Summer Jams starts tomorrow

 BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

 The Dalhart Area Chamber of Commerce, with support from the City of Dalhart Economic Development Corporation (EDC), will once again host Summer Jams this summer at the Hilmar Amphitheatre at Rita Blanca Lake. There will be a concert each Friday throughout June and July, along with an extra concert on Saturday July 4.

 A graduation to remember
Lightning forces last-second move indoors for DHS Class of 2026 

 BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

 While it wasn’t exactly the graduation ceremony that anyone wanted, the Dalhart High Class of 2026 definitely had what may be the most memorable graduation ceremony in a very long time. (The ceremony in 2020 during the COVID pandemic was memorable for a different reason, as rules were forced on the school by various authorities that, looking back, were probably completely unnecessary and involved handing diplomas through car windows.)

The seniors posed for a photo after walking the halls of the elementary, intermediate, junior high and St. Anthony’s on Monday May 18, right before walking the halls of the high school. Bill Kelly | Dalhart Texan 

Dalhart receives over $370,000 in tax revenue

 (AUSTIN) — Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced recently that he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose districts $1.4 billion in local sales tax allocations for May, 7.7 percent more than in May 2025. 

These allocations are based on sales made in March by businesses that report tax monthly and sales made in January, February and March by quarterly filers.

 DHS seniors receive over half a million in scholarships

 BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

 The annual Dalhart High Scholarship Banquet was held at the Rita Blanca Coliseum on Tuesday May 5. Members of the Dalhart High Class of 2026 ended up receiving more than $500,000 worth of scholarships during the banquet.

DHS graduation tonight

 Addison Ramirez was named Valedictorian and Hunter Trusler was named Salutatorian for the Dalhart High Class of 2026. The commencement ceremony for the class will be tonight at 7 p.m. at Memorial Stadium. If it rains, the ceremony will be moved into the auditorium, in which case each graduate will have a set number of tickets to give out. Bill Kelly | Dalhart Texan 

Texas must decide: Strengthen rural universities or surrender them

By Walter W. Wendler
President, West Texas A&M
University

Texas does not lack courage. Today, special bravery is needed. Regional public universities, key institutions that built rural Texas, are facing challenges from population decline, financial strain and growing skepticism about the importance of higher education. The temptation is to handle these issues quietly, to consolidate, and to use gentle terms like “right-sizing.” Giving in to this temptation would be a serious mistake. Rural population decline is not just a seasonal dip; it tests our resolve. Rural Texas is fundamental, not secondary. 

Nearly 70% of Texans live within the Texas Triangle. However, the food, fuel and fiber that support this state and much of the nation are produced outside of it. Agriculture, energy, water, manufacturing and rural healthcare form the core of Texas’s prosperity. Regional universities play a vital role by educating teachers in small districts where recruitment is becoming more challenging, by training nurses who keep rural hospitals operational, by developing engineers and technologists who maintain energy independence, and by nurturing first-generation students who go on to become business owners, civic leaders and taxpayers.

Texas fruit production down due to low chill hours

Texas Crop and Weather Report – May 5, 2026

By Mary Schreiber
Texas AgriLife

The combination of a late freeze and a lack of chill hours will likely lead to reduced fruit yields across the state, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. 

Tim Hartmann, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension statewide fruit specialist and assistant professor in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Horticultural Sciences, has been connecting with fruit producers and tracking reported chill hours. He emphasized the importance of favorable weather conditions for fruit production.

Dalhart High hosts academic awards assembly

BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

Dalhart High School held its annual Awards Assembly on Monday May 11 in the high school auditorium. Students received awards for individual classes and for achievements throughout their high school careers, and were also presented with certificates for achievements in various academic contests. 

Dalhart High principal Staci Maddox welcomed everyone to the ceremony. U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Daniel O’Sullivan and Corporal Cole Thorn then presented the U.S. Marine Corps awards. The Scholastic Excellence Award went to Addison Ramirez and the Distinguished Athlete Award was given to Hunter Trusler. Natalie Garcia presented her awards next. It was noted that these particular awards were selected by the students’ classmates. Jake Byrd received the George Strait award, Diego Guevara received Best Hug, Rose Pedraza got the “Survived the Dentist” award, Jacob Fernandez received the Hoodie awards, Jonathan Berngen received the Rap Dancer award, Logan Guetersloh received the Non- Stop Dancing awards, Alex Sacdin received the Bright Eye award, Joslyn Sweeney received the Lego Master award, Haley Calvert received the Jewelry Designer award, and Luz Reyes received the Best Burrito Making award.

Gordon, Diaz, Crabtree win DISD school board election

 BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

 The Dalhart ISD held its annual election for members of the Board of Trustees on Saturday May 2, with three different positions open on the board and four different people running for one of those three positions. Jared Gordon and Eric Diaz were reelected to their positions on the board, and Reyna Crabtree was also elected to a position on the board.

Eli Garcia, Reese Jenkins heading back to State

 Reese Jenkins, despite suffering an injury a few months earlier that kept her from vaulting for most of the season, will make her fourth straight trip to State in the pole vault after placing second at Regional last weekend with a vault of 10 feet 6 inches. She is shown here with her coach

Hilmar wins 9 medals at World Championship Cheese Contest

 Hilmar, Calif.-Hilmar Cheese Company, Inc. proudly earned nine medals at the 2026 World Championship Cheese Contest Awards Banquet, including gold medals in both cheese and whey protein categories — a first in the company’s history. The awards were presented April 16, 2026, during CheeseExpo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Wolves, Lady Wolves compete at Regional track tomorrow

BILL KELLY

DALHART TEXAN

The Dalhart boys 800-meter relay team won first place at the Area meet by slightly more than a full second over Childress. A total of 12 different DHS track & field athletes will begin competing at the Regional meet in Abilene tomorrow, Friday May 1. Top row: Bentley Garcia and Hunter Trusler. Bottom row: Brett Alver and Luis Deleon.

WT to host homeschool conference May 2

By Chip Chandler
Special to the Dalhart Texan

CANYON, Texas — Homeschooled students and their families will get the inside track on how to prepare for college at an upcoming conference at West Texas A&M University. 

The WT Homeschool Conference will run from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 2 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on WT’s Canyon campus. 

Registration is free and includes lunch. To register, visit wtamu. my.salesforce-sites. com/EventListing?ev entId=701Vt00001KKy 8uIAD.

Nana’s Patoonie Patch holds grand opening

Nana’s Patoonie Patch, which is located at 11180 FM 807 near Hartley, held a grand opening on Saturday April 11, with the Dalhart Area Chamber of Commerce also holding a ribbon cutting for the new greenhouse. Bill Kelly | Dalhart Texan

Early voting starts in DISD election

BY BILL KELLY
Dalhart Texan

 While the election for Dalhart city council was canceled since each position only had a single candidate, the election for three positions on the Dalhart ISD Board of Trustees is being held as scheduled, with four candidates running for the three positions.

Schniederjan awarded OSU scholarship

 BY KRISTIN SCOTT
Special to the Dalhart Texan

 STILLWATER, Okla. – A Dallam County student, Gracie Schniederjan, was honored by the Oklahoma State University Ferguson College of Agriculture with academic scholarship support for the 2026- 2027 academic year. The scholarships were awarded at the 2026 Scholarship and Awards banquet, hosted by the Ferguson College on March 26.

AgTexas awards scholarships

Dalhart High’s Andrew Hokanson receives Outstanding Adult Leader Award

 AgTexas Farm Credit held its 11^th annual AgYouth Scholarship Banquet for the Amarillo area at The Barn at The Lumberyard in Canyon on Tuesday, April 14, and Dalhart FFA and Texline FFA were very well represented.

DHS Prom Royalty

Seniors Hunter Trusler and Kammi Maddox were crowned as 2026 Prom King and Queen on Saturday April 11. The theme for the prom was “Star Wars.” Bill Kelly | Dalhart Texan

Beavers selected as Thoma Scholar to attend Texas Tech

DALHART, TEXAS — Brandis Beavers, a senior at Dalhart High School in Dalhart, has been selected as a Thoma Scholar and will attend Texas Tech University beginning in fall 2026. The highly competitive, four-year scholarship recognizes students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, academic achievement, and a commitment to making a meaningful impact in their communities.