Local News
Police serve search warrant in Hop-In armed robbery
Vernon Police officers and deputies from the Wilbarger County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant in the 1400 block of Pease shortly after 3 p.m. Thursday in relation to a reported armed robbery of a convenience store overnight. Two individuals were placed under arrest at the scene. Additional details and photos will be in the …
Read MoreVISD trustees talk cyber safety
Vernon Independent School District trustees held a public hearing on the district’s internet safety policy, as part of their July board meeting. Superintendent Jeff Byrd said that with giving students Chromebooks, the district will use Cisco Meraki and GoGuardian to educate and protect students. Meraki offers a complete cloud-managed wireless network that’s built to simplify…
Read MoreVISD prepares virus protocol for safe back-to-school
Vernon ISD is preparing for the return to classes. With school starting back in less than a month the district’s board of trustees discussed how school will function, even with the shadow of another coronavirus outbreak threatening the school year. The trustees discussed the district’s Safe Return to School Plan as part of the July…
Read MoreOne positive Covid case in Wilbarger County
Texas officials report one active Covid-19 casein Wilbarger County this week. Wilbarger County has had 46 percent of the population over the age of 12 is vaccinated, compared to 59 percent statewide. Elsewhere in Texas the numbers are ramping up among unvaccinated population, Wichita County is reporting 133 active cases. The positivity rate, which measures…
Read MoreNew solar project coming to Wilbarger County
The Wilbarger County Commissioners Court learned of a new solar energy project planned for Wilbarger County. Orsted is planning to set a 400 megawatt producing solar power farm in southern Wilbarger County. Jordan Shontz told the county commissioners that the project will be on the Wilbarger Estate “tucked in next to the wind project.” It…
Read MoreVernon’s water line request to get state hearing
Vernon should know tomorrow whether or not its bid for a $12,000,000 low interest loan will be approved. The Texas Water Development Board is slated to meet Thursday at 9:30 a.m. to consider Vernon’s application for funds to construct a new pipeline from the city’s water well fields in the north part of the county.…
Read MorePrison for man who tried to rob pharmacy with a bomb
Richard Vernon Fox, 38, of Helena, Montana, was sentenced to five years in two separate cases following his plea of guilty to robbery and evading arrest with a motor vehicle. On May 5, 2021, Vernon police were dispatched to Family Pharmacy in reference to a male subject who had passed a note through the drive…
Read MoreJail limiting intake due to medical outbreak
The Wilbarger County Jail has had limited its intake of prisoners over the past two weeks due to a medical issue. “Due to HIPAA we can’t discuss the nature of the medical issues,” Sheriff Brian Fritze said, declining to confirm or deny if the medical issues were related to Covid-19. The Texas Department of Health…
Read MoreAssembly of God pastor arrested
Brian Keith Pounds, pastor of Vernon’s First Assembly of God, was arrested Friday, July 16, 2021 on a felony charge of sexual assault of a child. Pounds was reportedly taken into custody at around noon at a Wichita Falls hospital by Texas DPS Rangers. Pounds was booked into the Wichita County Jail on a Vernon…
Read MoreSplash pad unveiled
The splash pad at Allingham Park was turned on last Tuesday, following a ribbon cutting. The pad operates from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily by push-button The spray area of the splash pad is over 1,733 square feet and includes 16 different spray features manufactured by Water Odyssey that are perfect for toddlers to…
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