News

The Library of Graham and Connected Nation are partnering to offer free technology classes at the facility in Graham in July.

The classes will be held from July 17-20, with 10 a.m. classes requiring pre-registration and walk-in training held from 2-4 p.m. The classes will be computer/internet basics held Monday, July 17, email basics held Tuesday, July 18, cybersecurity held Wednesday, July 19 and mobile device basics held Thursday, July 20.

On Friday, the Texas Education Agency released the spring State of Texas Academic Readiness (STAAR) results for end-of-course (EOC) assessments. Included are results for Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology and U.S. History.

STAAR exams are graded on four performance levels which from highest to lowest are Masters Grade Level, Meets Grade Level, Approaches Grade Level and Did Not Meet Grade Level. Parents or guardians can receive a unique access code from the school and will be able to view their child’s individual EOC results by visiting texasassessment.gov.

For over 50 years, the Lake Country Art Show from the Graham Art Guild has displayed local works and the tradition will continue this year at the end of July.

The show will be held Wednesday, July 26 through Thursday, Aug. 31 at the Old Post Office Museum and Art Center. Entries into the show can be submitted by paid-up members of local art clubs or guilds.

“Anybody can enter that belongs to a local art guild or art club of some kind. If they don’t (belong to one), they are welcome to join ours on the spot,” Graham Art Guild President Terri Charest said.

The Graham ISD Board of Trustees voted this week to establish bond election on the May 2024 ballot and came to a consensus on the scope of the bond, but took no action pending additional information regarding other projects which could be added.

Graham will be celebrating the Fourth of July with downtown events and ending with a fireworks display at the Graham soccer fields.

The city of Graham began its budget discussions last week with City Manager Eric Garretty providing an overview of his proposed 2023-2024 budget.

In the preliminary budget, Garretty proposed a tax rate of $0.625 per $100 valuation, an increase over the current rate of $0.602 per $100 valuation, which will generate approximately $3.23 million in general fund revenue. The current tax rate has remained unchanged since 2020.

The Young County Museum of History and Culture is calling the community to help recreate a photo taken 100 years ago in the same location, during the Fourth of July celebration on the Graham downtown square.

YCMOHC Treasurer Shannon Plowman Potts said the organization is hoping to recreate a photo taken in the northwestern corner of the downtown square July 3, 1923. Shown in the 1923 photo are vehicles and visitors in white at the corner of the Graham downtown square.

Whether lighting up the screen as a stunt performer in Hollywood, or sprinting across the finish line in the 1952 Olympics, the life of Dean Smith has been one that few in Graham could hope to replicate.

Smith, who passed away Saturday, June 24, was born Jan. 15, 1932 in Breckenridge and spent his early days on his grandparents’ ranch. It was here that he aspired to be like the cowboy stars he saw in his local theater.

“I loved Roy Rogers and Gene Autry and wanted to be just like them – they were my heroes,” Smith said in September 2011.

Graham Regional Medical Center provided an update on the progress of construction for a new surgery center and hospital renovations last week. The hospital is planning to start construction soon on the project which is estimated to be completed by spring 2025.

The GRMC Board of Directors chose Teinert Construction as the construction company for the project Wednesday, May 10, with a bid of $4,924,000 and allotted time of 300 days to complete the project. The project involves the expansion of the surgery center and the west side of the hospital building.

After serving the county for five years, Young County Sheriff’s Office K9 Deputy Sam died Wednesday, June 21 due to medical complications.

The six-year-old Dutch Shepherd was donated to the department by the Southern State Canine organization, where two YCSO K9 handlers had trained for six weeks in 2018. Young County Sheriff Travis Babcock announced in a release Friday, June 23 that Deputy K9 Sam had passed away.