As we just celebrated Thanksgiving, I would be remiss to not express appreciation for those who work tirelessly for the youth of our state. Each year, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) ...

DEAR ABBY: I am a stepgrandmother of a disabled granddaughter, “Laura,” who has Down syndrome. She is 38. A few years ago, she weighed more than 300 pounds at only 5 feet tall. She ended up in the hos...

Oklahoma has consistently lingered toward the bottom of state rankings when it comes to reading comprehension with elementary-aged students. Some leaders have offered solutions, and we at the Oklahoma...

DEAR ABBY: I had a child with “Richard,” whom I met 10 years ago. I was married at the time but had been separated from my husband, “Eddy,” for nine months. Richard and I hit it off well; I was very a...

• Okmulgee Rotary Club Secretary Darryl Raley was honored with a five‑year Paul Harris Fellow pin, recognizing his ongoing contributions to Rotary International. The club also held a raffle, awarding ...

DEAR ABBY: My husband of 4 1/2 years had an old girlfriend he was on and off with for 15 years. She passed away while he was in prison. We got married three months after he was released. The thing is,...

Art and I were a bit on the ornery side. We weren’t mean or hurtful in what we did, but we did get ourselves into trouble sometimes. We were both in the band. We both played tuba in the marching band....

The work done by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA), while always rewarding, can sometimes be stressful, and occasionally downright depressing. The statistics and real-world conversation...

Some call them spiritual disciplines. Others say spiritual practices. Either label works. The important thing for the Christ-follower is understanding that God has provided for them a variety of down-...

DEAR ABBY: My oldest son, “Adam,” turned 50 last month. He and his wife, “Lindy,” live four hours away. They invited me and my husband to a birthday party she was having for him. Adam’s daughter from ...

A pair of youth governor programs sponsored by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) have elected their leaders for 2026. The first is the Oklahoma Kid Governor program, in conjunction with...

When I was a little boy, I loved monkeys. They were fun, free, energetic and swung from limb to limb with total abandon. They often kept up a lively banter as well. Noisy might be a good descriptive w...

DEAR ABBY: If I am aware that a 16-year-old is having sexual relations with another 16-year-old, should I inform the parents? -- WONDERING IN NEW HAMPSHIRE DEARWONDERING: The age of consent in New Ham...

Self-confessed Bible history and language nerd Tim Mackie sees Jesus of Nazareth as “utterly amazing and worth following with everything that you have.”* Mackie is one of millions of believers who hav...

In October, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) held our Fall Forum, a conference which annually assembles delegates for sharing ideas and brainstorming solutions for the many issues faci...

DEAR ABBY: My mother is 80 and living alone after my dad passed. Her memory is failing. She recently fell and required shoulder surgery. This wasn’t her first fall; she has also broken her hip within ...

• Okmulgee native Spencer Torbett spent the fall of 2015 in Washington, D.C., completing what was described as a “once in a lifetime” internship in the office of Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-02). ...

DEAR ABBY: My relationship with my motherin- law has been rocky for the nine years I’ve been married to her daughter. She has been very hurtful at times, saying things like, “You’re not welcome [in he...

I want to start by saying “thank you” to the governor and Oklahoma’s legislative leaders for the commitment to allocate $1 million in state funds per week over the next seven weeks to the two major fo...

As the leaves turn golden and the air becomes crisp, Halloween approaches with its promise of ghoulish delights and whimsical frights. This beloved holiday is not just about costumes and haunted house...