Remember those old time, aluminum drinking fountains? They were the tall ones that kept the water oh-so-cold. Who drinks out of a water fountain anymore? Bottled water seems to have all but ushered the drinking fountain to the curb.

But when I saw it on all three floors of the Harper County Courthouse Wednesday afternoon and heard its inviting hum, I couldn’t resist taking a few sips of “yesteryear”. It helped wash away the “today” that marked another somewhat dismal reminder that drugs like methamphetamine have changed the face, somewhat, of our otherwise warm communities.

Thankfully, in Harper County and the panhandle, we have law enforcement officers and a District Attorney who are aggressively moving to take back our little towns, which have been the target of those who think they can do business undetected. I look forward to an actual trial, something that can be hard to find in other areas these days. Deal making seems to have taken the place of a trial by one’s peers these days.

The culture of our small communities here in our beloved panhandle is interesting. We are somewhat like families - we know what is going on - don’t try to kid yourself.

No one is really getting past us with their shenanigans. But we, as a small town, accept, to a certain extent, the misdoings of each other because, like family, we sort of need those misdoings to discuss over coffee. Makes those of us who used to do stupid things that ended up on the “coffee table” for discussion, feel better that we now have either stopped doing those dumb things or are simply too old.

But there is a limit. Like any family, if your misdoings put others in danger or threaten the safety of our small town schools or children, then you must go.

That is what happened in Laverne. Harper County Sheriff Marty Drew heard those concerns from those who called and complained and decided it was time. Even he would lament, if you asked him, about the length of time that some of these alleged drug dealers had to set up shop and poison the community. But anyone who would criticize our law enforcement should take the time to visit the Harper County Court Clerk. Ask for a copy of those arrest warrant affidavits and give them read. It will help you understand the burden under which our law enforcement must operate in order to have a chance at convicting these guys.

I covered crime for a large city newspaper and I will tell you, these were the most complete, well organized stings of any I have written about in my journalism career and they were organized and managed by Harper County Undersheriff and lead investigator Derek Seevers and Sheriff Marty Drew.

Oh, those guys will, and rightly so, give a lot of credit for the success to all the other law enforcement officers who played a role, including those small town police departments, including Beaver, Alva, Buffalo and Laverne. But I for one, am impressed by our law enforcement community out here and hope to see more of the same kind of dedication. It would be nice if the larger news organizations would actually be forced to come out and cover us for something other than drug busts, wild fires or tornadoes wouldn’t it?

I think it is time for Laverne to be in the news because it has the best grilled onion and jalepeno burger at the most family oriented pub in northwest Oklahoma. I think it is high time that someone come out and see the number of vehicles at the cafe in town and stop in for lunch and test the fried chicken strip basket. Isn’t it time for some city reporter guy, whose tag is out on his vehicle to stop by the single nicest tag lady in the state of Oklahoma and buy his tag there?

And finally, how bout writing about one of the finest and most honest vehicle repair guys around?

Laverne has everything that makes a small town feel safe and makes you feel wanted and appreciated. So is it time for those things to get into the news?

I say yep.



Rachael Van Horn is the editor of the Woodward News Boomtown magazine.