NEWS
Prayer vigil first step to grieve senior who drown Thursday
Trent Walker at last week’s Bowie FFA awards banquet. (News photo)
By BARBARA GREEN
As Friday dawned, Bowie High School began the daunting task of helping its students and staff deal with the drowning death of a popular senior on Thursday.
A prayer vigil took place Friday morning for they community as they grieve Trent Walker, 18, who drowned in a tragic accident at Mose Johnson Lake located next to Bowie High School. Students, teachers and family members, including the teen’s mother, Melissa, and his grandmother, attended, along with some of the local first responders.
Funeral service for Walker will be at 2 p.m. on May 16 at First Baptist Church of Bowie.
The 911 call for the drowning came in to the Bowie Police Department at 11 a.m. Thursday. Sgt. Bob Blackburn said on the initial call there were some mixed message about what had truly happened including a report of a car going into the lake, which proved to be untrue.
Walker and a friend were fishing at the lake enjoying the spring day when Walker decided to swim across the channel to a canoe that was located on the opposite shore. Blackburn said the witness told him Walker made it about half-way across when he began having difficulties.
Read the full story in the weekend News. Please see Trent Walker’s obituary in the weekend News and her on bowienewsonline.com
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Montague County Commissioner’s Court reluctantly returned money to the state connected to Senate Bill 22 in fiscal 2024.
During Monday’s regular session, County Auditor Charley Lanier explained the three transactions. SB 22 provided funding for prosecutor offices to assist with paying staff, and in the sheriff’s office for staff and equipment.
If all the money was not spent it had to be returned. Lanier explained the fund was approved in 2024, but it arrived after the fiscal year began and commissioners did not want to spend any of until the funds actually arrived in county coffers.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
The Saint Jo City Council had a brief meeting on June 17.
The 2026-27 budgets for appraisal and tax collections from the Montague County Tax Appraisal District were approved. The tax collection budget faces a 3.71% increase and 2.2% in the appraisal budget.
The city’s payment for tax collections will go from $1,305 for the year down slightly from $1,445 last year. The appraisal portion for Saint Jo will be $9,526, up from $9,361 in 2026.
A municipal election for Nov. 3 was called. Places open on the ballot will be mayor, and the places filled by Melissa McPherson and Jack Dunn, who was appointed to fill out a term.
The council approved a resolution to apply for grants for water infra structure improvements through the Texas Water Development Board. The city is working with engineers from Corlett, Probst and Boyd of Wichita Falls on a proposed project.
The 60th anniversary Jim Bowie Days Celebration opened on June 20th with a full day of activities focusing on sports and a barbecue cookoff.
Festivities continue throughout the week highlight by rodeo, youth rodeo, kid’s activities and Pioneer Court. The second annual Smokedown BBQ Cookout began on Friday night with the steak and beans contests. Three other categories for chicken ribs and brisket followed on Saturday. There were 27 teams, four more than last year.
Conducted by Outlaw BBQ, the grand champion was Vinny McNamara, with 36 points. Steve Cumbie was reserve grand champion with 26 points.
Read about all the weekend’s winners complete with many photos in your Thursday Bowie News.
Top photo – The first annual pickleball tourney drew 17 teams. Teams greet each other before they start play (Photo by Barbara Green0
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News