News

A 17-year-old Windthorst girl was killed Friday in a three-vehicle wreck in Archer County a half mile north of Windthorst on U.S. 281.

The wreck occurred at approximately 12:36 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20. According to a preliminary investigation from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Windthorst teen was traveling north on U.S. 281 in a 2019 Nissan Kicks with the driver of a second vehicle, Florencio Ramirez Garcia, 65, of Graham, behind her driving a 2020 Ford F-250.

Graham native Hailey Lisle took her childhood hobby of writing novels to the next level after recently publishing her novel “Things She Borrowed.” Three years of work paid off for Lisle who self-edited and published the novel available online and locally in Graham.

Lisle said when she was a child she wrote small novels which her mother laminated for her to share with her friends. She said it started as a hobby which, later after graduating from college and nursing school, was something she revisited as she became a more avid reader.

Multiple agencies responded Monday to a vehicle traveling 70 mph in a 35 mph zone south on Elm Street which resulted in the arrest of the driver by the Young County Sheriff’s Office.

Kevin Frazier, 21, of Graham, was arrested Monday, Oct. 16 for reckless driving and resisting arrest. Frazier was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

A YCSO deputy had cleared a call for service around 5 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16 and was near the 1300 block of Hwy. 16 S when they observed a Chevrolet pickup truck, driven by Frazier, traveling north on Hwy. 16 S at a high rate of speed.

Early voting in the November election begins Monday across the state. The Young County ballot will contain 14 constitutional amendments as well as a bond measure for the Olney Hamilton Hospital District.

Early voting will be held Monday, Oct. 23 through Friday, Nov. 3. Early voting polling locations are North Central Texas College at 928 Cherry St. in Graham and Olney Community Library at 807 W. Hamilton St. in Olney.

The ninth annual Fort Belknap Days event will bring history to life at the fort in Newcastle next weekend. Around 75 to 100 reenactors will be at the fort performing artillery demonstrations and sharing the history of fort life.

The free event is held two days, with one being for area schools and the other for the public.
The education day for schools will be Friday, Oct. 27 and the public day will be Saturday, Oct. 28. The public day opens at 9 a.m. with a flag ceremony and ends at 4 p.m. with the lowering of the flag and a retreat at 4:30 p.m.

Last week the Graham ISD Board of Trustees discussed plans regarding two bond propositions for a May 2024 bond election. The board is planning on calling a bond election during a meeting set for Wednesday, Nov. 1.

GISD Superintendent Sonny Cruse said, if the board desired, he would like them to be in a position to call a bond election during a November meeting. The last date for the district to order the election will be Feb. 16, 2024.

Representatives from Plug Power spoke with the Graham City Council last week to give an update on the $600 million project located four miles west of Graham. The council additionally approved an agreement with the company to sell reclaimed water from the city’s wastewater treatment plant.

The Graham ISD Board of Trustees last week discussed allowing home-school students to participate in UIL extracurricular and academic activities throughout the school year. The board took no action on the item and will get feedback regarding interest.

The 87th Texas Legislature passed HB 547 in 2021 and began with the 2021-2022 school year to allow non-enrolled home-school students to participate in UIL activities. Superintendent Sonny Cruse said he informed the board at the time, but there was no discussion.

The Smokin’ Steers and the Graham PitSteers kicked off the high school barbecue season Sept. 29-30 in Amarillo. The pressure’s already eased up for the rest of the season as both teams from Graham High School qualified for the state championship in May 2024.

The Graham PitSteers finished fifth overall in the competition while the Smokin’ Steers ended up just a few spots behind in seventh.

The construction of a new Graham Junior High School band hall using $3.66 million of the district fund balance was approved by the Graham ISD Board of Trustees. Half of the new 7,000-square-foot facility will include a storm shelter which can occupy all students and staff on campus.

The band hall addition will allow for a band and music hall which is sized for a full class performance configuration. It will include an area for instrument and music library storage, practices, instructional space and a director’s office.