Tornado Watches, Bixby BBQ, and Budget Reductions - Tulsa Local Pulse for May 17, 2025

Good morning, this is Tulsa Local Pulse for Saturday, May 17, 2025. A stormy weekend is upon us in Green Country, with tornado watches issued for several eastern Oklahoma counties yesterday. Keep your weather alerts handy today as we're expecting continued unsettled weather with a high of 83 degrees. Today marks the final day of the 25th annual Bixby BBQ and Blues Festival at Washington Irving Park. If you haven't been yet, head over for the people's choice BBQ contest starting at 11:30 AM. For $15, you can sample offerings from all vendors and vote for your favorite. The musical lineup today includes performances from Hydramatics, Big Train and the Loco Motives, La La Craig, and headliner Super Chikan from Memphis taking the stage at 6:30 PM. Also happening today is the Girls Day Out event at Tulsa Expo Square from 9 AM to 5 PM. Central Park Hall will be filled with vendors selling everything from handmade jewelry to home decor, making it the perfect opportunity to refresh your wardrobe and enjoy a day out with friends. For those looking to improve their financial knowledge, credit expert Eric Counts is hosting "Crack the Credit Code: From Personal to Business Mastery" today at 9 AM. This all-day workshop will cover both personal and business credit strategies, particularly valuable for real estate investors and entrepreneurs. In city news, the Tulsa City Council recently reviewed the city's fiscal year 2025-2026 budget proposal, which includes $4.2 million in reductions from non-sworn budgets and eliminates 14 full-time vacant positions. The budget also allocates funds for housing initiatives, including a Housing Grant Fund and Housing Investment Fund. On the public safety front, Tulsa police arrested two men following an attempted apartment break-in early yesterday morning. Meanwhile, local schools briefly went into lockdown yesterday after reports of nearby gunfire, but operations have since returned to normal. In business news, improvements are underway at the Wagoner animal shelter following a recent video controversy that raised concerns about conditions there. Looking ahead to next week, the Black Wall Street Motorcycle Rally continues through Sunday, and Tulsa International Mayfest wrapped up earlier this week after drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors downtown for arts, music, and festival food. This has been Tulsa Local Pulse. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.