How to de-clutter your Facebook news feed and never miss an important post

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Are you social media savvy?

You may think so, and you may be wrong.

The internet is an ever-changing landscape. A nightmare for those who are not technologically inclined, a headache for those who feel obligated to keep plugged in with friends and family, and a rewarding frontier for a new generation of entrepreneurs and activists.

Never in the history of the world has it been so easy to stay informed. But just like you can't browse a library properly without knowing the Dewey Decimal System, you can't browse the web properly without learning its language. 

Did you know that even if you “like” a page on Facebook, you might never see it in your News Feed?

There was a time when everyone you added as a friend, and every page you liked, showed up in your news feed. The stories were arranged with the most recent posts at the top of your feed, and the further you scrolled, the older they got.

That was a simpler time.

Nowadays it’s a lot harder to see what you want to see, and avoid what you don’t want to see. 

The internet no longer simply conveys information, it also collects information.

Facebook, Gmail, Twitter, YouTube, and all the other sites that you participate in are all collecting information on you. Everything you click on, everything you type, everything you read or listen to, is all going into storage. They analyze it, figure out what your hobbies, interests, and favorite foods are, and they market their information accordingly. They know your age, your location, your gender, and more.

So when Harper’s Hut decides to “promote” a post about their car show, Facebook will target people who are most likely to attend a car show. If you like pages that relate to cars, if you’ve ever made a status update about cars, then it’s very likely that the Hut's post will appear on your news feed multiple times before the event.

But Facebook doesn't just target the car lovers. Remember when you tweeted “anything fun and free going on in Sand Springs this weekend?” Facebook remembers, and they’ve got the answer for you.

On one hand, this can be a great way to keep up with what really matters to you.

Sure you liked your uncle’s page about homemade bracelets, but do you really care to see them every day? No, you don’t like bracelets. They’re bulky and get in your way while you’re working at the computer all day. But you love necklaces, and thanks to Facebook’s Orwellian tactics, you now know all about the upcoming sale on Summer Ellis jewelry at Ashton’s Boutique. 

But there’s a flip side.

Too much of the same information creates an echo chamber. You shared a cat video, so Facebook knows you like cats, so they show you more cats, and the cycle continues. Because they only ever show you cat videos, they’re completely unaware that your favorite animal is the capybara, and you’re wondering why capybara videos never show up on your feed.

So how do you control your news feed?

The first and easiest step to controlling what you see, is to make sure you have “liked” and “followed” the pages you want to view.

Morgan Miller, a partner at Sandite Pride News, surprised the rest of our staff when she liked our Facebook page two years after she was already an administrator. She assumed that because it showed up on her feed all the time that she had already liked the page. The reason it showed up on her feed all the time was because of how many of her Facebook friends were liking and sharing our posts.

While Facebook can be very helpful, its primary purpose is to be profitable.

In order to push businesses to spend money promoting their posts, Facebook limits the likelihood of stories naturally occurring in your news feed. However, you can work around this.

Firstly, don’t be like Morgan. If you don’t want to miss a post from a certain page, make sure you actually have liked it.

Secondly, check your “following” settings. You can like your mom’s home daycare page so she stops nagging you, but you can also “Unfollow” it so you don’t have to see her daily updates on what snacks the kids are getting before nap time.

There are two “following” settings, and the “Default” setting is what I previously described to you. You may see some posts, you may see no posts. It depends on what your interests are, and on whether or not that page is willing to spend money with Facebook. But you can also change your setting to “See First,” so that all of that page’s posts end up in your feed.

Thirdly, you can subscribe to notifications from the pages you are interested in. There are numerous settings for what you want to get notified of. You can receive notifications for All Posts, Events, Offers, and Live Videos.

So make sure you never miss another post from Sandite Pride News! See our posts first or subscribe to updates to make sure you always know whats going on in our town.

Here's ten recent stories you may have missed if you didn't have your notifications turned on!

  1. Sandite Pride releases 2017 Sand Springs Wrestling magazine
  2. State Senator Dan Newberry resigns seat to pursue professional promotion
  3. City of Sand Springs announces firework permit sales from June 12 to July 4
  4. Most-Anticipated Summer Blockbusters of 2017
  5. Sand Springs musician Hannah Rose releases More Than Conquerors EP and music video
  6. Longtime Sandite Coach/Athletic Director Cecil Hankins to be inducted into OBCA Hall of Fame
  7. CPHS Basketball: Holly Kersgieter receives offer from Oklahoma State University
  8. Three Sand Springs fishing teams qualify for National Championship
  9. Sandite of the Week: Daton Fix qualifies for World Championship in Finland
  10. Sand Springs wrestlers compete at Dual Nationals, place 4th with Team Oklahoma

To the people of Sand Springs, from City Council candidate Christine Hamner

/ Sand Springs City Hall/

Photo courtesy of Amber Clark Photography.

Hello neighbor,

I'm running for City Council for Ward 4 and wanted to reach out again to ask for your vote on February 14th. One of the central goals of my campaign has been to meet and connect with as many community members as possible. I started walking neighborhoods in late December, knocking on doors to hear directly from you about issues that are important in our community. As a result of those efforts, neighbors have shared the following needs for our city: a recycling program, more retail development, more sit down restaurant options, and better safety and signage for our busiest streets in the district. Your vote would allow me to be your representative at the city to make sure your voice, concerns, ideas, and solutions are heard.

For those of you I have not been able to connect with yet, here is a little more information about me. My husband Clint and I have been married for 10 years and we have one daughter, Paisley. I hold two master's degrees in educational leadership and counseling, both from Northeastern State University. Additionally, I have a bachelor's degree in psychology and sociology from Rogers State University. I have worked in the field of human services for the last 11 years providing services and advocating for those within the social service community. I am a clinical supervisor at a foster care agency and hold two professional licenses in the state of Oklahoma. I am inspired by my work in helping others build on successes, providing solution focused resolutions, inspiring others to reach their goals, and advocating for those within the social service community.

I am encouraged by the people I serve, and want to continue to make a difference in the lives of others and my community. I have enjoyed visiting with those who live in Ward 4, and I look forward to working with you to ensure the needs of the community are met. If elected, I will continue to be a representative of the ward regarding the issues that are important to you. If I missed meeting with you in your neighborhood, please call or message me. I would love to hear from you and would be honored to have your vote on Tuesday, February 14th.

Christine Hamner
918-809-2453
hamner4ward4@gmail.com

To the people of Sand Springs, from City Council candidate Nancy Riley

/ Sand Springs City Hall/

Dear Voters of Ward 4:

I ask for your vote on Tuesday for City Council in Ward 4.

As a 30 year resident of Sand Springs, I have a true respect for our history and culture of service.  Our city was founded by Charles Page on the ideal of serving others. I have served the residents of Sand Springs in many ways: public service, social service clubs and government boards. I appreciate the spirit of service.

However, with 30 years of residency, I have also watched other cities grow and prosper in ways Sand Springs had not. It is my desire to work with our city in its development to benefit its citizens. We have several unique opportunities ahead due to diligent service of numerous Sandites that I want to be part of. It is my aim to look for ways to expand this growth through cooperation of Federal, State and County governments, without increasing the financial burdens to Sand Springs.

I ask for your vote on Tuesday as we "Honor our past and press toward the future."

Sincerely,
Nancy Riley
Nancy Riley for City Council

Pokemon Go: Where to catch 'em all in the Tulsa area

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Dratini outside of the Sand Springs Fire Station.

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The hubbub around Pokemon Go has died down a little since winter has set in, but the game is still one of the most rapidly growing apps of all time with more than 500 million downloads worldwide. 

Niantic Labs is constantly rolling out new updates and improvements and is far more active in engaging with their customers through social media than they were in the game's early days. If your gameplay has stalled over the winter months, here's what you may have missed:

  • In September Niantic announced the addition of "buddy" pokemon. Whichever pokemon you set as your buddy will earn candy as you travel, allowing you to more easily power up and evolve rare pokemon.
  • In October Niantic expanded training in "friendly" gyms to allow for the use of six pokemon instead of just one.
  • In November Niantic added daily bonuses for your first catch of the day, and your first pokestop of the day. Furthermore, catching at least one pokemon every day for a full week, and visiting at least one pokestop every day for a full week, will result in an extra large bonus.
  • In November Niantic adjusted the CP (Combat Power) of various pokemon. One of the earliest criticisms of the game was that many pokemon were useless in gym battles due to their low max-CP. Pokemon such as Alakazam, Rhydon, and Gengar had their CP increased while others had theirs lowered.
  • In November Niantic officially rolled out a new in-game tracking system to help trainers locate nearby pokemon. The new tracker shows both "nearby" pokemon, as well as pokemon at nearby pokestops.
  • In November Niantic added the pokemon Ditto to the game. Ditto takes the form of Pidgey, Rattata, Magikarp, and Zubat. There is no way to identify a ditto without catching it first. When used in battle, Ditto will transform into whichever pokemon it is currently battling and will have the same moves.
  • In December Niantic partnered with Sprint, Boost Mobile, and Radioshack, turning more than 10,000 of these locations into pokestops and gyms throughout the United States. They also partnered with Starbucks, turning 7,800 locations into gyms and pokestops. In January they converted another 5,000 Starbucks locations into gyms and pokestops. Starbucks also launched a special Pokemon Go Frappuccino to celebrate the partnership.
  • In December Niantic added several baby pokemon to the game from the generation two games. Pichu, Togepi, Cleffa, Igglybugg, Elekid, Magby, and Smoochum can now be hatched from eggs. Additionally, trainers can also evolve Togepi into Togetic. 

In addition to all the new updates, Niantic has continued the practice of rotating "nests" every two weeks. The local Pokemon Go community in Tulsa and the surrounding areas has been working together to rapidly identify common nest areas and put out an extensive lists of places to acquire previously elusive pokemon. The "Tulsa Pokemon Go" facebook group is the largest and most active network of trainers, boasting more than 5,000 active members.

Here is the most recent list of nests, expected to last from January 11th through the 25th. 

Sand Springs: 

  • River City Parks - Magmar

Owasso: 

  • Rayola Park - Bellsprout
  • Elm Creek Park - Squirtle

Broken Arrow: 

  • Nienhaus Park - Charmander

Sapulpa: 

  • Davis Park - Doduo
  • Kelly Lane Park - Vulpix

Skiatook: 

  • John Zinc Park - Ekans
  • Central Park - Onix and Psyduck

Jenks:

  • Southlake Golf Course - Geodude

Bixby:

  • Washington Irving Park - Ponyta

Bartlesville:

  • Johnston Park - Paras

Stillwater:

  • Boomer Lake - Seel

Tulsa:

  • Centennial Park - Charmander
  • Jackson Park - Cubone
  • Tulsa Zoo - Digglett
  • Woodward Park - Drowzee
  • Woodward Park Rose Garden - Squirtle
  • Mingo Creek Trail (11th and Mingo) - Electabuzz
  • Hunter Park - Growlithe
  • Veteran's Park - Growlithe
  • Whiteside Park - Growlith 
  • Maple Park - Horsea
  • Westbank Soccer Complex - Jigglypuff
  • Gilcrease Museum - Krabby
  • Hicks-Bowman Park - Machop
  • McClure Park - Machop
  • McCullough Park - Machop
  • Heller Park - Meowth
  • Mohawk Golf Course - Omanyte
  • Turkey Mountain - Paras
  • Philbrook Museum - Pinsir
  • Henthorne Park - Pinsir
  • LaFortune Park - Poliwag
  • River Parks - Poliwag
  • Turner Park - Psyduck
  • O'Brian County Park - Sandshrew
  • Redford Lake - Sandshrew

Muskogee:

  • Civitan Park - Electabuzz
  • War Memorial Park - Goldeen
  • Honor Heights Park - Bulbasaur and Zubat
  • Hatbox Sports Complex - Nidoran (female)
  • Spaulding Park - Ponyta

Pokemon Go! Machop nest confirmed in Sand Springs River City Parks

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

I have been hearing rumors for weeks of a Machop nest at River City Park in Sand Springs and finally got to confirm Sunday morning.

The flagship of the Sand Springs Parks Department, River City is the "Gathering Place" of Sand Springs and can frequently be found packed with families and sports teams any day of the week.  

The park features a nine-basket disc golf course with alternate tees for eighteen holes. There's a (mildly overgrown) horseshoe pit, a skate park, a splash pad, boat ramp access to the Arkansas River, numerous great fishing holes, and a large stretch of scenic paved walking/biking trails.

The park's Inez Kirk Soccer Complex is home to the Sand Springs Soccer Club recreational league and the West Side Alliance competitive soccer league. The Jerry Adair Baseball Park is the home of the Sand Springs Little League and boasts some of the nicest facilities in the region. The Will Ramsey Softball Park, Case Community Center, Sand Springs Round Up Club rodeo arena, and Sand Springs BMX Association are also found in the massive park.

The soccer complex, ballparks, community center, and park entrance are all Pokéstops and the playground is a gym. However, due to the sheer size of the park, it's not a good place to go without a solid stock of pokéballs. The stops are spread out with zero overlap and unlikely to be lured on a normal day. 

Case Community Center

The Pokémon selection is solid, however. It's not as dense of a hunting ground as downtown Tulsa by any means, but it beats your average neighborhood park by a long shot. The best spot for diversity is the Case parking lot. As soon I pulled in, I was confronted by Diglet, Nidorina, Pidgey, and Ekans. After circling around the building I added a Tauros and Eevee. From there I went to the baseball park and found Exeggcute, Zubat, and multiple Krabby. Magikarp and other water type are throughout the area.  For the Machop nest, you have to travel all the way into the park to the BMX track. Some will spawn as far out as the disc golf course, but the deepest concentration is within the BMX fence. No worries though; the track has free admission for spectators! Head over to www.sandspringsbmx.com for their schedule and enjoy some racing while you hunt! 

A great opportunity to do some hunting will be on Labor Day when the park is swarmed with participants and spectators of the Great Raft Race. River City is the launching point for the race and there will likely be hundreds of spectators playing and I would be surprised if there's not at least one or two lures running. ​

Did I mention the outstanding concessions stand that's open all week long raising money for the soccer leagues? It's located right next to the splash pad and serves an above average array of food and drink including the famous Harper's Hut gourmet Shaved Ice!

So whether you're just working towards the elusive Machoke or Machamp, or you want a fun area to enjoy some fresh air with friends or family, River City is a five star destination for any Pokémon trainer!

Pokémon Go! Sapulpa's Davis Park

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

If you're a Pokémon Go! addict like me, you're always looking for the best new places to gather supplies, battle for gyms, and catch the elusive monsters needed to complete your Pokédex. 

Follow along with my Pokémon Go! series to discover the communities around you and save yourself the trouble of visiting useless hunting grounds.

Today I visited Davis Park in Sapulpa, Oklahoma. Located on the corner of Taft and Maple Street, this fifteen acre neighborhood park boasts four Pokéstops and one gym. The quaint, semi-wooded, walking trail is a winding and enjoyable venture with lots of cute friendly squirrels and ample seating.

I counted no less than a dozen benches and picnic tables throughout the park, as well as two pavilions, an old-school playground, a beautiful creek, and a full basketball court. There is also a baseball field, but it's not cut short enough and would be rough to play on. The playground features classic equipment that we all know and love; not the newfangled contraptions that look like they belong on the set of 50 Shades of Grey. 

While this would be an excellent park for a family outing or afternoon walk, it is NOT a good hunting ground for Pokémon trainers. Throughout my pleasant walk along the half-mile paved trail, I encountered only a single Pidgey and nothing else. You do have to walk the entire trail to reach all the Pokestops, and there is no overlap.  

So leave the phone in the car for this one and just enjoy the outdoors! 

From the Editor: Sunday July 31, 2016

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From the Editor’s Desk:

This past weekend was the annual Highway 97 Rivalry alumni game, and our practice run for the upcoming school year. With the first high school kickoff only four weeks away, our gears are whirring away at full speed to get our processes as close to perfect as possible.

The last two seasons have been an incredible experience and it’s hard to believe that we’re approaching our third year of covering Sand Springs sports. When we first began we were simply live-scoring football, basketball, and wrestling events. Last year we first began the transition to a news outlet with full coverage of almost every sport. Over the summer we’ve began to add in more traditional news coverage.

With the first of the fall sports slated to start in just nine short days, we’re excited to continue to expand and improve on our services. This year we’ll be working hard to bring coverage of all sports in Sand Springs, including golf, tennis, and more. We will continue to develop our reporting of all newsworthy events in the Sand Springs area and we welcome your constructive criticisms and feedback.

We hope you’ll be patient with us and understand that every new business has to deal with mistakes. The important thing is, we’re learning from them. This magazine isn’t about trying to make money, it’s about trying to provide Sand Springs with a quality periodical in which we can forever preserve the stories of our wonderful community.

Please feel free to contact us to give us feedback, tips, or just to say hi! We love to meet and get to know our neighbors. Send in stories, letters, photos, and other announcements and don’t hesitate to let us answer any questions you may have.

Also, our next digital magazine won’t be released until TUESDAY August 9th! From now on expect our weekly magazine to go up on Tuesdays, and eventually you’ll see us on newsstands on Tuesdays as well!

Ever Upward!

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
918.899.0823
www.SanditePride.com

From The Editor: Sunday June 19, 2016

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From the Editor’s Desk:

Greetings Sandites!

Thank you for reading the fourth edition of our new Sandite Pride News Weekly digital edition. We hope to be bringing this to you in a print format very soon!

If you’re new to our platform, I’d like to share our mission statement with you.

“Our mission is to improve our city by establishing relationships and building a family that works and stands together and celebrates each others' accomplishments.
We seek to be professional and factual, while maintaining compassion and honesty. We will report relevant stories in a timely manner from a positive perspective.
We will perform community outreach and look for opportunities to improve the quality of our environment. We will partner with local businesses, churches, youth groups, and other organizations, and support their visions for this community.”

What does all that mean? It means we’re here for you!

We want to help see your dreams through to fruition. We’re all Sandites, we’re all in this together, and it’ll take all of us working together to achieve the dream that Charles Page had for this great community! We strive to “think right” at Sandite Pride News, and that means helping the city any way we can.

Whether you’re a church, nonprofit organization, or even a for-profit business trying to do something special for the community, let us help you. Any free community event, such as church youth group events, vacation bible school programs, free movie nights, etc. are completely free to advertise with Sandite Pride!

We don’t look to profit off people trying to make a difference. Fundraisers where the host organization stands to profit are eligible for discounted rates on advertising as well. If 50% of the proceeds of your event go to charity, then your advertising is 50% off! And as always, we love our regular sponsors and advertisers who want to help support our vision. We offer full page, half page, banner ads, and more! Help us bring a light to this community and celebrate those who are achieving their dreams and putting this great city on the map.

We are always grateful for tips and information on any potential stories. Feel free to reach out today and make sure we know about your special events coming up! 

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
918.899.0823
www.SanditePride.com

This article was originally published in the Sandite Pride News Weekly Sunday edition.

From The Editor: Sunday June 12, 2016

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From the Editor’s Desk:

Greetings Sandites!

Thank you for reading the third edition of our new Sandite Pride News Weekly digital edition. We hope to be bringing this to you in a print format very soon!

This week’s edition is dedicated to a man very near to my heart, my late uncle, David Wayne Emigh.

David was the founding pastor of Word of Life Church in Sand Springs, and led our congregation for thirty years. In that time he touched countless lives, not just in our little community, but across the world.

From being a published author of three books and hundreds of magazines, to traveling the world in missions and founding hundreds of churches, David’s words have reached the hearts of many.

David means a lot to me, despite never getting to know him that well in life. I was only fifteen years old when he passed, and I wish that I had been closer to him. Overseeing a church of some seven-hundred people required a lot of David, but he still found time to check in on me when he could, taking me bowling, laser-tagging, and having me over for movies. We weren’t nearly as close as some uncles and nephews are, but I looked up to him then, and even more so now.

My parents split up in 2009, and despite his best efforts, my father wasn’t around as much as a son needs. I’m sure many of my readers can relate. When you’re a kid, you need role models, and you look for them wherever you can. Often times we turn to celebrities or athletes for inspiration. I was fortunate enough to have a great man to look up to, who left behind a smorgasbord of writings, videos, and recordings to learn from.

The five year anniversary of David’s untimely death is this Wednesday, June 15th. Our community lost an incredible human being, and many of us are still feeling the pain of loss.

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
www.SanditePride.com

This story was originally published in the Sandite Pride News Weekly Sunday edition.

From The Editor: Sunday June 5, 2016

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From the Editor’s Desk:

Greetings Sandites!

Thank you for reading the second edition of our new Sandite Pride News Weekly digital edition. We hope to be bringing this to you in a print format very soon!

In last week’s edition I talked about the history of Sandite Pride and how it all came together. To summarize it, we are not associated with the Sand Springs Leader, or the high school newspaper, The Sandtonian. We are a locally owned and operated company founded out of a love of Sand Springs and her people.

As a staff we believe there is no better community in the nation, and it is our goal to bring recognition to this great city and the incredible people who work day-in and day-out to make it that way. We believe that each and every citizen has a story, and we want to help them tell it.

Sandite Pride News, LLC consists of myself, Morgan Miller, Teri Emigh, and Virgil Noah. Morgan is our Executive Director. She helps oversee the flow of operations and makes sure that nothing is overlooked in the day-to-day operations. Teri is our Chief Financial Officer and handles our financial and legal obligations. Virgil is our Marketing Director. He works to establish the relationships with local businesses and organizations that are the lifeblood of our organization. As the Editor-in-Chief I am the voice of the company, and I decide the overall tone of our magazine as well as plan our long-term goals and purpose.

The fifth and most vital member of our team is you; the people we work for and represent, and care so much about. The whole reason this magazine/website exists is to bring the community together, to educate its people on current affairs affecting the city, to celebrate our successes and improve the overall sense of Sandite pride.

We hope you will work with us in this venture and we welcome your contribution. We are always looking for friends and partners in this journey and want to work together to make this town the best it can be.

Feel free to contact us any time for any reason. I can be reached at 918.899.0823. Morgan’s number is 918.508.9564 and Virgil’s number is 918.282.1243. Don’t hesitate to call us for any reason, or send us an email at SanditePrideNews@gmail.com. We are constantly looking for advertising partners, stories, news tips, and more. If you are hosting an event that you would like to be included in our magazine, let us know!

Sandite Pride News can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube. We also have an account with SmugMug where you can purchase prints or downloads of all our photography, including sporting events, graduation, and most recently the Word of Life Free Community Carnival.

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
www.SanditePride.com 

This story was originally published in the Sandite Pride News Weekly Sunday edition.

Editorial: To the Oklahoma State Legislature

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Senator Dan Newberry,

I hope this contact finds you in good spirits. I am writing as a citizen of your district, a resident of the 74063, to request your vote AGAINST SB609's creation of a scholarship savings program that would in any way shape or form direct monies towards private schools that could and should otherwise be used for the improvement of our public education programs. 

Private schools should remain in the private sector. Parents already have the option to remove their child from public schooling, they should not however be allowed to remove funding from our public schools and redirect it to an entity that does not exist for the public. I do not get a refund for roads I don't drive on for the use of improving my private driveway. Neither should private schools be funded by public money that should be used for the good of the whole community. 

As a passionate supporter of our public education system, I will be unable to vote for any senator or representative who would seek to remove even a penny from our already dismal public education funding. With Oklahoma already near the bottom of the nation in per-pupil funding, it is absurd to consider removing money from a starving school system. 

I hope you will do what is right by our young people and continue to invest in their education. Oklahoma should be making every effort to improve our public schools, not throwing in the towel and giving up on them. 

I hope to see your name not just in opposition of this bill, but in favor of bills that will increase our public education funding, especially in terms of teacher pay. It's time to end the exodus of teachers to Texas and other neighboring states. It's time we establish competitive pay for our educators so that we may attract the best and brightest. It's time to acknowledge that our single greatest asset is our children and that our responsibility is to build for them a better future and give them the tools necessary to build one for themselves. ESA is not the answer and it does not represent the values of Oklahomans. 

Thank you for your service to our community and thank your for your time in reading this email. I trust we can count on you to make the right decisions for our children. Our community looks to you for leadership, please don't let us down. 

Respectfully,

Scott Emigh
Editor-in-Chief
www.SanditePride.com

Editorial: To the Dreamers

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

People often give up on their dreams because they don't see success right off the bat. Today marks 1 year since I launched Sanditepride.com and I've invested over $2000 thus far. I didn't get sponsorship on day 1, or month 1, or even quarter 1.

But what I did do is reach more than 30,000 people this past year. That's just individual devices. Last month alone I had more than 20,000 views. When I started I barely broke 400 in the first three months.

I'm still a long way from where I want to be, but I've met a lot of incredible people who have been so supportive to me along the way. That's why I do this, for the people. I love people, I love to hear and tell their stories and see them succeed and celebrate their success.

My team and I have seen five straight months of growth and it hasn't been easy. It's been the furthest thing from easy. I put in more than 60 hours a week on a slow week. I got 4 hours of sleep Friday night in a Super 8 motel in Oklahoma City where there were people fighting in the street, drinking in the parking lot, and I had to call the cops after midnight due to gunshots.

I'm extremely shy and yet I have to force myself weekly to talk to people I'm intimidated by. I have diagnosed anticipatory social anxiety and depression. Every time I go into public I'm scared I'm going to offend somebody. That people won't like me. And it's not a baseless fear. I've had complete strangers message me to tell me that nobody takes me seriously as a writer. That I'm a disgrace. People can be cruel. Are they just mean-natured? Or acting out of some insecurities of their own? That's not for me to decide. But that kind of stuff tears at you. You wonder if you'll ever amount to anything. You wonder if your friends and family are just humoring you, and if you're really just a big joke. You think about quitting. It's not a passing thought. It haunts you.

But I can't quit writing. It's not in me. It is me. I am a writer. I've been doing it since I was a small child. It's the only thing in me that's ever persisted. Everyone goes through phases. At points I wanted to be a veterinarian, a director, an airborne ranger--live a life filled with danger. But all of that passed, and writing always persisted.

And so I've chosen to persist, come what may. Because to leave my dreams within my pillow would be something I could never live with. Because the lows I hit when people tear me down are nothing compared to the low I would live in were I to resign myself to a regular 8-5 job building someone else's vision instead of my own. And the lows are nothing compared to the highs.

The highs of hearing a parent tell you how excited their kid was when they saw an article you wrote about them. The highs of having complete strangers talk to you at the super market like you're old friends because they read your articles every week. The highs of seeing people succeed, from athletes at State Championships to singers on American Idol. Their joy is my joy, their heartbreak is my heartbreak. In the ministry I considered every teen who walked through the doors to be "one of my kids." That attitude has carried over into this new venture. Every young person I have covered means more to me than they'll ever know. Even the one's I've only known from afar, and never met.

I dream with them, and hope that I may use my dream to further theirs. 

So I say to you, don't give up on your dreams. There will be better athletes. There will be better photographers, better singers, better actors. But the talents and passions that God has put on your heart are there for a reason. Don't ever let anyone tell you you're not good enough. Don't let someone else's insecurities contribute to your own. People who have failed to fight for their dreams like to stand in the way of other dreamers. Fight for your dreams, don't become another cynical bystander who lets life happen to them instead of making this life their own. 

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” --Howard Thurman

#SanditeStrong

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*This article was originally published on March 26, 2015 at www.scottemigh.weebly.com 

These pics were taken along Wekiwa road. All of this is visible from the road. No, it's not tornado debris. This was days ago.

I love seeing our community pulling together to clean up the storm damage and help each other out. But don't let that passion for our community wear out when the tornado damage is gone.

Make SanditeStrong a lifestyle, not a fad. There will always be people who are content to pollute our home without a care. But the rest of us can step up and clean up their mess.

There are so many places around town that could use our help when the current destruction is cleaned up. Let's take this opportunity to STAY united and transform our hometown into something wonderful!

Gerdau Ameristeel considers closing Sand Springs steel mill

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Gerdau Ameristeel Corp. (NYSE: GNA) said it is suspending production at its Sayreville, New Jersey steel mill and closing its rolling mill in neighboring Perth Amboy, New Jersey due to lower demand for its products resulting from the downturn in the economy.

The company said it expects the moves to occur gradually over the next several months. The company indicated that it would restart operations at the Sayreville facility “when business conditions warrant.”

Gerdau Ameristeel said it is also entering into discussions with the United Steel Workers regarding the potential closure of the company’s steel mill located in Sand Springs, Oklahoma.

The company said that service to its customers will be uninterrupted and will be provided by production from Gerdau Ameristeel’s network of steel mills in the United States and Canada. The Sayreville facility will continue to carry a range of products in inventory available for shipment or customer pickup until production resumes.

In connection with the actions, (and depending on the outcome of the Sand Springs discussions), the company expects to incur an after tax charge from around $80 million to $140 million related to these closures.

Of these amounts, between around $15 million to $30 million are expected to be cash costs for severance and facility closure expenses. Depending on the outcome of the Sand Springs discussions, the company expects to realize annualized pre-tax cash savings of around $35 million to $70 million as a result of the moves.

Gerdau Ameristeel said it anticipates some of these charges to be included in the three month period ended June 30, and some to be included in the three month period ended September 30.

Tampa, Florida-based Gerdau Ameristeel is a mini-mill steel producer in North America with annual manufacturing capacity of around 12 million tons of mill finished steel products.