NonDoc is looking for a reporter to take over our Edmond Civic Reporting Project!

Come work with me and some of the most talented writers in the state: nondoc.com/2025/05/20/a...

Edmond developer officially cans long-delayed downtown brewery After over two years, two construction delays and two city councils, plans for an embattled Edmond brewery have been scrapped.

An embattled brewery project in downtown Edmond that some business owners said was a “back-door deal” from its start in 2023 has officially been scrapped, after just more than two years and two missed construction deadlines:

nondoc.com/2025/05/13/e...

Citing local control worries, municipalities oppose bill aimed to limit 'NIMBYism' A proposed state law to combat "NIMBYism" and address housing needs could change how Edmond and other cities approach zoning decisions.

A bill designed to address Oklahoma’s housing issues and “NIMBYism” has drawn flak from local governments who say it unduly strips their power to decide how their communities grow. Learn what the bill does and why that’s a problem for some towns:

nondoc.com/2025/05/06/c...

In a nutshell: if you really want to spend money on developing an AI situated in a server who knows where to cover local issues, consider using that funding to…support a human being instead. I work with many @nondoc.bsky.social who are well worth the investment: t.co/FzQGkgt2IH

The inaccuracies in this piece are fairly low stakes, but you can see how this could get more troublesome if AI is incorrectly reporting electoral results, city budgets, emergency situations, etc.

All that is to say if you care enough about an issue to seek out an AI summary of it, you probably care enough to support local, contextual journalism from humans in the community that results in much better information.

There are plenty of other issues with the AI piece: an inaccurate count of total units in the proposed project, no real context for what was said by who, a false account of “next steps” for the proposal. If we’re nitpicking, wasted space on a proposal that was not heard.

This decision was not deferred, but the rezoning passed in a 4-1 vote (as you can see in my full recap and video of the council meeting): t.co/BqgayzVbrF

I was at this meeting yesterday evening until around 8 p.m., give or take. Much was discussed, many actions were taken, but the Creekside Cove PUD headlining this AI recap was the most contentious issue. The first issue is that the headline is entirely inaccurate.

Edmond City Council defers decision on Creekside Cove PUD amid public concerns Council postpones vote on Creekside Cove PUD to gather more public feedback.

Presenting a low-stakes cautionary tale against relying on AI to report the news (1/7): citizenportal.ai/articles/275...

Is Clemson the worst college basketball team ever assembled

Revised OSDE social studies standards tell students to 'identify discrepancies in 2020 election results' Significant changes to OSDE social studies standards about the first Trump administration went unnoticed prior to a Feb. 27, 2025, approval.

Quiet changes to the #Oklahoma State Department of Education's revised social studies standards added an instruction to "identify discrepancies in 2020 elections results" into U.S. history classes for #oklaed high school students.

nondoc.com/2025/03/12/r...

DOJ report threatens lawsuit for Oklahoma, OKC mental health system 'deficiencies' A new U.S. DOJ report says Oklahoma and OKC violate federal law by not providing adequate mental health services to those with disabilities.

That closely followed a January DoJ report that found Oklahoma County residents with behavioral health disorders face discrimination when interacting with “emergency response services:” nondoc.com/2025/01/03/d...

His is one of many cases in which competency restoration services are long delayed. Oklahoma recently approved a consent decree to settle a class action lawsuit filed over the state’s failure to provide those services: nondoc.com/wp-content/upl…

'Systemic failure': Edmond residents sought help for Ross Norwood weeks before police shooting Weeks before Edmond police shot Ross Norwood while he was in psychosis Sept. 3, 2024, neighbors requested help for his mental health crisis.

Ross Norwood, whose story is linked here, has spent over half a year there after being shot by police during a mental health crisis. He was declared mentally incompetent for trial, but as of today, still has not been transferred to the proper facility: nondoc.com/2024/12/06/s...

OKC Ward 7: Pennington, Pettis clash on jail funding, housing during debate OKC Ward 7 candidates John Pettis Jr. and Camal Pennington clashed over the city's role with the county jail in a debate March 11, 2025.

The #Oklahoma County Jail was a big focus in NonDoc’s OKC City Council Ward 7 debate last night (recap linked here.) Both candidates noted the deplorable conditions, one calling the jail’s state a “human rights violation.” nondoc.com/2025/03/12/o...

The first time around, Mark Nash and Tom Robins had perhaps the most heated exchange of the #Edmond mayoral debate, in between finding plenty of common ground. Excited to see how the runoff rematch goes with exactly 3 weeks to Election Day.

RSVP link is found within: nondoc.com/2025/03/11/m...

After confronting student about name calling, Edmond city attorney disciplined by EPS Edmond City Attorney Madeline Sawyer received discipline from Edmond Public Schools after confronting a student in November 2024.

After another student allegedly called her and her daughter “dumb bitches” following the presidential election, #Edmond City Attorney Madeline Sawyer confronted a middle schooler at a basketball game — what was said is unclear, though, and no charges were filed: nondoc.com/2025/03/10/e...

AG's office: Property ownership requirement to hold Edmond office is unconstitutional The Edmond City Charter's property ownership requirement to hold public office would likely be found "invalid" by a court, an AG letter says.

While the cities of #Edmond and #Moore have provisions in their charters limiting public officeholding to property owners, the #SCOTUS has ruled such laws unconstitutional three times, according to the deputy general counsel of the #Oklahoma AG's Office.

nondoc.com/2025/02/28/a...

'Why am I here?': New Board of Education members frustrated with agenda access, immigration rule Superintendent Ryan Walters faced pushback from new State Board of Education members over an immigration rule at a Feb. 27, 2025, meeting.

New members of the State Board of Education attempted to push back against #oklaed Superintendent Ryan Walters during their first meeting today, expressing frustration and concern about how agendas are set and special meetings are called.
nondoc.com/2025/02/27/n...

Prostitution arrests at Edmond massage parlors spur legislation, stigmatize lawful massage Illicit massage parlors in Edmond, Oklahoma, have drawn increased scrutiny, with multiple prostitution arrests in the last year.

The issue of illicit massage and sex trafficking has become a campaign point for one of #Edmond’s mayoral candidates, and the pattern is a driving force behind proposed legislation that would change how municipalities can regulate massage businesses within their borders.
nondoc.com/2025/02/27/e...

Former OU president, Oklahoma Gov. David Boren dies David Boren, the long-time OU president, U.S. senator and influential Oklahoma governor, died at 83 years old Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025.

David Boren, one of the most influential Oklahomans in the state’s history, has died at 83. His public service legacy was marred near the end of his life by financial misreporting and “generally credible” allegations of sexual misconduct, though he was never charged with any crimes: bit.ly/3Qu4A9A

Edmond mayoral election: Tom Robins, Mark Nash advance to April runoff Mark Nash and Tom Robins have advanced to the April 1, 2025, Edmond mayoral election, defeating challengers David Hornbeek and Leonard Scott.

The #Edmond mayoral race is now down to two candidates, and their hopes for election hinge on who can sway the sizable voter base that supported their third-place challenger: nondoc.com/2025/02/11/e...

Running into gag rules? SPJ wants to hear about it. - Editor and Publisher If you are a journalist or a news outlet running into gag rules curtailing public employees’ rights to speak to reporters, the Society of Professional Journalists wants to hear from you.

Fresh off a successful outcome in Pittsburgh, SPJ is asking journalists who encounter unlawful "gag rules" that restrain public employees from giving interviews to speak up and help identify future First Amendment test cases. www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/runn...