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The Day the Northern Lights Came to Eufaula
news
November 19, 2025
The Day the Northern Lights Came to Eufaula
By MICHAEL BARNES

Well, would you look at that.

Eufaula, Oklahoma isn’t the kind of place where the universe usually pulls up a chair and gets dramatic. But this fall, while we were mowing lawns, fixing fence posts, and arguing over college football, something slipped behind the Sun, poked a cosmic button, and ended up flipping the sky on like someone leaned on the wrong light switch.

That “something” was 3I/ATLAS—our wandering interstellar guest cruising through the solar system with the casual swagger of a traveler who’s seen bigger, stranger places.

When a Visitor Steps Out From Behind the Sun

Right after 3I/ATLAS emerged from its solar hiding spot, the Sun fired off four major X-class flares in a rapid burst—a pace that made scientists blink twice and check their instruments.

And then came the shocker: the northern lights drifted all the way down to Oklahoma.

People stepped onto porches expecting to see clouds… and instead saw the sky glowing like it was practicing for a cosmic halftime show.

Scientists said: “Perfectly normal space weather.”

Conspiracy theorists said: “Oh really? Right after 3I/ATLAS shows up? Mm-hmm.”

Everyone else just grabbed their phone cameras, hoping their battery didn’t die in the cold.

The Longstanding Debate: Science vs. “Hold On a Minute…” The science crowd insists solar flares do what solar flares do—heat up, burst out, shake Earth’s magnetic field, and light up the sky.

But the conspiracyminded folks don’t buy the timing. They point to the way the flares seemed synced with 3I/ATLAS and its fellow comets, Lemon and T1 ATLAS.

“Too coincidental,” they say.

“Too ordinary,” the scientists reply.

And so the cosmic debate continues—one side armed with data, the other with intuition and a very active group chat.

Meanwhile, the Earth Has Its Own Worries While we were busy sky-gazing, the ground halfway around the world began stirring.

A swarm of earthquakes started rattling off the coast of Japan— magnitudes 5 and 6, dozens of them—eerily similar to the tremors that preceded the catastrophic 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

No one wants to hear that comparison, but no one can ignore it either. The planet doesn’t make patterns like that for fun.

Planetary Lineups Worth Watching

As if the story needed more layers, November brings a Sun–Mercury– Moon– Earth– Uranus alignment. January brings a bigger one—an arrangement so tidy it looks like the planets lined up for a family portrait.

What will happen? No promises. No predictions. Just possibility.

So… What’s Next?

We’ve got an interstellar object acting mysterious, the Sun firing warning shots, auroras sneaking into Oklahoma, earthquake swarms echoing past disasters, and the planets drifting into suspiciously neat formations.

Maybe it’s all coincidence.

Maybe it’s all connected.

Maybe the universe is clearing its throat before the next act.

Whatever comes next, it’s already on its way.

And the sky—bright, strange, and watching— is waiting with us.

Eufaula City Council hears public input on possible feasibility study involving Longtown, Texanna Road
A: Main, news
Eufaula City Council hears public input on possible feasibility study involving Longtown, Texanna Road
By Shauna Belyeu General Manager 
January 7, 2026
With a standing-roomonly crowd and almost two hours of discussion, the Eufaula City Council heard extensive public input Monday night on a proposal tied to the city’s comprehensive plan that would all...
New marker honors Alexander Posey
A: Main, news
New marker honors Alexander Posey
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
January 7, 2026
A new historical marker was recently placed at Posey Park, a tribute to a man who rose to nationwide prominence in the late 1800s, early 1900s. Journalist, poet, public speaker, community activist, wa...
First Day Hike on Jan. 1 is a nationwide tradition
A: Main, news
First Day Hike on Jan. 1 is a nationwide tradition
By Shauna Belyeu General Manager 
January 7, 2026
On New Year’s Day, State Parks across Oklahoma conduct First Day Hikes, welcoming families of all ages to come enjoy the great outdoors and reconnect with nature. 226 hikers and 21 furry friends gathe...
Buddies needed for Night to Shine – Eufaula!
Community Calendar
Buddies needed for Night to Shine – Eufaula!
January 7, 2026
One of the most important roles at Night to Shine is being a Buddy—a one-on-one companion for one of our Honored Guests. Buddies stay with their guest the entire evening, offering support, encourageme...
Monthly Free Food Giveaway Friday
A: Main, news
Monthly Free Food Giveaway Friday
January 7, 2026
St. Paul’s Parish, 700 Forest Ave, Eufaula, will have its monthly food giveaway Friday, Jan. 9, from 11 a.m. until the food runs out. Just drive up and receive free groceries! Volunteers are always we...
December warmth and drought punctuate 2025
lifestyle, news
December warmth and drought punctuate 2025
By Gary McManus State Climatologist 
January 7, 2026
If moisture and cold weather topped your December weather Christmas list, you likely didn’t enjoy the lump of coal Mother Nature delivered instead. December 2025 finished as Oklahoma’s second driest a...
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Judge orders poultry companies to pay for cleanup in longstanding Illinois River lawsuit
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Judge orders poultry companies to pay for cleanup in longstanding Illinois River lawsuit
By CLIFTON ADCOCK Clifton@readfrontier.com 
January 7, 2026
A federal judge on Dec. 19 ordered some of the nation’s largest poultry companies to pay for the cleanup of the Illinois River watershed and limit the amount of bird waste that can be applied to land ...
Oklahoma lawmaker will try again to slow state’s eviction timeline, which includes holidays
news
Oklahoma lawmaker will try again to slow state’s eviction timeline, which includes holidays
By MADDY KEYES MADDY@READFRONTIER.COM 
January 7, 2026
Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, will try again to extend Oklahoma’s eviction timeline after Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed a similar measure last legislative session. Kirt hopes to lessen the burden on cou...
Election calendar modernization law to take effect
lifestyle, news
Election calendar modernization law to take effect
January 7, 2026
OKLAHOMA CITY – A new law modernizing Oklahoma’s election calendar will affect elections beginning Jan. 1, 2026, bringing greater clarity, consistency and efficiency to when elections are held across ...
Attorney General: Only the DOC Director can refer prisoners for medical parole
news
Attorney General: Only the DOC Director can refer prisoners for medical parole
By KEATON ROSS OKLAHOMA WATCH 
January 7, 2026
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board can’t sidestep the Department of Corrections in determining medical parole eligibility, the attorney general’s office decided last month. The Parole Board voted 4-...
A vision of 2026
commentary
A vision of 2026
January 7, 2026
Well if you are reading this then you survived the Christmas countdown of 2025 and all the holiday hoopla. Now it’s on to 2026 and what this year will hold for us. For some it comes with the excitemen...
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