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Answering the call of duty

Amanda Strickland is a recent graduate of the Texas Department of Public Safety Academy at Austin. Strickland, 29, was one of only 21 females, the most in one recruit class, who recently graduated with the largest recruit class in the department’s history.

Strickland is a graduate of Woodson High School and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geology at Tarleton State University. She was on the rodeo team while at Tarleton and participated in break-away roping and team roping.

City approves fee schedule, proposed tax rate

Citizens of Breckenridge will soon see an increase in their water and sewage bill, due to the approval of a new fee schedule. During a regular meeting of city commissioners last Tuesday, the new rates were adopted and will go into effect Oct. 1. Commissioners also approved the proposed budget and tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year, with a public hearing set for Tuesday, Aug. 31.

Water Rates

County, SMH discuss area COVID-19 spike

Stephens County officials enacted Stage 4 restrictions last Friday, after a spike in area COVID-19 cases. This stage is the second highest of the five-stage Community Health Plan which was created last July in conjunction with Stephens Memorial Hospital and the city of Breckenridge, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Stephens County, Stage 4 restrictions recommend members of the community observe social distancing, urge mask wearing regardless of vaccination status, encourage proper hand hygiene and recommend no unnecessary travel.

90th District Attorney speaks official duties, work during COVID

The 90th Judicial District Attorney Dee Peavy and Assistant District Attorney Phillip Gregory spoke regarding their positions and what their office does year-round and through the COVID-19 pandemic last Tuesday. The office encompasses Stephens and Young Counties.

The DA’s office processes felony criminal prosecutions instead of misdemeanor cases which are handled in Stephens County by Stephens County Judge Michael Roach.

475th Fighter Squadron to conduct two-week training over Breckenridge

The communities of Breckenridge, Mineral Wells and Possum Kingdom Lake may look to the skies and see heightened military air traffic starting next week, as the USAFR’s 301st Fighter Wing’s 475th Fighter Squadron begins training exercises in the area.

According to an email and press release from U.S. Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, the F-16 Fighting Falcons training will last two weeks, beginning Monday, Aug. 10 and ending Friday, Aug. 20.

Treasures galore at summer arrrrt camp

Children’s Summer Art Camp kicked off Tuesday, July 20 at the Breckenridge Fine Arts Center and wrapped up Friday, July 23. Art teacher, Janet Haigwood, taught four different sessions each with about 20 children, ranging from kindergarten to 8th grade.

The theme for this art camp was pirates. Students created clay projects, such as parrots, sharks, pirate ships, messages in a bottle and treasure chests and then painted the different items. On the last day, students made an origami pirate ship before finally painting it.

The search is over

A 17-month search came to an end Tuesday night when Breckenridge City Commissioners hired new city manager, Erika McComis. McComis comes to Breckenridge from Argyle, where she has been the assistant town administrator since May 2020.

According to her resume, McComis brings “more than 20 years of municipal government experience, with an emphasis in law enforcement, management, leadership, budgeting and records management.” She has experience in developing and administering policies and procedures and completed the Texas Certified Public Manager Program in February 2021.

New housing development breaks ground on Ridge Rd.

A new housing development broke ground last Thursday morning on the 400 block of Ridge Road in Breckenridge. The project will include two new homes.

The first structure will be built at 402 Ridge Rd. and will be about 1,500 sq. ft., with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. After the first home is completed, a second home will be built next door at 400 Ridge Rd. and will be slightly larger at 1,800 sq. ft.