NEWS
Jan. 31 tax deadline nears
There are 13 days until the Jan. 31 deadline to pay your 2018 county, city and school taxes before any penalty and interest begins accruing.
Officials at both the county tax office and appraisal district report traffic has been normal for January, but they expect it to pick up as the month draws to a close.
Customers should strive to meet the Jan. 31 deadline to avoid the seven percent penalty and interest that starts on Feb. 1. The amount increases each month afterward and on July 1 attorney fees are added.
Kim Haralson, chief appraiser for the Montague County Tax Appraisal District, said they are at 50.59 percent of collections as of Jan. 17 for all its entities.
The MCTAD collects for the cities of Bowie and Saint Jo and school districts of Bowie, Gold-Burg, Montague, Prairie Valley and Saint Jo.
Syd Nowell, county tax assessor-collector, said her collections are hovering at just under 50 percent for all the entities. However, she said the heavy hitters like the big energy companies have not come in yet. The county is at 45 percent, while it is 45.70 percent overall for all the entities she collects.
Her office collects for the county, Forestburg Independent School District, the two watersheds located in the county and the Nocona city, school and hospital district.
Taxpayers are urged to make arrangements for partial payments to reduce the penalty and interest on the outstanding amount. Call the county tax office at 894-3881 or the MCTAD office at 894-2081 with questions. Both offices are in Montague.
Jan. 1, 2025 is the first day of a new elected term for many Montague County officials. There will be a swearing-in ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 in the courthouse annex.
The public is invited to attend with refreshments to follow.
Officials being sworn in are: Sheriff Marshall Thomas, County Attorney, Commissioner One Roy Darden, Commissioner Three Mark Murphey, Constables Jerry DeMoss and Harvey Johnson and Tax Assessor Kathy Phillips.
One person was killed in a two-vehicle accident in the early morning hours of Dec. 28 on U.S. 81 (U.S.287) 0.2 miles from Fruitland Road.
Texas of Public Safety officials said the wreck occurred at 5:23 a.m. on Dec. 28 on the highway in front of Camper’s Paradise.
The preliminary investigation showed a 2013 Kia Soul driven by Shelley Gene Jewell, 66, Gainesville, was traveling southbound in the northbound lane of the highway. A second vehicle, a 2016 Chevrolet Tahoe driven by Jose Noe Vences, 39, Dallas was traveling northbound.
The two vehicles struck head-on. The Soul continued into the center median where it came to rest. The Tahoe rolled onto its top and came to rest across both northbound lanes.
Jewell was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries in the crash. Vences was transported to Medical City Decatur with non-incapacitating injuries. His passenger, Maria Tinico, 42, Dallas, and a six-year-old male minor were not injured, while a passenger, a 12-year-old minor, was transported to Medical City with non-incapacitating injuries. The crash remains under investigation.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
As with your personal lives, looking back on the year reflects all the emotions from excitement and disappointment to fear and sadness.
Montague County experienced all the norms of Texas weather with drought followed up by flooding, and a few tornadoes also blew across the Cross Timbers. Bowie enjoyed almost a year with an emergency room only to be crushed with its close just a few weeks shy of one year. The lead prosecutor for the tri-county 97th District was indicted on two theft charges, which lead to her resignation and a pending trial.
Nocona High School was elated as its Lady Indians competed at the state tournament, while its barbecue teams competed at state and national contests. Bowie also was ecstatic to see the Nelson/Mill Street project completed after some two years of it being closed.
The Bowie News staff went through all of our editions to note the top news and while we could not include every tidbit, we tried to include things that impacted entire communities.
In your mid-week News find a month by month listing of the top news stories and some of our favorite photos.
Top photo- May 29 tornado in the Forestburg area. (Courtesy photo)
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NEWS2 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
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NEWS1 year agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
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NEWS2 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
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NEWS2 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
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NEWS1 year agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
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NEWS2 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
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NEWS2 years agoBowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
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NEWS2 years ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint