News

The Graham City Manager was granted emergency contracting authority by the Graham City Council this week to retain repair and construction services for 900 feet of failing waterline in the 900 block of Virginia Street.

The council allocated $300,000 of the available $500,000 in the uncommitted reserves in the Water Capital Fund for the project during their meeting Thursday, Aug. 1. City Manager Eric Garretty said Public Works Director Randall Dawson identified the immediate need to replace the segment of waterline.

For almost three years, Dr. Magen Bunyard has served as the director of the North Central Texas College Graham campus. In September, she will soon move into another leading position as executive director of student affairs and dean of students for the NCTC Gainesville campus.

The shift in organizational leadership was announced Wednesday, July 17 by NCTC Chancellor Dr. G. Brent Wallace and will take effect Sunday, Sept. 1. 

After setting a goal to provide a centralized home for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) services, the Graham Friends of The Arc board have raised the needed funds to establish that facility for The Arc of Wichita County.

Graham Friends of The Arc board members recently met with Lone Star Architecture and The Arc of Wichita County Executive Director Anthony Watkins to review planned renovations for the HERO House located at 611 South St. in Graham.

One of many popular television shows on The History Channel will be making its way back to Texas this fall and producers are looking for unique treasures around the north central Texas area.

American Pickers is a documentary-style show that explores the world of antiques across the United States. Members of the show travel around looking to “pick” valuable antiques from different areas of the country.

As the beginning of the school year for Graham ISD approaches, the days are counting down to finish up getting students prepared for the new year. 

Graham ISD released information Tuesday, July 30 regarding the back-to-school activities for the 2024-2025 school year. New student registration is currently underway at each campus and will be available until Thursday, Aug. 1. The first day of school for GISD will be Wednesday, Aug. 14.

With the creation of the new Young County annex and the move of the tax assessor-collector into that office, the TAC office in the courthouse will be renovated to create more space for other departments.

The new annex will house the TAC office, veterans services, elections administration and possibly others. Those offices will officially be moving into the annex within the next month which will free up space in the county courthouse.

Young County’s goal will be to renovate the TAC office in the courthouse so that the county auditor’s department can move in.

An ongoing case involving radio interference among Young County’s emergency dispatch saw an advancement last week when an arrest was made.

Billy Morgan, 61, of Graham, was arrested Wednesday, July 24 and charged with interference with radio frequency licensed to a government entity, a Class A misdemeanor.

For many weeks, disruptive transmissions had been broadcasting from an unknown source on the YCSO frequency. This frequency is used by YCSO to communicate with dispatch, as well as to communicate with first responders in the field.

Graham Regional Medical Center’s Board of Directors recently met and discussed the hospital’s business plan for the upcoming fiscal year 2025, in which the focus will involve making GRMC the medical center of choice.

CEO Shane Kernell presented the plan to the board at their meeting Thursday, July 25, where he talked about how this past year was a transition year and that he believes the hospital will see lots of new progress going into 2025.

As a way to help her son with the concept of money and finances and to raise autism awareness, Graham resident Kelsey Pruit and her son Carter had a lemonade stand set up last week with the support of the community behind them.

Ten-year-old Carter Pruitt was diagnosed with autism at around 3 years old. His mother wanted to find a hands-on approach to help him understand the concept of money and came up with the idea of setting up a lemonade stand.

Editor's Note: The immunization clinic originally scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 6 at First United Methodist Church McCree Hall in Graham has being rescheduled for Thursday, Aug. 22.

State and local residents can get their children prepared with back-to-school savings through an immunization clinic and a state sales tax holiday next week. 

At the beginning of August, a state sales tax holiday by the Texas Comptroller office and an immunization clinic will be available by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).