Hard Hitting Jouralism About Golden & Bald Eagles In Wichita Falls Times News Record

What you are seeing above is a screencap of the front page of today's Wichita Falls Times Record News.

The pitiful publication which is this town's local newspaper of record. 

When I first found myself living in Wichita Falls I subscribed to the online version of the local newspaper. I did not subscribe for more than a year or two, as I gradually realized there was very little news of any interest in this newspaper.

Today's front page is a good example of how lame this newspaper is. The top story, "Why golden eagles are different from bald eagles."

Eventually I learned an online publication called "Texoma's Homepage" was an actual good source of local info.

For instance, this past 4th of July I saw nothing in the Wichita Falls Times Record News about the annual parade in downtown Wichita Falls. I found that info, easily, on Texoma's Homepage. Including a second article the day after the parade, about the parade.

When I still subscribed to the local newspaper of record I soon began to think this newspaper had no actual reporters working at reporting local information of interest.

I've lost track of how many times I have opined if this town had a real newspaper we'd be reading an article about this, that, or the other thing.

For instance, starting on this year's Flag Day, I saw an incredible number of flags. Hundreds of flags. Even more on the 4th of July weekend. Where did all these flags come from? Who is distributing all these flags? Where are all these flags being stored when they are not on display?

I asked people in other towns if they've been seeing a similar huge increase in the number of flags. No, they have not.

So, what caused this to happen in Wichita Falls? That is the type question you'd find answered in a real newspaper reporting real news, and not revelations about the difference between a golden eagle and a bald eagle...

Balmy Lucy Park Sunday Backwoods Jungle With No Snakes

 On this balmy second Sunday of July, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured for some salubrious nature communing, completed before the temperature soared over 100 and the predicted thunderstorms arrived.

I hiked the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle today. That is one of my favorite hiking venues. That is the Wichita River you see photo documented, meandering its way through the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

The Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle is the location where I saw the biggest snake I have ever seen, outside of a zoo.

I think of that huge snake every time I walk by this location you see photo documented. 

It has been many years since I saw that over-sized snake. I don't think I have seen a snake of any size since I saw that really big one. 

Did that deep freeze below zero a few winters ago kill off the snake population?

HOT July Saturday Nature Communing Around Sikes Lake

Another HOT July day at my north Texas location.

Before it got too HOT today, I opted to do my daily nature communing at nearby Sikes Lake.

Which would make the above photo documentation the view looking northwest from the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake.

A steady wind was blowing whilst I was nature communing. But not at the air-conditioning level I enjoyed yesterday whilst nature communing at Lake Wichita.

Thunderstorms are on the weather menu this afternoon.

With the current clear blue sky, I don't see that likely happening. Weather predicting at my location does not have a good record of accurately predicting.

So far the second Saturday of the 2026 version of July is being relatively pleasant.

Breezy Friday Naturally Air-Conditioned Lake Wichita Dam Walking

With the temperature below 100 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, with a strong wind blowing, it was to Lake Wichita Dam I ventured this second Friday of the 2026 version of July for some salubrious nature communing whilst enjoying natural air conditioning.

Via the photo documentation, you can see the wind was making for some good wave action. This made for wobbly walking on the walkway and dock.

I don't recollect ever seeing anyone kayaking, canoeing or boating by any means on Lake Wichita. At the part of the lake by Mount Wichita there is a boat launch for kayaks and canoes.

I have also never seen anyone swimming in Lake Wichita. There are no signs advising against doing so. I suppose the lack of the type beach one sees on a lake in which people swim, may explain the lack of swimming. 

That and the murky nature of the water does not look too appealing...

HOT Thursday Shady Lucy Park Nature Communing

On this second Thursday of the 2026 version of July, my Texas location on the planet is scheduled to get heated to over 100 degrees today, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

Today's weather advisory advised using caution regarding outdoor exposure to the extreme HEAT.

With that HOT advisory in mind, I opted to take myself to Lucy Park today for some shady nature communing on the Lucy Park paved trails.

As you can see, via the photo documentation, the shaded Lucy Park trail does not look even remotely like a location in need of using caution in the extreme HEAT. The relative pleasantness was helped by a steady cooling breeze.

I only came upon one other person, today, nature communing in Lucy Park. And that person was doing his nature communing on a bicycle.

If I think about it, I miss bike riding. I think it was pre-COVID my final bike was stolen.

HOT Hiking Around Mount Wichita Power Outage

This first Tuesday of the 2026 version of July I needed to visit the post office to securely mail an envelope which contained something which needed to be securely mailed. 

And so, since the post office is about halfway to Lake Wichita Park, which is located at the west end of Lake Wichita, and since it had been a long-time since I had been to the park where Mount Wichita is located, I opted to drive there to get myself overheated hiking the HOT Circle Trail to its termination point.

That would make that a statue of a couple veterans in the Veterans Memorial Plaza, which is near the base of Mount Wichita, you are seeing in the photo documentation above and below.

There are multiple installations on the Veterans Memorial Plaza. It is a well-done memorial.

When I was first living in Wichita Falls hiking to the summit of Mount Wichita multiple times, during one visit, was the norm. Now that I am elderly there is no way I would try to even get to the summit, one time.

A couple years ago the Circle Trail was added to, a couple new miles, terminating where a property owner has put up a fight, not wanting this well-done paved trail to cross his property. I walked to that termination point today. The property owner is still blocking the trail with multiple boats.

This was the view I saw when I turned around from the trail termination point, with Mount Wichita looking as if it rises from a lush jungle.

Returning to my abode, parking, I could not get my vehicle's interior lights to turn off. That took about 15 extremely overheated minutes to figure out.

And then, after I got the vehicle's lights out, I opened the door to my abode to find the power was out. Lunch was in the timed oven, now no longer cooking.

With no power it does not take long to miss the comfort air conditioning provides.

About a half hour later the power came back on.

A few winters ago, it was a Texas-wide nightmare when the power went out for several days, with the temperature below zero at my location. I think the power going out for days with the temperature reaching over 100, would be worse than it happening when it is below zero. 

I hope I don't get to find out if that is true.

Rocking & Swaying 4th Of July In Lucy Park

With the early morning temperature already in the 90s, I opted not to go to the downtown Wichita Falls Old-Fashioned 4th of July Parade.

And instead opted to go to the relatively shady Lucy Park to get myself some much-needed endorphins.

Til today it has been a year or two or three or more since I walked myself onto the treacherous Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River.

I made it to the middle of the bridge before taking a photo. The bridge rocked and swayed more than I remembered previously. It made me dizzy.

Lucy Park was busier than I thought it'd be today. I guess a lot of people make Lucy Park their 4th of July destination.

Nature Communing With Lake Wichita Dam's Green Reflecting Pool

It was to Lake Wichita I ventured this second morning of the 2026 version of July, for some hot, but breezy, nature communing atop the Lake Wichita Dam.

I do not recollect previously seeing the DANGER sign you see above, previously. There were two instances of the sign. One on top of the dam, another near the bottom of the dam.

The warning on the sign...

DANGER

HAZARDOUS RECIRCULATING

CURRENTS BELOW THIS DAM

CAN TRAP AND DROWN A VICTIM

It has been a few years since I have seen any water spilling over this dam's spillway. But, somehow there has managed to be water at the base of the dam. But that water is definitely not presenting any sort of recirculating danger. As you can see via the below photo documentation.

The water at the base of the dams appears to be colored in the currently popular Reflecting Pool Green color which has been so often talked about of late.

A short distance from looking over the Lake Wichita Dam's spillway the Lake Wichita Boardwalk takes you out over the lake. I took the photo from this view due to the fact I don't remember seeing this tall, green vegetation, at this location, before. I like this lush jungle-like vegetation.

Lake Wichita is only about a mile south of my home location. Sikes Lake is about a quarter mile from my home location. The nearest Walmart is about a mile east of my home location. It's nice having so many nearby walking venues.

Enjoying July 1 Hot Wind Chill Factor Hiking Sikes Lake

With the temperature in the relatively chilly mid-80s, on this first day of the 2026 version of July, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured this morning for some salubrious endorphin acquisition gained via fast walking.

Which would make the above photo documentation the view to the southwest from the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake.

As you can see from the wave action on the lake the air was being a bit breezy, which made for a nice cooling effect.

Today we are not scheduled to go over 100 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, with the predicted high to being only 97 degrees. The past several days we have been heated to over the 100 degree mark.

The 4th of July is currently predicted to heat to over 100 at my location. The downtown Wichita Falls 4th of July Parade starts at 9 in the morning. Currently I am not feeling too eager to attend this, though I have rather enjoyed past times watching this parade.

HOT Sunday Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Hike

With the mid-morning temperature in the upper 80s, heading to a predicted high in the 100s, on this final Sunday of the 2026 version of June, it was to Lucy Park I ventured for a bout of salubrious nature communing via hiking the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

Which would make that the roaring rapids of the Wichita River you are seeing in the photo documentation.

A brisk wind made the heat totally tolerable today.

The current weather prediction for the next 10 days has many of those getting hotter than 100. Including the 4th of July, with a predicted thunderstorm added to the heat for the 4th.

I am currently planning on going to the downtown Wichita Falls 4th of July Parade, weather permitting. It is an entertaining parade.