Texas (KVII) — When you work in law enforcement On Friday at the campus of Perryton High School in Ochiltree County a ceremony was held for Oklahoma Highway Patrolman Cody Creswell as Friday was declared Cody Creswell Day for the City of Perryton I love being from the Texas Panhandle,” said Cody Creswell ”A lot of people are like you’re from the Panhandle his family is from here and I just felt it was appropriate to do a proclamation to have a day named after him,” said Kerry Symons Cody Creswell with the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was honored and recognized for going above the call of duty in July of 2024 helping to reunite a young boy whom he believed was being trafficked and return him to family members in New York “If the tables were turned or you put the boots on another person I would want that person to drive my child through the night and get him home to me,” said Creswell “I have enough respect and honor that if you make a promise to a child that you keep it we would get him home to his dad and that’s what we did.” Cody Creswell was joined by a couple of state troopers from OHP as they talked to Peryton High School students about risk and consequences and always remember what one does in life echoes into eternity They talked about the importance of always making good decisions and saying no to drugs and alcohol They also reiterated the importance of wearing a seatbelt while inside a vehicle the trio of OHP members visited students at other schools in Perryton The Perryton assistant fire chief was airlifted to Amarillo with severe head injuries and two others were injured after equipment malfunctioned while fighting a structure fire last night Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass sustained serious head injuries and was airlifted to Northwest Texas Healthcare System in Amarillo and was in "very critical condition," a news release said a call was received about a structure fully engulfed in fire on Northwest Second Avenue and both the Perryton Police Department and Perryton Fire Department responded As firefighters and police were setting up equipment whipped and injured three firefighters," the release said Volunteer firefighter Thomas Beal sustained a broken arm and other fractures and was also taken to the Amarillo hospital Volunteer firefighter Jacob Anderson was initially taken to Ochiltree General Hospital in Perryton where he was treated for minor injuries and released "Perryton Fire/EMS personnel are with the families of those injured and ask for prayers for all involved," the release said Booker and Spearman Fire Departments also responded and assisted with fighting the fire and Beaver County are currently deploying equipment and personnel to assist with final firefighting," the release "The City of Pampa will be sending a fire engine and personnel to Perryton later today to relieve our personnel for rest." Perryton Fire/EMS posted a simple statement on social media early Friday morning: "PRAYER WARRIORS ! A 15-year-old girl appeared in federal court in Amarillo and spoke about the manipulation the former Perryton ISD coach and athletic director used to trap her into a sexual relationship with her more than a year ago The girl told the court about how 29-year-old Cole Underwood initially appeared as someone who lent an ear during a stressful period in her life before he trapped her in a sexual relationship “I had no idea that he was slowly in the process of grooming me I genuinely thought that he actually cared about me,” the girl said in her victim impact statement “I didn't know how to stop it… He convinced me to shut everyone out I felt like I seriously had no one but him.” More: Federal enticement charge filed against former Perryton ISD athletic director Kacsmaryk sentenced Underwood to 30 years in prison Underwood appeared before Kacsmaryk for a sentencing hearing after he pleaded guilty in September to a count of enticement of a minor a federal felony that carries a punishment of 10 years to life in prison Underwood's charge stems from an investigation by Ochiltree County Sheriff's Office that began April 22 after Underwood was placed on leave after school officials learned that he and the girl were in sexual relationship The Perryton school superintendent Greg Brown said in an April 25 statement that an employee was placed on administrative leave three days earlier after the district learned of alleged misconduct and the employee had since resigned Investigators obtained video from the school's security cameras that showed Underwood and the student meeting alone multiple times in his office after school despite Underwood being told not to meet with the teen because of the allegations The girl spoke with investigators on April 23 and 24 and reportedly said she had sex with Underwood 13 to 14 times in his office The girl told investigators that her relationship with Underwood began in 2023 after she added him as a contact on a social media app The relationship developed into a personal one in which the girl visited Underwood in his office to vent about her life the messages between the two turned sexual Investigators reviewed the girl's phone and showed multiple late-night conversations between her and Underwood including a six-hour phone call on Christmas day Investigators also found flirtatious messages Underwood sent the girl via a social media app The girl said the sexual relationship began in February She also sent him explicit images of herself via the social media app after he reportedly hinted at wanting them Underwood also spoke with the chief deputy and reportedly admitted to the sexual relationship saying he communicated with the girl via a social media app Video evidence also showed numerous instances of Underwood waiting for the school to empty before turning off the lights and leaving an entrance propped open to let the girl inside Investigators also found messages between Underwood and the girl on a communication application for teachers students and parents that correspond with the alleged sexual encounters the girl asked Underwood to prop open the door saying she needed to use the training room video footage showed the girl heading straight for Underwood's office after he turned off the lights along the hallway that lead to the room Underwood was initially arrested on a state charge of sexual assault of a child a second-degree felony that carries a punishment of two to 20 years in prison “I hope if there is a girl out there who is going through what I have been through she has the chance to hear my story to know it's okay to speak up There are people who want to help,” the girl said during Underwood's sentencing hearing “Just because you have one bad chapter does not mean your story is over.” This story has been updated to include new information Perryton Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass died Sunday from a head injury he suffered in the line of duty last week The City of Perryton and Perryton Fire/EMS announced Glass' passing in a news release just after 6 p.m Perryton firefighters were battling a fully engulfed structure fire around 10:45 p.m. Thursday in north Perryton when Glass and two other firefighters were whipped by a 5-inch hose while it was being charged with water, the Globe-News previously reported Glass suffered serious head injuries and was airlifted to Northwest Texas Healthcare System in Amarillo More: Perryton assistant fire chief, 2 volunteer firefighters injured by hose whip Thursday night "We are beyond heartbroken with the loss of Assistant Chief Glass," Perryton Mayor Kerry Symons said in the release "We would ask the Perryton community to lift Scott's wife Melissa and especially the Perryton Fire/EMS Department in prayer." was employed by the City of Perryton for 17 years He was a certified firefighter and paramedic and a U.S Funeral details were not announced by Monday The flags were lowered to half staff Monday at the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Emmitsburg according to a Facebook post from Perryton Fire EMS The memorial also laid a wreath in his honor on site AGN Managing Editor Kristina Wood contributed to this report Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPERRYTON Texas (KFDA) - Officials have confirmed that the assistant fire chief and two volunteer firefighters of the Perryton Fire Department were injured after responding to a structure fire Officials say last night around 10:44 p.m. a call was received about a fully engulfed structure fire on NW 2nd Ave Both the Perryton Fire Department and Perryton Police Department initially responded to the incident Officials say as firefighters and police were setting up equipment Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass sustained serious head injuries was airlifted to a hospital in Amarillo and is in critical condition Volunteer Firefighter Thomas Beal sustained a broken arm and other fractures and is currently in the hospital in stable condition undergoing an observation period Volunteer Firefighter Jacob Anderson was treated and released with minor injuries Perryton Fire and EMS personnel are with the families of those inured and ask for prayers for all involved AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — Former Perryton ISD athletic director and football coach Cole Underwood was sentenced to 30 years in prison Underwood's sister also testified during sentencing that she had been molested as a child by him several times Underwood faced between 10 years and life in prison and up to a $250,000 fine He was sentenced to 360 months in prison and supervision for the rest of his life Texas (KVII) — No settlement was reached in the federal lawsuit against Perryton ISD and its former athletic director convicted of child sex crimes The victim's father filed the lawsuit in August arguing she deserved to be protected from harm by Cole Underwood and the school district Underwood admitted having sex with the victim -- a 15-year-old girl -- in his school office at least 10 times Click here to see who won the races where you live Fire Chief dies 3 days after suffering critical injury in the line of dutyby Jamie Burch three days after he was critically injured while fighting a fire Perryton Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass," said Congressman Ronny Jackson "We can’t ever take for granted the sacrifice and bravery of those who put their lives on the line for us every day Beal suffered a broken arm and other fractures "We respect the privacy of Chief Glasses family as they grieve and come to grips with his loss Please give them time to grieve as a family." saidPerryton Fire EMS so others my live though his passing!" and the entire Perryton community during this profound loss," said the Cactus Fire Department "May his legacy of selfless service continue to inspire all those who follow in his footsteps." "Our condolences go out to the family of Assistant Chief Scott Glass of Perryton Fire Department," said theAmarillo Professional Firefighters Local 542 "This is an unfortunate reminder of the ultimate sacrifice that is sometimes made in this profession we love." "Pray for the Perryton FD and the family of Asst Chief Scott Glass," said the Randall County Fire Department "Scott lost his battle and is now with our heavenly father (L) — FILE - President Joe Biden speaks about the economy on the White House complex in Washington (R) — Shawn Ryan Summers (Randall County Jail) Shawn Summers, 36, faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The threats, which were posted in 2022, led to Summers' arrest shortly thereafter. According to the criminal complaint, Summers began making threats on July 25, when he posted a message on Facebook stating, On July 27, Summers escalated his threats by emailing a screenshot of a second Facebook post to an Amarillo media outlet. In the post, he claimed that 140 pounds of C-4 explosives were being shipped from 10 different locations to the White House. U.S. Secret Service agents interviewed Summers at his home on July 28. According to the criminal complaint, Summers admitted to making the threats against Biden and acknowledged knowing that his actions were wrong, though he claimed he was justified. On July 29, Summers continued to send threatening emails to the same Amarillo media outlet. At 1:13 a.m., he wrote, "keep doing it till someone does there job or do I need to come to the courthouse and make my point to his front door," signing the email as "Citizen zero." Later, at 3:45 a.m., Summers warned that the Secret Service agents who visited his home "will be sure to never (have) a body recovered if they continue destroying my home and stealing my evidence." Another email stated, "secret service shows again they better respect my wishes and not (intimidate) me cuz next I'll enforce the right to bear arms. Ya'll piss off big homie." Summers was arrested on July 31, 2022, and booked into the Randall County Jail. His public defender, Jason Hawkins, informed the court of his intention to rely on an insanity defense. Hawkins requested a psychiatric evaluation to determine Summers' competency to stand trial and whether he was legally insane at the time the threats were made and it was granted. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Perryton says goodbye to a fallen heroby Jamie Burch Texas (KVII) — Perryton said goodbye to a fallen hero Firefighters from around the Texas panhandle attended the funeral of Perryton Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass three days after he was injured while fighting a fire The funeral was held at the Community Worship Center friends and former co-workers spoke about his patient demeanor and his desire to help those he worked with to succeed They talked about his love for Perryton and noted his life of service and how that inspired him to become a firefighter Afterwards, people lines the procession route to the Ochiltree Cemetery Fire Chief critically injured in the line of dutyby Jamie Burch Texas (KVII) — Perryton's Assistant Fire Chief was critically injured while fighting a fire Two other volunteer firefighters were injured a fire hose was being charged with water" when it whipped and volunteer firefighters Thomas Beal and Jacob Anderson He was airlifted to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo He is listed in "very critical condition." Perryton Fire EMS said "PRAYER WARRIORS ! The Booker Fire Department also asked for prayers Lawmakers from the Texas panhandle also asked for prayers "Our first responders in the Panhandle are truly the best of the best — and I ask everybody to please join together and pray for healing for these heroes and for all those impacted by this tragic accident," said Congressman Ronny Jackson "Please keep the brave heroes of the Perryton Volunteer Firefighter Department in your prayers," said State Senator Kevin Sparks Anderson was treated at Ochiltree General Hospital for minor injuries and Beaver counties sent equipment and personnel to assist with the final firefighting The City of Pampa will be sending a fire engine and personnel to Perryton to help out during the shortage Texas (KVII) — Former Perryton ISD athletic director and football coach Cole Underwood reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors In exchange, the federal government dropped the “receipt of child pornography” charge. Underwood faces between 10-years and life in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Texas (KVII) — The public is invited to line the funeral procession route for Perryton Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass His funeral is at 2 p.m. Monday at theCommunity Worship Center. The funeral procession from the service to Ochiltree Cemetery will follow. Texas (KVII) — The funeral for Perryton Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass will be held Monday Monday at Community Worship Center in Perryton A graveside service will follow at Ochiltree Cemetery People are encouraged to line the street from Community Worship Center to the cemetery Glass' body will be escorted from Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo to the medical examiner in Lubbock at 3 p.m The body will be escorted home to Perryton on Friday. injured in a fall while setting up a hoseline Glass was flown to a trauma center in Amarillo after he and two other firefighters fell when a five-inch line whipped at a structure fire Thursday night The incident occurred when a vehicle ran over the line Fire Administration reported Monday morning The assistant chief will continue to save lives as he was an organ donor according to the Perryton Fire EMS Facebook page Funeral arrangements will be posted when they become available This brings to 49 the number of firefighters to die while on duty this year who sustained a head injury and multiple fractures was released after treatment and observation Firefighter Jacob Anderson suffered minor injuries and was treated and released Susan Nicol is the news editor for Firehouse.com She is a life member and active with the Brunswick Volunteer Ambulance & Rescue Company Susie has been an EMT in Maryland since 1976 Susie is vice-president of the Frederick County Fire/Rescue Museum She is on the executive committee of Frederick County Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association She also is part of the Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) Region II EMS Council Susie is a board member of the American Trauma Society she was a staff writer for The Frederick News-Post The procession is expected to leave Lubbock around 1 p.m Chief Paul Dutcher said the route is I-27 to Amarillo The procession came through Amarillo at 2:20 p.m and was expected to reach Perryton by 6 p.m three days after he was seriously injured while fighting a fire The funeral is 2 p.m. Monday at Community Worship Center in Perryton. A graveside service will follow at Ochiltree Cemetery. Texas (KVII) — A juvenile was arrested for the murder of a woman found dead near Perryton Ochiltree County Sheriff Terry Bouchard has not released how Moran was killed. He also did not release the name or age of the suspect. A hero's long journey home beginsby Jamie Burch The procession taking his body made the two hour trip from Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo to the medical examiner's office in Lubbock We had a car with multiple cameras in the procession We also had a camera in Canyon with the fire department which paid tribute to Glass Kress and Plainview along the way down I-27 His body will be escorted back to Perryton on Friday after the autopsy Fire Chief Scott Glass released by Jamie Burch Texas (KVII) — The federal government released a report on the death of Perryton Asst RELATED:National Fallen Firefighters Memorial honors Perryton Assistant Fire Chief “As s members were setting up a water supply. a vehicle ran over the hose, popping a coupling, causing (Glass and two other) firefighters to fall to the ground," said theUS Fire Administration Glass and Smith are the only two from Texas Perryton's annual Wheatheart of the Nation celebration kicks into full gear this weekend The festivities began earlier this month in the northeastern Texas Panhandle community of about 8,500 people, which is still recovering from a direct hit by last year's EF-3 tornado This year's Wheatheart festival theme is "105 Ready to Thrive" a Christian Music Festival is set to take place at Whigham Park from 5-8 p.m the Perryton Ochiltree Chamber of Commerce will host a block party on Main Street featuring food Participating merchants include author Cindy Escobar Perryton Ochiltree Crime Stoppers will host its third annual donut eating contest on the courthouse lawn at 6:30 p.m. visit the Chamber's Facebook page or contact the Chamber at 806-435-6575 Perryton National Bank on Friday will host a dance from 8 to 11 p.m. with live music by the Velvet Funk Band and food catered by Daddy's Dogs and More Saturday's events include the annual parade The morning starts with a United Breakfast followed by a car show in the PNB parking lot at 8:30 a.m The downtown parade is up next between 9 and 11 a.m. then the Wheatheart BBQ at the Ochiltree County Expo Center at 11:30 a.m and Pioneer Days at the Museum of the Plains from 11 a.m Gates open for the Demolition Derby at 4 p.m $10 for students and free for kids younger than 5 visit https://www.facebook.com/Wheatheart.of.the.Nation.Celebration More: ‘Bent but not broken’: Perryton parade lifts spirits amid tornado recovery Nearly two years to the day when an EF3 Tornado struck Perryton ABC 7 News talked to city leaders and business owners to see how rebuilding and recovery efforts are faring PERRYTON, Texas (KVII) — Nearly two years to the day when an EF3 Tornado struck Perryton “People in Perryton are tough,” said Kerry Symons a lot of people lost everything that they had I actually lost everything,” said Elbre “Frosty” Hickerson There were three fatalities and more than 100 people injured as a result of an EF3 tornado on June 15 The city of Perryton is looking backward its forward thinking as each day is a new step in the right direction “Two years is a long time but it’s eating the proverbial elephant one bite at a time,” said David Landis “A lot of progress has been made we’ve demolished a lot of buildings a lot of buildings have been rebuilt “Every building is occupied now that has left they’ve been redone and are full,” said Symons “We have a waiting list of people that want to come in on Main Street and lease a building and bring a business here.” the population of Perryton started to decrease but city leaders said that over the last couple of months they’ve seen the population not only stabilize but some former residents have begun to resettle here in Perryton “We believe we're kind of a stable level at this point in time and there’s a lot of encouragement and excitement of rebuilding back on Main Street,” said Landis “We’re building back the local community,” said Hickerson “It’s looking a lot better and there’s indication down the pike that we may get some new businesses in town.” Each day marks going forward for the city of Perryton it’s about climbing the mountain as it’s a steady trail of progress being upward and onward as they continue to heal from a catastrophic event that occurred back in June of 2023 Copyright 2025 West Texas A&M University / Canyon Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Texas (KVII) — Perryton Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said the department has been "humbled" by the support it received following the death of Assistant Chief Scott Glass His funeral is 2 p.m. Monday at the Community Worship Center. The fire department posted photos of all the people who showed their support during the escort of Glass' body to and from Lubbock for the autopsy. "THANK YOU Panhandle and South Plains. The support we have received over this last week has humbled us," said Dutcher. Other fire departments have covered shifts in Perryton. 15-year-old victim of former Perryton football coach chooses not to speak during hearingby Jamie Burch Texas (KVII) — Cole Underwood's 15-year-old victim chose not to speak during a federal court hearing for the former Perryton Athletic Director and football coach Underwood was re-arraigned Thursday morning the federal government dropped the “receipt of child pornography” charge Underwood re-entered the guilty plea Thursday His 15-year-old victim was given a chance to speak She and her family filled a row in the courtroom a man who appeared to be her father got choked up and his eyes filled with tears when someone tried to console him Underwood faces between 10-years and life in prison and up to a $250,000 fine The judge said sentencing will be in several months It might seem like a surprise that it didn’t happen sooner but Mike Hargrove is pleased that it’s happened at all At halftime of Friday night’s football game against Lubbock Estacado became the inaugural inductee into the Ranger and Rangerette Hall of Fame As arguably the most famous person Perryton has ever produced Hargrove seems like an obvious first selection for the honor recognizing a professional baseball career as a player manager and executive which has now spanned five decades Hargrove appreciates the timing of the honor “They had to pick somebody so I’m glad they picked me,” said Hargrove of literally being in a class by himself “I feel extremely honored to be chosen as the first one in I don’t know how to express how that makes me feel but I really am kind of stunned and honored at the same time.” While Hargrove’s name is recognized in Perryton and Texas Panhandle athletic lore over a long period he’s being honored because of a new face in his hometown In his first year as Perryton’s coach and athletic director Josh Hernandez wanted to establish something honoring athletic tradition on campus Hernandez made a suggestion which was eventually embraced by Perryton’s administration “When I first got here I kind of threw around some things and Perryton didn’t have a hall of fame,” Hernandez said “There were things throughout our school which recognized certain individuals but we hadn’t really wrapped it all together as an athletic department This was something I presented to our superintendent Greg Brown and he was really open to the idea.” Hargrove’s name seemed perfectly natural to be the first one on any wall honoring past Perryton athletes He had over 1,600 hits and batted .290 for the Texas Rangers San Diego Padres and Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) in a 12-year major league career he led the club to the World Series in 1995 and 1997 the Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners Hargrove won 1,188 games and is now a special advisor to the president with the Guardians “I’m really humbled by it to tell you the truth,” Hargrove said “Some great athletes come through Perryton High School To be the first inductee to the hall of fame is to me a real singular honor and one that I look at with a lot of excitement Any time your hometown and the people who know you best honor you like that it’s as good as it gets.” is the first inductee shouldn’t come as any surprise to anyone from Perryton who’s paid attention to his career “I wouldn’t say it was a no-brainer but he was a really “There’s a lot of different candidates we could have gone with There are going to be a lot of different names put into the hall but just for the start and what this means to the community this was kind of the way it leans based on the achievements he had after he left Perryton High School.” The irony of Hargrove’s athletic career is that when he was growing up in Perryton He played safety on the football team and also played basketball the sport he actually attended Northwest Oklahoma State University to play Hargrove didn’t play baseball at Perryton High for a simple reason: The school didn’t have a team He played some American Legion baseball in the summers and fast pitch softball along with his father Dudley who was an aspiring baseball player when he was younger It was Hargrove’s father who got him to give baseball a crack while in college Making it a professional career wasn’t on his radar “It didn’t even enter my mind,” Hargrove said “I went to school on a basketball scholarship and played two years there I walked on to the baseball team my freshman year at the insistence of my dad What seemed like a last option turned into a half-century devoted to the national pastime Hargrove found out fairly quickly where his athletic future was “I saw some scouts in the stands and the thought kind of started germinating then and it ended up coming to fruition,” Hargrove said I’d played basketball from late August to the middle of February All my friends were going out and having a good time and I wanted to do that too.” Thus began a journey which took him far from Perryton yet back home again to be honored by his hometown for his diamond accomplishments including the 1974 American League Rookie of the Year and an All-Star Game appearance with the Rangers he managed the team to five straight AL Central championships from 1995-99 the only manager in franchise history to make five straight postseason appearances The induction ceremony is convenient for Hargrove and his wife Sharon from a travel perspective since Perryton is on the way from Cleveland Perryton is always a reminder of what helped shape him “I think it gave a good solid foundation to live my life on,” Hargrove said there’s not a lot going on there to get yourself into trouble You knew pretty much everybody in town and everybody in town knew you it didn’t take long to get back to your folks.” It’s only natural that if Perryton wants to start a new athletic tradition that Hargrove is there for it Hernandez said that the ceremony will be an annual event and will be limited to one inductee per year The coach is also hoping to create an alumni association which will vote on who gets inducted into the hall each year “I don’t know if people really know what to expect yet I think it’s going to take on a life of its own as we induct new members and bring some of our alumni back to town for the presentation.” The most notable of those alums were in town for the first presentation to honor him Hargrove has skipped the Guardians appearance in the American League Championship series against the New York Yankees to return home for some recognition and thinks his presence will serve better in Perryton than Cleveland or New York noting that certain ways he could contribute are long gone “(The Guardians) haven’t needed me physically to play all year so I don’t think they do now,” Hargrove said 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 Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Graveside services will be held at 2 o’clock in the afternoon on Monday at Ochiltree County Cemetery with Pastor David Myers pastor of First Christian Church in Stratford The family will receive friends from 10 o’clock to 11 o’clock in the morning on Monday at the funeral home in Stratford Arrangements are entrusted to Beeson ~ Morrison Funeral Directors OK to Lester “Happy” and Letha (Cagle) Elliott She was united in marriage to Dale McLain on March 19 Nelda was an excellent homemaker who loved to take care of her yard and mow great grandchildren and enjoyed following all their activities She was a member of the Southside Baptist Church in Perryton she is preceded in death by her parents and her son Jimmy Lanning and wife Sheila of Stratford TX; 5 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Texas (KVII) — Monday will be"Assistant (Fire) Chief Scott Glass Celebration of Life Day." Mayor Kerry Symons signed a proclamation last week honoring Glass His funeral is at 2 p.m. Monday at the Community Worship Center Burial will follow at Ochiltree Cemetery. AUSTIN, Texas (KVII) — The owner of the Animal Clinic of Perryton was appointed to the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners by Governor Greg Abbott. Randall Skaggs, D.V.M. of Perryton, is the owner of Animal Clinic of Perryton. He is a member of the American VMA, High Plains VMA, and the TAMU School of Veterinary Sciences Serving Every Texan Every Day Initiative Committee. Additionally, he is president of the Panhandle Crisis Center, former vice president of the Perryton ISD School Board, and former president of Perryton Rotary - 1670, Perryton United Way, Perryton-Ochiltree Chamber of Commerce, and Ochiltree County Legislative Affairs Council. Skaggs received a Bachelor of Science in Veterinary Science and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Texas A&M University. MARYLAND — The National Fallen Firefighters Memorial is honoring Perryton Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass Flags were lowered to half staff and a wreath in his honor was laid at the site a fire hose was being "charged with water" when it whipped The names of 10 firefighters from the Texas/Oklahoma panhandles and eastern New Mexico are engraved on the memorial: The tornado brough extensive damage to the building and it took nine months to complete renovations “A furniture store is kind of an anchor business of a town and Perryton needed the sales tax revenue off of this we we’re just going to get things fixed up and get back in business,” said Symons Symons says he’s thrilled to have the store back open and plans to be in town for another 100 years PERRYTON – The Perryton community gathered Monday to pay a final tribute to Assistant Fire Chief Scott Glass, who passed away on October 20 just days after he was critically injured while responding to a fire and first responders from across the Texas Panhandle and beyond joined a solemn procession that began at the Community Worship Center before moving through the city he served so faithfully over 17 years In recognition of his dedication and service, Perryton Mayor Kerry Symons declared Monday as "Assistant Chief Glass Celebration of Life Day." Mayor Symons signed a proclamation honoring Glass’s years of commitment to Perryton, describing the day as a mark of respect for his sacrifice and leadership. The accident has had a lasting impact on Perryton’s firefighting community, underscoring the risks first responders face every day. Monday’s procession was a powerful display of unity and respect, with fire departments from across the Texas Panhandle and beyond joining to pay their respects. Emergency vehicles lined the streets as residents held flags and signs in tribute, reflecting the deep regard held for Glass and his legacy. Following the funeral service, the procession continued to Ochiltree Cemetery, where Glass was laid to rest. Volunteer firefighters in the state of Texas who made the ultimate sacrifice in 2024 had their names read at a special ceremony in Austin. (Drew Powell/KVII) Volunteer firefighters in the state of Texas who made the ultimate sacrifice in 2024 had their names read at a special ceremony in Austin. The State Firefighters and Fire Marshal’s Office Association (SFFMA) held the ceremony. The Texas Panhandle had two former volunteer firefighters who had their names read Scott Glass who was an assistant fire chief with the Perryton Fire Department and Zeb Smith who was the fire chief for the Fritch Volunteer Fire Department. “He will always be remembered; he will never be forgotten here he definitely has his legacy here when we plan on honoring it,” said Whitney Phillips, public information officer for Fritch VFD. “October 17, 2024, we had a very tragic accident that took the life of our assistant chief Scott Glass,” said David Landis, Perryton city manager. “Obviously, a very heavy blow for not just Perryton but the firefighter profession.” Taking place on May 3 and 4 is National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend, thousands of people will be in attendance for the ceremony that will be in Emmitsburg, Maryland. The names of all fallen firefighters who died in the line of duty in 2024 will have their names read as they will be honored at a special tribute. Bells Across America for Fallen Firefighters will ring from coast to coast on Sunday, May 4 to honor firefighters who died in the line of duty. run away with 15-year-old studentby Jamie Burch was in federal court Wednesday for a preliminary examination and detention hearing and only ABC 7 News was there Judge Lee Ann Reno ruled there is sufficient evidence to send the case to a grand jury Underwood is charged withenticement and attempted enticement of a minor He's accused of having a sexual relationship with a freshman girl at Perryton High School identified in court documents as Jane Doe to protect her identity Underwood would sneak her into the school after hours to have sex.She said Underwood had sex with her 13-14 times in his office between February and May FBI Special Agent Nathan Newland testified Underwood believes "its God's divine plan for them to be together." The prosecution presented a photo of a letter the FBI said Jane Doe was trying to mail to Underwood's mom on June 4 Jane Doe was given specific instructions by Underwood about what to say in the letter and she wrote it for verbatim: The two first met at a track meet when she was in junior high school The FBI said Underwood would go to others hoping to run into her Underwood was first arrested April 25 for sexual assault of a child One of the conditions of his bond was to have no contact with Jane Doe But the FBI said he met with Jane Doe to give her a secret phone that her parents didn't know about Then they continued to communicate through TikTok and eventually an encrypting messaging app Jane Doe told the FBI they sent nudes back and forth over Snapchat The prosecution asked whether that would be considered child porn under federal law Underwood has a history of inappropriate relationship with students They subpoenaed Underwood’s employment file from both Amarillo ISD and Perryton ISD When Corey Clements was the volleyball coach at Amarillo High School she said Underwood talked with students on social media and flirted with some of her players Underwood was placed on administrative leave by AISD The FBI said the district did not find anything other than "innocent communication." Underwood had been given a "specific directive" not to be alone with Jane Doe because of reports of inappropriate personal contact between the two of them The FBI testified it believes there could be more victims Others were identified by people as someone the FBI should talk to One of the last things Newland said was Underwood still loves Jane Doe She posted his bail when he was arrested in Ochiltree County and was living at her house until his arrest by the FBI Linda Underwood said she was unaware her son was in contact with Jane Doe after his arrest She testified Underwood told her they loved each other Underwood told his mom he and Jane Doe were like their family members who got married when they were 15 and 27 His mom explained that those were different times ABC 7 News tried to interview Linda Underwood after the hearing Underwood faces up to 41 years in prison if convicted Here’s a look at the Perryton Rangers heading into the 2024 football season Take a listen to head coach Josh Hernandez in the video at the link above Schilling came on the scene fast being thrusted into the starting QB role as a freshman midway through last season Schilling was able to step up and answer the call helping Perryton to the area round of the playoffs throwing for 1,507 yards with 17 touchdown passes Estrada has unbelievable speed and can make big plays happen at a moment’s notice the lightning quick Estrada snagged 26 catches for 521 yards with five touchdowns Garcia brings much needed stability to the offensive and defensive lines Not only is he a huge protector of Schilling and opens run lanes Garcia will be looked upon as a run stopper on defense the city of Perryton was hit with a devastating tornado that left three dead and over 50 people injured with over 200 homes and businesses damaged and destroyed the town of more than 8,500 has worked diligently to rebuild and recover from this disaster that put it on the map for the wrong reasons but the city still has a great many scars from the tornado which took out a large section of a mobile home park near where it originated Executive director of the Perryton Chamber of Commerce talked about the recovery of business in the city “The biggest challenge that we have had has been a lack of real estate so it has taken a bit of time for affected businesses to find a new location to get re-established,” she said "We have had several ribbon cuttings for many of these businesses in their new spaces Some businesses had to move into smaller spaces to accommodate reopening with the lack of open business spaces.”  She said that with the demolition of the number one block of Main Street the city is making real progress in rebuilding “The city had to wait for grants to come in to start making things like this happen,” Richardson said “The city had to purchase the buildings from previous owners because they were destroyed We have had a lot of people working on this from day one behind the scenes and tears into getting Perryton and the people back to viability from their loss.”  more than $2 million was donated to Perryton notwithstanding the $2.7 million federal grant that the city just received for rebuilding She said that the Rebuild Perryton Incubator was established on recommendations by state legislators to make sure that progress on rebuilding the city does not get stopped Richardson said that city leadership was instrumental The Community Development Corporation with Colby Waters has worked to get grants to help to rebuild the city and its businesses we are getting money to make these projects happen,” she said “They are putting the organizations that want to help to use but you must get a place to point them at when they arrive You cannot have people show up at this stage of the game and not give them direction."  a Christian organization will be coming in to help repair salvageable houses but without proper coordination over time to be more efficient we have had to have much better coordination,” she said “It has taken months to get a system in place to send the work to the needed places we have identified the ones that need help and where it can be best utilized."  When asked about how many businesses may never return Richardson said about 96 businesses took direct hits “We still have many that are working to build back which is still in the process of finding enough space,” she said “The business owner had to close for a good eight months due to replacing her equipment She had made a concerted effort to keep up-to-date equipment to serve the community for eye care it was a lengthy process to try to catch up.”  one of the many businesses that was forced to relocate to a much smaller building “Their building was completely destroyed over three blocks away from the tornado's direct impact and they just bought a new building with thousands of square feet of lost space,” she said “It has really been a major adjustment for many people doing more with less space They have been resilient in rebuilding their businesses and managing space." Richardson said this disaster has given her a great outlook on her community “I am so proud of this community for how far they have come,” she said “Many people could have said that they were taking their insurance check and packing it up to move to another area because there is so much more to clean up with buildings blown to bits.”  “I am so proud of this community for how far they have come Many people could have said that they were taking their insurance check and packing it up to move to another area executive director of the Perryton Chamber of Commerce 'Mentally taxing': Working with business space supplies on handPerryton Home Design has now moved into a smaller building after working out of a temporary location spoke about the challenges that his business has faced since being displaced including a complete loss of about $2 million “We worked out of a temporary location for about six months while we tried to figure out if we should rebuild in our old location or relocate,” he said “We found a smaller building on the market that used to be a liquor store It was much less cost-prohibitive than rebuilding With the more up-to-date codes for a new building Drum said it took about six months to decide to move into a new building Drum said that his business decided to hire a private insurance adjuster to ensure that its best interests were taken care of “One of our fellow business friends sent them over to us the more we realized that it would be worth the investment,” he said we did not have to constantly try to reach our insurance’s investigator which left us to focus on getting our business back up and running.”  one of the most significant assets in the process was volunteer organizations like churches that helped clean out and salvage equipment in their old location “There were a lot of groups that worked together to help and donate in this process,” he said “This was a blessing for businesses and homeowners affected by this disaster We were looking at days with temperatures over 100 degrees following the tornado This made cleanup and retrieval quite a staggering task.”  Drum said getting back to the inventory they usually carry has been a process He also said that even through the rigorous process the company still maintained all eight employees that it had before the tornado we are still waiting on displays and other supplies such as this,” Drum said it was a devastating blow and mentally taxing so it was a great relief to have all the people in the community and area surround each other and help All the help we got for days after this disaster was so incredible.”  Rebuilding morale: Block of Main Street sees change with demolition spoke about the economic redevelopment plan to bring Perryton back from last year's disaster He said that the demolition and rebuilding are underway for the block on Main Street “The message that I would like to get out is that people are not just leaving the city of Perryton en masse,” he said considering what we have went through; having to spend money in lean economic times is a challenge."  He said that the CDC bought up buildings on the first block of Main Street and demolished them with grant funds with a plan to build back the space that will benefit the community both economically and from a standpoint of well-being and you have buildings that look like a warzone it does not give you a good feeling,” Waters said it is a morale builder to a certain extent With new buildings being put up in their place it gives a sense of a brighter future and not looking at the past Taking down those tornado damaged buildings is good overall for the community It is also bittersweet for those people who had their families build these businesses that are now gone.”  He said that while he is happy that there is change there needs to be proper reverence to those that are displaced “We are hoping that we can create a space that is desirable for new and old business with this new construction,” he added Waters said that there is still a lot of work and planning to do which will include economic and quality of life options for the rebuilt space “If you want to keep young people here or attract others such as teachers to come teach you need to have some things that appeal to them to want to stay in the city," he said Speaking about the impact of the recent $2.7 million federal grant Waters said that while it is of help in rebuilding it will not be enough to do everything to make the city whole again “It is a nice chunk of money to help us get some things moving but the community and the CDC still have a lot of work to do to make the economics work with these expensive undertakings,” he said “Our good relationship with the Panhandle Planning Commision was a great resource in helping us apply and get grants such as this.”  the city is working toward grants with Parks and Wildlife to rehabilitate Murphy Park which was devastated with debris from the tornado “Murphy Park is in a disadvantaged part of the community and all the fallout from the tornado destroyed what little recreational activities that were available over there,” he said we are currently working on some projects there We have plans that are going into the next five years to make that park a better place for the whole community I know our community would like things as fast as possible Waters said the community feedback has been positive but there is a learning curve on knowing what the city can fund and for what purpose with its monies “I cannot go put on a new roof on an existing building or business; we can only spend this funding on what we own,” he said “I think most of the businesses in the community are excited that we are going to put something in that is going to draw people here We are a hub city for the smaller communities of the panhandle He hopes that the community sees the measures being taken by the city to recover as hopeful for their future I always have said that hope is a terrible strategy but when you have been kicked as hard as we have Texas (KVII) — The Perryton Fire Department moved back into its fire station which was destroyed last year by a deadly tornado After millions of dollars and 18 months of remodeling the finishing touch will be polishing the floors of the newly remodeled fire station Fire Chief Paul Dutcher said it's good to be back home "From the beginning it was a marathon race that we were in,” Dutcher said piece by piece and department by department It's just a good feeling to get everything back together and the citizens certainly will see some of that in the next few weeks." and six trucks suffered significant damage "The main damage occurred right in this block area where we're at and so my guys were on foot patrolling and helping patients out and about until we could get additional resources in,” Dutcher recounted the fire department operated out of an old oil field shop and the damage to our trucks and the equipment and everything at that time was pretty significant,” Dutcher said The homecoming comes after a tough year and a half which also included the state's largest ever wildfire and the death of assistant chief Scott Glass who was killed fighting a fire Dutcher reminds the community that Perryton is strong "Just dealing with all of those things and Perryton strong and you know we just want people to know that you know we are a strong community and that we are going to survive The police department and city hall are also housed in the same building but they haven’t moved back in as more repairs are needed The former Perryton ISD coach and athletic director who was arrested earlier this year now faces federal charges accusing him of using messaging apps to arrange sexual encounters with a 15-year-old girl in his office Cole Underwood faces a count of enticement and attempted enticement of a minor Underwood had served as the offensive coordinator for the Rangers' football team until May 2023 when he was promoted to head football coach and athletic director Magistrate Judge Lee Ann Reno in Amarillo for an initial appearance hearing Court records show he is being represented by the Federal Public Defender's Office His charges stem from an investigation by Ochiltree County Sheriff's Office that began April 22 after Underwood was placed on leave after school officials learned that he and a 15-year-old student were in sexual relationship Ochiltree County court records do not indicate that the state charges have been presented to a grand jury he was arrested again on Thursday on a federal complaint Underwood will remain in custody and is expected to return before Reno on June 12 for detention and preliminary hearings during which the magistrate judge will have to determine if prosecutors have enough evidence to establish probable cause for his charge and if he is eligible for release on bond.