A stand on Indian land is surrounded by the city, where a 1930s law bans possess

[zstyles]

So are they going to pull you over, search your car?

City officials plan to confiscate fireworks purchased inside the city limits at an apparently legal fireworks stand operated by a church on Indian-owned property, Mayor Dewey Bartlett said Wednesday.

City officials posted signs around the property Wednesday afternoon informing fireworks purchasers about a city ordinance dating to the 1930s that bans possession or use of fireworks within the city limits, Bartlett said.

"We prefer to try to work this out," he said. "What we really prefer is that the people who own the stand take their stand outside the city limits like everyone else."

The site, at 11010 S. Yale Ave., is a Creek Nation allotment and is leased in part to a smoke shop, a U.S. Department of the Interior court document indicates.

The allotment of approximately 5 acres is surrounded by the city of Tulsa, Bartlett said.

Although the city has no jurisdiction over the Creek Nation land to stop sales, it does have jurisdiction on all the land in every direction from the property.

The mayor said anyone who leaves the property with fireworks in their possession is subject to penalties including confiscation, fines and even jail time - although officials plan only to confiscate the fireworks.

Bartlett said the fireworks stand is the only one encompassed by the city and is the only target of this crackdown.

"This isn't just about fireworks," he said. "We feel that it's very important to us that we take a stand."

City Councilor Phil Lakin warned other councilors in January that the site could be used for a casino, which could begin an uproar in Tulsa similar to the one over a proposed casino in Broken Arrow.

The Broken Arrow site, just four miles from the Tulsa fireworks stand, has been engulfed in controversy since Kialegee Tribal Town officials broke ground for a casino there last year.

"If we don't (take a stand), then what's next?" Bartlett asked. "If the people that are using that land, if they feel they can get away with something like this, then they may put a casino there or a strip club.

"That's simply something that we can't allow in Tulsa."

After police officers and fire marshals arrived at the fireworks stand Wednesday, believing that it was being operated in affiliation with the tribe, they learned that it is being operated as a fundraiser for the Broken Arrow First Church of the Nazarene.

Mayoral Chief of Staff Jarred Brejcha said the city would continue with its original plans but would help the stand's operators relocate outside the Tulsa city limits if they choose to leave.

The church's board secretary, Cyndie Marshall, said the church has suspended sales at the site until the city and stand-owner TNT Fireworks work out an agreement.

The effort was to fund mission trips and the church's youth ministry, Marshall said.

The church initially had planned to open the stand on the Kialegee site in Broken Arrow but decided to avoid that controversy and accepted an offer from TNT to operate the stand on the site in Tulsa, Marshall said.

"The sad thing would be that people do have hours and hours invested in the heat but won't be able to sell fireworks," Marshall said.

[Townsend]

Looks like this little plot of land is on someone's radar.  I bet the neighbors would be pleased to rid themselves of the smoke shop too.

[DolfanBob]

Nothing like selling a product to celebrate "Freedom"

[carltonplace]

I hope people are aware of how dry/parched everything is this Independance day and act with discretion.

[Townsend]

I hope people are aware of how dry/parched everything is this Independance day and act with discretion.

These two dudes and I don't believe you posted that with any seriousness.

[nathanm]

I love the smell of government interference in the free market. 

[carltonplace]

These two dudes and I don't believe you posted that with any seriousness.

Considering that I live by the river and absolute strangers light fireworks in my front yard every 4th? 
Nah, I'm still delusional that people are able to exercise discretion.

[Conan71]

Okay Styles, you realize you just paged Shadows, right?

[Hoss]

Okay Styles, you realize you just paged Shadows, right?

Unless there's a way he can work in something about 'the pink gas', he usually ignores it.

[Conan71]

Unless there's a way he can work in something about 'the pink gas', he usually ignores it.

Thanks a pant-load, Hoss, now we are going to have to deal with his frontier gibberish.

[Hoss]

Thanks a pant-load, Hoss, now we are going to have to deal with his frontier gibberish.

Probably won't say anything without certain keywords.

[Townsend]

Probably won't say anything without certain keywords.

Broken Arrow, Trash, Oligarchy

[swake]

Broken Arrow, Trash, Oligarchy

Flood control, weird quasi biblical references, authentic frontier gibberish

[RecycleMichael]

I put out my shadows signal. It is like the bat signal, but is more common (especially late in the day).

[Townsend]

I put out my shadows signal. It is like the bat signal, but is more common (especially late in the day).