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Public schools show a slight increase

Tulsa Beacon

Statewide enrollment is up a bit; Tulsa enrollment keeps dropping Oklahoma’s public schools have a slightly increasing student population, according to numbers released by the State Department of Education. Tulsa Public Schools are losing students – 2,059 in the past five years with 540 in the past year. Broken Arrow stayed virtually the same (11…

City councilors raise the hotel tax by another 3 percent

Tulsa Beacon

Tulsa’s City Council has raised another tax – this time a 3 percent hike on room stays at the city’s largest hotels. Described as a “Tourism Improvement District,” the tax increase only applies to hotels with more than 110 rooms. City officials predict it will raise more than $2,400,000.00 in new revenues. The extra money…

Voter registration being encouraged

Tulsa Beacon

The Oklahoma State Election Board is encouraging Oklahomans everywhere to make a resolution to get registered and vote. “Whether you just turned 18 or have been eligible to vote for years, now is the time to take an active role in electing our government representatives,” said Paul Ziriax, Secretary of the State Election Board. “2020…

Winter event is Feb 13 in Branson

Tulsa Beacon

The 25th Annual Hot Winter Fun Big Show in Branson, Missouri, will be at 7 p.m. February 13 at Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater. Confirmed shows on stage include Shoji Tabuchi, Grand Jubilee, the Hughes Music Show, the SIX show, Comedy Jamboree, The Petersens, Doug Gabriel, Legends In Concert, CJ Newsom’s Classic Country & Comedy…

New program battles opioid abuse

Tulsa Beacon

Pawnee County is one of Oklahoma’s top five counties for opioid overdoses. But a new program is battling that. Prescription drug abuse is the fastest-growing drug problem in the United States and Oklahoma is no exception. More than 770 Oklahoma residents died from drug overdoses in 2017. Opioids, including prescriptions, are a particular problem —…

Winter is a good time for cleaning

Tulsa Beacon

STILLWATER – When the weather is cold and limiting outdoor activities, it is a good time to tackle some house cleaning projects you may have been putting on the back burner. Cleaning out your pantry is a good way to ensure you have only the freshest foods available for your family, said Barbara Brown, Oklahoma…

Blackwell is rated most ‘affordable’

Tulsa Beacon

According to www.smartasset.com, the City of Blackwell has the most available housing in Oklahoma. Blackwell was No. 1 in the list of affordable housing markets in the state. Blackwell, with a medium income of $40,942, has an annual property average of $365. Blackwell had an average mortgage payment of $2,534. Glenpool is the only Tulsa…

Officials check lack of park maintenance

Tulsa Beacon

In advance of a multi-million-dollar tax increase vote, city councilors are taking a look at the rundown condition of Tulsa parks. Former city councilor Anna America, now Tulsa parks director, said she wants almost $80,000,000.00 for improvements at Tulsa’s 135 parks. Her plan calls for $10,000,000.00 for tennis courts, $20,000,000.00 to repair roofs and $11,600,000.00…

Sen. Dave Rader files Personhood Act

Tulsa Beacon

State Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, has introduced a bill that would grant “personhood” to unborn children in Oklahoma. The Personhood Act, Senate Bill 195, states, “The life of each human being begins at conception” and “unborn children have protectable interests in life, health and well-being…” It would grant “on behalf of the unborn child at…

$50k bond for organized protestors

Tulsa Beacon

State Sen. Mark Allen thinks large, organized protest groups should be accountable for the cost incurred for additional security, cleaning and repairs to the State Capitol. Allen, R-Spiro, authored Senate Bill 592, at least partially in response to the 2018 protests promoted by the Oklahoma Education Association and other groups. It requires organized protest groups…