Area this week

Staff Report

Gas

Gasoline prices in Texas have fallen two cents per gallon in the past week, bringing averages down to $1.92, according to GasBuddy. Nationally, gas has fallen three cents per gallon, bringing average totals to $2.22 per gallon. Gas prices in Texas are now 33.4 cents lower than they were a year ago and 17.7 cents lower per gallon compared to a month ago. Nationally, prices are almost 20 cents less than this time last month and 26 cents lower than a year ago. A barrel of oil sits at a little less than $52, as of Friday, Jan. 11.

Weather

Weather in Stephens County and Breckenridge last week was moderately dry in the beginning but could not keep it up, as Friday brought precipitation with it. Both Thursday and Friday were originally forecasted to have rain but Thursday remained relatively dry, bringing only clouds. The weather also got colder as the week went on, beginning in the high 60s and ending in the low 50s. The weekend was forecasted to bring the same. This week, we can expect mostly sunny weather, with some clouds throughout. The temperature should have some warmth but will drop from the 70s to the 30s and 50s in the backhalf of the week.

Hubbard Creek weekly fishing report

As of Jan. 9, the report from the Texas Parks and Wildlife claimed black bass this week were fair on Texas rigs and jigs, crappie are fair on live minnows and jigs, and catfish are fair to good on live and cut bait.

Railroad commission

The Railroad Commission of Texas released their drilling permits and completion statistics for December 2018. In total, the commission issued 811 original drilling permits, which compares to the 885 given in December 2017, according to a press release from the commission. Within the 811, 750 of them were to rill new oil or gas wells, 10 to re-enter plugged well bores and 51 for re-completion of existing well bores. The breakdown of well types include 180 for oil, 43 for gas, 537 for oil or gas, 46 injection, one service and four other permits.

Comptroller

The Texas Comptroller reported he will be sending cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts nearly $735 million in local sales tax allocations for January, which is 3.6 percent more than January 2018, according to a press release from the comptrollerÏs office. In total, cities will receive a certain share of $470.6 million, transit systems will receive their share of $159.7 million, counties will receive their share of $47.6 million and special purpose taxing districts will receive a share of $56.8 million.

School board

recognition month

This month marks School Board Recognition Month. Campuses across Breckenridge made presentations for the Breckenridge ISD School Board, which the unveiled at the school board’s monthly meetings on Monday, Jan. 14. The school board meets on the second Monday of each month.