HUGO — Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector, Cindy Byrd, was a special guest speaker Tuesday at the Hugo Rotary Club’s weekly meeting. Byrd, a native of Southeast Oklahoma (Coalgate), told the club members she always enjoyed returing to her home and found it a good way to stay “grounded.” “I’m rural,” she told Rotarians, adding that she was the first woman elected to this position as well as the first State Auditor who had personally worked in the department’s trenches, performing all of the types of audits that are routinely done.

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Don’t let carpenter bees get a foothold in your home where they can damage wood. One of the easiest ways to prevent carpenter bees from boring into your house is to capture them before they begin multiplying. Traps, like the TrapStik from Rescue!, lure in carpenter bees with appealing colors and patterns then trap them on a sticky surface. Just hang the weather-resistant, pesticide-free traps where carpenter bees are seen or holes can be found. Learn more at rescue.com/rescueyourhome.

Between spring cleaning and spending additional time outdoors (or both), the spring season can bring a lot of changes to your home. From insect prevention to rethinking home organization and adding style to your favorite spaces, it’s an opportunity to reimagine your living areas while planning ahead for potential problems.

Family Features –– Growing your own produce is an allaround smart practice, from the money you’ll save at the grocery store to the contributions you can make toward a cleaner planet. Maintaining a garden takes some effort, but it’s a project even a beginner can tackle with ease.