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Jonny’s Gifts
When I met Jonny Skye , the Peoria tribal citizen, she allowed LEAD to choose one of her paintings to visually represent this year’s Tar Creek Conference, only to discover the title “It is in the Water” would also serve as our theme. The other paintings needed to be seen and I was pleased when she agreed to allowing us to host an art show for the public. Downtown Miami came to life one night this week at the time most towns close up. LEAD Agency held space open to the public
leadagency
5 days ago3 min read


Reflecting on the 27th Tar Creek Conference
Earlier this month, LEAD Agency held our 27th National Environmental Tar Creek Conference on Oct. 7, 8 and 9 at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami.
To kick off this year’s conference, on October 4 we co-hosted an inaugural disc golf tournament, the Tar Creek Open, at the Veterans Memorial Disc Golf Course, located near Tar Creek in what used to be a residential neighborhood before residents were forced to move due to repeated flooding. It’s been our dream for many

Kim Barker
Oct 223 min read


The Project: What’s in the Air in Your House
The investigation of what’s in the air inside homes in Miami, OK in the far NE corner of Oklahoma is based on a discovery made 28 years ago.
A family moved into a home in a nice neighborhood, moving from a state that required childhood blood lead testing, both testing negative. After living in their home only 6 months 2 of the children tested positive. Upon investigating the playroom, the air vent cover was lifted and the HVAC duct had deteriorated and what seemed like gr

Rebecca Jim
Oct 123 min read
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The Great Conjunction
“Justice is calling people to action,”

Rebecca Jim
Feb 183 min read


Having Humility
My parents made some life-long friends on a bus trip back to the Cherokee Homelands in the 1970’s. The trip took the group to see some of...

Rebecca Jim
Feb 63 min read


My friend, too
The magic Jill created, I bet she did it for you, and I would imagine we will be telling “Jill” stories for years to come.

Rebecca Jim
Dec 27, 20244 min read


Wood for the fire
We always heard that wood warms you 3 times, to cut it, stack it and then to finally burn it

Rebecca Jim
Dec 16, 20243 min read


Matt Black Came
We will have all felt his intentions both visually as well as spiritually are true. His photographs stem from the enduring legacy of the Gre

Rebecca Jim
Dec 2, 20243 min read


Boarding School Drop Out
Myself I am the product of a boarding school experience. What happened there put me on the road to become a school counselor.

Rebecca Jim
Nov 4, 20244 min read


This Little Tick of Mine
The Black Angus cattle with the yellow ear tags have been looking at me. The image is of one of Louise Arnold’s oil paintings entitled...

Rebecca Jim
Apr 12, 20243 min read


What if it Mattered?
I have been so very proud of your actions to write to FERC and let them know how you feel and tell them YOU DO NOT want to FLOOD! Your...

Rebecca Jim
Apr 9, 20243 min read


Bearing Witness
During the summer of 1964 Freedom Riders trained at Western University, which is now the white bricked portion of Miami University. It...

Rebecca Jim
Mar 5, 20244 min read


Western Union
Stories, we are all full of them. A number of years ago, my mother’s youngest sister drove to Oklahoma to visit us at the Big Pasture,...

Rebecca Jim
Mar 1, 20244 min read


Heat for the Cold
I have been waking up in a whole new world. The shift is real. The change just settling in with me. The struggle to be warm during these...

Rebecca Jim
Jan 30, 20243 min read


That’s Nuts!
The freezing nights were followed by the sudden drop of the walnut leaves, not singles, but frons laid out as if they had ended the poker...

Rebecca Jim
Nov 27, 20233 min read


Grandmas’ Letters
Morning came and I went looking for a letter one of my grandmothers had written me. It was easy. There in the closet on the shelf in the...

Rebecca Jim
Jul 24, 20233 min read
Who Done It?
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou This town has...

Rebecca Jim
Nov 21, 20224 min read
The Bridge
"Action is the bridge between thoughts and reality" ~ Richie Norton I'd like there to be a future. Of course there will be a future,...

Rebecca Jim
Oct 30, 20223 min read


Words
Not everyone can put together a book of poetry about a place. It takes time and relationships with the land, the water, the individuals...

Rebecca Jim
Apr 14, 20223 min read


Your Story
You, your words, your life experiences and your unique view of the place where you live are and have always mattered, but have too seldom...

Rebecca Jim
Apr 5, 20223 min read
Designing our Future
Niall Kirkwood is a designer. He teaches at the Harvard School of Design. Twelve of his Masters level landscape studio students will...

Rebecca Jim
Feb 9, 20223 min read
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