Opinion

Mostly Educational

Once again , schools across our nation are preemptively closing due to COVID-19. Yes, closing is always an option for Duncan Public Schools, but we will stay open as long as we can safely do so. We will continue to face this pandemic as we have from the beginning. If we close a single site or the entire district, we will close for a defined period due to actual conditions. Our children need the structure, safety, and normalcy of open schools. We have faced this threat before, and we will face it again, together.

John Holman

John Holman

“You don’t tug on Super Man’s Cape, You don’t spit into the wind . . .” but what about BURNING into the wind? A lot of folks may remember Jim Croce’s old song, but many people are surprised that fire WILL burn upwind. And it is this very principle that responsible prescribed burning is built on. It’s called ‘backfiring’ and is the first line of fire to be lit along inside the fireguard, on the downwind side of the burn unit. A good fireguard is one of the most critical components of a successful prescribed burn. Just as experienced painters would say that preparation is ninety percent of a good paint job, time and effort spent in fireguard preparation is ninety percent of a good prescribed burn. Bare dirt or other nonflammable substance is the best fireguard. This usually means disking to bare dirt, or skinning off the standing dry thatch with a dozer. Typically, three foot tall native grass in the burn unit would call for at least twelve to fifteen feet of bare dirt fireguard. A ‘green guard’ can also be an effective fireguard but requires preparation several months in advance, mowing closely twelve to fifteen foot wide along the proposed fireguard, and depending on the cool season bromes, or planted ryegrass to ‘green up’ such that no fire could crawl through the burn guard.

Simpson’s Session Review

Simpson’s Session Review

What an exciting time of year. We celebrated the new year, setting our goals and intentions, while looking forward to what the future has in store for us. It’s always nice to start over with a clean slate, and that’s what a new year provides. Whatever happened in 2021, just know that you have the power to make 2022 better. Only you have the power to change your future. Take advantage of this precious opportunity God blesses us with and do great things in the world.

The Story Of The Buffalo Knives

I am a knife maker. I decided to make a knife that would mark, not celebrate, the end of an outstanding period of American history. It was the killing-off of the American Bison. The knife is called the Green River Skinner. The knife was made by the Green River Knife Company in Green River, Mass. It is a long-curved blade butcher knife. I embedded the cartridge head of the ammo used into the handle, 45-70 Govt. This would mark one of the saddest periods in American history.

Work Left to Be Done

Work Left to Be Done

The activity during the first session of the 117th Congress last year was unfortunately marked by partisanship and political games. Controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House, Democrats focused primarily on advancing radical and expensive policy items, irresponsibly neglecting to complete basic functions of Congress or to address actual challenges facing the American people. Indeed, going into the second session this year, there is still much work to be done. However, it can only be accomplished through bipartisan and bicameral cooperation.

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Sulphur Times-Democrat

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