Happy birthday to Jeff Virgin, Dan Pennington, Lois Beam, Blake Hilgenfeld, Jackie Suchy, Glenda Nemecek, Raychel Kozik, Shalia Ashcraft, Robert Jones, Gustavo Cayente, Graydon Chaples, Donelda Ellis, Luciana Holden, Annette C. Belfiore, Selena Chavez, Kenton Gonterman, Yesenia Orta, Antonio Reyes, Sucel Sanchez and Lewis Vieux.

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The Heart of Oklahoma Chamber of Commerce Community Coffee will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, March 28, hosted by the First National Bank & Trust Co. in Goldsby.

The coffee will be held at 115 Cotton Field Road in Goldsby.

This is a great opportunity to connect with local business and community leaders.

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The deadline to pay the second half of property taxes is  this Friday, March 28, at 4:30 p.m.

If anyone has questions regarding their tax statements, call the McClain County Treasurer’s Office at 405-527-3261.

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Missoula Children’s Theatre production of “Alice in Wonderland” will be performed Friday, March 28, at 1 p.m. and Saturday, March 29, at 3 p.m.

All students enrolled in grades Kindergarten-12th grade are invited to audition. Students that are auditioning must be available for all practices and performances.

The show will be performed at the old Purcell Junior High located at 201 Lester Lane.

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Purcell City Hall will be closed from 1-2 p.m. the first Wednesday of every month for training.

The offices will be closed Wednesday, April 2.

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The Purcell Public Library will present the “Learn it! U.S. Citizenship Test Study Sessions” Tuesday, April 8, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the meeting room of the library.

In these sessions you will prepare for the U.S. Citizenship test.

Strengthen your study skills! This program is a series of study sessions to help you prepare for the U.S. Citizenship test.

This activity is supported by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and the Oklahoma Department of Libraries.

The program is designed for adults and registration is required.

For more information call 405-527-5546 or register online at pioneerlibrarysystem.org.

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The Heart of Oklahoma Kiwanis Annual Easter Egg Hunt will be held Saturday, April 19, at the Purcell Lake Weaver Pavilion, 1400 Chandler Road.

Each age group will have their own hunt and prizes. Age groups include 0-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12.

The Easter Bunny will be available for pictures.

The hunt begins at 9:30 a.m. sharp.

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Heidi Gamble shared this recipe with me and said there’s never anything left when she makes it!

Better-Than-Takeout Chicken Fried Rice

2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

3/4 to 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1-1/2 cups frozen peas and diced carrots blend I don’t thaw and use straight from the freezer

3 green onions trimmed and sliced into thin rounds

2 to 3 garlic cloves finely minced

3 large eggs lightly beaten

4 cups cooked rice I use white, long-grain or brown may be substituted. To save time use two 8.8-ounce pouches cooked and ready-to-serve rice

3 to 4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

To a large non-stick skillet or wok, add the oils, chicken, and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 to 5 minutes, flipping intermittently so all sides cook evenly. Cooking time will vary based on thickness of chicken breasts and sizes of pieces.

Remove chicken with a slotted spoon (allow oils and cooking juices from chicken to remain in skillet) and place chicken on a plate; set aside.

Add the peas, carrots, green onions, and cook for about 2 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften, stir intermittently.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, stir intermittently.

Push vegetables to one side of the skillet, add the eggs to the other side, and cook to scramble, stirring as necessary.

Add the chicken, rice, evenly drizzle with soy sauce, optional salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Cook for about 2 minutes, or until chicken is reheated through.