The Region 9 Education Service Center was one of 40 entities to receive a Texas Workforce Commission grant to support Adult Education and Literacy.
The center, which serves Young County and 10 other counties in its service area, was recently awarded a grant of $606,622.
TWC awarded a total of $83,030,502 in grants through the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education.
The search is underway for Graham ISD’s new superintendent with over 40 applicants currently pursuing the position. The GISD Board of Trustees will meet next week to narrow the candidates as they look to name a lone finalist by the end of October.
Impact Education Specialists (IES), who were hired as a superintendent search firm by the GISD Board of Trustees in June, provided an update Tuesday, Sept. 10. IES Managing Partner Doug Williams said as of Tuesday the firm had 43 applicants for the position which has a submission deadline of 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12.
A two-cent increase in the property tax rate was adopted by the Graham City Council this week following a public hearing with one speaker.
The public hearing was held Monday, Sept. 9 and served as the third reading of the tax rate considered by the city council. The city’s budget was adopted by the council during the Thursday, Aug. 29 meeting with the tax rate approved Monday of $0.665 per $100 valuation.
Following a discussion last month by the Graham ISD Board of Trustees regarding cell phone usage on GISD campuses, the board is set to have another talk regarding the topic this week.
The board took no action Wednesday, Aug. 14 on the cell phone policy for the district and requested more information before their next meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11.
The 16-hour online fundraiser Texoma Gives took place last week with participation from nine Young County nonprofits which raised over $215,000.
Over 200 organizations across 24 counties in North Texas and Southwest Oklahoma took part in the event held Thursday, Sept. 5. Young County nonprofits raised $217,185 overall, with the majority of donations to Olney organizations.
Members of the community will soon have the opportunity to take the stage and showcase their talents before a panel of judges in the inaugural Graham’s Got Talent event.
The event will be held from 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12 at Graham Memorial Auditorium. All ages and talents are welcome at the event, and registration and attendance is free.
Young County’s courthouse elevator will receive a much needed renovation in the coming months after commissioners accepted a bid for the work recently.
County commissioners received two bids for the refurbishment of the antiquated courthouse elevator and accepted one from TK Elevator Corporation (TKE) in the amount of $156,610. The motion to accept the bid was voted on unanimously at commissioners court Monday, Sept. 9.
At their meeting Monday, Aug. 12, commissioners brought up the issue of the aging elevator during budget discussions.
It took some time, but a set of new laws and rules passed by the Texas Legislature in 2023 went into effect on Sept. 1, the Houston Chronicle reported. Prominent among these are the SCOPE Act, or Securing Children Online Through Parental Empowerment Act, which tightens restrictions for online users younger than 18.
The city of Graham is in the early stages of pursuing a grant through the state Downtown Revitalization Program and is tasking the Downtown Development District 1 board with recommending potential grant projects.
The Texas Department of Agriculture Rural Community Development Block Grant (TxCDBG) category called the Downtown Revitalization Program (DRP) has a max award of $1 million. This grant provides funds for public infrastructure to eliminate deteriorated conditions and promote economic development in historic main street areas and rural downtown areas.
When Kellsi Easter started at Virginia’s House in February she had an uphill battle to match students in three cities across two counties with a mentor. Since then she has made strides, but some students are still in need.
Virginia’s House, in Young County, and Dr. Goodall’s House, in Stephens County, meet the needs of abused, neglected and traumatized children through programs of prevention, advocacy and support.
One of their services is the mentor program which helps children and young teens by providing a mentor who is a positive and encouraging adult.
