The Olney Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a night out for Chamber members to socialize at American Legion Post 414. The event was sponsored by the Spirit of Texas Ranch and Stewart Ranch.
While city workers struggled to get a massive water main leak under control last week, good Samaritans stepped up to plug the hole in the water supply. When it became clear that the outage could last days, not hours, Jason Pack hauled in a flatbed full of non-potable water in his personal storage totes to a makeshift aid station at the Gazebo on Main Street so that his fellow Olneyites could flush toilets and wash clothes. Mr. Pack, the manager of Stewart’s Food Store, also brought hundreds of gallon jugs of water and flats of drinking water donated by Stewart’s. Mr. Pack, a member of the Olney Volunteer Fire Department, contacted the neighboring volunteer fire departments in Loving and Graham and asked them to bring water trucks to stand by in case of a fire, he said. Olney Mayor Rue Rogers, Olney Police Chief Dan Birbeck, and OVFD Chief Clint Pulliam also were on hand to pass out water and answer questions throughout the day.
Texas voters may soon have the opportunity to decide whether to make Daylight Savings Time permanent if a bill filed by State Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston) becomes law this session. If the voters approve, Texas would be grouped with states like Arizona and Hawaii that don’t switch their clocks forward and back twice a year.
Members of the Olney High School Band received the Sweepstakes Award for 20222023 on March 2. The group participated in the University Interscholastic League Region VII Concert and Sightreading Evaluation in Seymour under the direction of Mr. Rodney D. Bennett, Director of Bands for Olney ISD. Selections performed for the Concert portion were “Cheerio March” by Edwin Franko Goldman (arranged by Johnnie Vin- son), “Lyric Essay” by Tom O’Connor, and “Flight of Valor” by James Swearingen. Scores from marching band in the fall, as well as those from the concert and sightreading portions of the spring evaluations determine the Sweepstakes A Award. Bands receiving “superior” ratings in each event qualify for the award. OHS Bands have received eleven Sweepstakes in the last fifteen years.
Two major pipe blowouts last week shut down water service to the City of Olney for nearly three days, shuttering businesses and schools and leaving residents scrambling to find ways to cook, bathe and care for children and the elderly.
213 E. Main St.
PO Box 577
Olney, Texas 76374
Phone: (940) 564-5558
Fax: (940) 564-3992