News

A funding agreement for a matching grant from the Texas Historical Commission to the Young County Historical commission was approved Monday, Nov. 28. The agreement will be for a planning project involving the 1921 Jail. YCHC was awarded a matching $14,800 grant.

YCHC was informed Oct. 20, that it was awarded the Texas Preservation Trust Fund (TPTF) grant. The commission was one of 30 grant applications requesting nearly $800,000 in funds according to THC Executive Director Mark Wolfe in an award letter to YCHC. In total, $271,275 in grants were awarded.

The inaugural Young County Book Festival will be held next Saturday at the Library of Graham with over 20 national, regional and local authors who will discuss, sell and sign their books.

The festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 at the library at 910 Cherry St. The event was started due to authors reaching out to the library to see if they hosted any type of similar event at the facility, according to Library of Graham Director and author Kelly LaFarge who also reached out to bring authors to the event.

Radio operators can serve as the last line of communication in the event of an emergency and play an important role in emergency situations. The Young County Amateur Radio Club, which meets monthly, is looking to recruit new members that have an interest in communications.

The club meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Young County Law Enforcement Center training room. The club invites all of those interested in amateur radio and provides testing for certification.

Graham Concert Association is hosting the southern soul band Prophets and Outlaws for a Christmas show at Graham Memorial Auditorium Tuesday. The local nonprofit organization hosts six shows each season to provide performing arts for the Young County area.

Prophets and Outlaws originated in a high school  in Dallas when two brothers and their best friend combined their love of music. Five albums later, the band has a fanbase that spans across the south and midwest along with an online community.

One man was arrested Sunday with the alleged charge of smuggling of persons following a traffic stop by the Young County Sheriff’s Office. Luis Antonio Chagala-Mil, 24, of Mexico, is currently booked in the Young County Jail on a $30,000 bond.

Chagala-Mil was driving a Honda Pilot when he was pulled over near Hwy. 114 and Red Top Road for a traffic violation by a YCSO deputy Sunday, Nov. 20. Also in the vehicle were five adult males, one adult female and one 16-year-old juvenile.

An investigation from the Olney Police Department regarding a July solicitation of a minor charge led to the discovery of child pornography and an additional arrest of an Olney man Tuesday.

Terry Joe Ward, 43, of Olney, was arrested Tuesday, Nov. 22, on the charge of possession of child pornography which is connected to a Thursday, July 21 arrest, on the charge of online solicitation of a minor.

The Graham Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Christmas Stroll and Lighted Parade on the downtown square Thursday with a theme of Santa’s Merry Toyland. Over 30 entries are scheduled for the parade while other events will take place on the square.

The stroll will begin at 5 p.m. and a performance from the Graham First Presbyterian children’s choir will be held on the courthouse steps at 5:30 p.m.

The smell of cocoa and holiday treats will fill the downtown square Thursday as teams from Graham Junior High School and Open Door Christian School sell products through the Hot Chocolicious competition. The educational program seeks to build life skills for the students, while also supporting local nonprofit organizations.

The Graham Chamber of Commerce Holiday Shopping Spree kicked off Friday, with a total of $7,000 in local prizes available for shoppers who make purchases at local participating businesses. The annual holiday chamber event encourages shopping locally.

Over 20 participating chamber member local businesses will be a part of the event held through Friday, Dec. 16. For every $25 spent at a participating business, the customer will receive a stamp card for the campaign.

Newcastle Elementary student Leon Creel’s short story “Raid on the Creek” was chosen as one of the short stories published in the “I Am Texas” book this fall by the iWRITE Literacy Organization and The Bryan Museum. Creel was the youngest in the grade 3-8 writing winners pool and one of 1,000 students to be featured in the book.