Tahlequah Grapevine

G rapevine Tahlequah

POWER

COUPLE, BRAIN POWER

Mindset is key to success for Jon and Brittany Bloodworth

Page 22

MORE INSIDE: IF WALLS COULD TALK

Couple putting final touches on historic French-Parks home

Page 8

FROM SIDE GIG TO MAIN STAGE

Area caterers offering tasty fare from food trucks

Page 18

EVOLUTION OF THE LAW

Former DA remembers pivotal case, how a ruling changed our world Page 26

IF WALLS COULD TALK

Couple putting final touches on historic French-Parks home

By Layce Gardner

A ROCKY BEGINNING

Slightly less-than-scientific examination of the history of cairns

By Eddie Glenn

RIDING THE STORMS OUT

Volunteer storm spotter recalls how job and career meshed

By Bob Gibbins

FROM SIDE GIG TO MAIN STAGE

Area caterers offering tasty fare from food trucks

By Teddye Snell

POWER COUPLE, BRAIN POWER

Mindset is key to success for Jon and Brittany Bloodworth

By Nancy Garber

EVOLUTION OF THE LAW

Former DA remembers pivotal case, how a ruling changed our world

By Greg

WOMEN AT THE HELM

TPS likely the only district in the state with an all-female board

By Dana

CONTENTS

WEditor’s Note

hether you’re a regular reader of this quarterly magazine or are just joining us in progress, we have a real treat in store for you with the kickoff of the second year of Tahlequah Grapevine!

Several people who perused the pages of the winter 2023 edition –Harold Aldridge was on the cover – told us its content would be tough to beat. Frankly, we’ve heard that after most of last year’s magazines were published. But this time, we’re bringing back some old names most longtime area residents will recognize. By “old,” we mean longstanding, though chronologically – well, let’s just say they’ve passed the half-century mark, as have I.

Ed Choate

Publisher publisher@tahlequahdailypress.com

Kim Poindexter

Regional/Executive Editor kpoindexter@tahlequahdailypress.com

Heather Ruotolo General Manager/ Advertising Director hruotolo@tahlequahdailypress.com

Chris Barnhart

Advertising Sales cbarnhart@tahlequahdailypress.com

Abby Bigaouette

Graphic Designer abigaouette@tahlequahdailypress.com

Contributing Writers

Layce Gardner

Eddie Glenn

Bob Gibbins

Teddye Snell

Nancy Garber

Greg Combs

Dana Eversole

Cover Photo

Shane Keeter Media

© 2024 Tahlequah Daily Press

Tahlequah Grapevine is a quarterly magazine published by the Tahlequah Daily Press. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and cannot be reproduced without express permission from CNHI, LLC.

Remember our “hook” for the Grapevine: Everyone we ask to write for it has, at one time or another, worked for the Tahlequah Daily Press as a full-time staff member, or as a correspondent. We’ve been around a while, so it’ll be years before we exhaust our resources – especially since some writers continue contributing.

The biggest surprise may be the feature by Greg Combs. Some of you know him as “The Old Bear” from a column he used to write. Others will recognize him as our former district attorney, or perhaps just a good lawyer from these parts. And a few – like yours truly – honor him as the person who taught Law of the Press at NSU for years. He taught other classes, too, but if not for what Greg taught me personally, TDP might have been sued out of existence years ago. In this magazine, Greg ties in a memorable case to the more recent McGirt ruling. Then there is Bob Gibbins, who was TDP’s courts and crime reporter for 21 years, and who will tell you about his experiences as a storm spotter. Bob joked that with him and Greg in the lineup, this will be the best-read Grapevine yet. We’ll see!

Also in these pages are stories from the famous (or infamous?) Eddie Glenn, TDP’s last official “photographer,” who gives his take on the somewhat nebulous topic of cairns. Layce Gardner talked to Loyal and Susan (Chapman) Plumb about their work remodeling the venerable French-Parks home. Teddye Snell, known both for her writing and her culinary skills, offers a story on her own wisdom, and some food trucks she deems worthy of attention. Dana Eversole describes what may be the only school district in the state run by women. And finally, Nancy Garber interviewed Jon and Brittany Bloodworth, a special couple we chose for this edition’s cover story.

Naturally we’re already preparing for our summer Grapevine, which comes out in June, and while we have some stories planned, we’re open to suggestions. You know how to find us!

- Kim Poindexter, Executive Editor

Meet the Editor

Kim Poindexter has been a member of the TDP news team since 1985 and the top editor since 1987. She is in the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame and was the 2022 Oklahoma Press Association Beachy Musselman Award winner. She has won more than 200 journalism awards during her career, both individually and as part of the TDP team, which has been named Best Newspaper of the Year the past five years by CNHI. She and her husband, Chris, have an adult son, Cole, and a daughter-in-law, Dani.

Tahlequah

If walls could talk

Couple putting final touches on historic French-Parks home

By Layce Gardner

The adage “If these walls could talk” may be metaphor, but if it were reality, the French-Parks home would have a mountain of stories to tell.

The 130-year-old house at 209 W. Keetoowah has witnessed first-hand much of Tahlequah’s history. It has lived through the Great Fire of 1905, Oklahoma statehood in 1907, the building of the Carnegie Library in 1910, and both World War I and World War II. The house has survived the Roaring ‘20s, followed by the Great Depression. And it has seen Tahlequah develop from a small town to what it is today.

Dr. Johnson Thompson built the house in 1889 as a wedding present for his daughter, Jane. The first owner, Robert French, was high sheriff of the Cherokee Nation. The second owner of the home was Jefferson Parks, an early Oklahoma legislator and county judge.

The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985, and Loyal and Susan Chapman Plumb have owned it since 2019.

When guests arrive, Susan points out the bricks and symmetry, which embrace the Federal style of home-building. The structure also features characteristics of the Carpenter Gothic style.

“It’s a hybrid,” Susan said. “I’ve also heard it called Prairie-Gothic.”

Unique architectural features of the two-story home include granite quoins to strengthen the corners. It also has a basement and four five-window bays.

Renovating a home that is on the National Register of Historic Places has many challenges.

“You cannot change the footprint, which we never wanted to do or intended to do,” Susan said. “The biggest thing now is the windows. We can’t put modern windows in. They have to be of the time period.”

The home boasts four fireplaces, but no kitchen.

“There was never a kitchen in here. There was a fireplace of sorts, where they could cook down in the basement. I think they had a very minimal kitchen down there and did the majority of cooking outdoors because of the fire safety. But the house does have four fireplaces, which we cannot get back to wood-burning. We’ll have gas fireplaces,” Susan said.

The first improvement the Plumbs made was removing the overgrowth of ivy on the exterior of the home. It involved plenty of red tape.

“There are two accrediting organizations when you’re trying to maintain historic status. One is the state, and the other is run by the U.S. Department of Interior,” Susan said. “They weigh in on every decision about renovating. The

first thing they told us was that we cannot sandblast the brick exterior.”

Plumb explained that normally, a sealant is put on the brick, but it cannot be used on this type of brick because it is too porous. Sandblasting is a no-no, because it could crumble the old bricks.

“To get the ivy off the outside of the house, we used a power washer. We put Dawn dish soap in the power washer and put it on low pressure. Ivy is very invasive, and it would’ve destroyed the brick eventually,” Susan said.

To date, the Plumbs have removed the ivy on the exterior, installed a new roof, and removed anything inside the house that was not of the proper time period.

The original front of the house is now blocked from street view. Originally, it faced College Avenue. Two window bays graced the old front, along with a

A view of the exterior of French-Parks house shows the original front on the east/left side.

small covered porch.

Plumb pointed out one of the windows to neighboring Sweet Arts Bakehouse’s backyard. There sits a small brick structure, only 2-3 feet high.

“I think that was the well,” Susan said.

She led the way into a large room, where a fireplace stands, front and center.

“This room will be the library,” Susan said. “We’re going to put up shelves. We have a lot of books. I’m hoping to make the whole room a biography library. I love to read biographies. I’ll just start out by putting all my biographies in here.”

Across a hallway are two more large rooms, joined by a common French door.

“I think one room was for the men and the other for the women,” Susan said. “A drawing room, and a sitting room.”

She ran her hand lightly over the newel post at the foot of the stairs.

“The stairs and the railing are original. So is the wall’s wainscoting,” Susan said.

She dusted off a portion of the newel post, revealing a small, intricate design carved into the dark wood.

“I’m calling this a dogwood flower,” Susan said. “I don’t know that’s really what it is, but I love it.”

Up the narrow, steep stairs are the bedrooms. Each floor is covered in linoleum, with a different print in every room.

“They had linoleum back then. I didn’t know that,” Susan said. “It was the very beginning of linoleum. Back then, they must’ve thought it was the height of fashion.”

She led the way into a nearby sewing room.

“If you were wealthy, you had a sewing room,” Susan said. “But it was really for your dressmaker to come and work in. You would do fittings in this room. It was a status symbol to have a room for your dressmaker.”

The next stop was the basement. Though most of the cobwebs have been cleared, it is everything a basement is known for: rock walls, short ceilings, uneven flagstone floors, and a hole in the wall where an old wood-burning

stove had been vented.

“I call this the speakeasy,” Susan said. “I don’t think that’s what it actually was, but it looks like it could’ve been.”

In a corner of the dark room stands a big wooden box that resembles an old wardrobe closet.

“We’ve never opened that box. For all we know, it leads to Narnia,” Susan said.

As for the end of renovation, Susan thinks it may well happen this year.

“I’m thinking once they get the windows done, it shouldn’t take long to finish. Paint, light fixtures, flooring. ... The plumbing will be the most complicated, you know, putting plumbing where none was before,” Susan said.

When the renovations are over, Susan plans to have a celebration.

“What I want to do in here first is have an open house around Christmas. That’s our hope,” Susan said.

Katy Dinnen is the architect the Plumbs have hired. Dinnen most recently designed the new Local Bank in Hulbert, of which Susan is CEO, and Dinnen is delighted to get to work on a historic home.

“It’s been really interesting. I’ve never done anything quite like this, especially with how old this house is,” Dinnen said. “It’s fun to walk through and try to visualize what it will be. Once it’s all finished, I think it’s going to be really special.”

And, who knows? Maybe this stately old lady will live on for another 130 years. Just think of the stories she’ll be able to tell then!

Meet the Author

The Plumbs hired Katy Dinnen to do the renovation work. From left are: Dinnen, Loyal Plumb, and Susan Plumb.

Layce Gardner graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from Northeastern State University. She is a playwright, screenwriter, novelist, and special writer for the Tahlequah Daily Press.

“TWO GENERATIONS OF EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION”

A rocky beginning

Slightly less-than-scientific examination of the history of artistic cairns has a bit of Welling on the side

By Eddie Glenn

I’m no anthropologist, but I suspect one of the first indications that what we now call “civilization” was beginning to form was a stack of rocks.

After all, you can’t develop any sort of agriculture without moving some rocks out of the way, and finding a place for a group of people –be it family, tribe, or hunting party – to lie down and sleep for a night will invariably require some rock removal, and quite likely, stacking.

It probably didn’t take long before one of the more pragmatic of our ancestors decided to use stacks of rocks as boundary markers and guideposts on trails through otherwise unremarkable lands. Thus began the concept of cairns – stacks of rocks intentionally constructed, and intended to have some significant meaning. That concept of trail-marking cairns is still with us today, and is used by the U.S. National Park Service along some trails within the parks. The NPS has a webpage dedicated to cairns at www.nps.gov/articles/rockcairns. htm.

There are three broad guidelines for interacting with cairns in national parks: First, don’t tamper with them; second, don’t build any unauthorized cairns; and third, don’t add rocks to any cairns that are already there. Cairns mean

something – especially to hikers who rely on them as trail markers – and changing a cairn’s configuration could really mess up a hike by causing the person to veer off in the wrong direction.

So, at least on federal park land, cairns are about as regulated as a humble stack of rocks can possibly be. Elsewhere, though – like say, in Welling, Oklahoma – things

are different.

But before we get too far into Welling, let’s return to our quasi-anthropological history of cairn-building. It probably wasn’t long after that pragmatic ancestor began using cairns as trail markers that some of our more creative progenitors looked at a pile of rocks they’d just thrown together and thought to themselves, “Hey, that

Photo by Chrissi Nimmo

Six-year-old Emmy Nimmo sits next to her cairn creation at Cato Creek on Lake Tenkiller.

kind of looks like a woolly mammoth,” and then began stacking rocks in ways that resembled other natural phenomena, just to impress their fellow primitives and have an aesthetically pleasing outlet for their more creative impulses. Thus the artistic cairn was born.

As visitors to the Welling Ridge Trails – just six miles and 12 minutes east of downtown Tahlequah – can attest, the artistic progeny of that creative rock-stacking ancestor are still among us. Hikers and cyclists on the Welling trails will occasionally see all sorts of creative rock expressions, one of the more recent resembling a penguin – if you look at it from the right angle, in the right light.

Jill Herrlein and Mike Bingham are both members of Tahlequah Trails Association (tahlequahtrails. org), the organization that constructed and maintains the trails at Welling. They agree that cairns along the Welling trails haven’t become problematic, and as long as those who might feel the urge to construct them nearby do so responsibly, they shouldn’t cause any issues.

“Personally, I like them, but

would not encourage or discouraged their construction,” said Herrlein, adding that as long as the trail surface isn’t damaged, and the banked trails in the areas that have sharp switchbacks remain stable, there shouldn’t be any problems.

“I would not want people excavating and digging for rocks or compromising their individual safety retrieving rocks for building cairns,” she said. “As long as they stay small and adjacent to the trail, I think they add to the trail experience.”

Bingham added that cairns are a way for those visiting the Welling Ridge Trails to make the trail their own, in a sense.

“The main problem would be if the cairns were causing a safety issue,” he said. “Nothing too close to the trail, and nothing that might cause sight lines to be reduced or blocked, or drainage areas to be affected. As Jill said, nothing destructive.”

One interesting characteristic of even the most creative cairns is that, unlike other artistic endeavors, there’s often little to no indication of who actually made them. Certainly, there are professional cairn artists – or, at least, there’s one.

Michael Grab, a Canadian now living in Colorado, travels the world building art cairns and teaching others how to release their innermost rock-stacking artistic selves. His work can be viewed on his website gravityglue.com, but besides their photographic presence on his website, even Grab’s cairns remain – like most artistic cairns – unsigned. That might be because, as Freida P. Winkle says, they’re more of a collective creation than an individual artistic expression.

“Whenever I’m out walking about and find a cairn, I usually add a rock to it,” said Winkle.

Fortunately for her, she spends more time on the Welling Ridge Trails than the trails maintained by the National Park Service – where augmenting cairns is frowned upon.

“I’ve always thought they should be a group effort. That’s what’s always been appealing to me about cairns. Cairn-building seems like a very organic thing,” Winkle said.

As Winkle pointed out, cairns have been constructed long enough for one of them – the Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt – to be considered one of the wonders of the ancient world, and should she ever get to opportunity to visit that particular cairn, she has plans.

“I’d like to add a rock to it – scamper up there and put a tiny little rock on top,” she said.

Meet the Author

R.E. “Eddie” Glenn is a TDP writer and photographer for 14 years. He lives in Tahlequah, and is the author of “The Sovereign, The Tribe: An Essay on a Relationship,” available on Amazon and at Too Fond of Books in downtown Tahlequah. Glenn is also a musician who frequently plays at the Tahlequah Farmers’ Market.

Photo by Liz Crouch

A boundary marker cairn indicates where the normal world ends, and musical weirdness begins. It’s outside local music legend Randy Crouch’s house.

Caitlin Ceci, National Park Service

A trail marker cairn in Zion National Park.

Riding the storms out

Volunteer storm spotter recalls how job and career meshed

By Bob Gibbins

My career as a storm spotter – an Emergency Management volunteer – started shortly after I moved to Tahlequah from Okmulgee in 1990.

My beat at the Okmulgee Daily Times included covering severe weather, and it was the same at the Tahlequah Daily Press. In April 1984, I covered the worst storm I’ve ever seen, and hope I never see one that bad again in my life. Seven people died, and hundreds more were injured. The damage toll was in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Gary Dotson, Cherokee County’s emergency management director when I arrived in Tahlequah, must have gotten tired of seeing me always showing up at his office when the conditions worsened, because I didn’t do it too many times until he gave me a twoway radio and told me I was “EM 312.” I started coming around when we had training or when severe weather arrived on our border.

I would either go to the Emergency Operations Center or stay in the field, depending on where Gary thought I could be most beneficial. The same holds true today, even though Gary has retired and his assistant, Mike Underwood, has replaced him as director.

One thing I will always remember about Gary’s tenure is the time a tornadic storm moved into the county south

of town, near his residence in Woodall. The storm damaged Gary’s home. I, of course, wrote a story for the TDP. The Associated Press wire service picked up on the angle of a tornado hitting the EM director’s house.

There was also tornado damage in Oaks after a storm tore through that area a few years later, but it was nothing as bad as the Okmulgee County storm from the mid1980s.

It’s been a fun ride, whether I was assigned to help with the radio and log events in the office, or was out in the field. It’s kind of scary out in the field, because a lot of the time, you’re alone. We try to partner up, but that’s difficult with a small volunteer department.

I’ve learned a lot about severe weather and emergency operations since Gary “recruited” me to join his organization. We have spotter training once a year, at least. We schedule work days when

possible to keep the equipment and vehicles operational, and volunteers are expected to participate as much as possible. But some, unfortunately, only want to become EM volunteers so they can use the radio and go outside when the storms roll in. Being an EM volunteer is rewarding, but it’s also hard work and not just something to do when it’s convenient.

Mike and his assistant director, Scott Pettus, don’t expect a lot out of us. They do want us to commit some time to the organization and the county. It’s a public service, and we’re doing something to help the public. Mike sees to

it we have working radios and the basic tools we need to be good volunteers.

We’re now in our third “EOC” since I joined the group. We started out behind the police department when it was at 101 S. Cherokee, and moved with TPD to its new home on West Choctaw. We were there until the 911 center needed a new home and moved to 911’s old lodgings on South College, for our third EOC.

Back when I started doing this “spotting,” or volunteering – or whatever you want to call it – the work was twofold, because I used a lot of the information I gained for my job as a staff writer for TDP. I left that job in 2011 and went to work in the court clerk’s office as a deputy clerk. Now, I just see my volunteer work as doing something for the community I’ve called home for nearly 34 years.

I’m glad Gary chose to give me that radio more than 20 years ago, and I’m also glad Mike and Scott have seen fit to keep me around. It’s been an adventure, and I’ve learned so much about watching storm clouds and what emergency management is all about.

Meet the Author

Bob Gibbins is a former TDP courts and crime reporter who also covered weather events, fires and other disaster situations. He served in that capacity for 21 years until he left to work for the District Court Clerk’s Office, where he’s been a deputy clerk for 12-1/2 years.

Bobby Whitewater | Courtesy photo

A storm cloud rolls in by Lowe’s.

From side gig to main stage

Area caterers offering tasty fare from food trucks

By Teddye Snell

Those who know me understand I am a passionate, and perhaps accomplished, cook.

The advent of social media sparked an interest in sharing my food with others, and many contact me for cooking advice. To give you a little background, I have a bit of catering experience, and eight years ago, I actually made the final cut of regional contestants for a national competitive cooking TV show that features a cranky British chef and two acclaimed chef judges.

I cook six nights per week on average, and have a hard time justifying eating out. I understand flavor profiles and how ingredients work together to form a composed dish. I am savory cook, and have no patience for the persnickety world of baking. Too much science, not enough intuition.

I am always on the lookout for interesting, good local food that surpasses what I can make myself. Recently, I have been fortunate enough to run across not one, but two, new food trucks that

are serendipitously located about two blocks from my home: Cakin’ It and The Frybread Factory.

Melissa Cobb-Cote is a confectioner extraordinaire who owns and operates the Cakin’ It food truck. You can find her most weekends at the Food Truck Park on Basin Street. I came across Melissa’s offerings via Facebook, to which she posts photos of her myriad offerings, and they are no joke. From royal-iced cookies, to cake pops, to cheesecake bites, to cupcakes, fancy caramel apples, to pies, to soft-serve parfaits and smoothies, Melissa’s fare is a sweets seeker’s dream. And, oh! The buttercream!

I purchased royal iced cookies personalized for a co-worker’s birthday, as well as buttercream dahlia cupcakes. I usually don’t care for royal iced cookies, as they are often hard and the icing tasteless. Not so with the Cakin’ It cookies. They were soft, and had just the right amount of almond extract to

make them flavorful, and the icing was perfect: sweet, but not too sweet. And the cupcakes! They are not the ginormous, garish cupcakes offered elsewhere. They are small and delicate, and the cake – I purchased white – was so light and fluffy! The buttercream was rich, creamy, and above all, buttery and sweet without being cloying. I have since entrusted Cakin’ It with cakes and cookies for my grandchildren’s birthdays in early May.

After two sumptuous experiences, I wanted to know more about this young woman who practices such sweet alchemy. Melissa lives in Hulbert, is married to Larry, and between them they are raising five boys. Four they have together: Seth, William, Lance and Ethan, and then, there’s Melissa’s eldest son, Wyatt. She has been a stay-at-home mom for the past seven years, and began her baking journey about 14 years ago.

“I’m a self-taught baker,” she said. “I actually learned for my boys. I start-

The Cakin’ It food truck can be found at the Food Truck Park on Basin Street.

Lemon pie from the Cakin’ It food truck.

ed making their birthday cakes, then [items] for friends and family, and it has grown from there.”

I couldn’t imagine making the vast offerings at Cakin’ It while taking care of a husband and five boys. I had to ask, “When do you sleep?”

Melissa said it’s complicated at times.

“I do have days I only get a few hours of sleep,” she said. “Baking and decorating is very time-consuming. So, if I look rough, just know I was up late making someone’s cake dream come alive.”

Melissa honed her techniques by herself, practicing sugar work and confectioner skills at home. She makes beautiful floral items, as well as novelty items featuring Wonder Woman, SpongeBob, Peeps, and many others.

“I learned most of my skills from watching videos, and I can almost always look at something and just repeat it,” she said. “I love [the] creative freedom when it comes to my sugar art. I love everything about baking and decorating. It is my passion.”

Ultimately, Melissa would like to have a shop, but believes the truck is her best option for now.

“I have always had a dream of opening a sweet shop,” she said. “I chose a food truck because I figured it would be

the easiest way to share around the area. I have been looking around to move into brick-and-mortar, but decided to wait until the end of the year and see what happens.”

Cakin’ It often shares space at the Food Truck Park on Basin Street with another amazing truck: The FryBread Factory, a Cherokee Nation TERO-certified business. This truck specializes in savory Native frybread creations, including Cherokee tacos, Southwest tacos, cheeseburger pockets, Southwest pockets, frybread, and frybread with honey. The Frybread Factory is owned and operated by tribal citizens William and Annette Luethje, of Stilwell.

I first discovered The Frybread Factory on DoorDash. I have sampled both the Cherokee taco and the Southwest taco, and both were incredibly tasty! All the ingredients, from the seasoned ground beef to the diced Roma tomatoes, were fresh and delicious.

According to William, the couple began their enterprise back in 2017, working the powwow and festival circuit. William said it was seasonal and parttime, and they worked under a canopy outdoors. The Fry Bread Factory was named National Indian Taco Champions in 2017, and the couple proudly dis-

play the winning pennant on the front of their truck, which they purchased in 2019.

As with many folks in the catering and food truck industry, it began as what’s commonly known as a side hustle.

“I worked at Baldor [motor plant] over in Stilwell, but quit last May to run the FryBread Factory full time in May,” William said.

He said the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma allowed them to set up shop at the UKB’s float operation “Echota Floats” on the Illinois River, and they gained popularity locally.

The Luethjes do a fair amount of catering, including numerous group and departmental dinners for the Cherokee Nation.

“The biggest job we’ve had, by far, was providing all the fry bread for the [Cherokee Nation] chief’s inauguration this past summer,” William said. “We prepared 2,000 pieces of frybread. I had to assemble a team for that one.”

After experiencing success in Tahlequah, the Luethjes decided to relocate to The Food Truck Park on Basin street.

William offered a bit of advice to those looking to go into the food truck business.

“Do your homework,” he said. “There are a lot of licenses, fees, and equipment that you don’t necessarily think about.

The Frybread Factory at the Food Truck Park on Basin Street.

William and Annette Luethje, owners of the Frybread Factory food truck.

It’s important to pay attention to pricing, too. The big chains can make centson-the-plate profits, because they’re big, and work on volume. Pricing is different for smaller operations and you have to take care to always have some money put back. You never know when something’s going to break and have to be repaired or replaced.”

The Luethjes source ingredients locally, including meat from the Cherokee Nation’s 1839 Meat Co. They like to showcase their skills, and recently had weekend specials featuring hog fry dinners and pockets, and wild onion dinners. The wild onion dinners were featured Saturday, March 9, and were gone within an hour.

William said area folks seem to enjoy their products, and he’ll keep dishing up his menu until the customers tell him to do something different.

You can tell by the quality of their food that the couple love what they do and the customers who seek out their fare.

Melissa, of Cakin’ It, as well as William, enjoy the camaraderie they’ve developed working together at the park.

Melissa and William both believe it’s important to support small businesses, and they often share food.

“The Frybread Factory is amazing,” Melissa said. “Best Cherokee tacos around. They are a super-sweet couple as well, always so kind to me and the boys. I absolutely love being beside them at the food truck park. I love supporting small businesses and sharing their items. I do think our food complements each other’s. People can get lunch or dinner from them and come see me for dessert.”

Both businesses cater and take custom orders, and are well worth checking out. You won’t be disappointed.

Look into it

You can find Cakin’ It on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cakinitbakery. Owner Melissa Cobb-Cote regularly posts her availability on Facebook, and is at the Food Truck Park on Basin, 1002 Basin Avenue, in Tahlequah. You can also reach her by calling 918-316-3808.

You can find the Frybread Factory on Facebook at www.facebook. com/fortheloveoffrybread from noon to 6 p.m., Friday through Monday at the Food Truck Park on Basin, 1002 Basin Avenue in Tahlequah, on DoorDash, or by calling 918-316-9332, or emailing frybreadfactory@gmail.com.

Meet the Author

Teddye Snell worked for TDP for 14 years, starting as copy editor, then staff writer, working her way up to news editor before accepting a position as public relations consultant with the Council of the Cherokee Nation. She’s served in that capacity for nine years.

Power couple, brain power

Mindset is key to success for Jon and Brittany Bloodworth

By Nancy Garber

Follow either of them on social media, and prepare for a dose of daily motivation.

Jon and Brittany Bloodworth encourage people to stretch the boundaries that hold them back from achieving potential. Think “power couple” – not just as influencers, but in terms of strength, both physically and mentally.

“I exist to give people the knowledge – or curse – that they are capable of so much more. I am here to give people a more powerful mindset,” Jon said.

Last summer, he was named director of the Northeastern State University Fitness Center, where he continues to spearhead improvements. Brittany serves as administrative assistant to the Tahlequah Public Schools superintendent.

The two hail from Hugo, in southeastern Oklahoma. They met in high school 20 years ago, when he was 18 and she 16, and were married 12 years ago.

“He caught my eye one morning in the cafeteria with his big personality,” Brittany recalled, saying she was drawn to Jon because he was “not afraid to be himself.”

“I consider myself a country girl,” said Brittany, who loved riding horses and “mud-doggin’ on a four-wheeler” while growing up.

“I have never turned away from hard work and getting my hands dirty,” she said.

Jon dealt with adversity in his youth, which shaped the person he would be-

come. After his parents divorced, he watched as his mother’s drug abuse led to a short prison sentence. Today, she is drug-free. Meanwhile, he found a safe haven with his father, a hard worker who loved the outdoors but battled issues of his own.

“Although I wouldn’t wish my childhood traumas on my worst enemy, I’m also aware it helped me become a man of perseverance. I often ask myself how I turned left instead of right, to zig instead of zag,” he said. “The people in my life became reverse role models. I saw how angry, sad, depressed, out of shape they were and decided to do everything in my power to become the opposite.”

But he lacked proper guidance in his life.

“I tried and failed and tried and learned and grew from that learning until I forged the person I wanted to be,” Jon said.

Their hand-in-hand approach to life and marriage comes down to one word: trust.

“If I tell Brittany I’m going to run 100 miles, she doesn’t question my logic. She asks what she can do to help. And likewise, if she’s undergoing a physical challenge, or a level up with her job. We simply have a level of trust that inspires each other to attempt very hard things,” Jon said.

Brittany and Jon Bloodworth are teammates in a partner workout for Tahlequah FitRanX.

For example, Brittany recently completed her first ultramarathon.

“It was a 50-mile race with over 5,000 feet of elevation inside a 15-hour window. That’s incredibly hard, especially for someone who isn’t necessarily a runner,” Jon said.

Previously, her longest was a 20-mile training run.

“My advice was to commit herself to never quitting. Even if the time limit expires, never die sitting in a chair, wondering if you can take another step. If you’re going to lose, lose out on the trail fighting for every step. She didn’t lose. She finished the race.”

Brittany agrees that trust is key.

“I am a big-picture thinker, so I try to zoom out and see if choices I am making in the moment are conducive to my goals,” she said. “My mantra is that my best can always be better. Jon and I both have this outlook. We always want to keep striving for growth and ways to better ourselves, because we live life to the fullest and are obligated to those who will not get the chance.”

People might wonder why the couple put themselves through such rigorous challenges.

“We do it for the exponential growth that you receive mentally and physically to show others around us you can try harder,” Brittany said. “You can sign up for that run, you have the courage to pitch that creative idea at work, you can eat healthier, you can go to the gym on a schedule and make it work. Just have the mindset to make a plan and stick with it and the results will come.”

a healthy body will also take you to the steps needed to forge a healthy mind. This is the mantra my team follows: Winning is encouraged. Failing is possible. Quitting is unacceptable. Apply that logic to anything in life from business to marriage, and you will find yourself stronger than you ever believed,” Jon said.

“They rent it, and rent is due every single day.”

- Jon Bloodworth

Mindset isn’t one thing; it’s the only thing, Jon stressed.

“If you can find it in your mind to not quit, every decision suddenly becomes so much clearer. Mindset isn’t something you ‘get,’ it’s something you have to forge daily,” he said.

Perseverance is something you reimmerse yourself in every day, like taking a shower, he said.

“No one owns a strong mindset. They rent it, and rent is due every single day,” he said.

The first step is to work on the body.

“The process and discipline to create

Staying motivated themselves is also a matter of discipline.

“At age 37, I have plenty of ‘coaches’ in my life via social media,” Jon said.

He enjoys reading the authors James Clear and Naval Ravikant, and recommends these podcasts: Modern Wisdom with Chris Williamson and Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu.

“These are life-changing and they are free,” he said.

Brittany is a fan of the writer Brianna West, whom she quotes: “It is very hard

to show up as the person you want to be when surrounded by an environment that makes you feel like a person you aren’t.”

She makes a point to surround herself with likeminded people.

“My crew have strong mindsets and big goals because we never want to place the ceiling of what we think we are capable of too low,” she said.

Another favorite influencer is David Goggins. She cites the quote that keeps her moving in a race: “Pain unlocks a secret doorway in the mind, one that leads to both peak performance and beautiful silence.”

She recalls feeling pain creeping in, gnarling at her during a recent race.

“Your mind would try to stop you, but you know you have more and so you push,” Brittany said. “After every push, I indeed had more. I would find more energy, and the pain would retreat and the mind would be clear again. People are capable of so much more than they think.”

Jon is inspired by the story of the buffalo that have learned not to flee from a storm.

“Run away, and you spend more time inside the storm. Instead, the buffalo have learned to run into the storm because it will pass quicker,” he said. “On the other side are fresh grass and clean water. Obstacles are not in your way; they are your way.”

Not surprisingly, the couple’s idea of relaxation is to keep working on their goals – living their best life and helping others do the same. Though both enjoy their time together at home with their dogs, reading a good book, listening to an inspiring podcast, or taking a nature hike, neither feels the need to “unwind.”

“I don’t take vacations,” Jon said. “I love my life and mission so much that to be away from it is torture.”

Meet the Author

Brittany and Jon Bloodworth flex inside of Jack Dobbins Fieldhouse after a tough workout.

Nancy Garber is a former member of the TDP news and advertising teams and retired director of Communications and Marketing at NSU. She is an independent writer and photographer.

People and pets

Pets have been a cornerstone of life since humans began domesticating animals over 15,000 years ago, beginning with dogs, then larger creatures like goats, sheep, and cows around 11,000 years ago. At this point, domestication is not only to make farming and hunting easier, but serves as a pathway to further our connection and companionship with these animals. Whether they have feathers, fur, or scales, these pets will always be there for their humans.

Spencer Bendabout and Apollo, 1-1/2 years, pit bulldog.

Jill Herrlein and Teddy, 12-year-old Yorkie.

Stephani Bayhylle and Pharaoh, 8, Labrador Retriever/King Shepherd mix.

Haleigh Howe and Bridger, 1, mini schnauzer.

Teagan Snow and Odin, 9 weeks old, mini schnauzer.

Lavender Newton and Chedder.

Jacob Bowling and William, 18, Scottish terrier and miniature pinscher mix.

Chelli Asbill and family, and Velvet, 2, Pomeranian.

Kristina Fanning and Sven, 6, Great Dane.

Mandy Dodd and Rascal, 6, Alaskan shepherd mix.

Paola Zea and Lady, 10, cocker spaniel.

Katie Horn and Gus.

Mac Eckert and Goldie, 15, Appaloosa; Jennifer Provence and Diamond, 15, Thoroughbred.

Provence family and Gator, 12, Golden Retriever; Corso, 12, mix; Star, 2, Golden Retriever; and Rio, 2, Golden Retriever.

Evolution of the law

Former district attorney remembers pivotal case, and how a high court ruling changed our world

By Greg Combs

On an early Wednesday in December 1981, a visitor to our city decided to get cash at the Tahlequah Savings & Loan down on Water Street.

Remember that institution? It operated for several years from a sturdy bank building, now home to the Cherokee Gaming Commission. It has covered employee parking. Great idea.

Not a regular TSL customer, the visitor was in from the Dakotas. Around noon, wearing a ski mask and wielding a shotgun, he menaced those in the bank, grabbed whatever cash he could, then left in a gold-colored car. None were injured, but it was a dangerous, startling event.

Tahlequah’s financial institutions were located exclusively downtown back then. It was said among law enforcement types, prosecutors and lawyers, merchants, the alert public, and by more than a few of those bent to criminality that ”no one’s going to rob a bank in Tahlequah. Cops are everywhere.”

Indeed. State and federal agents, troopers, deputies and police, joined by wardens, patrolmen, inspectors, investigators, marshals, officers, reserves, a mounted patrol and eagle-eyed locals supported by “scannerland,” were omnipresent and together breathed life into the belief.

Our robber proved its truth. Later that afternoon, he and three companions were spotted drinking beer in a gold-colored car on Downing Street. They were stopped, the cash found, and a confession taken

within four hours. After a delay due to his jail escape and his other area prosecutions, a Cherokee County jury found the thief guilty of robbery with a firearm. The recommended penalty of 37 years confinement was duly imposed.

The case had been on my mind. Easing into a comfortable chair at a counsel table in one of the busiest courtrooms in eastern Oklahoma recently, I watched lawyers ply their trade as clerks and bailiffs shuttled in and out, and prosecutors worked stacks of files. A district judge presided, she being a Cherokee Nation magistrate overseeing the busy room.

It was a criminal docket call, known well by all in the crimi -

nal justice system. Academicians have given this collective the name “Courtroom Work Group.” These events are where much of the criminal justice sausage is made.

As the prosecutor who handled or assisted in that robbery case until it was upheld on appeal seven years later, I am awed at the evolution. It was not the facts that brought the case to mind, or the robber’s escape, nor was it his trial. It wasn’t the lawsuits (mine was for $200 million) he pressed against his judge, lawyer and his prosecutor. Those were dismissed.

No, it was that our robber was “one-half Assiboine and Sioux,” according to the record. And he wanted to be tried by Indians, like

Back row, from left: Jack Goss, Robert Raley, Jim Bone, Diana Fishinghawk, Sandy Crosslin, Mark Dobbins, and Greg Combs. Front row: Sherri Thompson, Sonja Glory, Lanette Garner. Mark, Sandy, Sonja and Sherri (now Combs) now work for Cherokee Nation.

up north on his reservation. The racial composition of the jury was a centerpiece of his lengthy appeal.

This had no meaning in Oklahoma. Courts had affirmed state criminal jurisdiction over Indians for more than a century. Countless had been charged, sentenced and/or executed by Oklahoma for crimes committed in these Indian nations in the east.

Four years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court, having analyzed the legal history of treaties, reservations, jurisdiction and a key federal Act, ruled in effect that Indians offending within parts of this state answer to tribal or federal courts, but no longer to Oklahoma state courts. This was the McGirt case, a Seminole offender appealing state punishment for a crime sited in the Muscogee Nation. The ruling later applied to lands reserved by Cherokee Nation.

Now, along halls awaiting Cherokee court, scores of Indian defendants, awaited their turn. It felt akin to Tulsa and Oklahoma City criminal dockets. Quickly the tribe has assumed a staggering criminal load. And now, Cherokee Nation and other eastern Oklahoma tribes are carving out their own procedures. Familiar faces of area courthouse veterans are instrumental in the process.

It is a remarkable transition in which the Nation filed in excess of 3,400 felonies and 3,800 misdemeanors in 2023. U.S. attorneys in Muskogee and Tulsa have been compelled to add more assistants to address their increased caseloads.

Today, the state prosecutor would not file our bank robbery case. Oklahoma would have no criminal jurisdiction in the matter. The Nation or the federal court at Muskogee would prosecute it. There is plenty to do for state’s attorneys, whose jobs are endless.

This turn of events was revolutionary, but it happened pretty much as set out here, and as to our corner of the world, it is the law of the land.

All or part of 14 counties are included in the Cherokee Nation Reservation as it pertains to criminal jurisdiction. Native Americans accused of offences within its boundaries are subject to prosecution by Cherokee Nation courts or those of the federal government. The State of Oklahoma prosecuted Indians for more than a century prior to court rulings that it lacked jurisdiction to do so.

Meet the Author

Greg Combs is a former reporter for the Pictorial Press. He was a state prosecutor in Texas and Oklahoma, a Cherokee Nation planner and staff attorney, and was elected District Attorney in 1990, after which he served Northeastern State University as the school’s attorney, as a dean, assistant dean and chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. He also taught law of the Press to NSU journalism students. He and wife Alicia live in Tahlequah.

Women at the helm

TPS is likely the only district in the state with an all-female board and superintendent

By Dana Eversole

The Tahlequah I-35 School District might just be the only one in the state run by a group of women.

The district boasts an enrollment of 3,600 students and employs 520 people, and Tanya Jones is at the helm. Jones, now finishing her second year as superintendent, has placed the best people in all the district’s roles. She is always looking for ways to improve sites and keep the district in great financial health.

Board members serve five-year terms, and for the first time in TPS history, the five-member board of education is made up of five females. The Oklahoma State School Boards Association does not retain demographics on genders, but I-35 is unique in many ways.

I’ll start with information about myself. I hold Seat 3. I ran unopposed in 2020 until 2023, when I ran unopposed again and was elected in 2023 until 2028.

I was covering the board meeting for the Daily Press – like I had off and on since 1988 – when board member Sharon Ballew announced she was moving and relinquishing her seat. I turned to Tanya Jones and told her Sharon represented my district, and I wanted to fill that seat. Tanya told Leon Ashlock, the superintendent at the time, and he called and talked to me. I was appointed and had to run for the seat three years later.

I have taught students all my life. I believe it is important to give back to the community, and serving on the school board is one of the ways I do that. Everything about public schools has changed since I attended or taught in a public high school. I would agree with others on the board that social media and cell phones are the biggest changes. I also see schools taking a more active role outside the classroom, with things like the backpack program and meals in the summer.

I grew up in Muskogee and received

my Bachelor’s in Journalism Education from NSU, my Master’s in Public Relations from Pittsburg State University, and my Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Oklahoma State University. I raised two adopted sons, both of whom graduated from Tahlequah. I was fortunate to serve as a PTA president at Cherokee and Tahlequah Middle School. I have taught at NSU for 35 years.

I called the OSSBA and asked about all-female boards in the state. I was told they do not keep that information. Many of the board members gone to regional and state meetings, and TPS is the only table I have seen with all females. I had the opportunity to serve with Brian Berry and Ed Myers, who were both exceptional board members. I covered the board as a TDP stringer for a while, and I believe the ladies I serve with have the best interest of the students and the district in their hearts.

But, judge for yourself!

Lorraine Walker holds Seat 1. She first ran in 2016 and served until 2021, when she ran again and was reelected to a term that ends in 2026. The main reason she ran for school board was to work to ensure student success.

“As a career teacher with 27 years in the classroom, I often felt the people making the decisions on the board room had no idea of the repercussions those decisions had in the classroom,” Walker said. “Every ruling from the board makes its way to the classroom and influences the academic effectiveness of the teaching-learning equation. So, giving a voice to teachers, students and parents allows me to uphold my commitment to academic achievement for all students.”

Walker said serving as spokesperson for all TPS stakeholders – and voicing their concerns to administrators, as well as to other board members – is her most important function.

“Listening to parents, teachers, stu-

Lincoln Johnson was honored by the TPS Board of Education for his debut at the New York Cabaret Convention with Jazz at Lincoln Center. Front row, from left, are: Lincoln Johnson and Holly Sisk. Back row: Stephanie Crawford, Shawn Coffman, TPS Superintendent Tanya Jones, Chrissi Nimmo, Lori Walker, and Dana Eversole.

dents, administrators, and community members – and hearing their worries and suggestions – informs every action I take,” Walker said. “External threats and technology are the two most intrusive changes in public schools since I was a student in the late ‘50s and ‘60s. Back then, guns on campus meant shotguns and rifles in the window racks of guys’ trucks in the parking lot. Neither students nor teachers lived in fear of armed intruders on campus. Also, students weren’t as aware of mature content as children are today, because the availability of such information was not at our fingertips. However, having spent 27 years teaching high school English, I learned kids are still kids, no matter the generation they grow up in, and they respond well to good instruction once a teacher has earned their trust.”

Walker believes in listening to the public.

“Listening to your constituents and remembering student learning is the primary mission of our school system, and this goal must be ever-present in your decision-making process. Also, you’re in for a heartwarming treat, because it’s inspiring to see all the activities and opportunities for learning TPS offers students,” she said.

Walker grew up in Tahlequah and describes herself as “Cherokee County-Tahlequah through and through,” though she was 2 when her parents, Cesaro and Norma Lombardi, moved their family here. A 1970 graduate of THS, she was a proud member of the 12-Year Club, beginning

her education at Sequoyah Elementary. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English Education and a Master of Arts in Literature from NSU.

She met her late husband, James Walker, at NSU, and the couple have three sons: Matthew, Andrew and John. All three are graduates of THS and are dentists in the area. Walker has 10 grandchildren, six of whom are students at TPS.

“Since retirement, I’m happiest when cooking for and gathering in my family for meals or spending time with my grandchildren, whether following their activities or picking them up from school,” she said. “However, retirement’s biggest bonus is I start each day with whatever book

I’m currently reading, accompanied by several cups of coffee – my definition of bliss. I also love to work in my yard and to garden, both of which are never-ending pursuits.”

Walker enjoys serving the community as a TPS board member.

“I think our free and open discussions allow us to govern seamlessly as an all-female board and make us more open to consensus and compromise,” Walker said.

Stephanie Crawford holds Seat 2. She was elected in 2022 and will serve until 2027. She ran for a seat on the board after retiring as a teacher.

“After 28 years of teaching and raising kids in the district, I felt I could contribute to the success of our students,” Crawford said. “I loved teaching when I taught, and I love serving as a board member now. I pray every day that God will use me in my position.”

Crawford said she must be able to connect with stakeholders without bias and encourage all in the TPS family to rise to the apex of their abilities.

She has seen many changes in public schools since she was a student.

“The biggest difference would have to be reflected in the depletion of traditionally certified teachers,” Crawford said. “When I started teaching, finding a teaching position was difficult. Now, finding someone to fill the teaching position is difficult.”

According to Crawford, providing stu-

TPS administrators and board members recently visited the State Capitol. From left are: DeAnn Mashburn, Tanya Jones, Stephanie Crawford, and Lori Walker.

TPS student Bradley Turner competed in the Future Chefs competition. From left are: DeAnn Mashburn, Chrissi Nimmo, Bradley Turner, Tanya Jones, and Shawn Coffman.

Sara Estep is CareerTech Fundamentals of Technology and Administrative Technology teacher at TPS. She was honored by the Oklahoma Society for Technology and Education as Teacher of the Year.

a minor in accounting and a master’s in teaching English as a second or other language. She loves gardening, running or walking the dogs, reading, reading the Bible and relaxing with her family.

Crawford has only served with women on the board, and she feels comfortable with that.

Chrissi Nimmo, current board president, holds Seat 4. She first was elected in 2019 and ran unopposed in 2024. She will serve until 2029.

“These people are the most knowledgeable about the strengths and needs of their own schools. A lot of people have opinions about the right thing to do, but those most impacted by your decision-making are who should have your ear,” she said.

dents with the best education possible should be a board member’s only agenda. She has been married to Gary Don Crawford for 46 years, and they have two sons: Garrett, whom she describes as “with his Savior,” and Michael, 33. Michael recently became engaged to LaTasha Atcity and plans to marry in June. The Crawfords have three dogs. She holds degrees in journalism, sociology, teaching secondary English,

“The first time, there was an open seat and a friend called and asked me to run,” Nimmo said. “I am a product and supporter of public education and knew it was important to have an active and informed school board. Last December, I filed for my second five-year term because I believe we need school board members who not only put the best interests of students first, but who also support teachers, staff and administration – and our current board does.”

Nimmo said the board is limited in its role.

“Hiring the superintendent, approving the budget, and setting school policies. Our board is not, and should not be, involved in the day-today management of our district,” she said.

Nimmo said social media and cell phones are new to public schools since she was a student.

“Cell phones and social media pose [certain] dangers for students. Also, the politicization of public education. Both make learning and teaching more difficult.,” she said.

Nimmo said individuals thinking about running for school board in any district should listen to the experts: students, parents, teachers, staff and school administrators.

Nimmo has three children in the district. She has been married to Tulsa Fire Capt. Jim Ed Nimmo for 22 years. Their kids – twins Mattie and James, 9, and Emmy, 6 – all attend Cherokee Elementary School. She graduated from Warner High School, and has both a BA and an MBA from NSU, as well as a juris doctorate from the University of Tulsa College of Law. When the couple aren’t driving kids to activities, they like to spend time at their cabin on Lake Tenkiller. They also love live music, and she is an avid reader, going through more than 100 books last year.

Does an all-female board make a difference in governing?

“Other than making me proud, I don’t know that it makes a difference in governing, but it is interesting that statewide, in a profession still dominated by women, the leadership roles are still dominated by men. I am proud TPS is an exception,” Nimmo said.

Shawn Coffman, current vice president of the board, holds Seat 5. She ran unopposed in 2021 and will serve until 2026. She said several people encouraged her to run for the seat.

“I have a passion for students and educators and believe I can help make a difference by supporting them. I believe in quality public education and know that is what we are striving for at TPS,” she said.

Coffman said being a support for parents, students, district personnel and com-

Front row: Sara Estep. Back row: Stephanie Crawford, Shawn Coffman, TPS Superintendent Tanya Jones, Chrissi Nimmo, Lori Walker, and Dana Eversole.

Jones says job requires being a ‘servant leader’

By Dana Eversole

For almost two years, Tanya Jones has been blazing a trail to make the Tahlequah I-35 School District the best that it can be.

The TPS superintendent always has a smile on her face, looks like a million bucks, and loves what she does.

“She is out every morning, opening car doors to greet students and parents,” board member Shawn Coffman said. “She visits schools daily and has a presence within the community at events and school functions.

Jones was selected by the board two years ago to replace Leon Ashlock, who resigned to take a superintendent job in another district. At that time, the board was made up of four women and one man. Ed Myers decided not to run again, and helping fill the superintendent job was one of his last duties before leaving. Stephanie Crawford replaced him.

Jones hit the ground running and has not stopped. She said she faces challenges every day: “Time, money and not being

munity members is a role she sees as important.

“[I’m] a good listener and [enjoy] researching issues I am not knowledgeable about. I want every student to have the best education possible to be a successful adult,” said Coffman.

Like Nimmo, she believes changes in technology are the biggest differences in public schools today.

“We did not have any type of technology or social media when I was in school,” she

able to be all things to all people at the same time.”

“To do this job well, you must be a servant leader. There are so many moving parts, and it is difficult to let someone down. There is no way to be at all events at the same time and be able to say ‘yes’ to things that everyone really needs. You must just do your very best every day and start over with the same attitude again each day,” Jones said.

Jones keeps the board informed of both the good and the bad.

“We all hear from her at least once a week, keeping us in the loop of the district,” Coffman said. “She is great about returning calls and texts.”

for each individual and to establish trust.”

Jones said the primary duties of a school board are to help create policy, approve the budget, hire and evaluate the superintendent, and help set the vision for the district.

Jones said communication is at the top of her list.

“I believe strong relationships create the best working environment with my school board members,” she said. “It is imperative to communicate in a manner that works best

said. “The only phones we had were connected to the wall. My parents found out what I did the night before by going to the grocery store or doughnut shop. I am sure that is where all parents congregated to compare notes. Class sizes were smaller, and I was a victim of corporal punishment upon several occasions – and my parents were all in.”

Coffman said running for a board seat means having an open mind.

“You have to be

What should people keep in mind when considering a run for the board?

“A school board member helps to shape the future of our community and world,” Jones said. “It is a big ask of someone for no monetary compensation. Your heart really just has to be there to love kids and those who educate them every day.”

Since being named TPS superintendent, Jones has received several awards. She was named District 11 OASA Superintendent of the Year in 2023, and this year was chosen as the Tahlequah Area Chamber of Commerce Hero of the Year. The I-35 district was also named the TACC Nonprofit of the Year. Jones was picked to serve as the grand marshal for the Christmas parade in 2023.

open-minded and not have an agenda. You need to listen more than you speak. Most importantly, do what is best for the students of TPS,” she said.

Coffman grew up in Owasso, where her parents owned the doughnut shop.

“My brother and I were required to work before school and on weekends,” Coffman said.

She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from NSU and her doctoral studies

Meet the Author

Dr. Dana Eversole is a professor of Media Studies and chair of the Department of Communication and Media Studies at Northeastern State University, where she begins her 35th year this fall. Eversole worked as news editor for the Daily Press for two years before taking the job at NSU. She has been a stringer throughout the years for the Press. During her tenure at the Press, she won many awards, including a Sweepstakes award for investigative reporting from the Oklahoma Associated Press. She was recently named Oklahoma Outstanding Journalism Educator by the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists. Eversole is serving her second term on the Tahlequah School Board.

are from OSU. She became the coordinator in 1997 for a nonprofit professional development program for educators that focuses on academic achievement and culture of respect: Great Expectations. She enjoys making decorated sugar cookies and being a travel adviser in her spare time. The most important title she holds is “Nawnie.”

“I have a lot of adopted children who are very special to me,” she said.

Coffman likes the board makeup and said the women work well together.

“We are all deep thinkers, smart, aware of challenges in education, and keep up with current policies. We work well together and talk though difficult issues. Everyone has one goal, and that is to make TPS stronger and better,” said Coffman.

Tanya Jones