NEWS
Five developers tour potential solar sites in Bowie
City of Bowie officials met with potential solar array developers Wednesday touring three possible locations for a project and conducting lengthy interviews with those firms.
This is the second go-round with solar energy development for the city after it went through a similar process in spring 2016.
In that earlier scenario, the council voted no on a solar project indicated there was not enough savings to justify it, but wanted to continue further negotiations with Bryan Texas Utilities, the city’s bulk power supplier, in regard to its contract which is in year 11 of a 30-year term. There is a five-year out clause.
In 2015 the city negotiated an amendment in its BTU contract that would allow the city to develop up to two megawatts capacity in distributed energy. Bowie purchases a little more than 10 megawatts in bulk power each year with a peak use of 13MW.
Officials from Schneider Engineering have explained one megawatt could help reduce the city’s peak demand as distributors are charged a peak rate based on annual calculations from the four prime months, typically June to September. Those also are considered prime solar production months.
Obtaining one megawatt from another source hopefully at a cheaper rate would reduce the transmission fees. If a solar array was available in close proximity to the city’s power grid, it could go directly into the system without those fees charged by the state and shared by all public power entities to offset the construction of a power grid to transport wind power energy across the state.
City Manager Bert Cunningham, Mayor Gaylynn Burris, Mayor Protem Wayne Bell and Jay Evans, head of the city’s electric department, met with the five firms Thursday. It would take about 10 acres for the system needed to produce 1MW of “green energy.”
Read the full story in the weekend News.
A bubble truck began the 2025 Bowie Public Library’s summer reading program, “Color Our World,” with free programs continuing through July 22.
Summer reading is open to children ages 0-12 and these free programs will be at the Bowie Community Center at 10 a.m. every Tuesday in June and July excluding July 1. Children will be given a reading log to bring with them to each program. Each child also receives a book at the end of the series.
June will be filled with artsy projects. On June 10 there will be bubble painting and baking soda painting and June 17, noodle and pom picture frame art. On June 24 they will make beaded wind chimes.
July 1 will have movie day at the library. This is the only program not to be at the community center.
July 8 enjoy fruit loop sand art, followed by a glow in the dark paint party with Alicia Betts on July 15. The summer reading series concludes with the popular Creature Teacher bringing a variety of animals for all to enjoy on July 11.
Former 97th District Attorney Casey Hall has filed an appeal in her May 13 conviction for misuse of Montague County grant funds.
The appeal was filed with the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth on May 15, the day after her sentencing where the jury found her guilty of misapplication of fiduciary property and theft by a public servant. The trial had been moved on a change of venue.
On May 14 Hall’s sentence was decided by the same jury and it sentenced her to one year in state jail for the misapplication charge and six years probation for theft by a public servant.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Following approval of the Bowie City Council this past week for construction of new pickle ball courts at Pelham Park, the countdown to a public hearing and the bid process begins.
Ward Wallace, chairman of the 4B Economic Development Corporation, made the presentation to the city council outlining the proposal to build four covered courts in an area west of the Bowie Knife and south of the soccer fields. Along with the courts there will be parking and a portion of the walking trail will be redone. All the new additions also will be handicap accessible.
The 4B board’s request was to spend up to $1.2 million of 4B sales tax funds for the entire project, however, Wallace said they did not anticipate it would be that high as the estimates are running around $880,000.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
The red outlined portion on the lower right of the map shows the future location of the pickleball courts near the Bowie Knife. (Courtesy 4B Board)
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