Okmulgee Elks Lodge #1822 received a Beacon Grant from the Elks National Foundation, which was utilized to honor residents at Highland Park Manor and Rebold Manor who were veterans or had little famil...

There is an old phrase that many of us use when we have been struggling with something. It goes like this: “Two steps forward and one step back.” That phrase represents the difficulties we sometimes e...

“Jerry, you will need a Faculty Advisor.” I had begun ticking whatever boxes needing ticking in the effort to comply with university protocol for registering a viable campus student organization. The ...

DEAR ABBY: My grandmother and I have lived together for the past 22 years. She raised me from the age of 3. We used to be best friends. However, over the last few years, things have changed. We don’t ...

We invite you to meet Kendal, Peanut, Tiger, Gazelle and Zebra. Kendal, a 5-year-old male, is a sweetheart with humans of all ages, as well as dogs. At adoption events, he has been looked over, but we...

What comes next? El Niño is here! El Niño is here! El Niño is here! (at least for a while). If you follow the weather news (and if you live in Oklahoma and the Southern Plains, you should), you alread...

DEAR ABBY: My girlfriend is the loveliest, smartest, most compassionate and supportive person I know. We have been together for a year and a half. When we first met, we hung out a few times. When I to...

There has been a great deal of news coverage regarding Oklahoma’s refusal to accept federal funds to support children who qualify for free and reduced school lunches during the summer months. The fact...

I have made the decision to reduce the number of times my column prints. This was not easy for me to decide and I wrestled with my options because I love my column and I love my readers. That being sa...

Grief is an experience all persons will face. Whether you have experienced it or not, eventually, you will have friends and family members who encounter loss. That is when you are in the role of a sup...

This Sunday, Jan. 6, is The Epiphany of Our Lord. Readings are from Isaiah 60:1-6, Ephesians 3:1-12 and Matthew 2:1-12. The Lord God Is Manifested in the Incarnate Son The Feast of the Epiphany center...

One of the most amazing truths in the Bible is that Jesus, the Divine Son of God, left the glories of Heaven, abased Himself and came to earth to take the form of a human baby. Of course, it was also ...

Airport kiosks of the sparser variety often feature elevated circular tables so travelers can munch their edible treasures while standing. My new South Asia friend had moved to such a table, his modes...

DEAR ABBY: Three months ago, my husband of 30 years came home from work, told me he wasn’t happy anymore and said he wanted a divorce. He announced he was moving in with his brother until he could fin...

My best friend Roger and I were wannabes. We were raised in southern California, not a real wilderness type place, but the novels we read and the movies we watched were mostly about frontiersmen. That...

The Okmulgee Workforce WIA Youth Program partnered with the Okmulgee County Homeless Shelter for their 2013 Blanket and Coat Drive. The youth collected coats and blankets for children and adults in th...

DEAR READERS: Welcome to 2024. A new year has arrived; the last one is safely behind us. As always, this new year brings with it our hopes for a new beginning. Today presents an opportunity to discard...

When it comes to conservation policy I generally like to brag on Oklahoma. Many people don’t realize what a great job the Sooner State does when it comes to protecting natural resources on farm and ra...

With a new year ahead of us, it is customary to make resolutions. I hope each of you resolves to help improve your community, your state, and your nation by getting involved. I encourage you to join a...

December is National Tomato Month. (It’s also Watermelon Month. Why two fruits in season in the dead of summer are celebrated in the dead of winter is beyond me.) We all know tomato is a hotly debated...