As the new year begins to take off, the city of Graham is continuing a trend of declining sales tax returns while Young County is seeing a 46% boost for the amount received from the previous year.
The city of Graham imposes a 1.5% rate on sales tax, which is placed in the general fund and a portion is also allocated to the Graham Economic Improvement Corporation for economic development and property tax relief.
After receiving proposals for engineering services, the city of Graham is examining the next steps to take on a potential renovation project of its wastewater treatment plant.
The wastewater treatment plant was built in the 1980s and received minimal improvements since being constructed, according to Graham City Manager Eric Garretty. With 45 years without a major overhaul, the city is looking at ways to improve the existing facility.
The 89th Texas legislative session begins on Jan. 14 with a still-unresolved race for speaker of the Texas House of Representatives.
State Reps. David Cook, R-Mansfield and Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, are considered the frontrunners for speaker, but speculation continues as to whether other candidates will throw their hats into the ring.
The community and members of Graham Fire Rescue lined the streets Sunday to honor former fire chief Dennie Covey who passed away Friday, Jan. 3, closing out a lifetime of service.
It was in 1986 that Covey got his start at the Graham department volunteering and in 1993 was hired full time. Bill Shaklin, who was the fire chief at the time, told Covey he had the makings of a good chief.
The Humane Society of Young County works to help stray and unwanted animals throughout the county and the nonprofit is currently looking to the community for support after being over capacity.
Director Shelby Brogdon said the shelter’s capacity is 24 dogs and 51 cats and has been operating over that capacity almost consistently since spring. The director said this time of the year is typically be the lowest for numbers and the shelter will be in for a hard time already at capacity.
An ongoing investigation into William Michael Bahl II revealed new evidence and led to an arrest on new charges.
Bahl, 54, of Graham, was facing charges of two counts of possession of child pornography greater than or equal to 50 or more visual depictions of a child, or video or film that visually depicts the conduct, a first degree felony.
Bahl now faces 12 additional counts of the same charge after being arrested Monday, Jan. 6, bringing the total to 14. The total bond for the new charges is $2.7 million.
As we wrap up 2024 and are venturing into the new year, The Graham Leader is taking a look back at the local news that happened during the past 12 months.
January
• An accident in December 2023 at Firemen’s Park sent a 5-year-old Throckmorton girl to the hospital, after her fingers were caught in a new piece of playground equipment. The Inclusive Orbit was a piece of accessible playground equipment installed at the park.
A local rescue in Loving is looking to the community for support after a fire destroyed hay, supplies and more this week.
Jessica Moreland, who runs the nonprofit Red Orchard Animal Rescue (ROAR) Foundation on Steadham Street in Loving, said the rescue was struggling due to dwindling donations.
After a fundraiser allowed the organization to purchase a large load of hay, a fire broke out early Monday, Dec. 30 and spread to a mobile home on the property.
A Graham man accepted a plea agreement last month for 18 months community supervision related to continuous interference on a Young County dispatch frequency.
Billy Morgan, 61, was arrested Wednesday, July 24 and charged with interference with radio frequency licensed to a government entity, a Class A misdemeanor. The arrest was following an investigation from the Young County Sheriff’s Office regarding interference on a radio frequency used for dispatch.
A Wichita Falls woman, who was arrested in November 2022 in Archer County following a vehicle pursuit that began in Young County, was indicted last month.
Samantha Fowler, 19, was arrested Nov. 29, 2022 on charges of evading arrest in a motor vehicle, tampering with physical evidence, possession of a controlled substance in penalty group two, under 4 grams, and possession of marijuana, under 2 ounces.
Fowler was indicted by a Young County grand jury Wednesday, Dec. 18 on the charge of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle.
