by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

More than 125,000 people die every year in the United States due to medication errors, said Cindy Fleming, an LPN with Asbury Durable Medical Equipment in Oklahoma City.
“That is so bad,” she said. “But like today I have a lady coming home from a skilled unit. So you know what I’m up against,” Fleming said. “She’s going to have her meds in a bubble pack, and half of them are going to come from home. So she’s going to be very confused to what’s what.”
So Fleming intends to recommend to the woman’s family that she obtain her medications from a Paratapass machine. This devise can hold 208 medications depending on the type of medication a pharmacist dispenses.
What it does is strip packs those medications by packing morning medications together, as well as packing all the noon and evening medications as needed.
They are properly labeled to have a description of the medication with the expiration date and dosage times. The patient does not have to fill a pill box or try to remember the date and time because it is written down.
“So they will know if they took it or not,” said Laura Cudd, a board certified pharmacist and owner of Asbury Pharmacy.
Patients discharged from a hospital after 30 days with certain medical conditions such as heart attacks, congestive heart failure, pneumonia and other acute cardiac problems will sometimes find that Medicare will not pay the same hospital when they require a second visit.
They end up going to another hospital while the first hospital is docked by Medicare for not preparing the patient properly, Cudd said.
Cudd came to Asbury Pharmacy from the Oklahoma Heart Hospital where she served as the clinical pharmacy manager.
“When I was there, what I did was design programs,” Cudd said. “I did things for meeting Medicare requirements and pain management protocols and diabetes protocols and all this kind of stuff.”
One of the things she focused on was patient re-admissions, investigating if why patients come back has anything to do with their medicines. She found that many patients were having a lot of problems due to not taking their medicine correctly. Cudd realized the next step in her career would be to address that issue. However, she didn’t feel she could accomplish her goal within the walls of the hospital.
“It’s always that transitional period when the patient leaves the hospital that they have problems,” Cudd explained.
There are many things a pharmacist can do to help patients, but they cannot control every aspect relating to patient care, she continued. There remains the issue of whether the patient will have a drug-related error when sent home and begin taking their medicine.
“It’s pretty surprising when people don’t always know how to take their medicines,” Cudd said. “Or they think they know and then the accidentally mess up.”
Knowing this information led Cudd to purchase a Paratapass for her pharmacy. The adherence ratio in the United States averages being nine to 10 days late in filling a prescription, Cudd said. This adds up to two months a year for patients being without their prescriptions. So the Paratapass machine helps patients bridge that gap by providing an extra month and a half of medication coverage that are crucial to health and survival, Cudd said.
When a patient is taking their medication appropriately in a manner that negates confusion then they are not missing days being without it.
“You don’t have them accidentally missing doses because they are dated and timed,” Cudd said. Fleming understands the benefit of the Paratapass because she came to work at Asbury Durable Medical Equipment with a background in home health. She works as a wound care specialist. Fleming also keeps an active administrator’s license.
“When I saw that she was launching this, I was so happy because home health battles this on a daily basis,” Fleming said.
Physicians will see a patient and tell home health nurses to provide a med planner, something Medicare does not provide the patient.
“They don’t consider that a skilled nursing need,” Fleming said. “People 65 and older take five medicines. That includes pharmaceuticals for the prescriptions, vitamins, minerals and supplements.”
The first month of a patient’s discharge from a hospital is crucial. Fleming said Oklahoma has started a new care coordinator’s group that meets quarterly. The group examines hospital rates, taking into account the number of patients hospitalized in the last six months. Where do the patients go?
“13,000 were discharged home. So many thousand were discharged to home health. So many went to hospice and so many went to nursing homes,” Fleming said. “But Medicare has mandated that these are penalty diagnoses they’re not going to pay for. And these hospitals are already struggling that are facing several hundred-thousand-dollar worth of fines.”
They are in rural under-served areas, so it’s a crisis, Cudd said.
The Paratapass helps patients remain safe and avoid returning to the hospital because they are taking their medicines in the correct manner.

Today, the Social Security Administration announces the launch of a new Health IT initiative with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that enables all Social Security disability case processing sites to receive medical records electronically from all VA facilities. Veterans will receive a faster decision on their Social Security disability claim, speeding them and their dependents through this new process. Both agencies will save time and money with an automatic request through the eHealth Exchange.
“President Obama has said, ‘we must maintain the sacred covenant we share with our veterans by ensuring they have the care and benefits they deserve,’ and I could not agree more,” said Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “We are committed to providing our veterans with the world class service they so richly deserve and improving the speed and efficiency of our disability program.”
The new Health IT program was tested successfully at Social Security locations around the country. On Veteran’s Day, November 11, the eHealth Exchange will go live, nationally, to all Social Security disability case processing sites.
Social Security requests nearly 15 million medical records annually from healthcare providers and organizations to make medical decisions on about three million disability claims. Medical documentation is essential to make a disability determination. Historically, the agency obtained medical records through a manual process (mail, fax, secure mail). This new national initiative puts in place an automated process to obtain medical records electronically without human intervention.
“VA is currently improving quality of life by enabling Veterans to share their health information with federal partners and integrating their data into a safe and secure health-related consumer application,” said Dr. David Shulkin, Under Secretary for Health of the Department of Veterans Affairs. “Currently, when eligible Veterans apply for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits the average wait time for Social Security to receive paper records from VA can take months; this partnership allows Social Security and VA to share the Veteran’s health information electronically in minutes. The Social Security and VA partnership allows VA to continue to be a leader in interoperability efforts among federal partners while improving overall quality of life for our Veteran patients.”
This partnership adds the VA to Social Security’s more than 50 other Health IT partners, including the Department of Defense, in approximately 7,000 facilities across the United States providing electronic health records. Social Security’s goal is to continue expanding the number of healthcare organizations and federal agencies providing electronic health records within a safe and secure environment.
To learn more about Health IT, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/disabilityssi/hit.
Social Security offers two other programs to expedite disability claims filed by veterans. Wounded Warriors and veterans with a VA disability compensation rating of 100% Permanent & Total have their Social Security disability claims treated as high priority and receive expedited decisions. For more information about these programs, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/people/veterans.

Oklahoma forester, Kurt Atkinson, is a recipient of the Society of American Foresters 2016 Fellow Award, a prestigious honor that recognizes long-standing service to the forestry profession.
“Kurt is most deserving of this honor,” said George Geissler, director, Oklahoma Forestry Services. “Now retired, Kurt had a stellar career of service with Oklahoma Forestry Services for over four decades. He was a leader, not only within our agency, but also in several statewide and regional professional organizations, including our state’s chapter of the Society of American Foresters.”
Atkinson received his forestry degree from Oklahoma State University in 1974 and began his career with Oklahoma Forestry Services, serving 33 years as Assistant Director and Management Chief. Under Atkinson’s leadership “Best Management Practices” were initiated. He also had a significant impact on forest management activities statewide, including stewardship, forest health, nursery operations, forest inventory analysis and the Forest Heritage Center Museum.
“Kurt has always been an insightful, respected, and visionary leader, and has served as a mentor and role model for many foresters in Oklahoma,” said Dr. Thomas Kuzmic, Oklahoma State University and District IX SAF Fellow Committee Representative. “I was honored to present Kurt’s nomination during the SAF committee proceedings earlier this year and was delighted with his selection to this year’s class.”
According to the Society of American Foresters, the rank of Fellow is one of the highest honors for members and signifies exceptional recognition by his or her peers for outstanding contributions and service to the organization and profession. Only 23 Fellows were chosen from across the nation for the 2016 class, with Atkinson being the only Oklahoman.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

Christmas is coming. All you have to do is close your eyes and listen.
Amid all the hustle and bustle and mall parking lot tussles you can can hear the ringing of a familiar bell.
Some 127 years ago the Salvation Army started hanging kettles from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Legend has it it first began as a fundraiser to feed people on Christmas Day.
A San Francisco Salvation Army officer remembered that during his days in the Navy a pot was kept on the dock.
The pot had a sign on it that read “Keep the pot boiling.”
“It started a tradition and it spread quickly across the United States,” said Maegan Dunn, development marketing manager for the Salvation Army Central Oklahoma Area Command.
And for the last quarter century, John Dobson has manned his post and rung that bell.
Full disclosure – Dobson serves on the group’s board of directors.
But it’s more than an obligation.
“Twenty five, twenty six, thirty – I don’t keep track of it. It’s just an act of love,” Dobson said of how many years he’s run that familiar bell and worn that red apron.
Dobson credits his volunteer spirit to a former boss.
“He told me I needed to take a look at life,” he said.
So as an accountant by trade he started picking up the annual financial reports of the various charities.
“Salvation Army just stood out there all by itself,” Dobson said. “It doesn’t pay its national president $2 million a year. It’s because they’re committed to Christ.
“Literally, it’s a church.”
Dobson quickly learned that every one of those employees wearing the military-looking uniforms are ordained ministers.
It speaks volumes.
Dobson rings for two organizations each season. The first is the Rotary Club of Oklahoma City. The second is as a Salvation Army board member.
“I promise, give me someone for an hour and I’ll make believers out of them,” Dobson said of the annual campaign. “The people you just know because of your life’s issues you just think these people can’t pay and they put these pennies and nickels in these kids hands and they come running up. You pick them up so they can drop them in there.
“They just thrive for that and they remember from year to year.”
Dobson always rings the bell at the same location each year – the Belle Isle Wal-Mart.
“It’s significant but it’s nothing close to everything we need,” Dobson said. “The Salvation Army goes on 24 hours a day, seven days a week 365 days a year. A lot of people just think of us as just Thanksgiving and Christmas but it’s full time for everybody.”
At any time during the holiday season the Salvation Army literally has thousands of bell ringers at the nearly 80 locations.
Rotary groups, businesses, churches – there’s groups that come out of the woodwork to get their hands on a bell.
But some of those positions can’t be filled with volunteers so some positions are paid.
“It’s not only to man the kettle but it’s also a ministry for us,” Dunn said. “There are individuals who have seasonal jobs where they don’t have work in the winter and it helps give them a little extra money. We also have some homeless individuals and it makes extra cash for them to help keep them through the next few months.”
It’s in his nature to be a bottom-line type of guy, but Dobson knows there’s much going on here than nickels, dimes and spreadsheets
“It’s a life-altering experience,” Dobson says. “It is amazing.”
There will be several volunteer opportunities this month with the Salvation Army including:
• Angel Tree Workshop: You can come help prepare each Angel’s gifts at the distribution center. For ages 13 and up. Dates: December 5-17
• Angel Tree Distribution: Help Angel Tree families collect their gifts and assist them to their vehicles. For ages 13 and up. This is a great opportunity for corporations, businesses and individuals. Dates: December 19-23
• Ring the Bell: Schedule your family, club or business to ring the bell at one of the red kettle locations for a four-hour shift or adopt a whole a day. This raises funds for The Salvation Army’s programs like the food pantry, senior centers, homeless shelter, youth and after-school programs, and soup kitchen. Dates: Through December 24.
To volunteer, contact Lt. Kyle Madison at kyle.madison@ uss.salvationarmy.org or 405-246-1063.
To find out more about how you can get involved, visit www.salvationarmyokcac.org/volunteer today. Questions about volunteering can be answered by contacting the volunteer coordinator, Liz Banks, at 405-246-1107 or liz.banks@ uss.salvationarmy.org.

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

More than two years of work and planning by multiple AllianceHealth Midwest departments culminated recently in a prestigious accolade that will benefit patients throughout the metro.
For the first time, the hospital received full Chest Pain Center with PCI (Percutaneous Coronary Intervention) Accreditation from the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care.
To receive accreditation, AllianceHealth Midwest demonstrated its expertise and commitment to quality patient care by meeting or exceeding a wide set of stringent criteria and completing on-site evaluation by a SCPC review team.
AllianceHealth Midwest is the only hospital in the state of Oklahoma to receive this level of accreditation.
“This accreditation is another large step in our commitment to providing superior emergency and cardiac care to the residents of Midwest City and Eastern Oklahoma County” said Damon Brown, CEO, AllianceHealth Midwest. “This accreditation was made possible because of the dedicated work and commitment of a multi-disciplinary team that included employees, physicians and paramedics.”
Cardiology Director and Chest Pain Coordinator Mark Macklin, RN, BSN has spent the last 12 of his 22 years in nursing in cardiac care after an emergency medicine and trauma background.
“The most important reason to pursue this is it’s the right thing to do for patient care,” Macklin said. “It’s a standardized system for evaluating and treating patients from the lowest risk patients to the care and treatment of the STEMI patient.”
“It encompasses the entire gamut of cardiology and chest pain.”
It is estimated that over 60% of all cardiac arrests are directly caused from an acute myocardial infarction.
The addition of the Resuscitation designation to Chest Pain Center with PCI accreditation enhances outcomes because the facility will have initiated early strategies such as early recognition, CPR and defibrillation, early intervention with Primary PCI simultaneously with post arrest hypothermia treatment.
“It standardized our practice, making sure we used evidence-based practice, best practice protocols and we’re all doing it the same way, every time with no deviation,” said Amy Baden, RN, BSN, MBA, and AllianceHealth’s network director of cardiology services. “It’s our roadmap that every patient will be given the exact same care no matter who their cardiologist is.”
Baden said that resuscitation element is one all employees are trained in.
“Any type of employee is also educated in the signs and symptoms of an early heart attack,” Baden said. “From a kitchen worker to a nurse on the floor – even the valets – have all been educated. It’s a multi-faceted education process.”
That education has been introduced to the surrounding communities. AllianceHealth Oklahoma, in partnership with the American Heart Association, donated CPR kits to high schools throughout Oklahoma.
Locally, AllianceHealth Midwest donated one to the Mid-Del School District and one to the Choctaw school district.
Nurses are also going into the schools and educating students and teachers on how to properly perform CPR.
Macklin said each week the board room was filled with representatives for nearly all departments.
“We were empowered to do that,” Macklin said. “Our administration and the board signed off … and we went in there every Monday with a sense of empowerment that we need to get from here to there and who’s best to drive the bus to get there.”
“Some days it was our Chief Nursing Officer (Gloria Ceballos, PhD, RN) who could roll out to all of nursing what needed to be done. Sometimes it was the Chief Medical Officer (Dr. Rockey Talley) who needed to get our hospitalist team on board with the protocols we were rolling out. It changed from Monday to Monday to get from where we started to where we ended.”
“It really kind of brought our whole hospital around that table with a single focus.”
By achieving SCPC’s Chest Pain Center with Primary PCI with Resuscitation Accreditation status, AllianceHealth Midwest demonstrated expertise in the following areas and others:
– Integrating the emergency department with the local emergency medical system
– Effectively treating patients at low risk for acute coronary syndrome and no assignable cause for their symptoms
– Supporting community outreach programs that educate the public to promptly seek medical care if they display symptoms of a possible heart attack
Baden said with the help of AllianceHealth Midwest’s EMS service door-to-balloon intervention time has dramatically decreased.
“We’ve had STEMI’s that come directly to the cath lab,” she said. “There’s a lot of elements … and we’re trying to rule in these patients quicker. We’re decreasing the amount of damage and decreasing the length of stay.”
“Through this we’re all doing it the same way and the patients are happier. We’re all talking the same talk. Patient satisfaction scores in these units have elevated as well so we’re excited about that.”
The SCPC is the accreditation services arm of the American College of Cardiology.
AllianceHealth Midwest, located in Midwest City on the eastern edge of Oklahoma City, is a 255-bed acute care facility with nearly 300 primary care and specialty physicians.

The Oklahoma Insurance Department is joining forces to spread a life-saving message to drivers: “Move over. It’s the law.” The message is part of an initiative by the Oklahoma Traffic Incident Management Steering (TIMS) Coalition. The Coalition also includes representatives from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Oklahoma Sheriffs Association, Oklahoma Emergency Management and many more.
“As the holidays approach and more people will be on the road, we’re asking Oklahoma drivers to be more mindful behind the wheel,” said Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak. “Not only is moving over the law, it will help save the lives of first responders and lower the number of costly traffic delays.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 52 law enforcement officers were killed in traffic-related incidents last year. Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas Dees was hit and killed last year along I-40. His mother is featured in a new public service announcement which began airing this month. It can also be viewed here.
“Half of me died because of one man that did not move over for emergency vehicles,” said Shelley Russell, Dees’ mother.
Oklahoma’s Move Over law requires drivers approaching a parked emergency vehicle with flashing lights, including wreckers, to move over to the next lane. If the driver cannot move over, he or she is required to slow down. Troopers suggest drivers reduce speed to 15-20 mph or slower. The penalty for failing to slow down or change lanes is a ticket with a fine of more than $200.
Another benefit of drivers abiding by the Move Over law is a reduction in the number of costly traffic delays. According to the Texas Transportation Institute, for each hour a vehicle is stuck in traffic $21 is wasted per vehicle in time and fuel.
One way to ease the burden of traffic is for drivers to move over if they are involved in a non-injury car accident. This allows drivers to safely exchange insurance information and not block the flow of traffic.
“Many drivers seem to think that moving over is just an optional courtesy when they see flashing lights or have a minor wreck,” Doak said. “It’s not optional. Move over. It’s the law.”

Tis the season for toy shopping, but Easter Seals Oklahoma has a request for special toys for their boys and girls. Therapeutic and sensory toys help students with disabilities work on hand-eye coordination, fine and gross motor skills and social interaction. It can also be used to help increase attention and focus during instructional time.
“Teaching a lesson while a child’s hand is actively engaged in a fidget has been shown to result in more information being retained by the child than if the same lesson were taught without the sensory element”, says Mia Dianda, Director of Medical Rehabilitation.
Easter Seals Oklahoma is accepting donations of therapeutic toys such as koosh balls, light up toys, and fidgets. Social and turn taking improvement items are also needed like: Twister, Chutes and Ladders, Mouse Trap, Head-band, toy cars, super heroes, baby dolls, and related items. Donations may be brought to 701 N.E. 13th Street, Oklahoma City, Ok 73104 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. -5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or donate by calling 405-239-2525.
The Medical Rehabilitation Program at Easter Seals Oklahoma helps individuals with disabilities gain greater independence some thought to be unachievable. It is our goal to empower children with atypical development by helping to build their self-esteem and self-efficacy through therapy services.
For more than 90 years, Easter Seals Oklahoma has provided services to children and adults with disabilities and other special needs and support to their families. Services include an early learning and inclusion academy, adult day health center, medical rehabilitation, and financial assistance. For more information, please visit www.eastersealsok.org.

The annual pecan harvest is shaking up orchards across Oklahoma. Nuts are falling from Miami to Idabel as orchard owners shake their trees and fire up their pecan shelling equipment. The state ranked sixth in the nation for pecan production in 2014 with a harvest of 12 million pounds.
Pecans grow naturally across central and eastern Oklahoma. The nuts are favored by wildlife and people alike. Pecans provide nutritional benefits in addition to edible enjoyment. They add protein and fiber to our diets and are low in cholesterol and sodium. Pecans are often recommended as a source of healthy fat. In a nutshell, pecans are a treat with their buttery, rich flavor.
Gift shops at pecan orchards have lots of creative ways to enjoy these health benefits. Bags of pecan halves or pieces are available for holiday recipes. Pecan oil is another gourmet option for cooking with heart healthy flavor. Irresistible sweets include chocolate-covered pecans, praline pecans and other flavors like jalapeno and pumpkin spice. Pecan honey butter and pecan brittle also make great gift options.
“There are many pecan orchards to visit in Oklahoma,” said agritourism coordinator Meriruth Cohenour. “Each one has a different selection of products and some will shell and crack your own pecans for you.”
Examples of the diverse pecan products available include whole pecans in the shell, papershell or native pecan halves, pecan oil, and gift tins of flavored pecans. For those who love grilling or smoking meat, pecan firewood and pecan smoking chunks are perfect choices.
The Oklahoma agritourism website, www.oklahomaagritourism.com, is an easy way to find a pecan orchard near you. An interactive map on the Specialty Crops page shows the locations of pecan orchards and links to their websites.

story and photos by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Mark Hamm knows that someday in the not-too-distant future, central Oklahoma will be one giant metroplex.
“In the next 20 years they’re projecting another 20,000 people moving to Moore,” the Moore City Councilman said. “They’re all brand new and they don’t know anything about this and it will just be forgotten.”
Hamm was referring to Moore’s history, which dates back before statehood.
And as he discussed the city’s constant progress he was standing on the porch of Myron January’s family home, built in 1895 and believed to be the oldest structure in Moore.
The town’s history – and Myron January’s childhood home – are something Hamm and community members want to preserve for all to see.
In November Moore voters approved the continuation of a quarter-cent sales tax. Part of that money will go the development of an Old Town park, similar to what Norman has near its train depot.
The vision is much bigger than the old January home.
An interactive trail, a sitting area and hopefully a visitor center located near the railroad tracks will spring up some day soon. City officials already have their eye on procuring the original train depot, which is currently being used as an office on Shields Boulevard in south Oklahoma City.
Right in the middle is expected to be the January house, which Myron is giving to the city.
“It’s great. I think it’s a miracle,” January said of home’s impending move. “It’s going to have to be done pretty soon because you can tell it’s getting in bad shape.
JURY AND JANUARY
When you look back in the annals of Moore history you’ll see a couple names stick out – Jury and January.
The Land Run led to the Jury family settling on 160 acres in what now is southeast Moore. Next door was the January family.
“Two Jurys and two Januarys married – two brothers and two sisters,” January said. “So the Januarys and the Jurys have been very close all their lives.”
So close in fact that the Jury home now sits on January property, at least until the City of Moore can get it moved and preserved.
Even though it’s bare wood and has an addition missing, January still navigates the 400-square-foot, two-room house like it was yesterday.
“It wasn’t a whole lot more than this … but you would come in a door here and this was the back porch where (his grandmother Artie) did the washing,” January said. “There was a wall here and a built-in cabinet there.”
Myron January moved to Moore at age three. He left home as a teenager when he got married at 17. He’s lived within two miles of the current house ever since, keeping cattle on the remaining 75 acres.
Things have changed, as subdivisions have sprang up all around.
A new Sam’s Club sits less than a mile away. Target, Home Depot, JC Penny’s, Lowe’s and the busiest IMAX theatre in the world are just across I-35.
“I’ve dreaded it for many years,” January said with a laugh. “That’s life. Progress.”
Just down the street dairy silos dating back to the 1940s still stand as Moore’s only skyscrapers.
At one time, 400 head of cattle were milked at the Mathesen Dairy, which dispatched trucks daily to grocery stores across the county delivering fresh milk with cream on the top.
WHEN MOORE WAS LESS
Moore was founded during the Land Run of 1889. The early settlers came on train, horseback, wagons, and some on foot.
According to local historians, the town’s original name was Verbeck as designated by the railroad company.
However, a railroad employee named Al Moore, reported to be either a conductor or a brakeman, lived in a boxcar at the camp and had difficulty receiving his mail.
He painted his name “Moore” on a board and nailed it on the boxcar.
When a postmaster was appointed, the name stuck and he continued to call the settlement Moore.
Hamm got into politics to preserve that small-town feel, even though the city is now the state’s seventh-largest.
“I like politics but I’ve always liked local politics more than national,” Hamm said. “It’s where things happen, people see their government working for them. You call me about a problem in Moore, hopefully, we can get it fixed before you get home.”
And Hamm knows the past should play a part in Moore’s future. That’s why the city and a team of volunteers have set out to preserve it.
One of the first efforts is inviting people to help document that story online at www.historyofmoore.com.
Currently, there’s lots of gaps and missing stories.
And it’s in need of more people like Myron January to help fill in the blanks.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

For nearly 35 years now Sheila Swearingen has been involved in advocacy.
And for the last 15 years the president of the League of Women Voters of Oklahoma has been deeply involved in helping Oklahomans take full advantage of one of their most precious civil rights – the right to vote.
“I’m very interested in advocacy and getting more people involved in what happens after voting to be honest,” Swearingen said. “I think it’s incredibly important for people to get themselves registered and vote but that’s not the end of it. As citizens we really do, in a democracy, say that we the people are the ones upon who the government rests.”
As Oklahomans get ready to vote in the coming days, Swearingen wants to make sure everyone has the information they need before they head to the polls.
PLUGGED IN
MSNBC, Fox News, NPR, CNN, and hundreds more online – there’s no shortage of media outlets from which to receive information. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week voters are bombarded with a non-stop barrage of political information, covering candidates’ every single move.
While the access to information may be unprecedented, Swearingen says it’s not always a good thing.
“It comes back to the individual to take it upon themselves to get non-partisan information,” Swearingen said. “I think people are plugged in but the problem with being plugged in all day is not pulling back and getting the overview, not listening to both sides of the issue and not being able to discern. They may be plugged in and often the media, whether you’re listening to NPR or Fox News it’s appealing to our emotions. I think we need to be using some logic and think deeply about the issues when we go vote.”
GET INFORMED, GO VOTE
The League of Women Voters provides a wealth of information online at www.lwvok.org as well as on Facebook.
The League of Women Voters never supports or opposes any particular candidate.
The message simply is always be informed and exercise your right to vote.
“Take any opportunity get information that is nonpartisan and unbiased,” Swearingen said.
To that end, the League was part of a broad coalition that produced the Oklahoma Voter Guide which is available at libraries across the state.
Online you can go to www.vote411.org fill in your address and it will automatically pull up all the races that will appear on your ballot down to state representative.
The League of Women Voters has chapters in Lawton, Tulsa, Stillwater, Norman and Bartlesville. The group is also in the process of reforming the Oklahoma City Chapter.
“In the Oklahoma City area we have members who are my age, and I’m definitely AARP generation, and we also have millennials,” she said. “What we’re finding is those groups can work really well together if they listen and find out that sometimes they’re on the same page about issues but they may have different ways about communicating those issues.”
Swearingen was recently trained as a precinct official.
“One of the interesting things that was reaffirmed is that you don’t have to vote every single race,” Swearingen said. “If you have a strong preference for a candidate running for county commissioner and you just can’t make up your mind who you want to choose to be the next president you don’t have to vote for president but you can vote for county commissioner.”
“We have a wonderful system in Oklahoma. Our scanners can scan whatever races you choose to vote in. You don’t have to vote the complete ballot. You can pick and choose.”
Volunteers are always needed in helping across the 77 counties and municipalities in getting ballot information. You can go online to the group’s website to learn more.
Starting November 9 Swearingen said the attention will turn to the 2017 legislative session and what issues will likely appear.
Social events are also scheduled throughout the year as well as candidate and issue forums.
Beginning in January school board elections will come into focus and the League will begin pursuing candidate forums.
“We think that school boards are just as important, and in some cases more important than whose going to Oklahoma City,” Swearingen said.
And no matter what party you belong to or whom you support, Swearingen says it’s important to do your part in keeping America great.