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The city this week

Wed, 09/12/2018 - 12:00 am

Gas prices lower slightly

Gas in Texas has fallen half a cent per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.59 per gallon state-wide on Labor Day, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of over 13,000 stations in Texas. The national average fell 1.4 cents per gallon, bringing average national prices down to $2.82 per gallon. Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy, said this summer was the most expensive at the pump since 2014, averaging $2.87 per gallon. This is 55 cents higher than last summer, but 71 cents cheaper than 2014. He went on to blame OPEC and their long-term decision to cut oil production, which increased the price.

Medicare recipients to recieve new card

Almost four million Texans with Medicare will be receiving their new Medicare card this month, according to a press release and column from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The cards will no longer have a social security number on them, rather they will have a unique number that will be used only for Medicare coverage. Benefits and coverage will remain the same despite the new cards, and there is no fee for the cards. With these new cards, it is important to be on the lookout for scams. Someone from Medicare services will not call and ask for your SS or any personal information for you to receive your card. If you get a call like this, call 1-800-633-4227 to report the incident. If you need to update your mailing address, call 1-800-772-1213. Lastly, when you receive your new card, destroy your old one. Do not throw it in the trash.

Representative Jodey Arrington speaks on new farm bill

U.S. House Representative Jodey Arrington spoke at a conference committee on a farm bill. Arrington, who represents a large swath of west Texas, including Breckenridge, stressed the importance of getting the farm bill correct. He said there has been a 50 percent decline in farm income over the last three years and a 40 percent increase in bankruptcies. He also spoke about China is taking over certain industries, including the fiber industry, and said they are threatening the “safety net,” a net created to keep China from putting the U.S. out on certain industries. He concluded on saying due to a growing economy, we have to pull people out of welfare and keep them from dependency on the government.

City Commissioners meet

The Breckenridge City Commissioners met Tuesday, Sept. 4 and passed a litany of resolutions. This included several items involving an economic partnership with the Breckenridge Economic Development Corporation. They also approved the budget for the new fiscal year.

Burn ban lifted

The Stephens County Commissioners met briefly Monday morning and lifted the burn ban on the county due to the recent rain. They also discussed treasurers reports.