Chamber banquet Saturday night
The annual Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet will be held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at First Family Center with Bill Lockwood, preacher of Iowa Park Church of Christ as guest speaker .... CLICK FOR STORY

4B agrees to help fund Christmas train
Members of the Community Development Corporation voted to contribute $25,000 toward the purchase of a Snowflake Express Christmas train to be displayed at the Tom Burnet Memorial Library, during their regular meeting Tuesday evening .... CLICK FOR STORY

Dr. Soell honored by Medical Society
Erwin F. Soell, MD of Iowa Park and Donald L. Bomer, MD were honored as the 2012 Wichita County Medical Society Distinguished Service Award winners at their annual banquet Saturday at the Wichita Falls Country Club .... CLICK FOR STORY

Iowa Park Junior Livestock Show results
A good crowd was on hand Saturday for the annual Iowa Park Junior Livestock Show at the Iowa Park Project Center .... CLICK FOR STORY

City approves water tap request
In a split vote Monday, the Iowa Park City Council approved a request for five 3/4-inch taps off the city’s 24-inch water line to property on Rifle Range Road .... CLICK FOR STORY

Hanford, Traylor selected to All-State Band
Junior Blake Hanford (tuba) and sophomore Christopher Traylor (flute) earned a spot on the All-State Concert Band following auditions Saturday at Argyle High School.... CLICK FOR STORY

Local photographer's works on exhibit
Ben Jacobi has an eye for interesting things — whether they be beautiful, defining, or sometimes even spectacular and frightening.
The 2007 IPHS graduate has had a long-running passion for photography. Currently, an exhibit of his work is being shown in the “What’s Up Downstairs?” gallery at the Kemp Center for the Arts in Wichita Falls through Jan. 28 .... CLICK FOR STORY

Trustees finalizing facilities plan
In their regular monthly meeting Friday, Iowa Park school trustees continued to make progress in an effort to fine-tune the district’s facility needs into a package that falls within the district’s funding capacity .... CLICK FOR STORY

New apartment complex possible for city
If things go as planned, Iowa Park could have a new 80-unit apartment complex built here in 2013 .... CLICK FOR STORY

FOR S-5! MANUFACTURING
City approves tax abatement, incentives
The new business, S-5! Manufacturing, that will soon be coming to Iowa Park was again the focus when the city council met Monday night .... CLICK FOR STORY

IPHS program dedicated to veterans
More than 30 United States veterans and active-duty military members were on hand Friday at Iowa Park High School to be recognized for their service to our country .... CLICK FOR STORY

School board members receive valuable input
from former trustees on bond issue
Iowa Park CISD Board of Trustees held a special called meeting Monday night at the W.F. George Middle School library to discuss school facility improvements .... CLICK FOR STORY

EDC continues negotiations
to fill vacant spec building
During a special called meeting Tuesday evening, the Economic Development Corporation board another proposal was put on the table in an effort to bring Charles Bennett and Advanced Technologies and 20 new jobs to Iowa Park .... CLICK FOR STORY

School board calls meeting to
discuss facility improvements
The Iowa Park City Council will meet in special session at 7 p.m. Monday to hold public hearings and vote on the establishment of two reinvestment zones. The meeting will be held in the council chambers of city hall, 103 E. Cash St .... CLICK FOR STORY

City agrees to lease large portion of
old Wal-Mart building to new business
In a move that should provide a major boost for the economy of Iowa Park, the Iowa Park City Council, at its regular meeting Monday night, approved leasing a large portion of the city-owned building at 500 W. Highway to S-5! Manufacturing L.L.C. .... CLICK FOR STORY

New firm to bring 17 jobs to Iowa Park
S-5!Manufacturing, L.L.C. will soon be calling Iowa Park home, bringing 17 new jobs to town with a payroll of over $600,000, with plans to expand their workforce within the next two years .... CLICK FOR STORY

Hawk Band continues marching excellence
The Iowa Park High School Hawk Band continued its tradition of excellence this past weekend, earning a Division I rating at the UIL Region II Marching Contest at Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls .... CLICK FOR STORY

City to make repairs at library
During the last couple of years, cracking has developed in the front porch at Tom Burnett Memorial Library, and the extreme weather conditions over the past year have increased the damage .... CLICK FOR STORY

Hero Unsung
The story behind the Fighting Hawk
When the 2011 Iowa Park Hawk football team hits the field each Friday, if you look closely, you will notice a Fighting Hawk decal emblazoned on each of their helmets, against the backdrop of the outlined silhouette of Texas .... CLICK FOR STORY

Trustees strongly considering
calling May bond election
At their monthly meeting on Tuesday, school trustees resumed their study of facility needs and are strongly considering calling a bond election for May .... CLICK FOR STORY

City's sales tax revenue shows increase
August was a good month for sales tax revenue in Iowa Park, as the city’s allocation from the Texas Comptroller’s office was $49,854.76. That is a 11.72 percent increase over August, 2010, when the total was $44,621.24 .... CLICK FOR STORY

IPCISD School Board approves
budget, sets tax rate
No citizens attended the public hearings Tuesday night for the school budget for 2011-12 and and proposed tax rate for 2011 .... CLICK FOR STORY

Commissioners approve redistricting plan
Wichita County Commissioners unanimously approved a plan for redistricting of commissioners court precincts during the second and final hearing Monday night .... CLICK FOR STORY

Citizens voice opinion on city's
proposed tax rate increase
Three Iowa Park residents spoke out against, and one in favor of, the proposed two-cent property tax increase during a public hearing at the city council meeting Monday night .... CLICK FOR STORY

Enrollment on upward trend
The Iowa Park school district continues to show an increase in enrollment as 1,774 students reported to classes on Monday morning, an increase of 15 students over last year’s first day attendance of 1,75. Then on Tuesday, 14 more students reported to school bringing the total to 1,788, and an increase of 29 over last year. .... CLICK FOR STORY

"It's better than I thought it would be"
“It’s better than I thought it would be,” Superintendent Jerry Baird told members of the Iowa Park CISD school board as they began their study of the preliminary budget for 2011-2012 Thursday night .... CLICK FOR STORY

Lingering drought forcing new restrictions
The current and historic drought across Texas is steadily shrinking water supplies, and the Wichita County Water Improvement District No. 2, already in a voluntary Stage 1 water use restrictions, is preparing to implement a mandatory Stage 2 Drought Response, according to General Manager Kyle W. Miller .... CLICK FOR STORY

Drought takings its toll on farmers and ranchers
In historic terms, the current drought in North Texas is not just threatening temperature records; in a slow, persistent fashion, it has unraveled hopes of bumper crops by farmers and is casting cattle ranchers on an unprecedented fight for their livelihood .... CLICK FOR STORY

Wildfire assistance confusing to officials
Wichita County officials are confused, to say the least, as to why Wichita County was not one of the 45 counties listed in the President’s Declaration of Disaster for the State of Texas .... CLICK FOR STORY

Officers recognized for good samaritan deeds
Several Iowa Park police officers were recognized at Monday’s city council meeting for aide rendered to stranded motorists during the past week and for work involving burglary of a home and recovery of most of the stolen items .... CLICK FOR STORY

Middle School assistant principal position
changes hands
The resignation of W.F. George Middle School Assistant Principal Greg Darden was accepted by the Iowa Park CISD School Board during its meeting Tuesday night .... CLICK FOR STORY

Housing assistance for wildfire victims
Wichita County Commissioners Court will have a meeting at 7 p.m. Monday on the second floor of Tom Burnett Memorial Library to discuss financial assistance for those who lost their home in the April wildfires .... CLICK FOR STORY

Collins resigns from IPCISD school board
Iowa Park school trustees accepted three resignations Thursday night including that of fellow board member Kari Collins .... CLICK FOR STORY

Clubb drafted by Kansas City Royals
Iowa Park’s Lee Clubb already had a busy schedule right out of high school graduation – practicing in pads for this Saturday’s Oil Bowl football game, and soon to trip south to Round Rock for the THSBCA All-Star Game June 18. And then the Kansas City Royals tossed the standout athlete a few more items to tend to .... CLICK FOR STORY

Three trustees take oath of office
Newly elected trustees took the oath of office during Thursday’s meeting of the Iowa Park CISD School Board.... CLICK FOR STORY

Council members sworn in,
outgoing members recognized
The two outgoing city council members were recognized Monday night for their years of service. Mayor Joe Ward read proclamations designating Tuesday, May 24 at Tracy Dan Fears Day, and Wednesday, May 25 as Ray Schultz Day in Iowa Park, and presented each one with a plaque... CLICK FOR STORY

Harder to peddle
In the future, those who want to conduct door-to-door sales in Iowa Park will be operating under tougher regulations, following action taken at Monday’s meeting of the city council... CLICK FOR STORY

Wildfire burns over 11,700 acres,
several structures Friday
It was a perfect storm waiting to happen Friday. With much of the northern and western part of Texas in serious drought conditions with tinder-dry grass and brush from months of no precipitation and low humidity, combined with winds that gusted to 65 mph, all that was needed was a spark to create a nightmare ... CLICK FOR STORY

Letters of thanks
Letters received by the Leader for the April 21 issue ... CLICK HERE TO READ

Trustees approve ad campaign
to promote IPCISD
At a meeting Tuesday night the Iowa Park CISD School Board approved financing for a campaign promoting the school district and community ... CLICK FOR STORY

County enacts burn ban
Wichita County Commissioners passed a declaration of disaster for Wichita County, during their regular meeting Monday, because the county is under imminent threat of severe damage, injury or loss of life or property resulting from the threat of wildfires due to drought and other weather related conditions ... CLICK FOR STORY

More candidates file for city/school election
Two new candidates filed to run for office during during the past week, one for the Iowa Park CISD School Board and one for a place on the Iowa Park City Council. Monday was the filing deadline ... CLICK FOR STORY

IPHS Hawk Band earns
28th consecutive Sweepstakes
The IPHS Hawk Band last Tuesday performed in the UIL Concert and Sightreading Contest in Vernon, picking up division I ratings in both efforts. Combined with the division I rating the Hawk Band received this past fall in the UIL Marching Contest, Iowa Park earned Sweepstakes, the band’s 28th consecutive year of such an accomplishment ... CLICK FOR STORY

IPCISD keeps anxious eye
on state budget proposals
With Texas facing a multibillion-dollar revenue shortfall (ranging from $15 billion to $27 billion) in balancing the biennium budget, public education is on the chopping block based on proposals from both houses and the governor’s office, with education spending accounting for more than a third of the state’s general revenue spendin ... CLICK FOR STORY

Locals take top prizes at stock show
Students from the Iowa Park Future Farmers of America (FFA), junior FFA and Valley View 4-H fared well at Saturday’s premium sale for this year’s Wichita County Junior Livestock Show ... CLICK FOR STORY

Off-road, all-terrain vehicle park for city?
The possibility of constructing an off-road, all-terrain vehicle park on the east side of Lake Buffalo was discussed at Monday night’s meeting of the city council ... CLICK FOR STORY

School board calls election
In their Thursday night meeting, the Iowa Park CISD School Board called a Trustee Election for May 14, designated polling places, and appointed election judges ... CLICK FOR STORY

Chamber names outstanding citizens
History was made during the annual Iowa Park Chamber of Commerce awards banquet held Saturday at Camp Chaparral, when a father and daughter were both award recipients and the Citizen of the Year went to the youngest person ever ... CLICK FOR STORY

Hamilton inducted into
Texas Newspaper Hall of Fame
The Texas Newspaper Foundation Hall of Fame inducted four new members Friday night during Texas Press Association midwinter convention in San Marcos, including Iowa Park Leader co-owner and co-publisher Bob Hamilton ... CLICK FOR STORY

City approves audit, rejects bids
Council rejects bids for heating/AC replacements; looking at additional energy savings grant ... CLICK FOR STORY

On Second Thought ...
Housewives of Beverly Hillbillies
Leader columnist Kari Collins shares her thoughts on a popular reality TV show ... CLICK FOR STORY

2010 in Review
The year is broken down in the Leader's annual review of local happenings... CLICK FOR STORY

Facilities survey favors improvements
Results of the Iowa Park CISD facilities survey are in, and indicate that the majority of those responding are in favor of major improvements in the school district ... CLICK FOR STORY

City votes to annex strip of land
on West Highway
A 1.42-acre tract of land on West Highway was formally annexed into the Iowa Park city limits during a meeting of the city council Monday night ... CLICK FOR STORY

City considers leasing old Wal-Mart building
The City of Iowa Park is considering leasing a portion of the city-owned building at 500 W. Highway to Sealed Air, Cryovac Division for use as a warehouse ... CLICK FOR STORY

Bone diggers
The dig was in a very remote part of Archer County, somewhere south of Lake Kickapoo. Driving from Iowa Park, there were so many right turns and left turns made, you didn’t need to be blindfolded to eventually feel disoriented ... CLICK FOR STORY

City accepts bids on surplus property
Bids from the city’s surplus property auction were approved by the city council Monday night, bringing in a total of $14,100 ... CLICK FOR STORY

Deatherage appointed to fill trustee vacancy
A former member of the Iowa Park School Board, Greg Deatherage, has been appointed to fill the board seat left vacant with the resignation of Guy Traylor in May ... CLICK FOR STORY

Tommy Watkins inducted into
High School Hall of Fame
Former Head Hawk Tommy Watkins, who coached Iowa Park to state championships in 1969 and 1970, was inducted yesterday into the 2010 Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor during at luncheon at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Antonio ... CLICK FOR STORY

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