A sober Thanksgiving holiday

Oklahoma's health commissioner, Dr. Lance Frye, got straight to the point this week in urging residents to be extra careful with their Thanksgiving holiday plans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“If we don't adjust how we gather safely next week, Christmas could be much worse,” Frye said at a news conference.

During the past many weeks, Oklahoma has seen a disconcerting increase in positive virus cases. Thanksgiving is a time for large family gatherings, and that's a potential problem because the virus spreads easily when people are in close contact for extended periods, indoors. Indeed, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has advised against traveling during this Thanksgiving.

A few days before the CDC announcement, Frye recommended people get tested before heading for the relatives' house. He suggested spreading tables out, opening windows or doors to help air circulate, or even eating outdoors if the weather is pleasant. And, wearing a mask.

“I love Thanksgiving, I love getting together with my family,” he said. “We have family traditions as I'm sure you do as well. I want everyone to take the time to enjoy their time off with their families, take the time to recharge, but we have to do it safely.”

Frye added that this has been a year full of challenges, and he's certainly right about that. “COVID has changed all of our lives,” he said. “That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the holiday. Small things can make a big difference.”

We join Frye in urging Oklahomans to do their part.

A test awaits for Thunder fan base

Oklahoma City Thunder fans have led a charmed life since the team's arrival 12 years ago. We have gotten to watch players such as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook blossom and become league MVPs. Great players such as Chris Paul, James Harden, Serge Ibaka and Carmelo Anthony have called Oklahoma City home. Most of the time, the question hasn't been whether the Thunder would make the playoffs but how deep the team would go. But the trades this week of Dennis Schroder and Paul make clear that rebuilding is underway. Given the strength of the NBA's Western Conference, a playoff berth is unlikely perhaps for several seasons. This new era will test a fan base that has earned a reputation as one of the league's most passionate.

Biden adviser should please oilgas sector

One of the additions to President-elect Joe Biden's administration should please those concerned about the U.S. oil and gas industry. U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond, D-La., who served as a campaign adviser this year, will leave the House to become a senior adviser to Biden focused on “public engagement.” In the House, Richmond has voted to expand production and exports of oil and natural gas.

In 2015, he voted to approve construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. In 2018, he voted for a bill that sought immediate approval for all natural gas pipelines that transported 0.14 billion cubic feet per day or less. The website Sludge notes that Richmond “has voted in favor of many Republican bills opposed by environmentalists over the years …” A few voices like his in the new administration certainly can't hurt.

More dead ends for Trump challenges

One of President Trump's latest claims about the 2020 election is that voting machines must have been rigged. A company in the spotlight is Dominion Voting, which supplies equipment to several states. An early, incorrect report of results in one Michigan county that Trump won handily in 2016 showed him trailing Joe Biden by 3,000 votes. Although the unofficial reporting was wrong, the president ultimately did win the county this year by a wide margin. The county clerk — a Republican — said flatly, “There was no malice, no fraud here, just human error.” A recount of Georgia's 5 million votes found 2,600 missing votes that one county forgot to upload — the mistake wasn't Dominion's fault. The Wall Street Journal notes that there also has been no strong evidence of problems that would impact Biden's leads in Michigan or Pennsylvania. The newspaper makes a good point: “Strong claims need strong proof, not rumors and innuendo on Twitter.”