Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWICHITA FALLS Texas (KAUZ) - Polls opened for the May 3 Uniform Election at 7 a.m "The Issuance of $25,450.00 school building bonds for the construction renovation and equipment of school buildings and athletic facilties in the district including a new multi-purpose facility and safety and security upgrades and levying and imposition of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and intrest on the bonds and the cost of any credit agreements "The mayor and each commissioner shall serve for a term of three years and until his/her successor is elected and qualified unless sooner removed from office as herein provided.“ "If any of the elected officilas of the city shall announce their candidacy for any office of profit or trust under the laws of this State or the United States other than the office then held at any time during the term of the office then held even in the event that term of office is expired such announcment or such candidacy shall constitute an automaic resignation of the office then held and vacancy thervy created shall be filled pursuant to law in the same manner as other vacancies for such office are filled." How to watch Texas high school softball: Burkburnett vs Brock High School plays on the road versus Burkburnett High School How to watch Brock vs. Burkburnett softballBrock and Burkburnett will hit the diamond on Saturday, May 3, at 2 p.m. CT. Don't miss out on any of the action with NFHS Network The NFHS Network gives you access to live high school sports around the country Follow your favorite team and never miss a game Want to track your alma mater, local team or family member's school throughout the playoffs? NFHS Network has high school softball streaming live plus on-demand replays and highlights of all the action from thousands of schools across America Watch Burkburnett vs. Brock on NFHS Network! All NFHS Network events are available to watch online at NFHS Network and through the NFHS Network Mobile Apps for iOS and Android and TV Apps for ROKU Wichita County commissioners have taken the first step toward creation of a large solar and battery farm in the Burkburnett area Commissioners on Friday approved the creation of a reinvestment zone with Nymphaea Solar a Samsung-related company that plans to build a facility on leased open land east of the Glendale Street exit off Interstate Highway-44 near Burkburnett The next step will be for the company to ask the county for a property tax abatement Nymphaea representative Evan Horn called the plan a “utility scale solar and battery energy storage project” to be built on about 800 acres He said the plant would be able to generate and store enough electricity to power “tens of thousands of homes.” Horn also said the peak property tax value would be between $190-$200 million and the batteries would be in containers “in nice orderly columns and rows” situated next to an electric substation The electricity generated would go directly into the state’s power grid Horn said the company anticipates starting construction in early 2027 with the plant going online in mid-2028 Wichita County Judge Jim Johnson said the construction phase would employ about 150-250 workers and it will take about three people to run it when its operational The project came as a last-minute surprise to representatives of the city of Burkburnett and the Burkburnett Independent School District read a statement in which Burkburnett’s city attorney said the project was “massive and is likely to have multiple ramifications” for the city Although Burkburnett would not be involved as a taxing entity the letter said the city intends to apply subdivision regulations and require platting The letter asked that the city be included in future discussions about the project BISD Superintendent Brad Owen said the district had “zero communications” about the plan until very recently “We’re looking at a bond in the not too distant future so having known about this a little ahead of time might have changed some of the timelines we were doing,” Owen said He also said because of state rules on school finance the increase in property values the project would create will reduce the amount of state aid the district receives Neither McNabb-Fox nor Owen said their entities opposed the project More: California cold case murder may have a Wichita Falls area connection. Can you help? More: Is Wichita Falls on Elon Musk's DOGE list? Here's the list so far May 2Data SkriveBurkburnett High School will host Brock High School on Friday How to watch Brock vs. Burkburnett softballBrock and Burkburnett will match up on Friday, May 2, at 6 p.m. CT. Don't miss out on any of the action with NFHS Network Watch Brock High School all season long on NFHS Network! Burkburnett High School softball scheduleMay 2 vs. Brock High School: 6 p.m. CT | TBA, TX | NFHS NetworkMay 3 vs. Brock High School: 2 p.m. CT | TBA, TX | NFHS NetworkWatch Burkburnett High School all season long on NFHS Network! Team schedules reflect available data from NFHS and may not include every upcoming game It happened before most people alive today were born Memories of a horrific event near Burkburnett have faded with time But it’s a memory that lives on at the Burkburnett Police Department The department in partnership with the Burkburnett Rotary Club will dedicate a commemorative plaque for former Chief William I was Burkburnett police chief in May 1935 when torrential rain created a historic flood along the Red River north of town At some points the flooding was 5 miles wide The Wichita Record News reported at the time the bridge over the river into Oklahoma became jammed with on-lookers Chief Garland and four other residents drove to the scene to warn people they were in danger Garland stood on the running board outside the car which was a common attachment to vehicles in those days When the vehicle was near the center of the bridge timbers from a collapsed railroad bridge upstream struck the concrete vehicle bridge and caused it to collapse Two men and a woman in the car died in the floodwaters One man who survived was found on an island 8 miles away nearly 24 hours later At least 13 people died in the flooding on both sides of the river Texas Governor James Allred called in the National Guard Pilot Fulcher Armstrong of the Wichita Falls Air Transport Company spotted Garland’s body days later near Randlett on the Oklahoma side of the river He circled the site and sounded a siren until he caught the attention of a search party Garland’s funeral was attended by dignitaries from all over Texas and southern Oklahoma The entire city of Burkburnett shut down to attend The Burkburnett Fire Department formed an honor guard to escort Garland’s body to the Burkburnett Cemetery Garland had moved from Smith County to Burkburnett in 1922 joined the police department and became chief the following year Many of the descendants of Garland and his wife still live in the area His name was added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington “Chief Garland sacrificed himself in the line of duty to protect citizens not only of Burkburnett but of Wichita County that came to see the flooded river,” a press release from BPD said More: Restaurant opening in Wichita Falls More: Economic forum focuses on developing retail business in Wichita Falls Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBurkburnett Texas (KAUZ) -Burkburnett will soon be home to the world’s largest Hot Wheels collection with plans to build a museum to showcase the cars in the coming years previously owned by 89-year-old Theophile Kwas was purchased by the Burkburnett Development Corporation last April for $100,000 The collection includes more than 100,000 toy cars Kwas said he believes this is the best way to leave his legacy in the town where people will come and stop and visit and see what it’s all about I’m not in it for the notoriety or anything like that It’s just to see my collection saved,” Kwas said executive director of the Burkburnett Development Corporation was the one who discovered the massive collection “There are thousands of boxes full of Hot Wheels we’ve got to get this in the Guinness Book of World Records and we’ve got to build a museum,” Haggard said The city hopes the future museum will help revitalize Burkburnett “It’s a huge win for the city of Burkburnett to have this as a magnet to pull people in it will bring in thousands of customers a year things like that things we can use to further build and develop the city around it If a lot of people will go see the world’s largest ball of yarn they will definitely come to see the world’s biggest Hot Wheels collection,” Assistant City Manager Dusty Burkybile said The development corporation currently has a showroom that will be used for fundraisers and hopes to hold the first fundraising event for the project soon A Burkburnett man accused of letting his 8-month-old daughter drown while he played video games will spend 18 years in prison was sentenced by 30th District Judge Jeff McKnight on Thursday as part of a plea bargain deal worked out with the Wichita County District Attorney’s Office Kidwell was originally charged with child endangerment in the death of Lexus Sky Cora Kidwell and was later indicted for murder The plea deal reduced the charge to manslaughter Child endangerment and manslaughter are punishable by up to 20 years in prison Murder carries a maximum punishment of life in prison A report by a Texas Ranger said Kidwell had put the baby in the bathtub and went to the other side of the house in Burkburnett to get his headset talk to a friend online and play a video game The report said Kidwell found the child lying face down in the bathtub about 20 minutes after he left her alone although he told law officers he had left her alone either 30 seconds or about five minutes Kidwell will be credited with 362 days he has spent in the Wichita County Jail Kidwell pleaded guilty to abandoning or endangering a child in December 2022 in connection with an incident involving a child unrelated to him More: Texas Ranger: Drowned child's dad admitted he shouldn't have left her alone More: Burkburnett man serving probation for child endangerment is accused of child murder Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBURKBURNETT Texas (KAUZ) -The race for Burkburnett Commissioner Place 5 is underway with two city residents hoping to provide change and enhancements to the community The two candidates - Jerry Toft and Carl E -shared that they are confident they have what it takes to serve the community I really want Burkburnett to prosper and grow like everybody wants a small town to I’m going to put forth my effort in making that happen,” Toft said I believe that my aspirations for this political office didn’t begin when I signed up to run for it My aspirations started when I first stepped foot in the city,” English said a retired member of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and a retired veteran will face off to see who will take this Burkburnett City Commissioner seat for Place 5 “The employees and staff of Burkburnett are phenomenal I believe they could do a little bit better I figured the only way that you can actually make a change and get up and get involved,” English said “I think making a transition from a small town to a much more modern small town is a very good way to go But it has to be a transition that doesn’t feel like an abrupt change,” Toft said A city commission is responsible for city ordinances taxation decisions and representing the community “Working to get the people that represent the city involved you don’t know what’s going on or what your community expects of you I look at it from this standpoint: if I’m feeling this way I want to be one who doesn’t just representsone segment of the community I want to represent all segments of the community,” English said Both candidates share their passion for elevating the quality of life in the community and the future of the city the city of Burkburnett will be hosting its first-ever Citizens Academy aimed at strengthening the bond between the city and its community members The city is offering this program to give interested citizens a look into several different city departments Parks and Recreation Director Lexi King said the program will help citizens recognize what goes into running the town “It kind of gives you an opportunity to understand what each department builds off of and what they are involved with within the city,” King said King described the sessions as being personal “We want to provide a relaxed and positive environment so that we can carry it on throughout the years,” King said There are 15 spots available in the program applicants must be at least 18 years old and live or work in Burkburnett Applications can be picked up at City Hall or found on the city’s Facebook page The deadline to join the Citizens Academy is March 28 Texas (KAUZ) - Early voting is underway in Boomtown where two business-owning residents are hoping to secure the Burkburnett City Council Place 3 seat Both candidates shared how they hope to serve the community “We are a small city comprised of families it’s a small town with a huge heart,” incumbent Place 3 Commissioner Susan Mitchell said “It’s been such an awesome community to live in and grow up and raise our kids in Now it’s just a great community and support,” Candidate for Place 3 Don Hardy said Both candidates said their experience and connections in the city lend to their cases for election “Just experience from the past terms that I’ve served And have been in business since 2003,” Hardy said “I have the luxury of speaking to people every day Just being able to connect with the people I work for gives me a little step up,” Mitchell said A City Commission is responsible for city ordinances And then I will go and relay what they’re telling me and I think sometimes people forget that,” Mitchell said and you know they can call me at any time and ask questions And I’ll be more than happy to share anything I don’t have a lot of times people have an agenda when they run for City Council they think they’re going to go in and make all these changes I’m not disappointed with anything about the way it’s been running Our city is doing really well at this point,” Hardy said Both candidates share a passion for elevating the quality of life in the community and the future of the city Texas (KAUZ) - The contested mayoral race in Burkburnett is in full swing Incumbent mayor Lori Kemp is being challenged for the position by Marguerite Love Both candidates shared why they believe they’re the best fit for the position “I by no means think I’m the smartest person in the room but I think collaboration is really important in order for us to be a city that grows and prospers,” Kemp said “It’s important for me to become Mayor of Burkburnett because I believe that the citizens deserve what I can bring and then just being honest and genuine and kind and just wanting others to succeed,” Love said Love has served as a Burkburnett City Commissioner for 13 years She said recently she’s noticed the need for improvements in teamwork “There’s a lot of progress that can happen then that just kind of stalls everything out and that’s the people who sit on the council Kemp said that since being in the mayor’s seat there have been a number of improvements in the community we’ve brought on a Civil Engineer who is now running the water department We’ve brought on a new City Manager for administration and is our Chief Financial Advisor,” She said A mayor is held accountable for a number of responsibilities Whether that’s me or someone else or whether that’s the commissioners I’ve served with or someone else,” Kemp said “I collaborated with the three other candidates because they do bring a lot to the table,” Love said Love is hoping to bring different elements to engage the community in the decisions being made The thought process is that nothing is going on or nothing is happening Kemp is hoping to continue to improve the community I fought against a lot of our council members for doing things like our town We’ve been doing those consistently this year trying to make sure everyone is aware of what’s going on in the city,” Kemp said Early voting ends April 29. For more information on Burkburnett elections, click here Texas (KAUZ) - A Burkburnett mother is speaking out after losing her son last week The City of Burburnett’s hearts are heavy as the community mourns the life and legacy of Memphis Parkey Memphis was known at Burkburnett High School as a kind-hearted friend an honor student and a helping hand to anyone who needed it “Memphis had a way of making everyone smile His goal was to bring happiness to those around him,” His mother Larissa Parkey said Memphis was involved in several organizations She asks the community to keep the students and friends whose lives he touched in their prayers His celebration of life will be held on April 18 at 11 a.m at the First Baptist Church in Burkburnett Texas (KAUZ) - A contested race is in full effect in Burkburnett City Commissioner Place 4 Incumbent Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem Michael Richter is facing a bid for his seat from challenger Joe Lemond Richter said he’s seeking re-election to continue work on improving the community as well as investigating the city’s water issue His goal is also to improve the parks department and city planning also shared why he believes he’s fit to take the seat I’m the person who can come in and think for myself and not be somebody who tells me how to think Citizens in Burk have complained about communications or the lack of communications at City Hall The number one thing that I’ve talked about is I want to get meetings livestreamed,” Lemond said Lemond said that he’s been involved with a number of projects in Burkburnett including moving the Hot Wheels Museum collection to the city the Starbucks project and building purchases downtown Texas (KAUZ)— Two retired Burkburnett residents are hoping to secure their spots on the district’s school board Both Carol Wilson and Marilyn Keck shared how they hope to serve the students within the BISD I went ahead and started moving in that direction I just look for ways to get involved in the community and go get my hands dirty,” Candidate Carol Wilson said “I want to give back to the community because they invested in me while I was growing up They gave me the opportunity to serve in the community,” Candidate Marilyn Keck said The candidates shared that they are seeking Place 7 on the district’s school board Both believe they bring a passion for helping young people “I have been so vested in the community of Burkburnett since 1959 I have an educational background of 55-plus years I have been in a variety of positions that range from the district to federal,” Keck said “I have a lot of experience working with the community I also have experience in accountability because in the military you have to be accountable and be able to work with people together and work with a team,” Wilson said A board member is responsible for monitoring the district’s accountability and prioritizing the best interests of students I look forward to working together with the other team members,” Wilson said I’m coming in to use my experiences to enhance what’s already good and use my experiences for problem-solving Because you always have the need to look at improvement,” Keck said Both candidates said it’s their love for their community and the district that encourages them to give back by serving on the district’s board I always try to be fair and very impartial,” Keck said “People always say they want change in the community and they want to see different people and different things that place in the community if you want someone or something different and you’re concerned about your school board and you want someone else on the board to represent experiencing historic events such as the Great Depression Norris said she never expected to reach 105 but that she is enjoying her time at Sheridan Lodge because I didn’t start out to accomplish something,” Norris said “But I’ve enjoyed all my seniors and all these girls waving at me and all Norris moved to Burkburnett in 1965 when she was 45 years old People close to Norris say she loves Whataburger and root beer and makes an effort to get the pair every Friday I can’t even walk around the room here,” Norris said Caregivers at the lodge say she is well known for her bright sense of humor “Like when we are doing our narc count or whatever She always tells me we need to go back to school to learn how to count,” LVN Angela Graham said Norris believes her long life comes from her relationship with God Norris said she is looking forward to seeing everyone again at her 106th birthday faculty and staff at Burkburnett High School came together to celebrate military-connected students during the Month of the Military Child There are over 1.6 million military children across the country each facing unique challenges and experiences that come with having a parent in service the Bulldogs bled the color purple to show their support for the military-connected students on their campus “It’s a day where we get to come together as a school and we get to wear purple and celebrate our military students who have to sacrifice to give up so much and we just want to make sure that they feel loved and surrounded by community,“ Student 2 Student member Courtlyn Moseley said From sharing cookies to posing for one big photo it was all about making sure these military-connected students feel seen and included in everything happening within the Bulldog community “Whenever you see from their side of the story how much they’ve given up and how they’ve had to lose friendships or move from different teams to come it really makes you aware of what they have to go through,“ Moseley said military families often relocate every two to three years new environments and different sources of support systems today’s warm embrace felt like something he’d experienced when he first moved from South Carolina “I definitely like that they’re always welcomed me with open arms from the first day I got here I met a bunch of amazing teachers and a bunch of amazing students This is such a big part of their community I think it’s great that they’re opening up like this and kind of showing other towns who might take on the same thing and do the same thing and join on too,“ military-connected student Peyton Edwards said As the students navigate what comes with being a military student they are reminded that they don’t have to face those challenges alone CHILDRESS – It’s that time of year and the Canyon Lady Eagles are playing like they know what it means 5 Canyon always seems to be in the mix this late in the season and Monday night’s Class 4A Division I region semifinal game against No 22 Burkburnett just served as the latest postseason chapter in the school’s trophy littered history The Lady Eagles looked like a team which is used to such things taking control against Burkburnett in the first quarter and rolling to a 55-36 victory which put them in the region finals Canyon (30-4) will face another huge challenge against No The time and place for the matchup will be determined It’s hard to say that anybody will enter that game with any kind of an “edge” over the other but when it’s playoff time it’s pretty hard to bet against the Lady Eagles as Burkburnett (29-7) became the latest to discover Canyon wasn’t flawless against the Lady Bulldogs “It’s always exciting to get a win in the playoffs,” Canyon coach Tate Lombard said “It’s never perfect, but I thought we played well for most of the night and there’s definitely some things we’ve got to do better going into the next round I’m really proud of our defensive effort and I thought we stepped up and made some big plays on offense that kind of carried us.” Canyon was in control just about the entire game after the first quarter leading by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter long after the issue had been settled The Lady Eagles led 34-21 at halftime and were up by as many as 14 points in the first half but that was the highlight of the first half for the Lady Bulldogs as Canyon closed the first quarter with an 8-1 run to take a 17-11 lead The Lady Eagles were particularly prolific from 3-point range in the first half Kambrie Graser was the hottest from beyond the arc with three including one in the final seconds of the half to give the Lady Eagles their halftime margin one of the returning starters from last year’s state finalists scored all of her 13 points in the first half to spark the Lady Eagles offensively “I think my role on the team is shooting and getting people open,” Graser said “(The last 3-pointer) got us really hyped and gave us a nice lead to take into the second half I think we’re definitely on track to get back to (the state championship game).” Burkburnett hit four 3-pointers in the first half but otherwise found offense hard to produce Canyon’s backcourt pressure and rebounding kept Burkburnett from establishing any kind of offensive flow “You’ve got to guard good teams and good players at this time of year and it kind of takes every one of us to be able to do that,” Lombard said “I thought our guards did a great job against their guards but they had a lot of help from our forwards who were stepping up and helping in gaps in ball screens I was really proud of our defensive effort.”    The Lady Bulldogs were carried offensively by freshman Nae Beamon who figures to cause headaches for Burkburnett’s opponents for the next three years Beamon had a game-high 16 points and kept Burkburnett within striking distance with 10 in the first half Beamon didn’t get much offensive help as only four other Lady Bulldogs scored and none of them had more than seven points Burkburnett especially struggled against Canyon in the second half scoring only 15 points and was never able to reduce the halftime margin showed their superior depth as all 10 players who got in the game scored After the 3-point barrage in the first half they didn’t hit a single three in the second half and concentrated more on working the ball inside Sydnee Winfrey was the main beneficiary of that Winfrey scored 11 points in the second half and she finished by leading the Lady Eagles with 15 points “We were kind of rushed in the first half relying on threes but in the second half we talked about layups going to get fouled and getting to the free throw line,” Winfrey said When we drive in and kick it out for threes that’s our best offense at the end of the day we only have three games left max so you have to walk in thinking this is it Canyon is only going home to get ready for Decatur for whenever or wherever that game may be There’s some recent history between the two teams as Canyon beat Decatur last season in the region semifinals in the one meeting between the two teams which really counted “That’s another really good team,” Lombard said “We played them twice last year and split but it will be a good challenge for us.” Press Pass Sports will provide fans a passionate and informed look at high school college and professional sports impacting the Texas Panhandle © 2022 All Rights Reserved. Press Pass Sports is a division of jpegJoe Licensing, LLC Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInUPDATE: According to the Texas A&M Forest Service the Clara Fire has burned 200 acres and is at 20% containment BURKBURNETT, Texas (KAUZ) - A grassfire near FM1813 and FM368 has caused evacuations near west Burkburnett According to the Wichita County Sheriff’s Office officials have evacuated residents from 240 to the river west of Bridgetown including the Texas A&M Forestry Service TAMF said the fire is 150 acres and 0% contained as of 2:39 p.m County officials are asking residents to stay away from Highway 240 because the fire is jumping the road with 362 days of jail credit accumulated after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter Kidwell was the only adult present at the home and was solely responsible for the infant’s care when the infant drowned Kidwell admitted to officers that he placed the infant in the bathtub at approximately 11 p.m walking to the opposite side of the residence to get his Bluetooth headset to talk to a friend on Discord while she was left unattended in the bathtub with the water running Kidwell told officers both on scene at the residence and while in the interview room that the infant was in the bathtub unattended anywhere between 30 seconds up to minutes The 911 emergency call that alerted officers to the scene was made around 11:22 p.m The call was made after Kidwell found the infant face down in the water with the water faucet running on “full blast” It was discovered through the investigation that Kidwell had been playing Apex Legends while talking with his friend on Discord when this incident occurred Texas (KAUZ) - First responders are on the scene of a grassfire in Burkburnett this afternoon Burkburnett Public Safety shared around 3:30 p.m that a large grassfire north of Burkburnett on Holem Road included up to 15 acres The page also said aircraft are being used to help stop the forward progression of the fire The Iowa Park Volunteer Fire Department said they were assisting with the fire Our crews noted trucks from the Wichita Falls Fire Department leaving the area According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, the fire has burned 15 acres and is at 0% containment as of the publishing of this article Stick with News Channel 6 as we learn more Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInBURKBURNETT, Texas (KAUZ) - The Burkburnett Police Department has shared details on a shooting investigation near S BPD said they received a call from a woman who was reportedly holding her arm and appeared to be in pain no one in the area matched the description The woman was later found at United Regional Hospital where she was being treated for non-life-threatening injuries The Burkburnett Police Department said they believe this to be an isolated incident stick with News Channel 6 as we learn more HVS announces the opportunity to acquire the Ramada by Wyndham Burkburnett/Wichita Falls hotel limited-service hotel asset is situated in Burkburnett The acquisition offers potential investors the chance to own a recently renovated property thus providing a blank canvas to implement their sales and revenue-management strategies The lender claimed the hotel in October 2024 and is currently managed by a third party It will be delivered free from any management agreements making it an ideal opportunity for an owner/operator A 51-key count is considered a perfect size for an owner/operator the hotel's performance placed it seventh among its eight competitors for year-end RevPAR This ranking indicates a significant scope for improvement the lender has invested substantial capital to convert the hotel into a Ramada by Wyndham a minimal change-of-ownership property improvement plan (PIP) is expected The hotel demonstrated a consistent room revenue trend from 2020 to 2023 stabilized rooms revenue is projected to exceed $1,120,000 with a net operating income (NOI) flow-through of $355,000 The property's location along State Highway 240/Sheppard Road provides excellent visibility and accessibility With a planned Downtown revitalization project within two miles of the property is positioned to capture high-rated transient and commercial demand Recreational demand generators in the Wichita Falls area located roughly 13 miles north of Wichita Falls has a diversified economy spanning the healthcare is home to the 80th Flying Training Wing and the EURO-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program has announced a $300-million expansion of its facility located between Wichita Falls and Burkburnett The expansion plans include creating nearly 300 new jobs further boosting the area's economic prospects Inquire at HVS Click here to join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest hotel news and trends Copyright © Hotel News Resource & Nevistas | All rights reserved Texas (KAUZ) - Gilbert Creek Gardens owner Blair Ramon took part in an art exhibit where visitors experience creativity through the eyes of floral designers she brings a unique approach to the service she shares with the Burk community Ramon said while she enjoys her day-to-day work this exhibit was her chance to step back and reconnect with her creative side in the form of flowers you have to a lot of times create for different people so it was really fun to kind of create something for me and the fact that other people liked it just really Still glowing after taking home the grand installation award for a 15-foot floral arrangement she created at an art exhibit in Tulsa Oklahoma this wasn’t just any other project at her shop - it was something a bit more personal Ramon took the opportunity to make something special “We each got a room and some of the rooms are really ornate and have columns and my room was just the modern contemporary art room The rectangle forms that we built just kind of span the length of the room and that way we could suspend the flowers in the middle of the room and kind of have them go all over and wild,“ Ramon said Visitors to the exhibit loved what Ramon made look so easy She said that while it felt good to create “The hardest part was coming up with the design that fit the room really well and then I would say being three hours away from Tulsa making sure that they were going to last,“ Ramon said As reality is starting to set back in at her store front she said this award is something she owes to the community of Burk they call and say whatever you can make it would be pretty and they don’t kind of like rein me in and so I feel like getting to do things like this kind of helped my creativity keep growing and so that’s been very nice,“ Ramon said Ramon told said she’s already thinking about her next chance to compete hoping that the next challenge uses dried flowers Texas (KAUZ) - The Burkburnett High School Student 2 Student program is sending two students to the Frances Hesselbein Student Leadership Program Eleventh graders Andrew Myers and Mitchell Roberts are two of only 11 students across the world chosen for the program which takes place at Army and Air Force military academies Burkburnett ISD S2S coordinator Nicketta Osborn said the weeklong experience will give the two students ideas to bring back and implement at Burkburnett High School “With Mitchell and Andrew attending this leadership program they’re going to bring back neat ideas for our program here at Burkburnett High School and we’ll be able to use that and just make our program even better to help welcome our new military students,” Osborn said while Roberts will head to the USAF Academy for the spring session Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ)—The Clara fire Officials believe power lines affected by gusty winds sparked the flames Wichita County Sheriff David Duke said the fire spread quickly due to the high winds “Once it [the fire] started burning in the grass the fire department was able to get into some of those areas to help contain the fire The wind kept driving the fire further ahead of the fire trucks which eventually got to Highway 240 to a couple of different places,” said Duke He described the efforts to keep people and homes in the area safe from the fire “We did a code red for this area warning neighbors prepare to evacuate We actually had told some people ‘go ahead please get out while you got time’ Homeowners who were evacuated have been allowed to return State fire resources will remain on the scene throughout the night to monitor the area A California man who was given a chance to avoid prison after he pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an underage Burkburnett child is behind bars again was being held without bond Thursday in the Wichita County Jail for three charges of sexual assault of a child Court records show Syvinski pleaded guilty in August to the charges and was placed on deferred adjudication-community supervision meaning he would avoid convictions for the charges if he successfully completed his probation He had been charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old Burkburnett girl in her home as her parents slept in another room Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law According to allegations in court affidavits the girl’s parents told police she admitted she “lost her virginity” to Syvinski in March 2019 in the family home and had sex again with him the following day The girl’s mother told investigators her daughter and Syvinski met through an online dating service and began chatting on Snapchat The mother said she pretended to be her daughter on social media he offered her money to keep the assault quiet Syvinski told a detective who interviewed him at Fort Sill that he picked the girl up for the purpose of having sex but denied the sex ever happened More: A California man suspected of sexually assaulting Burk girl is behind bars again The Wichita County District Attorney’s Office alleges Syvinski violated the terms of his plea agreement as shown by his admission to California authorities that he exchanged nude photos with a 16-year-old girl and a 13-year-old girl and obtained pornographic material through a website in November The DA’s Office also alleges Syvinksi did not pay court costs and fines perform community service work and failed a polygraph test about contact with children for sexual gratification The office asked a court to set a hearing to determine if Syvinski a judge should proceed with convicting him and if should go to prison More: A Wichita Falls man is accused of shooting a motorcyclist and hitting him with a car More: Where are the most dangerous intersections in Wichita Falls? Texas (KAUZ) - The City of Burkburnett is moving forward with plans to upgrade several components of its water systems The improvements include upgrades to water treatment One of the most significant changes will be the expansion of the city’s emergency water storage The current 40,000-gallon tank will be replaced with an existing 1.8-million-gallon tank This enhancement is expected to help sustain water availability during prolonged droughts and can be used recreationally “That’ll give us 1.8 million gallons of storage to where our effluent Which should theoretically not run out of effluent water,” Assistant City Manager of Operations Dusty Burkybile said the city plans to replace the UV disinfection system at the wastewater treatment plant City officials will also soon accept bids for a treatment process designed to prevent gypsum buildup in water treatment systems “That’s the problem with calcium and sulfate We have to separate them before they bind because when they sit still that’s when you get that sediment form.” Burkybile said the city will replace several fire hydrants and implement a new unidirectional hydrant flushing system City officials anticipate completing all these projects before the end of 2025 Texas (KAUZ) - The 3rd annual Boomtown Turkey Trot took place at Bulldog Stadium early on Thanksgiving morning was hosted by the Burkburnett High School Track and Cross Country Booster Club in partnership with the city Grayson Kuykendall was the first person to cross the finish line and believed this was something he needed to take part in this year and might as well burn it off before I go eat and got a good run in today,” Kuykendall said Hannah Spears was second in the trot and said this is what Thanksgiving is all about “[It was] just kind of a fun experience to get out here and spend some time with my family before Thanksgiving It’s kinda what Thanksgiving is about,” Spears said All the money used to enter the turkey trot is going to the Burkburnett Track and Cross Country booster club Texas (KAUZ) - First responders investigated a FedEx truck that caught fire on I-44 Thursday night It happened on the southbound interstate lanes near where Sheppard Road intersects I-44 parts of the surrounding grass near the highway lanes also caught fire The Burkburnett Police Department said I-44 was shut down in both directions for close to an hour beginning around 6 p.m First responders with the Burkburnett Fire Department and the Friberg-Cooper Volunteer Fire Department were able to put the flames out during that hour but first responders are still investigating what caused the fire BPD’s preliminary report indicated the fire stemmed from something under the hood of the truck eventually spreading throughout the vehicle No injuries have been reported in this incident FedEx media relations released the following statement regarding the incident and we are grateful the driver involved is safe after this incident We extend our gratitude to local authorities who responded and extinguished the fire.” You can play some bingo next week while helping out some amazing organizations in our area If you're someone that loves to play the game of bingo March 25th is the first bingo of 2025 that helps out non profits in Burkburnett They do four of these bingo events throughout the year The money raised from the event will be helping out these four organizations in Burkburnett stopped by the studio to talk about the event if you want more info on what is going to be going down You can follow these organizations on Facebook for more info on this event and other events they do throughout the year to help raise funds Gallery Credit: Stryker Gallery Credit: Johnny Thrash You can play some bingo next week while helping out some amazing organizations.\nRead More