Second wastewater plant permit for Platon Investments LLC pending approval
A second wastewater treatment plant proposed by Platon Investments LLC in Wilbarger County would be designed to serve a new industrial site with approximately 440 full-time employees, according to a newly released 204-page application filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The proposed plant would have an average design capacity of 20,000 gallons of…
Read MoreDangerous heat to grip Vernon through early next week
Dangerous heat is expected to remain entrenched across Vernon and Wilbarger County through early next week, with afternoon temperatures approaching or exceeding 110 degrees on several days, according to the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma. A heat advisory remains in effect for Wilbarger County until 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, and another advisory has…
Read MoreCity Commission Approves Additional Lighting for Orbison Park
A proposed cell tower at Orbison Park will move into the city’s public notification and planning review process following action by the Vernon City Commission. Commissioners authorized city staff to proceed with public notices and consideration by the Vernon Planning and Zoning Commission. The action does not constitute final approval of the tower or a…
Read MoreWilbarger County Chief Appraiser offers insight into property valuations
(Editor’s Note: Sandy Burkett, Wilbarger County Chief Appraiser, has written the following to offer an insight into how property is valued for taxing purposes.) Tax calculations cannot be justified accurately at this time as tax rates are set by the taxing entities for Wilbarger County and must be set (adopted) before September 30 or by…
Read MoreVernon Police Department Participates in Joint 287(g) Enforcement Operation
On July 13, the Vernon Police Department participated in a joint enforcement operation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Wilbarger County Sheriff’s Office as part of the 287(g) program. The joint operation resulted in 13 total arrests. Of those arrested, 11 individuals were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for…
Read MoreHelp Support TASA, buy a meal from Vernon McDonald’s July 16
Vernon McDonald’s will be generously donating 20% of all sales between the hours of 5 to 7 p.m., Thursday, July 16 to Texoma Alliance to Stop Abuse in recognition of the organization’s 13th anniversary. This donation period applies to all sales, including dine-in, drive-thru, pick up and mobile orders. The agency encourages the community to…
Read MoreMan charged with terroristic threat after reported bomb threat to state hospital
(Editor’s note: The following information comes from a Complaint For Arrest Warrant. All references to North Texas State Hospital originate from this court document.) A 23-year-old man has been charged with making a terroristic threat after authorities allege he called in a bomb threat to the North Texas State Hospital, prompting a large-scale response from…
Read MoreCity Commissioners to Consider Increasing Water Allocation to Red River Authority
The City of Vernon Commission will consider a request from the Red River Authority of Texas to amend a contract to allocate additional city water to the RRA Box Water System. In a letter to City Manager Darell Kennon, RRA is requesting the City of Vernon to increase its daily water allocation by 60,000 gallons.…
Read MoreAbbott Directs PUC and ERCOT to Shield Texans From Data Center Infrastructure Costs
Governor Greg Abbott today directed the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to take immediate steps to protect residential ratepayers from the costs of data center expansion. “Data centers must operate in ways that reduce costs for residential electricity customers, do not drain water needed for our communities, and…
Read MoreVC Nursing Program Receives More Than $484,000 in State Grants
The Vernon College Associate Degree Nursing Program has been awarded two state grants totaling more than $484,000 to enhance nursing education opportunities and expand hands-on training capabilities for students in the region. The grants will support the conversion of an empty space at the Century City Center into a large simulation laboratory and provide advanced…
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