News

After purchasing a facility in Graham for The Arc of Wichita County, the Graham Friends of the Arc organization is working to outfit that facility to provide for the needs of those in the area with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

The HERO House at 611 South St. in Graham will serve IDD adults in Young County and as a permanent location for those individuals. Since January, Dennis and Andy Heath have worked to establish the nonprofit to provide a location for The Arc due to Helen Farabee Centers closing its IDD Provider Services Division.

It’s been 25 years since Ben and Marlene Horst saw a “For Rent” sign on a small restaurant building while walking around the Graham downtown square.

The sign had a phone number on it. Ben turned to Marlene and said they should give it a call and give the restaurant business a shot.

“For two weeks I prayed, and one day I just woke up and said, ‘If this is really what you want to do, we'll do it.’ The rest is history,” Marlene said.

The search for a new Graham ISD superintendent came to an end this week when Dr. Mary Johnston was named the lone finalist for the position.

Since 2017, Johnston has served as the Rockwall ISD chief academic officer of elementary schools and formerly served in roles as the executive director for special programs and principal at Southlake Carroll ISD. 

The city of Olney recently informed Young County of a decision to terminate the current lease the city maintains with the county for use of space in Olney’s courthouse building.

At a commissioners court meeting Monday, Sept. 30, the county received more information about the termination of their lease with the city of Olney for space in the sub-courthouse building at 117 S. Grand Suite B.

In an effort to combat growing issues with mental health in the area, Young County recently received approval for a law enforcement grant that will aid in that cause.

At a commissioners court meeting Tuesday, Oct. 15, Young County Judge Win Graham shared that the county had been notified of approval for the grant the week before. The grant is a two-year program in an amount of approximately $420,000.

The Spivey Hill Challenge will celebrate a decade of giving back while honoring Graham locals when it takes off from Firemen’s Park next month.

The race, which includes a virtual and in-person 5K, 1K Fun Run and Walk & Talk, will start at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 9 at Firemen’s Park in Graham. 

Since beginning in 2015, the race has raised over $100,000 benefiting the Haitian orphanage Hands and Feet and the local organizations of Garments of Grace and Shine On.

One of the busier Halloween neighborhood destinations in Graham on South Rodgers Drive will be closed off to traffic this year as a safety measure for those in attendance.

Portions of South Rodgers Drive will be closed to non-residential traffic from 5-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31. Parking will be available on neighboring streets and at First Presbyterian Church at 1400 Randy Drive, with handicap spaces available.

A Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election was discussed by the Graham ISD School Board of Trustees this week with the possibility of using the funding for teacher salaries.

The Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) can provide the district with additional pennies on its Maintenance and Operations (M&O) tax rate which will generate additional revenue. The item must be approved by voters within GISD on a November ballot.

Young County is preparing to host a public hearing regarding a speed limit change on a road in Newcastle.

County commissioners discussed at their meeting Tuesday, Oct. 15 the possibility of getting a speed limit sign posted on Judges Road in Newcastle. Following discussions, the commissioners voted to hold a public hearing on the issue at 10:15 a.m. Monday, Oct. 28.

The public hearing will take place at the Young County Commissioners Court meeting at the Young County Courthouse, 516 Fourth St., Room 106.

After several acts of graffiti around the city of Graham, Graham Police Department and others impacted by the vandalism are seeking more information.

GPD Chief Brent Bullock said the department was notified of several acts of vandalism with graffiti around the city, starting in August with several locations around the Young County Courthouse. 

GPD was notified Wednesday, Aug. 28 by Young County Juvenile Probation regarding the graffiti around the courthouse which was removed by those under juvenile probation for community service hours.