OKLA (KTUL) — A semi-truck traveling on the Will Rogers Turnpike near Vinita crashed and tipped over According to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) SIGN UP FOR THE CHANNEL 8 NEWSLETTER — The City of Vinita is working on a nearly $1 million investment just miles from the planned American Heartland Theme Park The city got funding to expand its industrial park to boost economic opportunity for the area 50 jobs is huge," said Vinita resident Kathy Hershey the 170 acres of land next to an existing industrial park will be developed by businesses looking to come to the city This expansion of 170 acres will allow an untold number of jobs coming to Vinita and investment," said Vinita's Economic and Community Development Coordinator Misty Deffenbaugh. She said the money was from the 2022 legislative session where legislatures approved bills to split $250 million for developments across the state That money came through the Progressing Rural Economic Prosperity Fund This is the same fund that is being used to pay for a new control tower at the Tulsa International Airport "We’re really trying to maximize the jobs per acre because that’s something that all of northeastern Oklahoma 2 News wanted to learn more about what people in Vinita think about the industrial park's expansion That's when we met Kathy Hershey and Gina Moss. They work at the local nonprofit, the Vinita Potters Guild, which opened just a couple of years ago They said they're for the expansion if it positively impacts the residents it’s not a big industry kicking the little man out of the way because that happens She said the town needs growth but doesn't want people who fly and then back out She wants people to become permanent residents in the town Moss said it could also be an opportunity for the people in Vinita to find good-paying jobs "Something that they can actually work and have a future towards You know to actually be there and commit to it Cause there really are very few places around here that are like that," Moss said During the conversation with Moss and Hershey 2 News took their questions to City Clerk Brian Prince Is there a plan if the buildings don’t get occupied We are not building spec buildings in the park It is the company that will purchase the land and build And yes there is an agreement if no building is built in a certain timeline the land will be sold back to us Will the companies be advised to hire people in Vinita or will they have free rein to bring people in from elsewhere They will have equal opportunity to hire whoever fits the job requirements people will relocate and live here to fill the positions If the American Heartland Theme Park isn’t built are there concerns some businesses looking at the town will decide to go somewhere else we have an industrial park that is ready to be built in to provide jobs and services that currently are needed in our area Moss and Hershey said they’ll be ready to welcome new people to the pottery studio "Some populations here that are going to add to the community add to the accessibility of everything that we have and always more potters," said Moss The city said they expect portions of the expansion to be completed by April or May of 2025 with bone-chilling winds causing wind chills to plummet to -9 degrees city and ODOT crews have been working tirelessly to clear roadways The frigid temperatures and snow accumulation have forced many businesses and schools to close City workers have even resorted to leaf blowers outside of City Hall in an effort to keep the snow manageable before needing to scrape it off the sidewalks Schools are canceled and many businesses in town are closing early for the day LIVE UPDATES: Winter storm bringing icy roads, powdery snow to Northeastern Oklahoma Jeff Wood is the Director of Emergency Management for Craig County the City of Vinita and County Commissioners were pre-treating the roads and roads around hospitals and nursing homes “We’re going to be monitoring it,” said Wood “If we get any calls that we need to open shelters we got some warning stations open right now but if we need to go overnight we’ll have to open up shelters.” Wood says it’s best to avoid being on the road unless you have to “Don’t get out in this if you don’t have to He says people need to make sure people are taking care of their homes because this cold can damage them “We’re going to get really cold for the next several days,” said Wood it’s important to pack warm gear and items you need in case you get stranded make sure you got the right stuff in your car if you get stranded somewhere extra blankets and things like that,” said Wood Workers have been using leaf blower to clear the snow outside City Hall leaf blowing before we have to come and scrape a whole bunch,” said Trevor Mynatt with the City of Vinita Parks and Cemetery Trying to keep it down for all the city workers here at City Hall and we have a couple of other places too like the Senior Citizens and the library.” Craig County Emergency Management has been putting updates on the storm and on winter conditions on their Facebook page here You can find updates on Oklahoma road conditions here See more on our school closings page Kaitlyn Deggs came to Tulsa after graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in Broadcast Journalism Kaitlyn Deggs started as a Multimedia Journalist for News On 6 in January 2022 LIVE UPDATES: Winter storm bringing icy roads, powdery snow to Northeastern Oklahoma Craig County Emergency Management has been putting updates on the storm and on winter conditions on their Facebook page here You can find updates on Oklahoma road conditions here See more on our school closings page and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox — Vinita Public Schools is looking to pass a nearly $10.7 million bond to improve maintenance The district said it's things like water buckets to catch leaks that have become as common as desks in classrooms The district said over the years the buildings suffered significant wear and tear This mostly affects the roofs across district buildings and the areas that flood The bond would also cover the building of a storm shelter for the elementary campus The shelter would also double as extra classroom space  2 News sat down with the district's Superintendent Gabe Schmidt He said it’s time for the schools reflect to the work that’s being done inside we’re able to benefit our students by not having to worry about water and the effects that go into a campus So it’s time for maintenance," said Schmidt In an effort to get the community's thoughts Levi Townsend said his kids previously went to Vinita Public Schools He's for the bond a long as it benefits the kids I would feel like yeah it wouldn’t hurt to do some infrastructure work and make it a safer place for our children all together," said Townsend He was concerned about how this would affect his wallet Superintendent Schmidt said they’re hopeful it won’t increase taxes– saying the rate at which taxes are evaluated looks to remain consistent The school bond will be in two parts – one for the maintenance and construction of a new storm shelter and the other to buy vehicles for some of the departments  The bond will go up for a vote on February 11th in Vinita Heavy snowfall has been piling up in Vinita for several hours covering streets and parking lots and making travel dangerous with city and county crews working to treat them to prevent drivers from getting stranded Snowplows with the Oklahoma Department of Transportation have been seen clearing side streets to improve conditions Craig County Emergency Management is monitoring the situation closely and urging residents to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary With bitter cold and strong winds making conditions even worse two warming shelters are open at the Grand Mental Health Center and the Vinita Day Center but there is no word yet on whether they will reopen on Wednesday — Vinita community members raised $10,000 to support a Special Olympics cheer team The team advanced to the state qualifier competition in late February; these funds helped them pay to go Seven volunteer coaches help her and her 11 teammates practice their kicks Cheerleaders being able to cheer with us," said Bell none of that fun would have been possible without the support of their fellow Oklahomans The community donated everything from the mats to the shoes to the ribbons said their competition to qualify for the state tournament is on February 28 at the Broken Arrow Event Center "Pretty mind-blowing as a fundraiser just to see the massive amount of support from the Vinita community in particular," said Kennedy Bell said she's round of what she's been able to do because of the support from the community and I'm very proud of myself to have that confidence in me If you want to donate and support Vinita's Special Olympics cheer team, Clickhere. Snow continued to come down in Vinita throughout the evening on Tuesday Crews worked around the clock to keep drivers safe News On 6 crews saw a lot of cars on the side of the road and some close calls by drivers not going as slow as the conditions required Caiven Ayers was passing through town on his way to Branson and says he saw several crashes I think the biggest keys is just watching others," he said Royce Burks lives in Vinita and says this is some of the worst winter weather he's seen We didn't want to get out in this but we had to," said Burks While the snow was letting up by 11:00pm on Tuesday those frigid temperatures will be around for a while it's still important to be prepared and respect those conditions Carrico joined the News On 6 team in 2021 but has worked in Tulsa news since 2016 he covered the 2018 Oklahoma teacher walkout a PGA Championship & a LIV Golf Tournament I think the biggest keys is just watching others,\" he said We didn't want to get out in this but we had to,\" said Burks — Those waiting for the Disneyland of Oklahoma will have to be patient for a few more years The developers of the American Heartland Theme Park and Resort confirmed to 2 News that they are facing delays as they await approval for new construction plans senior executive vice president of marketing for Mansion Entertainment Group told 2 News after they broke ground on the RV site She said they decided to change the site's footprint to accommodate the flood zone in which the park would be built I know how long it takes to put these places in I don’t think they can do it in three years." Lauchner has reservations about the attraction being more than $2 billion "I think they said it’d be ready in ’26," he said did not reduce the number of sites or cabins but they did adjust the size of some of the lots Plans are awaiting approval from Gene Bicknell they can begin work on the Three Ponies RV Park first Work to the theme park would start one year after that Construction is expected to take two and a half to three years for phase one of the theme park which would delay opening until at least 2028 but he thinks it could help his community if it came to life "Everybody thinks that it’s going to turn into a great deal for them because there's not a lot of industry here," he said "Got a lot of people that drive to Tulsa and if they can work here closer While the uncertainty regarding a time frame for development has created a lack of faith in the community long-time resident and entrepreneur Sarah Chamberlain sees the good “Nothing good is built overnight," she said "We live in a world where everybody wants everything from a microwave And it’s going to take some time I think for something good and big to come out of this.” Chamberlain compared it to the likes of the Tulsa Premium Outlets “We live in a world where everybody wants everything from a microwave "It’s going to take some time I think for something good and big to come out of this.” She knows her neighbor's faith is wearing thin Chamberlain said her hometown is dying — desperately in need of something to breathe life back into Vinita 2 News asked her if she thought the answer was the theme park and that’s what we just got to keep praying," she said If you’re listening to this episode on the day it drops then we’re just a matter of hours away from celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States Regardless of whether you’ll be surrounded by friends and family over these next few days or you’ll be passing the occasion in a quieter one thing remains the same: We are all called to cultivate a disposition of gratitude These Thanksgiving episodes where we reflect on gratitude as a spiritual practice have become something of a holiday tradition all on their own Gratitude is foundational to Ignatian spirituality And it’s something we’re called to on good days as much as on bad ones Today we’re lucky to have Vinita Hampton Wright return to the pod to reflect on these spiritual themes Vinita always brings with her practical wisdom and deep knowledge of both the tenets of the Ignatian tradition and how to talk about them Vinita is a veteran editors and writer of countless books and articles on Ignatian spirituality and now gives workshops and retreats on writing Vinita is also the author of this year’s 2025 “Book of Grace-Filled Days,” which is currently available from Loyola Press and a wonderful companion to your prayer in this upcoming year © 2025 – Jesuits • Privacy Policy Powered by Bend Spirituality Officials announce plans for the American Heartland Theme Park and Resort and Three Ponies RV Park and Campground in Vinita on July 19 Email notifications are only sent once a day OKLAHOMA CITY — Plans for developing the American Heartland Theme Park and Resort in Vinita have not changed despite the recent failure of state legislation that resulted in a setback a spokesman for Mansion Entertainment Group LLC said Wednesday Mansion has also had to deal recently with a lien filed by a contractor who claims that the company hasn’t paid for work it performed to move the ambitious project forward senior executive vice president for marketing at Mansion said in an email that goals for opening initial phases of the complex in 2026 will have to be “altered a bit” but that overall plans for the project have not changed and the development will continue,” Adams said A bill that would have allowed the state to help Vinita with $35 million in financing for needed infrastructure upgrades advanced through both the House and the Senate but it failed to achieve final passage with funding before the recent close of the legislative session Adams described the development as more of a speed bump than a roadblock but we will reorganize those finances on our side in hopes of being reimbursed at a later date,” she said American Heartland, an affiliate of Branson, Missouri-based Mansion Entertainment, announced plans for the development last summer. Initially, it said it would invest $2 billion in a 125-acre theme park, which would involve development of about 1,000 acres in all. Plan modifications since then have pushed the estimation of total investment to $2.5 billion Mansion has had to manage disagreements with contractors over work on the project with two contractors filing liens against the company According to reporting by the nonprofit news organization NonDoc the Canadian firm FORREC claimed in a filing in Craig County District Court that it is owed $5.5 million It also named in the lien filing OGB Holdings identified as the owner of the property to be developed The company stated in its claim that it has not been paid for work it completed by early January It said it is applying interest at a rate of 1% for each 30-day period that the account is delinquent Adams said Mansion has been in contact with FORREC and is working toward a resolution The developer is also working with Crossland Construction As for assistance for Vinita from the state “we will continue to work along state and local leaders to establish infrastructure funding to make this the best possible tourist destination for the surrounding cities and the state of Oklahoma,” she said “Our initial goals will have to be altered a bit to accommodate the setbacks but we didn’t enter into this project blindly and assumed some delays would happen We are going to work as hard as we can for 2026 and will announce a firmer timeline once we get moving.” which would have created a Water Infrastructure for Economic Development Fund through which the state might have invested up to $35 million this year to help Vinita with water and wastewater infrastructure work needed to move the American Heartland project forward any funds committed by the state would have amounted to rebates on investments first made by the Craig County community Cornwell expressed disappointment Wednesday that a measure that was passed by majorities in both chambers of the Legislature was derailed at the last minute by a handful of senior lawmakers who simply opted not to include funding for it in the state’s fiscal year 2025 budget “In my opinion that’s a flawed process and we should take a deep look at it in the future,” Cornwell said The lawmaker said he and others are reviewing options including potentially introducing a similar bill in the next session of the Legislature The Tulsa World newsroom is committed to covering this community with curiosity, tenacity and depth. Our passion for telling the story of Tulsa remains unwavering. Because your story is our story. Thank you to our subscribers who support local journalism. Join them with limited-time offers at tulsaworld.com/story steve.metzer@tulsaworld.com Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly The Bartlesville landmark was set to be sold Tuesday as part of a bankruptcy auction but we also have big opportunities," said Brian Kurtz president and CEO of the Downtown Tulsa Partnership "I think the biggest thing for us is expansion of our online grocery pickup," said the manager of the Walmart Neighborhood Market at 4720 E "We have a chance to achieve that same level (of growth) that happened over the course of the last two decades — over the next three to five y… Commercial building permits are provided by the city of Tulsa on a weekly basis after entities provide information on upcoming building plans Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account The opening of the American Heartland development in Vinita has been pushed back and two firms have filed liens against the developers Construction of the $2.5 billion American Heartland theme park and resort slated for Vinita has not progressed one year after groundbreaking The local news outlet reported the 2026 opening will likely be pushed back at least three years but developers say the project is still on Designs for the 1,000-acre development, first announced in July 2023, include roller coasters, an indoor water park, a 300-room hotel and an RV park sprawled over a footprint that would rival Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park in size Its design team includes former Disney Parks builders and Walt Disney Imagineers starting with the 320-acre Three Ponies RV Park and Campground work is currently on hold and developer Mansion Entertainment Group said it is awaiting permit approvals from the U.S nonprofit Oklahoma news outlet NonDoc reported Mansion Entertainment Group spokesperson Kristy Adams declined to answer Construction Dive’s questions “We will update our official social media pages and websites when we have a more detailed timeline.” The RV area was originally scheduled to open in spring 2025, followed by the theme park and resort in fall 2026. The developer tapped Columbus, Kansas-based Crossland Construction to build the RV park phase Oklahoma City-based architecture firm ADG Blatt designed it However, others involved in the project say they are owed money. Canadian design firm Forrec filed a lien in May in Craig County District Court against Mansion Entertainment, claiming it is owed nearly $5.5 million from unpaid invoices for design and planning work for both the theme park and RV park Crossland filed a similar claim later in May against Mansion Entertainment and property owner OGB Holdings that alleges it is owed $352,429 for labor performed and materials furnished in February for the RV park and campground The company is also seeking interest and attorneys’ fees The development received another setback in May when legislators declined to approve a requested $35 million for water and wastewater improvements to accommodate the project per Tulsa World — but the park’s planned location is far from any major city or airport about 170 miles northeast of Oklahoma City Get the free daily newsletter read by industry experts Civil outlays in February fueled a record month for expenditures but interest rates and tariff concerns continue to slow private growth Job openings data indicate contractors are reluctant to dismiss workers even as unfilled positions fell year over year Subscribe to the Construction Dive free daily newsletter Subscribe to Construction Dive for top news The free newsletter covering the top industry headlines OKLA (KTUL) — The City of Vinita currently uses CODERED as a community notification system CODERED utilizes your location for emergency notifications from Emergency Management and the City of Vinita This system is provided to Vinita by Craig County E-911 The link to sign up for CODERED can be found here. and the promises they make seem too good to be true — and indeed Each and every one of the projects were to be beyond spectacular Oklahoma would reap millions of dollars in economic development and thousands of new all of the projects are stalled or delayed indefinitely who teaches real estate at the University of Central Oklahoma cautions against chalking it all up to the developers coming in from out of state “But the answer lies in each one of them being an individual case We want to lump them all in together and find commonality.”  reporting by The Oklahoman shows the stalling and delays involve a mix of unrealistic expectations government red tape and shaky economic confidence due to unrest overseas Of all the projects announced and then delayed it is the American Heartland Theme Park that generated excitement among young and old in Vinita a town that has seen its population drop from a peak of 6,740 in 1980 to 5,193 in 2020 celebrated the announcement by Bicknell's Mansion Entertainment and quickly agreed to annex the company’s 1,000 acres east of town Tim Wright, owner of Annabelle’s Fun Farm in nearby Welch started hearing rumors — “whispers” — about a theme park being built in town several weeks before it was announced but didn’t know whether the rumors were true “I thought it would be great for the area,” Wright said I’m always bringing people to the farm to entertain them Wright started the fun farm in 2011 in what was just a cow pasture cartoon-style set of cornfield mazes in addition to a pumpkin patch and other amusements He has since built a side consulting business where he builds similar cornfield mazes across the country When those farms are closer to major highways or population centers they attract 50,000 to 80,000 seasonal visitors “I’m super hopeful that the park happens,” Wright said “I’m hoping that many more tourists would allow me to be open more of the year and see more business.”  Wright admits not everyone shares his optimism especially after the Tulsa World recently reported the amusement park is being delayed until 2028 Various reports indicate Bicknell is in his early 90s but there are definitely a lot of people who don’t believe it’s ever going to happen.”  More: OKC's development has the vibe of the '80s oil boom. Are we destined for another bust? Frank Kole owns Hero’s Deli in two locations ― Langley which is south of the 1,000 acres acquired by Mansion Entertainment The native New Yorker set up delis that provide locals and visitors a chance to enjoy the sort of sandwiches and deli items typically not found in Oklahoma my first reaction to this was ‘Awesome!’ We need a workforce at the lake,” Kole said “I have plenty of customers but not enough people to work for me.”  which was projected to create 4,000 new jobs would likely generate additional potential workers through families moving to the area quickly grew skeptical of the project as he saw what he calls “piss poor planning” by Mansion Entertainment “I talk to city officials and the board of health It seemed to me they were going to try to escape any type of city planning by building in a small town It didn’t seem like they did any of their homework.”  Kole said he didn’t need to read a story in the newspaper to conclude the theme park was stalled “The sign blew down six months ago,” Kole said I know those details are huge in the public eye.”  Mansion Entertainment declined to answer questions from The Oklahoman. The company is facing lawsuits totaling just under $6 million from its design firm and a contractor over unpaid bills “To build an RV park is simple,” Kole said “They're being built all around the lake by other entrepreneurs without an issue.”  By all appearances, the park project is indeed on hold at the very least. The spot where dignitaries joined company representatives in a groundbreaking ceremony for the RV park a year ago is now cleared of equipment and a construction trailer and is now surrounded by fencing one of the firms hired by Mansion Entertainment told The Oklahoman his firm was given a stop-work order “We’re sitting on the sidelines,” Blatt said Start your morning informed: Sign up for The Oklahoman's Daily Briefing newsletter That’s not to say the theme park announcement itself isn’t having an impact on the area’s economy But Kole sees that impact as hurting a community already dealing with a declining population “A lot of people sold their properties,” Kole said Rents around here have doubled the past two years and I think it was due to that announcement Developers who distributed news releases and sought publicity when they first announced their projects are saying little if anything when their timelines fall apart Southern Rock Energy Partners and Roth's Notes Live all either declined comment or did not return calls to The Oklahoman Boardwalk at Bricktown developer Scot Matteson said his plans to start construction on the skyscrapers in Bricktown was delayed until sometime next year as he awaits a report by the Federal Aviation Administration that will determine whether he can build the country's tallest skyscraper Roth appears to be still seeking a new amphitheater site after nearby residents prompted a unanimous denial of zoning for the west Oklahoma City site Similar concerns ended discussions for a new site in Edmond Norman City Manager Darrel Pyle confirmed talks are now underway with potential sites including 24 NW and Rock Creek and along the future east-west connector turnpike near Interstate 35 Pyle said Roth is requesting tax increment financing even though no such assistance was in play for the site in Oklahoma City put the plans for the solar panel factory in Inola on hold because of money and politics Construction on the plant was supposed to begin in fall 2023 with the first of the plant’s solar panels scheduled to be on the market by the end of 2024 The facility was supposed to create 1,000 “new direct permanent jobs” by 2025 wants to wait and see if the policies of the Inflation Reduction Act which allocates $375 billion to renewable energy will be confirmed by the new administration,” Reuters reported director of the Cushing Economic Development Foundation said the refinery is stalled due to the same concerns expressed with the solar panel plant “I think it’s still moving forward,” Johnson said “I just don’t know whether everything that needs to take place can take place for it to happen If funding doesn’t come along the way you think it’s going to come along In addition to his experience as a real estate broker and professor at UCO Chapman also completed a four-year term last year as an Edmond city councilman “The question on these deals is what can we do as a community to not be let down,” Chapman said If there is any common theme in the big deals pitched by out-of-state developers who then end up delayed or stalled Chapman believes it is that such deals can benefit from involvement of experienced locals Chapman is among many who credit veteran local developer Gary Brooks for the successful restoration of First National Center in downtown Oklahoma City into a hotel Brooks’ partner was the late Texas developer Charlie Nicholas and a team of out-of-state investors “grit” and the ability to give the project nonstop attention through numerous complications they understand what’s involved and they stick to it,” Chapman said “The outside guys can find it to be too big of a challenge and can find lower hanging fruit elsewhere.”  Chapman said rising interest rates likely contributed to the recent project delays “Interest rates went up since a lot of this was announced,” Chapman said “And people can now get a return on alternative investments that they couldn’t when these deals were announced.”  Oklahoma also has a reputation for lower real estate and labor costs that Chapman believes is often misread by out-of-state investors “Oklahoma City and Oklahoma looks so great from the outside that people “They think we’re going to feel we’re so fortunate when they come here But they still have to go through the same permitting Unrealistic expectations?Cathy O’Connor is an economic development consultant whose resume includes a long stint as finance director for the city of Oklahoma City and president of The Alliance for Economic Development of Oklahoma City an organization that oversaw urban renewal projects and an array of public-private developments She helped structure deals to restore and reopen the Skirvin Hilton the recruitment and development of the Omni Hotel incentives projects that drew Bass Pro Shops to Bricktown and a Homeland supermarket to northeast Oklahoma City She also spent months in negotiations with Chicago-based Clayco which sought $142.6 million in tax increment financing as part of plans to build four towers and structured parking on a block that was home to Stage Center Clayco executives told The Oklahoman at the time they believed they could overcome reservations about the deal at City Hall with education on how such deals could be structured “They came in with a set of expectations on how tax increment financing would work and how much could be provided to the project,” O’Connor said The deal didn’t get done and the block was turned into a park as a placeholder until a new development might take its place Some of the biggest success stories in recent years were led by locals, including OAK the mixed-use upscale development at Northwest Expressway and Pennsylvania Avenue and the 50-story Devon Energy Center and they have resources not tied to a board of directors chairman emeritus) Larry Nichols was committed to investing in downtown Oklahoma City and they had the resources to do it.”  Oklahoma City does have a track record of successful projects that were completed by out-of-state developers using incentives including the OKC Outlets mall and the Omni Developers looking to do industrial projects sometimes confuse incentives offered by other states as being possible in Oklahoma “The state’s quality jobs program is great to offset the development costs but a lot of these projects coming from out of state expect more tax abatement and other things we don’t do here,” O’Connor said you get a five-year property tax exemption said he suspects changing economic conditions are impacting business decisions with each of the stalled projects But he believes the announcements are a good sign of Oklahoma’s potential for more investment “Sometimes you get them on the line but they then get away They may be waiting for economic conditions to move forward.”  sees a need for the state to be more strategic in recruiting and responding to economic opportunities The chamber recently hired a consultant to look at the state’s economic strengths and how best to allocate resources “How do we narrow the focus on where we look for economic development,” Warmington said “We need a statewide look at what industries in Oklahoma have density areas where we have a cluster of companies that involve the same sets of skills.”  Warmington said he isn’t aware of any state incentives paid to the companies with the stalled projects “We're incentivizing a company to come here but we’re not going to give money based on what they say they are going to do," Warmington said "They have to come here and do what they say they are going to do and then get the incentives.”  Warmington said the other challenge for not just drawing economic development to Oklahoma but also getting the deals done is to create a consistent approach by the state “We're trying to insulate from politics,” Warmington said These are the strategies that should outlast those folks If Oklahoma has a clear idea of what we want to do we won’t be distracted by shiny objects or politics.”  Steve Lackmeyer started at The Oklahoman in 1990 author of seven books about the history of Oklahoma City and a member of the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame transportation and economics for The Oklahoman Please support his work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com Federal officials in the Northern District of Oklahoma say that 32-year-old Zakkary Shawn Wayne Romannose of Vinita  is charged with Assault with Intent to Commit Murder in Indian Country; Maiming in Indian Country; Assault Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury in Indian Country He is also charged with torturing the victim by maiming him and the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service are the investigative agencies The calf fries at Clanton’s Cafe come with cocktail sauce and a spicy dipping sauce developed by Guy Fieri a landmark along Route 66 for close to 100 years has been owned by one family through four generations the restaurant has been operated by Melissa Clanton-Patrick and her husband who confirmed the restaurant is on the market and could change hands “if the right people come along.” “The restaurant is very healthy and doing well,” Dennis Patrick said that we would like to retire and do some traveling and do some other things.” During a phone conversation with the Tulsa World Patrick wanted to dispel rumors that the restaurant is closing Melissa Clanton-Patrick and Dennis Patrick own Clanton’s Cafe in Vinita “We have caterings and events scheduled all the way up through the end of the year and of course we are open every day and we have people doing Route 66 and coming in,” he said “We are just as busy as we have always been.” Clanton’s Cafe is believed to be the oldest family-owned restaurant in Oklahoma The family cafe debuted in 1927 courtesy of farmer-turned-restaurateur Grant “Sweet Tater” Clanton He opened the Busy Bee Cafe on a site currently identified as Oklahoma State Bank’s parking lot According to history on clantonscafe.com Sweet Tater was known for banging a pot with a spoon to announce to locals when lunch was ready which begat the first Clanton’s Cafe on the corner of Canadian and Vann in 1930 The current Clanton’s Cafe building was constructed in 1947 Other members of the family became partners and owners through decades that followed The restaurant and its legacy mean something to the family “We have agonized over this for several years now before finally deciding we need to go ahead and pull the trigger on it,” Dennis Patrick said about the decision to put the restaurant on the market “This hasn’t been an easy decision nor a quick decision Clanton’s Cafe owner Melissa Clanton-Patrick brings out a customer’s order while working at the Vinita restaurant in 2017 Patrick indicated real estate broker Kevin Abbott, who is handling the sale, will vet individuals who show interest in buying the cafe. Abbott said the asking price for the restaurant is $1.9 million. Interested buyers can contact Abbott by going to kabbott.kw.com Located at 319 E. Illinois Ave. in Vinita, Clanton’s Cafe was patronized mostly by Vinita residents until it was featured on a 2007 episode of the Food Network series “Diners, Drive-in & Dives.” A 2016 Tulsa World review noted that the restaurant draws visitors from around the world Known for such comfort foods as chicken-fried steak and the euphemistically named “calf fries,” the restaurant has been featured in such national magazines as Gourmet and Southern Living which named it one of the South’s Best Diners Clanton’s Cafe in Vinita serves chicken-fried steak to Route 66 visitors from all over the world Clanton’s Cafe in Vinita has been featured on the Food Network show “Diners Take a drone tour of the Oklahoma’s quirky roadside attractions along the iconic Route 66 these attractions have lured travelers for decades james.watts@tulsaworld.com With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food It's lightly seasoned and lightly fried and comes from a local farm It's remarkably clean in both appearance and taste It's the newest concept from Tulsa restaurateurs Philip and Danielle Phillips owners of Lone Wolf Banh Mi and Chicken and the Wolf Try some of our favorite al fresco dining spots from the recently opened to well-established The three-day event on Boston Avenue features a variety of Mexican food and beverages opened Saturday with the same menu — even some of the same staff — as Bros Pryor Police arrested a man they say was stealing from several unlocked cars Investigators say they tracked his car to Vinita where they arrested several other people after finding stolen property and drugs inside Investigators say Steven Jeffery and a juvenile drove from Vinita to Pryor and stole from at least 15 unlocked vehicles Police say they were able to track Jeffery’s car to a home in Vinita by using license plate reading cameras police say they served a search warrant and found other stolen property from victims in Claremore and Fairland Officers say they arrested Sandra Everhart Pryor Police Chief Jeremy Cantrell says technology like the license plate reading cameras proved to be very helpful if you’ve got video cameras or surveillance video definitely pay attention to that,” said Cantrell Police say they will try to get the stolen property returned to the right owners A native Oklahoman and Emmy-award-winning reporter Day grew up in Owasso and graduated from the University of Oklahoma and general news updates from News on 6 delivered right to your inbox OKLA (KTUL) — A man currently incarcerated in Vinita was charged with operating a commercial sex trafficking ring on July 23 According to theOklahoma Bureau of Narcotics (OBN) AKA "VP," is currently in a Department of Corrections facility for narcotics The investigation into a commercial sex ring with several identified victims determined that Meadows has been facilitating trafficking while behind bars “There are a variety of methods used by inmates to communicate with associates on the outside allowing them to seamlessly continue to run their criminal operations while behind bars," OBN Spokesman Mark Woodward said "Associates outside the prison who may have helped Meadows facilitate the trafficking of victims are subjects of our ongoing investigation These associates would help with ads posted on commercial sex websites and arrange locations where the sex trafficking took place.” OBN agents went to the prison to serve Meadows with a warrant on charges of human trafficking and the use of a computer to violate state statutes “This is an example of DOC and OBN working together to make a difference for victims who are gaining courage to speak out against their assailants when they realize they are not alone,” OBN Director Anderson said VINITA, Okla. — Dozens of senior citizens in Vinita are struggling to get by nearly a month after their living facility closed due to a major fire. Some of them contacted 2 News about frustrations with the process of getting their belongings but some say they’ve had a hard time getting their stuff back “The communication has been horrible trying to get people to help us get stuff out,” Langford said lived in a part of Burroughs Manor that was largely spared from the fire getting them back in her possession has been tricky; between coordinating with management and the shear ability to get into her apartment Brenda Joseph enjoys the simple things in life – like reading “My doctor put me on some medication to help that I’m a little bit calmer now because of that.” 2 News called management while visiting Langford and Joseph in Vinita but the management called back shortly after They said any residents with issues should call the Burroughs Manor office number “The one’s that lost it in the fire lost everything Joseph is living in a home with five other residents of Burroughs Manor have been the recipients of donations from the community some roadblocks stand in the way of that goal He said all but two of the residents have signed off on collecting all the belongings they want He said the management group is doing "the best" they can Residents with issues should call Gorman at (918) 333-2244 — Vinita Fire Department responded to a fire at the Burroughs Manor apartments Friday afternoon Firefighters said several companies and agencies responded from in and around Craig County Officials said 40 people were inside but no one was seriously injured There were a few cases of smoke inhalation He said he felt lucky to make it out on time I could be burning in a hospital somewhere Some first responders had to be treated for heat exhaustion Vinita police are investigating the fire as arson and one suspect is in custody Vinita Fire chief Kevin Huxtable said it was one of the worst fires his department has fought "The building itself is probably gonna be a complete loss What you see standing is just kind of a shell." A saddle bronc rider competes in the Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo in Vinita This year’s rodeo includes a Cherokee Nation night on Aug 8 with free admission given with presentation of a CDIB or citizenship card multi-day gathering of rodeo contestants and patrons when the 87th Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo gets underway with competitions 7-10 at American Legion Dale Peace Post No 8) is Cherokee Nation night,” said Shannon Bassett of the rodeo committee “That’s where every Cherokee Nation tribal member has free admission to this rodeo and all they have to have is their CDIB card or their tribal card.” All four nights feature top-level rodeo action The Will Rogers Memorial is a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association event and between 450 and 500 members are expected There will also be some preliminary events on Aug “It’s actually going to go on all week long,” said Robert Long “Those first couple of nights we’re expecting anywhere from 200 to 500 people then on Friday and Saturday night we should be full out at 3,500.” The theme of this year’s parade is “Should Have Been a Cowboy” a tribute to country superstar Toby Keith After the parade is the Old Settlers Reunion in the Craig County Community Building and the first evening of PRCA rodeo is Kids Night “They’re having a Kids Zone with some bounce houses and fun things and we’ll have a kids’ grand entry,” Bassett said Friday is Fan Appreciation Night and Saturday is Patriot Night to honor veterans and current members of the military The Cherokee Nation is a major sponsor of the Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo “This is a staple of the Craig County community and a great opportunity for everyone to celebrate a famed Cherokee citizen and American icon who was born in 1879 at a ranch house along the Verdigris River,” Hoskin said “One of my favorite quotes from Will Rogers is ‘I am a Cherokee and it’s the proudest little possession I ever hope to have.’ He also had a great sense of humor and a unique ability to make complicated political and economic issues easy to understand which made him a powerful social critic and commentator Will Rogers was an iconic statesman and remains a beloved figure across the Cherokee Nation Reservation and all of America The rodeo and related activities each year are a fitting memorial to Will Rogers and I encourage everyone who can to visit the 87th annual Will Rogers Memorial Rodeo this August.” There is a story associated with the establishment of the rodeo Rogers was sent to attend a number of schools after his mother died in 1890 but he most enjoyed his three terms at Willie Halsell College in Vinita during 1892-95 he told people in Vinita: “Have a rodeo here next year but in 1835 he and aviator Wiley Post perished in a plane crash on Aug The rodeo received its “Will Rogers Memorial” name Tickets range in price from $5 to $25 and can be purchased online at www.willrogersmemorialrodeo.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Diversity Journal has recognized Partner Vinita Ferrera as a 2024 Woman Worth Watching in STEM which recognizes high-achieving women who are blazing trails for other women in their organizations and across the globe—and for girls everywhere who want to build successful and satisfying careers in science Profiles in Diversity Journal is a quarterly magazine that spotlights promotes and supports individuals in underrepresented groups for their contributions to their respective fields Diversity Journal profiled 23 people as part of the publications 6th year celebrating Women Worth Watching in STEM Vinita Ferrera focuses her practice on intellectual property litigation and has litigated cases involving a variety of technologies and industries Her practice has encompassed all facets of litigation as well as administrative agencies including the Patent Trial and Appeal Board and the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Ferrera is a member of the Board of the Lawyers for Civil Rights “We should be developing and supporting initiatives to increase interest in and comfort with STEM among underrepresented populations at the elementary middle and high school levels,” says Ferrera in her profile “I would love to see companies and other organizations partnering with schools and other community groups to create such opportunities.” Read the full profile before communicating with WilmerHale by e-mail (or otherwise) please read the Disclaimer referenced by this link.(The Disclaimer is also accessible from the opening of this website) until you have received from us a written statement that we represent you in a particular manner (an "engagement letter") you should not send to us any confidential information about any such matter After we have undertaken representation of you concerning a matter and we may thereafter exchange confidential information freely by | Jan 30 first row) celebrate their recent awards with other members of the College of Optometry Dr. Ed Bennett, professor emeritus and the former assistant dean for student services and alumni relations, received the CLMA Medal of Honor, while Dr. Vinita Henry the current associate dean of clinical operations and a clinical professor received an award named for Bennett himself: the Dr Bennett and Henry have been good friends and professional partners for 40 years having collaborated on a large number of publications – most notably five editions of the “Clinical Manual of Contact Lenses,” the text used by most optometry colleges in North America The pair helped lay the foundation for UMSL’s nationally renowned contact lens program Bennett was one of two faculty members who came to UMSL in 1982 to teach contact lenses as the College of Optometry’s first graduating class was beginning its third year became the College of Optometry’s first resident after graduation working alongside Bennett in a one-year post-graduate cornea and contact lens residency program She joined the faculty full-time shortly after Bennett, who retired in September 2019 after more than 37 years in the College of Optometry, credits the college’s dedicated faculty – including Henry, as well as Associate Dean of Academic Programs Dr. Julie DeKinder among others – with the college’s national reputation and many outstanding graduates of its residency program “I’ve greatly enjoyed teaching contact lenses – notably GP lens correction – over the years to students residents and eye care professionals,” Bennett said “It is truly a privilege to teach; it took me years to truly understand and effectively apply that whereas our current faculty at UMSL are young very student-dedicated and could communicate effectively immediately after being hired.” Bennett is also passionate about his work with the GP Lens Institute which allowed him to work with some of the most prominent contact lens specialists in developing educational resources and programs for generic contact lenses He served as president up until December and had worked with the organization since 1988 when it was known as the RGP Lens Institute His long history with the organization made it especially meaningful to receive the CLMA Medal of Honor which recognizes those who “embody the ideals of the Contact Lens Manufacturers Association at the highest levels through service and achievements within the contact lens industry.” He is only the second person to receive the award after Quido Cappelli in 2018 – whom he refers to as a “legendary manufacturing icon” – so he said he was in shock when his name was called “Next to being inducted into the National Optometry Hall of Fame I would consider this the highest honor I’ve ever received from an organization that I have truly loved for 37 years,” Bennett said said it was particularly meaningful to receive an award named for her mentor and to be honored at the same event We wrote five editions of textbooks together It was really special to get the award from him and be there to see him being recognized for his years of service.” was just as excited to see Henry recognized “I’m especially proud of what an outstanding job she has done as director (and now associate dean) of clinical operations,” Bennett said. “She is an outstanding clinic director and deserves so much credit for our beautiful state-of-the-art UMSL Patient Care Center And she has been a trailblazer: first resident at the College first full-time faculty member to be awarded a campus teaching award (Chancellor’s Award for Excellence for Academic Non-Regular Faculty) first full clinical professor at the College first non-tenure track faculty to serve as faculty chair and first individual to receive our equivalent of the distinguished alumni award and she is beloved by both our students and several chancellors and past chancellors of the university.” Students from more than 20 colleges and universities across the Midwest attended the conference April 26-27 at the UMSL Science Complex Brown spent three days in the nation’s capital participating in policy training touring the National Mall and the White House and speaking with politicians such as Sen More than 50 students participated in the annual symposium and shared research on topics ranging from biology and chemistry to history and music University Marketing and CommunicationsUniversity of Missouri–St Penney Building/Conference Center1 University Blvd.St News and Media RelationsUMSL Experts Guide Office Number: (314) 516-5000Admissions Toll-Free: 1-888-GO-2-UMSL Log in | Designed by UMSL Web and Digital Communications The Kansas Highway Patrol says it happened around 11:52am at the intersection of K-26 and the Old Highway 166 79-year-old Joseph Monroe Reed was on Hwy 166 and stopped at a stop sign before then failing to yield to a tow truck that was traveling south on K-26 This intersection has seen dozens of crashes since June when the Highway 400 realignment/expansion project was completed and changed the intersection from a 4-way stop to a 2-way stop Vinita Police say one person has been taken into custody accused of setting fire on the third floor at the Burroughs Manor Senior Living apartments Police say Roger Lee Woolman was booked on a complaint of first-degree arson The police chief said ATF and the State Fire Marshal are responding to investigate the fire Fire crews and local law enforcement were able to get all 48 of the residents out of the building with the help of employees of the building They say one resident was taken to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation fire crews are still at the scene to put out hot spots Police say at least 10 fire agencies responded to assist with the fire "I honestly can't say enough about how everybody worked together from Fire they ran straight into that building,” Chief Mark Johnson said they made sure everybody was out and did their jobs Police say part of the problem of battling the fire was a lack of water and the fire chief says the building is likely a total loss Police say the Red Cross and churches are responding to assist residents Facebook user, Shelby Manners, shared this video on Facebook of the fire. \"I honestly can't say enough about how everybody worked together from Fire Facebook user, Shelby Manners, shared this video on Facebook of the fire.