We continue our series today on declining public school enrollments. Like most all Panhandle schools, Stratford ISD has seen enrollment numbers falling over the last five years.

Superintendent Dr. Paul Uttley told KXDJ’s Chris Samples that some of those losses are to families deciding to homeschool. “I’m friends with some folks who homeschool their kids and they have had some honest conversations with us about why. Maybe it’s a lifestyle choice, maybe it fits the needs of their specific child better than what they believe or they have witnessed what the public school does,” he explained.

Samples asked Dr. Uttley how they try to encourage some of those families to come back to see what the public school can offer. He noted that first of all, he believes it is extremely important for kids to have social interaction with other kids.

Listen to more here.

To help offset the losses, Stratford ISD is planning a more aggressive transfer campaign for the upcoming school year.

We have had some welcome rain but much more will be needed to get us out of the deficit we are in. Ochiltree County producer Roger Davis recently said they are moving ahead as planned with spring planting.

“We’ve got all of our dryland cotton planted and the rains that we did get, we are actually getting a stand of dryland cotton. Now, what’s underneath that, that moisture probably goes down three inches. Beyond that, it is bone dry. That cotton will survive as long as we get rain along the way,” Davis told KXDJ’s Chris Samples.

You can hear more here.

Davis said the irrigated crops, particularly corn, look great.

While Saturday will be a bit cooler, we will return to summertime heat by Sunday and hit triple digits by Monday.

A church in Pampa has launched an effort to minister to those down and out.

Pastor Kyle Ohsfeldt of the Grace Baptist Church told KXDJ's Chris Samples the project will provide shelter for the homeless and more.

Listen to that here.

Pastor Ohsfeldt also told Samples, “One of the mottos we kind of adopted around here is that you cannot minister to people that you aren’t kind to.”

Photo via The Robot Studio

Make way for the robots! The Robot Studio in Dalas offers humanoid robots for rent at $500 per hour.

They can be programmed to have brief conversations, promote products and even dance.

In today’s KXDJ “Did You Hear That?” segment with Chris Samples, Aaron Mehdizadeh, founder of the company, shares how it all got started.

Click here to listen.

You can find out more about the company by clicking here.

The US Dept. of Agriculture announced on Wednesday that the first case of the New World Screwworm has been confirmed in Zavala County in South Texas.

Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller was on the Perryton Today Show with KXDJ’s Chris Samples on Monday and noted he thought the screwworm was probably already in Texas. “Start checking your livestock. Get stocked up on anti-parasitic drugs and ointments for treatment,” said Miller.

The screwworm eats live flesh, and Miller said it is not just cattle producers that need to be concerned. “We think about livestock but most of these infections have been in dogs. They can get infected through something as small as a tick bite. You have to watch your pets, but any mammal can be infected, including human beings. Nothing is immune.”

Listen to more from them by clicking here.

According to the USDA, the affected animal is a three-week old calf, and larvae were identified in its umbilical area.

Employees across Newman Memorial Hospital and Clinics recently came together for a week filled with laughter, appreciation, and connection during this year’s Hospital Week celebration. Centered around a “Game Show Week” theme, the event brought staff members together through interactive games, themed activities, special treats, meals, prizes, and opportunities to celebrate the people who make the organization strong.

Hospital Week serves as an important reminder of the dedication, compassion, and teamwork demonstrated every day by employees across the hospital and surrounding clinics. Throughout the week, departments and clinic locations participated in decorations, friendly competition, and activities designed to recognize the hard work of staff members while strengthening the bonds that connect teams across the organization.

The celebration kicked off Monday with a “Jeopardy” theme, featuring an interactive online game where employees competed for prizes and bragging rights. Staff members also took part in the Golden Ticket Challenge, searching for hidden candy bars, some of which contained surprise prize messages. Later in the day, treat carts traveled throughout the hospital and clinics delivering dirty sodas, snacks, and special surprises, bringing smiles to employees across multiple departments and locations.

Tuesday’s “The Price is Right” theme continued the excitement with another interactive game, along with candy, snacks, and additional prize opportunities. Organizers also made sure night shift employees were included in the fun with special treats and surprises planned specifically for them.

Wednesday’s “Family Feud” day focused on wellness and self-care. Employees were encouraged to take a well-deserved break and enjoy healthy snacks, fruit-infused water, massages, and afternoon treats. The day served as a reminder that caring for those who care for others is an important part of maintaining a healthy and supportive workplace.

One of the most anticipated events of the week took place Thursday during the “Shark Tank” themed presentations. Staff teams shared creative ideas and innovative solutions while enjoying lunch prepared by the Woodward Elks Rodeo team. Employees also gathered for ice cream sundaes provided by Insurica, creating another opportunity for fellowship and appreciation. Friday morning began with fresh coffee served to both hospital and clinic staff.
The week concluded with “Team Spirit Day,” as employees proudly wore their Hospital Week shirts and Newman colors. Staff members came together to enjoy steak, baked potatoes, and fruit pizza while celebrating not only a successful Hospital Week, but also the relationships, teamwork, and shared commitment that define the organization.

The hospital week team worked throughout the week to ensure employees from both the hospital and surrounding clinics felt included and appreciated. Through games, deliveries, meals, treats, and activities that reached multiple locations and shifts, the celebration reflected the organization’s commitment to recognizing every team member’s contribution.
Hospital leadership expressed their sincere gratitude for the employees who continue serving patients and communities each day with compassion, professionalism, and dedication.
“Hospital Week is a chance for us to celebrate the people who make Newman what it is,” Robyn Girton, Newman CAO shared. “Every day, our employees show up ready to care for others, often putting the needs of patients and families before their own. This week was about recognizing their commitment, celebrating their teamwork, and thanking them for the positive difference they make in the lives of so many across our communities.”

One of the most meaningful activities of the week was the creation of interactive displays that invited employees to reflect on why they chose Newman and share their vision for the future of healthcare in the community. Staff members filled the walls with personal stories, words of encouragement, and hopes for the years ahead.

Many employees spoke about the sense of purpose they find in serving their neighbors and communities. One team member shared, "Every day gives me the opportunity to make a difference in our community, and that's something I'm proud to be a part of." Another wrote, "I work at Newman because it's rural, community-driven care where every person is treated like family."
Others reflected on the culture that makes Newman special. "The people and the passion behind what we do, it's next to none," one employee shared. Another expressed a vision centered on growth and service, noting that quality healthcare close to home remains one of the hospital's greatest strengths.

The displays also highlighted employees' hopes for the future. Team members envisioned expanded specialty services, continued investment in technology, stronger partnerships throughout the region, and opportunities to ensure local families can access high-quality care without leaving their communities. Together, the messages painted a picture of an organization deeply rooted in service while looking forward with optimism and purpose.
From friendly competition and themed activities to shared meals and meaningful moments of connection, Hospital Week 2026 highlighted the culture of appreciation, teamwork, and service that continues to make Newman Memorial Hospital and Clinics a special place to work, heal, and serve.

Many people are familiar with the Blue Star and Gold Star traditions, but questions often arise about the meaning and history behind military family service banners. 🇺🇸

💙 **Blue Star Service Banner**
The Blue Star Service Banner tradition began during World War I and represents a family with a loved one currently serving in the Armed Forces.

💛 **Gold Star Service Banner**
Traditionally, if a service member dies while serving our nation, the blue star is replaced with a gold star. Gold Star Families have long been recognized as families who have experienced the loss of a loved one in military service.

💚 **Green Star Families®**
Green Star Families of America was created to bring visibility, education, and recognition to the families left behind after a veteran dies by suicide. Support for H.R. 6022, the Green Star Veterans Service Act, seeks formal recognition of these families and their sacrifices.

You may also hear references to White Star, Silver Star, and other names. Some are used by organizations, awareness efforts, or specific causes, but not all are federally recognized military family service banner traditions.

We deeply respect and honor the long-standing Blue Star and Gold Star traditions and the families they represent. Green Star recognition is intended to build upon that legacy by bringing visibility to families impacted by veteran suicide whose experiences have often remained unseen.

Different stories. Shared sacrifice. Every family matters. 💚

Learn more at GreenStarFamilies.org

#veterans #vetlife #greenstar

Dr. Roy W. Bankhead will be joining the Newman team in July, bringing with him a strong background in urologic care and a commitment to patient-centered treatment. Originally born in Little Rock, Arkansas and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, Dr. Bankhead earned his bachelor’s degree, medical degree, and completed his residency in Surgery and Urology at The University of Oklahoma. He further advanced his expertise with additional training in urological cancers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

As a board-certified urologist, Dr. Bankhead specializes in complex stone disease, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and minimally invasive surgical techniques. He provides comprehensive diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of urologic conditions affecting both men and women, with a focus on delivering high-quality care that is both effective and accessible.

What sets this addition apart is the ability to provide advanced procedural and surgical urologic care locally, care that previously required patients to travel outside the area. With Dr. Bankhead on our team, patients can now receive treatment for conditions such as kidney stones, ureteral stent placement, bladder procedures, and other urologic surgeries closer to home. Patients who once had to travel hours for procedures can now receive that same level of care right here in Western Oklahoma. This means fewer long drives, faster access to care, and the ability to stay near family and support systems during treatment and recovery.

Dr. Bankhead’s addition represents a meaningful step forward in our mission to expand specialty care across rural Oklahoma. By bringing these advanced services to Shattuck and Woodward, we are not only improving access but also offering a level of convenience and continuity of care that can make a significant difference in patient outcomes and overall experience.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr. Bankhead is dedicated to family life and resides in Oklahoma City with his wife, Amy, and their two sons. He enjoys golf, tennis, running, art history, and reading.

Dr. Bankhead will be welcoming new patients in July at both the Shattuck Clinic and Woodward Specialty Clinic. For more information, call 580-938-5400.

SO SHOWY!

As we enter into the gardening season and the celebration of 🇺🇸 America's 250th Birthday, what better beauty can we add than the Martha Washington Geranium?

And we know just where to find them!

Visit D & C Greenhouse, Inc. in Spearman, Perryton, Dumas and Dalhart!

Owner, Danny Howell, gave us the grand tour of the behind the scenes operation of his large facility.

In business for 44 years, Howell began studying agronomy in college. Because his uncle was a horticulturist he combined his knowledge with opportunity and began his greenhouse, which by the way is much more than just a greenhouse!

Howell has grown his operation into a substantial and successful production facility with state of the art equipment coupled with innovative ideas. Not to mention the hours and hours of work..literally "getting your hands dirty" kind of work. Rain water harvest aficionados, Chris and Dee Ann Samples, visited Danny's operation to better understand his vast setup of not only his water lines, but also his planting procedures and climate control system.

"We have the best selection of locally grown flowers, plants and vegetables in the Panhandle," says Howell.  Botanical Roots: While named after Martha Washington in 1859 by botanist Albert Kellogg, the plant originated from South African species (mostly P. cucullatum and P. angulosum). Popular in the early 1900s, they were often called "Show Geraniums" or "Lady Washington" geraniums.*** 

 

Unchained Foods is an app that helps users find local hidden gem restaurants no matter where they are across the country.

Founded by Antu Radhakrishnan and Tommy (Trey) Butler, this app was built to help people on road trips discover new restaurants rather than eating at the same chain restaurants they can find at home.

Tommy (Trey) Butler is a graduate of Perryton High School and is in his fourth year at Texas
Tech University School of Veterinary Medicine.

Antu Radhakrishnan is a professor of small animal internal medicine at Texas Tech’s School of Veterinary Medicine. He and his wife have four daughters and, on road trips, they preferred to eat at local places rather than chains.

Frustrated with the difficulty in finding local restaurants, the idea of Unchained was born.

Antu and Tommy partnered to build the app that can now be found on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.

Users will see a map of their current location with nearby locally-owned restaurants. After
clicking a location, the user will find images, hours, address, phone number, website and more.

Currently, restaurants can be searched by city or restaurant name. Users may create an
account to save favorite restaurants and tell the Unchained team more about a restaurant.

Restaurant owners can create an account and claim their restaurant, update information, and post photos. If a local restaurant is not on the app, any user can submit a restaurant to be reviewed and approved by our team.

Features currently under development include users’ ability to leave ratings and reviews; and
restaurant owners will be able to post specials visible to users within a certain radius of their
location. These and other updates to optimize search and identification for foodies and
restaurateurs are underway.

Unchained Foods partnered with Tracemark Impressions to manage their social media and
marketing. Tracemark was founded by two friends, Austin Bergeron and Anthony Castaneda, in Spring, Texas. Tracemark Impressions’ values, excitement over this project, and content
creation made the partnership a seamless match.

You can find Unchained Foods on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok or visit their website
unchainedfoods.com. You can also try the app yourself by downloading it from your app store.

Stay Unchained!

Ochiltree County is located in the northern Texas Panhandle, where agriculture, history, industry — and even beloved Western literature — continue to shape a strong and forward-moving community.

Created in 1876 and organized in 1889, Ochiltree County was named after William Beck Ochiltree, an attorney general of the Republic of Texas. Its county seat, Perryton, is the northernmost county seat in Texas and serves as the county’s economic, educational, and cultural hub.

U.S. Route 83 runs directly through the county and becomes Main Street in Perryton, connecting local businesses, historic landmarks, and agricultural operations. The county’s reputation as the “Wheatheart of the Nation” reflects real production strength. Between 1900 and 1910, the economy transitioned from livestock to wheat farming, and by 2002 Ochiltree County ranked first in Texas for wheat acreage. Large-scale farming operations remain central to the local economy, supported by modern equipment, grain handling facilities, and a strong regional workforce.

Ranching laid the groundwork for that success. In the 1880s, pioneers such as Henry W. Cresswell established major cattle operations, initially living in dugouts near Wolf Creek. That early investment in land and livestock positioned the county as a serious agricultural producer long before wheat became dominant.

Ochiltree County is also widely recognized as the home of Hank the Cowdog, the self-proclaimed “Head of Ranch Security.” Author John R. Erickson created the beloved children’s book series while living and ranching in the Perryton area, drawing directly from the landscapes, ranch life, and Panhandle culture that define Ochiltree County. First published in 1983, the Hank the Cowdog series has sold millions of copies and introduced generations of readers to life on a High Plains ranch. The character remains a point of pride for the community and reflects the enduring spirit of ranching heritage in the Texas Panhandle.

The area’s history reaches back centuries. Prehistoric “Plains Villagers” (c. A.D. 1100–1500) left stone ruins in the Canadian River Valley. Even earlier groups constructed pueblo-like structures referred to as the “Buried City.” The Comanche later dominated the region until their removal following the Red River War. Today’s cultivated fields sit on land with deep cultural and archaeological significance.

One of the most defining moments in county history occurred in 1919, when the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway bypassed the original town of Ochiltree by eight miles. Rather than accept economic decline, residents moved homes and businesses on steam-powered rollers to the new railroad townsite of Perryton. Citizens from Ochiltree and nearby Gray relocated entire structures to maintain rail access. The original Ochiltree site later became a ghost town, with only the Ochiltree Cemetery remaining along Highway 70. That relocation effort remains one of the most remarkable community actions in Texas Panhandle history.

Heritage preservation is a priority in Ochiltree County. The Museum of the Plains, founded in 1975 in a single courthouse room, has grown into a large, multi-building complex. The museum houses approximately 10,000 artifacts, including wagons, antique vehicles, agricultural equipment, and bones from an ancient Imperial mammoth. Outdoor exhibits include a Santa Fe depot and caboose, a 1906 farmhouse, the Gray Community Church, and a relocated general store. Interior displays document Native cultures with projectile points, a Kiowa teepee, and a replica Kiowa calendar drawn on deer skin. On February 21, 2026, at 1:00 PM, the museum will host Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation for an educational program.

Perryton’s downtown reflects both history and ongoing investment. U.S. 83 passes the 1928 Classical Revival-style Ochiltree County Courthouse and the historic Ellis Theater, originally constructed in the 1930s. The theater was heavily damaged in the tornado that occurred in 2023. Local retail, service industries, energy operations, and agricultural businesses contribute to a stable economic base. The 1950s oil boom added another layer of development through successful oil and gas drilling, further strengthening the county’s infrastructure and tax base.

Outdoor recreation is available at Lake Fryer & Wolf Creek Park, offering space for fishing, boating, and community gatherings.

Ochiltree County combines documented history, productive agriculture, energy development, literary legacy, and community investment. Its past demonstrates resilience; its present reflects stability and growth. For visitors, businesses, and families, it offers both substance and opportunity in the Texas Panhandle.

Area tax rates (city) adopted for the next fiscal year include:

Cactus $0.314208
Canadian $0.846380
Borger $0.606807
Dumas $0.614928
Fritch $0.547556
Gruver $0.2770
Pampa $0.703304
Perryton $0.501485
Sunray $0.302340
Stratford: $0.820486

As the area taxing entities wrap up their public tax hearings, we are finally able to publish the information as each community and county adopt local budgets and tax rates for the upcoming year.

Have you ever wondered just how your taxes are calculated?  Be an informed taxpayer!

To learn more click (more)

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We have many different businesses looking for employees.

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.

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

Episode 9

Latest Episode - November 2025

Thank you to HPO Reader Laura Alexander from Tulsa, Oklahoma, for sharing this postcard for our readers to enjoy!