Letters to the Editor
Justin Howe
With regard to a recent story on parking problems along N. Western Avenue (July 11, Oklahoma Gazette), I live on N.W. 42nd Street, just east of Western. Between Francis and Western, there are 16 duplexes, constantly occupied, averaging three adults (and three cars) per structure. These duplexes have two-car detached garages, all of them have shared one-car driveways, so the third car of the pair of units invariably ends up in the street.

Commentary
Brett Robinson
Thanks to a recent state Supreme Court decision, Oklahoma voters will decide whether to allow the 15 most populous counties to vote on allowing the sale of wine in certain grocery stores. They will vote whether to “modernize” so-called “antiquated” liquor laws so that our daily lives will be more convenient. Some claim this will be an excellent job recruitment tool, up there with high wages and on-site Botox injections.

Commentary

For the nearly 700,000 Oklahomans currently without health insurance coverage, the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent landmark ruling upholding the bulk of the Affordable Care Act offers hope. The court did, however, strike down one key component of the law by making the expansion of Medicaid, the shared federal-state health insurance program for the poor, optional rather than mandatory.

Letters to the Editor
Brandon Wertz
The conservative response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on Obamacare featured in Chicken-Fried News’ “Harumph, harumph, harumph” (June 28, okgazette.com) is a string of some of the most rhetorical and hyperbolic comments I’ve ever read.

Letters to the Editor
Todd Fagin
Many a student has undoubtedly played a game of “snow day roulette” in which the student opts to postpone completing homework under the hope inclement weather will result in a school closing. If the forecast is wrong or the school otherwise remains open, the student is often in quite a predicament.

Letters to the Editor
Clinton Wiles
After reading the commentary by Linda Terrell (”Changes at DHS threaten progress,” July 4, Oklahoma Gazette), I located House Bill 2300 as passed and found disturbing issues that look like business as usual. While much of it can be considered reasonable, it abolishes outside oversight of child care activities, abolishes a biannual audit of activities and establishes a new program that gives the appearance of funneling taxpayer dollars into an already selected pocket.

Commentary
Nathaniel Batchelder

A recession is no time to cut taxes.

Commentary
James Tolbert
Dean McGee’s dream of a “garden in the city” combining numerous entertainment and cultural venues in the midst of a glorious garden in the center of downtown Oklahoma City simply took my breath away, so I accepted an appointment as trustee of the Myriad Gardens and worked to accomplish his vision.

Commentary
Linda Terrell
Nearly 30 years ago, the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy was created as a result of a terrible exposé, “Oklahoma’s Shame,” which uncovered horrible maltreatment of Oklahoma juveniles in state custody. During that process, OICA became the voice for Oklahoma’s children, calling for specific reform and greater accountability to better protect the life of a child. Today, we continue to be that voice, leveraging our expert knowledge and relationships with policymakers to ensure policy solutions are rooted in the best interest of the child.

Commentary
Janet Barresi
A recent YouTube video features a cheerful mother, kids in tow, in the milk aisle of a grocery store. There she finds rows of bland containers offering just … milk.

Commentary
Kristin Davis
The recent state legislative session was a positive one with regard to matters of interest to women. There were a number of bills waiting in the wings that managed to receive much-deserved attention. They touched on important public policy issues such as access to health care, revenue and taxation, female incarceration, domestic violence and human trafficking.

Commentary
Mike Brake
Oklahoma will hold elections this year, but we’ll do it largely without the Democratic Party. The institution that dominated state politics for nearly a century is moribund. That’s a shame; we Republicans said for years that twoparty government is better government, and a lot of us still believe that, but the opposition has grown so feeble that it almost feels like bullying to take them on at the polls.

Commentary
Jay Wilkinson
As Father’s Day approaches, I’ve had cause to reflect on my own father. He’s been gone for almost 20 years, but nearly every day I consider the impact he’s had on my life. He was someone I looked up to, no matter how tall I’d grown.

Letters to the Editor
D.W. Tiffee
I have to give it up to Gov. Mary Fallin and the Republican leadership for agreeing May 18 to a tax “cut” scam that actually raised taxes for a quarter of Oklahoma taxpayers, including families with children.

Letters to the Editor
Tom Furlong
I once saw a news story about how hookers on the West Coast banded together to form a union. I’m becoming convinced ladies of the evening might also need union protection here in “flyover” country.