City of Tulsa

With a New TPS Bond Issue on the Ballot Soon, Dr. Keith Ballard Makes the Case for Its Passage

Rich Fisher — Wed, 08 May 2013 18:13:38 +0000

Voters within the Tulsa Public Schools district will go to the polls on May 14th to vote on a $38 million bond issue devoted to classroom technology as well as safety and security. Looking at facilities across the span of the district, we find that some schools have a student-to-computer ratio of 3:1, while in other schools that ratio is as high as 13:1. This bond will address those disparities, and will also provide funds for sprinkler systems within TPS's oldest schools as well as additional security at various entrances and exits. Our guest today is Dr.

A New Program from Tulsa Habitat for Humanity: A Brush with Kindness

Rich Fisher — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:00:16 +0000

On this installment of ST, we welcome Paul Kent, Executive Director of Tulsa Habitat for Humanity. This cherished, local nonprofit will mark its 25th anniversary this year --- the national Habitat organization, by the way, is about a dozen or so years older --- and the Tulsa chapter is also on track to build its 300th house in our community this coming fall.

"A Map of Tulsa" --- A Widely Praised First Novel from Benjamin Lytal

Rich Fisher — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 18:05:45 +0000

Today on ST we speak by phone with Benjamin Lytal, who grew up in Tulsa and now resides in Chicago, and who has written for The Wall Street Journal, The London Review of Books, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Sun, The Believer, McSweeney's, and other publications. Lytal's first novel, "A Map of Tulsa," has just been published, and he'll be doing a free reading/signing in connection with this book tonight (Tuesday the 26th) at the Harwelden Mansion here in Tulsa at 7pm.

New Attractions and Recently Opened Exhibits at the Tulsa Zoo

Rich Fisher — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 19:58:02 +0000

On this edition of ST, with Spring Break now in effect, we're discussing some new changes and enhancements at that ever-popular Spring Break destination known as the Tulsa Zoo. For openers, the Robert J. LaFortune WildLIFE Trek, formerly known as the North American Living Museum, was unveiled to the public on Saturday the 16th; it's a four-building complex that houses everything from grizzly bears to naked mole rats to albino alligators. Also, there's a new exhibit on display in the zoo's African Plains section that features three highly endangered African Painted Dogs.

The Tulsa Historical Society Presents "Tulsa in the Teens"

Rich Fisher — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 21:33:56 +0000

In 1901, the first-ever oil well in Tulsa (from the Creek word, "Tallasi," meaning "Old Town") was established; the city itself had been officially incorporated in 1898. In 1905, the discovery of the fabled Glenn Pool oil field occurred --- and a boom town was born. And not just any boom town, but a petroleum-driven city-on-the-go, as Tulsa's population climbed to more than 140,000 between 1901 and 1930. On this edition of ST, we revisit the pivotal decade in this remarkable growth spurt as we discuss a new exhibit at the Tulsa Historical Society (or THS).

A Conversation with Ray Vandiver, Executive Director of Tulsa Children's Museum

Rich Fisher — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 20:32:15 +0000

On this edition of ST, we speak with Dr. Ray Vandiver, the recently named (and very first) executive director of Tulsa Children's Museum (TCM). This facility has existed for the past few years as a "museum without walls" in our community, delivering performances and hands-on experiences to thousands of schoolchildren.

StudioTulsa on Health: In Conversation with Gail Lapidus, CEO of Family & Children's Services

Rich Fisher — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 20:41:46 +0000

On this installment of ST, we debut an ongoing series of occasional, health-related interviews called StudioTulsa on Health. In this series, guest host Dr. John Schumann of OU-Tulsa, who's also a regular commentator for our program, will discuss matters of health care, health policy, and healthy living with people from throughout our community --- and, moreover, with individuals from throughout the wider fields of medicine and medical scholarship (whether they're active in these fields nationally or globally).

AHHA, OVAC, and the New "Concept/OK" Exhibit in Downtown Tulsa

Rich Fisher — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 23:29:55 +0000

On Sunday the 16th, from 1pm till 5pm, AHHA --- a/k/a the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa's Hardesty Arts Center --- will have its Grand Opening. Finishing touches are, even now, still being applied to the impressive space, which is to be located at 101 East Archer Street. Apart from introducing this most-welcome new arts facility to the public, the opening will also mark the inauguration of the first-ever exhibition at AHHA, which is the "Concept/OK" show, presented by the Oklahoma Visual Artists Coalition (or OVAC).

Opening Soon on East Archer Street in Downtown Tulsa: The Hardesty Arts Center

Rich Fisher — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:01:45 +0000

Our guest on this installment of ST is Ken Busby, the Executive Director and CEO of the Arts and Humanities Council of Tulsa, which is, per its website, the long-standing "champion of area arts and culture.

Team Better Block: Urban Planning in Action...and at Street Level

Rich Fisher — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 00:16:19 +0000

In many cities across this country, urban planning initiatives are often celebrated for their fresh ideas or green principles, their small-town feeling or street-level appeal, their overall city-friendly yet neighborly vibe. But getting the folks in a given community to support urban planning goals before they have actually occurred is difficult to do --- mainly because such goals can seem too abstract, too hard to visualize or imagine.