http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun en-us Copyright CNHI All Rights Reserved. 5 Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:35:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_327203529.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_327203529.html One piece of legislation I have considered sponsoring for years is an omnibus reform of Oklahoma’s county governance structure.In the past, I have expressed that I feel it is important for a governing board which approves a budget to not have the ability to specifically direct where that money goes. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:34:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_327203455.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_327203455.html The annual lighting of the state Christmas tree is one of my favorite events of the year. For me, it marks the beginning of the joyous holiday season, and my wife Kim and I invite our fellow Oklahomans to take part in ushering in this most wonderful time of the year. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:33:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_327203421.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_327203421.html Robert Spector is a journalist and lecturer who resides in Seattle. But he is originally from Perth Amboy, N.J., where his parents operated a small grocery store. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:23:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_324202328.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_324202328.html Despite these tough economic times, Oklahomans have much for which we can be thankful this year. It may sound trite to some, but Oklahomans’ common sense and conservative natures have served us well during difficult times throughout our history. Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:23:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_324202358.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_324202358.html Health insurance reform took another important step forward this week as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced legislation that merges competing reform bills that were approved by Senate committees. Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:35:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_323203546.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_323203546.html Options are few to avert a state funding disaster. Golden opportunities to invest in Oklahoma’s future were lost when revenues were high. Without vision we failed to build a “best” education system, improve workforce development, shrink government bureaucracy with efficiencies, fund the EDGE Fund, create useful incentives for new business and form alliances with powerful tribes. I Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:34:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_323203452.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_323203452.html The Free Press of Mankato, Minn., on veterans and homelessnessEverywhere there is a homeless population, it is likely some of the homeless are veterans. Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:21:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_322222233.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_322222233.html Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday and time of remembrance, an occasion for family and friends, grandparents and children, comfortable aromas of hearty foods that draw us to the table for sharing. All in all, Thanksgiving Day is a notably American tradition. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:32:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_321223339.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_321223339.html Last month, the Oklahoma Supreme Court ordered that it would not allow bulk distribution of court records. Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:30:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_321223200.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_321223200.html In September 2004, I wrote about my then-recent experience as a potential juror in a criminal trial. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:47:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_320194737.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_320194737.html In “City of Gold, Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism” English author Jim Krane documents how the rulers of the emirate of Dubai have managed to transform their small state on the Persian Gulf into a world-class city that is a financial center and tourist destination. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:46:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_320194702.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_320194702.html A few weeks ago, the House of Representatives’ Government Modernization Committee conducted an interim study to explore the possibility of realizing taxpayer savings through the implementation of shared services among agencies. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:41:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_320194627.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_320194627.html The holiday season is a time for family, friends and loved ones. It is a time of celebration and, most of all, a time to give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy each day. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:13:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_317201347.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_317201347.html U.S. Rep. Mary Fallin is actively campaigning to be Oklahoma’s next governor, but she does not have to wait until January to begin fixing Oklahoma’s budget situation. In fact, if she wanted she could do more to solve Oklahoma’s budget crisis than Gov. Brad Henry and the Legislature combined. Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:12:00 +0000 http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_317201317.html http://www.adaeveningnews.com/edmondsun/opinion/local_story_317201317.html Each fall, Doug Melton, superintendent of Guymon Public Schools in the Panhandle, gives me a call to update me on his district’s enrollment. Every year it is an interesting report, but this year it was even more so. Instead of the few extra students the district had expected, more than 200 new students, nearly three times as many as expected, enrolled this fall.