Bowing to pressure by homosexual groups, the Tulsa City Council for the first time in the city’s history officially granted special rights to a group based on its sexual behavior. (more…)
City councilors voted 6-3 to turn down a law that would make people paid by the city prove they are legal citizens. (more…)
Tulsa County Assessor Ken Yazel believes he works for the taxpayers and that Tulsa County has the highest property taxes in Oklahoma. (more…)
The impact of the British Petroleum oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will produce tighter federal regulations for oil and gas production in Oklahoma, said Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Dana Murphy. (more…)
Legislation that would require greater transparency when state agencies hire private attorneys will not become law this year, state Rep. Mark McCullough said. (more…)
Ken Yazel will tell you that he is no politician. (more…)
When I was a kid, our only vacations were to Needs Creek, Arkansas (just outside Conway) to visit Uncle Alton and Aunt Mildred. (more…)
A number of years ago, I worked with a church client who owned several very successful retirement centers. Well-run and with a long waiting list of elderly that wanted to live at the centers, it was an important ministry to their community. (more…)
Once again, Tulsa’s most ineffective former Mayor Kathy Taylor and Oklahoma’s most ineffective Governor Brad Henry have put together their second bid for a federal Race to the Top education reform grant. In their first failed attempt to gain $183 million in education funds, Oklahoma placed in the lower 83 percentile or 34th out of 41 states that applied. This second attempt seeks $175 million for merit pay projects, interventions at low performing schools, student data improvements and other reforms. (more…)
On July 4, 234 years ago, that is 1776, reportedly a hot steamy day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at a meeting of the second Continental Congress, 56 prominent gentlemen delegates met to ratify a document titled The Declaration of Independence. (more…)
For our local economy to resume its strength and vitality will depend upon the stability and growth of our local small businesses. Over 75 percent of those employed in Tulsa work for a business of 50 employees or less. When the effects of a recession hit a community, its small business that is hit the hardest and takes the longest to recover. Local businesses are committed to Tulsa and that’s why the City of Tulsa needs to be committed to them. To do whatever the City can to help their recovery and growth. (more…)
Despite reports in national and local media, Oklahoma made its decision to stay in the Big 12 based on what is best for the Sooners, not what they were forced to do by Texas. (more…)
Oklahoma State saw a number of reasons for staying in the Big 12 Conference despite a tempting offer to join the Pac 10 for a 16-team super conference. (more…)
Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Iowa State and Baylor got what they wanted – a renewed Big 12 Conference. (more…)
Oklahoma’s defense stiffened Sunday night as the Sooners held back South Carolina for a 4-3 victory in the first game of the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska. (more…)
Back-to-back games against the Minnesota Lynx became back-to-back loses for the Tulsa Shock as Tulsa and Minnesota played a home-and-home series last weekend.
Minnesota won at home Friday night, 78-67, and then defeated the Shock in Tulsa on Saturday night, 92-78.
On Friday night, Minnesota was led by Seimone Augustus with 27 points, helping the Lynx snap a four-game losing streak.
Tulsa’s high scorer was Kiesha Brown with 14 points.
On Saturday, the Lynx were led by Candice Wiggins with 19 points, Lindsay Whalen had 17, Augustus scored 16 and Rebekkah Brunson added 14.
The Lynx shot 51-percent from the field, including 12 for 19 (63 percent) from 3-point range.
Tulsa was led by Scholanda Robinson with 14 points, and Alexis Hornbuckle with 12, but the Shock committed 21 turnovers in the game.
The Shock (3-8) have now lost five in a row. Minnesota now has a 4-9 record and has won the season series between the two teams, 3-2.
Tulsa will host the New York Liberty, Friday at 7 p.m. at the BOK Center.
INTERNATIONAL UMPS
I had the honor of speaking at Baseball Chapel for the Tulsa Drillers, the Drillers front office staff, the Arkansas Travelers, and the umpires this past Sunday. I spent 27 years as a chapel coordinator with Baseball Chapel, beginning in my hometown of Jamestown, N.Y., and then here in Tulsa.
The man that currently handles chapel duties here is local pastor, Victor Cruz, and he invited me to speak this week, and fill-in for him when he’s gone on July 4.
One interesting tidbit I picked up from chapel on Sunday is that the umpire crew working the game was an international crew. The three umpires working together are all from different countries; Kevin Bultron is from Puerto Rico, Stu Scheurwater from Regina, Sask., Canada, and Brett Robson from Perth, Australia.
In my 30-plus years of being associated with minor league baseball, I have never seen an umpire crew where everyone is from a different country, and none are American. Pretty unique.
PLAYING IN TRAFFIC
Through the first 39 baseball games to be played at the new ONEOK Field in downtown Tulsa, never had a baseball found it’s way to the nearby north leg of the downtown loop. However, last week, twice in four games, two left-handed Arkansas Travelers hitters sliced foul balls that flew over the third-base side of the grandstand and landed on I-244.
Last Thursday, a foul ball off the bat of Ryan Mount bounced in the eastbound lanes and came to rest against the median barrier. The eastbound lanes are currently closed for reconstruction.
On Saturday, in the second game of the day-night double header, Jeremy Moore hit a foul ball that bounced in the eastbound lanes and rolled across the westbound side. Thankfully, traffic was not affected.
Tulsa Drillers officials along with officials from Manhattan Construction were planning to meet with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation this week to brainstorm on a solution. Manhattan Construction oversaw the construction of ONEOK Field and is doing the road work on I-244, as well.
This may not become a common occurrence, and may never be a problem again, but when you’re dealing with cars speeding by at 65-plus miles per hour, and a baseball sailing toward a windshield at 40 miles per hour, you don’t want to take any chances.
HOCKEY LESSONS
Beat the heat this summer indoors at the Oilers Ice Center. During July and August, kids can get hockey lessons from the Tulsa Oilers who will be teaming up with Tulsa Youth Hockey Association for a “Learn to play Hockey Program.”
The sessions will take place on four successive Saturdays beginning July 17 at the Oilers Ice Center (64th Street and Mingo Road). The camps are for children 4 to 8 years old who have never played hockey with TYHA.
“This is grassroots hockey at the best and most fun level,” Oilers coach Bruce Ramsay said. “Teaching kids who’ve never played hockey how great a game it is, is one of the things I’ve enjoyed most. I’m really looking forward to this and I know our players are too.”
Camp sessions will be from 4:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. TYHA provides protective equipment and rental skates at no charge for the camp. Equipment is limited and based on participation.
For more information on the camp, contact Eric Lawless and (918) 845-3345 or email him at lawless01@live.com or visit the TYHA website at www.tyha.com.
[Jeff Brucculeri is the coauthor of “Powerful People Are Inspired by Powerful Athletes,” available at www.tunedintosuccess.com. Contact; jeffb@tulsabeacon.com.]
Nathan Dahm, a conservative Evangelical, heads the list of five Republicans challenging Rep. John Sullivan. Sullivan, who is Catholic, was treated for alcoholism in the Betty Ford Clinic last year. (more…)
In Tulsa County, Jenks is leading the way in end-of-instruction tests for eighth grade students, according to the latest report of the Education Oversight Board (EOB). (more…)
Howard W. Houchen wants to represent Oklahoma’s Second District in Congress to help restore traditional rights and values to American citizens. (more…)
Tulsa County Commissioner Fred Perry is satisfied with the progress of county issues in the nearly four years he has been in office. (more…)
U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, R-Okla., voted for a Senate resolution sponsored by U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, that would have blocked the EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act without congressional legislation. (more…)
Oklahoma’s history contains a long line of corruption with elected officials. Another problem is that the state sometimes elects people who have no idea how to effectively run government. (more…)
Recent weapons negotiations by President Obama gives great advantage to Russia and again seeks to hamstring U.S. capability to defend itself. (more…)
I had no choice in who was my father. God was kind and I had a Dad who loved me, sacrificed for me and wished me a better life than what he endured. I miss him. (more…)
We’ve been listening to the “separation of church and state” mantra for decades now, as liberals and progressives have been trying to push God out of anything that is funded with federal tax dollars. (more…)
What’s so difficult to understand? If business income is off and people don’t have jobs state revenue will also fall. Right? (more…)
In recent weeks, a number of questions have come my way from friends and acquaintances wanting to know my professional opinion as an engineer about the situation with the British Petroleum well problem is in the Gulf. It has been difficult to come up with actual and correct answers because all we have to go on is the video scenes that have been on the TV news shows. (more…)
I just returned the other day from a week long mission trip to Jamaica, where I spent time working on the construction of a classroom building for an orphanage. We were high in the mountains right in the center of the island, with no access to television, radio or newspapers. For a media and information junkie, it was rough being cut off from the world. (more…)
Jameel Owens, a sophomore transfer at The University of Tulsa, has been granted a transfer waiver by the NCAA. (more…)
The Big 12 will have 10 teams and the Big Ten will have 12 teams. (more…)
The race for governor heads what could be a record number of filings for public office for the 2010 election. (more…)