Home Front

On March 6, 2017, there was a horrendous fire on the Franklin Ranch in the Panhandle of Texas and Sloan Everett, son of Jim and Teresa Everett of Breckenridge, lost his life along with two others, who were helping with the fire on the ranch, Cody Crocket and Sydney Wallace. Sloan also left a wife, Liesl, who was pregnant with their third child at the time, and two other small children Scarlett and Samuel.

The Stephen County Jail has more than what meets the eye, their kitchen is operated like any restaurant and is staffed by inmates of Stephens County.

For a Stephens County Sheriff’s Deputy and his wife, a fire destroyed their house and all their personal belongings.

Bill and Melynda Flournoy’s house on CR 313 at Hubbard Creek Lake caught fire Thursday, Oct. 3. There were 13 firefighters on the scene, eight pieces of fire equipment and they used around 10,000 gallons of water. Most of the crew was from the Breckenridge Fire Department and they were mutually aided by Hubbard Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

In a night filled with lights and sirens, there was a feeling of community between police, fire, first responders, and Stephens County.

National Night Out is a community-building campaign that occurs annually all across the nation. In some areas, they hold parades and competitions so that law enforcement can meet with the community with some fun built-in.

For the full story please see the Oct. 9 edition of the Breckenridge American.

The Texas senate ended their legislative session in May, and now Senator Charles Perry is spending his interim season talking to his constitutes.

Senator Perry spoke to the Breckenridge community on Sept. 25 at the TSTC Technology Center. The crowd included Breckenridge High School student council, Stephens County Commissioners, BISD staff, and several community members. Senator Perry represents the largest single district in the state of Texas and started his town hall by going over the budget and a review of what had occurred in the legislative session.

Most police officers and first responders never forget their service and the people they served. 

For 17 former law enforcement officers and first responders from the 1970s and 1980s, Saturday, Sept. 22 was special. This group got together for the first time at the Breckenridge Law Center, composed of retired Breckenridge Police officers, Stephens County Sheriff's officers, Texas Rangers, Texas Highway Patrol, and paramedics that once served the Breckenridge area. There were a couple of people that still serve in law enforcement today. 

When the 2019-2020 school year began the Woodson Independent School District started something a little different, a four-day school week.

WISD Superintendent Casey Adams has watched the new schedule take hold over the past six weeks, and at the six-week mark sent out a survey to the community, parents, students, and teachers. Adams wanted to know how everyone was liking the new schedule, whether the students were being pushed, and if it caused any problems for parents.

The Stephens Memorial Hospital District approved and unanimously passed its tax rate and 2020 fiscal year budget.

The SMH board began the meeting as soon as the proposed budget hearing had concluded on Thursday, Sept. 26.

The new tax rate, that was unanimously approved by the Stephens Memorial Hospital board, is set at $0.245 per $100 valuation of a property. This new rate is the effective rate plus a penny.