News Briefs: Headlines from the week of Feb. 5

 Governor Mary Falin proposes new state plan

This week Gov. Mary Fallin introduced new plans and bills to the Oklahoma Congress. On Monday, Fallin proposed a bill which would end two years of cutbacks to health and human services statewide and, if passed, would raise teacher salaries. This proposal would raise revenue taxes for the middle class and requires a supermajority of the votes in the House. According to KFOR, Fallin also plans to propose an expanse of Oklahoma’s 4.5 percent sales tax on services such as doctors visits, legal fees, funeral cots, banking, real-estate and other miscellaneous services throughout the state. The expanse of this tax would also be added to plumbers, roofers and electricians, which are currently exempt. However, if this plan is approved an additional $839.7 million will be added into the appropriation budget. (KFOR)

Seattle judge halts presidential executive order

On Sunday, Hanan Isweiri returned home to Fort Collins, CO, despite traveling from one of the seven Middle Eastern countries on President Donald Trump’s recent executive order travel ban. However, a federal judge placed a freeze on the ban last Friday, providing a short window for refugees and other international American residents to return home. Isweiri is currently a graduate student at Colorado State University who traveled back to Libya to visit her mother and attend her father’s funeral, according to NewsOK. Isweiri entered the United States with her son and returned home to Colorado, where she’s lived for seven years, to be reunited with the rest of her family. (NewsOK)

Super Bowl 51 spouts major comeback

Celebrations continue for the New England Patriots and its fan base after a 34-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons during Super Bowl LI last Sunday in Houston, TX. The Falcons started the game with a strong lead early on, but after starting early with a 25-point deficit, the Patriots, under the leadership of quarter back Tom Brady, rallied in the third quarter to have the comeback of the year, according to Sports Illustrated. The final minute of the game followed a continuous cycle of touchdowns and field goals from the Patriots, taking both teams into overtime. (MMQB)

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