The Graham ISD Board of Trustees held a public meeting and approved the budget and tax rate for 2020-2021 last Friday. The board approved the proposed tax rate which will remain unchanged from last year’s rate.
Last year, the board approved a tax rate of $1.277 per $100 valuation which was the lowest rate approved from the board after remaining at $1.347 per $100 valuation since 2013. The board approved the same lowered rate from last year this year.
The body of a Graham man was found off Boat Ramp Road in Graham by the Graham Fire and Rescue dive team Sunday, Aug. 23, with investigation ongoing into the cause and manner of death.
On Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Marine Safety Enforcement Officer Bobby Joe Cook was contacted by the Young County Sheriff’s Office in reference to a possible drowning at Lake Eddleman, according to a press release from MSEO Cook. MSEO Cook arrived and found the boat, which was located running and stuck on a sandbar just east of the boat dock, belonged to Gilbert Nelson, 68, of Graham.
Texas 30th District State Senator Pat Fallon resigned Sunday, Aug. 23, which opened a vacancy for the position which covers a 14-county area, including Young County. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott made a proclamation the day of his resignation to host an emergency special election for the position in September.
Fort Belknap Director Jim Hammond gave a construction and renovation update Tuesday regarding the fort. Hammond went over the changes being made inside the Fort Belknap museum and on various aspects of the fort including the grape arbor.
Thirteen Young County non-profit organizations will participate in the annual Texoma Gives fundraising drive on Sept. 10. Although the official drive has yet to begin, donations are already accepted with participating organizations.
Texoma Gives is a 24-county area program where for 16 hours, donations can be made to nonprofits in the Texoma area which encompasses 18 Texas counties and six in southern Oklahoma. The online-focused fundraiser hosts over 200 registered fundraisers.
After months of planning, Graham ISD will begin the 2020-2021 school year Monday with in-person learning taking place for the first time since the beginning of spring break on March 16. The school year begins after two schedule changes and months of preparations as teachers were forced to plan around circumstances they have never experienced in their careers.
Initially, the start date for the school year was scheduled for Aug. 24. To create more days to account for COVID-19, the date was moved to Aug. 17. Finally, the date was changed to Monday.
Graham Habitat for Humanity dedicated their 16th home to the Anderson family Sunday with an open house at the newly built home on 223 Willow St. Despite COVID-19, the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity was able to build their annual home this year for Cinthia Anderson and her five children.
The Young County Commissioners Court held a public meeting Monday where Young County Judge John Bullock announced that the commissioners voted unanimously on a proposed tax rate of $0.646085 per $100 valuation.
The proposed tax rate matches the no-new-revenue rate, formerly known as the effective rate. It is also below the adopted tax rate of $0.720759 per $100 valuation from the 2019 tax year. This will raise the same amount of property tax revenue from the same properties in both the 2019 and 2020 tax years.
The city of Graham welcomed Jon Delamarter as the new Graham Municipal Airport Manager last Thursday during their regular City Council meeting. Delamarter was chosen out of 34 applicants for the position and after the city reviewed other avenues for administration of the facility.
City Manager Brandon Anderson announced Delamarter in the position Thursday and said the city and committee overseeing the hiring interviewed five of the 34 applicants to the position.
The North Star CASA program through Virginia’s House is adapting to COVID-19 with additional training and procedures to limit contact. CASA, or Court Appointed Special Advocates, are trained and serve as representatives for abused or neglected children.
