We visit with Sharon Ray, whom along with her husband Oscar, founded Oklahoma's premiere independent film festival just over 25 years ago in Muskogee, Oklahoma. With participants from around the world, the festival can proudly claim the title "International". --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

Two interviews in this episode! First, we visit with local historian and author Jonita Mullins about her new book, a collection of articles, stories and columns about Ft. Gibson in advance of the celebration of that community's upcoming 200th anniversary in April of 2024. Next, our guests Patricia Ridge Bradley and Jim Eaton, volunteers and members of the Muskogee Art Guild. We'll be chatting about the "Black & White" fundraiser open to the public and happening from later this month. --- Send...

The Occasional Podcaster introduces you to a new friend and colleague; Elvira Smith. From her arrival in Oklahoma in the mid '80's to her work today here in Muskogee as a Spanish instructor for the Muskogee public schools, Elvira is deeply involved in culture and education. In addition to teaching Spanish for the school system, she also teaches English as a second language for Muskogee Bridges Out of Poverty. We offer to our listeners this friendly chat about her profession, her passion for e...

My guests this time around are Fort Gibson Historic Site Director Jennifer Frazee and Author and Historian Jonita Mullins. We discuss the opening of the historic fort at what is now the Northeastern Oklahoma community of Fort Gibson and it's importance from its beginnings in 1824 up to today. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

This time around, we visit with Bryan Harris, representing Paradigm Shift as well as a second group, Muskogee Young Professionals. Paradigm Shift offers leadership development for secondary students from 6th to 12 grade, college students and for corporate entities. Muskogee Young Professionals is an offshoot of Paradigm Shift, offering a social atmosphere offering education in skillsets needed for today’s career professionals under the age of 40. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters...

In the final episode of this special limited series, co-hosts Greg Mashburn and T.S. Akers wrap up the story of Freemasonry in Indian Territory with a discussion of the "appendant bodies" of the craft; such as the Scottish Rite, The York Rite and The Shrine with a focus on, arguably, the most popular of these, the York Rite. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

In the 3rd installment of this special limited series of programs, co-hosts T.S. Akers and Greg Mashburn discuss the influence of Freemasonry in Oklahoma; specifically Indian Territory and Oklahoma Territory as they merged to become a single state in 1907 and the eventual merging of two Grand Lodges into one. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

Co-hosts Brother T.S. Akers and Greg Mashburn continue the special limited-series "Traveling East", discussing the growth of Freemasonry in Indian Territory in what eventually became Oklahoma. In this chat, we find out just how the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory was formed; it's trials, tribulations and ultimate success. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

Tobi Ledbetter is a "Bored Okie"; in fact, that's the name of her business. After years of working for others promoting businesses, organizations and events, she opened her own business with her daughter and together, they develop and promote various events. "Okie Winterfest" is coming to the Muskogee Civic Center on Thanksgiving weekend. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

Episode 1 in a special series on The Occasional Podcaster. My co-host for this limited series is Brother T.S. Akers, a historian and Freemason. Over the next several episodes of the program, we will explore the introduction of Freemasonry to Pre-Oklahoma Indian Territory and its effects on the region. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

Due the listener interest in our original episode about Muskogee Bridges with Executive Director Treasure McKenzie, we are pleased to present a follow-up about the program. This time, we visit with board chairman Dan Morris to learn more about the program with a focus on a special "adjunct program" designed to help successful Bridge graduates obtain reliable transportation and help build a positive credit history. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashb...

Work Ready Oklahoma seeks to help those looking for employment or seeking re-entry into the job market after a time-out. To help their clients succeed, they offer 90 days of coaching; free co-working space and internet access for 90 days if needed; access to a pipeline of vetted "remote" and local jobs and help in accessing the benefits and other support for which you qualify. Sherry Pilant and Misty Grace from the Muskogee office discuss the program and how it can help you to be a successful ca...

The Third Annual Hope Through Healing Trauma-Informed Community Summit is scheduled for July 28th at the Muskogee Civic Assembly Center. The basic idea of the summit is to inform the community about trauma and how to handle it when they see it. This is why Neighbors Building Neighborhoods is presenting the Summit. On this program, we visit with Chelsea Brown from Green Country Behavior Health and Lindsey Roberts with Neighbors Building Neighborhoods about personal trauma and the summit scheduled...

For the past seven years, Treasure McKenzie has headed up Muskogee Bridges out of Poverty; a social program aimed at addressing poverty and building a stronger community. It has a rich history and holds significant importance in the local community. It operates on the understanding that poverty is a complex issue influenced by multiple factors such as education, employment, health, and social networks. Individual empowerment lies at the heart of the program. It provides individuals and families ...

This year's Bass Reeves Western History Conference is set for mid-June in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Our guests - Amanda Hunnikutt of Muskogee's Three Rivers Museum and conference volunteer Larry Hoffman - visit with us about the event, its roots, development and impact on Muskogee. Bass Reeves was a U.S. Deputy Marshal working for Fort Smith's "Hanging Judge" in the last part of the 19th century. With a record of over 3,000 arrests and less than 20 deaths resulting from those arrests, the Bass Reeves ...

Guest Andrea Chancellor visits with us about the Muskogee Preservation Society, their work in the community and an upcoming conference dealing with the architectural history of Muskogee. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

An artistic institution in Muskogee and NE Oklahoma since the late 1930s, the Muskogee Art Guild will be hosting their annual Black & White Bash fundraiser on May 11th from 5 to 7pm at their new location, 106 South Main Street. MAG members Becky Lucht, Julie Ledbetter and Patricia Ridge Bradley discuss the organization and the upcoming fundraiser on this episode of The Occasional Podcaster. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

We visit with Angie Rush, Director of Muskogee's 3 Rivers Museum, about the upcoming 21st Annual Railroad Celebration scheduled for May 6th. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/greg-mashburn4/message

Award winning author, speaker, historian and preservationist Jonita Mullins will speak at a special lecture at Muskogee's Three Rivers Museum on Thursday, November 17 at 6:30pm. A renowned novelist of historical fiction, Jonita's works deal almost exclusively with storylines featuring the lives of Oklahoma's Native American population. Her first novel series was "The Mission of Indian Territory" and included Journey to an Untamed Land, Look Unto the Fields and Come to Lovely County; telling the...

Scheduled for September 24 in Muskogee's Depot Green, the LocalMotion Fall Arts Festival promises a day of family fun, food, music and other entertainment. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/greg-mashburn4/message

The 12th annual Bass Reeves Western History Conference is scheduled for Muskogee's Roxy Theater and the Three Rivers Museum in Muskogee, Ok from July the 21st thru the 23rd. Starting with a "Meet n Greet" at the Roxy Theater beginning at 5:30pm on the 21st, attendees will be treated to two days of interactive events, including tours that will step you back in time to meet characters who lived in and were part of Bass Reeves time as a marshal in Indian Territory before statehood and a city polic...

Barbara McAlister is our very special guest on this episode. In recognition of Women in History month, we present Barbara as a very important part of Cherokee culture; a winner of the Cherokee Medal of Honor in 1999; a world-class mezzo-soprano who has performed in countless operas and musical events around the world; now teaching her craft to a new generation of young students for the Cherokee Nation.

Roger Bell is the historian for the Three Rivers Museum in Muskogee and the publisher of "Muskogee 150" on Facebook. In this episode, we discuss some of the people, places and events important to the foundation and early growth of the city as we acknowledge the 150th anniversary of the city's founding in 1872.

Host Greg Mashburn visits with founder Victor Lezama and Information Officer Kaylin Riede about "The Barracks"; a veterans community center in Muskogee. After an opening stalled for two years by COVID, The Barracks had a "soft opening" in January of 2022. Offering a gathering place for veterans, The Barracks offers many services including a self-serve kitchen and a laundry; a pantry and clothes closet; a library and a gym as well as an activities center and a chapel.