COUNTY LIFE
Public hearing in Nocona Feb. 1 to examine Hwy. 82 explains options
Two public meetings are scheduled this week for discussion on possible Texas Department of Transportation plans to extend a divided, four-lane highway from Nocona west to Henrietta along U.S. Highway 82.
While highway expansion may be welcomed, local and county officials are urging TxDOT to avoid any consideration of a possible by-pass around Nocona.
TxDOT is studying U.S. 82 to establish a plan to widen and create possible new alignments. Post cards were sent out to residents that could be impacted.
County elected officials got a preliminary look at the study options two weeks ago. Four options are being debated:
•A bypass around Henrietta, either north or south of the city;
• A similar bypass around Nocona;
• Whether or not the second half of the roadway goes north or south of the existing roadway between Nocona and the Union Pacific Railroad underpass in Ringgold and Henrietta;
• And whether or not the second half of the roadway goes north or south of the existing roadway between the railroad underpass in Ringgold and Henrietta.
The first hearing will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Holman Center, 211 W. Clay in Henrietta. The second is the same time on Feb. 1 at the Nocona Community Center, 912 W. U.S. 82.
TxDOT officials will be present at the meetings, which are an open house come-and-go format.
Comments can be submitted to Shaun Barnes, P.E., at 940-720-7744 or MyProjectsWichitaFalls@txdot.gov. Comments must be submitted by Feb. 13 to be included.
The Montague County Commissioners, Nocona Chamber of Commerce, Nocona Economic Development Corporation, City of Nocona and Nocona School Board are all drafting letters urging TxDOT to drop the option of any bypass around Nocona.
Give blood to save lives and at the time help the Nocona Volunteer Fire Department on March 24.
The blood drive will be from 1-6 p.m. in the H.J. Justin Building in downtown Nocona. First time donors generate $100 in funding and returning donors generate $15 per blood donation.
Go to the Nocona Firefighters Facebook page to scan the QR code to pick a time.
Gold-Burg High
Gold-Burg High School’s one-act play “Lady Precious Stream,” by S.I. Husung will be presented at district competition on March 19 in the Graham Auditorium.
The performance order will be Saint Jo, Prairie Valley, Universal Irving, Forestburg, Universal-Flower Mound, Gold-Burg and Bellevue. Plays begin at 10 a.m.
Nocona High
Nocona High School will be competing in the district one-act play competition on March 27 at Seymour High School.
Chrissy Shubert, theater arts teacher, said they will perform “Antigone in Munich: The Sophie Scholl Story,” by Claudia Haas produced by Stage Partners.
There will be a public performance of the play at 6 p.m. March 13 in the Nocona School Auditorium.
The plays will begin at 10 a.m. and Nocona is the sixth play of the day.
Prairie Valley High
Prairie Valley High School will present “Wild Strawberries” by Jerry Ayers for its University Interscholastic League one-act play contest on March 19 in Graham Memorial Auditorium.
PV will compete in 1A-District 18. The play is directed by Jesse Kincy. It is a comedic farce set in Italy during the Renaissance.
Read the full stories on these productions in the Thursday Bowie News.
Two marble panels collapsed and shattered at the Montague County Veteran’ Memorial on the courthouse square March 4 due to high winds.
This is the second time the monument has been damaged by high winds.
On Nov. 10, 2021 a panel fell over breaking into pieces and another panel shifted. It was a long process to get the slab replaced as the black marble came from India.
County Judge Kevin Benton recalls in 2021 there were delays first in finding the specific marble that was needed and then the first panel broke as it was being worked on and the artists had to start again.
Then the panel had to be shipped to its new home. It was an expensive proposition costing about $16,000. The panels are very large with the small ones weighing in at one ton.
Benton and Commissioner Bob Langford said Monday the wind deductible for the insurance is very high at $50,000. When that first panel was replaced county officials opted to have dowels placed in the panel that went into holes in the base to create a more secure attachment.
Langford said at that time they looked at possibly resetting the whole monument with dowels, but it was cost prohibitive at more than $30,000. He added the installers also indicated they really didn’t want to tackle something like that due to the possible liability if the panel is damaged.
Benton said they are talking to a company to see what is the best way forward with the repairs and what the costs could be to replace them.
Pictured: A precinct crew was removing the broken marble panels on Monday. (Photo by Barbara Green)
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