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Update on FCH, Blue Cross dispute

Update Feb. 6, 2019: A request for comment from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas was unanswered prior to press time, but a representative has responded via email telling the Herald-Gazette the company wishes to relay its side of the dispute. There will be a follow-up if any new information adding to the understanding of the situation becomes available.

More than a year after Blue Cross Blue Shield dropped Faith Community Hospital from its network, the two are still working to resolve coverage issues.

City wants plan to increase water treatment

The City of Jacksboro is feeling pressure from the state to have a plan in place to increase its water treatment capacity.

City Manager Mike Smith said during last Texas Commission for Environmental Quality water treatment plant inspection in 2017, comments included a recommendation that the city submit a planning report explaining how the city plans to meet capacity demands for the foreseeable future and if additional capacity for production needs to be added to the plant.

5 make suspect voters list

Last week, Texas counties received advisory letters from the Secretary of State’s office listing possible non-citizens of each county’s voter registration. 

According to Ronda Lewis of the Jack County Tax Assessor / Collector’s office which maintains the county’s voter registration list, the letter received from the state listed five registered voters of Jack County’s nearly 5,000 flagged as possible non-citizens.

JES to add Watch D.O.G.S. program

Upon his retirement from 28 years as county judge, Mitchell Davenport said he was looking for ideas and things to keep him occupied.

Jacksboro Elementary School has an idea for him.

Davenport was among about 20 parents, grandparents and interested men who came out Jan. 31 for the introductory meeting to the Watch D.O.G.S (Dads of Great Students) program. JES Principal Aaron Hannah, in his first year at the school, said he spent a lot of the first semester doing a lot of assessing.

A woman confesses to murder of Perrin man

A woman turned herself in to the Hood County Sheriff’s Office Tuesday for a murder in Perrin in earlier that day.

According to Hood County Sheriff’s Lt. Johnny Rose, Jaylynn Fayann Caffey, 25, of Perrin, came into the Hood County Law Enforcement Center and confessed to one of its jailers.

Jack County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the crime by Hood County when Caffey turned herself in. Sheriff Tom Spurlock said 79-year-old Glenn Plumlee of W. Turner St. was found dead at his residence. 

TxDOT meeting Thursday on US 281/380 intersection improvements

JACKSBORO – All interested citizens are invited to attend a public meeting for the proposed improvements to the intersection of US 281 at US 380 south of Jacksboro. The meeting will be held on Thursday, Nov. 29 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Jacksboro City Hall located at 112 West Belknap St. in Jacksboro. The public meeting will be an open house format, allowing visitors to come and go at their own availability.

The proposed project would construct north and southbound overpass bridges on US 281 over the existing intersection at US 380.

Hospital district incumbent keeps seat

Incumbent Lori McBrayer has beaten challenger Joe Logan in the election for Place 2 on the Jack County Hospital District Board of Directors.

McBrayer received 1,430 votes, or 50.49 percent of total ballots cast, compared to Logan’s 583 votes.  Only 2,013 of those who voted in Jack County weighed in on the hospital Place 2 race.

Unofficial results with all precincts reporting show 2,832 of the 5,081 registered voters in the county cast ballots in the election.

Thousands turnout for midterms so far

Polls will be open until 7 p.m. Tuesday for the 2018 general election. Jack County voters are able to cast their ballots at any of the polling places countywide.

They are located at the Jack County Youth Fair Barn, 1072 SH 59, Jacksboro; Perrin Church of Christ, 105 E. Eberhart, Perrin; Bryson Senior Citizens Building, 201 S. Collge St., Bryson and the Jack County Courthouse Basement Assembly Room, 100 N. Main St. Ste. 104, Jacksboro.

Early voting turnout in Jack County was more than double for this midterm election compared to the 2014 numbers.

Corrections officer killed in crash Monday

A Paradise woman was killed in a fatal crash early Monday morning east of Jacksboro.

Texas DPS Trooper Megan Hart said Emaley Swanzy, 19, was traveling east on Highway 380 just west of Wizard Hill back to Wise County shortly before 7 a.m. after finishing a shift at the Lindsey State Jail. 

Swanzy's 2010 Chevrolet Malibu struck a hog then veered off the road into the bar ditch and struck a tree. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

“There was really nothing she could do,” Hart said.

Bridge of Hope changes venue

Due to weather conditions, the Bridges of Hope event has been moved from Hidden Lake Safari Ranch and RV Park to the old Armory at Twin Lakes Activity Center. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 20 from 1 to 6 p.m. The event is for children in grades 1-5 who has a significant parent not present at home.

For information, call Diane at 940-781-9644 or Christian at 940-507-3188.