Friday, Jan. 16, 2026 • Windy, and cooler. Might hit 50. 💨

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In today’s Memo:

• Mosque vote heads to court: The Islamic Society of Tulsa says it’s weighing legal action after the Broken Arrow City Council rejected a scaled-down mosque proposal that city staff and the planning commission had approved, amid public opposition and documented anti-Islamic rhetoric.

• Education shake-up incoming: Oklahoma lawmakers unveiled a broad package of education bills aimed at reversing last summer’s last-place national ranking, with proposals focused on early literacy, teacher retention, limiting classroom tech, and making the statewide school cellphone ban permanent.

By Joe Tomlinson, Tulsa Flyer
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The Islamic Society of Tulsa plans to challenge Broken Arrow City Council’s decision to deny a rezoning request for a proposed mosque on the southwest side of town.

In a statement Thursday, the society said it was disappointed in the decision, and leaders are considering all options to reverse it. The statement called the vote “incomprehensible” because the scaled-down version councilors rejected was developed through a series of meetings with city staff.

“In rejecting the IST application, the Council not only rejected the recommendation of its Planning Commission, but also the determination of City Management that the proposal met all requirements of the zoning variance and special use permit,” the society said.

IST has owned 15 acres along South Olive Avenue just south of the Creek Turnpike since 2014. The organization, which has congregated in Tulsa for nearly 50 years, hoped to expand with a new Islamic center in Broken Arrow — but their proposal was met with controversy and opposition from hundreds of residents. 

While some opposition focused on infrastructure, such as sewer, stormwater detention and traffic issues, anti-Islamic sentiment has consistently appeared in public meetings and online debates.

“We appreciate that participation in the democratic process sometimes leads to disagreement; we are also, however, disappointed that fearmongering and misinformation dominated the discourse around our proposal and that the Islamophobic frenzy on social media may have had an impact on the Council’s decision to deny our application,” the society said.

Click here for the full story.

By Anna Colletto, Tulsa Flyer
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Oklahoma hit rock bottom last summer in nationwide education rankings. This legislative session, state lawmakers are doing something about it.

Shortly before Thursday’s filing deadline, key leaders in the House and Senate announced a slate of education reforms targeting teacher retention, reading and math intervention and classroom technology. 

Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, and Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, are behind 16 bills. She says it’s the “right time” to focus on educational outcomes and literacy and anticipates lawmakers rowing in the same direction. 

While the state has hovered in the bottom of national education rankings for years, Seifried says last July’s ranking “woke people up.” 

“Fiftieth was really hard for some people to take. I welcome that,” she said in an interview with the Flyer. “We need everyone at the table to really solve this issue.”

In the House, Rep. Dick Lowe, R-Amber, shared his own slate of bills Wednesday, tackling early literacy and teacher certifications. Only a quarter of Oklahoma students were proficient on state reading tests in 2025.

Lowe and Seifried are both pushing against technology in the classroom. Lowe proposes keeping tech out of reading intervention and primarily through direct teachers or specialists. Seifried hopes to make her temporary statewide school cellphone ban permanent.  

“We’re not guessing,” Seifried said. “We know what works and we’ll have to advocate for it.”

Pugh, who is running for state superintendent of public instruction this November, said the slate of Senate bills “are the culmination of hundreds of hours of work and meeting with teachers, schools and parents.” 

Dozens of other education bills have been filed in recent weeks, including measures amending teacher benefits, funding workforce development, barring foreign students from Oklahoma universities and tackling the state’s literacy crisis. 

We’ve compiled some of those bills before the 60th legislative session begins Feb. 2.

Click here for the full story.

Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.

Editor’s note: Links requiring subscriptions have an *.

A hand-curated list of the best journalism from across the state:

• Wildfire threat continues with critical risk for much of Oklahoma on Friday (KOCO)

• Former Oklahoma mental health department official settles with Ethics Commission (Oklahoma Voice)

• As AI becomes part of traditional Medicare reviews, some Oklahomans worry they’ll lose out on care (KGOU)

• 'Political whiplash': Oklahoma tribes reel after quick reversal to federal mental health cuts (KOSU)

• Trump signs bill bringing whole milk back to Oklahoma school cafeterias (2 News Oklahoma)

• Report: OKC-based Devon Energy in merger talks with Coterra Energy (The Oklahoman)*

• Murder case dismissed against Hernandez (Kay News Cow)

• Oklahoma Voice sues state transportation department to access unredacted public records (Oklahoma Voice)

• Google emerges as tech company connected to Sand Springs data center project (Tulsa Flyer)

• Oklahoma lawmaker proposes expanded PE requirements for students (KSWO)

• These OKC restaurants are closing, opening in early 2026: Latest updates (The Oklahoman)*

• Oklahoma rejected 42 personalized plates in 2025, many referencing ‘vulgar language’ (The Oklahoma Eagle)

• Oklahoma sees higher fuel loads ahead of wildfire season (KOSU)

• Tulsa Housing Authority’s 2021 audit to be released ‘any day now’ (NonDoc)

• New York developer aiming to restore and reimagine historic Philcade Building (Tulsa World)*

• Tulsa mobile paternity testing clinic is helping Creek Freedmen prove their lineage (Tulsa Flyer)

• Neva Hill steps down as KOSU political analyst after 27 years (KOSU)

• OU quarterback John Mateer, linebacker Kip Lewis set to return in 2026 (OU Daily)

• OU football WR Isaiah Sategna set to return for 2026 (OU Daily)

Bedlam happened… but not the Bedlam you think. 😅

Ryan (Boomer Sooner) and Jeremy (Go Pokes) break down Oklahoma State’s 37-0 shutout of Oklahoma in Bedlam wrestling — what that score actually means, why OU looked like it had a path in (favorites + toss-ups), and how the match turned into a full-on steamroll.

Jeremy also explains what makes this OSU team scary: youth + depth — including true freshmen who are already nationally ranked, one who scored a pin in under a minute, and why “they don’t know any better” might be the most dangerous thing in sports.

Plus:

If you like Bedlam talk beyond football, you’re in the right place. Like/subscribe — we cover OU vs. OSU across the whole sports calendar.

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