The Weatherford Democrat recently reached out to candidates running in contested races in the May 1 election. Featured below are candidates running for the Aledo ISD board Place 1 — David Lear and Tricia Watson.

AUSTIN — The House Committee on Pensions, Investments, and Financial Services voted unanimously Friday to send House Bill 3507 to the Committee on General Calendars.

Mineral Wells officials are looking to make downtown not just a tourist location but a resort destination through revitalization efforts, including the grand opening of The Baker Hotel and Spa.

The financial health of Weatherford College ranks near the top of community colleges in the state according to data shared with the WC Board of Trustees Thursday by Dr. Andra Cantrell, executive vice president of financial and administrative services.

Aledo ISD broke ground on the new McAnally Middle School Tuesday afternoon.

The National Weather has increased the chances for severe weather in Rockwall County Friday afternoon and overnight. The latest update calls for the potential of up to baseball-size hail:

Voters in Rockwall County intereted in the issues to be decided in the May 1 municipal elections will want to pick up a copy of Friday’s Rockwall County Herald-Banner.

Parker County Emergency Services District 1 is seeking voter approval on an increase in the local sales and use tax imposed by 1% in the May 1 election.

The Republican House Speaker threw his weight Wednesday behind a bill that would extend Medicaid coverage to mothers for a year postpartum, as part of a broad package of proposals meant to increase access to affordable healthcare in Texas.

The city of Mineral Wells is exploring options in the conversion from bag service to poly carts in its solid waste collection contract with Waste Connections.

States have been seeing an uptick in unemployment fraud and local communities are no exception.

The City of Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County will hold the annual City/County Fall Clean Up Day on Saturday, May 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Parker County Center of Hope was one of a select few nonprofits recently awarded a Community Impact Grant from Texas Health Resources.

“I’m so happy! I’m so happy!” Nora Mack said over and over as the parade passed by Friday. 

United States Representative Pat Fallon, who represents the Fourth Congressional District of Texas, which includes Rockwall and Hunt counties, has scheduled an online Tele-Town Hall this evening, concerning the situation at the United States/Mexico border.

The Springtown community recently came together to celebrate a ribbon cutting for Springtown Park Rehabilitation and Care Center, a skilled nursing facility and the first of its kind in the area.

Parker County Lifecare EMS paramedic Chris Briggs recently testified in support of the Pandemic Liability Protection Act, or Senate Bill 6, aimed at protecting first responders.

The Texas Senate early Thursday approved a bill that would prohibit social media companies with at least 100 million monthly users from blocking, banning, demonetizing or discriminating against a user based on their viewpoint or their location within Texas.

Several residents voiced their opposition to an RV resort coming to Possum Kingdom Lake at Monday’s Palo Pinto County special commissioners court meeting.

After recent drone footage showed a close call on the railroad tracks in Aledo, the city began discussions on how to provide a short-term safety solution at the Farm-to-Market Road 1187 crossing.

With about $27.62 billion in federal COVID-19 relief dollars coming to state of Texas, cities and counties are expected to get some much needed relief.

The cities of Hudson Oaks and Willow Park recently made local appointments to serve the roles of emergency management coordinator.

After a three-day search to find the owner of a mysterious basket of dirty laundry left on a Weatherford resident’s porch, the man has been identified.

A 30-day demolition order for a downtown building was approved by the Weatherford Building and Standards Commission last week.

Two vacant homes — abandoned by a builder who went bankrupt — are still standing stagnant inside an East Parker County housing development after more than two years.

Aledo ISD has named Holly Elgin the principal for the new Annetta Elementary School that is slated to open in August 2021.

SHERMAN, Texas – A Nigerian national based in Plano, Texas has been sentenced to federal prison for violations related to a bank fraud and money laundering conspiracy in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei today.

The National Weather Service is continuing a river flood warning for portions of Rockwall, Kaufman and Hunt Counties, through Friday morning:

Gainesville’s sales tax allocation this month is down 11.54% compared to last March’s reimbursements, according to recently released data from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s office.

Revocation of Texas Classics and Customs’ Conditional Use Permit was approved by the city this month after the business failed to come into compliance.

The Feast of St. Joseph is a deep-rooted Italian tradition — honoring Joseph, husband to the virgin Mary and earthly father to Jesus — that takes place annually on March 19. March 19, fittingly, is also the day that Italy celebrates Father's Day.

For the second time this week, powerful and possibly severe thunderstorms are expected to cross the region this afternoon and throughout the night.

Aledo ISD has not taken action to remove its mask requirement despite another push to do so by parents and residents.

Aledo ISD is considering the creation of a wrestling program and approved a teaching/coaching position for the specific sport Monday night.

From the Rockwall County Sheriff's Office:

Democrats moved to delay committee hearings that were set for today on the first major bill in a push by Republican lawmakers to further tighten the state's already restrictive voting rules and raise new barriers for some voters.

Mineral Wells’ Executive Director of Special Programs Natalie Griffin was recently named the Texas Association of School Librarians 2021 Administrator of the Year.

Parker County Emergency Management Services Coordinator Sean Hughes said more than 30,000 have been vaccinated in Parker County, which accounts for part of the reason COVID-19 numbers have dropped, according to an update given to commissioners Monday.

Representatives from the Mineral Wells Masonic Lodge delivered a check for $462.50 to Lamar Elementary for their part of the money that was raised at the Lamar Elementary and Masonic Lodge Art Auction held in January.

When Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he would lift most COVID-19 restrictions statewide, Cassandra and Theresa Ray were alarmed — not for themselves, but for their elderly mother.

March 24-27 marks the 68th Annual Rockwall Youth Fair at a new location, Rockwall County Courthouse, 1111 East Yellow Jacket Lane.  The purpose of the Rockwall Youth Fair is to promote the education, constructive talents and leadership skills of the youth of the community by conducting clinics, training demonstrations, shows and auction sales for youth and to cooperate with the Rockwall County Extension Service, Rockwall 4-H Clubs, Rockwall FFA Chapters, and other youth organizations of Rockwall Public Schools.

From growing up “a little farm girl” to being selected to the cheerleading team to writing a regular column for the Weatherford Democrat, Weatherford native Nancy Cearley, now 89, has plenty of stories to tell.

The Parker County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for shooting a horse Wednesday, March 17, 2021.

With a new facility opening next month on the square in Springtown, child and adult victims of physical and sexual abuse who live in northern Parker County will no longer have to travel to Weatherford for counseling.