The Choctaw Nation Wildlife Conservation team will host a Q&A session on the recently signed Wildlife Reciprocity Agreement. With big game hunting season beginning on Oct. 1, the team would like to explain the agreement and answer any questions.

• Empowering students to ‘spend life wisely’ HUGO –– First United Bank announces the successful launch of the First United Bank Pillar Academy, an innovative Youth Leadership Program aimed at immersing students in the principles of “Spend Life Wisely.” With a strong commitment to community impact and empowering the next generation, First United Bank’s Pillar Academy will provide real-life resources through its four pillars to 12 juniors from Soper, Fort Towson and Hugo High Schools. The Pillar Academy program encompasses First United Bank’s core pillars.

Joshua 2 Rahab and the Spies 1 Then Joshua son of Nun secretly sent two spies from Shittim. “Go, look over the land,” he said, “especially Jericho.” So they went and entered the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there.

Firstfruits and Tithes 1 When you have entered the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance and have taken possession of it and settled in it, 2 take some of the firstfruits of all that you produce from the soil of the land the Lord your God is giving you and put them in a basket.

With 50 days remaining before the November national elections, political rhetoric continues to ratchet into the red. It’s interesting that out here in the Heartland, most significant state races are already decided, as incumbents often do not draw opponents.

OKLAHOMA CITY — The office of U.S. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) is accepting applications for service academy nominations to four of the five service academies: the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.; the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, M.D.; the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo.; and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. The fifth service academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., does not require a congressional nomination for appointment.

In a show of support for the 125th Anniversary of the VFW, fellow VFW members Reps. Derrick Van Orden and Chris Deluzio, and Marine veteran and House Committee on Veterans’Affairs Chairman Mike Bost have announced a concurrent resolution recognizing Sept. 29, 2024 as “Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Day.”

• New formula contract effective October 2024 The Oklahoma Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program will be transitioning from Gerber to Similac brand contract infant formulas. All WIC programs in the US are required to have a formula contract in place for cost containment purposes.

Choctaw Nation Health Services Association (CNHSA) was one of two organizations awarded the prestigious Oklahoma Quality Foundation (OQF) State Quality Award. The award recognizes organizations dedicated to achieving performance excellence using the Baldridge Excellence Framework, a proven system helping organizations fulfill their missions, enhance results, and increase competitiveness.

Ruthie Mae (Hall) Smith, of Oklahoma City, formerly of Hugo, passed away Sept. 13, 2024, at the age of 78.