English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Broken Arrow, OK

By BA Sentinel Staff

MUSKOGEE –– Jaden Brown from Broken Arrow earned a silver medal in the Apprentice Transition 2 category at the Oklahoma School for the Blind’s regional Braille Challenge competition in Muskogee on March 4. Brown is an OSB senior.

Forty-six Oklahoma students competed at OSB for medals and prizes in the annual academic competition that is part of the National and Youth Programs of the Braille Institute.

“Braille Challenge is the only national Braille literacy competition of its kind in the country,” Faye Miller, competition coordinator and OSB Orientation and Mobility instructor, said. “This contest is specifically designed to challenge and reward students for their study of braille, which is essential to their future academic and employment success.”

Students practiced braille reading and writing skills for The Oklahoma Regional Braille Challenge. They hone their braille skills to medal in the competition and improve on their performance from year to year. While these skills now are used in the competition, they will serve them for a lifetime.

Every competitor selected a prize this year and received Braille Challenge T-shirts purchased with the support of many long-time sponsors of the Oklahoma Regional Braille Challenge. Students also picked up goodie bags with items purchased with donations.

“Anything we can do to make reading more fun and help students improve their skills, I am all for that,” OSB Superintendent Brent Pearce said. “This challenge motivates the students to improve their comprehension, spelling and proofreading. They want those medals and prizes.”

Braille Challenge contestants will receive brailled certificates and general performance feedback later this spring from the Braille Institute to help continue to improve their skills.

Contestants in the apprentice, freshman and Transition categories were tested on spelling, reading comprehension and proofreading.

Sophomore, junior varsity and varsity contestants were scored on charts and graphs, reading comprehension and proofreading. They also listened and transcribed passages into braille in a speed and accuracy contest.

The Braille Institute will invite the top 50 finalists from the United States, Canada , the United Kingdom and Australia to compete in the National Braille Challenge in Los Angeles in June. Oklahoma competitors have advanced to the national finals 28 times since 2003.

This year’s Oklahoma Regional Braille Challenge sponsors included the Oklahoma School for the Blind, Braille Institute of America, Association for the Education and Rehabilitation of Blind and Visually Impaired, Friends of the Library OSLS, Liberty Braille, NanoPac, NewView Oklahoma, Oklahoma Chapter of AERBVI, Oklahoma Council of the Blind, Park Hill OHCE, Ruth Kelly Studios, Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Transcribing Mariners, Tulsa Downtown Lions Club, Sapulpa Lions Club.

OSB is a division of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services. For more information, phone 877-229-7136 toll free or visit http://osb.k12.ok.us/

Oklahoma School for the Blind offers free comprehensive academic, extracurricular and outreach programs to blind or visually impaired students who live on campus four days each week, commute from home or attend summer school programs.

Academic programs for OSB students meet state-mandated education requirements. Specialized instruction includes Braille, orientation and mobility training, optimum use of low-vision adaptive equipment, assistive technology graphic skills not readily available at other public schools in Oklahoma.

Students may participate in sports, leadership programs and award-winning OSB Jazz Band. OSB provides free evaluations and outreach services to students attending local public schools, their families and educators. OSB had a 100% graduation rate in 2022-2023.

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. -

Amazon has announced a $4B investment into rural America, which includes projects in Broken Arrow, Weatherford and Perry Thursday afternoon.

Key Takeaways

A same-day delivery station is planned for Broken Arrow, while the other locations would receive normal delivery warehouse sites, all projects are planned to be up and running by next year.

The announcement comes with a nationwide effort to invest in less densely populated rural areas across the state, where more than 500 jobs would be created throughout the process.

Broken Arrow’s Amazon site would allow Amazon to fulfill, sort and deliver orders all from one location, making the entire process of delivery even faster.

“Amazon’s investment is another strong signal of Broken Arrow’s momentum,” said Amber Miller, Vice President of Economic Development for Broken Arrow. “It speaks to the collaborative environment we’ve built and our commitment to creating opportunities that benefit our community now and into the future.”

The facility would specifically create more than 100 full- and part-time jobs in the region and is expected to open later next year.

“My constituents in western Oklahoma are thrilled with Amazon’s investment in the community and can’t wait to receive faster deliveries and new great job opportunities,” House Speaker Pro Tempore Anthony Moore said.

“Amazon’s investment in urban, suburban and rural areas across the state is another testament to how Oklahoma’s pro-growth policies, exceptional workforce, and central location continue to attract world-class companies. I want to thank Amazon for their confidence in Oklahoma and commend our local leaders and economic development partners who worked to make this expansion possible.”

Oklahoma Facility Locations

Amazon released the following locations for the new facilities:

BROKEN ARROW, Ok — Broken Arrow voters will decide April 7 on a bond package totaling more than $415 million from eight propositions that could reshape the city for years to come.

WATCH: Broken Arrow voters to decide $415 M bond package: What it means for your taxes:

What's on it?

For tax bills, there is notable news: if Propositions 1 through 7 pass, the property tax rate remains same.

Proposition 8 is a different story. It asks voters to approve a temporary half-cent sales tax increase for five years, generating $53 million for sports facilities. That includes upgrades at Arrowhead Softball Complex, Indian Springs Sports Complex, and Nienhuis Park.

What do people think?

Steven Jones moved to Broken Arrow in 2005. He said he supports the package.

"I think we as a city need to stand behind a lot of this because you know if you want to have a better city, you have to spend the money for it. Bottom line," Jones said.

WATCH: Broken Arrow voters to decide on $415M bond package: What it means for your taxes

Jones believes the investment reflects the realities of a growing city.

"I would support the package because, do we want a safe city? Yes. Do we want good streets? Yes. Do we all want to have to wait to go through the process of the repairs? No. It just comes with growth," Jones said.

Other Broken Arrow residents got their first crack at learning, listening, and giving their own voice to the city about the bond package on March 2 at the Union 8th Grade Center in the first of four scheduled public information sessions.

"(If the bonds failed to pass) you would be quickly coming to us, saying, 'Why are you not fixing this street? Why is that atom sewer not getting fixed? Why are the facilities looking horrible?'" Mayor Debra Wimpee told attendees. "That's because we don't have the funding to cover it."

David Handzlik said he'd like funding to maintain his local streets, so he backs the package.

"It looks like it's going to be alright. A lot of it seems to be coming along pretty good," Handzlik said. "They spend a lot of money on it. So they seem to know what they're doing."

Local accountant Brent Watson threw in his two cents against Proposition 8, which raises sales taxes by an extra half a percent temporarily for five years.

"Over five years would cost a family of four about $1200," Watson told 2 News. "So this is a significant cost to citizens, and I cannot support seeing our sales tax raise over and over and over, to over 10%."

At the beginning of the public meeting City Manager Michael Spurgeon argued the city has historically followed through on its bonds and investments.

"And that's what this bond package does," Spurgeon told the audience. "It continues the council's goal of bringing people together to maintain that small town feel."

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Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, experiences a diverse climate with distinct seasonal shifts that significantly impact residential infrastructure. From the scorching heat of summer to the bone-chilling cold of winter, these fluctuations place immense stress on plumbing systems. While most homeowners are aware of the dangers of frozen pipes, few realize that every season brings its own set of risks to the pipes, drains, and water heaters that keep a home running. The expansive clay soil common in the region adds another layer of complexity, swelling and shrinking with moisture changes in a way that can wreak havoc on underground lines. Understanding how the calendar affects your plumbing is key to preventing costly repairs and ensuring year-round reliability.

The Stress of Summer Heat and Soil Expansion

The sweltering summer months in Northeast Oklahoma often lead to dry, cracked ground as moisture evaporates from the soil. However, when heavy summer thunderstorms roll through, this parched clay soil absorbs water rapidly and expands with tremendous force. This phenomenon, known as soil swelling, exerts hydrostatic pressure on buried sewer and water lines. Over time, this shifting can cause pipes to crack, separate at the joints, or become misaligned. The sudden movement is particularly dangerous for older homes with rigid cast iron or clay piping, which lacks the flexibility to withstand the pressure.

Summer is also peak season for root intrusion. As temperatures rise and rainfall becomes sporadic, trees and shrubs become desperate for moisture. Their root systems spread aggressively in search of water, often sensing the cool, nutrient-rich condensation on the outside of buried sewer pipes. If the shifting soil has created even a hairline crack in a pipe, roots will penetrate the line to access the water inside. Once established, these roots grow rapidly in the warm environment, forming dense blockages that cause sewage backups. Homeowners often notice these issues as slow drains or gurgling toilets during the hottest months of the year. Addressing these subterranean threats requires a professional Plumbing Broken Arrow OK expert who understands local soil behavior and can perform video inspections to catch damage early.

Winter Freezes and Burst Pipe Prevention

As the year transitions to winter, the primary threat shifts to freezing temperatures. Broken Arrow is prone to sudden arctic blasts that can drop temperatures well below freezing for days at a time. Pipes located in unheated areas such as attics, crawl spaces, and exterior walls are most vulnerable. When water inside these pipes freezes, it expands, creating pressure that can split copper, PVC, and even PEX piping. The resulting burst pipe can release hundreds of gallons of water into the home in a matter of minutes once the ice thaws.

Prevention is critical during these cold snaps. Outdoor faucets are a common failure point; leaving a garden hose attached traps water inside the spigot, which can freeze and rupture the pipe inside the wall. Disconnecting hoses and installing insulated faucet covers is a simple yet effective safeguard. Inside the home, opening cabinet doors under sinks allows warm air to circulate around the pipes, and allowing faucets to drip slightly keeps water moving, making it harder to freeze. For homes with a history of freezing issues, upgrading insulation or installing heat tape on vulnerable lines offers a more permanent solution.

Spring in Oklahoma is synonymous with heavy rainfall and severe storms. While the rain is welcome for lawns, it can overwhelm the municipal sewer system and saturate the ground around residential foundations. When the ground becomes saturated, the excess water can seep into sewer lines through cracks or loose joints, a process called infiltration. This influx of rainwater can exceed the capacity of the sewer pipe, causing water to back up into basement drains or low-lying fixtures.

Additionally, the sudden increase in soil moisture can cause the ground to shift again, potentially disturbing the alignment of pipes that settled during the winter. This is also the time of year when sediment and debris are most likely to wash into outdoor drains and sewer cleanouts, creating blockages. Regular inspection of outdoor drainage systems and ensuring that gutters are directing water away from the foundation are essential steps for protecting the plumbing system during the wet season.

Seasonal Water Heater Maintenance

Your water heater works hard year-round, but it faces unique challenges as the seasons change. In the winter, the water entering your home from the municipal supply is significantly colder than in the summer. This means the water heater must work harder and consume more energy to raise the water to the desired temperature. This increased workload can strain aging heating elements in electric units or the burner assembly in gas models, leading to failure when hot water is needed most.

Conversely, in the summer, sediment buildup can become a major issue. As water is heated, dissolved minerals precipitate out and settle at the bottom of the tank. Over time, this sediment layer creates a barrier between the heat source and the water, reducing efficiency and causing the tank to overheat. Flushing the water heater annually, ideally in the spring or autumn, removes this sediment and extends the life of the appliance. Neglecting this maintenance can lead to leaks, loud rumbling noises, and a premature need for replacement.

Sargent’s Plumbing and Drain: Your All-Season Plumbing Partner

Sargent’s Plumbing and Drain understands that plumbing maintenance in Broken Arrow is a year-round commitment. We are dedicated to helping homeowners navigate the specific challenges posed by our local climate, from soil shifts to deep freezes. Our team offers comprehensive inspections and preventive services designed to fortify your home against seasonal risks. Whether you need a pre-winter pipe insulation check or a summer sewer line inspection, we have the expertise to keep your system running smoothly.

We know that weather-related plumbing disasters rarely happen at convenient times. That is why we provide responsive and reliable service for everything from burst pipes to storm-induced backups. Our technicians treat your home with care and respect, delivering honest assessments and high-quality repairs. When looking for the dependable Plumbing Broken Arrow OK residents trust, look no further than Sargent’s Plumbing and Drain. Contact us today to schedule your seasonal maintenance and ensure your home is prepared for whatever the weather brings.

Andrew Sargent

Sargent’s Plumbing & Drain

605 W Oakland Pl, Broken Arrow, OK 74012

(918) 380-5637

https://sgtplumbing.com/

info@sgtplumbing.com