Wichita Falls employee recognized for Sheppard Air Force Base efforts
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — One City of Wichita Falls employee recently won the Community Partner of the Year Award, which thanks those in the community for being active advocates and forcing change that helps Sheppard Air Force Base.
The 82nd Mission Support Group awarded Karen Montgomery-Gagne the Community Partner of the Year. Gagne officially received this award on March 7 and will receive special recognition at the city council meeting on Tuesday, March 18.
Commander Colonel John Hollister from the 82nd Mission Support Group praised Gagne for being a 'critical component' of the mission's continued success.
'We wanted to take the time to ensure that we were thanking those in the community that help SAFB. Mrs. Montgomery-Gagne has been a constant advocate and force for change to help advance the training missions,' Hollister said. 'Specific instances were taking the lead drafting the grant package for the DEAAG, advancing language to the 4A/4B boards for economic assistance to both DEAAG and BASH weed control. In addition, she is continually in communications with multiple base agencies regarding everything from utilities to obstructions in the local air space.'
Gagne is the city's principal planner and has partnered with SAFB, the Sheppard Military Affairs Committee, and the Wichita Falls Chamber of Commerce on three different grant programs, including the Defense Economic Adjustment Assistant Grant Program.
'I feel very honored I have been given the opportunity both professionally and personally to be involved with Sheppard Air Force Base through the ENJJPT program,' Gagne said. 'I have enjoyed working with so many wonderful people at the 82nd while also getting to know all of the incredible people that come through Wichita Falls through ENJJPT. This community is very blessed to have this Air Force installation here locally.'
She and her family have been ENJJPT co-sponsors for the Italian delegation since 2013. They welcome new students when they arrive in Wichita Falls, which allows the students to connect locally.
Director of Development Services Terry Floyd expressed gratitude for Gagne and praised her hard work for SAFB and the entire community.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Shenandoah cleanup aims to bring community together again
When Shenandoah held its first townwide cleanup this spring, five dumpsters worth of junk were removed from public and private properties by volunteers, making a big difference in the borough's appearance. But the benefits of that 'Shenandoah One Community, Helping Each Other' effort, as it was called, went far beyond that, officials said. Working hard together on that rainy April day united people who'd never met before, 50 residents and officials from different neighborhoods, backgrounds and ethnicities pitching in for the good of Shenandoah, officials said. Afterward they celebrated together with a picnic, feasting on donated food of all types, from Italian to Mexican to Polish to Dominican. And now the borough is looking to make such cleanups into regular events, with the next scheduled for Saturday, June 21. 'The town was getting a little cruddy looking,' said Shenandoah Council President Joseph Boris. 'So we decided to be proactive. And being proactive gets results.' Those volunteering for the June 21 cleanup should meet outside borough hall on W. Washington Street at 9:45 for a quick safety briefing. The work will take place from 10:30 to 3:30, rain or shine, followed by another big picnic at the Columbia Fire Company, with restaurants from town again donating the food. There is no need to bring trash bags or gloves as those will be provided. 'Just bring yourselves, be ready to work for a few hours and bring a healthy appetite,' said borough manager Mike Cadau. Members of the Shenandoah community pick up trash along a road during a Community Cleanup event in April. (SUBMITTED) The upcoming cleanup will work much like the first, with the volunteers walking through as much of the town as they have time for, picking up trash wherever they find it. In many cases the volunteers knocked on doors to let people know that they were there to help clean their yards, and often the residents were thankful for that help and came out to assist. It's also an educational day, Cadau said, as those whose properties are getting run-down will be politely told of the borough's ordinances against high grass, debris and other maintenance violations, and how they can get into compliance instead of facing code enforcement penalties. While last time the volunteers loaded up mattresses, downed fences and other large pieces of debris in the dumpsters, this time they'll focus on smaller items and inform people of the process for getting bigger things hauled away. That involves paying the borough $15 for a tag to place on those items, which the borough will then haul away, a much cheaper rate than they'd pay if they took it to the landfill themselves, Cadau said. When Boris and four others were finishing for the day during the April cleanup, they walked by Divine Mercy Parish on W. Cherry Street and several of the nuns invited them inside the chapel to bless them, which was indicative of the appreciation that the cleanup received, Boris said. 'The whole town supported us,' he said. That includes the community group La Casa de los Latino, an organization led by resident Victor Aquino. Shenandoah's Latino population is just as interested as anyone in improving the borough, he said, and it was happy to be part of the cleanup. 'It was good,' he said. 'A lot of people joined us. We all want to get our town looking better.' Cadau agreed, saying the cleanup was a day of unity that should help break down ethnic barriers in the community going forward. The post-cleanup picnic was a good example. 'It was a nice way to celebrate what we accomplished together. There was a lot of camaraderie,' he said. 'And the food was delicious. I tried things I'd never had before.' 'It's all about taking the opportunity to get to know each other,' he said. 'People are people.' Since the first cleanup, there has been a big increase in code violation tips called into the borough office, he said. That shows that more people are caring about the state of things and taking pride in their community, which is what borough officials want, he said. Volunteers for June 21 can sign-up in advance by calling the borough office at 610-462-1918, or they can just show up at borough hall at the meeting time. Even those who don't start the day as volunteers can take part, Cadau said, by keeping an eye out for the large group that will working its way through town wearing the yellow 'Shenandoah One Community' shirts, he said. 'If you see us, come out and join us,' he said.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Yahoo
What's Cooking: Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken
What's Cooking: Lemon Garlic Butter Chicken (with Creamy Parmesan Pasta) Recipe by: Chef Lisa A. Heidelberg Time: 20-25 minutes Serves: 4 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces Zest and juice of 1 lemon ½ tsp Italian seasoning 1 tsp house seasoning ½ tsp kosher salt ½ tsp paprika 3T unsalted butter, divided 3 minced garlic cloves 8 oz linguine or fettuccine 2T butter 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese ½ cup heavy cream ½ tsp house blend Chopped parsley, for garnishing Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Once done, drain and set aside. In a mixing bowl, toss the chicken pieces with lemon zest, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, paprika, salt and pepper until well-coated. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned chicken and sauté for about 5–6 minutes, or until the pieces are golden and cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium and melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes until it's aromatic but not browned. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Season with garlic powder, salt and pepper, and let the sauce bubble for a few minutes until it begins to thicken. Add the Parmesan cheese to the sauce and stir continuously until it melts into a creamy blend. Add the cooked linguine into the skillet and gently toss it in the sauce until every strand is coated. Return the cooked chicken to the pan and stir to combine everything. Finish with parsley. Enjoy! Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- Chicago Tribune
Today in History: James Earl Ray escapes from prison
Today is Tuesday, June 10, the 161st day of 2025. There are 204 days left in the year. Today in history: On June 10, 1977, James Earl Ray, the convicted assassin of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., escaped from Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary in Tennessee with six others. He was recaptured three days later. Also on this date: In 1692, the first execution resulting from the Salem witch trials in Massachusetts took place as Bridget Bishop was hanged. In 1854, the U.S. Naval Academy held its first graduation ceremony. In 1940, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini declared war on France and Great Britain, formally entering Italy into World War II. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy signed into law the Equal Pay Act of 1963, aimed at eliminating wage disparities based on gender. In 1967, six days of war in the Mideast involving Israel, Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq ended as Israel and Syria accepted a United Nations-mediated ceasefire. In 1978, racehorse Affirmed, ridden by Steve Cauthen, won the 110th Belmont Stakes to claim the 11th Triple Crown. Alydar, ridden by Jorge Velasquez, finished a close second in each of the Triple Crown races. In 1991, 11-year-old Jaycee Dugard of Meyers, California, was abducted by Phillip and Nancy Garrido; Dugard was held by the couple for 18 years before she was found by authorities. In 2018, the rover Opportunity sent its last message from the surface of Mars. Originally expected to serve a three-month mission, Opportunity functioned for over 14 years, traveling over 28 miles across Mars and unveiling critical discoveries about the planet's geology. In 2009, James von Brunn, an 88-year-old white supremacist, opened fire in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., killing security guard Stephen T. Johns. (Von Brunn died at a North Carolina hospital in January 2010 while awaiting trial.) In 2020, protesters pulled down a century-old statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis in Richmond, Virginia, the former capital of the Confederacy. Today's Birthdays: Political commentator Jeff Greenfield is 82. Actor Frankie Faison is 76. Football Hall of Famer Dan Fouts is 74. Former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., is 72. Actor Gina Gershon is 63. Actor-model Elizabeth Hurley is 60. Comedian Bill Burr is 57. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is 53. R&B singer Faith Evans is 52. Actor Hugh Dancy is 50. Country musician Lee Brice is 46. Actor Leelee Sobieski is 42. Olympic figure skating gold medalist Tara Lipinski is 43. Model Kate Upton is 33. Former first daughter Sasha Obama is 24.
