News

A Jacksboro teen was killed in a car crash Thursday morning.

Jack County Dispatch called for first responders at approximately 10:30 a.m. to the scene at the intersection of Highway 281 and Highway 114.

Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Megan Hart said Zach Warren, 16, was traveling north turning from Highway 281 onto Highway 114 when he was struck by a Ford F-150 traveling south on Highway 281.

Warren was unresponsive at the scene and was transported to Faith Community Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

At Monday's Jackboro City Council meeting, City Manager Mike Smith announced the city won awards in the 2017 Big Country Drinking Water Contest including Best Overall and Best Surface Water (population less than 10,000).

The Jacksboro City Council began its meeting Monday with Mayor Alton Morris and Councilman Joe Mitchell taking their oaths of office. Incumbents Morris, Mitchell and Melanie Belcher ran unopposed in this month’s city council election. Belcher was not present at Monday’s meeting.

The council hosted its second of two public hearings with the planning and zoning commission to discuss the proposed changes to the city’s zoning ordinance. No one from the public attended.

It’s nearly rodeo time. The Jack County Sheriff’s Posse will host its 62nd Annual Rodeo Thursday through Saturday June 1-3 nightly at 8 p.m.

Rodeo weekend festivities will kick off with a parade Thursday in downtown Jacksboro at 5 p.m. followed immediately by the Jacksboro Lions Club Fish Fry on the east side of the Jack County Courthouse.

The rodeo will feature saddle bronc, bare back, bull riding, calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing events.

Jack County Commissioners tabled an item concerning new voting machines during Monday’s meeting.

The item was tabled so the consulting firm of Allison, Bass & McGee, which was also hired during the meeting, can have a chance to look at the contract. Commissioners spoke at length with Felice Liston, a representative with the Hart/InterCity company which is selling the machines. Liston had given a demonstration of the new machines to the court as part of their last meeting two weeks ago.

AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) will join law enforcement efforts across the state during the Memorial Day weekend to help keep Texas roadways safe. From Friday, May 26, through Monday, May 29, DPS Troopers will be on the lookout for intoxicated drivers, and drivers violating speed limit, seat belt and other traffic laws.

A pair of department heads gave updates on what they are doing during Tuesday night’s Faith Community Hospital meeting.

Peggy Raley, quality assurance director, said the hospital pledges to all of its guests that they have the optimal experience, no matter the department. A policy and procedures manual has been developed to ensure quality between departments. Each department has at least three monitors, or goals they strive to meet on a monthly or quarterly basis.

On Sept. 21, 2015, the day Faith Community Hospital opened the doors of its new facility, Hospital Administrator/CEO Frank Beaman told his staff that what they are doing will span generations.

That message continued to be spread during the dedication of the campus Saturday morning. The opening of the new facility has spawned tremendous growth, including the Swan Family Wellness Center and obtaining  a second Rural Health Clinic in Bowie.

A group of 28 students gathered in a field off of Highway 114 towards Jermyn were cited for minor in possession of alcohol following Jacksboro’s prom Saturday night.

Jack County Sheriff’s Deputies working with Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden T.J. Tweedle crashed the party in the early morning hours following the dance.

Sheriff Tom Spurlock said the citations were issued and parents were notified. He said he was alerted to the situation by concerned parents.

Polls closed at 7 p.m. for the May 6 Uniform Election. Bryson ISD and City of Bryson were the only two entities in Jack County with contested races.

Vying for three at-large seats on the Bryson City Council were Ray Jennings, Paul Foster, Pete Butler and incumbent Lutitia Ford.

Ford and Jennings both received 47 votes. Foster received 45 and Butler netted 21.

There were two candidates for Place 5 on the Bryson ISD School Board — Brandi Bennett and Ronnie Collins.

Collins received 73 or 72.28 percent of the votes and Bennett received 28.