Lawton, Ok —In this week’s episode, we opened with a sit-down with Ward 2 Councilmember Taron Epps about settling into his new role on the dais—how he’s approaching constituent service, what he’s learning from early votes, and the tone he wants to set at City Hall. Epps was appointed and sworn in last month to represent Ward 2.
We then discussed the change at the top of Oklahoma’s education department: Lindel Fields has been sworn in as State Superintendent of Public Instruction, outlining a 15-month “sprint” focused on rebuilding relationships, reviewing contracts, and restoring steady governance at OSDE.
Locally, LPS Superintendent Kevin Hime has announced he’ll retire at the end of the 2025–26 school year, with the board formally accepting his letter and an effective date of June 30, 2026.
We also covered Lawton’s ongoing homelessness concerns and how the City Council has engaged the issue. As part of that continuing coverage, our first episode of Be Our Guest will feature conversations with members of Lawton’s homeless community—look for that Wednesday.
Another topic drawing community attention: the expansion of license-plate reader (LPR) technology. We’ve noted Flock Safety cameras operating around town and are developing a deeper explainer on privacy, retention, and data-sharing practices—both what Lawton PD publishes and what state policymakers are questioning. Flock Safety+2kiosk.atlasofsurveillance.org+2
Finally, we previewed the week ahead at City Hall: a special City Council meeting Tuesday at 2 p.m., with the regular evening meeting set to follow at 6. As of publication, the regular agenda had not yet posted; we’ll update links as they go live. lawtonok.portal.civicclerk.com
Have a tip, question, or perspective we should hear? Drop us a line at LawtonTownCrier.com.