A Thanksgiving reader
The Wall Street Journal's Thanksgiving tradition, since 1961: The Desolate Wilderness: The New World in the words of the Pilgrims' historian And the Fair Land: A modern reflection on America's prosperity and challenges. Plus this story on Franklin Roosevelt's short-lived attempt (1939-1941) to move the date of Thanksgiving one week...

Anne Marie Dutcher at rest
I gasped when I heard the news at Sunday worship, by means of an elder's prayer for the family of little Anne Marie Dutcher, who had died Saturday night, at the age of 37 days. It was the end of what her parents, Brandon and Susie Dutcher, had described as...

Murphey calls for county government reform
Via NewsFifty's Oklahoma news page: State Rep. Jason Murphey (R-Guthrie) is considering proposing legislation to reform the structure of county government in Oklahoma. In an Edmond Sun op-ed, Murphey sets forth his concerns. At the heart, the lack of adequate separation of powers when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars:...

Vote against removing Liz Wright: An open letter to John Smaligo and Fred Perry
I can't attend Monday morning's Tulsa County Commission meeting, so I sent the following letter to County Commissioners John Smaligo and Fred Perry urging them to vote against removing Liz Wright from the TMAPC. (I didn't figure there was any point in sending it to Commissioner Karen Keith, the lead...

Blast from the past: A truly rude TMAPC commissioner
In February 2004, leaders of neighborhood associations and homeowners' associations showed up by the dozens for a 1:30 p.m. hearing before the Tulsa Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (TMAPC) on zoning protest petitions. Many of those present had to make special arrangements to be at a City Hall meeting in the...