Beckham County Task Force Continues to Help with Texas Fires

3-354

February 29, 2024

The Beckham County Task Force has returned after providing aid in battling the massive wildfires in the Texas Panhandle, but according to officials – the job is far from done.

Elk City Fire Chief Kyle Chervenka says the task force has been deployed three times this week and is preparing to head back to help the Oklahoma Forestry Service on the Oklahoma side to help prevent further spread of the fire. He also added that the cooler temperatures and moisture does help in containing the fires.

The largest fire of the group, dubbed “The Smokehouse Creek Fire” has reportedly already burnt over 1 million acres in Texas making it the largest fire in Texas state history.

Out of Hemphill County, Texas, it has been reported that thousands of cattle have died and multiple homes and structures have been destroyed.

Copyright 2023 Paragon Communications. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission.

2605081435_1254443

SWOSU Names Neparko Scholarship Recipients

Weatherford, OK – Four students at Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) have received the Neparko Family Chemistry Scholarship for the 2025-2026 Academic Year. The Neparko Family Scholarship was established by Mary Neparko (’70) and the late Dr.

2605081000_1586683

Student Research from SWOSU Earns Recognition at SWAN

Weatherford, OK – Southwestern Oklahoma State University (SWOSU) students presented research at the 73rd Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Association of Naturalists, held April 23–26 in Tyler, Texas. The conference brings together biologists from across the southwestern

2605080942_1504803

SWOSU Names North Family Scholars

Weatherford, OK – Southwestern Oklahoma State University’s (SWOSU) Rover Dawgs recently competed in NASA’s 2026 Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC), held at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The annual competition, sponsored by NASA’s