I can only imagine what it would have been like to have been Barbara Finley last Tuesday night, walking out on to the ball field where you watched your son play countless games.

Barbara’s son, Shaun, was called home by God earlier than anyone could have expected last year. And there she was on the infield, on the night Shaun’s #24 jersey was to be retired in a ceremony before the Oak Ridge varsity game. Seeing the War Eagle players and coaches lining up to give her a hug, listening to Doug Sarant recount the moments that painted a picture of Shaun’s life. Probably overcome with a wild mix of emotions: the grief and happiness and solemn pride in knowing that all of these people, on the field and in and around the stands, were here to celebrate the life of her son, and vow to never forget one of Oak Ridge’s own.

I can only imagine how she must have felt. I do know, however, that I would be glad that my son was raised in a community such as ours, chock full of the people who are there for us in both the good times and the bad, and who understand that the individual triumphs and trials of the players and their families are so much more important than the score at the end of the game.

Ann Allison provided a touching recap of Shaun Finley Night, and we covered a good deal more in Oak Ridge Now this week.

The War Eagles lost to Klein Collins Tuesday night, but that was sandwiched between a Craig Biggio sighting at the War Eagle Invitational Tournament and this week’s Wharton Invitational Tournament, which they opened with a 15-2 pounding of Cy Springs.

We also told you about the Oak Ridge Color Guard, whose road got a little more difficult when their fine performance at Houston regionals moved them up a competition class at the upcoming Winter Guard Nationals. I am sure they are up for the challenge.

On the larger stage, we provided a handy dandy update on the relationship status we have with various countries in the Middle East. We republished a ProPublica investigation of morgues and coroners and medical examiners that have landed the wrong people in jail. If only there were more Horatio Caines and Gil Grissoms to go around, because they never seem to make these mistakes on CSI. And if you know anyone that works in a refinery, you might have them read our Center for Public Integrity story on the regulatory mess that has helped lead to an increasing number of worker injuries and deaths. Then again, they probably already know.

Here’s one that’s interesting maybe only to me: 22 percent of Americans believe that recently enacted health care reform has been repealed, and another 26 percent are unsure or unwilling to say. Read much?

Around the great State of Texas, no legislation has yet been signed into law, but our faithful legislators are plowing through their respective agendas. Smoking cessation programs are likely to be slashed by 80%, but the long-term costs associated with health care associated with a larger number of smokers in the state may cause that plan to backfire. Lawmakers are also discussing how to write laws that properly define bullying and some appropriate penalties. They would be wise to provide the funding though, to prevent it from occurring in the first place, like the Safe School Ambassadors program in place at York and Oak Ridge High School.

The Texas Department of Public Safety issued yet another warning aimed at students planning to go to Mexico on Spring Break: Don’t Go. Not “Don’t Be Stupid When You Go” or “Don’t Drink Too Much When You Go” or “Don’t Go Off With Locals Like Natalee Holloway Apparently Did”, just “Don’t Go”, period. We’ll see if anyone heeds the warning.

Texas school districts, faced with looming budget cuts, are now able to consider applying for federal Race to the Top funding. Of course, there’s a catch. There’s always a catch. School districts that accept the funding must implement federally-mandated curriculum standards. They may eventually have to give students national assessment tests in addition to TAKS-like state tests. Is it worth the money? The answer, as always is probably, “It depends.”

In our weekly features, Dave Ramsey says, “There’s no higher calling on the planet than motherhood. We’ve lost that in our culture, and we’re suffering dearly for it.”  Unknown Soldiers features Major General David Blackledge, who swallowed his pride and asked for help for his post-traumatic stress disorder after suffering injuries in two separate attacks in Iraq.

In the best-feature-that-nobody-reads department, Tracy Beckerman recounts her ski encounter with a tree. “I had actually not skied for a while, and over the course of the month, had somehow come under the delusion that I had improved over the break.  I had gone through something similar years ago when I’d had kids and had convinced myself that childbirth would be much less painful the second time around.  Faster?  Yes.  Les painful?  Not so much.”

Will E Sanders won a ham at a raffle, and really doesn’t know what to do with it. “This happens to me every time I win meat, which is surprisingly often believe it or not (it’s the second raffle ham that I’ve won this year). I never have a place to keep large chunks of meat. I almost wish hams were redeemable for cash, but mostly because it would give “bringing home the bacon” an all new meaning.”

Margo Howard addresses a sister who poured Riesling in the soup at her teetotaling parents’ house, and a grandmother who regularly steals money from her children and grandchildren. Really. Ingrid Hoffmann, the lovely host of Simply Delicioso on the Cooking Channel, has some spring dessert tips, including recipes for Tropical Dessert Bars, Chocolate Flan Cake, Passion Fruit Cheesecake and Caribbean Pineapple-Lime Ice Cream. Save some for me.

I think our opinions section was strong this week: Bill O’Reilly led off with his view on the legislative fight in Wisconsin pitting public sector unions against the State. Chuck Norris has similar concerns: “The fact is that teachers union-sponsored protests spreading the land are not primarily about the teachers or the students. They are about the unions and feds maintaining their Mafia-style rule over education and our kids and preventing people from choosing educational alternatives.”

Peter Funt suggests that Congress should use care when trimming the budget of the U.S. Postal Service: “Like the cop on the corner, whose job I’d also argue is worth preserving, the mail carrier is for many Americans an anchor in a stormy world.” Michael Reagan weighed in on the duplication of programs funded by Congress. “Uncle Sam hosts 47 job-training programs, 44 of which do the same things. The federal government also runs 80 programs for what it calls the “transportation disadvantaged.” Count ‘em: 80 — paid for by your tax dollars.”

The Academy Award for Best Picture won by “The King’s Speech” led John Stossel to recount his personal issues with stuttering. I was just as surprised as you. Our own Doug Sarant looked back at second grade, the girl he sat next to in class, and dealing with his ADD. Finally the Supreme Court ruled this week that the disgusting protests conducted by the Westboro Baptist Church at military funerals are protected by the First Amendment. As much as it hurts us to say, they probably made the right decision.

Nonetheless, those loathsome folks from Westboro highlighted our editorial cartoons this week, along with Libya, Sarah Palin, our deficit reduction time bomb, and everyone’s favorite subject of the moment, Charlie Sheen. All that this week in Oak Ridge Now. Read it. Like it. Tell your friends about it.