By jtebow_admin on 10/20/2010 1:35 PM

The small-town atmosphere we enjoy here was the second most frequently cited reason why Stillwater is a great place to live.  It seems curious at first that while our community seems committed to growth, we don’t want to lose our small-town atmosphere. Growth and a small-town atmosphere are not mutually exclusive.  Most of us like that when we go out to eat, shop or walk around Boomer Lake that we run into people we know.  Having lived in and visited larger cities, I’ve learned that when you hear a car horn honk in one of those places, it’s usually a warning or an expression of anger.  Here, when I hear someone honk, I look to see who is trying to say hello! Read More »

By jtebow_admin on 7/12/2010 7:12 AM

Stillwater became my home in 1978, when I moved here as a junior in high school.  I grew up as an “Army Brat” – my dad spent the first 23 years of his career in the Army, and as a result, our family moved frequently.  In fact, our family relocated 11 times during the first 18 years of my life.  I attended three different high schools between my sophomore and senior years.  I didn’t have roots anywhere.  When asked where I was from, it was always hard to answer: was I from the place where I was born (which I left at age one never to return), or was I from the place I currently lived? 

I’m grateful for my nomadic background because it did much to shape me and teach me important life lessons.  At the same time, I always envied friends who grew up in one place.  When I finally landed in Stillwater, I quickly realized it was a place I’d like to be from.&a ... Read More »