News

First Baptist Church Jacksboro has been offering a Wednesday meal for its youth for many years during its youth group, bringing about 120 children together for TeamKid, choir and youth meetings. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting the meetings temporarily on hold, FBC staff members got together and worked on a plan where they could keep the youth together and expand on that.

“To which much is given, much is required,” FBC Pastor Jack Maddox said.

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.

Jack County Commissioners opted to take no action on potentially adding COVID-19 hazard pay for county employees during Monday morning’s regular meeting.

County Judge Keith Umphress said many of the 73 county employees such as Sheriff’s Department, jail employees and road hands are out on the front lines doing work that needs to be done in a time of danger. Many are working extra hours with an enhanced exposure to the COVID-19 virus.

The Jack County Sheriff’s Office received a donation of K-9 body armor for K-9 Xena from the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. at the end of March. 

The organization, established in 2009, is located in East Taunton, Mass. and follows the mission of providing bullet and stab protective vests, along with other assistance, to law enforcement and related agencies dogs throughout the nation, according to a press release. The organization has provided over 3,800 vests in all 50 states through private and corporate donations totaling $6.9 million.

Despite the state competition being canceled, Jacksboro Family, Career and Community Leaders of America program was able to advance the team of Hailee Frie and Haley Milam to nationals thanks to their regionals score.

The program was prepared to send eight teams to Dallas for the state competition on Wednesday, April 1, but the event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, FCCLA 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.

Jacksboro City Manager Mike Smith provided an update about the three confirmed COVID-19 cases in Jack County and what the city is doing to stay prepared during the Jacksboro City Council Meeting Monday, April 13.

Smith said all three cases are in Jacksboro.

“All three of those cases we can tie back together,” the city manager said. “So, on two of those we have a mother-daughter. On the third case, it is actually an 18-month-old child. It was the child of an individual that had close contact with one of the first two cases.”

During the Commissioner’s Court meeting Monday, April 13, Jack County Judge Keith Umphress said there are three reported cases of COVID-19 in the county after the first case was confirmed on Wednesday, April 8.

Umphress said the three confirmed cases all come within the same circle of people. All cases were said to be mild and all three were said to be self-quarantined at home and doing fine. 

According to the Judge, the emergency process is said to be working well.

Jack County has confirmed its first reported case of COVID-19 through its hyper-reach communication system at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 8.

"Today, a confirmed case of COVID-19 is now in Jack County. The confirmed case came from a test at the Faith Community Hospital," Jack County Judge Keith Umphress wrote in a press release. "This person is reported to be sheltering at home and isolating from others as is the standard protocol for the situation."

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.