Adventures with Allie

Oklahoma’s closed primary system is not just some insidebaseball election rule most people can afford to ignore.It is a real problem, and it needs to be fixed.The usual defense is that voters should not be able to help choose another party’s nominee. Democrats should not pick Republican candidates.

For the Children

Oklahoma continues to lag in child wellbeing, but improvement possible As the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) works to improve the quality of life for children, data drives our efforts.The Annie E.

The price of losing local news

For years, those of us in the newspaper industry have been warning that when a community loses its local newspaper, it loses a part of itself.It loses the reporter sitting quietly in the gallery at the city commission meeting. It loses the seasoned writer chronicling a state championship season.

Do more

Someone once told me that people just want to be heard. Well, while that may be true in theory, turning it into a governmental practice doesn’t really do much for citizens.Most of us have experienced the frustration of feeling ignored, dismissed or overlooked. We want our concerns acknowledged.

The ballot belongs to you

Every election season, we hear the same phrases repeated over and over.“Voting is a right.”“Voting is a privilege.” Both are true. But I think they miss something important. Voting is also a responsibility. It is a duty.

Continuing education

You know the saying, “You can’t teach old dogs new tricks?” Well, I am getting very close to being an old dog. I hope I will always be open to learning something new though. It may be a new way to teach, a new way to learn or a new way to look at the world.

Gentner Drummond Is the Right Choice for Oklahoma Governor

The following editorial represents the opinion of this newspaper's editorial staff. Oklahoma stands at a crossroads.

I Think We Can

Recently, I’ve been reading The Little Engine That Could with my young daughter. Like many children’s books, it contains lessons that are just as relevant for adults as they are for children.Most people remember the famous phrase, “I think I can. I think I can.

Meet the intern

Dear readers, I am Caleson Coon and the summer 2026 intern for Cimarron Valley Communications. I grew up in Okemah, OK, along with receiving my high school diploma from my hometown in 2024.

Every community has its favorites

The restaurant where the waitress knows your order before you sit down. The mechanic who always finds time to squeeze you in. The teacher who changed a student's life. The local business owner who sponsors little league teams, donates to fundraisers and quietly supports causes throughout the year.