The Community News

Coder Elementary named Lone Star Ribbon School

Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Education Agency named Coder Elementary a Lone Star Ribbon School, the only school in Region 11 and one of only 25 campuses throughout the state to earn the honor for …

Council OKs rate hike for some water use

Willow Park Mayor Pro Tem Nate Crummel (left) and Council Member Buddy Wright listen to a speaker during the public comments portion of the Sept. 22 meeting.

Willow Park City Council approved, during its Tuesday, Sept. 22, meeting, an ordinance updating several water utility rates and fees for Fiscal Year 2026-27. The decision continues the …

Busting through

Chase Lindner is a junior at Springtown High School who is among the best shooters on the Aledo Clay Busters team. He advanced to national and international competition this summer.

Chase Lindner and Logan LeBlanc aim high each time they enter competition. And, in their case, they literally aim. LeBlanc is a freshman at Aledo High School and Lindner is a junior …

BUSINESSES AND SERVICES

Parker County history comes alive

A walk through the Doss Heritage and Culture Center is like traveling through time. When you go through the front doors, you enter a world of imagination and wonder, a place where education and …

Council OKs ordinances regarding golf carts, ATVs, bikes

Aledo City Council on Thursday, Sept. 17, approved an ordinance allowing golf carts on many city streets and granted a variance that clears the way for a gas station across from a school to seek a …

Weatherford right-side hitter Isabella Hale records a block against Aledo on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

Aledo defeats Weatherford in district match

The Aledo Ladycats swept the Weatherford Lady Roos on Tuesday, Sept. 22, with scores of 25-11, 25-17, 25-17. Aledo and Weatherford traded points in the first set to start off, and the Ladycats …

Aledo safety Ashton Hebel celebrates a tackle for loss against Granbury on Sept. 18.

Bearcats take on Arlington Martin in Week 5

Following a win in their first district game of the season — a 69-0 rout of Granbury — the Aledo Bearcats head back home for Week 5 to take on the Arlington Martin Warriors. Kickoff …

Commissioners hear update on transportation projects

A representative of Freese & Nichols, the firm managing Parker County’s transportation bond program, gave commissioners a project-by-project update during the Sept. 14 …

In Style

Sanctified Hope, a Christ-centered transitional program for women who have been incarcerated, held its Light the World Fashion Show on Aug. 28 at Northside Baptist Church in Weatherford. The models …

BUSINESSES AND SERVICES

Bearcats take on Granbury in district opener

The Aledo Bearcats finished off non-district play last week with their first win of the season against Euless Trinity. That win was aided by strong offensive and defensive play. District play …

Gonzalez family named Thanksgiving Trot recipients

The 15th annual Marcia Walters Memorial Thanksgiving Trot has named Andy Gonzalez as the 2026 recipient. Andy was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2024. He is a dedicated father, …

Bearcats take on Euless Trinity in Week 3

The Aledo Bearcats, following their move up to Class 6A play, haven’t started off on the right foot this season. After their 28-21 loss to the Waco Midway Panthers in Week 2, the Bearcats now face …

Aledo resident thankful for simple life after attack at WTC

Editor’s note: This story was originally published Sept. 20, 2001, in The Community News. The subject, Cindy Bartlett, a former Aledo resident, passed away in 2025.

Council commends Eagle Scout candidate

Hudson Oaks Mayor Tom Fitzpatrick commended Eagle Scout candidate Preston Fought for improvements Fought and his crew made to the city’s public safety building as an Eagle Scout …

Wood celebrates 103rd birthday

Lifelong Aledo resident Loweda Wood recently celebrated her 103rd birthday. She is one of only two living persons to have signed the charter that made Aledo an incorporated city. Pictured with her …

’Cats set for move to 6A

As with many sports at Aledo, the Bearcats/Ladycats tennis program has a long history of success. And now that they have moved up to Class 6A for the first time, they aren't planning to let up. …

A transforming halftime show

The Bearcat Regiment is working hard as it prepares for its first 6A season. “We're competing in the 6A realm, and we need to change. We need to transform. We need to be stronger and more at …

Ross fire tests community’s strength

Emergency crews and first-responders made headway on a wildfire that broke out in Palo Pinto County and traveled north into Jack County, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. More than 30 …

Ladycats sweep Joshua in non-district action

The Aledo Ladycats moved to 17-4 on Tuesday, Aug. 25, with a sweep of the Joshua Lady Owls in three sets (25-23, 25-18, 25-12.) The first set saw lots of …

Commissioners finalize early voting locations

With the Nov. 3 general election approaching, Parker County commissioners approved a slate of election preparations during their regular meeting Monday, Aug. 24, including polling locations and the …

Meet the 'Cats

Aledo ISD hosted Meet the 'Cats on Friday, Aug. 21.

‘You Matter, Little Lion’

When Kendall Dickerson wrote, “ You Matter, Little Lion: A Sibling’s Journey of Faith, Feelings, and Finding Her Place ,” the first-time author was writing from personal experience. …

‘Spreading the word’

Aledo Children’s AdvoCats, a nonprofit organization committed to raising funds for children and families in need in the Aledo area, has hired its first-ever executive director, Wesley Fuller. …

Participants in the Run, Walk or Crawl Glow Run race to the finish line.

Advocates for the ’Cats

Twenty-four years ago, a group of women joined together and created Aledo Children’s AdvoCats, a nonprofit organization devoted to meeting the needs of Aledo ISD students and families. …

Recent UNT grad joins local news staff

The Community News is expanding its reporting staff to include Brock Burgan, a recent graduate of the University of North Texas. Burgan will concentrate on …

First Day

Educators welcomed students back for the first day of school.

Lynn McKinney Elementary school teacher Hannah McConnell talks with a girl at her booth at Aledo 101 while teacher Kirsten Simenson looks on.

Bearcat Nation 101

Participants got to see the tables of local schools, clubs, and more at Bearcat Nation 101 on Saturday, Aug. 1.

Slow down; a child's life depends on it

Every school morning and afternoon, hundreds of thousands of children step off curbs and wait at bus stops across Texas. For the children, those few seconds are the most dangerous part of their …

Free, reduced-price meals available for those who qualify

The Aledo ISD has announced its policy for providing free and reduced-price meals for children served under the income eligibility guidelines. Each school/site or the central office has a copy of the …

All for the Bearcats stand up and holler!

Kayce Brown is bringing lots of experience to her new role as Aledo High School’s head cheer coach. Brown, who has been a teacher at Annetta Elementary in Aledo ISD for the last five years, is …

Let’s dance!

McKenzie Harrison-Kading has been named the Bearcat Dance Team director in Aledo ISD. Harrison-Kading has performed as a competitive dancer as a part of school and studio teams from a young age, …

Take note

Blake Glass has been named head choir director at Aledo High School. Glass has been the head choir director at Western Hills High School in the Fort Worth ISD since 2020. In his time there, he …

Welcome back!

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year, Bearcats! Even after a couple of decades working in public schools, I still get butterflies in my stomach on the first day of school. Not really because I’m …

Mayor, council continue contentious discussions

Jennifer Northcutt (left) of the Texas Court Clerks Association presents a plaque to Willow Park Court Administrator Michelle Lowe after Lowe became one of only 163 out of around 3,000 court clerks across the state to be Level 3 certified.

After eight years leading the City of Willow Park's Communication Department, Rose Hoffman has announced her resignation. She is accepting a similar position for the City of Mineral Wells. Her …

Board proposes tax rate, date for public budget hearing

Several members of the Weatherford FFA team are recognized during the Aug. 10 Weatherford ISD meeting for their accomplishments at the Texas State Championships.

After receiving a presentation on the final proposed budget for the 2026-27 fiscal year, the Weatherford ISD Board of Trustees voted during its Aug. 10 meeting to publish a tax rate of 0.9342 per …

Council presented with proposed budget

Weatherford City Council member Rod White reads a proclamation during the Aug. 11 meeting, for the Schulan family, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Schulman Theaters, which operates in Weatherford as Film Alley and previously as City Lights in Hudson Oaks.

Leading with the news that local governments across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex are facing “significant budget shortfalls” in 2026, the City of Weatherford’s Dawn Brooks assured council …

Council sets tax unofficial rate

Aledo City Council proposed the 2026-2027 budget and the property tax rate to support it during the Aug. 6 meeting. Council scheduled a public hearing for 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20, to allow for citizen input. During the meeting that follows, council could make both official. The Parker County Appraisal District certified the City of Aledo’s tax roll in July at $1,057,685. That number creates a “No New Revenue” tax rate of $0.3497-3. The NNR rate is the rate that would bring in the same amount of tax dollars to the city as the last fiscal year. The council opted to set the rate at $0.352415 —about .83% lower than last year’s rate — which will bring in an additional $500,000 in revenue.