Life and Community

Tony Eierdam/The Community News

Lynda Wright (far left) of Aledo takes advantage of free shredding Friday afternoon at the East Parker County Chamber of Commerce parking lot in Willow Park. Doyle Moss of Moss Insurance Group and the East Parker County Chamber of Commerce sponsored the all-day event. Shown with Wright are (from left) East Parker County Chamber of Commerce President Lisa Flowers, Bulldog Shredders On-Site Document Destruction representative Charles A. Green and Moss.

Bulldog Shredders of Millsap will also be at the East Parker County Chamber of Commerce Business Expo from 4-8 p.m. on Oct. 14 at Willow Park Baptist Church.

Aledo ISD trustees Bobby Rigues and Jay Stringer recently completed a trip to Austin where the duo were guests of Equity Center Radio, a weekly podcast broadcast on the Equity Center Web site, to explain the 'Make Education a Priority' letter writing campaign.

On the podcast – which can be archived from the Equity Center Web site (www.equitycenter.org) - Rigues and Stringer reveal their grassroots efforts to reach out to the Aledo ISD community and the state to gain support for overhauling the current school finance system that was put in place in 2006.

For the complete story, please see the Aug. 2 issue of The Community News.

Tony Eierdam/The Community News

Parker County Vet Hospital technician Lacey Jarrett vaccinates "Oscar" with owner Tammy Nestel looking on Saturday morning at the Brookshire's parking lot in Willow Park.

Parker County Vet Hospital has an "on location" vaccination clinic once a month from April to October, alternating locations.

On Aug. 14, Parker County Vet Hospital will be at the Beall's parking lot in Weatherford.

Tony Eierdam/The Community News: Aledo resident Claudia Delgado signs a "Make Education A Priority" letter Friday afternoon as Aledo ISD president Joe Dearing answers her questions. The Aledo ISD board of trustees, led by trustee Bobby Rigues, have set up shop on FM1187 all week collecting signatures on individual letters that trustees will hand deliver to state legislators in Austin.

Since Monday afternoon and continuing this afternoon (Friday, July 2), Aledo ISD school board trustees, led by trustee Bobby Rigues, have set up shop on FM1187 getting signatures from area taxpayers for the board’s initiative, “Make Education A Priority.”

Tony Eierdam/The Community News

Aledo ISD school board trustee Bobby Rigues waves down cars during a rain storm today (Tuesday, June 29) in front of his State Farm office on FM 1187 in Aledo in an effort to collect signatures for the "Make Education A Priority" campaign.

Rigues - with complete support of the Aledo ISD board of trustees - started the grassroots effort to inform the public of the limitations Austin and its state legislators have put on school districts.

The “Make Education a Priority” catchphrase calls for tax payers in Aledo ISD and across the state to contact their local legislators and senators to help repair a funding system that was put in place in 2006.

Tony Eierdam/The Community News

Bulldozers and earth-moving machines were busy at work Monday morning (June 28) on what used to be a practice field across the parking lot from the Aledo High School field house in the beginning construction phase of the new all-sports indoor practice facility. The facility is scheduled to be complete in December.

In an effort to once again transfer funds into the from Interest and Sinking funds to Maintenance and Operations (M&O) with no cost to taxpayers, the Aledo ISD board of trustees at their regular meeting Monday night (June 21) approved the calling of another Tax Ratification Election (TRE) which will take place on Aug. 28, 2010.

Early voting is slated for Aug. 16.

Aledo ISD superintendent Don Daniel explained that although it appears taxes will be raised by elevating the M&O tax rate from $1.04 to $1.17 per $100 valuation, it is really just a shifting of funds.

“It will not increase the total tax rate and will not lengthen the bond payment schedules,” Daniel said. “We will pay the bonds off on the same schedule they are currently on.

Budget and proposed tax rates and consideration of calling a Tax Ratification Election (TRE) are two items on the agenda for today’s (Monday, June 21) Aledo ISD regular board of trustees meeting.

The meeting – which will also allow for public comment on any matter – begins at 7 p.m. in the Aledo ISD administration building boardroom.

Another key item will be a presentation by Aledo ISD athletic director/head football coach Tim Buchanan, who will seek approval from trustees concerning recommended changes in the district’s policy regarding drug testing and fees involved.

A complete list of the agenda items can be found at www.community-news.com.

The Community News received the Sweepstakes Award for the best overall newspaper among its peers at the Texas Press Association Better Newspaper Contest awards presented today in San Antonio.

In competition that was judged by memos of the Georgia Press Association, The Community News compiled Sweepstakes points based on how it compared to other medium sized weekly papers in the state.

Among 23 medium sized weeklies, The Community News placed:
Firstin News Writing;
Second in Column Writing, Headline Writing, News Photo, Page Design and Web Site;
Third in Feature Photo and
Fourth in Feature Writing.
  

Randy Keck/The Community News
Hunter Stockon walks across the stage at TCU's Daniel Meyer Coliseum to receive his diploma during commencement exercises tonight (Monday, June 7). More photos and coverage will be available in The Community News' June 11 issue.

Click on the photo above for our complete gallery of AHS graduation photos.