Rodney Haydon was digging in the dirt and planting the flowers he had bought his wife for Mother’s Day when he got a call from El Reno Superintendent Craig McVay.

“I was in the backyard working and had my phone connected to the stereo and waiting on Craig’s call to hear what the board had decided on the direction of the basketball program,” said Haydon.

In a life marked at a young age by a tragedy that shook the state, Brooks Douglass forgave but never forgot.

“Ultimately, we have to move on — not forgetting our loved ones or forgetting what happened — and live our lives to the fullest,” the former state senator once said of the murder of his parents in 1979.

“This is what I had to do.”

Douglass will be remembered Friday at a memorial service in Oklahoma City. The lawyer, entrepreneur and world traveler died Saturday at his home in Texas after a long battle with cancer. He was 56.

After two months of being closed to the public, the Canadian County Courthouse will resume its operations Monday — with some adjustments.

Canadian County District Judge Jack McCurdy issued an administrative order that sets out guidelines for reopening the courthouse, closed since mid-March.

The order states that beginning May 18, the courthouse will begin a gradual reopening with a limited docket.

Friday, May 15 was observed as National Police Memorial Day.

This day was set aside by Congress in 1962 to honor the memory of law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the performance of their duties. Each year, that day is recognized in Oklahoma as well as in Canadian County and in communities across the nation by a solemn ceremony where we reflect on the dangers and sacrifices of those who dedicate their lives to keeping their fellow citizens safe.