Cherokee School Board appoints new board member July 10, 2019 Alva Review-Courier/Newsgram Page 2 Secretary of Agriculture Arthur visits Sen. Pederson’s wheat field at Burlington Secretary said Pederson’s ag/producer perspective helpful at Capitol; Arthur says eastern Oklahoma crops suffered more from flooding By Yvonne Miller County southwest of Oklahoma City willing to listen.” Oklahoma Sen. Roland Pederson is on a farm with wheat, soybeans and During the combine cab ride, best known in the Burlington area as a cattle. She was active in 4-H and FFA – Pederson said, “We discussed the longtime wheat farmer and stockman. and graduated from OSU. She worked Department of Agriculture budget and He and his wife Terry raised their now in the secretary of agriculture office some of the issues facing agriculture adult daughters on the family farm about before becoming executive director of in the state. She was appreciative of five miles west of Burlington. the 4-H Foundation. Then Gov. Kevin the increase in the appropriation the Last week Oklahoma Secretary Stitt appointed her as the first female department received this year and is of Agriculture Blayne Arthur visited Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture in making a positive difference for ag in Pederson while he harvested his wheat. 2018. Oklahoma.” During an interview with the Newsgram, “I’ve been very lucky that people On her tour of Pederson Farms Arthur said she’s been touring various gave me some great opportunities – I (family-owned property he’s farmed parts of the state to see the effects of the have been very, very blessed,” Arthur for decades), Arthur said she was “most excessive amounts of rain on crops – the said. impressed with the family component,” yields, quality, etc. Pederson and Arthur had a chance to seeing his wife, daughters and others Riding in the cab of Pederson’s visit during their ride around the field in “working together to get the job done combine with him, Arthur said of the the combine. “Roland is a big supporter in conjunction with their other jobs. senator, “It’s great to have someone at of the agency, our employees and any the Capitol who is a real producer and issues,” the secretary said. “He’s always See Visit Page 36 knows how to drive a combine. He brings a great perspective to the Capitol – from an ag producer point of view.” She expressed thankfulness that “we have Roland who is willing to serve and when he’s not at the capitol he’s at his family operation and understands the challenges that come with ag production.” Vice chairman of the senate ag committee, Pederson said that Arthur is “very knowledgeable and doing a good job.” The secretary grew up in Grady The Alva Review-Courier / Newsgram is published Wednesday by Martin Broadcasting Corp. 620 Choctaw St. Alva, Oklahoma 73717 Lynn L. Martin, President Telephone Numbers: Alva Review-Courier 580-327-2200 Newsgram 580-327-1510 FAX 580-327-2454 www.alvareviewcourier.com E-Mail: manager @alvareviewcourier.net [email protected] Entire Contents Copyright 2018 Members of: Associated Press The girls working at the Burlington Co-op have a surprise visit from the Okla- Oklahoma Press Association homa Secretary of Agriculture Blayne Arthur. From left: Sadie Crusinbery, Caitlin Flackman, Blayne Arthur, Abbie Newman, Bayli Hyde. July 10, 2019 Alva Review-Courier/Newsgram Page 3 July 10, 2019 Alva Review-Courier/Newsgram Page 4 Jim Barker book now available Roxie Faulkner Kirk has also published a book with a deep knowledge of the marsh. As her family members leave, she is left to By Marione Martin history of Alva and Woods County.” survive alone. When a man for down is At the Alva First Friday Art Walk This easy-to-read book incorporates found dead, locals blame her. last week, Patty Barker greeted me with information from many written Here’s part of the online description: a big smile, “I have sources, some personal knowledge Perfect for fans of Barbara Kingsolver good news.” She and experiences, interviews, and even and Karen Russell, Where the Crawdads said she promised statements from acquaintances who Sing is at once an exquisite ode to the her husband, the possessed some unique bit of knowledge natural world, a heartbreaking coming- late Jim Barker, that that would otherwise be forever lost. of-age story, and a surprising tale of she would get his Patty said another of Jim’s books is in possible murder. Owens reminds us that books published. the works and nearly finished. Hopefully we are forever shaped by the children The first book is we can look forward to its publication we once were, and that we are all subject now published. I soon. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to the beautiful and violent secrets that found it on Amazon to the arrival of the paperback copy of nature keeps. by searching for Jim Jim’s first book. Educated: A Memoir Barker. Another Author from Alva If you’ve ever wondered what it “Old Alva and Monday I received a note from Alva would be like to live “off the grid,” Woods County” is a collection of Jim’s native Roxie Faulkner Kirk who will be this book by Tara Westover provides an columns published in the Alva Review- in Enid this Saturday, July 13, to sign unforgettable view. Westover was kept Courier. Although Jim was primarily a copies of her new book, “The Red Dirt out of school by her survivalist family sports reporter for the paper, his columns Hymnbook.” From 1 to 3 p.m. she’ll but overcame numerous obstacles to covered a wide range of topics including be at the Putnam 6 Bookstore, 610 S. earn a PhD from Cambridge University. a lot of stories about the history of Alva. Cleveland, Suite 212. “This book is a Here’s how it’s described online: If you grew up in the county, live in the thriller, a wry and funny self-discovery Born to survivalists in the mountains county or have ties here, you’d probably journey, and a commentary on faith in of Idaho, Tara Westover was 17 the first enjoy this publication. everyday life. But mostly, it’s a love- time she set foot in a classroom. Her Here’s how Amazon describes it: letter to Cedar Grove and Alva and all family was so isolated from mainstream Jim Barker has created an informal, fun, things Woods County,” according to society that there was no one to ensure and informative collection of historical Kirk. the children received an education, and stories from columns originally written She promises a future book signing in no one to intervene when one of Tara’s for Alva’s local newspaper. In his own Alva. I haven’t read the book yet but look older brothers became violent. When words, “it was not my original intent to forward to doing so. You can connect another brother got himself into college, write a collection of history articles to with her at www.roxiefaulknerkirk.com. Tara decided to try a new kind of life. be edited in book form, but as I delved Summer is for Reading Her quest for knowledge transformed further and further into the early history On the subject of reading, as a her, taking her over oceans and across of Alva and Woods County, I learned youngster I looked forward to summer continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge more and more that I had not previously for the chance to get out and have fun. University. Only then would she wonder known. I reasoned then that the same But it was also a great time to enjoy the if she’d traveled too far, if there was still might be true for many people presently books I wanted to read instead of those a way home. living in the county.” The book does assigned as homework. In addition to Someone Knows not aspire to chronicle the area’s past my favorite mystery category, I’ve been Lisa Scottoline is one of my favorite in its entirety. Instead, Jim wonderfully reading books that explore relationships writers in the mystery genre. Her books recounts events as “a series of vignettes among friends and families. are usually about some female lawyers loosely arranged in chronological order” In case you’re looking for a who find themselves embroiled in cases instead of as a “complete and unabridged interesting book, here’s a list of four with a twist. This book is a complete I’ve found entertaining and thought- departure from the usual. It explores provoking recently. Three are fiction and how a single secret can affect a group of one is a memoir. friends and their families over the years. Where the Crawdads Sing Here’s the description: Allie Garvey My daughter occasionally suggests is heading home to the funeral of a books, and she recommended this one childhood friend. Allie is not only grief- by Delia Owens earlier this year. My stricken, she’s full of dread. Because granddaughter also read and enjoyed it. going home means seeing the other This is Delia Owens’ first book, and I two people with whom she shares an hope she’ll continue to write. unbearable secret. The book is set in the salt flats of Twenty years earlier, a horrific North Carolina where the “Marsh Girl” grows up with no formal schooling but See Barker Page 38 July 10, 2019 Alva Review-Courier/Newsgram Page 5 July 10, 2019 Alva Review-Courier/Newsgram Page 6 South Barber Board has presentation on new bleachers, personnel changes, reorganizes for new year By Yvonne Miller brought samples of the heavy plastic Tami Lee Speicher was hired for South Barber USD255 held their seats with backs that he said are superior the part-time assistant high school cook July meeting Monday night with two in comfort to the wood.