The Texas A&M Forest Service recently approved $29.3 million in funding for grants to Texas volunteer fire departments through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.

In the fourth funding round of the year, the program awarded 531 grants addressing volunteer fire department requests for personal protective equipment, slip-on units, fire and rescue equipment, water tenders, small brush trucks and training aids.

31 of those departments were in the Panhandle including the Booker Volunteer Fire Department, the Follett Volunteer Fire Department, and Perryton's Volunteer Fire Department received $265,000 for a brush truck.

As was expected, the number of confirmed cases of the New World Screwworm in the United State have been growing since last week.

Dr. Tylo Hutchison, veterinarian with the Hansford County Vet Hospital in Spearman, told KXDJ’s Chris Samples that producers are as prepared as they can be.

“I think we have all been sort of waiting for it. They have come out with a new topical. Other than that, everyone up here deworms already. It’s been 50 years since it was here last and we will just come at it again,” she said.

Listen to more here.

As of Wednesday, the USDA has confirmed six cases in the United States with five of those being in Texas and one in New Mexico.

Today, the final in our series on arthritis. Ochiltree General Hospital recently hosted a lunch and learn that focused on the ailment with Dr. Rachel O’Beirne.

She told KXDJ’s Bill Bob Thrash that osteoarthritis is very common and mostly impacts the patient’s knees and hips, back, and feet and hands. “It is the most common cause of disability in adults. Women are twice as likely to have osteoarthritis than men,” she said.

A number of factors contribute to osteoarthritis. Dr. O’Beirne said aging, genetics, bone density, as well as injuries or repetitive motion are known to cause osteoarthritis.

Click here to listen to more.

If you think you might be experiencing symptoms of osteoarthritis, Dr. O’Beirne encourages reaching out to your primary care physician for treatment.

There was one arrest on Tuesday, June 9. Harold Nello Harris, 32, was arrested on a warrant for failure to comply as a registered sex offender.

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)

Click here for KXDJ Classifieds.

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!