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ROW purchases going smooth for Hwy. 82 project

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Right-of-way purchases for the highway expansion along U.S. Highway 82 are underway and moving smoothly according to officials with the Texas Department of Transportation, as the bid letting has been moved from January 2021 to June 2021.
During recent weeks appraisers, surveyors and purchase agents have been working in Montague County to negotiate ROW needed for phase one of the highway expansion which runs from the Nocona city limits west to Farm-to-Market Road 1816.
Shawn Barnes, project director with TxDOT, said they are looking at about 75 parcels of land between Ringgold and Nocona in that phase. He added the process is going well with no big stumbling blocks.
County residents may be hesitant to believe this project is moving forward after it has been on hold 48 years. The four-lane divided highway was completed from Cooke County to Nocona in 1972. There were plans for it to continue west to Clay County, but the project was put on hold.
Through the years state highway officials and legislators promised the 24.7 mile section would be completed, but even with strong advocacy from Nocona and Montague County it never appeared back on the state schedule.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

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County subdivision regulations getting updates

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Updating Montague County’s subdivision regulations will be a major topic of discussion at the 9 a.m. commissioner’s court meeting on April 22.
As 2023 wound down the court named a committee to work with legal counsel to see what updates or clarifications were needed to the rules. The agenda list scheduling a public hearing on adoption of the revised rules, along with taking an impact assessment on the draft of the regulations.
An executive session is posted for discussion on the appointment of a development officer in conjunction with subdivision rules. This could be a new position or a present employee, there was no information available on Friday.
The court will consider appointing a local health authority for the county. Dr. Chance Dingler has been serving in that capacity.
The Montague County Historical Commission will ask to place a historical marker at the site of the old agriculture extension farm site outside of Montague.
In other topics they will consider a finance contract with Government Capital to finance the remaining balance of a 2022 Mac Truck for precinct four; allow precinct one to enter the Tyler Stark property on Lake Valley Road to address drainage issues on a proposed driveway entrance and tinhorn installation; precinct two going out for sealed bids to sell excess dirt; precinct three trading a loader; replat for two lots in Silver Lakes Ranch, phase seven in precinct two and a final plat for various lots in the Robb Addition.

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School bond early voting to open

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Early voting for the Bowie and Forestburg Independent School District bond elections begins April 22 at one central location at the Bowie Senior Citizens Center.
Early voting will be April 22-26, and April 29-30, all from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There is only one location for early voting for both elections.
On the May 4 election day the polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at these locations: Bowie Senior Citizen Center, Forestburg ISD library and Sunset City Hall.
Voters can cast ballots at any of these locations due to countywide voting.
Bowie ISD is asking voters to reconsider a $65.8 million bond issue, that was defeated in November 1,079 to 855, a shortfall of 224 voters.
There will be two town hall meetings this week where the superintendent will discuss the bond proposal on April 24 from noon to 1 p.m at the administration office, 404 E. Williams, and 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the junior high school.

Read more on the upcoming elections and the proposed bonds in the weekend Bowie News.

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Traffic stop may have been part of human trafficking

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More than a dozen men, believed to be illegal aliens who were being trafficked, fled from a traffic stop at the edge of the Montague and Clay County line early Wednesday morning.
As of Friday seven of the men who ran away from the van had been captured. The search for the men began at 1:05 a.m. April 17 when a Clay County Deputy made a traffic stop in the Bellevue area at U.S. 287 north of Tyson Road. The sheriff’s office announced approximately 11 to 14 suspected illegal aliens immediately fled out of the vehicle on foot into the surrounding countryside when the stop was made.

After a day long search seven were apprehended and the investigation indicates the men may have been taken for human trafficking. They had no ID, no money, no personal items and a couple had no shows.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

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