6 Things to Know: Tulsa Data Center Pause, Jewish Charter School Lawsuit

The Tulsa City Council has enacted a nine-month moratorium on approving new data centers across the city. This pause is intended to allow the city time to evaluate how current zoning laws apply to the increasing number of data center proposals and assess their long-term impact. Existing approved projects, including "Project Anthem," will not be affected and can proceed. Separately, a legal battle is unfolding in Oklahoma as the Ben Gamla Foundation is suing the Oklahoma Charter School Board after its application to open a publicly funded Jewish charter school was denied twice. This case raises constitutional questions about the separation of church and state and follows a similar dispute involving a Catholic charter school. Attorney General Gentner Drummond is reviewing the case, while Governor Kevin Stitt advocates for expanded parental and religious rights. Governor Stitt is also responding to the Oklahoma Supreme Court's decision to reject his effort to overturn an attorney general’s opinion on hunting licenses for tribal members, an issue concerning tribal sovereignty that will be decided in federal court. Furthermore, TSA staffing shortages due to a partial government shutdown are causing long airport lines nationwide, with acting TSA Administrator Ha Nguyen McNeill warning of potential airport closures if the situation continues. The article also mentions local initiatives including a "Health Professional Draft" event for healthcare students and a new STEM-focused "Wonder Room" at the Tulsa Dream Center, a partnership between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Google.