Cedar allergies

About this time every year, we are the recipients of Texas’s No. 1 export. Mountain cedar pollen. At least, that’s what the Texans call it. According to our friend, Google, it is actually juniper pollen, mislabeled with possible felonious intent and sent north in volume every spring.

Following the Open Meetings Act

Editorial Openness should be the standard not the exception when it comes to meetings and records of public bodies. We see and hear of boards, councils, other public bodies that either ignore or attempt to skirt the Open Meetings and Records Act.

Buck knife

Chandler and McLoud played at noon at the Chesapeake Arena Saturday, so a little after 10 a.m. I pitched the camera bag into the pickup and headed west.

New Year’s resolutions

I hope you had a safe, satisfying New Year’s. And, you are free to define safe and satisfying in whatever way fits your lifestyle. For me, it involves being in bed by 9 p.m. on Dec. 31 and sleeping until the sun rises.

20/20 for the new year

The calendar on the wall says it’s almost 2020, friends, and you know what that means. That’s right, time for three more slices of pecan pie. We still have to fill the quota for 2019, you know. And: it’s time for some predictions for the new year. We’ll call it 20/20 for 2020. I know, I know.

Solution to the wild hog problem

Editorial Wild hogs remain rampant throughout different portions of Lincoln County and they are continuing to damage property in various areas. A better solution needs to be considered than is in place now. The hog problem isn’t new to Lincoln County. It’s just continued to escalate.

Tax assessment period begins

The Lincoln County Assessor’s office will begin taking exemption applications and personal property assessments on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, according to Assessor Jackie Holcomb. The annual exemption and assessment period will continue through March 15, 2020.

Quake!

I was sitting at my desk at home early Monday morning working on a couple of news pages when a dump truck roared through my yard. At least, it sounded like a dump truck. Martin and Monroe both woke up and started barking and I said to myself: “Man, that dump truck is really hauling.

Remembering Pearl Harbor

This Saturday (Dec. 7) marks the 78th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. That day, a Sunday, Japanese planes unleashed a bombardment on Pearl Harbor, killing and injuring thousands of American military personnel and many civilians.

Some heard the quake; some didn’t

Some residents in Pottawatomie and Lincoln Counties heard and felt an earthquake early Monday that reportedly was centered near Sparks while others had no idea one even occurred. The U.S. Geological Survey shows it recorded a 3.9 magnitude earthquake at 6:12 a.m. Monday centered about 5.