Regional
Summer’s Last Blast features lots of cars, great music
Summer’s Last Blast is set to get underway with activities beginning on Thursday, Aug, 12, and concluding with the cruise itself on Saturday, Aug. 14. Jim Gryseels, president of the Vernon Street Machines and Classics Association, hosts of Summer’s Last Blast, said he was pleased with the turnout last Saturday night for the Mini Cruise.…
Read MoreMan arrested in killing of horses
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol arrested Trenton Ray Wilson, 32, on two felony warrants outside of Woodward, Oklahoma on Highway 34, at around 7:45 a.m. last Tuesday, August 2. Wilson was booked into the Wilbarger County Jail on Aug. 5 on two felony charges — burglary of a habitation and criminal mischief with a firearm/death of…
Read MoreAnother child victim comes forward accusing AG pastor of abuse
Daniel Walker Vernon Record A new victim has come forward, accusing former Vernon First Assembly of God Pastor Brian Pounds of illegal sexual behavior with a child. The allegations were unsealed Friday and a new charge of sexual assault of a child was added to Pounds, who is currently being held in the Wilbarger County…
Read MoreCovid on rise in Texas: Governor asks for help, local hospital CEO concerned
Governor Greg Abbott announced Monday a series of actions the State of Texas is taking to mitigate the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Texas. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) will be utilizing staffing agencies to provide medical personnel from out-of-state to Texas health care facilities to assist in COVID-19 operations. The…
Read MorePolice 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 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 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…
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