Melvin Moran: Seminole’s oil man with a heart of gold
Melvin Moran has spent a lifetime proving true riches lie not in the black gold beneath the earth, but in the philanthropy that elevates a community.
Born in St. Joseph, Missouri, Moran’s journey to becoming an Oklahoma icon began when his family moved to Seminole in 1940 when oil derricks dotted the landscape like steel forests. Over time, the dusty brick streets of the small town would lead Moran to establish a legacy of philanthropy, civic engagement and unwavering optimism.
The hidden heroes of Oklahoma’s rugged Ouachita Trail
Oklahoma Living - Together, the Fulks have gone on to become not only staunch advocates of the famed Ouachita National Recreation Trail, but one of the core members of the Friends of the Ouachita Trail (FoOT) organization.
Is seaweed the next kale?
The Hustle - American startups are racing to catch up, expanding beyond traditional seaweed products into everything from supplements to seaweed-based livestock feed that studies show could reduce methane emissions from cows.
Will seaweed become a dominant new ingredient, or be permanently relegated to side dish status?
Inside the Chickasaw Dream Weavers of Mahota Textiles
Cowboys & Indians Magazine - April 24, 2024 - The store is modern, but the story of Mahota Textiles reaches far back into the threads of Chickasaw history. It begins with the kidnapping in 1736 of a young French girl in the Southeast who was known as French Nancy. She eventually became the bride of the Chickasaw warrior Alikuhlo Hosh, and they had a daughter.
When the Sun Goes Dark, Astronomer and Artist Tyler Nordgren Gets to Work
The Observer - March 26, 2024 - Arguably the world’s most well-known eclipse artist, Nordgren brings celestial events to life in a way that sparks the imagination.
Boise’s Basque Culture: An Old World Treasure Thriving in the New World
World Footprints - June 28, 2024 - The Basque Block in Boise, Idaho, stands as a vibrant testament to the rich cultural heritage of one of the state’s most distinctive ethnic communities. This historic stretch of Grove Street, once home to some of Boise’s earliest and most prominent families, now serves as a thriving center of Basque culture and cuisine.
Corn Dance: Loretta Barrett Oden’s Native American Cuisine
Aug. 25, 2024 - COWBOYS & INDIANS MAGAZINE - Indigenous chef Loretta Barrett Oden packs a lifetime of experience and inspired First American cooking into her new cookbook.
The Abolitionists, Suffragettes and Rebels of New York’s Finger Lakes Region
ROVOLOGY - I had ventured into The Finger Lakes region of New York for fall leaf peeping, winery visits, and hikes among New York State’s thundering waterfalls, but instead, I found myself reeling with the history of people who created a life of freedom and equality for me.
My Boyfriend & I Lived Together for 28 Years - We Never Spent a Christmas Together
BUSINESS INSIDER & YAHOO NEWS - In the 28 years we lived together, my boyfriend and I never spent Christmas together. While our breakup had nothing to do with Christmas, I still wonder if we missed out on memories.
‘Native Tongue’ - Q&A With Osage Author Chelsea Hicks
COWBOYS & iNDIANS - Osage author and Oklahoman Chelsea T. Hicks debuted her first book to rave reviews. C&I talks to her about writing and her fight to preserve heritage languages.
‘Taking the Place of Three Men’
Idaho Business Journal - A well-trained herding or ranch dog can sell for sometimes up to $25,000 to $30,000 each (though usually in the $5,000 to $7,000 range), but their value to ranchers and livestock owners is priceless. The newest breed of dog trainers also has a woman’s touch.
Climate Changes Oklahoma’s ‘Butterfly Effect’
The Journal Record - Numbers from the annual Monarch Butterfly overwintering count in Mexico were released earlier this month, and the news was more dire than expected.
The Quest to Save the World’s Most Coveted Chocolate
The Smithsonian Sept/Oct. 2023 - For these ambitious scientists in the rainforests of Ecuador, helping the environment has never tasted so sweet
On The Cover - The True Story Behind ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’
Cowboys & Indians - The new Martin Scorsese movie masterpiece lays bare a shocking chapter in American history and thrusts Oklahoma and the Osage Nation into the Hollywood spotlight.
The Women Who Logged 18 Months in the Arctic
Sierra Magazine - Taking what they learned about how climate change is affecting the world’s most delicate ecosystems, Strøm and Sorby are promoting dialogue about it through the educational outreach platform they launched, Hearts in the Ice.
Will Rogers: A Hero For All Times
Cowboys & Indians Magazine - As Will Rogers’ The Illiterate Digest turns 100, the crucial quest goes on to enrich the legacy of “America’s favorite son” for future generations to come.
The Many Hats of Shorty Kogar
COWBOYS & INDIANS - Former rodeo contestant, master hatter, businesswoman, cancer charity founder, Cowgirl Hall of Famer — Lavonna "Shorty" Koger is also an American treasure.
Accepting the Accent - A trip Down Under helps one traveler embrace her authentic Oklahoma twang
AARP Magazine - At 51, I had fought most of my life to beat that red dirt sound out of my speech. I forced my tongue into contortions that didn’t quite fit because I felt that having a deep drawl came with judgmental assumptions of simpleminded ignorance. On this trip, however, I not only embraced the long vowels and country-speak that embarrassed me back home but amplified it.
“The Outsiders” Turns 40
By Heide Brandes
Forty years ago this month, a shabby little whitewashed wood and brick house put Tulsa’s Northside neighborhood on the national map when the movie The Outsiders premiered.
12 Places to Relive Your Favorite Spooky Literary Novels
FODORS - Visit these spooky literary destinations for thrills and chills.