State: Tribe not to sell fireworks
TULSA - A small Indian tribe is violating a federal order that bars activity at the site of a partially built casino in a Tulsa suburb by operating a fireworks stand out of the facility and trucking in building supplies, state attorneys argue.
In May, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell ruled the 350-member Kialegee Tribal Town lacked the jurisdiction to build a casino on a 20-acre parcel in Broken Arrow and issued an injunction halting construction at the site. Since then, state attorneys claim the owners of the land have disobeyed the ruling by opening the fireworks stand and trucking in loads of gravel.
Joe Farris, an attorney for the southeastern Oklahoma tribe, said his clients are not violating the court’s order because the landowners have allowed fireworks to be sold on the property for years.
But Rob Martinek, a cofounder of Citizens Against Neighborhood Gaming in Broken Arrow, said Thursday the tribe appears to be “thumbing their nose” at the court.
Backers broke ground on the casino project late last year and had trucked in several pre-fabricated buildings to temporarily house slot machines. The casino was scheduled to open around Labor Day. But the project quickly drew strong opposition from thousands of residents, church leaders and local lawmakers.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Texarkana voters OK repairs, tax
TEXARKANA - City officials say they hope to start road repairs by year’s end after voters approved two ballot issues Tuesday in a special election.
Voters approved extending a 2.5 mill tax another 20 years, which costs about $50 in taxes on property valued at $100,000.
City officials estimate that once the bond is refinanced and the almost $1.1 million owed is paid off, the city will have almost $10 million to fund street repairs. The amount will vary depending on the state of the market when the bond is refinanced.
Complete but unofficial results show:
STREET REPAIRS
For . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .656
Against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
BOND REFINANCE
For . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .638
Against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
CLB Engineers of Texarkana completed a study of city streets and identified 114 that need repair.
The Texarkana Board of Directors did not make a list of specific projects because that list would have to be included in the ordinance and would tie the city’s hands from pursuing other repairs that may be found later, city officials said.
- TEXARKANA GAZETTE
Arson ruled out in Kensett fire
KENSETT - The cause of a January fire that destroyed four buildings in Kensett has been ruled undetermined, authorities said.
Arkansas State Police investigator Arthur Raff said the fire started in a beautysalon, but authorities have been unable to determine an exact location or why the blaze ignited. Raff told The Daily Citizen, the Searcy newspaper, that investigators have ruled out arson as a cause.
The fire destroyed four buildings, including Kensett’s municipal building.
Mayor Max McDonald said the city has received $108,000 in insurance money to repair the City Council chambers and district courtroom, which were lost in the fire.
Officials are still determining what to do with the damaged buildings. The city is taking bids for the removal of the buildings, which were contaminated with asbestos.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
PB man sentence in July killing
PINE BLUFF - A Pine Bluff man will serve at least 47 years in prison for a July shooting death, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
Jefferson County Circuit Judge Berlin Jones sentenced Tony Ray Boykins to 40 years Tuesday after a jury found Boykins guilty of first-degree murder in the killing of Brian Smith, 21, of Pine Bluff.
Prosecutor Rik Ramsey said Wednesday that Boykins, 28, was also sentenced to 10 years on firearm enhancement that will run consecutive to the 40-year sentence.
Ramsey said Boykins was previously convicted of attempted first-degree murder and two other felonies, so he was sentenced as a habitual offender and will have to serve 100 percent of the 40-year sentence on the murder charge. Boykins will have to serve a minimum of seven years on the firearm enhancement, so he will be eligible for parole after 47 years altogether, Ramsey said.
- ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE
Oklahoma bakes under record heat
OKLAHOMA CITY - Twenty-two record high temperatures have been set in June, 13 others were tied and drought conditions are expanding throughout Oklahoma, conditions that a climatologist said Thursday could lead to a repeat of last year’s landmark heat.
“The record temperatures and the expanding drought are not unrelated,” said associate state climatologist Gary McManus. “They feed off each other.” Temperatures have broken or tied records across the state dating to 1918, according to the National Climatic Data Center. And the U.S. Drought Monitor rates all of the state as either abnormally dry or in moderate drought.
Two weeks ago, the weekly report rated most of the state as having normal moisture. The Panhandle, however, remains in severe to extreme drought.
Last July, Oklahoma had the country’s highest monthly average temperature - 89.1 degrees - according to the Oklahoma Climatological Survey. The average summer temperatures - 86.5 degrees - was the hottest in Oklahoma history.
Wednesday’s high of 111 degrees in Mutual broke the record of 108 degrees set in 1936, and Tuesday’s 110 degrees in Hobart tied the record set in 1980.
- THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 12 on 06/29/2012