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Tulsa City Council elections Districts 5, 7 & 9

Tulsa Beacon

The Tulsa City Council elections will be held on August 25th along with the state runoff elections.  The Tulsa City Council elections do not have primaries as they are non-partisan races. If there are more than two candidates filed in a District and no candidate reaches over 50 percent in the Aug. 25th election the…

CAIR and IST sue Broken Arrow for denying mosque

Tulsa Beacon

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Society of Tulsa (IST) today held a news conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to announce the filing of a lawsuit against the City of Broken Arrow for illegally denying IST a rezoning application to construct a mosque in Broken Arrow. That lawsuit reads in part: “The City…

Last week to request absentee ballots for August 25 election

Tulsa Beacon

The deadline to request absentee ballots by mail for August 25, Federal and State Runoff Primary Election, State Questions 844 and 846, City of Tulsa General Election, City of Tulsa Special ONG Utility Franchise Election; as well as City of Bixby Special Bond Election is approaching. Applications must be received by the County Election Board…

Tulsa City Council elections Districts 1-3

Tulsa Beacon

The Tulsa City Council elections will be held on August 25th along with the state runoff elections.  The Tulsa City Council elections do not have primaries as they are non-partisan races. If there are more than two candidates filed in a District and no candidate reaches over 50 percent in the Aug. 25th election the…

Armstrong seeks to cut red tape, reduce energy costs

Tulsa Beacon

Demand for energy is surging in the United States, but production of energy may not be able to keep pace with that demand due to current regulatory hurdles. That means all consumers, including households, could see energy prices continue to climb in future years if nothing changes. To prevent that scenario and protect Oklahomans from…

Oklahoma Sales Tax Holiday is August 7-9

Tulsa Beacon

Friday, August 17th – 9th will be the Oklahoma Tax-Free Weekend in 2026.  All businesses are required to participate. Any person can purchase the tax-free merchandise from retailers in their stores from catalogs or online. Sales of any article of clothing or footwear designed to be worn on or about the human body and the…

August 25 election State Office runoffs

Tulsa Beacon

State offices in Oklahoma are determined in the non-presidential election years. The June 16 primary left five races going to a runoff in the August 25 election – four Republican and one Democrat runoffs. In the race for governor current Gov. Kevin Stitt is term limited. and cannot run. Nine Republicans, three Democrats and three…

Oklahoma’s Robust Election Procedures

Tulsa Beacon

(Oklahoma City) – Oklahoma takes election security very seriously, and our state has excellent laws and procedures in place to help ensure the integrity of elections in our state. State Election Board Secretary Paul Ziriax said Oklahoma’s election system is designed to ensure that Oklahoma voters feel confident each time they cast a ballot. “We…

Left-wing labor commissioner asks Oklahoma Supreme Court to deny OCPA brief against SQ836

Tulsa Beacon

In 2024, activists launched an initiative petition effort to impose a California-style election system in Oklahoma. Under the proposed system, voters’ November choices could have been reduced to two politicians from the same political party. State Question 836 backers needed 172,993 signatures from qualified Oklahoma voters to place the proposal on the ballot. They fell…

Oklahoma Revenues continue seeing growth entering the summer months

Tulsa Beacon

OKLAHOMA CITY (July 7, 2026) – State Treasurer Todd Russ released the June 2026 State Tax Revenue Report, showing total monthly revenue of $1.6 billion, a 5.8% increase from June 2025. Over the last 12 months, Oklahoma revenues totaled $17.91 billion, up $989.9 million, or 5.9%, year-over-year, reflecting continued strength across key revenue sources and…

Columns

Time for OU regents to act

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma faces workforce challenges. Our college system should play a crucial role in addressing that challenge and fueling economic growth. Instead, the University of Oklahoma is receiving national attention for devolving into academic self-parody. Rather than gain renown for producing engineers and scientists, OU is under scrutiny for having a man who identifies as a…

It’s a Small World: it matters how you treat people

Tulsa Beacon

[Analysis of history and science influence on political and religious attitudes.]   It’s a small world. We were out on a fine, beautiful Saturday afternoon, headed over to our lab to work on the ham radio repeater. An event was underway at the Mountain Venue. We noticed one of the security guards managing traffic into…

Reflecting on the meaning of work this Labor Day

Tulsa Beacon

Each year, as summer winds down and the first Monday in September approaches, we pause to honor the contributions of workers across the country. Labor Day is far more than a long weekend, it is a powerful reminder of the value of work, the dignity of those who labor, and the importance of fair and…

A billion reasons why Oklahoma needs fiscal discipline

Tulsa Beacon

Oklahoma is taking in a lot of tax money. In fact, during the last year, the state has gotten so much extra money, it has as much as a billion dollars in the Rainy Day Fund (and other accounts). That’s a billion with a “B.” Gov. Kevin Stitt, to his credit, wants to sit tight…

Look at the results: Communism vs. Christianity

Tulsa Beacon

[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.]   Calvin, the inquisitive 6-year-old asks his imaginary philosopher tiger, “It says here that ‘Religion is the opiate of the masses.’ What do you suppose that means?” The TV replies, ‘It means Karl Marx hadn’t seen anything yet.’ Although Marx was making a derogatory…

Opinion

Editorial: SQ 844: Should the Constitution or the Legislature Decide?

Tulsa Beacon

Over the past few weeks, I have had a number of conversations about State Question 844. Almost every one quickly turned to school funding. That concern is understandable. SQ 844 raises real questions about funding for schools and local governments. But after researching the measure, I came to believe it raises an even more fundamental…

Editorial: News Analysis

Tulsa Beacon

America is witnessing a resurgence of ideas that many assumed had been relegated to history. Openly socialist candidates are winning elections. Socialist rhetoric is becoming increasingly mainstream. Class warfare is replacing free-market principles as the preferred language of many activists and politicians. And a growing number of young Americans are embracing ideas that previous generations…

Editorial: Tulsa Beacon Endorsements

Tulsa Beacon

This list is not a comprehensive list of endorsements, that will be available closer to the June 16 election date. It will be added to as decisions on endorsements are made.  We have had many phone calls and emails asking whether we will be making endorsements and we will be. U.S. Senator for the seat…

Editorial: Tulsa Beacon Endorsements for the April 7th election

Tulsa Beacon

2026 Tulsa Public Schools School Bond Election Vote NO This school bond says your taxes will be at the same rate.  However in 2021 this rate was supposed to raise $414 million and now this same rate will raise $609 million for a bond issue that lasts the same amount of time – 5 years.. …

Sports

Oilers take on the Sharks and win playoff game

Tulsa Beacon

As time expired, the Tulsa Oilers kicked a game winning field goal to beat the Jacksonville Sharks, 31-28, in the opening round of the IFL playoffs, Saturday in Jacksonville, Florida. With the win, Tulsa’s record improved to 12-5, and they will now face the Green Bay Blizzard (14-3) in the Eastern Conference Final, on Sunday…

My view from Here

Tulsa Beacon

Last week, on the way back from visiting family in Texas, my wife and I decided to attend a Texas Rangers baseball game. It had been four years since we saw the Rangers play at Globe Life Field, and that’s too long. If you’re a regular reader of this column, you know that when I…

Tulsa Oilers headed to the Playoffs

Tulsa Beacon

Tulsa finished the IFL regular season with a dominant 66-42 victory over the Quad City Steamwheelers, Saturday night at Vibrant Arena at The Mark in Moline, Il. With the win, the Oilers record improved to 11-5, the most wins in a season in team history and expanded their franchise-record win streak to nine games entering…

Upcoming ORU soccer season

Tulsa Beacon

I know football season is fast approaching but college soccer is right around the corner. ORU will open their men’s soccer season with an exhibition match at SMU on Aug. 7, then will play a home exhibition match against NSU on Aug. 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the Case Soccer Complex. The ORU women will…

Entertainment

Sight and Sound production of “Jesus” in Branson

‘Jesus’ at Sight & Sound in Branson has a great impact

Tulsa Beacon

BRANSON, Missouri – It would be difficult for a stage play to have more impact than the production of Jesus here at Sight & Sound Theatre. The public ministry of Jesus Christ, His miracles, His relationships, His sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection are dramatically portrayed as only Sight & Sound can. Even though…

Question marks for Branson shows, Disney, Six Flags, etc.

Tulsa Beacon

Vacation plans are on hold and Tulsans’ best options for entertainment due to the coronavirus outbreak are in their own living rooms. Movie theaters closed All the movie theaters in Tulsa – even the Admiral Twin Drive-in – are closed due to the pandemic. Entertainment venues, which tend to draw big crowds, are deemed “non-essential”…

Singer Joe Diffee dies

Tulsa Beacon

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nineties country-music hitmaker Joe Diffie died March 29th due to complications related to COVID-19. In all, Diffie charted 18 Top 10 singles, with the majority reaching the top five, including 1993 radio essentials Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox (If I Die) and iconic song, John Deere Green. Diffie’s popular hits also…