May 26—THUMBS UP: To all those involved in getting a statue of legendary lawman Bass Reeves erected in Muskogee.

Reeves spent 32 years a deputy U.S. marshal in Indian Territory before retiring. He was the first black deputy U.S. marshal.

The Muskogee statue will honor Reeves' contributions as a Muskogee Police Officer.

The funds needed to secure a statue have been secured. We thank all those who donated to build the statue.

The committee working to erect the statue is seeking an artist.

The statue is expected to be unveiled in approximately one year.

Acknowledging history helps preserve history and promote tourism for our community.

We look forward to securing a piece of history for Muskogee.

----THUMBS UP: To all those responsible for getting our pools, splash pads and River Country Family Water Park ready for summer.

These are major features for children and families to enjoy while on summer break from school.

Playing in water helps take the edge off a hot, steamy summer.

Watery features make for a better quality of life for our residents. It take a lot of people to get them ready for use and to keep them afloat all summer.