Dear Editor, I am retired from the United States Air Force. It was my good fortune to be stationed in Oklahoma, at Vance AFB in 1957. A friend of mine from Checotah, Clarence (Sonny) Scroggins, sent m...

The 2022 regular session of the Oklahoma Legislature has adjourned sine die (pronounced see-nay dee-a). That is Latin for the session ending without a day to return. The final gavel dropping was also ...

Dear Editor, Guns are not the problem. We have had guns from the get-go. Spoons don’t make people fat. Break down of society is the problem. Long discussion there. To start, waiting periods are a good...

I love the old proverb, “the pen is mightier than the sword” which was first coined in 1839 by Edward Bulwer-Lytton, an English author. This writer understood that beneath the rule of any leadership t...

The House this year passed several pieces of legislation regarding gender issues, each of which I was proud to support. The first bill, Senate Bill 2, was signed by the Governor earlier this year. It ...

The specter of a school shooting always lurks in the back of parents’ and educators’ minds, but this week, it openly torments us. Adequate prayers cannot be uttered at a time like this, but we pray, n...

President Biden finally admitted to what hard-working Americans have known for months: record high gas prices are a direct result of his Green New Deal agenda. What the president referred to as an “in...

I know you’re supposed to grow old gracefully, but I swear since I turned 50 over three years ago I am steadily falling apart. Granted, it’s not all happening at one time, but slowly and surely there’...

What is happening to humanity? Why are all these appalling crimes against humanity happening not just in Uvalde, TX but also right here in Taft, OK? Why did an 18-yearold child buy assault rifles then...

Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer for Oklahomans. Many celebrate with cookouts, trips to the lake or river, and time spent with loved ones. While we are celebrating, we must not forget the tr...

It’s important to acknowledge our veterans this Memorial Day, because we couldn’t have what we have in the U.S. today without their sacrifices. As we celebrate this special holiday, I want to specifi...

Over this past week, not only did our state see the conclusion of the 2nd Session of the 58th Oklahoma Legislature, I had the pleasure of serving as the parliamentarian for the Oklahoma Conference of ...

May is a month of celebrating high school graduations and senior award ceremonies. Proud parents and students come together to celebrate their high school achievements and tears are shed as the realiz...

Hard-working Americans don’t need the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) to confirm what they have been experiencing for months: pain. Even at face value, however, the CPI remains above eight percent, ...

This week, the Governor signed a bill that I carried in the House to better address the mental health needs of our students. This makes three of my bills this session that have made it through both le...

Every year in May a colleague and I take about a dozen students on some type of weeklong outdoor experience. In the past we have done backpacking or canoeing, but this year we camped at different hist...

115 Years Ago: Checotah Enquirer • May 22, 1908 Dr. Vance Is President Last week Dr. B. J. Vance of Checotah was elected President of the Oklahoma State Medical Association for the ensuing year. The h...

In the House, we continue accepting or rejecting Senate amendments to our House bills. Some authors who rejected Senate amendments requested conference committees to work on a potential compromise fo...

How selfish or selfless have Americans become in this present world? Recently I have found myself pondering this very thought. Many times I know my own family has struggled making it from paycheck to ...

As National Police Week is here, we recognize the brave men and women of our law enforcement and pay special tribute to officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty. I am immensely grateful ...