News

An Olney woman was arrested last week on a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a child. 

Alexa Villalpando, 20, of Olney, was arrested Friday, July 17 and booked into the Young County Jail on a bond of $100,000 where she remained as of Tuesday, July 22.

Following a tip regarding a possible sexual relationship with a minor, Olney Police Department interviewed the suspected juvenile victim Tuesday, July 8. 

Upon consent and search of the minor’s cellphone, multiple explicit photos were found, including some with Villalpando.

As a measure to save money, provide for rehoming of feral cats and potentially lower euthanizations, the city of Graham approved a temporary waiver of the three-day holding period with the Humane Society of Young County.

The Graham City Council spoke with City Manager Eric Garretty and Animal Control Officer Mike Watts during their meeting Thursday, July 17. 

Four local churches are banding together in August for Gear Up Graham, a back-to-school giveaway event aimed at helping families in need while building community.

The event will be held at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Eastside Church of Christ activity building located at 705 Indiana St.

Now in its 11th year, Gear Up Graham has grown into an annual event that has benefited many through the gifting of school supplies, backpacks and more, organizer Hannah Caddell said.

With over 400 participants, the Library of Graham’s Summer Reading Program encouraged a love of reading for children and young adults.

The reading program draws in the youth of the area to read books and earn prizes and rewards. The reading challenge encourages participants to read 30 minutes per day and bring their logs to the library each week. 

Two Graham ISD teachers will be recognized by the Region 9 Education Service Center next week as local Teacher of the Year nominees and considered as region nominees for Texas Teacher of the Year.

Pioneer Elementary School teacher Lisa Torres-Lester and Graham Junior High School teacher Jennifer Patrick will take part in a ceremony at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 30 in Wichita Falls to recognize their local selections.

The first of three readings of a 5.34% property tax rate increase was approved by the Graham City Council this week. 

The increased rate approved during the first reading Thursday, July 17 is $0.69 per $100 valuation, an increase of $0.035 from the current property tax rate is $0.655 per $100 valuation. 

The proposed rate increase is just under the voter approval tax rate of $0.690478 per $100 valuation. The voter approval rate is the highest tax rate the city may adopt without holding an election to seek voter approval of the rate. 

Following a notice of violation from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for failure to submit a lead service line inventory, the city is retaining an engineering firm to assist with the cost and scope of the project.

The Graham City Council met Thursday, July 17 and approved engineering and architectural firm Jacob & Martin to assist the city.

A court hearing this week to determine if Kendrex White could be released from a forensic mental health facility was postponed.

After being found not guilty by reason of insanity for the May 2017 fatal stabbing of Harrison Brown, White had a hearing scheduled for 10:15 a.m. Thursday, July 17 at the Blackwell-Thurman Criminal Justice Center in Austin. 

That hearing was postponed due to the flooding in Kerrville, where White is being held at a forensic mental health facility. 

Following a presentation to the Young County Commissioners Court, Texas Cemetery Restoration was approved to use ground penetrating radar to search for unmarked graves at the Oak Grove Colored - William P. Johnston Cemetery.

GPR uses electromagnetic radiation in the microwave band of the radio spectrum and detects the reflected signals from subsurface structures. Detections can include objects, changes in material and voids and cracks.

Despite Newcastle’s senior class graduating back in May, those who can now call themselves alumni still manage to leave an impact on the school and their community. 

The latest example of this is 2025 class salutatorian Benjamin Burk receiving a prestigious scholarship as he advances to the next stage of his academic career. Burk received the Mike A. Myers Foundation Scholarship.