Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWICHITA FALLS Texas (KAUZ) - The City of Wichita Falls has closed off some lanes intersections and entire stretches of some roads around town Northside service road near Scotland Park Elementary Tulsa Street between Smith Street and Homes Avenue BROWNWOOD – Callista Berrett is in fine postseason form The Iowa Park junior tossed a five-inning shutout in a 10-0 mercy-rule victory against Ingram Moore in a Region I-3A Division I area-round playoff game Thursday The Lady Hawks advance to play Bushland in Region I-3A Division I semifinal best-of-three series next week at Lubbock-Cooper High School Berrett had Ingram Moore baffled with only two errors and a walk keeping her from a perfect game Berrett was also a perfect 2 for 2 at the plate with a homer Leadoff hitter Raylee Huse was 3 for 3 with a double Archer City outlasts TiogaBOWIE – Archer City scored 24 runs in a Region II-2A Division I area-round doubleheader Thursday and the Lady Cats needed almost every single one to survive Tioga advancing to the Region II-2A Division I semifinals against Moody The specifics of that playoff matchup are still pending Game 1 of the series with Tioga needed an extra inning to decide Archer City fell behind 11-10 in the top of the seventh but Adelyn Harvey came through with a two-out triple – her third of the game – to left field bringing home Addy Peters from second to tie the game After Tioga failed to score in the top of the eighth Millie Mayo led off the bottom of the frame with a double An error on a grounder hit by Briley Canada allowed Mayo to score the walk-off run Game 2 wasn’t nearly as dramatic with Tioga scoring three runs in the bottom of the seventh to make the final respectable going 3 for 4 with three runs and two RBIs ABILENE – Wall got a timely single in the top of the 11th inning winning Game 2 of its Region I-3A Division II area-round series with Jacksboro But the Lady Hawks couldn’t couldn’t keep pace with Jacksboro’s bats in the rubber match and the Tigerettes won the series with a 10-5 victory Jacksboro advances to play Muleshoe in the Region I-3A Division II semifinals in a three-game series in Clyde Brailyn Tullous was the Tigerettes’ most productive hitter in the series Henrietta sweeps ClydeGODLEY – Henrietta got a strong pitching performance to win Game 1 then uncorked the bats for a 10-4 Game 2 victory leading to a sweep of Clyde in a Region I-3A Division II area-round series sweep The Lady Bearcats advance to play two-time defending Class 3A state champion Coahoma in the region semifinals Thursday in Coahoma with Game 2 shifting to Henrietta with a 4 p.m junior pitcher Kirstyn Barnard worked around four hits and five walks to allow a single earned run in seven innings finishing with 12 Ks and allowing her to work out of many jams Berkley Roberts went 3 for 4 with two runs while Kyra Seward was 2 for 4 with a run and two RBIs Note: Iowa Park advances to the region semifinals Leading hitters: (P) Kallie-Ann Buchanan 2x4 Friday’s LinescoresREGION I-4A DIVISION II AREA Drought Monitor and the City of Wichita Falls the Wichita Falls area is no longer considered in a drought The combined lake level totals of both Lake Kickapoo and Lake Arrowhead rose 13% The City of Wichita Falls said the Water Resources Board will be meeting soon to discuss the situation The City Council is the only entity that can lift drought restrictions meaning the Stage 1 Drought restrictions will remain in place until they are removed Texas (KSWO) - The City of Wichita Falls has shared an update on levels at the Wichita River as well as Kickapoo and Arrowhead lakes According to the National Water Prediction Service levels at the Wichita River have dropped six inches since Friday readings showed levels at 17.35 feet as the official flood stage sits at 18 feet officials say the Red River is flowing full causing the level of the Wichita River to fall at a slower rate officials say the combined capacity at both Kickapoo and Arrowhead rose by 13% the US Drought Monitor no longer lists Wichita Falls under drought The city Water Resources Board will meet soon to discuss the situation officials remind everyone that the City Council is the only entity that is able to lift drought restrictions With more rain headed into the area throughout the week the city reminds everyone to stay aware and take caution You can read more through the city’s press release below A Wichita Falls man has been sentenced to six years in prison after he pleaded guilty Friday to sexually assaulting an underage girl was being held Monday in Wichita County Jail Williamson pleaded guilty to four counts of sexual assault prohibited/purport spouse of a 16-year-old victim that occurred in November 2019 That's a charge under a Texas law that allows a person suspected of sexual assault to have charges upgraded to a first-degree felony because of the accuser's relationship to the suspect Thirtieth District Judge Jeff McKnight sentenced Williamson to six years for each count to run concurrently and credited him with 218 days he spent in the Wichita County Jail following his arrest in November 2023 A first degree felony is punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison the girl told investigators Williamson gave her alcohol and marijuana and she later discovered he was mixing in hydrocodone to make her pass out More: Healing Hands awarded disease program certification More: Wichitan charged with stealing over $300,000 from employer (This story was updated to add new information.) Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - The Wichita Falls Area Crime Stoppers are looking for 24-year-old Gabriel Scabby Crime Stoppers said Scabby is wanted for three counts of burglary of a building Crime Stoppers described Scabby as a 5’07 man with black hair and brown eyes Wichita Falls Crime Stoppers recommends avoiding confronting Scabby and instead alerting law enforcement if you encounter him If you have any information on his location call Crime Stoppers twenty-four hours a day at 940-322-9888 Those outside of the Wichita Falls Area can call 1-800-322-9888 You never have to give your name; if your information leads to the arrest of the fugitive BOWIE – Nocona completed a sweep of Archer City in a Region II-2A Division I bi-district series for the program’s first bi-district championship since 2005 The Indians advance to the area round where they’ll meet Tom Bean in a best-of-three series at North Central Texas College in Gainesville Thursday with Game 2 scheduled for 4:30 p.m The Indians got two strong pitching performances against Archer City it was RJ Walker allowing just one earned run on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts in seven innings giving up two unearned runs on seven hits and two walks with two strikeouts in five innings Brody Langford was a combined 5 for 8 with five RBIs and two runs scored in the series Jayce Lehde went 3 for 5 with four runs and two RBIs JacksboroValenzuela delivered a six-inning no-hitter during Jacksboro’s 10-0 victory against Millsap in Game 2 of a Region I-3A Division II bi-district matchup Friday Valenzuela allowed three walks and struck out 14 batters in the win Ramirez continued his stellar season on the mound during Iowa Park’s 6-1 victory against Breckenridge in a Region I-3A Division I bi-district matchup Ramirez allowed one run on four hits and two walks with 14 strikeouts in seven innings Thursday’s LinescoresREGION I-5A DIVISION II BI-DISTRICT Note: Iowa Park advances to the area round Friday’s LinescoresREGION I-4A DIVISION II BI-DISTRICT 2025)—The Wichita Wind Surge dropped a 5-2 contest to the Frisco RoughRiders at Riders Field After Frisco scored four straight runs over the first three innings the Wind Surge could not find a consistent answer to work back into the game The trio of Michael Martinez, Jarret Whorff, and Joel Cesar limited the RoughRiders lineup to just an earned run on four hits throughout the final four and one-third innings of the night Martinez struck out three men over his four outs while Whorff threw his fourth total and third straight multi-inning appearance out of the bullpen for Wichita in 2025 Aaron Zavala opened the bottom of the first on a solo home run off the top of the right field wall Three more followed for Frisco over the second and third innings on a fielder’s choice and an RBI double courtesy of Cooper Johnson Ben Ross over the wall in left center in the top of the fourth Benny Blasts Are Back!Ben Ross leaves the yard for the second time this season.T4WCH 1, FRI 4 pic.twitter.com/rBUVx2Oo1l Runners reached and remained stranded on both sides until the bottom of the eighth, when Johnson slid home safely on a passed ball. Jorel Ortega then began the top of the ninth with a long ball Jorel with a Jolt!Jorel Ortega keeps this one fair inside the line for a homer.T9WCH 2, FRI 5 pic.twitter.com/qbgQpSaNZF the next three consecutive hitters fell on a pair of infield popouts and a groundout to end the game in a 4-2 loss Ricky Castro lost his second game of the season surrendering four runs on six hits with a walk and three strikeouts over three and two-thirds innings The Wind Surge finish the series against the Frisco RoughRiders on Sunday, May 4, at 4:05 PM. Wichita returns to Equity Bank Park on May 13 for a series with the Arkansas Travelers. You can listen to Wind Surge games on ESPN Wichita 92.3 FM and windsurge.com or watch online at MiLB.TV and Bally Sports Live. For ticket information, please visit windsurge.com/tickets Sheppard Air Force Base personnel partnered with the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank in a base-wide food donation competition that ended Friday Participating units in the 82nd Training Wing competed for trophies for the volume of donations and pallet decoration The food drive came at a critical time for the food bank because donations typically decline during the first and second quarters of the year according to a press release from the base "Sheppard Air Force Base can take that leading role in filling that gap that keeps the food bank robust," said Brig He predicted the drive would grow every year and community leaders Glen Barham and Darrell Coleman in judging the pallets The 82nd Training Support Squadron won the prize for both volume of food donated best decorated pallet which helps food pantries and food banks stay stocked during the summer months The goal is to also bring awareness to issues of hunger and “Come together as a federal community to realize these goals and have fun while doing it,” according to the release from the base the campaign has collected more than 107 million pounds of food for donation federal employees donated over 10 million pounds to food banks and pantries across the country All employees of the federal government can participate in Feds Feed Families on a voluntary basis More: MSU Texas students compete at Model UN More: UPDATED: Sheriff takes over Jacksboro law enforcement The base and its personnel partnered with the Wichita Falls Area Food Bank in this base-wide effort The drive comes at a critical time for the food bank as donations typically decline during the first half of the year following the holiday season said he feels grateful for the amount of food that was donated “The base and the squadrons out here raised 5,712 pounds that will go directly to over 39,000 individuals who struggle with hunger We are just incredibly blessed to be here and to be able to receive a gift like this today so we can put it to use in the community,” O’Neil said Squadrons competed against one another in not just the weight of the total donations but also in how they decorated their food pallets “The 82nd training support squadron won both the decorating trophy and the trophy for raising the most amount of food so this will be something that will be talked about for quite some time,” O’Neil said O‘Neil said that although they received nearly three tons of food donations he agrees with Brigadier General Paul Filcek when he said that next year’s food drive will have more I really believe that we are blessed to get 5,700 pounds of food This is going to go much bigger and better even next year because of the competitive nature of our men and women,” he said The city of Wichita Falls said Friday afternoon the National Weather Service forecasts the Wichita River will crest at about 1 a.m Saturday and also forecasts a break in the rain over the weekend But the city warned two road closures were in place and continued road closures are still possible The release said the Emergency Operations Center will transition to standby The Wichita Falls Fire Department will continue to drive through flood prone neighborhoodsto monitor road conditions The release said if the situation changes and evacuations are needed all local agencies are staged and ready to activate the emergency plans already in place More: City anticipates possible street closures because of flooding Texas (KAUZ) - The City of Wichita Falls’ street department has closed Tulsa Street between Smith Street and Homes Avenue No timeline has been given for the street to be reopened but waters should recede over the coming days The city of Wichita Falls has closed or anticipates closing some streets in anticipation of flooding Crews have closed Woods Street between Smith and Homes near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Harding Street as well as some areas in the Tanglewood neighborhood The National Weather Service predicted the Wichita River would crest below flood stage due to the rain last night and continued rainfall forecasted for today local officials anticipate possible road closures," the city release said The release said local agencies are staged and ready to activate the emergency plans already in place in the event evacuating should become necessary The weather service placed Wichita Falls and portions of North Texas in a flood watch until 1 p.m Friday and predicted a clearing later in the day Friday showed numerous thunderstorms in the area More: Sheriff takes over Jacksboro law enforcement More: City: Wichita Falls mosquito population to grow Texas (KAUZ) - Although rainfall in the area appears to be over - for a few days at least - the Wichita River has not yet crested as recent rain continues to flow into the waterway via creeks and drainage systems The river is expected to reach its highest around 1 a.m Saturday before slowly diminishing back to regular levels Two Wichita Falls streets are closed downtown due to flooding Tulsa Street and Woods Street are both closed from Smith Street to Homes Avenue City officials will continue to monitor the situation but the Emergency Operations Center will transition to standby while continuing to monitor conditions around town Texomashomepage.com WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Many Wichitans filled the streets of downtown at the Loco For Cinco festival to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and local art and culture The annual event not only brings Wichitans in but also people from Dallas-Fort Worth Artists Juan Velazquez and Armando Aguirre were selected as this year’s artists for the Loco for Cinco mural project and the two painted their murals live during the event which is usually a female figure dressed as a skeleton or skull-faced It’s an iconic symbol of Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) “I was happy they chose this design because it was one that had been rejected for other clients I kept holding on to it because I’m like I know one day I’ll be able to paint it,” Aguirre said Aguirre’s art has taken him not only across Texas but also California and Tennessee he said seeing the culture and art come alive shows the city’s identity “I feel like this is the perfect piece to do for today for Cinco de Mayo Something that is celebrating our culture and our heritage,” Aguirre said “It makes me feel good because one of the things that I’ve been wanting to do is go out and paint in other places To check out Aguirre’s work, click here for his Instagram You can find Velazquez’s work by clicking here Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" these are the actual most popular baby names so far in 2025 Whether it’s a short vacation or they’re jetting off to begin their career show the future traveler you care with a meaningful graduation gift National Teacher Appreciation Week begins May 5 take advantage of these freebies and deals Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Would you like to receive our daily news from The Lawton Constitution? Sign up today Receive the most recent obituaries from The Lawton Constitution every Morning in you E-mail. Sign up today Would you like to receive our daily sports from The Lawton Constitution? Sign up today Get the latest breaking news from The Lawton Constitution. Sign up today Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Big Brothers Big Sisters in Wichita Falls is moving fast in 2025 The 10th annual Dancing for the Stars was a great success in February staff and volunteers moved BBBS into a repurposed family life center within the Wesley United Methodist Church campus at 1526 Weeks Street Both organizations benefit as does the community game room and kitchen — and much more space than before BBBS held a March Matchness Basketball Tournament on March 22 inviting local organizations to play as a way to recruit Bigs BBBS held their second annual community garage sale Threats of rain increased participation as buyers needed what donors didn’t Seven days a week something is happening on campus — services in the church or BBBS activities on their side of the campus Bigs can join their Littles in activities that help the children learn necessary life skills with the support of a caring adult Bigs and Littles can enjoy movie night with a film projected on the gym wall as well as foosball or air hockey in the game room more Bigs can participate with no spending required — just one-on-one time Littles get time with a caring adult who checks in and listens a third grader at Cunningham Elementary School We meet for lunch weekly during the school year Other cultures do things differently but for the same reason This traditional greeting of Kasserian ingera — how are the children doing — is shared as members of Africa’s Maasai tribe meet Monitoring the well-being of children is the best way to determine the future health and prosperity of their whole society the adults focus on the well-being of all children Consider helping by giving time, talent, treasure or testimony; visit bbbstx.org What can you do to make the future bright for the next generation Donating $10 a month or a couple of hours a month is game changing for a Little Jack Browne is a community activist and past technology engineer, sales and marketing executive at Motorola, MIPS Technologies and other companies.  How are the children doing Texas (KAUZ)- Due to the heavy rain that has been widespread throughout the Texoma area several parts of Wichita Falls have substantial standing water and flooding issues City officials said that they expect the Wichita River to continue to rise higher than the river’s flood stage The additional rainfall on an already saturated ground could cause significant Below are areas that the city has identified as trouble spots during heavy rain and encourages residents to avoid These areas also commonly have drainage issues The city went on to say that four neighborhoods have the potential to lose power due to rising waters The city also said there is no plan in place for mandatory or voluntary evacuations city officials urge citizens to have an evacuation plan just in case The swift water rescue team and local agencies are ready on standby if needed to help anyone out in the event they’re in a emergency situation Texas (KAUZ) - Wichita County and Wichita Falls officials have issued for a disaster declaration a disaster declaration will open up a pathway for the city to potentially get to State and Federal aid The City of Wichita Falls has the Emergency Operations Center activated to help monitor the latest on the flood potential Swift Water Rescue teams and all local agencies are in place and ready to deploy should they be needed and for non-emergencie,s call 940-720-5000 Standing water from flooding has closed several roads in Wichita and Baylor counties the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a media release TxDOT also said water is over roadways in Archer TxDOT advised motorists to monitor weather and roads conditions and to not drive on any roadway with standing water as storms and drainage continue More: City of Wichita Falls, Wichita County declare weather disaster More: Storms create flooding, keep emergency crews scrambling in Wichita Falls area Wichita Falls and much of North Texas are enduring stormy soggy weather that has produced flooding across the region and prompted the National Weather Service to warn of continued flooding danger A powerful thunderstorm rolled across the city shortly before 9 p.m and emergency scanner traffic indicated Wichita Falls police and fire units were kept scrambling with reports of stranded motorists across the city Portions of Midwestern Parkway were closed for a while as storm water surged across the busy street Emergency workers were also called to reports of transformer fires caused by lightning Parts of Wichita County were placed under tornado warnings during the evening as storm spotters reported rotating clouds in the storm No serious injuries were reported from the storm Intermittent rain continued through the night and another strong thunderstorm moved across the city before 6 a.m the National Weather Service reported Wichita Falls had received 3 inches of rain since 8 p.m Wichita and surrounding counties were placed under a flood watch until Thursday morning “Several rounds of thunderstorms will result in heavy rainfall leading to flooding,” the weather service warned NWS on Tuesday said the Wichita River through Wichita Falls could rise to levels that could threaten properties in the Tanglewood neighborhoods and on the city’s East Side The forecast called for skies to clear on Thursday but rain chances return Thursday night and linger through Friday More: City of Wichita Falls issues alerts about flood-prone areas More: Area mayors get a spin in Sheppard's T-38 aircraft The city of Wichita Falls has targeted some specific areas of the city where the danger of flooding may be critical The National Weather Service has placed much of the region in a flood watch and the area of Wichita Falls along the Wichita River may see near-record flooding the city warned resident to be especially cautious around certain areas Neighborhoods that may lose power during rising water are: These warnings followed a meeting Tuesday of government and emergency agencies in Wichita Falls Greg Abbott on Tuesday activated state emergency response resources ahead of severe weather threats in Texas over the next few days He ordered a dozen state agencies to stand ready with boats "Texans should prepare for severe weather across North and West Texas throughout the week,” Abbott said in a statement Tuesday Texans are encouraged to regularly monitor weather conditions heed the guidance of state and local officials and have an emergency plan to keep themselves and their loved ones safe," Abbott said More: UPDATED: The Wichita River in Wichita Falls may reach near-record flood stage More: A Sikes Senter merchant shut down its store over the weekend Texas (KAUZ) - The City of Wichita Falls has released a list of locations it has identified as potentially in elevated danger in the event of flooding occurring It is requesting area residents stay away from the following areas if heavy rainfall and flooding occur: The city also said some neighborhoods are at increased risk to lose power if floodwaters rise too high Horseshoe Bend Estates and portions of Tanglewood Estates Flooding can develop very quickly and is possible overnight meaning residents will need to set up methods to receive alerts and stay informed The city stressed that those traveling in the area should also be cautious and said that if the curb on a road is not visible (This story was updated to accurately reflect the most current information.) The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for the Wichita River in Wichita Falls the weather service said the river will be at risk of flooding Wednesday morning through Sunday The river stage was at 8.8 feet Tuesday morning but it was expected to rise well above flood stage to 22 feet by Wednesday evening Representatives from the city of Wichita Falls the Texas Department of Emergency Management Texas Parks and Wildlife Department game wardens and local service providers met Tuesday to prepare for the possible event The Emergency Operations Center has been activated to monitor the latest on the flood potential "All agencies are receiving updated regular briefings on the latest weather developments Swift water rescue teams and all local agencies are in place and ready to deploy should they be needed plans are in place for shelters for residents who may be displaced," the statement said The city also urged residents to have a plan in case evacuations are necessary and noted power outages are possible in a severe weather event extensive flooding would occur in the Tanglewood neighborhoods and in Harrell and Lucy parks The weather service said flood depths up to 2 feet could occur north of Sixth Street and east of Scott Avenue This is similar to an area that flooded in 2007 and caused extensive damage to homes and businesses The weather service said the last time the Wichita River rose to 22 feet was in June 1941 The NWS also said agriculture areas upstream and downstream from Wichita Falls could be 4 feet underwater The NWS forecast for the Wichita Falls area calls for rain and thunderstorms through Wednesday night that could produce 5 inches or more of new rain on ground already saturated by recent rain rain could return to the area on Thursday night and continue through the weekend More: MSU cyclists gear up for spring 2025 nationals windy weather contributed to a slight decline in area lake levels over the past week but a chance of rain this coming weekend may help them recover The combined levels for lakes Arrowhead and Kickapoo fell 0.1% to a total of 67.8% of capacity Wichita Falls water customers remain in Stage 1 Drought Watch restrictions according to a press release from the city Monday The National Weather Service predicts rain could return on Friday afternoon and stay in the forecast through Sunday The greatest odds of precipitation will be Saturday night Any rain that falls would likely come from thunderstorms NWS has placed Wichita Falls and part of North Texas at Slight Risk of severe storms Friday afternoon and night Wichita Falls slid slightly behind normal precipitation for this date Daytime temperatures are expected to seesaw between the mid-70s to lower-90s in the coming week with gusty winds continuing More: Wichita Falls murder mystery deepens with fourth arrest More: Wichita Falls City Council to consider annexing land for data centers Correction: The City Council also approved raising leases at the lakes Feb (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.) The Wichita Falls City Council will again discuss lots at lakes Arrowhead and Kickapoo during a meeting 8:30 a.m Tuesday in the Seminar Room of the MPEC at 1000 Fifth St The city owns the property around the lakes and leases out lots where people have recreational or permanent homes lots at both lakes currently lease for $1,000 each year according to a narrative from the city staff councilors discussed and approved raising leases at Lake Arrowhead by 30 percent while leases at Lake Kickapoo would go up 10 percent The council has also discussed allowing leaseholders to buy their properties When discussion of raising the rent first came up at a meeting in March 2024 several leaseholders complained that the increases were unreasonable City property manager Pat Hoffman said the city gets about $440,000 annually from leases at Lake Arrowhead and $195,000 from Lake Kickapoo Tuesday’s agenda calls for an update and discussion of the lots and the topic will also be discussed in closed session The meeting is open to the public and can be viewed on the city’s Facebook page More: City Council to tackle controversial lake lot fee hikes again More: 50 years after fall of Saigon, woman forges connections to her past, to Wichita Falls The city of Wichita Falls warns the mosquito population is expected to increase because of recent rain "The large mosquitos that are typically seen with flood waters are nuisance mosquitos not disease carrying," the city said in a press release Thursday "Residents are recommended to wear an EPA approved repellant." The release said vector control workers will begin spraying mosquito populated areas when weather conditionsallow for maximum results More: No plans for evacuations as Wichita River rises More: Flooding closes MSU building A motorcycle rider was killed in a crash on Southwest Parkway Saturday Wichita Falls police officers were sent to Southwest Parkway at Lake Park Drive at 12:23 p.m. William Heyen of Wichita Falls was driving his motorcycle east on Southwest Parkway and struck an SUV that pulled out from Lake Park Drive The cycle struck the SUV on the driver's side Heyen was pronounced dead on arrival at United Regional Health Care System He was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash The driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries This was the third traffic fatality in Wichita Falls in 2025 (This story has been updated to add new information.) More: Health workshop set at Wichita Falls library More: WFISD superintendent denies any schools will close because of recent state grading Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - The City of Wichita Falls has shared an update to the area lake level totals after the heavy rainfall throughout last week The City of Wichita Falls said the combined levels of Lake Arrowhead and Lake Kickapoo rose 5.7% the last time levels were above 70% was December 2024 and the last time they exceeded 75% was June 2024 the Stage 1 Drought Restrictions are still in place until a city council resolution can lift them The 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon is Wednesday Children are helped up the rear cargo ramp of a C-141 during the evacuation of Saigon in April 1975 in this photo snapped by Miguel Lechuga a retired Air Force chief master sergeant in Wichita Falls Vietnam War memorabilia from U.S. Air Force veteran Miguel Lechuga, who resides in Wichita Falls, taken on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. Go here to read about Lechuga's experiences as an aircraft maintainer who helped load families onto planes for evacuation efforts from Vietnam in April 1975 Texas (KAUZ) - The Wichita Falls Police Department has reported that one man is dead following a motorcycle wreck on Sunday afternoon officers were sent to the intersection of Southwest Parkway and Lake Park Drive The driver of the motorcycle in this wreck was taken to United Regional and was pronounced deceased upon arrival Crash investigators said Heyen was travelling eastbound on Southwest Parkway when an SUV pulled out from Lake Park Drive in front of Heyen’s motorcycle Other details about this wreck have not been publicly released: stick with News Channel 6 as we learn more Wichita Falls residents will see a return to springtime weather The National Weather Service predicted on Monday that daytime high temperatures will climb back into the 70s and 80s over the next seven days Overnight lows will stay well above freezing The NWS placed the city in a freeze warning for Sunday night but the temperature dropped only to 34 degrees staying just barely above the freezing mark but the weekend rain erased a precipitation deficit Wichita Falls officially received 1.5 inches of precipitation over the weekend bringing the total for 2025 to 5.52 inches Lake levels rose 1.3% as the result of recent rain The combined lake capacity of lakes Arrowhead and Kickapoo is now 67.9% Those levels could rise slightly more with runoff making its way to Lake Arrowhead Wichita Falls water customers remain under stage 1 drought watch restrictions A powerful thunderstorm before dawn on Saturday contained hail that caused scattered damage More: Smith's Gardentown suffers hail damage More: Texas energy producers to converge on Wichita Falls An ATV accident on Friday claimed the life of a 12- year-old boy Sheriff David Duke said the accident happened about 4:30 p.m on private land near an address on McKinney Road  south of Wichita Falls The victim has been identified as John Kramer Barnard Duke said a WCSO investigator at the scene said the vehicle apparently flipped on one side Duke said the victim was the son of Wichita Falls ISD trustee John Barnard and grandson of retired 89th District Court Judge Charles Barnard 12-year-old Kramer was a student at Barwise Middle School well-mannered and had a good sense of humor," Dr said Monday morning on a WFISD Facebook post "He was loved by his friends and our staff who knew him." WFISD said on the district's Facebook page that counseling services would be available at Barwise and at Ben Franklin Elementary School where the boy had previously been a student "We extend our deepest condolences to the Barnard family and our thoughts are with all who knew and loved Kramer — his friends More: Wichita Falls man pleads in fentanyl murder More: Study: Wichita Falls residents pay among the highest energy bills Texas (KAUZ) - Wichita Falls city officials met today with local and state agencies to prepare for possible flooding that could affect the area over the next two days Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens and local service providers joined the discussion with a goal of opening communication and reviewing contingency plans Projections from the National Weather Service in Oklahoma show the Wichita Falls area potentially receiving as much as six inches of rain With ground in the area already saturated from recent rainfall The city has encouraged residents to have multiple avenues to receive emergency notifications and updates on standby monitoring city and county social media pages and registering to receive alerts from local electric and natural gas providers The city said having a plan in place is also important in case evacuations are ordered and the city has plans to shelter residents who may be displaced by flooding and for non-emergencies call (940) 720-5000 Wichita Falls city councilors on Tuesday will consider annexing 33 acres of land on Randy Drive and designating it for light industrial use The land under consideration for annexing would be used for the “potential construction” of two 125,000 square-foot data center warehouses and a gas power plant  Tax records show the land was owned by the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce and deeded to KBD WF LLC on Jan The land in question is an open field east of Burkburnett Road More: UPDATED: Jury hands down punishment verdict for ex-sheriff in death of toddler More: Wichita Falls teen arrested while recording video in federal building Texas (KAUZ) - The Wichita Falls City Council had a full agenda including a few items that could affect some Wichita Falls neighborhoods The council approved a resolution to adopt the neighborhood revitalization plan The committee laid out the details of a plan that has been in the works since March 2019 improving and creating new opportunities for residents in the areas surrounding Old High “One thing about neighborhood revitalization is there are many groups that have been trying to revitalize their neighborhoods The East of the Falls Community Development Corporation has been trying to help revitalize the east side and there’s been groups since then,“ Wichita Falls citizen Valerie Rhodes said and council members drafted a neighborhood report to address public needs including tree cleaning programs and several other initiatives Rhodes was excited about action being taken on the plan since it signified that the council is listening and working with people that are living in the community “One of the counselors asked about identifying other neighborhoods and how do you define a neighborhood that needs revitalization You can’t say what is needed if you don’t live within the community or you’re not within that group trying to decide what was needed,“ Rhodes said This plan was something that officials could get behind as District One and Two counselors Whitney Flack and Robert Brooks have been working with the community on ensuring all unattended districts get a piece of what this plan offers Mayor Tim Short said he applauds everyone involved in the process “All of those fruits are now starting to bear fruit in those meetings with the work that is coming up that you’ll see in the next few months I do know that there are areas obviously just like this neighborhood that was identified even back in 2019 is needing some work and there are other neighborhoods that are not being left out They’re now actively being identified so this committee and the committees in those neighborhoods can be formed have a blueprint to follow and see how we can just make Wichita Falls a better place and even if it’s one neighborhood at a time,” Short said Citizens in the community can expect to see some of the changes in the coming months A Wichita Falls man is charged with stealing more than $300,000 from his employer Eric Michael Skipper was arrested Wednesday and charged with theft in connection with an Aug Skipper was free Thursday from Wichita County Jail on a $250,000 bond Theft of $300,000 or more is a first degree felony punishable by five to 99 years or life Anyone charged with a crime is presumed innocent unless convicted beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law According to an affidavit filed in the case Skipper was employed by Lipscomb Power Sports on Jacksboro Highway The affidavit alleges an audit revealed Skipper was embezzling cash from the business in a method that bypassed the company's business security and included fraudulent returns sales record manipulation and exploiting loopholes in the company's software and bookkeeping Police allege Skipper stole about $331,983 and admitted to taking cash from a down payment on at least one sales transaction Skipper said he took the money to "support his family and his lifestyle," according to allegations Skipper was "the sole employee with the ability to access and manipulate the transaction records used to conceal the theft," according to allegations in the affidavit More: The Wichita River rose from its banks early Thursday after days of heavy rain More: Wichita Falls City Council to take up lake lot lease increases at Tuesday meeting The Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District regularly monitors restaurants and food establishments for compliance with state food safety requirements Frequent inspections are essential in preventing the spread of foodborne illnesses through contamination and improper handling daycare and church establishments inspected April 2-9 are listed below an establishment may have fewer or more violations than noted in its most recent inspection An inspection conducted on any given day may not be representative of the overall follow-up inspections may not be included here Locations are in Wichita Falls unless otherwise noted Lower scores and whyTexas Best BBQ & Burgers Observed a used mop not hung up to dry properly Corrected during inspection.Observed unused damaged items that should be removed to control pest attraction.Observed several areas throughout kitchen that are damaged and no longer cleanable on ceiling and floors.Food storesPerfect scoresCall Field Stop More: Freezer contaminated, beans on floor, need repairs: Wichita Falls restaurant inspections More: Wichita Falls restaurant inspections: How did they do March 7-20? A popular Wichita Falls beef jerky business has closed The website for Keeno’s Beef Jerky on Jacksboro Highway has permanently closed A recording on the business’s phone number also said the shop was no longer in business The website did not list a reason for the closing but indicated the shop had been in business since 2010 The small shop offered a large variety of jerky flavors and other food items which the company said had won numerous awards More: John Burrus contends he was forced out of WF city government because of what he knew More: MSU professor wins prestigeous award which have been relatively steady compared to other products affected by tariffs The new statewide average price is $2.76/gallon according to AAA Texas just one cent higher than this time last week and still 50 cents/gallon lower than this time last year Gas is cheaper in the Lone Star State than nationally and that’s helping to keep gas prices in check for Texas drivers—even as seasonal demand ticks up,” Daniel Armbruster congressman and former party nominee for U.S Saturday at the Ray Clymer Exhibit Hall at the Multi-Purpose Events Center O'Rourke will discuss state and federal issues according to a news release from the organization More: City hires new parks director More: Wichita County moves toward providing incentives for major employer Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInAutoplayLocal News Summer is almost here, so we're giving away family four packs to Castaway Cove in Wichita Falls Castaway Cove is an all-ages amusement park with thrill rides It's the perfect waterpark for the whole family to enjoy summer Each family pass comes with four tickets to Castaway Cove DISCLAIMER: Winners must pick tickets/prizes up in-person Physical tickets or prizes for this event will not be mailed Winners must pick tickets/prizes up in-person at the Townsquare Media office location in Lawton Winners must pick up their tickets during official business hours of 9 a.m Monday-Friday, no exceptions. If tickets/prizes are electronic transfer attendees will receive electronic tickets/prizes via email or other digital platforms Summer is almost here, so we're giving away family four packs to Castaway Cove in Wichita Falls, Texas!\nRead More Summer is almost here, so we're giving away family four packs to Castaway Cove in Wichita Falls, Texas! Castaway Cove is an all-ages amusement park with thrill rides, slides, play areas, lazy river, pools and so much more! It's the perfect waterpark for the whole family to enjoy summer. Each family pass comes with four tickets to Castaway Cove. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Castaway Cove Waterpark (@castawaycovewf) Reporters and photographers from USA TODAY Network Texas newsrooms are joining together to cover this week's UIL State Track & Field Meet focusing on the more than 600 athletes from the Abilene San Angelo and Wichita Falls areas who qualified for the this week Class 3A and 4A are scheduled for Thursday with Class 5A 2A and wheelchair competitions slated for Friday The meet wraps up Saturday with Class 6A and Class A Below you will find the time and event (and state seed in parentheses) of each athlete from schools located in the USA TODAY Network Texas coverage areas More: How to watch the 2025 UIL State Track & Field Meet Follow these X accounts for updates on all of these athletes over the next few days Jonathan Hull: @Hull_TRNNaomi Skinner: @Naomi_TRNAngela Piazza: @angelalpiazzaQuinton Martinez: @qmartinezRandall Sweet: @RandallSweet5Stephen Garcia: @byStephenGarciaBret Bloomquist: @Bretbloomquist Wichita Falls area athletes will also be posted on the TRN Sports Facebook account 3A Girls 400 Relay – Wall (8); Jim Ned (9) 3A Boys 400 Relay – Wall (7); Comanche (8) 4A Boys 400 Relay – Randall (4); Estacado (8) 3A Girls 800 Relay – Holliday (1); Shallowater (6); Orange Grove (9) 4A Boys 800 Relay – Dumas (7); Stephenville (9) 3A Girls 1,600 Relay – Holliday (1); Wall (3); Shallowater (5) 3A Boys 1,600 Relay – Wall (1); Holliday (6); Vernon (8) 4A Girls 1,600 Relay – Canyon (1); Brownwood (5) 4A Boys 1,600 Relay – Dumas (4); Canyon (5) Friday: 3,200-meter run & Field Events9 a.m Sanford-Fritch (3); Kasey Solis (4); Kyla Lumpkins 2A Girls 400 Relay – Panhandle (1); New Home (4); Bangs (6); Cisco (9) 2A Boys 400 Relay – Reagan County (1); Ropes (5); Refugio (6) Girls Wheelchair 100 Meters – Lillian Fought 2A Girls 800 Relay – Refugio (1); Panhandle (3); New Home (6); Cisco (8); Bangs (9) 2A Boys 800 Relay – Reagan County (1); Wellington (2) 5A Girls 800 Relay – Chapin (7); Amarillo (9) Girls Wheelchair 400 Meters – Lillian Fought Boys Wheelchair 400 Meters – Kohen Grantom 2A Girls 1,600 Relay – Panhandle (1); Cisco (3); Refugio (8) 2A Boys 1,600 Relay – Hawley (1); Wellington (4); Mason (5); Junction (7); Panhandle (9) 1A Girls 3,200 meters – Isabella Billingsley 6A Boys 3,200 meters – Aidan (Danny) Torres 1A Girls 400 Relay – Gordon (1); Water Valley (2); Klondike (3); Rotan (4); Kress (5); Cross Plains (6); Saint Jo (9) 1A Boys 400 Relay – Strawn (1); Jayton (2); Iredell (3); Klondike (5); Hamlin (6); Valley (8) 1A Girls 800 Meters – Isabella Billingsley 1A Girls 800 Relay – Water Valley (1); Eula (2); Klondike (3); Gordon (4); Borden Co 1A Boys 800 Relay – Gordon (1); Jayton (2); Klondike (3); Richland Springs (4); Cross Plains (7); Saint Jo (8); Spur (9) 1A Girls 1,600 Meters – Isabella Billingsley 6A Boys 1,600 Meters – Aidan (Danny) Torres 1A Girls 1,600 Relay – Gordon (1); Eula (2); Klondike (3); Jayton (4); Borden Co 1A Boys 1,600 Relay – Gordon (1); Jayton (2); Cross Plains (3); Booker (4); Motley Co A longtime department head who exited city government earlier this year raised allegations in his wake ranging from moonshine sales in a city facility to questionable junkets to New Orleans John Burrus said he was forced out of his job as the city of Wichita Falls director of aviation traffic and transportation to keep him from applying for the city manager job or revealing what he sees as malfeasance in city government “I am devastated right now,” Burrus wrote in a document sent earlier this year to Mayor Tim Short and City Council members The lengthy document obtained by the Times Record News describes what Burrus saw as the reasons he was forced out The city has denied Burrus' accusations as false and confirmed a document was sent Jan "The City of Wichita Falls professionally parted ways with him upon his retirement," city officials said in a statement "Regarding the insinuation of alleged corruption in the City it is deeply concerning and disappointing when speculation and incorrect information are presented as fact This can erode public trust and harm the individuals involved," the city's response said The document written by Burrus touches on allegations related to hostile work environments expense-paid vacations connected to city purchases and moonshine sales at the city’s airport "You cannot make this stuff up," Burrus told TRN in an interview "There were a lot of things over the years that I had reported that got ignored." Burrus also said he thinks some internal investigations into his department that began "in earnest" in 2017 were “weaponized” because he had followed city policy by informing then-City Manager Darron Leiker that a City Council member had told him of an affair between two high-ranking city officials "A lot of the investigations really started ramping up shortly after that," he told TRN personal allegations directed toward City staff are false," the city's statement said "There are also several personnel situations mentioned with claims that internal investigative procedures were not followed All City complaints and concerns are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated findings and reports are appropriately and confidentially maintained following city policy and best practices Burrus said in the document that Interim City Manager James McKechnie and Human Resources Director Christi Klyn provided him with four reasons he was forced out Burrus said in the document a consultant's study revealed vehicle maintenance was behind Burrus attributed that to the fleet being old and needing a multi-million dollar investment to bring it up to par with similar cities His recommendations to remedy the situation went unapproved over the years Burrus specifically addressed four of 16 investigations in his department that took place during his career He said one dealt with an airport administrator who was accused of creating a hostile work environment for a janitor who cleaned the wrong building and for allowing an airline employee to sleep in the terminal An administrator was also investigated for alleged sexual harassment of a rental car company employee at the airport Burrus said the administrator was exonerated when it was discovered the employee filed the complaint after the administrator asked her to stop selling moonshine at the airport The airport administrator was also accused of losing more than $110,000 at Kickapoo Airport Burrus said $72,000 was the correct figure mostly attributable to an employee in the Finance Department failing to move money from a grant Burrus said sanitation employees did not perform maintenance on their units He told TRN that because of the trucks being out of operation sometimes the city received complaints from the public about alley dumpsters overflowing with trash "The reason they were full was because the operators couldn't keep their trucks running," Burrus told TRN Burrus alleged in the document that Fire Department leadership received two all-expense-paid vacations to New Orleans about 14 years ago as they purchased equipment from a Baton Rouge company Burrus said the equipment was “horribly specified and built” and out of service for months at a time Replacement parts could not be purchased because the vendor went out of business He said no disciplinary action was taken even though top city leaders were aware of the circumstances and the city had to pay to replace the faulty equipment "City staff also have no knowledge of paid vacations being given in exchange for the purchase of equipment." Burrus said he would share with the mayor and some councilors “other coverups that I am aware of at this time because I know of several What I reported to my leadership was swept under the rug and I kept quiet to keep from losing my job.” Burrus told TRN he met with Short and City Council members Jeff Browning and Mike Battaglino after he was forced to resign He said Short later told him the group asked McKechnie to reinstate him in his job claiming the city charter prohibits elected officials from being involved in hiring and firing Short and Battaglino told TRN they could not comment on personnel matters Browning did not respond to inquiries about Burrus "City staff did not participate in any meetings between Mr and/or the Mayor," city spokesman Chris Horgen said "The interim City Manager was not asked by anyone on the City Council to reinstate Mr TRN filed an open records request with the city to obtain communications between Burrus and the interim city manager and a consultant's report on fleet maintenance and the Texas Attorney General's Office agreed on March 25 they should be withheld More: UPDATED: Department head resigns from city of Wichita Falls More: Council signs off on new city manager, fire chief Tens of thousands of spectators will descend upon Mike A Myers Stadium in Austin to watch hundreds of high school athletes participate in the UIL State Track Meet on Thursday The venue provides a unique and electric atmosphere over a full three days of competition As usual, the Wichita Falls area is well represented at the state meet with 36 individuals and nine relay teams vying to bring home medals Below you will find a capsulized preview of each state qualifier They are listed in the order of when they will first compete in an event Follow Jonathan Hull (@Hull_TRN) and Naomi Skinner (@Naomi_TRN) on X and the TRN Sports Facebook account for updates HollidayEvent: Boys 3,200 meters (9:15 a.m Previous state meet: Strohman is a five-time state track gold medalist He set the Class 3A state meet record (9:11.73) in the 3,200 as a freshman He’s also a three-time state cross country gold medalist Previous state meet: Strohman has made the last two state track meets qualifying in the 3,200 meters and finishing seventh as a sophomore and placing seventh in the 1,600 as a freshman Previous state meet: McBride qualified in the triple jump as a sophomore in 2023 Previous state meet: Atwood is a four-time state track medalist She’s qualified in the 800 and 1,600 each year of high school She won silver in the 1,600 and 800 as a sophomore and added a bronze medal as part of Holliday’s 1,600-meter relay team Previous state meet: This is Klyn’s third consecutive state track meet appearance but it’s the first time she’s qualified in the 100 meters She finished eighth in the 200 meters in both previous appearances Atwood and Blowers combined to win bronze in the 1,600-meter relay last year Previous state meet: Aydelott is the reigning Class 3A 400-meter state champion winning silver in the 400 meters and gold as a member of the Vernon 1,600-meter relay in 2023 JacksboroEvent: Boys 300 hurdles (7:10 p.m Previous state meet: Blowers has qualified for the state track meet each year of high school She won her first state medal as a sophomore placing third in the 100 meters and also finishing fourth again in the 200 Blowers picked up two bronze medals in the 200 and the 1,600-meter relay Holliday boys relay teamEvent: 1,600-meter relay (8:20 p.m Skinner and Jones were part of the 800-meter relay team that placed ninth at last year’s state meet Previous state meet: Scott and Aydelott were members of Vernon’s gold-medal winning 1,600-meter relay team in 2023 JacksboroEvent: Boys seated shot put (12:30 p.m Previous state meet: Hubble is a four-time state qualifier and three-time medalist in this event he won bronze but has picked up silver medals in each of the past two years representing Jacksboro Previous state meet: Hoegger is a three-time state qualifier in this event finishing fourth as a sophomore and fifth as a junior Previous state meet: Cedillo qualified in the discus last year at the Class A level Previous state meet: Brown has plenty of state track experience and even two gold medals on her resume winning the 800 meters and 400 meters as a sophomore She also finished fourth in the long jump and sixth with the Nocona 1,600-meter relay team that year Brown won bronze in the 800 and finished fifth in the 400 and 1,600 relay Previous state meet: Byrd won the bronze medal in the triple jump as a freshman last year He also placed fourth in the long jump and ran the second leg on Saint Jo’s 800-meter relay that finished seventh Previous state meet: Yeley ran the anchor leg on Saint Jo’s 800-meter relay that finished seventh last year This year’s high jump is his first individual state event Previous state meet: Briles is the reigning Class A high jump state champion winning the event last year with a mark of 5-2 Saint Jo girls relay teamEvent: 400-meter relay (5 p.m Previous state meet: This is Youngblood’s first time at the state meet representing Newcastle but she’s garnered plenty of experience the past two years she qualified for the 100 meters as a freshman Stewart and Yeley were part of Saint Jo’s 800-meter relay that finished seventh at last year’s state meet Stewart also ran on the 1,600-meter relay team that finished eighth as a freshman in 2022 Previous state meet: McComack also qualified for this event as a freshman Previous state meet: This is Stewart’s fourth trip to the state meet he ran the second leg on Saint Jo’s 1,600-meter relay that finished eighth He qualified in the high jump as a sophomore he ran the third leg of Saint Jo’s 800-meter relay that placed seventh