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TxDOT does more pre-treating of roads

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WICHITA FALLS DISTRICT – TxDOT maintenance crews were out all morning pre-treating bridges and overpasses with brine on the lesser-traveled highways. All of I-44 and I-35 including bridges and the main lanes were pretreated as Tier 1 roadways. Crews were also able to treat most of the main lanes on US 287, 281, and US 82. We additionally were able to the treat main lanes and bridges Seymour Highway and bridges and some of the main lanes on Southwest Parkway inside the City of Wichita Falls.TxDOT is 100% ready for the storm. Our crews are on stand-by to report to work. Their equipment and materials are fully stocked and ready for deployment. Our fleet of 83 snowplows and maintainers (motor graders) are on standby for a moment’s notice. Motorists can obtain travel information, road conditions and see 15 Wichita Falls traffic cameras and 1 Vernon camera by visiting DriveTexas.org or calling (800) 452-9292. Traffic cameras are also at TxDOT.Gov.Remember to follow the Wichita Falls District on our Facebook page, www.Facebook.com/TxDOTWichitaFalls and on Twitter, www.Twitter.com/TxDOTWF . If you experience any emergency on the road, call 9-1-1 for help.

Drivers are urged to follow these precautions:

Reduce speed. Speed limits are based on normal dry road and weather conditions, not winter road conditions.

Do not use cruise control.

Turn on your headlights. It’s not for you…it’s so other drivers can see you.

Maintain at least three times the normal following distance on snow or ice.

Watch carefully for personnel, equipment treating roadways, and stay at least 200 feet back from road crews. Don’t crowd Plows. They can’t see traffic that drives too close. Also, the plows can break over if the pavement is damaged.

Use extra caution on bridges, ramps, overpasses, and shaded areas as they tend to freeze first and thaw last.

Carry warm coats, gloves, and boots in case you get stranded. Keep a kit in your car.If you start to slide, ease off the gas pedal or brakes. Steer into the direction that you want to go until you feel you have regained traction, and then straighten your vehicle

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Citizens asking: What’s up with my homestead as appraisal notices arrive

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By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The staff of the Montague County Tax Appraisal District has fielded hundreds of phone calls since notices of appraised property value went out two weeks ago as owners question perceived possible losses in their homestead exemptions.
Chief Appraiser Kim Haralson said while the wording has been in place since 2019 when the Texas Legislature made sweeping changes in the way values are presented and documented, this has been the first year so many have questioned it or confused it with their homestead exemption.
That was the number one question to the staff: “Why has my homestead exemption gone down?” The chief appraiser said the confusion comes from the mandated wording calling what was previously called “capped value,” now called homestead savings, but does not apply to homestead exemptions at all.

Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.

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Summertime arrives with a big splash

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These youngsters dive into the Bowie City Pool after it opened on June 6. The Nocona community pool also has opened this week. Watch for more photos in your weekend Bowie News. (Photos by Barbara Green)

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Motorcycle, truck-trailer crash kills one

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A 60-year-old Bowie man was killed when the motorcycle he was driving collided with a trailer being towed by a pickup truck Tuesday afternoon southwest of Montague.
Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Marc Couch of media relations said the crash occurred at 1:55 p.m. on May 30 at the intersection of Lone Star Road and Hildreth Pool Road. 2.5 miles southwest of Montague.
The accident involved a 2006 Suzuki motorcycle driven by Raymond Melton Mills, Bowie, and a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pickup towing a 2020 Easton Car & Construction utility semi-trailer.
According to the preliminary investigation, the DPS report the motorcycle was traveling north on Lone Star Road, while the pickup and trailer were going south on Lone Star Road at the intersection with Hildreth Pool. The truck was turning right onto Hildreth Pool when the motorcycle failed to yield half the roadway to the truck and trailer driven by Israel Lozano, 39, Decatur striking the towed trailer.
Mills was ejected from the motorcycle striking the trailer. He was transported by air ambulance to Medical City Denton for treatment of his injuries, but died under a doctor’s care due to the sustained injuries.
This accident was investigated by Trooper Bradly S. Slade, Nocona, who was assisted by several other troopers and county sheriff’s office deputies. The report states Melton was not wearing a helmet.

Correction- The print story stated the victim’s name was Raymond Melton, but it has been corrected to read Raymond Melton Mills. We apologize for this error.

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