Gov. Brad Henry announced the winning Oklahoma commemorative quarter is the state bird and wildflower and the Indian blanket design.

His office said more than 148,000 votes were cast.

"Oklahomans have spoken and the results are clear," Henry said of the online vote.

The No. 2 design proposal won handily. Earning more than 50 percent of the vote, it beat out competing illustrations that featured representations of the Pioneer Woman, a gushing oil derrick, waving wheat, a windmill and a calumet.

The final vote tally:

• No. 2: 76,643
• No. 3: 19,740
• No. 4: 18,976
• No. 1: 17,784
• No. 5: 15,023

What do you think? Are you happy with the Oklahoma quarter design?

As Judge Twyla Mason Gray set Curtis McCarty free today, she ripped into former Oklahoma City police chemist Joyce Gilchrist. Gray wondered where Gilchrist is and why she's not been sent to prison for shoddy forensic work.

What are your thoughts about Gray publicly ridiculing Gilchrist?

Did you catch Oklahoma jet-pack powered Rocket Man on the "Ellen Degeneres" show today?

Dan Schlund, who soared into fame for the Oklahoma Centennial at the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year's Day, rocketed to the national spotlight during a show segment. The Rocket Man wore bright blue flight suit emblazoned with the Oklahoma Centennial.

If you missed it and are wanting to see it, cable's Oxygen Channel replays the talk show at 1 a.m. Oklahoma time.

Evangelist Jerry Falwell passed away today at age 73.

In Nov. 2005, he cancelled a scheduled Oklahoma City appearance at the Oklahoma Pastor's Conference.

At the time, Duke Westover, Falwell's executive assistant, said the cancellation was due to Falwell's Gulfstream jet being down for maintenance at his headquarters in Lynchburg, Va.

"We have a turboprop aircraft that we use as a backup, but we can't fly it very far west of the Mississippi because Rev. Falwell's doctor won't let him fly that long," Westover said.

Falwell's announced appearance at the conference sparked controversy among some Oklahoma City-area Baptist churches including Edmond's Henderson Hills congregation.

"That was 90 percent relief that we wouldn't have to take extra security measures for Rev. Falwell's appearance," Pastor Jeff Wilson, an elder and education pastor at HHBC, said. "We didn't have to worry about protestors showing up, and we didn't have to expend extra income on security."

Wilson admitted that the other 10 percent had to do with Falwell's controversial reputation.

"Not everyone likes Falwell," Wilson said. "Some controversy would have spilled over and we were concerned. We were hopeful Falwell's appearance wouldn't have an effect on our public image. We had nothing to do with the program, and we agreed to host the conference long before any speakers were picked."

Officials with the state agency regulating Oklahoma's space industry say they are not concerned about Rocketplane's funding woes and are hopeful things will work out.

Ken McGill, a member of the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority, told Oklahoma Gazette he has no worries about Rocketplane.

"I am fully aware of the situation and way things are going," he said.

In recent months, reports in the Gazette and other aerospace publications indicate the company, whose investors received an $18 million tax credit from the state, experienced setbacks. Among the issues:

• layoffs of employees including Chief Technical Officer David Urie.
• failing to meet a funding deadline as part of the orbital subsidiary's $207 million NASA contract.
• diverting funds from Rocketplane's suborbital subsidiary to its orbital subsidiary.

Questions arose about the diverted funds since the company received $18 million in state taxpayer money to help build a suborbital tourism ship.

"George French told me it was his personal money that was diverted," McGill said of Rocketplane Chairman George French.

OSIDA Executive Director Bill Khourie said he is hopeful Rocketplane will speed up its operation.

"We're excited and want everyone to be successful," he said. "But as for scheduling, time lines will change. You have to be realistic, but we're optimistic."

However, McGill said he would be concerned if Rocketplane showed no signs of progress by the end of the year.

Should the state be concerned about its $18 million tax-credit investment? - Scott Cooper

More Rocketplane coverage:

Ex-Rocketplane chief engineer says funding diverted from tourism vehicle
Rocketplane lays off manager, seeks $500 million
Rocketplane responds
Texas rocket leaves Oklahoma soil, returns
Rocketplane beat to launch by Texas company
Another rocket company ready to do business with state

A state lawmaker wants to extend Oklahoma's school year by over two weeks, saying that State Superintendent Sandy Garrett's proposal to add just five days of classroom instruction is inadequate.

State Rep. Paul Wesselhöft drafted a bill last week to extend the number of student class days each school year from 175 to 190. He says that a recent report by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that gave Oklahoma's public school system two "F" grades is evidence that such a change is needed.

Will the 15 days be beneficial? Should the lawmakers invest in early childhood programs to improve the schools instead?

A letter published July 11 speculates why Oklahoma Gazette chooses "to pimp" commentary writer Robin Meyers, the minister of Mayflower Congregational Church in Oklahoma City. The reader suggests the Gazette's editor "is developing a movie script about a minister whose mental functions slowly degenerate into psychosis, and the plot's twist is that no one in the congregation has even the slightest clue until a spiritual tsunami strikes."

While this is not true, if you were casting the part of Meyers, which actor would you choose to portray him?

Attention film buffs and celebrity watchers " Tuesday, July 31st OKC will be re-Bourne.
 
Actor Matt Damon will be coming to OKC to promote " The Bourne Ultimatum" " the latest action/espionage thriller based on Robert Ludlum's best selling novel.
 
Damon and the film's executive producer, Frank Marshall will introduce the movie at the Harkins Bricktown Theatre at 7:30 p.m., after the movies prequels, "The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy" are shown.
 
Ticket's for the event are $150 and can be purchased by calling 440-6733. All proceeds will benefit the Children's Center in Bethany, a non-profit hospital that helps children with medical and physical disabilities.

What's your favorite song to describe OKC's atypical summer?

Artist's ranging from Mungo Jerry to Will Smith have tried to capture the essence of "Summertime," but what do you think? What song makes you want to have fun in the sun?

Cowboy and Sooner fans interested in customizing their NCAA College Football '08 for PS3 video game cover have options!

Crimson-and-cream enthusiasts can select Minnesota Viking draftee Adrian Peterson. (And you will probably want to opt for a customized cover considering the generic one is from <shhhh, say it in a whisper...> Boise State.)

Poke aficionados have the Pistol Pete option. Hmm. Doesn't Walt Garrison make a better Cowboy-looking cover shot? Or that All-Everything back Barry Sanders?