Friday, July 31, 2026 • Hottest day of the year? Highs to 105. ☀️

The record high for July 31 is 108 degrees in Oklahoma City and 112 in Tulsa — both set during the scorching summer of 2012.

We received 197 votes on the Thursday poll, “The primary is August 25. Have you already made up your mind about who you're voting for?”

• 120 said Yes
• 43 said No
• 34 said, “Yes, and I’ve also made up my mind about November.”

New poll question at the bottom of today’s newsletter. (You can also suggest a poll question by emailing me at [email protected].)

By Joe Tomlinson and Haley Samsel, Tulsa Flyer
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After nearly three decades living in Broken Arrow, Muhammad Calsy thought he had seen it all. 

Sure, there were customers who walked into one of his three Tulsa convenience stores with something negative to say about immigrants or Islam. In the days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Calsy feared a wave of violence against Muslims — or people perceived to be — would hit him too. 

But he can also remember the faces of those who visited to say things like: “Man, we know what happened. It’s not you guys. You didn’t have anything to do with it.” A white customer volunteered to stay with Calsy, a Kuwaiti immigrant of Pakistani descent, behind the counter and ensure the business was protected through its midnight closure. They remain friends. 

Those memories came to mind as he scrolled through social media last winter, reading comments responding to the Islamic Society of Tulsa’s plans to build a new mosque and commercial complex minutes from Calsy’s home. 

Several accused Muslims of trying to “take over” Broken Arrow and push Christians out. Others cited fear of terrorism and Sharia law. Many raised concerns about deadlock on a two-lane road and the impact of rapid development on the state’s fourth-largest city. 

Calsy and fellow Tulsa-area Muslims have awaited the mosque’s construction since 2014 when the Islamic Society purchased 15 acres along South Olive Avenue just south of the Creek Turnpike. He found himself “extremely, personally amazed” by the outrage.

“They’ve opened a new Home Depot, new Walmarts, new everything else. But just when it comes to mosque, people have all types of questions,” Calsy said. “This much hatred, we still have it over here? We have never seen it — it’s behind the scenes.” 

Thousands of communications obtained and reviewed by the Flyer reveal Broken Arrow city councilors were inundated with hundreds of emails about the project in late December and early January. Councilors eventually voted 4-1 against the proposal, which previously earned narrow approval from planning commissioners. 

Shortly after, the Islamic Society signaled it was exploring legal challenges to the decision. In July, the Department of Justice informed the city of its own investigation for potential violations of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. The 2000 law prohibits discrimination against religious groups in zoning decisions. 

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