Looks like I exhausted my hangers-600 (more than 26 hours of walking the Ward) and nearly all my signs with 97 out, spoke to nearly a dozen groups, and one candidate forum. Ready for Tuesday night. I've done about all I can do in this campaign.:)

I'm official, the Freedom of Information Oklahoma (FOI) has accepted my OPEN GOVERNMENT PLEDGE! I'm the 10th signer of the pledge this year in my candidacy for Guthrie City Council, Ward I. By signing this pledge, I "uphold the inherent right of Oklahomans to know and be fully informed about their government."

See:  http://casb.okstate.edu/cas2/media/faculty/jsenat/foioklahoma/pledgesigners.html

Sorted by Jurisdiction, Office Sought & Candidate Jurisdiction Office Sought Candidate Elected Guthrie City Council Ward 1 Wood, John Jenks School Board Ward 3 Abdo, Melissa M. √ Norman Mayor Rosenthal, Cindy Norman Mayor Sherman, Thomas E. Norman City Council Ward 1 Heiple, Greg Norman City Council Ward 3 Castleberry, Robert Norman City Council Ward 7 Holman, Stephen Tyler Norman City Council Ward 7 Lockett, Linda Oklahoma City School Board Chair Hardin, Lynne √ Stillwater City Council Seat 2 Noble, Gina

Listened to an interesting talk yesterday and participated in a discussion thereafter on Leapfrogging: Harness the Power of Surprise for Business Breakthroughs at city hall. We had Guthrie employees and citizens talking about it. Great discussion with some smart folks:)

Taste and Tell 2013

Each year, members of the community gather for the annual Taste and Tell Cookoff. The NAACP hosts this event to celebrate Black History Month.

Evelyn Nephews, one of the event's lead organizers, explained the name during her remarks. They call it "Taste" because we come together to share some amazing food. They called it "Tell" because they depend on the attendees to tell their friends and neighbors to join in next year.

My wife Bonnie and I had a wonderful time. Great food, great people. We hope we see you there next year. 

John Wood runs for re-election: Guthrie Ward 1 City Councilman to file for second term

PRESS RELEASE

John R. Wood, Guthrie Ward 1 City Councilman, is running for re-election in 2013. Wood is concluding his first term as Councilman.

“It has been an honor to serve my community as Councilman this term,” Wood said. “I look forward to continuing to work with my neighbors to make Guthrie a hometown we are proud of.”

As a Ward 1 Councilman, Wood chairs the Streets Committee, where he has worked to allocate more than $200,000 to improve Guthrie roads. During Wood’s terms, the City Council also created the first known City-wide comprehensive strategic plan, established a rainy day fund from budget savings, and implemented a number of regional partnerships.

Wood was Cofounder and Vice Chair of the First Capitol Neighborhood Solutions, a group which promotes higher property values, lower crime and easier communication to city officials. He now serves on the board of the Highland Park Neighborhood Association.

Wood holds a Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University and teaches political science at Rose State College. He is a member of the Guthrie Noon Lions and the Logan Community Services Board. As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who served in the 1990 Gulf War, Wood is a member of the American Legion.

For more information about John Wood, his work for the City of Guthrie and his bid for City Council, visit woodforguthrie.blogspot.com.

Guthrie Art Walk-Nov. 10

All too often I hear people say there is nothing to do in a small town. Lucky for us, this isn't true of Guthrie.

Our wonderful festivals are just one of the many reasons my wife and I love calling Guthrie home. This weekend our historic downtown plays host to the semi-annual Guthrie Art Walk. Every fall and spring this festival spotlights artists in the businesses and galleries downtown.

Visitors from all over the state will flock to our town this weekend to take part in the fun. If you live in Guthrie, you’re lucky enough to have this festival in your own backyard. Join us from 4-8 pm and make the most of all our town has to offer. 

Election Day-Nov. 6

I'm sure you realize tomorrow is an election day. The Presidential Election is certainly the highest profile election we hold in our country. While I do hope each of you will get out and exercise your civic duty, I hope you realize too, that there are many local elections that have significant impact on our lives. 

You can visit the Logan County Election Board to learn more about how to register, polling places, early voting and local election dates. 

My lovely wife, Bonnie, arriving at our local polling place.