NEWS
Abatement process turns upside down; owner jailed on Dallas warrant
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The ongoing saga of the damaged historic building on the Montague County Courthouse Square continues to twist and turn as the “new owner” reportedly turned back the deed to the “previous owner,” who was arrested Tuesday in front of the building on an unrelated warrant.
For months the commissioners have been trying to get something done about the shell of a building that remains after a pickup truck crashed into it back in August.
The owner has failed to secure or abate the building hazard and the Texas Department of Transportation has put up barricades to block one lane of traffic in case of falling debris or a collapse.
Unable to get the abatement process served properly to the owner and then a new owner who said he gave the property back to Chancellor, the whole thing flipped upside down this week.
On the afternoon of March 19 while leaving the courthouse for lunch, District Attorney Investigator Chris Hamilton and Justice of the Peace Kevin Benton saw a man who in front of the damaged building tearing off the posted paper notices and throwing them on the ground.
Building owner Mark Chancellor had gotten through the chainlink fence county officials had put up on Feb. 25 to secure the building prior to its previously scheduled demolition.
Benton said they did not know him and when they ran his truck license plate, it confirmed he was the owner so they began to drive away. However, a dispatcher from the county jail called back to tell them the vehicle’s owner had a Dallas County warrant for a complaint of indecency with a child.
Chancellor, 32, Nocona, was taken to the county jail by Constable Stefanie Horton and booked on the third-degree felony. Bond was set at $25,000 and he was released on March 20.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie 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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