If you’re driving around Tulsa lately, you’ve seen them. Orange cones, orange signs…lots of reflective orange and white…our semi-permanent state colors. It seems that we’re always under construction.

Yesterday, several major projects started in and around Tulsa. From work on the inner-dispersal loop around downtown to construction project that has blocked off 101st street near Memorial along with other construction along Memorial — Tulsa better be prepared with patience for these oncomming projects.

Our streets are bad, they really are. They’re full of pot holes, cracks and in dire need of repair/replacing. We’re spending $75 million on these projects that will be split up in three different phases. We’re in phase one right now.

During this phase, construction workers are working on the east and south legs of the IDL. This is required first since it will be the major detour route when the “actual” construction begins which should take around two years to complete. During this and the next phase, be prepared for lane changes, lane closures, as well as motorists filled with road rage. It’s going to happen, so just be ready and try to keep a positive attitude.

Remember, all of us are inconvenienced by our own growth and needs as a city.

Clay Clark, a Tulsa naitive and Proud Republican wants to run for Tulsa’s top spot. He wants to take out Kathy Taylor to be the next Mayor of Tulsa. He says he wants to promote conservative principles in a conservative town. Go get ‘em Clay.

That’s right. Tulsa has now claimed the top spot on the 2009 Relocate America’s top 100 cities to relocate to.

On Nov. 4th, all Tulsa area Chick-fil-A restaurants are being civic minded and giving all those who come in with an “I Voted” sticker the option to trade it in for a new sticker and a 3 count serving of their new Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips.

According to the Milken Institute’s Best-Performing Cities in 2008, jobs in Tulsa and OKCity are on the rise. Tulsa is now ranked 72 up from 98 last year.

Tulsa, Oklahoma seems to be filled with individuals who love to get outside: running, riding, walking, and playing around. Being said, September is a perfect month to get off the sofa and get active for a good cause. If you have been in Tulsa, Oklahoma for your entire life or just a few months, we do not discriminate, Tulsa based organizations could use your help! With the fall season drawing near and the weather cooling off, Tulsa citizens finally have no excuse for not going outside; no more filling up six buckets of sweat per person!

If biking is your thing, September 13-14, Tulsa’s own SemGroup, and nearly 30 other Tulsa based businesses and organizations; are sponsoring 2008 Bike MS Oklahoma Ride. You have always been up for a good challenge and Ride MS 2008 in Oklahoma is sure to provide one. This meeting can make a world of difference — unlike any other! A distance of 150 miles, across two days through beautiful Oklahoma that will challange you and reward you at the same time. Your will power tested. Being active versus chilling on the sofa. It’s the 2008 Mike MS Oklahoma Ride!

Go on.. RIDE!

The bike riding fanatics will begin with breakfast at SouthCrest Hospital in South Tulsa, Oklahoma on September 13^th and start riding at an early hour; 7:30AM.
Riders will have plenty of opportunities to meet fellow Tulsa citizens and regional attending bikers during the event. Riders will bike through Northeastern Oklahoma visiting: Broken Arrow, Catoosa, and Sageeyah. Ending the first night of 2008 MS Oklahoma Ride will be dinner provided at Pryor Creek Recreation Center in Pryor, Oklahoma. Entertainment will also be provided at the Tent Village.

September 14th at 2:00PM kicks off Mile 151 Party in the parking lot at SouthCrest Hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma. You, your team, and all the awesome individuals you met along the way; chilling, celebrating, and congratulating your 150 mile journey for an incredible cause!

Register for BIKE MS 2008

For online registration visit www.nationalMSsociety.org/oke
Fax registration: 918-488-0913
Voice registration: 800-FIGHT MS or 800-344-4867 (press 2)

If you are old school and refuse to conform to the advances in technology, you can mail your registration in:

Oklahoma Chapter – NMSS
4606 East 67th Street, Suite 103
Tulsa, OK 74136

“The National MS Society helps people affected by MS by funding cutting edge research, driving change through advocacy, facilitating professional education, and providing programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward”.

Flagship Tulsa prepares to take flight again. The Flagship returned to Tulsa last Friday and the Tulsa Air & Space Museum hopes it will get off the ground soon.

Just arrived in Tulsa, Oklahoma? Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma, falling just behind Oklahoma City, and is currently the forty-sixth largest city in America. Tulsa used to house the world’s most important oil centers, which was why it was once nicknamed, “Oil Capital of the World.” Tulsa may have lost its number one spot, but it still is a very important oil-based headquarters in the country.

Some of the other nicknames this city has adorned includes, “America’s Most Beautiful City” as well as “Green Country.” No matter what you call this city, there is one thing that is for sure – it has some really amazing hotels. Although there are a lot of hotels in Tulsa, Oklahoma; I have reviewed a few that would be wonderful to stay in.

Regardless if this stay in Tulsa is for yourself, or perhaps one of your family members that is visiting. ThisTulsa.com has the insiders guide to hotels.

Radisson Hotel, South – Tulsa, Oklahoma

The first hotel in which I reviewed is the Radisson Hotel Tulsa. This three-and-a-half-star-hotel is located only ten miles southeast of downtown Tulsa, and this hotel is centrally located to all major highways – making this hotel a favorite among driving travelers and business travelers.

Some of the various amenities this hotel offers its guests includes 24-hour complimentary shuttle service to the Tulsa International Airport. There is also a lobby workstation, which features a computer with complimentary high-speed Internet access, there is also complimentary wireless Internet access available in the lobby.

There is also a fitness center, sauna, spa tub, and a large indoor/outdoor swimming pool. This hotel is comprised of 325 guestrooms, all of which include complimentary high-speed Internet access, complimentary premium television channels, as well as during the week, the hotel offers its guests complimentary newspapers.

Mariott Tulsa – Southern Hills, Tulsa, Oklahoma

The second hotel in which I checked into is the Marriott Tulsa Southern Hills. This three-and-a-half-star-hotel is located in South Tulsa, which is only ten miles from downtown, and is only one mile from the Oral Roberts University campus. Some of the various amenities this hotel offers its guests includes an on-site day spa, hair salon, indoor swimming pool, sauna, fitness center, as well as 43,000-square-feet meeting space.

There is also complimentary wireless Internet access available in all public spaces. This hotel is comprised of 383 guestrooms, all of which include complimentary high-speed Internet access, complimentary premium TV channels, as well as phones with voicemail.

Hilton – Southern Hills – Tulsa, Oklahoma

And the last hotel in which I reviewed is the Hilton Tulsa Southern Hills. This three-and-a-half-star-hotel is only twenty miles from the Tulsa International Airport, and it is within close proximity to the Oral Roberts University campus and the Mabee Center. Some of the various amenities this hotel offers its guests includes an outdoor swimming pool, fitness center, and banquet facilities. There is also a computer rentals and photocopy and fax machines available.

Also, there is complimentary wireless Internet access in all public areas. This hotel is comprised of 293 guestrooms, all of which come with multi-line phones with voicemail, coffeemakers, Internet access, which is available for a surcharge.

HOTEL CONTACT INFORMATION:

Hilton Tulsa Southern Hills
7902 South Lewis Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74136

Marriott Tulsa Southern Hills
1902 East 71st Street
Tulsa, OK 74136

Radisson Hotel Tulsa
10918 East 41st Street
Tulsa, OK 74146

This September, Tulsa will play host to the USPSA 2008 National Handgun Championships. This contest will be home to all the best shooters in the nation. More than 600 competitors are expected to compete in this years championships from 43 states and 11 countries.

The USPSA is the United States Practical Shooting Association and is the organization behind the sport of “practical shooting” or as its also known, the “run-and-gun” style of shooting sports.

This competition tests shooters ability to use their firearm in a real, obstacle-laden environment to find out who’s the best in the nation. Probably near 100 of these competitors will move on to Bali, Indonesia to compete in the World Shoot XV, giving the United States the largest group of competitors of any country.

For any further information about the USPSA, visit their website or call them at (360) 855-2245.

This past weekend, Shattuck and I rep’d ThisTulsa at DFest. To be honest, my expectations of this festival were not that high in the beginning. I was a little prejudice to how well big-time artists would be received by the Tulsa crowd. Man was I wrong…

The headliner for the closing night of DFest was The Roots. A hip-hop band that really needs no introduction, put on a show that I thought was nothing short of stellar. The band, who recently dropped their 10th album Rising Down, rocked the house at Tulsa’s annual DFest downtown. Since ThisTulsa was recognized as a “legitimate” news company, we had the ability to snap some great shots of their performance and hang out backstage while the performance rocked on.

Hopped up on RedBull, Justin and I took gigs of photos over the weekend. You can find them in various locations like Flickr; here and here as well as the bottom of every ThisTulsa web page.

How do you think DFest did this year Tulsa?