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Memorial park to honor fallen Dallas police officer Darron Burks ‘in the city he loved’

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Memorial park to honor fallen Dallas police officer Darron Burks ‘in the city he loved’


Taylor Toynes had just tucked his son into bed on Aug. 29, 2024, when he was rushed back to For Oak Cliff to find tragedy had struck on its doorstep.

While sitting in his patrol car, parked in the center’s lot, Dallas police officer Darron Burks, 46, was fatally shot in a brazen attack that wounded two other officers and scarred southeast Oak Cliff.

Killing of Dallas police officer took place in a safe, almost sacred space, in Oak Cliff

For weeks, Toynes watched as the haven he founded to be a beacon of hope for the community became a makeshift memorial instead. Hundreds of people came and went — to light candles and tie balloons, to reminisce and reflect, to question God and to pray.

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Almost immediately, Toynes recalled, his perspective shifted.

Let me shine a light, he thought. Let me teach you something.

Alex Cooper (facing) and
Tyrone Gonzales, who were fraternity brothers of Dallas police...
Alex Cooper (facing) and
Tyrone Gonzales, who were fraternity brothers of Dallas police Officer Darron Burks, hug during a vigil at For Oak Cliff on Aug. 30, 2024.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

“We know it’s the tragedy of death we’re dealing with,” Toynes said in an interview with The Dallas Morning News earlier this month. “But we also recognize that this is someone who needs to be honored for their spirit and their courage.”

And so came the vision for the nonprofit’s next project: The Darron Burks Memorial Park.

Their highest hopes, aligned

Long before Burks joined the Dallas Police Department, he was a student at Paul Quinn College, where he was a football player and president of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He was described as a “pure man” who never smoked, drank or cursed, and checked in on his friends daily.

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For 17 years, Burks was a math teacher at Texans CAN Academies, a charter school that helps students recover credits to graduate.

In 2023, he brought the leadership skills he honed in the classroom to the police academy, where he helped corral the younger officers and keep them in line. They nicknamed him “Papa Burks.”

Taylor Toynes, CEO of For Oak Cliff, is instrumental in taking the pain of the tragic death of DPD officer Darron Burks and turning it into a living memorial that will keep Burks’ memory and story alive to be shared with generations to come. The CEO of For Oak Cliff, along with his staff and Burks’ mother, are coordinating plans and raising funds for a memorial garden and playground to be constructed at the site the DPD officer lost his life while on duty on August 29, 2024. Toynes was interviewed at his office at For Oak Cliff in Dallas on March 13, 2025. (Steve Hamm / Special Contributor)

The challenge for For Oak Cliff wasn’t whether they wanted to memorialize Burks, but how they possibly could.

Toynes considered a traditional monument, but worried something so modest might allow Burks’ legacy to become synonymous with the tragedy that cut his life short.

Instead, his staff hopes to honor every part of Burks’ journey.

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For the people Darron Burks left behind, a renewed vigor for public service

After drafting some ideas of their own, Amber Hartfield, For Oak Cliff’s director of operations, said her team met first with Burks’ mother, Cherie Jeffery, to get both her input and her blessing. They found her dreams for a permanent memorial aligned almost “word for word” with their own.

“She loved every bit of it, and she was really grateful that the community is coming together to do something like this for her son,” Hartfield said.

Taylor Toynes (right), CEO of For Oak Cliff, shares details of construction plans as chief...
Taylor Toynes (right), CEO of For Oak Cliff, shares details of construction plans as chief strategy officer Xavier Henderson (center) and director of operations Amber Hartfield listen during an interview which was held at the For Oak Cliff office in Dallas. The trio are planning a memorial for DPD officer Darron Burks.(Steve Hamm / Special Contributor)

Ideally, the park, which will sit on For Oak Cliff’s property, will include an outdoor classroom, a playground and fitness equipment featuring educational quotes and words of encouragement, a garden with seating and a memorial plaque, and a mural symbolizing Burks’ faith, leadership and love for his community.

“To pull up and see people out there playing, sitting together, reflecting, whatever it is, I think that’s it,” Toynes said. “That is joy. That is living.”

Cherie Jeffery speaks during funeral services for her son, Dallas police officer Darron...
Cherie Jeffery speaks during funeral services for her son, Dallas police officer Darron Burks, at Watermark Community Church on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Dallas. Burks was shot and killed in Oak Cliff on Aug. 29.(Smiley N. Pool / Staff Photographer)

Jeffery, according to Hartfield, was especially adamant about pursuing the garden, yearning for a space designed to bring families together, an ode to the bond she shared with her son.

“We really want to honor all of her wishes,” Hartfield said. “We want to do our best to make all of it come true.”

Park to be built in phases

Hartfield and Toynes said a partnership with Leadership Dallas has been instrumental in connecting them with organizations, fundraising campaigns and pro bono services that will help them see the park through.

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”Officer Burks’ legacy will forever remain etched in the heart of the city he loved, and he will always be remembered as a true hero,” a Dallas police spokeswoman wrote in a statement sent to The News. “We are honored to see Officer Burks’ memory live on.”

They’re still in the early stages of crafting designs, but anticipate it could take anywhere from $275,000 to $500,000 to complete the project.

Taylor Toynes, CEO of For Oak Cliff, points out plans for a memorial garden and playground...
Taylor Toynes, CEO of For Oak Cliff, points out plans for a memorial garden and playground to be constructed at For Oak Cliff, where DPD officer Darron Burks was killed in the line of duty on August 29, 2024.(Steve Hamm / Special Contributor)

It’s too soon to grasp the timeline, but Hartfield said the park will be built in phases as the money is raised.

For Burks’ mother, they’ll start with the garden.

To donate or sponsor a portion of the park, the North Texas Giving Day fundraiser can be accessed here.

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For Oak Cliff CEO Taylor Toynes poses for a photo at their office, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025,...
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Dallas, TX

Battery case against Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale closed

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Battery case against Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale closed


Arike Ogunbowale was arrested in March for allegedly punching a man outside a nightclub. Stacy Revere / Getty Images

A misdemeanor battery case against Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale has been marked closed, according to court filings obtained by The Athletic on Wednesday.

Ogunbowale was arrested in March for allegedly punching a man outside a Miami nightclub just hours after winning an Unrivaled championship with Mist BC. According to the court documents, the case was dropped nolle pros, which means the prosecutor no longer wished to pursue criminal charges. The closing judge was Betsy Alvarez-Zane.

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The incident occurred at 4:22 a.m. on March 5 outside the nightclub E11even, according to the police report. Ogunbowale, a four-time WNBA All-Star, was being escorted out of the club as a result of an unrelated altercation when she allegedly punched a man with a closed fist, causing him to fall to the ground. She was arrested and charged with misdemeanor battery.

Police said footage captured at the scene confirmed the victim’s account. Ogunbowale was taken into custody without incident.

“We are pleased that the State Attorney’s Office has exercised its discretion and elected not to move forward with this matter,” Ogunbowale’s attorney, Mitch Schuster of Meister Seelig & Schuster, said in a statement. “Ms. Ogunbowale is a person of outstanding character, and we are excited that these charges have been dismissed so she can resume her focus on her professional career.”

This was Ogunbowale’s second season with Unrivaled. She played in the 3-on-3 league’s inaugural season with Vinyl BC. She was selected with the fifth pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft by the Wings. Ogunbowale re-signed with Dallas in April on a multiyear deal.

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Dallas Cowboys Might Be On List of Teams Interested in Jadeveon Clowney

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Dallas Cowboys Might Be On List of Teams Interested in Jadeveon Clowney


With the second wave of free agency underway, it’s just a matter of time before former Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney finds a new home.

Clowney is one of the most high-profile players left on the open market and easily the best free agent out of Dallas. The former No. 1 overall pick is coming off a season in which he tallied 8.5 sacks, which was tops on the Cowboys.

When it comes to possible landing spots for Clowney, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports “some of his former teams” remain interested in Clowney, although he did not say which squads exactly, which means Dallas could be one of them.

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“I gather that some of (Clowney’s) former teams are interested in him, which is pretty easy when you’ve played for as many teams as he’s played for,” Garafolo said. “So, let’s see about Clowney here in the near future.”

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Clowney has played for seven different teams during his career, with the Cowboys, Houston Texans, Cleveland Browns, Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans all on that list.

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Dallas Cowboys defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

We know Clowney liked his time in Dallas and he would be interested in coming back.

“Oh man, it was great. I enjoyed Dallas, playing on primetime every week. It was a great experience, man, and playing on Thanksgiving and Christmas was special for me. A lot of people watching, a lot of families showing up, and I had a great time playing for Dallas,” Clowney said.

We also know that, despite all the Cowboys’ additions at edge rusher, a team can never have too many. That’s especially true when Dallas has some question marks with their current ones.

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The jury is still out on what a rookie in Malachi Lawrence and a second-year player in Donovan Ezeiruaku will be in 2026, and Rashan Gary is no sure thing, either, after he didn’t sack any quarterbacks in the second half of last season.

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But owner Jerry Jones didn’t seem like he thought a Clowney return was in the cards after the NFL owners meetings.

“It’s real hard when you look at how Clowney came on last year in the snaps he gave us,” he said. “It’s real hard not to have a place there for Clowney, but you can’t have it all. You just can’t have it all. If things go right for us, we’ve already made a signing, we’ve made trades, we think that’s the better way to go. And, of course, we got the draft. It can very easily answer some of that question.”

There also seemed to be an indication that one of the reasons Clowney might not re-sign in Dallas is because he isn’t a good scheme fit in Christian Parker’s defense.

“He led the Cowboys in sacks last season and in January seemed like a prime candidate they would like to retain. But the move to a new scheme with DC Christian Parker seems like the Cowboys will look to other edge players first without completely shutting the door on Clowney’s return,” ESPN’s Todd Archer wrote.

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The veteran would definitely push back on that notion, though.

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“I walk in every year and play well on every scheme and every team I’ve been on,” Clowney said. “I want to continue to do that going into year 13. Showing people wrong and proving that I can still play at a high level. It don’t matter where I end up, where I play at, just know I’m coming to show you again and prove people wrong again.”

Whatever the case may be, it would appear based on Garafolo’s reporting that there is at least a chance Dallas might be a team interested in bringing Clowney back. We’ll just have to wait and see.

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The Strokes Aren’t Coming to Texas, but Cover Band Different Strokes is Playing Friday

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The Strokes Aren’t Coming to Texas, but Cover Band Different Strokes is Playing Friday


In perfect timing, now-retired Vandoliers member Corey Graves got The Strokes cover band back together.

Dylan Santos Green

The Strokes, the Grammy-winning band whose music dominated rock music in the early and mid-2000s (and likely still dominates your bad Hinge dates’ playlists), announced a world tour to pair with their forthcoming album, Reality Awaits. Strokers, as the band’s cult following calls itself, were disappointed when Texas was left off the map. The closest they’re coming is Manchester, Tennessee, for the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival — 725 miles, or a 10-and-a-half-hour drive away, if you contemplated it. But Different Strokes, a local Strokes cover band, is playing a much closer and much more affordable show at Granada Theater on Friday, May 8.

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Different Strokes, comprised of Dallas musicians Cory Graves, Dev Wulf, Hunter Cannon, Eric Nichelson and Colin Beams, is breaking a two-year hiatus, returning to the stage ready to rip “Reptilia.” The band, which formed 10 years ago, was derailed by Graves’ frequent commitments to his full-time gig playing with the Vandoliers. But Graves left the cowpunk band earlier this year, meaning it was time to get the (cover) band back together. 

“I called all the guys back, and everyone was really excited,” Graves tells us. He says it took them little time to find a venue to host, but the timing of Granada adding them to the calendar was chismet.

“We booked this Granada show several months ago, and as soon as we posted, the Strokes announced a new album and tour, and we had no idea,” he says. “It’s just really good timing for us. There’s no dates anywhere around here, and all I see is people on [the Strokes] Facebook pages complaining.”

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Hopeful Strokers prayed the band might be announced as a headliner for Austin City Limits, though they topped the bill in 2025. To the dismay of leather jacket-wearing Texans, though, the lineup released this week does not include Julian Casablancas and company (though it does include Dallas’ own Cure for Paranoia). This leaves Different Strokes as the best available option for anybody in the Southwestern United States who wants to feel the rush of those opening chords on “What Ever Happened” live.

Casablancas must have a really severe aversion to good barbecue and a wide-brimmed hat, because the Strokes haven’t played in Dallas since a show at the Globe Life Field in 2022. Before that, it had been two decades since their last show in the region at the now-demolished Bronco Bowl in Oak Cliff in 2002, when the band only had one album out. 

Plus, Different Strokes won’t play any of the deep cuts you don’t like, and all the ones you do. 

“Their fans are so culty and rabid that we do get a lot of requests for super obscure deep cuts,” Graves says. “You never get that with another band.”

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They certainly won’t skip the 2000s radio hits that’ve been removed from the real Strokes arena tour setlist, either.

“This band already has a fan base, so you show up and everyone’s pleased to hear these things that they already love so much and just maybe don’t get to see all the time,” Graves says. “In the case of The Strokes, if you see [them], they’re going to play a stadium. You’re going to pay hundreds of dollars for a ticket. You’re not going to be able to stand front row with The Strokes probably, but you can come right up to the stage for us.”

Ahead of the show, the cover band has added the latest Strokes’ release to their repertoire, rehearsing Reality Awaits’ lead single, “Going Shopping,” last week in preparation. It was their first rehearsal in years, but the dust brushed away easily, and they’d already played a secret and surprise set at the Seegars Deli opening a week before, with zero preparation. 

“We played 50 people or something, just to kind of shake off the nerves,” Graves says. “We didn’t rehearse for that one. We all just showed up and expected each other to know the part. It was good reassurance that we still had it.”

Graves and other members of Different Strokes have had run-ins with real members of the Strokes band, smoking cigarettes with drummer Fabrizio “Fab” Moretti outside a show in Deep Ellum for his side project, Little Joy, in 2008, and chatting with lead guitarist Nicholas Valensi after his solo show at Trees in 2016. The latter Strokes member jokingly recommended the guys of Different Strokes buy wigs to really sell it.

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And though cover bands get a bad rep, Graves, a seasoned, internationally touring musician who contributed to five Vandoliers albums, says they’re undeniably fun to play in. 

“Cover bands are kind of divisive. When musicians are young, they take themselves way too seriously,” he says. “You get to a certain point where you’re older, and you don’t care as much about the posturing. Cover bands are just really super fun. There’s no stress, there’s no pressure.”

Different Strokes will play at Granada Theater on May 8 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20. The band will only be playing music by The Strokes, but they will not be wearing wigs.



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