Credit card swipeflation is quietly making back-to-school shopping more expensive
Hidden credit card fees hurt consumers and small businesses alike. By TOM CHAPMAN Right now, families across Nebraska and the country are working through back-to-school lists — backpacks, shoes, supplies, the works. The National Retail Federation estimates families will spend almost $900 on back-to-school shopping this season, up 10% from last year. What few if any of those receipts will […]
COMMENTARY: Rising energy prices show why Oklahoma needs more energy — not restrictions
Limiting any energy source today could hurt consumers and landowners tomorrow By CHARLIE KOLEAN Oklahomans don’t need another reminder that energy prices matter. Conflict in the Middle East has pushed oil prices upward, sending gasoline prices up almost a dollar a gallon in Oklahoma since February and reminding everyone how quickly global conflicts can ripple through energy markets. At the […]
COMMENTARY: Oklahoma should expand energy supply, not restrict it
Legislative proposals to restrict new wind energy sources are a step backward. We need more of all forms of energy to lower energy bills and grow the economy. By LARRY WARD Oklahoma has long been proud of its identity as an energy state. From oil and natural gas to wind and solar, the state has helped power American prosperity for […]
Don’t Let the Credit Card Grinch Steal Your Year-End Charitable Contributions
By KAREN HARNED December is when Americans do the most good in the shortest amount of time. Nearly one-third of all charitable giving happens this month, with 10 percent occurring in the last three days. Nonprofit leaders will tell you that the final week of the year can determine whether they meet their annual goals. If you’re looking to maximize […]
Local decision makers have history of supporting property rights, but question land usage for solar
Ada County has the potential to unlock economic growth through solar energy development, but a proposed zoning ordinance discouraging solar development on farmland would effectively prevent landowners from leasing their land for solar use. The debate currently embroiling Ada County is between local supporters of solar energy development and county decisionmakers. Landowners and neighbors say the zoning ordinance is a […]