Tag Archives: Rob McClendon

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Child labor laws – We’re talking about a way of life

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Over Christmas I had the rare opportunity to turn the camera on my own family. I managed to escape some of the holiday madness by hiding behind my lens as my family worked throughout the holidays on our ranch in Northeast Kansas.

Few issues have ignited as much debate as the proposed child labor laws and like hundreds of other families our opinions on the issue are strong. We could think of no better way to portray this story than through the eyes of my little sister. For a few days I followed her around our ranch in Tonganoxie, Kansas, and eventually on to our grandparent’s ranch in Allen, Kansas. The story not only tackled the debate head on it may just have ended up being one of the most rewarding stories in my young career.

In this week’s video blog, the DeHoff family shows us what farming and ranching is really all about.
~Courtenay DeHoff

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On The Horizon: Students Taking Flight

Over the years, I‘ve produced many stories about the aviation industry but the ones that stand out in my mind are when students get excited about aerospace. So many times growing up, children want to be astronauts. But as time goes by, they seem to lose interest in aviation. Oh sure, a few will go on to become airline pilots and an even greater few will become astronauts but most will forget that particular dream.

I think it was a much more popular idea back in the 1960s and 1970s, when the space race was in full force. Recently, we’ve “been there, done that” and there really isn’t a push towards space…which has resulted in an aging workforce. For many aviation companies, finding someone to work on an airplane or help design one isn’t easy. Students just don’t think about going into that field, instead, they are looking at gaming software engineering or auto mechanics versus becoming an engineer or aviation mechanic. But that is slowly changing.

In this week’s video blog, meet a couple of students who may be the next generation of engineers and mechanics to work on airplanes or even go the distance right into space.
~Alisa Hines

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: Economic Upturn – Real or Hype?

The 2012 Oklahoma Economic Outlook Conference was a real eye opener for me. Economists from across the state discussed the future of Oklahoma’s economy. While Oklahoma has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, we may not be out of the clear yet. The rising land bubble and low commodity prices may affect the state in more ways than one.

In this week’s video blog we take a look at the one thing that is running Oklahoma’s economic show…oil. The energy sector could prove to be our saving grace, but if troubles in Europe continue we may see liquid gold’s value to Oklahoma, drain away.

~Courtenay Dehoff

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: High Times Down on the Farm

There is an old saying in Farm country “land rich and cash poor” which often described most farmers economic reality. All their assets were tied up in the land they farmed. Today, many farmers are in the best financial shape they have been in, in decades. High crop and livestock prices and growing global demand for the food we grow in the U.S. pushed farm profits up by a whopping 28% last year. All the while crop sales are expected to surpass $200 billion for the first time in U.S. history.

Many fear that with every rapid rise in profits will come an equally quick decline, much like what we saw in the boom/bust 1980’s. Others believe though this time may be different. Sure no industry is ruled more by the supply and demand than agriculture, but by all indications demand should just continue to grow.

Not only are there more people in the world, but those people live in an ever prosperous developing world whose diet is less based on just the staples of inexpensive staples like rice and grain, and more on those tasty things we grow in the U.S., i.e., beef, pork, poultry, etc.

In this week’s video blog, I visit with noted economist and business futurist, Dave Kohl, on why he believes the good times down on the farm may last. We have a lot more on farm values and Oklahoma’s economy on this week’s Oklahoma Horizon that debuts Sunday at 3pm on OETA and Thursday on RFD-TV.

Rob McClendon

Oklahoma Horizon TV

On the Horizon: On the Grid

It’s something that nearly everyone takes for granted in this country. Clean drinking water has been the norm since I was alive, but due to failing infrastructure it may be at risk. Scott Huler, author of “On the Grid” takes us on an incredible journey through the pipe lines and drainage systems of this vast land.

In the week’s video blog, we see just how deep our water problem may really be as we travel through drainage systems and waterways throughout Oklahoma.

~Courtenay Dehoff