Today, an update on the construction coming to some Perryton ISD campuses. PISD Superintendent Greg Brown said despite how it may seem, there has been a lot going on behind the scenes and construction will begin soon.

Both the Wright Elementary and Perryton High School campuses are set to have classrooms renovated. He said they have had several meetings with the staff on those campuses along with the project manager and making the final decisions.

“We talked to teachers about what kind of cabinetry they need and what kind of electrical supplies they need. All of those materials have to be ordered before you start swinging hammers. We are pretty close. I think the first place you will start to see some construction take place is in Wright Elementary. We are going to be making those classrooms look modern,” Brown told KXDJ’s Chris Samples.

More can be heard by clicking here.

Brown added following the tornado, the renovation of these campuses is the way we reinvest in our community. “This is how we build it back and make our town look attractive. The hand of the Lord was in that to make sure we have something to build our town back.”

Samples spoke with the architect involved in the project last week and they will have some jobs available. Stay tuned for more details.

The FBI warned officials in Roberts and Gray counties last week of an “Hispanic male intent on kidnapping” residents in the two counties.

Gary McFall, Roberts County Chief Deputy, told KXDJ’s Chris Samples on Tuesday they have not heard anything else from the federal agency.

“I just want to reiterate that when we received this fax in on the 26th, we discussed it. The Sheriff said we need to release something for the public’s safety. So, we felt like this was important enough to release some information, even though vague, to keep persons somewhat alert,” he explained.

Samples noted they would hate to not mention it, and something happens and then have the regret of saying nothing. Deputy McFall agreed and said, “That’s exactly what we discussed. We knew Facebook would probably go viral, which they did. The information we had was vague. But again, because of the people that drive through our town, we just wanted people to be alert.”

Listen to more here.

“We just want everyone to keep up with their kids. Keep up with one another and report strange happenings or strangers to the Sheriff’s Office.”

Wednesday brings yet another chance for severe storms in the eastern Panhandles. Right now the area that's favored the most is the southeast, but strong to severe storms could develop anywhere east of the Amarillo to Guymon line. Hail size with the severe storms could be larger than baseballs. Wind gusts look to be up to 70 mph. A tornado or two is possible.

Storms this afternoon could start as early at 3 pm, but the more likely time will be between 4 pm and 10 pm. Storms may be isolated, and zone 2 looks to have a better chance for thunderstorm development versus zone 1.

What about maybe some chances for rain this weekend? The Weather Channel has us with a 30 percent chance on Saturday and a 50 percent chance on Sunday.

The Biden administration is continuing its massive handout for some with student loans.

They announced Wednesday morning of another $6 billion that it would be giving to borrowers.

"Today, my Administration is approving $6.1 billion in student debt cancellation for 317,000 borrowers who attended the Art Institutes," President Biden said Wednesday.

On the KXDJ Morning Show with Chris Samples and Ken Splawn, they discussed the planned bailout.

Click here to listen.

National Rankings have been finalized for the season and INKS Gym in Perryton is proud to announce that Cheer Xtreme Elektra is ranked 2nd in the Nation.

After receiving a full paid bid, Elektra competed at Lake Tahoe Super Nationals over the weekend and brought home the National Title for their Division.

Elektra will head to Orlando for The Open National Championship at the end of April, where they will compete against qualifying teams from across the Nation.

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You can also click here for the most recent information. —

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The Perryton Ranger soccer team brought home a gold ball Tuesday after beating Mineral Wells 3-2 in their bi-district match.

It is the second year in UIL competition for the Rangers and their first playoff win.

They will now take on El Paso Austin on Thursday, March 28 at 4 p.m. at Astound Broadband Stadium in Midland. You you can listen to the game on 98.3 KXDJ, with the TuneIn Radio app, or online at kxdjradio.com. —

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The Texas legislative committee that will investigate the deadly wildfires from February has set their hearings for next week.

Texas State Rep. Ken King of Canadian will chair the committee and hearings will be held in Pampa beginning Tuesday, April 2.

Hearings will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at the MK Brown Heritage Room.

The committee is set to hear testimony regarding:
-factors contributing to the wildfires;
-allocation of resources to and effectiveness of wildfire disaster preparedness and response; and
-coordination between local, state, and federal governmental entities with regard to wildfire prevention, disaster preparedness, and response.

Texas residents who wish to electronically submit comments related to agenda items on this notice without testifying in person can do so until
the hearing is adjourned by clicking
here. —

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Perryton, TEXAS- March 7, 2024 - Interstate Bank is pleased to announce the promotion of Pam Chisum to Market President in Perryton.

Pam embodies servant leadership. For 32 years she has dedicated her time to serving customers, staff, and the community of Perryton. In 2022, she was honored as Perryton Citizen of the Year, reflecting her outstanding leadership and involvement in various community organizations throughout her career. She is also a devoted member of the Perryton community, serving as the Director of the Perryton Rodeo Association and Co-chairman of the Wheatheart Celebration Council, as well as serving as a member of the Panhandle Profession Women and Community Worship Center.

Please join us in congratulating Pam on this well-deserved promotion! Pam, your hard work, dedication, and passion really do inspire all of us. Thank you for the genuine, caring way you serve others. Here's to many more years ahead!

Danny Skarda, Chairman & CEO, acknowledged Pam's commitment, stating, "Pam’s spirit for the community has always been commendable. She continues to exceed customer expectations in terms of service. We are very proud that Pam is on our TEAM!”

To contact Pam Chisum call (806) 435-4071 or email at [email protected]

Interstate Bank has been a leader in the banking industry for the last 60 plus years in the Texas Panhandle with locations in Perryton and Amarillo. We bring local to life, offering all your banking needs close to home. We offer personal/business bank accounts, personal/commercial loans, savings accounts, ACH cash management, and more.

For more information on Interstate Bank, visit https://www.isbtexas.bank/.
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Michael Crain, a former state investigator, joined KXDJ's Chris Samples for installment number nine in their series on the Tom Brown case recently.

Crain has been looking closely at the case out of Canadian and he agrees with all of the investigators from the state of Texas on down that believe Tom committed suicide and there was a coverup. He has now taken the steps to become a licensed private investigator as well.

He has found many inconsistencies in the story from the family as well as statements made by the private investigator they hired, Philip Klein of Klein Investigations and Consulting.

In this episode, Crain shares more from Klein and his multiple versions of parts of the case as well as information he received from Trace Sargent, the handler for the cadaver dog that was used in the case.

Listen to Episode 9 below.



If you are interested in listening to previous episodes, they are all linked below.

Episode 1

Episode 2

Episode 3

Episode 4

Episode 5

Episode 6

Episode 7

Episode 8

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There was one arrest on Friday, July 17. Luis Morales, 30, was arrested on a warrant for possession of a controlled substance - bond forfeiture.

Saturday, July 18, there was one arrest. Sara Marie Maxwell, 38, was arrested for evading arrest/detention with a motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. —

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Concerns about distance learning – are they justified? Parents are having to decide whether to send their children back to the classroom or stay at home for learning virtually. So, how effective is distance learning?

In today’s KXDJ “Did You Hear That?” segment with Chris Samples, he hears opinions from Perryton ISD Superintendent James Mireles and PISD Safety & Communications Director Darin Clark.

Clark said, “It’s hard to say at this point because we haven’t done any measurement of those kids because we didn’t do testing last spring. But, common sense does, and it is such a universally accepted thing that there’s a term for it – the “COVID slide.” We anticipate there will be some slide from what didn’t happen as strongly as it should have last spring.”

Hear more from them by clicking here.

Perryton ISD is asking parents to make a firm decision on whether their child will be attending school or doing remote learning between July 27 and July 29.

On the extracurricular front, the UiL is expected to make an announcement this week on plans for fall sports.
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As more states look to mandate masks, are they key in avoiding the spread of the coronavirus? Dr. Keith Smith, co-founder of the Surgery Center of Oklahoma, recently said it depends on the science you choose to hear.

“There are just as many studies that show that masks are not helpful and actually harmful as there are studies that show that they make any difference in a positive way at all. Even the CDC and the World Health Organization cannot make their minds up on a daily basis whether people should wear masks. This is frustrating because one of the casualties of COVID has been the truth. Research has been so political since government began funding it,” Dr. Smith said. “It’s really hard to know what to believe. I would encourage people to not believe much of what the year from the so-called “experts,” particularly those from the corrupt bureaucracy of the CDC. In all likelihood, a CDC guideline is something that should be met with skepticism, not embraced.”

What about social distancing? Dr. Smith responded, “There are not studies, of which I’m aware, that social distancing makes any difference whatsoever.”

The best way to protect yourself from the coronavirus, or any virus for that matter? Handwashing. “Handwashing is always important. Particularly during flu season. People should wash their hands anyway,” he said.

What about herd immunity? Do we need to just go back to the old norm, go back to work, go back to school, go back to the ballparks and concern venues? Dr. Smith said, “The good news is the numbers are going up because there is widespread testing and there is also much confusion on how those numbers are calculated. The CDC has admitted that they are calling new cases, even people who test positive for antibodies, that means they have a prior exposure. The test is not very good. It could be a prior exposure to a coronavirus-type cold. So, if we see an increase in a number of cases, it doesn’t mean an increase in hospitalizations. Hospitalizations continue to fall. Deaths continue to fall and when you look at countries that did not embrace lockdowns and all of these draconian measures, their outcomes were as good or better as here in the United States.”

He closed by saying it is time to get back to normal. People who are immunocompromised should be careful, wash their hands, and not be around people who are sick, but they should’ve been doing that even before COVID.
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All schools have been addressing campus security measures over the summer. Perryton ISD has taken a couple of steps to increase safety on all campuses.

Darin Clark, PISD communications director and safety officer, says, “One thing that folks are going to notice when they come visit the campus, we are making a very serious attempt with physical barriers and everything we can to steer everybody through the main office when they check in.”

Once you are in the office, you will provide your driver’s license and it will be scanned through a program called Raptor. “This is the leader in the visitor management process. It does a background check for sex offender lists, we can add additional lists for things like custody issues and things like that, so we make sure the person coming to visit is the right person to visit that child. It then prints out a badge that says who they are and where they’re going,” Clark explains.

They are also looking at implementing ALICE training which is designed to better prepare students and teachers for an active shooter situation. Clark says, “You hide in the corner, the door gets breached, everybody is in one place. That’s not a god idea. So, we are giving our students and teachers a plan for what you do when it comes down to that absolute worst-case scenario.”
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Implements Initiatives Related to School Safety

AUSTIN – As the new school year begins, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding all Texans – including school staff, parents, students and community members – to download the new iWatchTexas mobile app to help law enforcement protect Texans. DPS is also taking various measures to support local efforts to help enhance the presence of law enforcement in and around schools.

“As the excitement of a new school year builds in Texas, we are asking everyone to also be mindful of some simple but important measures to stay safe,” said Governor Greg Abbott. “Whether at school or in your community, Texans should always be aware of their surroundings. Working together to keep an eye out for suspicious activity, our law enforcement officers and the people of Texas can help keep our state and schools safe.”

At the direction of Governor Abbott, DPS launched the new iWatchTexas mobile app in June to make it easier for the public to report suspicious activity in Texas, including criminal, terroristic or school safety-related threats. The app is free and available for iPhone users on the Apple App Store (iWatchTexas) and for Android users on Google Play (iWatchTexas). Texans can also report suspicious activity online at www.iwatchtx.org or by calling 1-844-643-2251. All reports are confidential. (Providing contact information, which is optional, will allow for additional or clarifying questions.)



“Our top priority at DPS is protecting the people of Texas,” said DPS Director Steven McCraw. “At the governor’s direction, we are working closely with local law enforcement to support their efforts to bolster safety at Texas schools. We’re also asking members of the public to do their part by downloading the free iWatchTexas app today and reporting suspicious activity they observe. By doing so, Texans can play an important role in preventing tragedies and potentially saving lives.”



Preparations for crime, terrorist attacks and threats to school safety may often be seen but not reported. When in doubt, speak up. Here are some examples of behaviors and activities to report:



Comments made – written or verbal – regarding killing or harming someone
Strangers asking questions about building security features and procedures
Briefcase, suitcase, backpack or package is left behind
Cars or trucks are left in no-parking zones at important buildings
Chemical smells or fumes that are unusual for the location
People requesting sensitive information, such as blueprints, security plans or VIP travel schedules, without a need to know
Purchasing supplies that could be used to make bombs or weapons
Purchasing uniforms without having the proper credentials
Taking photographs or videos of security features, such as security cameras or checkpoints


The iWatch Texas program is not designed to report emergencies. If a situation requires an emergency response, call 911.



“Students on every campus deserve a safe and secure environment for learning,” said Commissioner of Education Mike Morath. “I commend the efforts of the Texas Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies in working with our school districts statewide to assure students remain safe throughout the school day.”



Following additional direction from Governor Abbott, DPS has also implemented initiatives that focus on working closely with local law enforcement and school officials to increase police presence in and around schools.



These initiatives include but are not limited to identifying opportunities for DPS officers to:

Attend large school events, such as school performances, sporting events, etc., both on and off duty
Schedule Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) training with school districts
Work with schools to participate in educational and mentorship programs to promote safety messages and continue to foster positive relationships between law enforcement and Texas students, teachers and administrators
Partner with schools to identify available work space on campuses where DPS officers can complete administrative duties (i.e., writing reports or holding meetings)
Conduct periodic walk-throughs in and around school campuses
Conduct routine patrols on school grounds and surrounding areas
Take lunch breaks in schools or while parked on school campuses
Conduct fitness testing and training on school campuses where permitted
Conduct canine training in and around schools —