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#1
Development & New Businesses / Downtown Midtown Adult Superst...
Last post by LeGenDz - Today at 05:10:52 PMQuoteDowntown building housing adult superstore purchased by Elliot Nelson, David Sharp
Tulsa developer David Sharp and restaurant entrepreneur Elliot Nelson have purchased the building that houses the New Midtown Adult Superstore, the "adult entertainment" emporium at 319 E. Third St.
What the new owners plan to do with the building is still under consideration, but it is highly unlikely that they will continue "business as usual."
"David and I have both been invested in that neighborhood for a long time," Nelson said. "And when that building came up for sale, we didn't want to let it get away.
"Right now, we haven't any plans for the short term — we just closed on the deal (on Jan. 31) — but I think that the long-term plan is to do a full historic renovation of the building, to get it back down to its historic structure."
The New Midtown Adult Superstore continues in operation. The person who answered the phone said the store's manager would not be able to comment until later in the week, adding that he knew about the sale, but had not been told of any potential closing.
According to Tulsa County Assessor records, the property was valued as of Jan. 28 of this year at $1,417,200. In addition to Sharp and Nelson, the deed lists Brian M. Elliott of BMAK LLC. as a third owner.
The building at 319 E. Third St. was once the Elgin Hotel, which Nelson said that Sharp had operated in the 1970s.
"I've seen pictures of what it was like back in the day, and it's really a cool brick building underneath all that stucco that's on the facade now," Nelson said. "The downstairs is, obviously, not in great shape, but the upstairs is pretty well-preserved, in a weird way.
"The owners never did anything with the upper floor," he said. "They closed off all the stairways, so nobody has been up there for years."
The building opened as the Midtown Art Theatre, specializing in showing X-rated movies, in 1981.
In 2007, the current facade was overlaid on the building, and the name changed to the New Midtown Adult Superstore.
In 2000, the city of Tulsa sought to deny renewing the Midtown's licenses to operate its adult-oriented businesses, which included an adult bookstore, adult motion picture theater and adult mini-motion picture theater.
The owners sued, and in 2001 the city settled, acknowledging that the licensing provision used to deny licenses for the theater portion of the business had been found unconstitutional in other courts.
https://tulsaworld.com/life-entertainment/local/food-drink/downtown-building-housing-adult-superstore-purchased-by-elliot-nelson-david-sharp/article_8bde5c00-eb16-11ef-bc72-d7bdc2fcdb30.html
#2
Development & New Businesses / Re: Massive new car factory fo...
Last post by patric - February 15, 2025, 05:08:56 PMRepublican response to Pride Week may have cost Oklahoma the Panasonic plant, commissioner says --
Republican Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn points to Stitt's failed effort to persuade Panasonic to build a $4 billion battery plant in Oklahoma as an example of the damage culture-war politics used by Walters and others can kill billion-dollar deals.
"It was National Pride Week, and Panasonic had on their website, because they are international, that they were celebrating the diversity of their clientele and their employees and that they were appreciative of the LGBT community," Osborn said. "It was pretty innocuous."
More than a dozen Republican lawmakers chose the week that Stitt had landed Oklahoma as one of three finalists for the plant to release a statement, on state House letterhead, condemning Panasonic.
"They said they didn't want something as heinous as a company that would celebrate Pride Week," Osborn said. "And two days later Panasonic picked Kansas. It's my belief the far-right views and legislation are costing us manufacturing jobs and anyone new who might come to our state. We are left trying to hang on to what we have.
Osborn said the frequent appearances by Walters delving into culture war topics on national opinion TV shows further complicates efforts to get companies to expand into Oklahoma. The Panasonic plant, expected to employ up to 3,500 workers, is under construction in Kansas.
"If they're going to move employees here, current employees ? the structure of a new business - even with new jobs, they have to get the buy in of their employees," Osborn said.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/business/2025/02/14/ryan-walters-news-oklahoma-far-right-politics-impacts-business/78532529007/
Republican Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn points to Stitt's failed effort to persuade Panasonic to build a $4 billion battery plant in Oklahoma as an example of the damage culture-war politics used by Walters and others can kill billion-dollar deals.
"It was National Pride Week, and Panasonic had on their website, because they are international, that they were celebrating the diversity of their clientele and their employees and that they were appreciative of the LGBT community," Osborn said. "It was pretty innocuous."
More than a dozen Republican lawmakers chose the week that Stitt had landed Oklahoma as one of three finalists for the plant to release a statement, on state House letterhead, condemning Panasonic.
"They said they didn't want something as heinous as a company that would celebrate Pride Week," Osborn said. "And two days later Panasonic picked Kansas. It's my belief the far-right views and legislation are costing us manufacturing jobs and anyone new who might come to our state. We are left trying to hang on to what we have.
Osborn said the frequent appearances by Walters delving into culture war topics on national opinion TV shows further complicates efforts to get companies to expand into Oklahoma. The Panasonic plant, expected to employ up to 3,500 workers, is under construction in Kansas.
"If they're going to move employees here, current employees ? the structure of a new business - even with new jobs, they have to get the buy in of their employees," Osborn said.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/business/2025/02/14/ryan-walters-news-oklahoma-far-right-politics-impacts-business/78532529007/
#3
Other Tulsa Discussion / Re: Another Police Helicopter
Last post by whoatown - February 15, 2025, 04:44:09 PMQuote from: dbacksfan 2.0 on February 13, 2025, 11:24:38 AMThanks, helps me kind of put the nuts and bolts together to understand it.GPS has a similar error.
What's your altitude?
I don't know. Somewhere between the ground and the sky with a margin for error. The devices give different readings where it says I'm at. But close enough for government work.
#4
The Burbs / Re: Oklahoma City Developments...
Last post by dbacksfan 2.0 - February 13, 2025, 11:29:52 AMLooks like the Canoo nightmare is getting worse and the former employees are now on the hook for medical expenses that went unpaid by their health care policies that the employees were paying for.
https://kfor.com/news/local/former-canoo-employees-face-medical-bills-despite-premiums-deducted-from-pay/
https://kfor.com/news/local/former-canoo-employees-face-medical-bills-despite-premiums-deducted-from-pay/
#5
Other Tulsa Discussion / Re: Another Police Helicopter
Last post by dbacksfan 2.0 - February 13, 2025, 11:24:38 AMQuote from: Red Arrow on February 07, 2025, 12:20:41 AMNot quite. The altitude source can be an encoding altimeter (with electronics to communicate with the transponder) or it can be another device called a blind encoder (also with electronics to communicate with the transponder). A blind encoder is connected to the aircraft static pressure system, same as the altimeter, but the pilot cannot see or adjust it. In either case, it must be tested every other (2) year for accuracy. Large aircraft may have some other device as part of a Flight Management System but those are beyond my knowledge base.
Thanks, helps me kind of put the nuts and bolts together to understand it.
#6
National & International Politics / Re: The Fox in the Henhouse
Last post by patric - February 09, 2025, 04:40:39 PMQuote from: Red Arrow on February 07, 2025, 03:58:53 PMIn reality, even lemmings aren't that stupid.
"Most of the unawarded money is sitting in state Department of Transportation bank accounts ready to be spent," Gallentine said in a statement. States are under no obligation to stop these projects based solely on this announcement, he said. "We call on state DOTs and program administrators to continue executing this program until new guidance is finalized."
"There's no legal basis" for stopping plans that have already been approved and funded, said Andrew Wishnia, former deputy assistant secretary for climate policy at the DOT who helped author the NEVI program.
Tesla will continue expanding its network regardless of federal money — and likely still benefit from its competitors receiving fewer funds.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-wants-to-halt-the-buildout-of-ev-charging-stations-experts-say-its-not-so-simple
Elon Musk's Tesla will receive one of the largest government contracts in 2025 to produce armored vehicles.
The filing includes a massive contract for hundreds of millions of dollars to the Department of Government Efficiency czar's automobile company for "Armored Tesla (production units)." The contract is worth more than $100 million and has a cap of $500 million, according to the filing.
By comparison, a contract for armored sedans was capped at $100 million, and contracts for armored BMW and armored electric vehicles were capped at $50 million. The office handling the award was the Defensive Equipment and Armored Vehicle Division, and it was targeted for Q4.
Tesla has been the subject of an investigation by the National Labor Relations Board, as well as the subject of a lawsuit by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and hundreds of complaints by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to The New York Times.
In his position as the leader of DOGE, Musk's house-cleaning has affected each one of these agencies.
https://newrepublic.com/post/191477/tesla-elon-musk-government-contract
#7
National & International Politics / Re: The Fox in the Henhouse
Last post by Red Arrow - February 07, 2025, 03:58:53 PMQuote from: patric on February 07, 2025, 11:29:03 AM
Some states, including Rhode Island, Missouri, Alabama and Oklahoma, had already publicly confirmed that they were pausing their EV charger programs before the memo was released.
In reality, even lemmings aren't that stupid.
#8
National & International Politics / The Fox in the Henhouse
Last post by patric - February 07, 2025, 11:29:03 AMIn a memo released Thursday, the Federal Highway Administration ordered states to halt the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program, which President Donald Trump cited as an example of the "Green New Deal." So far, states are now split, with some putting their program on pause and at least one planning to continue to fulfill existing contracts.
The program, which Congress approved under the bipartisan infrastructure law, was intended to help fill gaps in the nation's EV charging network and boost consumer confidence to buy electric vehicles. The law also provided another $2.5 billion for chargers in communities and neighborhoods.
The letter informs state transportation directors — who are in charge of administering the program — that any plans approved by the Biden administration are now suspended until the Transportation Department provides new guidelines in the spring. "Effective immediately, no new obligations may occur under the NEVI Formula Program," the letter reads. "I don't believe FHWA has the authority to do this," said Loren McDonald, the firm's chief analyst and an expert on the charging program, in an email.
The president has continued to target electric vehicles, even while he maintains a close alliance with Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Tesla has been a key recipient of charging grants, and it has the largest fast-charger network in the country. But Musk has previously said that cuts to EV benefits, such as the $7,500 EV tax credit, will be more painful for the company's rival automakers than Tesla, even if his company might suffer in the short term.
Some states, including Rhode Island, Missouri, Alabama and Oklahoma, had already publicly confirmed that they were pausing their EV charger programs before the memo was released.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/02/06/trump-ev-charging-halt-transportation-department/
The program, which Congress approved under the bipartisan infrastructure law, was intended to help fill gaps in the nation's EV charging network and boost consumer confidence to buy electric vehicles. The law also provided another $2.5 billion for chargers in communities and neighborhoods.
The letter informs state transportation directors — who are in charge of administering the program — that any plans approved by the Biden administration are now suspended until the Transportation Department provides new guidelines in the spring. "Effective immediately, no new obligations may occur under the NEVI Formula Program," the letter reads. "I don't believe FHWA has the authority to do this," said Loren McDonald, the firm's chief analyst and an expert on the charging program, in an email.
The president has continued to target electric vehicles, even while he maintains a close alliance with Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla. Tesla has been a key recipient of charging grants, and it has the largest fast-charger network in the country. But Musk has previously said that cuts to EV benefits, such as the $7,500 EV tax credit, will be more painful for the company's rival automakers than Tesla, even if his company might suffer in the short term.
Some states, including Rhode Island, Missouri, Alabama and Oklahoma, had already publicly confirmed that they were pausing their EV charger programs before the memo was released.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/02/06/trump-ev-charging-halt-transportation-department/
#9
Other Tulsa Discussion / Re: Another Police Helicopter
Last post by Red Arrow - February 07, 2025, 12:20:41 AMQuote from: dbacksfan 2.0 on February 06, 2025, 10:42:50 PMRed, so if I'm reading correctly from your comment and and some searching on that regulation, it means that to report ADS-B it must use the aircrafts actual altimeter and be certified accurate to within 125' based on using 29.92 ins. mercury, or sea level and certified for that particular altitude system in the aircraft. Am I at least in the park and it's not Yellowstone?
Not quite. The altitude source can be an encoding altimeter (with electronics to communicate with the transponder) or it can be another device called a blind encoder (also with electronics to communicate with the transponder). A blind encoder is connected to the aircraft static pressure system, same as the altimeter, but the pilot cannot see or adjust it. In either case, it must be tested every other (2) year for accuracy. Large aircraft may have some other device as part of a Flight Management System but those are beyond my knowledge base.
#10
Other Tulsa Discussion / Re: Another Police Helicopter
Last post by dbacksfan 2.0 - February 06, 2025, 10:42:50 PMRed, so if I'm reading correctly from your comment and and some searching on that regulation, it means that to report ADS-B it must use the aircrafts actual altimeter and be certified accurate to within 125' based on using 29.92 ins. mercury, or sea level and certified for that particular altitude system in the aircraft. Am I at least in the park and it's not Yellowstone?