Category Archives: Business

USDA Restoring Core Mission

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today announced today the reorganization of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), refocusing its core operations to better align with its founding mission of supporting American farming, ranching, and forestry.

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Data Center Zoning Approved

Reporter Opinion: The aftermath is the story

Today, the Board of County Commissioners held a special meeting to continue a public hearing and vote on a zoning application (CZ 565, PUD 871) for Project Clydesdale. There was no legal reason to deny the zoning change requested by the landowner. More citizens objected to this development than any other Tulsa County has faced, but it was approved.

Multiple local trade unions, including the Northeast Labor Council, voiced strong support, citing the creation of high-wage jobs and paid apprenticeship programs. For iron workers alone, the project is estimated to represent $1.5 million in wages and nearly $1 million in benefits annually. They wore identifying shirts and caps and jackets.

Everyone was polite until the crowd began to file out.

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Regional Housing Starts Steady

The Home Builders Association of Greater Tulsa has released the latest housing starts data for June 2025, showing 255 new residential permits issued across the metro area for the month. This brings the year-to-date total to 1,821 permits, reflecting consistent demand across several key cities in the region.

Broken Arrow continues to lead all municipalities with 49 housing starts in June and a year-to-date total of 366. Bixby followed with 21 starts, adding to its impressive 275 homes started so far this year.

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The Bullet Train That Isn’t

Commentary: I’m reading a history of the interstate highway system, partially because I sense that the whole thing is widely overrated. Its construction massively disrupted the economics of small towns. It ruined the look and feel of large cities. The cost overruns were enormous and it took far longer to complete than anyone estimated.

One has to wonder what inspired this thing to which hardly anyone objected at the time. The United States had the world’s most marvelous system for passenger travel. It was built with treasure, blood, sweat, and tears. It was the achievement of the ages. After the Second World War, it could have been expanded. Instead it was abandoned for the car.

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