Following the fatal accident involving 9-year-old Glenpool student Talyn Bain, residents and city leaders asked for change along State Highway 67, or 151st Street.

Six months later, the speed limit along most of the road is now 45 miles per hour, down from 65 miles per hour before the accident.

WATCH: Data shows speed limit reduction makes SH-67 safer

"We've noticed a reduction in accidents in the area," Deputy Chief Matthew Graves with Glenpool police said.

The department is sharing these numbers with 2 News Oklahoma. From October 2024 to April 2025, with the previous speed limits, the city reported 60 total accidents along 151st, including 23 injury crashes.

In that same time frame from October 2025 to April of this year, just 33 accidents, which is a 45% drop. Injury crashes went down to 11.

"When you reduce speed, you reduce the severity of crashes," Graves said. "And once you reduce the severity of crashes, the minor crashes are a little easier to work with."

Dave Yates, who lives and works near the highway, says it feels safer but not fixed.

"A lot of people are still speeding," Yates said. "It's one of the few places where I like seeing law enforcement with a speed trap, frankly, because it's still very dangerous."

2 News asked the Oklahoma Highway Patrol about that as well. Since the speed limit change in October, OHP has given 180 speeding tickets on 151st from Highway 75 to Memorial, with over 30% of those involving drivers going at least 10 miles an hour over the speed limit.

OHP says in that same time frame, there have been 38 wrecks along the stretch of road.

"We're kind of in the corridor where emergency vehicles come by," Yates said. "We still see them drive by on a regular basis because of accidents on this stretch of road. It's been a huge improvement, but I would love to see more done.

"Crashes are inevitable," Graves added. "That's just going to happen. It's part of driving, but if we can reduce the speed, have more people pay attention to what they're doing, it helps."

The city of Glenpool has said they'll continue working with ODOT to make changes along 151st. We reached out to ODOT, which says they're still looking at options to improve safety on the highway.

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Overcrowded animal shelters are a persistent issue across Green Country, but in Bixby, the problem is simpler: the city has no shelter.

That could change if an August bond passes, which includes money set aside for a new facility.

WATCH: Bixby Police, residents asking for animal shelter:

For years, Horizon Animal Hospital housed Bixby's makeshift animal shelter until space became a problem. Amanda Newman, who worked at the hospital for over a decade, said the issue got worse since 2017, when the hospital first stepped up to help.

"It outgrew us, and it broke our hearts. We didn't want to give it up, but there was just nowhere else to put them," Newman said. "It is a problem. We need a building to house them."

Bixby Police Chief Todd Blish sees the need firsthand, "We get calls about stray animals every day. Not only stray animals, but we also get calls about people wanting to surrender their animals."

Currently, officers drive animals to facilities in other cities, such as Coweta.

"That's taking officers off the street, or animal control officers out of the city. Having to drive to other communities to deliver the animals, which removes assets from the city that citizens are paying for," Blish said.

A new shelter funded by the August 25 bond could change that.

"The Bixby dogs could stay in Bixby, and we wouldn't overwhelm the other towns. People could claim their animals better," Newman said.

"We were told that we would get a shelter in Bixby, and we'd only have to hold them here for a few years. But it was longer than a few years," Newman said.

"In a city this size, we've reached a point to where it's necessary to keep our economic resources in town, and give our citizens some convenience in dealing with their fur babies," Blish said.

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An 11-year-old boy's emotional reaction to hearing clearly for the first time after receiving a cochlear implant has gone viral, garnering more than 5 million views on social media and an appearance on the Today Show.

Chelsea's Ryder Boen was born with severe hearing loss.

WATCH: 'It was just amazing': 11-year-old gets gift of hearing

"My mom, she had to speak out pretty loud. My sister, my dad, they usually had to repeat everything they said," Boen said.

"Everything we said, we repeated. Twice," Sarah Boen, Ryder's mother, said.

His hearing got worse as he got older, despite having the best hearing aids available.

"So he's like pretty close to the line of being deaf. So without his hearing aids, he could not hear anything," Sarah Boen said.

Ryder has been receiving care at Hearts for Hearing near 101st and Memorial for most of his life.

"He had hearing aids with us, and he had listening therapy even when he was a little bitty guy," Darcy Stowe, Hearts for Hearing CEO, said.

When his hearing aids were no longer providing enough help, Ryder underwent cochlear implant surgery in his left ear in January.

"I did a lot of research about, like, okay, this is what would happen with the surgery," Ryder Boen said.

One month later, the implant was activated, allowing him to hear without a hearing aid for the first time.

"It was all kinds of emotions. It was amazing, like cool, like I'm hearing something," Ryder Boen said.

"Not a day goes by that Hearts for Hearing doesn't change lives. So it never gets old," Stowe said.

The video of his activation went viral, reaching more than 5 million views on social media and being featured on the Today Show on April 9.

"It was just amazing. I never, I didn't even know what the Today Show was," Ryder Boen said.

"That happens to other people. That doesn't happen to us," Sarah Boen said. "I never would have even dreamed it'd be my child on there now, viral."

Now, Ryder is enjoying new sounds, including his favorite.

"Bullfrogs. We have a pond in our front yard, and I never heard a bullfrog ever before," Ryder Boen said.

He continues to use a regular hearing aid in his right ear but is scheduled for implant surgery for that ear in May.

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The city of Bixby is preparing a bond proposal that would go before voters on August 25.

The bond, which comes in around $67.5 million, won't raise taxes and aims to fund a number of projects around town.

WATCH: Bixby prepares for August bond, asks for community feedback

"Things like infrastructure, including sewer, widening of roadways, a new fire station south of 161st, along with an animal control center, an emergency management facility, and upgrades to our parks," City Manager Joey Wiedel said.

The fire station would help serve areas south of the river, and relieve pressure off the new station near 151

and Sheridan.

Road-widening proposals, such as Harvard between 141st and 151st, along with streets north of the river, would help address rapid growth.

"We've got to get to some of these outlet roads, 131st, 101st, 111th," Wiedel said. "That way, you can get off of Memorial, widen those out to Mingo, Garnett, and allow people to have a different way to get down to town."

And the city wants to hear from its residents. Until Monday, April 20, they have an online survey allowing people to share their thoughts. 2 News Oklahoma went downtown to hear from the community.

"Mainly just our roads. The traffic is crazy getting here or getting out," Carol Bevenue said. "Whether you're going into Glenpool or going into South Tulsa, either way, traffic is crazy."

"I think we all know that there's a need for infrastructure to be able to continue building sustainably," Dalayna Dillon added. "I think we have kind of exploded in some areas, and we realized how weak the infrastructure was."

While many residents want another bridge across the Arkansas River, Wiedel said it will not be included in the bond for several reasons, including the price tag and logistical issues. He does say the city is closer than ever to having one built.

"All of the cities around, counties, are all for this," Wiedel said. "It'll be a huge investment not only for the city of Bixby, Jenks, and Glenpool, but it'll be a regional economic driver."

The latest proposal would be a bridge near 131st and Kimberly Clark, moving east before connecting on the other side of the river near 121

and Riverside.

The city is holding three public bond meetings on April 28, April 30, and May 5 at the Municipal Building.

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The Oklahoma Department of Transportation is using zipper merges in construction zones on Highway 75 north of Tulsa and near Jenks.

ODOT introduced the zipper merge in the north construction zone after Tulsa police requested it to help with traffic flow.

WATCH: Drivers debate zipper merges on Highway 75

"It is a better tool for getting more traffic through there more efficiently and more safely," T.J. Gerlach with ODOT said.

Gerlach says the change was made to help move traffic more efficiently.

"It really seemed to help the congestion in that area during rush hours," Gerlach said.

If you get on social media, you'll see plenty of debate on the topic of zipper merging. Some Green Country drivers aren't sure it'll stick.

TJ Eckert: "What do you think of the concept of zipper merging?"

Robert McGinnis: "Well, I don't see how it's going to work here in Oklahoma." 

McGinnis, who lives in Tulsa, thinks drivers might be too set in their old ways.

"I think once they learn how this is set up, I think they will get better. But it's a little bit of a learning curve," McGinnis said.

"Some people like it, some people don't. It's just all about getting people moving through work zones safely and efficiently," Gerlach said.

Gerlach said ODOT still recommends getting over early when there isn't traffic. The last time ODOT used a zipper merge in Tulsa was on Highway 169 during construction over I-44, and Gerlach said they will continue using the concept when necessary.

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The City of Jenks is considering major changes to its downtown Main Street, including removing diagonal parking and adding landscaping to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment.

In March, the city launched a pilot program called "Reimagine Main Street" following resident feedback. The experiment involved removing a parking block and adding temporary landscaping.

"Without prioritizing Main Street, you're going to lose the heart of your city," Jenks Director of Planning Marcae Hilton said.

The city received over 700 survey responses to the project.

WATCH: 'I loved the change': Jenks residents, city leaders discuss Main Street project:

"The people who loved it loved it. The people who aren't comfortable with that type of change and that type of experiment weren't really impressed or in favor," Hilton said.

Britny Pittman, co-owner of Dwell in Jenks, said people shopping at her store liked the change.

"Everything that we heard, the feedback that we heard in our store was great. The customers seemed to really enjoy it," Pittman said. "You're never going to please anybody 100%. Change is hard, but I think we need to see some change down here for sure."

The diagonal parking is the main reason the city wanted to test the Reimagine Main Street project. People complained that backing out into oncoming traffic is dangerous.

"There's still that little threshold, right? Where you haven't committed yet, you have to keep going, keep going. And at some point, you just have to commit and hope nobody's back there," Hilton said.

The most recent Main Street renderings focus on landscaping. Hilton said the city is still considering parking options, including parallel spots or no spots.

"There would be breaks in the trees so you could see the facade, you could see the signage, you could see the buildings. It would feel a lot different than what we presented during the pilot program," Hilton said.

"I don't speak for all the business owners because I don't know what their experience is with that, but for us, I loved the change," Pittman said.

One complaint about the project came from people who struggle walking, who said they wanted close parking. The city is meeting with them and business owners to gather more feedback before submitting final plans.

Hilton said the city will take the final renderings to the planning commission in May.

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For years, people living south of the river in Bixby have asked for more places to shop and eat. Soon, that will be reality.

Starting with the proposed Spartan Creek development just west of 151

and Memorial. The 150-acre property is set to bring in nearly 40 national brands, including grocery stores, shops, fast-food, sit-down restaurants, and more.

"For decades, Bixby has supported other regional partners," Bixby City Manager Joey Wiedel said. "We've shopped in other areas. We haven't had the opportunity to shop here."

All right across the street from Terrye Hayes' house, who just moved in at the beginning of 2026.

WATCH: Walmart, other large developments coming to south Bixby

"My husband and I are both very excited about it," Hayes said. "You're going to get varying opinions on anything, but I think it's going to be nice. I'm going to have a pond right out here to watch."

Wiedel says Bixby, specifically south of the river, is prime real estate for adding national chains.

"151st is our main corridor right now for us to have commercial growth," Wiedel said. "It's very important that we get that, and strategically."

And some other intriguing additions nearby. Two proposed Walmart locations. First off, 131st and Memorial on the northeast corner. Then at 151st near the northeast corner of Kimberly Clark Road. The company calls that store "the Walmart of the future."

"It's going to have a higher-end shopping experience," Wiedel said. "There will be some more robotics. There will be an actual convenience store out front that, if you just want to grab eggs or milk or bread, you can do that while getting fuel."

Combining this with Walmart and Spartan Creek, Wiedel estimates that anywhere from 800 to 1,000 new jobs will come to Bixby, along with tax dollars staying in the community.

"A growing thriving city needs those types of amenities," Wiedel said."

Wiedel expects chains in Spartan Creek to become official in the coming weeks. While he can't confirm the exact chains, he says to look at places like Tulsa Hills and Aspen Ridge in Broken Arrow for inspiration.

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The City of Bixby recently sent a letter to residents stating it failed to monitor or test for lead and copper in the water between July 1 and December 31 of 2025.

Despite the missed testing target, city officials say the water is safe to drink and not contaminated. The letter noted that customers are not at risk, and the city does not expect adverse health effects.

"All samples came back under the required thresholds for lead and copper," Bixby Public Works Assistant Director Nathan Radach said.

Radach said Bixby is required to test for copper and lead in 60 homes. During the second half of last year, the city obtained only 26 samples.

"It's not that we can go to any home and obtain samples. And the samples have to be done from inside the house, and the water has to sit in the pipes for at least 6 hours before we sample. So it's a very difficult sample to obtain," Radach said.

Ashley Reed and her family moved to Bixby last summer. She tells 2 News Oklahoma that an issue like this isn't something she ever considered.

"I mean, we have filters in place to protect ourselves from mistakes and stuff. But you'd like not to think about it," Reed said.

The letter sent to residents stated the problem will not be resolved until June 30.

"We have to obtain 60 samples every 6 months. So the problem will be resolved in June when we have obtained the 60 samples for the first half of 2026," Radach said.

To ensure they hit their target, Radach said the city updated how it gets samples by increasing its list from around 60 homes to 100.

"It'll be good to have the testing done to let us know," Reed said.

Radach says the reason they sent the letter out wasn't to scare people, but to be transparent.

He says once they hit 60 in this six-month cycle, testing goes from twice a year to once a year.

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The City of Glenpool announced a proposal to increase utility rates for the community.

It includes hikes to water, sewer, stormwater, and trash, totaling a 15% monthly increase on average, or around $12.50, according to city manager David Tillotson.

"We've done our best to make sure we keep the rates as low as possible," Tillotson said. "We've worked really hard at that over the years. It's just reached the timing that we are going to be underwater with debt payments and operational costs in the next several years."

WATCH: Glenpool announces proposal to raise utility rates:

Tillotson said the city hasn't raised rates since 2015, and adds even with the proposal, Glenpool would still have some of the lowest rates in the metro.

2 News Oklahoma talked with Daniel Jenner, who lives in Glenpool, and is worried about people on a fixed income.

"So many of the senior citizens are living on a limited budget, and it becomes rather difficult every time there's an increase," Jenner said.

Tillotson said they're considering options to help those people and families specifically.

"We understand that anytime you have increases, especially in today's world when things are tight for a lot of people, it's not going to be pleasant," Tillotson said. "It's just reached the timing that we are going to be underwater with debt payments and operational costs in the next several years if we don't start making changes now."

The proposal goes before the city council on April 6. If passed, they'd take effect later this year, on July 1. You can read the full update from the city here.

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High school athletes in Oklahoma can now profit from their name, image and likeness, and Bixby High School is helping its student-athletes prepare for these opportunities through a partnership with sports marketing company Opendorse.

According to a study, college athletes are projected to make over $2.3 billion from NIL and revenue sharing in 2025-26, and the earning potential now extends to high school students as well.

"Whether we like it or not, NIL is here. At least for the time being," said Kate Creekmore, Bixby's athletic director.

WATCH: 'So you make the money. Now what?': Bixby helping athletes navigate NIL:

NIL name, image, and likeness has become a polarizing topic in athletics. The three-letter acronym represents a significant shift in how student-athletes can monetize their talents and personal brand.

"You know, you say NIL and I think everyone goes I don't want any part of it," said Jake Daugherty, Opendorse's director of collegiate partnerships.

Bixby partnered with Opendorse to help student-athletes navigate the complex NIL landscape while following state guidelines. The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association has established specific rules for high school NIL activities.

"Opendorse gives us a platform in which to help monitor the guidelines that OSSAA has put in place for us," Creekmore said.

The guidelines include restrictions such as not allowing athletes to wear school gear during NIL activities or conduct business on campus.

Through the platform, each athlete creates a profile where businesses can directly contact them for money-making opportunities. These range from appearances to social media posts and other promotional activities.

"Do NIL deals, market themselves, give them an opportunity that if they do want to pursue those NIL opportunities, there's a safe way to do it for them," Daugherty said.

Most, if not all, Bixby athletes haven't earned money through NIL yet. The primary goal is education and preparation for their future athletic careers.

"They offer courses for athletes on marketing yourself, and branding, and how do you get yourself out there in a positive manner. They offered a financial literacy piece that says OK, you do make this money, now what?" Creekmore said.

The program teaches athletes about handling their money responsibly.

"There's going to be a time in their life that they aren't playing sports, and so what does that look like investing? Or saving?" Creekmore said.

The initiative aims to change negative perceptions about NIL by focusing on its educational and financial benefits for student-athletes.

"Our athletes, they work hard and they're in the weight room, and they don't have a lot of time to work. So if this means that they can go help do a ribbon cutting or something like that to make a little bit of money, to put some money in their gas tank or help their family, why not?" Creekmore said.

Opendorse also works with some Broken Arrow athletes. Bixby, and any school participating in NIL education, doesn't directly pay their student athletes. That money comes from whatever deal the athlete makes with outside companies.

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The Martin family story began on the high school hardwood.

"Our schools played each other, and I noticed him on the basketball court," Shannon Martin said.

WATCH: The Martin family celebrates unique path from high school to the NFL:

Shannon and Clay Martin started dating in their junior year. Now, they've been married for 27 years. Their story continued to center around hoops. Clay spent nearly two decades as the head basketball coach at Jenks. But during that time, he began a side gig as a football official.

"He really just was thinking, I'm going to make some extra money, and go ref these mighty mite, middle school games," Shannon said. "Not knowing the journey it was going to take us on."

That journey, starting in 2005, took Clay from peewee, to college, to the NFL. Now he's one of just 17 white hats in the league, the highest level in the sport. Back on January 25, Clay called the NFC title game in Seattle, his biggest assignment yet.

"Really proud, and just in awe that he can do this job as well as he does it," Shannon said.

And Shannon's been there every step of the way, experiencing the unique life of an NFL head ref.

"Just the travel and the relationships that we get to have with the other families of the officials," Shannon said. "It's a small fraternity."

One of those? A trip to Germany, where Clay actually called a penalty in German. She doesn't get to travel to every game, but watching on TV gives her more of a fan's perspective.

"And I have been known to text him during a game and be like, hey, the end of the 1st quarter, 3 minutes left, I think there was a hold there," Shannon joked. "I don't know if he enjoys that."

But this journey, their story, is something they're both certainly enjoying.

"I think growing up, most young athletes dream of being in the NFL," Shannon said. "And I think his dream came true, just in a different version."

Clay was unable to take part in this story, as the NFL doesn't allow its officials to talk to the media during the season.

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The trial for Elliott Binney, the Bixby father accused of leaving the scene of a crash that killed his daughter, did not happen as scheduled.

Binney appeared in court with family members. He faces multiple charges, including leaving the scene of a fatal accident, manslaughter, and child neglect.

WATCH: Bixby dads manslaughter trial delayed, reveals DAs rift with judge

The case was scheduled for trial last year, but his attorney told the judge in court that they continue to work toward a deal to avoid trial.

In 2024, prosecutors say Binney rolled his SUV near 171

and Memorial and then took off from the scene. He was found hours later in a different car, in Checotah, and arrested.

His daughter, Shelby, 16, died in the accident. Other family members were injured but survived.

According to the arrest affidavit, Binney told police he had taken a gulp of vodka while driving. He was also passing cars in a no-passing zone.

In addition to a potential plea deal, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler is seeking to have Judge Sharon Holmes disqualify herself from the case.

According to documents, he has already asked her privately to do so (

which she declined, believing the state has a personal agenda against her.

The request now goes to District Judge David Guten.

Kunzweiler listed a number of cases where he calls Holmes conduct into question.

In one instance, he says Holmes asked a defendant, a construction worker, for his contact information to potentially work on her home.

He says Holmes allowed another defendant, a cook, to bring her lunch to work.

Kunzweiler also cites a instances of her communicating with jurors without counsel present.

He wrote that the circumstances are of grave concern to the State of Oklahoma.

Kunzweiler wrote that if his request is denied, he will pursue the appeals court.

Since these particular instances do not directly address the Binney case, 2 News reached out to Kunzweilers office to ask how many criminal cases he is seeking to transfer from Holmes. We did not receive an answer to that question, but sources indicate there are many of them and that they often occur shortly before trials are scheduled to begin.

Binneys case has been moved to February 20.

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A multi-million dollar bridge project on Highway 75 in Jenks came to a halt after just a day and a half due to an eagle's nest discovered near the construction site.

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation confirmed the project is on pause while they work with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to secure environmental clearance.

The bridge repair project began Jan. 5, reducing Highway 75 to one lane and causing significant traffic backups. That stretched into the next morning, with drivers bracing for months of headaches.

"It's going to be a mess," one driver told 2 News. "It's going to be rough. People are going to have to get up early if they're trying to get to work on time."

However, by the evening of Jan. 6, ODOT took down the construction cones, and all lanes reopened.

TJ Gerlach of ODOT said the initial lane reductions enabled contractors to complete striping work ahead of the planned barrier wall replacement. However, the project is now on pause due to an eagle's nest in close proximity to the work site.

WATCH: 2 News' Naomi Keitt brought you details about the project before it began:

They discovered the nest during a pre-work survey in November, but ODOT didn't realize it overlapped with their required buffer zone until this week, Gerlach said. The overlap affects a portion of the work zone that would be used for traffic control, not the bridge work, he explained.

ODOT is working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on a resolution.

On Jan. 9, ODOT said the project would resume on Jan. 19.

The project is expected to last until approximately November and will update the bridge over Polecat Creek on both northbound and southbound sides of Highway 75.

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