To the Editor:

Each year, hundreds of thousands of animals end up in shelters nationwide. In Oklahoma, thousands are sheltered for a variety of reasons: some are abandoned; some are lost and some are given up by owners who no longer feel they are able to care for the pet.

When these animals aren’t taken in by another loving home, they are almost always put to death.

It’s 2015. In the past decade, the college has come a long way in many areas. Among other things, we have an amazing new theater, the best in computers for student use and some of the best science labs in the nation.

However, one thing that hasn’t changed is the quality of the hot line food served in the cafeteria.

I’ve been a student here at OCCC for a couple of semesters. Overall, I’ve been happy here, but I recently heard that President (Paul) Sechrist will be leaving this year.

To the Editor:

During the Stalinist Era it was dangerous to have opinions that varied from the established Party line. History was falsified to make it fit. Let us not do that in this country. We have wronged Native peoples enough without making up things.

“Redskins” does not refer to scalping. Vine Deloria Jr., the long-time authority in the American Indian Movement, and a successful Native American scholar, author, attorney, and philosopher, published “God Is Red” in 1972, and the book is now universally considered a classic on Native American spiritually.

To the Editor:

The Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art is hosting the exhibition, “From Tusks to Treasures: Ivory from the Milligan-Kirkpatrick Collection,” until Oct. 26.

This exhibition illustrates the beauty and intricacy of ivory carving. While most of the carvings in this exhibition are Asian, some are European and a few are of African origin. These carvings include figures, boxes, puzzle balls and even a sword.

The soft, lustrous beauty of ivory has been appreciated since prehistoric times, with some of the world’s earliest sculpture crafted from the material. A product derived from teeth, it is most often from tusked animals such as elephants and wild pigs, or marine mammals such as walrus and narwhals. Some other large-toothed animals such as hippos and camels provide “teeth media” but ivory is most often used in context with tusks.

To the Editor:

“My goal is to not eat in the OCCC cafeteria again until a different vendor takes over. While most people might complain about higher prices, that is not among mine. Rarely does the cost of anything go down except for maybe some electronics. I don’t begrudge CMCo a profit; no legitimate business loses money intentionally. The Consolidated Management Company website claims to provide friendly, fresh, fit foodservice. I say they fail on all counts.

To the Editor:

The Oklahoma State Department of Health has received confirmation that enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is circulating and causing respiratory illness in Oklahoma. Although enteroviruses are a common cause of respiratory illness, EV-D68 is a relatively rare type of enterovirus in the U. S. EV-D68 has been confirmed in 11 other states, including Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado.

I recently joined the Advocates of Peace club. I was excited to not only get volunteer and leadership experience, but also to build my academic portfolio.

I arrived early at my first meeting to get a good seat (like any good student would). I assumed with the population of our school, if even a fraction of the student body showed up, I would want to get there early.

Oklahomans are familiar with the toll disasters can bring in just moments. These disasters can often be life-changing and cause residents to react with additional stress and anxiety. When emergencies occur, it’s also important to remember the impact disasters have on children and youth.

In observance of National Preparedness Month this September, the Oklahoma State Department of Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Service encourages parents to help reduce the effect of disasters on children by doing a few simple things.

The Y is looking for great ideas to turn into community service projects as part of its third-annual “My Fresh Page” project. The Y will award a total of $20,000 to bring community service projects to life and encourages individuals across the greater Oklahoma City area to submit ideas that will help uplift local communities.

Giving back and providing support to our neighbors is a vital part of the Y’s commitment to social responsibility. Across the country, the Y offers opportunities to volunteer, advocate and support programs that strengthen community.