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Columbine shootings remembered, 20 years later

Two decades have passed since the Columbine High School shootings -- a tragedy that left 12 students and one teacher dead, and changed the national conversation on school violence. On April 20, 1999, two Columbine seniors arrived at the school, armed with guns, knives and homemade explosives. The pair went on a shooting rampage before taking their own lives, according to a timeline of events. In the end, 12 students (not including the shooters) and one teacher perished. Twenty-three others were wounded, some of whom were paralyzed. Many of those who weren’t physically injured suffered emotional wounds. The shooting rocked the normally sleepy community of Littleton, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, then-Columbine High School Principal Frank DeAngelis. The tragedy ranks as one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history as well as one of the deadliest episodes of school violence. 'At times, it seems like it was just yesterday, and then other times, it seems like it was in a far distance,' DeAngelis told KUSA-TV. Friday evening, hundreds of mourners gathered at the Columbine Memorial, which stands in a park near the school, to honor those who lost their lives, KMGH-TV reported. Survivors and victims’ families have spoken to local and national media about the lasting impact the shootings have had on their lives. One of those survivors is Patrick Ireland. Now a 37-year-old father of three, Ireland was a 17-year-old student at the time of the shooting, KUSA-TV reported. He was shot and badly wounded in the school’s library. Ireland recalled to the news station the support he received after the shooting. “So many of my strong bonds and relationships were formed from everything that we went through at Columbine,” he said. “There was no playbook written for how a community should respond to this. People just opened up their hearts and their homes and were able to create that sense of belonging that really bonded the community together.” Cori Sanders lost her father, teacher Dave Sanders, in the shooting. Dave Sanders is credited with saving the lives of dozens of students as he put himself between them and the gunmen, according to KUSA-TV. 'My older daughter for many, many years would say Grandpa was in the wrong place at the wrong time,' Sanders said. 'Ten years ago, without prompting, she said he was at the right place at the right time, and I think that was really an important shift for our entire family.' DeAngelis recalled to CNN the “enormous burden” he felt to rebuild the Columbine community in the wake of the shooting. 'I tried to do everything to protect what I call the Columbine family,' he said. 'But when I would come home, I just wanted to be left alone … It cost me my marriage. My wife was saying, 'You're not the same person I married. You've changed.' And I did. I felt so much guilt.' Today, DeAngelis works with the Principal Recovery Network to provide support to school administrators and staff who have experienced gun violence on the job. He said he remains in contact with the “Columbine family.” He said years of therapy have helped him in the two decades since the shooting. 'He (the therapist) made me realize that Columbine is not going to define me. And that helped a lot,' DeAngelis said. 'I've just got to get it in my mind that it's OK.

Commercial hemp growing bill signed by governor

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt signed legislation establishing guidelines for producing commercial hemp in the state on Thursday. The bill authorizes the state Department of Agriculture to develop and manage a hemp production program under the 2018 federal farm bill. The measure received bipartisan support in the state House and Senate. State leaders expect rules to be in place to allow for planting of industrial hemp in the 2020 crop year.

Fire damages or destroys 16 apartments in midtown Tulsa

A large fire broke out at a midtown Tulsa apartment complex Friday, damaging or destroying more than a dozen units. It happened at the Cobblestone Apartments, west of 51st Street and Memorial Road, about 9:30 a.m. No one was hurt in the fire, as management acted quickly to notify residents they needed to evacuate. Fire investigators say early on, it appears a smouldering cigarette or cigar left on a balcony was the source of ignition. KRMG spoke with a resident at the scene who was visibly upset because her pet was missing. “The manager, Andy, knocked on the door and said to get out because the building was on fire,” Elizabeth told KRMG, “and I couldn’t find my cat.” “I just want my baby!” she sobbed, as a friend tried to offer encouragement. Firefighters did pull other pets from the building safely. TFD spokesman Andy Little said the department’s response included five engines and four ladder trucks. “It’s under control right now,” he said about 10:00 a.m., “but we still have a lot of work to do.” He said when firefighters arrived, “fire was coming out of the balcony and up onto the roof. Within minutes, it was through the roof so it was going pretty good when we got here.” The Red Cross responded to the scene to help residents.

KRMG Women in Business Luncheon with Kim Komando

KRMG is gathering some incredible Tulsa businesswomen to learn their tricks of the trade, and the luncheon keynote speaker will be KRMG’s digital goddess, Kim Komando! Join us, as Kim Komando shares the secrets that helped her become a national success. You’ve heard her on KRMG for over a decade now, every Sunday from 1pm to 4pm. Additionally, she’s on over 400 radio stations nationwide, she writes for USA Today, she has a show on Bloomberg TV, and she is the co-founder of the WestStar Radio Network. She is the real deal, and this will be her first trip to Tulsa, so we are excited to see her in our hometown. The event will be hosted by KRMG’s own April Hill, and also feature presentations by several prominent Tulsa businesswomen, including Dr. Raye Mahlberg, President of Community Care College, Clary Sage College and Oklahoma Technical College (she oversees all three campuses), Kristin Dotson, CEO of Celebrity Attractions, and Meredith Peebles, Chief Operating Officer of Lobeck Taylor Family Foundation. KRMG will also have your chance to win a VIP experience to the event, including a meet and greet with Kim Komando. Be listening, beginning April 15th, to the KRMG Morning News and the KRMG Evening News for your keyword to text to 95920 for you chance to win. This event is now at capacity. WHAT: Women in Business Luncheon with Kim Komando - presented by Community Care College WHEN: Tuesday, April 30th - from 11am – 12:30pm WHERE: Ti Amo Ristorante Italiano (61st and Sheridan location) - lunch will be provided for this event. This event is made possible by KRMG’s Take Action Partners: Ti Amo Ristorante Italiano, Oklahoma Central Credit Union, Oklahoma Veterinary Specialists, and Blind Ambitions.

KRMG Women in Business Luncheon with Kim Komando

Jamie Dupree Washington Insider

Lingering questions left over from the Mueller Report As reporters, politicians, legal experts, and members of both political parties spent the weekend going over the impact of the 448 page redacted version of the Mueller Report, it was obvious from the political and legal reactions that the fight over what Russia did in the 2016 elections - and how the Trump Campaign and President Donald Trump dealt with that - was not going to be ending anytime soon. 'There’s nothing wrong with taking information from Russians,” President Donald Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani told CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday, as Republicans continue to press the case that the Mueller Report absolves the President of any and all wrongdoing. 'We need to go back and look at how this fake “Russia Collusion” narrative started,' said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), as Republicans looked to move on from the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 elections, and to focus on investigating the investigators. Meanwhile, Democrats were mulling over their own options, which certainly seem to include more hearings in Congress on what was revealed by the Mueller Report, tugging the story in the exact opposite direction. Democrats pointed to comments from Sen. Mitt Romney (R-UT), who said the Mueller Report showed a 'pervasiveness of dishonesty' inside the Trump White House. Here's some things which may get some attention in the weeks and months ahead: 1. GOP still wants answers on the Steele Dossier. If you were looking for the Special Counsel's office to detail how the Steele Dossier had factored into the Russia investigation, there was precious little in the Mueller Report. The dossier was directly mentioned 14 times, but there was no mention of it contributing anything directly to the findings of the report. The Special Counsel report says nothing about the dossier as the reason for starting a counter-intelligence investigation, instead making clear that it was information from Trump Campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos which was the genesis. 'On July 31, 2016, based on the foreign government rep01ting, the FBI opened an investigation into potential coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the Trump Campaign,' the report states on page 14. But the Mueller Report does not address one key question - was the Steele Dossier just another effort by Moscow to disrupt the 2016 elections? This is where Republicans say they want answers - they can hold hearings in the U.S. Senate, if they wish. 2. Michael Cohen again demands retraction over Prague story. One item in the Steele Dossier which has often caused a media furor is over the assertion that President Trump's former personal lawyer Michael Cohen went to the Czech Republic on some sort of mission for the President during the 2016 campaign. Cohen has always denied it, and repeated that in testimony before Congress earlier this year. 'Have you ever been to Prague?' Cohen was asked. 'I've never been to Prague,' Cohen responded without missing a beat. 'I've never been to the Czech Republic.' The Mueller Report was clear that Cohen was believed over Steele. 'Cohen had never traveled to Prague and was not concerned about those allegations, which he believed were provably false,' the report says on page 351. On Friday, Cohen again said he was still waiting for a retraction by McClatchy Newspapers. 3. Why did Donald Trump Jr. not answer questions from Mueller? While President Trump's son has steadfastly defended his father throughout the Mueller investigation, and testified to the Congress about the Russia probe, the Special Counsel report notes that Trump Jr. did not directly aid the Mueller investigation, specifically on the infamous Trump Tower meeting. 'The Office spoke to every participant except Veselnitskaya (a Russian lawyer) and Trump, Jr., the latter of whom declined to be interviewed by the Office' - then, the next two sentences are redacted, with the explanation on page 125 that grand jury information is responsible for the redacation. In a later discussion of how President Trump handled publicity about the Trump Tower meeting, there is a redaction which involves Trump Jr. on grand jury grounds - does it indicate again that Trump Jr. did not answer questions? It's not clear because of the blacked out material - but the President's son never seemingly answered questions from Mueller's team or a federal grand jury. 4. A Trump tweet that was redacted in the Mueller Report. This seems sort of crazy, but it's true. On page 363 of the report, Mueller discusses President Trump denouncing Michael Cohen, when his former personal attorney had moved to plead guilty and cooperate with the feds. 'He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion serve a full and complete sentence,' the President tweeted. Then there is a section which is blacked out under, 'Harm to Ongoing Matter.' But if you look at the footnote, it refers to a tweet by Mr. Trump, at 10:48 am on December 3, 2018. It's not hard to figure out which tweet that was, as it was one in which the President talks about Roger Stone not flipping and cooperating with the feds. I'm not a lawyer, so it makes no sense to me that printing that tweet could interfere with an ongoing case, but that's one of the redactions made by the Justice Department. 5. When will Robert Mueller talk in public? Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee have already sent a letter to Special Counsel Robert Mueller asking him to testify before Congress on his report. Last week, the Attorney General said he would have no opposition to Mueller testifying. Mueller operated in a much different way than previous high-profile independent prosecutors - go back to Watergate and you will see news conferences by Archibald Cox and Leon Jaworski; Ken Starr spoke to the press during the Whitewater investigation. But Robert Mueller has been totally silent, ignoring questions on his few visits to Capitol Hill, doing no interviews and saying nothing in public. An effort to get some remarks from him on Sunday after church netted only a 'no comment' - which is pretty much the most we have heard from Mueller during his almost 22 months as Special Counsel.

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