Monday, December 30th 2024, 9:20 pm
In 2024, News 9 covered a range of significant stories across Oklahoma, from the death of country music legend Toby Keith to a controversial flag dispute at Edmond North High School and a foiled terror plot. Legal battles involving high-profile figures like Garth Brooks and State Superintendent Ryan Walters also captured attention, along with a record-breaking tornado season. Here are the top 9 stories of 2024, based on what News 9 viewers wanted to watch and read.
Toby Keith Opens Up About His Cancer Battle And Decades-Long Career
Country music star and Oklahoman Toby Keith died at 62 on February 5, 2024.
Those closest to him say he "passed peacefully…surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage.”
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt directed all Oklahoma and American flags to be flown at half-staff.
News 9’s Robin Marsh sat down with Keith in what was his last interview to discuss his battle with cancer and his legacy.
Related Coverage:
Toby Keith To Be Posthumously Inducted Into The Country Music Hall Of Fame
OU Football Honors Toby Keith With Field Decal For Spring Game
Many fans, friends, and other country music stars have shared their reactions on social media.
Related Coverage:
‘There Won’t Be Another Toby Keith:’ Barry Switzer Reflects On A 30 Year Friendship
Toby Keith Talks About Cancer Battle, Faith (Full Interview)
The country music star from Moore has 42 top-ten hits, 32 number-one songs, 40 million albums sold, more than ten billion streams, and is among the world's top 5 richest country singers.
His career has spanned over three decades, even singing the News 9 theme song in the early years of his career.
In 2021, he was diagnosed with stomach cancer and became noticeably thinner.
“It’s a lot of dark hallways,” Keith said.
When asked if he was doing okay, he said, “I am.”
Still in treatment, Keith has undergone surgeries, chemo, and radiation and says it has been a long journey for him and his family.
“Cancer is a roller coaster, so it's like, you just sit here and wait on it to go away, and it may not ever go away,” Keith said. “If it goes into remission, it will still be in the back of your mind.”
He said he maneuvered through his diagnosis by relying on faith.
Watch the full interview:
Toby Keith Opens Up About His Battle With Cancer And Decades Long Career (Part 1)
One-On-One With Toby Keith: A Look At His Career From The Beginning (Part 2)
Oklahoma had 148 recorded tornadoes in 2024, this is the second most ever in the state.
News 9's Chief Meteorologist David Payne shared that his spring tornado forecast for 2024 was for Oklahoma to see well above average tornadoes, "I thought we would have a very active year but 2024 was just about out of control! We end 2024 with 148 tornadoes! Second to 149 tornadoes in 2019. We set records for the highest number of tornadoes in both April and November. Our tornadoes in 2024 occurred at nearly every time of day and night. Sadly, eight Oklahomans lost their lives in 2024."
News 9's Jim Gardner surveyed the damage from overhead in Bob Mills SkyNews 9, reporters went on foot to where the tornadoes struck, and our meteorologists stayed live on air for up to 12 hours at a time to bring Oklahomans updates.
Here are some of the memorable moments:
April 27-28, 2024
One of our saddest days of tornadoes occurred on April 27. A swarm of tornadoes occurred well into the evening and well after dark.
This one day alone produced over thirty tornadoes, being the most violent and deadly day in 2024 with four Oklahomans losing their lives.
At least 30 people were injured and about 75 homes were damaged after a tornado hit the town of Sulphur in Murray County. The tornado that hit that area was rated an EF-3.
A tornado traveled at 35 mph near the town of Hillsdale in Garfield County.
Ardmore was hit by a tornado that ripped through one neighborhood leaving a path of destruction. Carter County was among the 12 counties declared in a state of emergency by the Governor.
A tornado swept through Calumet in Canadian County and caused some significant damage.
Related: News 9 Viewer Captures Tornado In Woodward County
Woman's Home 'Leveled' By Tornado Seen In Daylight Friday
Tornado In Mayes County Leaves 2 Dead, Community Working To Clean Up Damage
There were 56 tornadoes counted in April and 52 in May 2024. News 9 had coverage of all the events.
May 23-25, 2024
"One day that stands out was the Duke tornado that occurred on May 23, 2024. This monster storm would produce a swarm of tornadoes that lasted hours. Every shape and size of tornado was seen live on News 9 from start to finish. Sadly, homes were lost but lives were not," David Payne recalled.
'It Looks Like Medusa': Multi-Vortex Tornado Causes Damage In Southwest Oklahoma
A large, violent tornado caused damage in southwest Oklahoma. The storm produced the twister in the 7 p.m. hour in the area near Duke and Olustee, Okla., in Jackson County. The multi-vortex tornado narrowly missed the city of Altus.
Oklahoma crushed the old record number of tornadoes in the fall, that was set back in 1958. In 1958, we had 12 tornadoes in November.
Related: Oklahoma Breaks November Tornado Record With 23 And Counting
November 3, 2024
News 9 meteorologist Justin Rudicel and storm tracker Brandon Pennel tracked a tornado near Tinker Air Force Base in central Oklahoma.
Students and community members protested at Edmond North High School on August 26, 2024, after a student was told to remove the American flag from their truck.
The controversy gained widespread attention, including from State Superintendent Ryan Walters, who stood with those displaying the flag.
Related: Edmond Superintendent To Discuss Flag Controversy At School Board Meeting
Edmond Public Schools clarified that the no-flag policy was a safety measure, not a stance on patriotism.
Related: Edmond North High School Community Protests After Student Told To Remove American Flag From Vehicle
Walters later issued guidance requiring all schools to display the American flag.
In November 2024, State Superintendent Ryan Walters required all Oklahoma students to watch a 90-second prayer video, which sparked confusion across districts.
There was some confusion after the video went out. Bixby and Edmond Public Schools said that OSDE recalled the email sent to them before resending the original video, and email with no changes.
Related: Judge To Rule On Bixby Superintendent’s Defamation Lawsuit Against Ryan Walters In 30 Days
Walters has clarified that the video and emails were recalled because of an issue with the link which was corrected in the second email.
In the video, Walters prays for Oklahoma kids and stresses that students do not have to join him in prayer.
Related: State Supt. Ryan Walters Announces 'Trump Education Advisory Committee'
He also explains why he created the Department of Religious Liberty and Patriotism within the State Department of Education and its role.
"Dear God, thank you for all the blessings you've given our country. I pray for our leaders to make the right decisions, I pray in particular for President Donald Trump and his team as they continue to bring about change to the country. I pray for our parents, teachers and kids that they get the best education possible and live high quality lives. I also pray that we continue to teach love of country to our young people, and that our students understand what makes America great and that they continue to love this country. Amen."
Related: Walters Announces 500+ Bibles Are On The Way To AP Government Classrooms
Metro Family Charged After Intellectually Disabled Teen Gives Birth To Brother's Baby
Oklahoma County prosecutors have charged metro parents for not protecting their intellectually disabled daughter from sexual abuse in October.
The Village Police Department’s investigation revealed the alleged abuser to be the victim's brother after she gave birth to his baby.
According to jail records, 19-year-old Nathaniel Molden Jr. is being held in the Oklahoma County Detention Center on one count of incest. The victim’s parents Nathaniel Molden Sr., and Tameeka Molden were placed in custody on child neglect charges. The couple has since posted bail and were released.
One by one, police took the three family members into custody from their home in The Village. The department released body camera footage of their arrests.
Norman UTV Accident Claims Lives Of 2 Brothers, Ages 2 And 8 Months
A 2-year-old boy who was placed on life support following a UTV accident Sunday, died on July 2, 2024.
“He's tough--the toughest kid I know. He’s hanging on but we just don’t know if it's enough,” said RJ’s uncle, Dylan Clark.
RJ’s 8-month-old brother also died. Now their family is struggling with how an innocent night of fun turned into such a tragedy. “They were going through what is designated on their map as a safe zone in the river,” said Clark.
“Both of these juveniles were in a five-point harness, approved car seats, and were buckled in securely,” said Oklahoma Highway Patrolman Trooper Preston Cox.
Sunday afternoon, at Happyland ATV Park, 8-month-old Legend, his 2-year-old brother RJ, and two of their siblings were on a UTV with their mother and her fiancé.
“Nobody was drinking, no one was rowdy, they were just having a good time as a family,” said Clark.
“Everything is showing this is a tragic accident,” said Cox.
Initially splashing through several inches of water the river bottom suddenly dropped. “The current took them in, it was a matter of a couple of seconds, and they were all underwater,” said Clark.
Victims Identified After 5 People Found Dead In A SW Oklahoma City Home
Oklahoma City police have identified the five people who were found dead in a home on April 22, 2024 including two children, in a southwest Oklahoma City home.
Police say officers made the discovery during a welfare check at 9:35 a.m. on Monday.
Investigators say it is believed that the suspect, Jonathon Candy, 42, armed himself with a gun and killed his wife, Lindsay, 39, and three of their children, ages 12, 14, and 18, before turning the gun on himself.
A fourth child in the residence was unharmed and was released to family members at the scene.
“When officers arrived, they made entry into the home and indeed found five people in there who were deceased,” said Sgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department. “The five people had injuries all consistent with homicide.”
More officers arrived on the scene and roped off the entire neighborhood, allowing only those who lived there to enter. With the number of victims, police dispelled any assumptions of a cause.
“This wasn't a gas leak situation or a fentanyl-type situation; these are five people who were killed,” Sgt. Knight said.
Police say among the dead are at least two children, all having injuries consistent with homicide.
“We're talking about children being inside this home and being victims of this,” said Sgt. Knight. "It's a very tragic, very sad situation."
FBI Arrests Afghan Man In Oklahoma For Alleged Election Day Terror Plot
The FBI arrested 27-year-old Afghan national Nasir Tawhedi in Oklahoma in October 2024 for plotting a terrorist attack on Election Day.
Tawhedi, along with his 17-year-old brother-in-law, purchased weapons and ammunition, and discussed plans to carry out the attack in online ISIS groups. Investigators uncovered disturbing details, including Tawhedi’s search for White House webcams.
Related: Lawmakers React To Arrest Of Afghanistan Citizen In Oklahoma Accused Of Planning Election Day Attack
Governor Kevin Stitt praised state and federal agencies for their swift action in preventing a potential disaster. Tawhedi and his brother-in-law were arrested, and Tawhedi is facing charges related to terrorism.
Related: Cleveland County Enhances Security For November Election Following Terror Plot Arrests
Related: Judge Denies Oklahoma Country Music Star Garth Brooks' Request To Dismiss Sexual-Assault Lawsuit
A federal judge in California denied Garth Brooks’ motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought against him by Jane Roe, a former makeup artist, but has stayed the case pending the outcome of a related lawsuit in Mississippi.
U.S. District Judge Michael W. Fitzgerald ruled on Dec. 11 that Roe’s claims of sexual misconduct, including assault, battery, and violations of California civil rights laws, will not proceed until the Mississippi court addresses related issues.
The judge also denied Roe’s application to submit documents for in-camera review as moot, stating it was unnecessary for his decision.
Roe filed her lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court on Oct. 3, alleging that Brooks subjected her to sexual misconduct, including rape, between 2019 and 2024 while she worked as a makeup artist for him and his wife. Brooks had removed the case to federal court based on diversity jurisdiction.
The court noted that Brooks filed a separate defamation and emotional distress lawsuit against Roe in Mississippi just days before she initiated her California case. Roe’s attorneys alleged that Brooks’ Mississippi filing was a “forum-shopping” tactic to deny her access to California’s anti-SLAPP protections.
While Brooks argued that Roe’s claims should be dismissed as compulsory counterclaims in the Mississippi case, Judge Fitzgerald deferred to the Mississippi court to resolve jurisdictional and procedural matters first.
The judge ordered Brooks to notify the California court of any rulings in the Mississippi case within ten court days, emphasizing that dismissal of Roe’s case would be inappropriate at this time.
The allegations remain unresolved, and both cases are ongoing.
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