We received this last Friday morning. A reader speculates on why Tulsa Mayor Kathy Taylor decided against running for re-election.

“60% approval and she’s stepping down?  Does her husband no longer need special favors?  (he runs Alamo/Thrifty rental cars who got a lot of money to open call center in Tulsa). Is it because of the brewing payoff scandal? Or does she smell blood in the water and is going to put together a campaign to run against Sullivan?”   

Samantha is a mom who loves her children dearly.  They don’t have to grow up like she did … she insists on it.  When Samantha was 7, she tried to take her life.  Fortunately, she didn’t succeed.  Fortunately, she was able to get rescued from her heavily drug addicted mom.   Unfortunately, she went from one foster home to another for nearly a decade.

Now that Samantha is an adult, she wants everyone to know how important it is to take time to help those who are severely hurting in life.  Recently, she gave her life to Christ at Parkland Baptist Church, a church that has shown her very deeply the love of Jesus Christ that she has always wanted.

When Parkland picks up furniture for Samantha this month, it will be yet another step in showing Samantha just how loved she is.  Thanks to the many people who donate furniture, churches are able to show true love to families who were supposed to have love from their parents … but drugs, alcohol and all the vices associated with such lifestyle, rob the life out of children (usually for the rest of their lives).

Leading up to April 4, 2 Works for You, Mathis Brothers Furniture, and a host of other supporters will be collecting furniture at Mathis Brothers, Victory Christian Center, and other churches to help this community help more families that are deeply hurting.

If you would like to donate furniture, finances or volunteer your time through this campaign, we invite you to go to furniture2families.com today and be a part of furnishing hope to thousands of families just like Samantha and her children.  You’ll be happy to know that you could change several generations with your outpouring of love!

Related:  Cornerstone Assistance Network

We’re not even to the 2008 primary, and someone may be already in 2010 campaign mode.

So why was State Rep. John Wright doing in Hollis over the weekend? Inquiring minds might just think the Broken Arrow conservative is sizing up a run for statewide office in 2010. Located in southwest Oklahoma near the Texas border, Hollis is known for being the birthplace of Darrell Royal and the fact that there are very few Republicans in Harmon County. Rep. Wright is known as a staunch conservative and even challenged then-Speaker Lance Cargill for that office last fall at the height of Cargill’s campaign finance scandal.

Two-term governor Brad Henry won’t be on the ballot in 2010, and insiders say that Wright would represent an attractive choice for the conservative wing of the party.

Developing……

The idea behind that tagline, according to Marketing Dirctor Casey Sparks, is, “Making the building feel like everybody is welcome and it is a good corporate citizen for Tulsa.”

Suzanne Stewart, senior vice president of the Metro Tulsa Convention and Visitors Bureau, added, “We’re not just wanting to bring people to Tulsa for a single event where they just buying a ticket and a hot dog. We want to tie in hotels and restaurants.”

For some time now, Celine Dion and Kenney Chesney have been booked to perform at the center. Now, a preseason match-up between the Houston Rockets and Orlando Magic, and Celtic Thunder is scheduled to perform as well.

A poll on the center’s website asks which act Tulsans would most like to see open the center. Currently Carrie Underwood is the favorite, which Aerosmith close behind, and Garth Brooks a distant third.

Greetings!

I want to take a moment to update you on the progress of the BOK Center.

The arena is in its 27th month of a 36-month construction schedule. The installation of glass and steel panels are being added, along with other tasks being completed by the hundreds of workers on site. Exciting developmenets are happening everyday to the structure and there are many more to come that will contribute to the success of this new point of pride for Tulsa. With the recent sellout of the ONEOK Club Seats and the huge success of the sale of tickets for the Celine Dion concert, we are already starting to experience the great potential for Tulsa to draw new tourism visitors – not just from Oklahoma, but from the entire region.

Just over the past few weeks I was pleased to announce some exciting new private sponsorships for the BOK Center.

- Today, the Oklahoma Ford Dealers committed to a 15-year Founder partnership by sponsoring two suites. Ford will also serve as the official automotive sponsor for the BOK Center. In total, the commitment from the Oklahoma Ford Dealers is $4.9 million.
- ONEOK has committed to at 15-year commitment totaling more than $5 million dollars for the naming rights to the premium seating level, club lounge, blue seating program, and for a founders suite and lounge box.
- Williams Company has committed to a 20-year commitment of more than $5 million dollars to help pay for the center-hung scoreboard, the sponsorship of sports event replays, and a founder suite.
- Cherokee Nation Enterprises has committed 10 years with a commitment of $2.3 million to a founder’s suite and the arena’s exclusive casino and destination resort.
- Cox Communications has committed a 10-year commitment totaling over $2.5 million for the arena’s official telecommunications provider.

These sponsorships represent another chapter in our public/private partnerships that we have formed to make this great building a
success. They are helping to enhance the funding commitment made by Tulsa citizens and help to leverage our public investment from Vision 2025.

Finally, I wanted to remind you that Tulsa’s own 66ers tip off their first home game tonight at 7 p.m. in the Expo Square Pavilion. If you and your family and friends need more information or to purchase tickets, just call 585-8444.

Please have a very safe and enjoyable weekend, and as always, thank you for all you do to make Tulsa such a great place to live!

Sincerely,

Kathy Taylor

Mayor

From Batesline.com:

I received an e-mail from Nageena Shahnaz Miftah, the wife of Jamal Miftah, responding individually to the seven people who spoke at the recent “press conference” (really a rally) held at the Islamic Society of Tulsa for the purpose of denouncing State Rep. Rex Duncan and other legislators who declined to receive a Koran from the Governor’s Ethnic American Advisory Council. The seven speakers were there to condemn Duncan and the others as intolerant and bigoted.

Jamal Miftah was confronted at IST’s mosque in a threatening way, called anti-Islamic, and then expelled from the Islamic Society of Tulsa’s mosque, all because of an op-ed piece he wrote condemning those who commit terrorist acts in the name of Islam. The incident took place a year ago Saturday on November 18, 2006. Read more…

Hat Tip: BatesLine

The proposal is for a county-wide sales tax rate increase of 0.4 cents on the dollar, increasing the county’s share of sales tax from 61/60ths (1.016666…) of a cent on each dollar to 85/60ths (1.416666…) of a cent on each dollar. The proceeds of the sales tax would be designated for river projects.

Here is a link to the text of the ballot resolution for the Tulsa County river sales tax, the signed and notarized commitment by the county to the voters regarding how the tax proceeds will be spent. As a backup, you can find the same text on the KJRH website.

The proponents of the tax have a website called ourriveryes.com.The opponents of the tax have a website called notulsarivertax.com.

The Arkansas River category in the BatesLine archives has what I’ve written about the current proposal as well as last fall’s The Channels proposal.

Courtesy of KOTV

With the river tax vote two weeks away supporters are now courting the north side of Tulsa, where some community leaders have blasted the plan for neglecting black Tulsans. On Wednesday, Mayor Kathy Taylor held out a carrot worth millions of dollars for a yes vote. News On 6 anchor Latoya Silmon reports on the reaction to the promise of pools and playgrounds on the north side.

Many North Tulsa residents vowed to vote no, but river tax supporters are moving north to change their minds.

“I’m not surprised because divide and conquer has always been one thing used in the north side of Tulsa,” said Dr. Warren Blakney, Minister of the North Peoria Church of Christ. “If you can divide the vote than perhaps you can get what you need.”

Read More