Jim Wells County Courthouse Closed Feb. 16 for Washington’s Birthday Observance

The Jim Wells County Courthouse in Alice was closed on February 16, 2026 in observance of Washington's Birthday, the county posted on its official website using a public notice that read, "In observance of Washington's Birthday, the Jim Wells County Courthouse will be closed on February 16, 2026."

The notice listed the courthouse location and contact information for residents seeking follow-up: Jim Wells County Courthouse, 200 N. Almond, Alice, TX 78332, and the county phone number (361) 668 - 5702. The posting appeared alongside other routine public-service items on the county site rather than in a separate press release.

Separately, the county posted a ceremonial event scheduled for Friday February 20,2026 at 10:00 a.m.: "Groundbreaking Public Announcement GLO #22=085-027-D268 Drainage Improvement Project" at 642 FM 1554 Alice, Texas 78332. The county's "Public Notice - Groundbreaking.pdf" file begins its legal preface with the line, "Pursuant to the Texas Open Meetings Act, notice is hereby given that a possible quorum of the Jim Wells County Commissioners Court may be present at the following public event:" and goes on to make the county's position clear: "The event is ceremonial in nature. No formal action, deliberation, or decision regarding county business will be made by the Commissioners' Court. The purpose of attendance is to participate in and observe the public announcement and groundbreaking for the above referenced grant project."

The event reference number GLO #22=085-027-D268 ties the ceremony to a state grant for drainage improvements; the county gave the 642 FM 1554 address for the public announcement and advised that the presence of commissioners is for observation and participation only, not for taking official votes or making decisions.

The county website also provided emergency-preparedness information and outreach links that appeared alongside the holiday notice. Under the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry header the site invites eligible residents to register online and to call 2-1-1 or use a video phone relay option, while explicitly noting that registering "does not guarantee you will receive a specific service during emergencies." The site offers a YouTube connection for governance transparency, announcing that "Commissioners Court Regular Meeting Goes Live on YouTube on February 13th, 2026 @ 10:00 A.M." with a clickable live feed link on the county page.

In addition to calendar and emergency items, the county page carried outreach and compliance language visible to visitors, including labels such as "Leadership Circle," "Texas Transparency," "Equal Housing Opportunity," "HUD Fair Housing - English," "HUD Fair Housing - Spanish," and the phrase "Jim Wells County is a great place to spend the future." The county also promoted a local weather-alert service on the site with the claim that "The county's weather alert system is more precise than FEMA's cellphone alerts, so you're less likely to get false alarms. Also, the service is free! So sign-up today!!"

For residents seeking documents referenced by the county, the public notice file named "Public Notice - Groundbreaking.pdf" is posted on the county website, and the courthouse can be reached at 200 N. Almond, Alice, TX 78332 or by phone at (361) 668 - 5702 for additional information about the holiday closure or the Feb. 20 groundbreaking.