Mayoral hopefuls share plans at Chamber Forum
By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon With the Feb. 10 mayoral election approaching, Midwest City residents had the chance Thursday to hear directly from candidates Rick Rice, Espaniola “Espy” Bowen, and Rita Maxwell at a Chamber of Commerce forum at Rose State College. The candidates shared their approaches to economic development, housing, education, neighborhood revitalization,…
Read MoreOklahoma County commissioners decline to advance Lowe jail sales tax proposal
By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon Oklahoma County commissioners on Wednesday rejected a proposed sales tax that would have funded construction of a new county jail and public safety operations. District 1 Commissioner Jason Lowe had proposed placing a permanent 5/8-cent, or 0.625%, sales tax on the April 7 ballot. The proposal failed because no…
Read MoreSky Zone making progress on new Midwest City trampoline park
By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon Construction is ramping up on the new Sky Zone Trampoline Park planned for Midwest City, with operators targeting a soft opening as early as mid-February to mid-March. The indoor trampoline park is being built inside the former Mini Max grocery store at 10011 SE 15th St., a nearly 50,000-square-foot…
Read MoreMidwest City marks 29th MLK Prayer Breakfast
Leaders reflect on legacy, education and service By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon Midwest City observed Martin Luther King Jr. Day with its 29th annual MLK Prayer Breakfast Monday morning at the Reed Conference Center, centering on this year’s theme, “Where Do We Go From Here,” as civic leaders, clergy, educators, students and community members…
Read MoreMidwest City Middle School evacuated after smoke reported
Students and staff safely evacuated; HVAC malfunction blamed Midwest City Middle School was evacuated Wednesday afternoon after smoke was reported inside the building. Maj. David Richardson with the Midwest City Fire Department said a school resource officer called 911 around 2:22 p.m. after noticing smoke in the hallways. Fire crews responded and determined the issue…
Read MoreCourt clears way for Midwest City to acquire Heritage Park Mall
By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon An Oklahoma County judge has ruled in favor of Midwest City in its effort to acquire the former Heritage Park Mall through eminent domain, clearing a major legal hurdle in the city’s long-planned effort to clean up the blighted property. District Judge Amy Palumbo has directed the city’s attorney…
Read MoreMidwest City leaders approve economic development agreement for sports complex
By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon The Midwest City Council approved an economic development assistance agreement for the Red Plains Sports Complex, a $5 million indoor-outdoor competitive sports facility planned for the Soldier Creek Industrial Park. The project is proposed at 2900 Soldier St., next to American Glass, and will be developed by Stingray Volleyball…
Read MoreMidwest City receives $1.81M for wastewater plant pollution study
By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon Midwest City will continue efforts to reduce pollution from its wastewater treatment facility with funding from the Oklahoma Water Resources Board. City leaders last week approved a resolution authorizing up to $1.81 million in indebtedness as part of a 100% principal forgiveness loan through the Oklahoma Water Resources Board’s…
Read MorePolice spread holiday cheer through Shop with a Cop
By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon Laughter, flashing lights and the excitement of holiday shopping filled the Del City Walmart on Saturday morning as the Del City Police Department hosted its annual Shop with a Cop program. Officers get to spend time with local children and help them shop for holiday presents. The day began…
Read MoreBig Idea Grants bring creative learning to classroom
By Jeff Harrison Midwest City Beacon Teachers in the district will have new ways to inspire learning, thanks to the Mid-Del Public Schools Foundation. On Dec. 11, the Foundation awarded $29,000 in Big Idea Grants to 22 educators across the district. The grants support creative classroom and collaborative projects that encourage student ingenuity and innovation.…
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