Pike County Republican Women awarded two scholarships to recent Pike Liberal Arts School graduates at Wednesday’s monthly meeting.

Joel Kervin and Mackenzi Johnson accepted $1,000 for essays they wrote about the Second Amendment.

Virginia Maddox of PCRW said judges selected winners based on the merits of their essays and were not given any identifiable information. Kervin and Johnson read their winning essays during the meeting.

The organization also heard from three candidates. Jason Youngblood, candidate for sheriff, vowed not to lobby for higher taxes to pay for a new jail if he was elected.

“There are other ways of funding it,” he said. “I want to put a team together to get this investigated and try to find some money.”

He also discussed ways he would improve operations, such as having a deputy on duty at all times and periodically raiding the jail in search of contraband.

Youngblood also vowed to run a clean campaign.

Dale Peterson, candidate for state auditor, said it was good to be back in Pike County and complimented club members for keeping the club going. “I was at the first meeting that was put together four years ago.”

Peterson said the auditor position had become a useless one since legislators removed the state examiner, once under its charge.

“As it stands right now, we don’t need that auditing department,” he said.

If elected, Peterson said he would work to get the examiner back because Alabama was the only state that did not have it as a part of the auditor’s department.

Bo Weed, candidate for revenue commissioner was also in attendance. He said he and Revenue Commissioner Curtis Blair had each agreed to run a clean campaign. Weed also said he was running for the office because he believed someone with conservative values should hold every office.