News

The Graham Crisis Center was awarded grants recently by the Bertha Foundation and Priddy Foundation for improvements at the facility and the purchase of needed new technology for the center.

The Priddy Foundation of Wichita Falls has granted nearly $142 million to nonprofit organizations to improve their services in their communities since 1963, according to the organization’s website. The organization awarded a grant of $37,000 to the Graham Crisis Center last Wednesday which will be given to the shelter in January, according to Executive Director Cathy Partridge.

Graham Regional Medical Center, Young County Family Clinic and Wellness Center donated unopened socks, underwear, sports bras, T-Shirts and pajamas last Wednesday to the Graham Crisis Center which were collected by staff and the community.

The campaign by the group was called “Dare to Say ‘Underwear’” and donated items were dropped off at the Graham Regional Medical Center and Young County Family Clinic and Wellness Center lobbies following Thanksgiving and into December.

The state is currently in the first phase of vaccine distribution called Phase 1A, which includes residents of long-term care facilities and front-line healthcare workers. The next phase called Phase 1B, will focus on people 65 years of age and older and those with certain medical conditions.

The Texas Department of State Health Services tasked the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to ship COVID-19 vaccines to more than 1,100 providers in 185 Texas counties this week, with 700 Moderna vaccines being scheduled for Young County clinics.

According to the vaccine allocation list for week two of the allocation process for the COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Jared Mataska at Graham Medical Associates and the Lovett-Meredith Rural Health Clinic/Olney Family Clinic were scheduled to receive vaccines.

Three community groups have planned to give back to Virginia’s House during this holiday season. The groups which contributed in different ways were the students of Woodland Elementary School who partnered with Elmcroft Senior Living center, Young County Toys for Tots and Order of the Eastern Star #668.

Drew Springer came out on top during the Special Runoff Election held Saturday, with a 13% lead over opponent Shelley Luther, according to unofficial early voting results from the Texas Secretary of State. The two candidates were looking to fill the Texas Senate District 30 seat which was vacated by Pat Fallen.

The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Young County campaign distributed around 3,000 toys Saturday, according to Toys for Tots Coordinator David Reid. The program this year had several new changes including Reid as coordinator.

This year marked the first year with Reid as coordinator for Young County after working as the coordinator for the Jack County Toys for Tots program. He took over for Bernie O’Dell who retired after 25 years as coordinator and Reid said the transition came with some changes to make things easier.

The Graham ISD Board of Trustees approved the purchase of a new scoreboard for Newton Field Wednesday during a regular meeting, replacing the 13-year-old scoreboard which currently is on the field.

The district has been working with the company ACE Sports to design the new scoreboard which will be a 23’x43’ LED video scoreboard. The overall size of the new structure will be 37’x43’ and will cost the district $618,669.66.

The Texas Transportation Commission approved the award of approximately $1.5 million for Graham Municipal Airport during their monthly meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10. The organization approved the award of federal non-primary entitlement grant funding, federal apportionment grant funding and state grant funding for airport improvements at five Texas locations.

Graham ISD sent a ParentSquare notification yesterday to GISD parents advising that a kindergarten student at Pioneer Elementary was in possession of a handgun and showed it to a friend at school.

Graham Police Chief Brent Bullock said in a release that it was discovered that the six-year-old student found the gun under the seat of his parent's car. After placing it in his backpack, he showed a friend the gun before the start of class Wednesday.