You know a city is moving to become an established “Music City” when other commercial enterprises begin to market the music industry to their customers.
Arvest Bank announced Wednesday that they are excited to introduce a new Church Studio debit card – a tribute to Tulsa’s rich musical heritage.
As a small business owner in rural Oklahoma, I’ve weathered my fair share of challenges – tight labor markets, rising costs, inflation, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. But nothing worried me more this year than what I saw buried in the early versions of Congress’ big reconciliation bill: a provision that would have effectively stripped away my ability to deduct state and local taxes, a benefit I’ve relied on since the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
I’m structured as a pass-through business, like many other local shops, service providers, and family-run operations across Oklahoma. We don’t have large legal teams or accounting departments. We operate on thin margins, reinvesting every dollar we can into our employees, our buildings, and our communities. Losing the SALT deduction would have meant thousands of dollars in unexpected taxes – and serious consequences for my business’s future. And I’m not alone. Small businesses make up 99.4% of all Oklahoma businesses and employ over half of the state’s workforce.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) announced Wednesday a groundbreaking partnership with PragerU to develop an assessment for teachers relocating from states with progressive education policies, such as California and New York, seeking certification to teach in Oklahoma schools. Effective immediately, this initiative will ensure that educators align with Oklahoma’s commitment to fostering an America First education rooted in truth, patriotism, and core values.
Citizens rallied with strong opposition Monday to a proposed data center on 506 acres of undeveloped land in Tulsa County just north of the Cherokee Industrial Park and directly west of significant well established residential neighborhoods. The power-elite were also in attendance at the Tulsa County Board of Commissioners meeting.
County Commissioners tabled the vote on the zoning change from agricultural to light industrial until a special meeting Wednesday, July 16 in apparent response to public outcry.
Descendants of Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes Association (DF5CTA) sent United States Secretary of Interior Burgum a letter seeking Choctaw freedmen treaty rights protection.
“The letter was sent to stress U.S. government requirements to enforce 1866 treaty rights of Choctaw freedmen and that retaining Federal oversight of Choctaw nation tribal constitutional amendments is critical,” said Marilyn Vann, president of the DF5CTA.