Have you ever been so nervous about something you failed to do what needed to be done? For part of my college years, I lived at home. The college I attended was about 45 minutes away. It just so happe...

I attended a nonprofit conference Monday hosted by the Sarkeys Foundation. While there, I served on a panel which delved into the issues dealing with incarceration. Some might ask why a child advocate...

DEAR ABBY: I have recently been diagnosed with a chronic illness. I am only 40, and I always took for granted that I had plenty of life left to live. I’m happily married, but I worry because my husban...

Now that Halloween is past us and Thanksgiving is right around the corner, I thought I would do a column I have refused to do for the last 7 years - pumpkin. I am not a fan of pumpkin myself and I don...

10 Years Ago: Open Gate Meals Ministry held a spaghetti dinner benefit to help the program at the Okmulgee Elks Lodge. Employees from PolyVision, who were members of the United Steelworkers Union Loca...

“Coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous”. Einstein’s quip leaves me wondering whether the renowned Physicist had a family of returning missionaries in mind. With us no longer living and servi...

I was leading a service club board meeting. We had received a request for some financial assistance and I was bringing the issue to the board for their consideration. I took the letter out of the enve...

DEAR ABBY: My sister, who is quite a bit older than me, was married to a man for more than 20 years. He was a part of my family from the time I was 3. When I was a teenager, he made a “move” on me, wh...

I am beginning the process of retiring. I will admit this is not my first attempt at going into full time fly fishing. I’ve saved up enough equipment to hopefully keep me out of the workforce for a fe...

If you follow the national ag press, you already know that the general consensus among farm policy experts seems to be that there is little hope for a new Farm Bill any time before spring, with many m...

One of the most important events on the annual calendar of the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) is our Fall Forum. Held each October or November, this event is where advocates from across ...

DEAR ABBY: My nephew is getting married soon, and he and his father are having issues with the guest list. My brother-in-law has a few immediate family members who don’t know their limit when it comes...

Last weekend’s party was a good one. I have to admit though, I am beginning to wonder if, at 45, I am getting a little too old for the late nights trying to get everything ready for the party. Between...

The pursuit of happiness is our right. The Declaration of Independence says so. I’m not going to argue that issue, we have a right to pursue happiness. But, that doesn’t guarantee that we are going to...

During unsettling times, whether marked by terrifying conditions or those less dramatic, the prevailing hope in most is to catch sight of the proverbial ‘North Star.’ For centuries and for myriads of ...

DEAR ABBY: I am a man in my 50s. A few months ago, I had a routine doctor’s appointment, with a new primary care physician. I intended the appointment to be a complete, regular physical. I don’t (than...

The Scene: Tuesday, Oct. 18, 5 p.m. at Okmulgee City Hall With the strike of a gavel, the city council meeting is brought to order. Roll call of members is given, Pledge of Allegiance is said and the ...

DEAR ABBY: I’m a cross-dresser who is able to enjoy wearing women’s clothes in private at home. With Halloween around the corner, I want nothing more than to be fully dressed as a woman and go outside...

Over the years, I have written several articles about how livestock can help save the planet. Take cows for example - they help with nutrient cycling, they reduce wildfire danger by eating the undergr...

I usually start each weekday morning by flipping channels on the four main networks to catch up on local and state news, then continue that during the time I have before work. One of my favorite segme...