Last year, I was on a John Grisham kick and read The Last Juror, which is about a 23-year-old man who buys a local newspaper in Mississippi and revives it, but not without a good lesson in small-town politics. The story initially revolves around the town trying to solve the murder case of a young mother, but gets more mysterious as several of the jurors are murdered off, one by one after the trial is held.

County commissioners this month got the first look at their estimated net taxable property values for the 2022-23 fiscal year, and the news was welcome. Hemphill County’s values have risen an estimated $1.2 million over last year’s rate.

Slavin places second in first go-round of poles Canadian’s Chaynee Slavin placed second in in the first go-round in poles at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo, which continues through Saturday at the Georgia National Fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia. Her time was 20.232.

Following executive sessions held during their May 2 and June 6 meetings, the Canadian/Hemphill County Economic Development Council board of directors approved a $12,000 job-creation grant for KerTec LLC; approved a $16,000 loan for Main Street’s newest business, the Canadian Business Hub; and authorized the purchase of a former mud storage building located in the Industrial Park from Cornett Realty for $2,000.