Bryson

With long-time Mayor Sheila Birdwell’s term coming to an end, some changes on the council occurred in its meeting Monday, May 11.

Mayor Pro Tem Tissie Ford moved into Birdwell’s position while Courtney Conway took Ford’s position on the council. Both spots will be for one year when another election will be held for the positions.

Conway was sworn in by City Administrator Trish Shifflett.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, May 20, edition of the Jacksboro Herald-Gazette.

Bryson ISD released its modified graduation plans on Thursday, May 7, due to COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions.

The district plans on hosting their graduation at Cowboy Stadium at 8:30 p.m. May 22, according to a press release.

Starting at 8 p.m. on graduation day, graduates will enter the parking lot on the south entrance of the track and head to the field house. At the field house, the graduates will be split into two locker rooms, screened and observe social distancing.

The communities of Bryson and Jacksboro will each be hosting blood drives in May allowing for blood banks to rebuild their blood supply.

The Bryson ISD Blood Drive partnered with Texas Blood Institute will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 13, at the Bloodmobile stationed at Smith Corner.

To schedule an appointment, contact Linda Wade at 940-229-9964.

The Jacksboro Community Blood Drive partnered with the American Red Cross will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, May 21, at Fellowship Hall located at  200 N. Knox St.

In these days of trying times, much of the focus has been on high school seniors and what they are losing at this point in their lives.

While seniors appear to be getting graduation in some form or fashion, two Jack County school districts are making sure seniors are getting attention and knowing they are being thought of. Both Perrin and Bryson have started Adopt a Senior programs for the Class of 2020. 

BRYSON – After several months of discussion of refurbishing its track, Bryson ISD board members decided to take no action on it at their regular meeting Monday, April 13.

The board was ready to spend around $200,000 with Carter Construction, of Wichita Falls, on a track with a five-year warranty. Board President T-Bob Hauger said board member Danny Lewis had contacted him and had some reservations about spending that type of money right now.

Lewis told the board with the current economic status in the state, the district does not need to be spending tax money like that.

BRYSON – Bryson residents will see a 2.25% increase in their trash fees starting next month.

Waste Connections told city officials they are increasing fees to the city on a number dumpsters and carts. Polycart rates for residents will rise from $17.65 to $18.05 per month.

Rates for use of a two-yard residential dumpster will increase to $45.88. Three-yard residential dumpsters will rise to $61.92 with commercial charges for the same rising to $70.97 a month.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, April 22, edition of the Jacksboro Herald-Gazette.

Bryson Family, Career and Community Leaders of America program was prepared to send to teams to Dallas for the state competition on April 1, but plans changed due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The FCCLA organization announced the cancellation of the competition in late March. However, they decided to take the regional results to determine the top five scores in the state with the top two teams set to advance to the national competition in July in Washington D.C.

The Bryson One Act Play cast and crew are hoping they will still get the chance to take the stage one last time after their bi-district competition was postponed until at least May 4.

The Bi-District competition was set to be held at Bryson High School on March 26 before the COVID-19 pandemic and guidelines required the postponement of the event.

One Act Play Director Sarah Stearns said she is still keeping the actors ready and optimistic for a May 4 return to the stage.

The Bryson robotics team of Rean Kyzer, Trey Budarf, Nic Hunter, Bryce Foster and advisor JR Stearns believed they had a good shot at taking home a state title on April 25 after recently winning their regional competition.

That shot will never come for the team after the COVID-19 outbreak caused the cancellation of the event.

Stearns said he and the team believed they had the best robot in the teams’ history after they had placed sixth in the state competition the year before.

Bryson ISD Superintendent Greg London presented a preliminary plan for the COVID-19 pandemic closure to the school board Monday, March 16, before finalizing some plans later in the week.

The district will be closed through at least April 3 after Governor Greg Abbott ordered all schools to close due to the outbreak.