Opinion
Simpson’s Session Review
We’ve got another major legislative deadline this Thursday as we race to wrap up work on House bills in our Senate committees. We have around 240 more bills to get through before we return to floor work. We’ll then have until Thursday, April 22 to finish that work as well. Don’t blink because things are moving fast.
John Holman
Gardening kicks into high gear soon. Most bedding plants, summer flowering bulbs, and annual flower seeds can be planted after danger of frost. This should occur within just a few days for southern Oklahoma. Hold off mulching these crops until spring rains subside and soil temperatures warm up. Warm season annuals should not be planted until soil temperatures are in the low 60’s. Remember to harden off transplants outside in partial protection from sun and wind prior to planting. Don’t plant tomato sprouts too early. The soil temperature is key and should be above 60 degree before planting. If soil is too cool, the plants will sit there and not grow. Remove the blossoms from any tomato plant at the time of planting, it needs roots before making tomatoes.
The Pledge of Allegiance
This week we have an unusual topic. It concerns the creation and evolution of our national pledge of allegiance. I was asked when the words “under God” were added to the pledge. I said that I could remember it changed but couldn’t remember the exact year.
Getting Students Out from Behind Screens
In response to public health concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, many children across the country spent months away from in-person learning and education last year. This meant that students and parents relied on either totally virtual learning from home or a hybrid method with limited in-person instruction. While school districts in Oklahoma and many other states have listened to public health experts, followed the science and taken steps to get children back in traditional learning environments, that is unfortunately still not the case everywhere. Considering that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised that students can safely sit three feet apart from one another, reopening schools is certainly possible and should be a priority.