News

During the May 11 Jacksboro City Council meeting, Jack County Judge Keith Umphress spoke to the council about his decision to decline the offer of Governor Greg Abbott to station the National Guard in Jack County for a mobile testing site.

Abbott activated the Texas National Guard at the end of March to assist communities with COVID-19 testing using mobile testing teams. They were activated to counties designated as hotspots or viewed as more rural.

The Jacksboro City Council decided to table their $3.5 million decision on certificates of obligations for a complete overhaul for city streets until July citing the downward trend of the economy during COVID-19.

The council, during its March 23 meeting, approved the publication of a notice of intent to approve the certificates in the May 11 meeting. 

After announcing the pool was not opening for the summer on May 6, the Jacksboro City Council directed City Manager Mike Smith to attempt to have the pool opened by mid-June in its May 11 meeting.

Smith said the city had originally decided it was not going to be possible to open the pool this summer, despite Gov. Greg Abbott announcing pools could open for the summer on May 5.

Eugene Weldon’s dream of a veteran’s memorial came to fruition in 2018 with the completion of the Cornerstone Military Memorial. 

Right after that, he began plans for a first responder memorial for Jack County residents who serve on the medical front lines. Work on the project was delayed because Weldon had heart surgery.

The expanded memorial, to be renamed Jack County Memorial Park, will have a groundbreaking tentatively scheduled for Sept. 11.

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.

Members and leaders from churches across Jacksboro gathered on the Jack County Courthouse steps Thursday, May 7, to celebrate and participate in the National Day of Prayer.

According to a website dedicated for the day, National Day of Prayer is observed annually on the first Thursday of May and invites all faiths to pray for the nation.

Texas Congressman Drew Springer (HD-68) announced all 22 counties he represents, including Jack County, were below the state and national average in Census response as of May 4.

The state average response rate was at 51% while the national average is at 56.3%. Cooke County is currently the most active county out of House District 68 with a 50.5% response rate. Jack County sits at eighth in response rate with a rate of 37.1%.

ack County Judge Keith Umphress said it might be time to give back to county residents.

During a preliminary overview of the 2020-21 budget, which will not begin until October, Umphress told county commissioners and department heads, during Monday morning’s regular meeting of the commissioner court, that with a preliminary 2.47% increase in tax valuation they should consider the process of giving money back to residents.

Jacksboro Elementary School has developed a new way to honor the fifth graders in their final time at the school before they move on to bigger and better things at Jacksboro Middle School.

On Wednesday, May 20, the students will have one last trip through the Jacksboro Elementary School parking lot and, to ensure they can find their new school, will have a parade that will end at Jacksboro Middle School. The parade will begin at 7 p.m. at the elementary school, but the 82 fifth graders and their families are asked to line up in the carline at the school starting at 6:15 p.m. 

Perrin-Whitt CISD released its modified plans for senior graduation, junior high graduation, kindergarten graduation and the high school and junior high award assembly on Saturday, May 9, due to COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines.

According to a press release, district officials discussed these events at great length and have said it will be limiting the events to 50% capacity per current restrictions.