Free Back to School Bash Sunday at Tulsa Tech - Sand Springs

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The Sand Springs Local Church Network will be holding its annual Back 2 School Bash Sunday, August 11th from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Tulsa Tech Sand Springs campus.

The event will feature inflatables, free hot dogs, and Sandlot Sno Balls, as well as numerous back-to-school necessities.

Volunteers will be providing free backpacks and school supplies, haircuts, dental checkups, eye exams, physicals, and more.

Tulsa Tech is located at 924 East Charles Page Boulevard.

I-44 ramps re-open in Berryhill

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Sand Springs residents on the South side of the river can breath easy again now that the I-44/I-244 ramps at 51st Street in the Berryhill area have reopened. The area has been a traffic nightmare for the last half year as the Oklahoma Department of Transportation performed critical bridge rehabilitation repairs.

ODOT giveth and ODOT taketh away...In perfect timing with the reopoening of the I-44 ramps, the department will be closing the 23rd Street bridge in West Tulsa for as long as eight months while crews replace three spans of the bridge and reconfigure several piers. 

Word of Life Church hosts FREE Community Carnival Memorial Day Weekend

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

This Saturday marks the fourth annual Free Community Carnival at Word of Life Church. The event has previously taken place at the end of summer, but was bumped up to Memorial Day weekend after the church changed to a new carnival company.  

The event will take place on Saturday, May 28, 2016 from 11:00 am through 2:00 pm.

Why the change? The ride company that the church was previously using is going through a transition and was unable to ensure their availability. Instead of putting the beloved community event on hiatus for a year, the church managed to locate an Oklahoma City based company that only had the one day available. Instead of looking at the change as an inconvenience, the church is counting it as a blessing and an opportunity to improve the experience for everyone.

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"We feel Memorial Day weekend is a great time to do it since it's the first holiday of summer. Many families are looking for something to do, so why not a free carnival!" said Senior Pastor Chad Stewart. The temperature difference will also be a big improvement. The carnival volunteers have often had to work in 90+ degree temperatures in August, so the move to May will make it far more enjoyable both for the workers and the guests.

The current forecast shows a 50% chance of rain Saturday morning that should taper off by the time the carnival begins. The potential rain should keep the temperature below 80 till after the event is over. 

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This year the carnival will have seven rides:  3-4 large rides and 3-4 smaller rides for the little kids, in addition to games, inflatables, and other activities. As always, the church will be offering free hot dogs, popcorn, snow cones, and lemonade. There will also be food and game trucks associated with the ride company, Sam's Amusements & Carnivals. These additional options won't be free, but will provide an even more authentic carnival feel than in previous years. Sandlot Sno-Balls will be providing free shaved ice during the event.

Like last year, parking will be located at the old K-Mart building on Charles Page Boulevard, as well as Northwoods Fine Arts Academy, and free shuttling will be provided.

On Sunday morning the church will be giving away $5,000 to bless guests at their 9:00 and 11:00 AM services. Each service will have five winners of $500 each.

Sakura might just be the nicest restaurant in Sand Springs

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By: Morgan Miller, Executive Director

If you are from Sand Springs, you have probably asked for the city to have nicer restaurants before (or if you're on Sand Springs Gossip Central, you have asked for them a couple dozen times). In January Sand Springs received a new, incredibly nice Sushi and Hibachi restaurant named Sakura.

Sakura opened in a building formerly occupied by Pizza Hut. On the outside, it still looks like its predecessor, but as soon as you step inside, you're blown away by how lovely the decor is. Walking around the interior of this restaurant, you would never guess that it was once a Pizza Hut. The flooring and walls are very nicely done, with nice faux wood flooring, gorgeous wallpaper, and decorative stacked stone. There are also multiple decorative water features throughout the restaurant, televisions on multiple walls, and nice seating in each of the three sections. As well as regular booth and table seating, guests also have the option to be seated at the sushi bar.

The food does not disappoint, either. The menu has something for just about everyone. There is sushi, fried rices, steak, and other great options. Of the many times that I have visited (I'd rather not say the amount) I have tried many of their sushi options. Before trying Sakura, I can honestly say I was not a fan of sushi. I have tried almost all of the "special" sushi options on the menu there and I have thoroughly enjoyed every one that I have tried. I have heard from friends that their options other than sushi are quite enjoyable as well.

The staff has been friendly and professional with every visit. Each time I have gone, my food has come out in a timely manner and my drink has stayed filled. Finally, I have always been very impressed with the presentation of my food. Each time, my food has been presented to me beautifully.

Over all, the only complaint that I could have is that the outside of the restaurant does not reflect at all the greatness that is found inside. If you have not gone to check out this new addition to Sand Springs, I would highly recommend that you do!

Sakura is open from 11:00am-3:00pm and 4:30pm-9:30pm Monday through Thursday, 11:00am-10:00pm Friday and Saturday, and 11:00am-9:00pm on Sunday. You can dine in or order take-out. To order carry out you can call the restaurant at 918-514-0288, or order online at www.sakurasandsprings.com