"Tulsa Crime Down, Officials Use Campaign Funds for Security, Google Expands Data Centers"

Good morning, this is Tulsa Local Pulse for Friday, August fifteenth. We start today with breaking news from north Tulsa. Deputies arrested twenty-four-year-old Jovohn Kadavion Blanke yesterday after a shooting along East Sixty-Seventh Street North. The incident happened late morning with two victims—one man found shot in a yard, his condition still unknown, and another man whose car was hit and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. The sheriff’s office acted quickly and charges have been filed for shooting with intent to kill and assault with a deadly weapon. While Tulsa police say violent crime is actually down compared to last year, we're still advised to stay alert. Tulsa is on track for fewer than last year’s homicides, with twenty-nine so far, and the department notes nearly all cases are solved due to strong community involvement. City hall updates now: The Oklahoma Ethics Commission approved a new measure allowing state and city officials to use campaign funds for basic home security, like cameras and cyber protection, reflecting ongoing safety concerns for public figures. Meanwhile, Tulsa continues its effort to comply with the Supreme Court ruling on tribal jurisdiction. The city has now dismissed over four hundred cases, shifting them to tribal courts, and reaffirmed its commitment to fair legal procedures. The weather is starting out clear this morning and we’ll push up to a very hot ninety-eight degrees around downtown and the river. Expect another scorcher tomorrow and little chance of rain—if you’re headed out to any festivals or the Drillers game at ONEOK Field, pack extra water and watch out for heat advisories, especially by mid-afternoon. On the job market, Google’s latest announcement stands out. The tech giant is investing about nine billion dollars to expand its Oklahoma data centers, promising hundreds of new jobs across Tulsa and surrounding counties in the coming year. Real estate is still active: median home prices downtown hover near two hundred eighty thousand dollars, a slight uptick from July, with demand steady for single-family homes around Utica Square and Brookside. There are several open houses scheduled this weekend, and agents report brisk sales for properties near the Gathering Place. For new business activity, listeners may have noticed the soft opening of Loft Wellness Spa on Cherry Street. This new spot is drawing wellness-seekers from all over Tulsa with its blend of high-end spa services and personalized nutrition plans. On the flip side, the Oak Tree Bakery in Midtown closes this weekend after a decade of sweet treats—owners cite higher ingredient costs and plan to focus on catering. Local schools shine this week: Booker T. Washington’s debate team won top honors at the state summer invitational, and Jenks High School’s football team clinched a preseason victory over Owasso, energizing the sports scene heading into fall. Community events include Sunday’s Osage Prairie Trail restoration voluntee This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.