Local News
Runoff needed to replace Thornberry
The race to replace Congressman Mac Thornberry in District 13 has been narrowed down to two competitors on the Republican side, out of an initial field of 15 candidates. Retired Admiral, and White House doctor Ronny Jackson looked to be the choice to face off with Josh Winegarner in the run-off in May. Winegarner had…
Read MoreMental Health First Aid workshop set in March
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Wilbarger County and the Helen Farabee Center will offer a free Mental Health First Aid workshop this month. The eight-hour class is designed to equip participants to help address issues like suicide, drug addiction and mental illness. On average, about 123 people die by suicide each day, according to…
Read MoreJury: Man found guilty of shooting police officer
Daniel Walker Vernon Record Walter Emilio Orellana, 24 of Wichita Falls, was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Thursday for shooting a Vernon Police officer with a sawed off shotgun last year. The sentence was handed out in the 46th District Court after a trial before a jury of eight women and four men…
Read MoreCounty changes who’ll handle delinquent collections
The Wilbarger County Commissioners Court met on Monday and approved an agreement with the City of Vernon over using a county radio system, signed a contract with a new vendor to handle tax collections, and received word that the airport manager is quitting Tony Fidelis, of the law firm Perdue, Brandon, Fielder, Collins and Mott…
Read MoreVISD cuts ties with embattled principal
The Vernon Independent School District board of trustees held a lengthy closed session to discuss personnel on Monday night. In the end they opted to cut ties with one embattled principal and asked another administrator to meet their higher expectations. The trustees first considered Superintendent Jeff Byrd’s recommendation to terminate Central Elementary school principal Cindy…
Read MoreVernon OK with off road vehicles — with some restrictions
The Vernon City Commission, in their January 27 meeting, approved Ordinance Number 1753 regarding HB 1548 and allowing Off Highway Vehicles in Vernon — however operators must register with the state’s Department of Motorized Vehicles before apply to the City of Vernon for a permit. And currently the state is not yet able to register…
Read MoreLast letter from missing WWII sailor needs to be delivered
By Daniel Walker dwalker@vernonrecord.com Jack Edwin Haynes was a 20-year-old torpedoman’s mate, third class, in Hawaii during the week before Christmas 1944. He was jovial and burning through his paycheck while staying at the beach-front Royal Hawaiian Hotel. But it was also a nervous time as he waited for the call to board his submarine,…
Read MoreVernon robotics wins Region, advances to World
The Vernon Boys & Girls Club robotics team made an unprecedented showing at the North Texas First Lego League Regional Championship in Dallas on Saturday. The Vernon team, Insert Name Here, won the 1st Place Champion’s Award, placing first among the 68 teams to advance to the World Festival in Houston, which will be held…
Read MoreDivided city commission approves new senior development
A packed house gathered at City Hall on Tuesday night as the Vernon City Commission waded through several contentious issues. The commission voted 3-2 to support the efforts of a developer wanting to build an affordable housing complex, named Vernon Pioneer Crossing LLC, to be located at 1916 Stadium Drive. Michael Beard, a consultant representing…
Read MoreCounty agrees to help VISD Middle School fix traffic congestion
The Wilbarger County Commissioners Court has agreed to allow the Vernon Independent School District to restructure a parking lot that the county and school district co-own between the Vernon Middle School and Wilbarger Auditorium. Judge Greg Tyra said that VISD superintendent Jeff Byrd had approached him with a plan to alleviate traffic congestion around the…
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