News

After postponing their 2020-2021 season due to COVID-19 in July, the Graham Concert Association is back for one show next week at Graham Drive-In theater. The organization is hosting Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis’ Holiday Shindig next Tuesday in Graham.

The husband-and-wife duo of singer-songwriters will perform favorites from their recent duet record “Beautiful Lie,” and also songs from their own solo catalogue as well as holiday favorites.

For a second year the Library of Graham is looking for support for their angel tree program through donations from the community. This year, the event has changed to local support for children in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.

The Imagination Library program was implemented at the Library of Graham in 2007 and supports children from birth to age 5, who will receive a book a month by mail for free. Locally, the program currently has 319 children enrolled, with 879 graduated children and a total of 1,198 children involved.

The Graham Chamber of Commerce Hot Shopolicious competition which is taking the place of the annual Hot Chocolicious competition, has commenced online with online stores open for six teams of 6th grade students from Graham Junior High School. Instead of hot chocolate sales through a stand created and marketed by the students in each group, the groups purchased products from a local retailer and are selling them in an online storefront.

After having the expectation of a rocky fundraising campaign due to COVID-19, Graham Area United Way surpassed 90% of their $100,000 goal for their 2020-2021 campaign. As of Nov. 24, the organization had reached 93% of their campaign goal, or $92,730.

Early voting in the Texas Senate District 30 Special Runoff Election is one week away in Young County, beginning Wednesday, Dec. 9. The runoff election ballot will have one race between candidates Drew Springer and Shelley Luther.

Texas Senate District 30 candidates Drew Springer and Shelley Luther will be present at a forum hosted by the Young County Republicans organization at the beginning of December. The forum at the Young County Arena will be open to the public.

The forum will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, at the Young County Arena located at 120 Barclay Blvd in Graham. The Texas Senate District 30 position covers Archer, Clay, Cooke, Erath, Grayson, Jack, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Wichita, Wise, Young and parts of Collin and Denton counties.

The Graham Chamber of Commerce Christmas Stroll and Lighted Parade will be Thursday  with events starting at 5 p.m. on the downtown square. The parade will follow the theme of “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” for the annual event this year.

Graham Chamber of Commerce CEO Krisa De La Cruz said the event is not only important for those who get to experience it each year, but for the businesses on the square who benefit from the turnout.

Early voting in the Texas Senate District 30 Special Runoff Election for the unexpired term of Pat Fallon will be held starting Dec. 9. This election will serve as the fourth in Young County after COVID-19 restrictions were implemented and slowly loosened locally and statewide following the general election which was held Nov. 3 and had three weeks of early voting.

The downtown square was the site as Graham High School hosted the first regional cookoff of the Texas HS BBQ season. The Graham Smokin’ Steers, Lipan Smoke Signals, Rio Vista Power Chefs, Muenster FFA Smokin’ Hornets and the Pollock Barrel Boys competed in five categories and earned trips to the state competition.

First United Methodist Church this year have taken the reins for the annual Thanksgiving meal with a drive-thru service available Tuesday at the church. The meal will be taking the place of the Friendship Meal on Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. rather than being held on Thanksgiving.

The Community Thanksgiving Friendship Meal will be served in a curbside pickup manner in the same manner the church has been performing past Friendship Meals and how it performed the Our Daily Bread program over the summer.