Former Estacado High School quarterback and defensive back Jerry Gray’s outstanding career at the University of Texas makes his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame well-deserved. We also are pleased the prestigious honor was given to a special man who has always valued his Lubbock roots while enjoying much success on all levels of the sport. He continues to make an important difference in Lubbock through his charitable Jerry Gray Foundation, which stresses the importance of higher education.

Early reports of the devastation and loss from the Monday tornado near Oklahoma City — including a reported direct hit on an elementary school — are heartbreaking. The value of first responders is precious every day but becomes immeasurable during disasters. The prayers of Lubbock and area residents are being offered for the people of Moore, Okla.

Some observers believed North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un would save face after his foolish bluster in March by having a token missile test and then quietly backing away. It would be nice if the three short-range missles fired Saturday by North Korea were that token. The U.S. must be prepared to deal with any type of future aggression from the unpredictable leader.

Lubbock doctors are kept busy performing surgeries throughout the year, but not many of their patients travel as far to get here for operations as Honduran children Yesica Pena, 9, and Daniel Canales, 17 months, recently did for heart surgeries. The children were flown here by the charity Samaritan’s Purse: The Children’s Heart Project. The trip and surgeries were free to the families. The patients were welcomed to Lubbock by members of their host church, Indiana Street Baptist Church, and representatives of Covenant Health medical teams and Samaritan’s Purse.