Opinion

To the Editor:

The year 2025 was a hard year for our family.

The spring brought a cancer diagnosis and the winter brought heart problems.

And our El Reno friends and neighbors came to the rescue. Whatever we needed.

At Christmas, we decided to celebrate the end of 2025, so our kids arranged to have our whole bunch go to Freeman’s in El Reno to celebrate and see the grand old Thompson Book Store. It is beautiful. And the food is wonderful.

I am often asked a simple question: Why do you do it? Why choose a career in higher education administration, and why take on the responsibility of serving as a college president?

After only two weeks on the job, The Hill reports, Kevin Couch resigned in late January as head of artistic programming at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Couch’s brief tenure might seem surprising, but a better question is why Couch sought or accepted the position in the first place.

At an Oval Office event on Nov. 18, U.S. President Donald Trump let loose on an ABC News reporter, Mary Bruce, for daring to question Saudi terror kingpin Mohammed bin Salman about the 2018 murder -- by Saudi agents, likely on MBS’s direct order -- of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.

Pro-abortion political operatives have seized upon a new gimmick to try to elect more pro-abortion candidates to public office in Oklahoma.

Thanksgiving is much more than a big meal with family and friends. It’s a time to reflect on, and be thankful for, all of the good things you have.

To the Editor:

Our community is still reeling from the heartbreaking loss of Sgt. Duran, a true hero who gave his life protecting us. In response to this tragedy, we are coming together to create a Memorial Mural that will honor his sacrifice and the dedication of all our local law enforcement officers.

This mural will serve as a place of healing and remembrance for Officer Duran, his family and the entire community.

The first Saturday in November means everyone can have an abundant meal in El Reno. 

At the start of the 2025-26 academic year at Redlands Community College, I introduced our campus theme: “Leading by Example.”

This theme reflects our belief that education is about far more than textbooks and lectures. It is about putting our values into action, both on campus and throughout our broader community.