Broken Arrow

The city of Broken Arrow's share of COVID-19 cases relative to the Tulsa County total is increasing, a trend possibly related to its lack of a mask mandate, according to the Tulsa Health Department.

At a Thursday press conference at Tulsa Police headquarters, Dr. Bruce Dart, the health department's director, described the trend.

The start date for Broken Arrow Public Schools has been pushed back from Aug. 19 to Sept. 3 as district officials keep an eye on local coronavirus infection rates and other data.

Pre-K's start has been delayed from Aug. 21 to Sept. 8.

In a 5-0 vote, the Broken Arrow Public Schools Board of Education voted on Wednesday to accept the district administration's plan to move forward with a return to in-person learning for the upcoming fall semester beginning Aug. 19th.

Work is underway at one of the last sites available for commercial development in north Broken Arrow’s retail core.

Tiger Hill Plaza is 30,000-square foot restaurant and retail project going up on 5.5 acres on the southwest corner of Lynn Lane and Kenosha.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma court is expected to rule Thursday on an appeal by a man who was convicted in the fatal stabbings of five family members when he was 16. 

Michael Bever, 21, is asking the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals to change his sentence to allow him to eventually become eligible for parole. 

Hundreds of people came to a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Broken Arrow on Saturday.

The crowd gathered at Central Park before marching down Main Street, the Tulsa World reported.

Broken Arrow Mayor Craig Thurmond canceled on Thursday some emergency proclamations that instituted restrictions to limit the spread of COVID-19.

They will expire at midnight. Thurmond's action coincides with Gov. Kevin Stitt’s plan to begin reopening some nonessential businesses and clears the way for places like barber shops, salons, tattoo parlors and pet groomers in the city to start taking clients by appointment only Friday after being closed more than a month.

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — The Oklahoma Department of Corrections says a man who escaped from a minimum security state prison in McAlester has been captured.

The department says 40-year-old Jeremiah Hobbs was arrested Monday following a traffic stop 75 miles away from McAlester in the Tulsa suburb of Broken Arrow.

Hobbs disappeared Thursday from the unfenced Jackie Brannon Correctional Center. The corrections department says a woman identified as Hobbs' girlfriend was also arrested during the traffic stop on a warrant for harboring a fugitive.

Just a few months after Broken Arrow installs a new Creek Turnpike interchange at 145th East Avenue, a new complex is announced. The Shops at Aspen Creek will be coming to an area south of the turnpike. Broken Arrow Mayor Craig Thurmond has his ceremonial shovel ready.

"A lot of work has been done with this," said Mayor Craig Thurmond. "Bass Pro was a big deal when we did that agreement and this development is equally important to get the south part of the city going."

The mayor of Broken Arrow says he'll step down amid criticism of a proposed Indian casino.

Mayor Mike Lester says he'll resign as mayor but retain his seat on the city council. Lester says he does not want good news in Broken Arrow to be overshadowed by the casino controversy.

Last week, the National Indian Gaming Commission said the site for a proposed casino in Broken Arrow can't be used for gambling. The Kialegee Tribal Town hoped to build the Red Clay Casino there.