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)

Be alert, recent uptick in phone scams. Scammers are contacting people and falsely claiming to be law enforcement officers, alleging the individuals they contact face immediate arrest unless they provide payment in some form (i.e. gift cards, cash transfers, etc.).

Key Points:

* The Montague County Sheriff’s Office never solicits payments over the phone to resolve legal issues. Any communication requesting such payment is fraudulent.

* Scam Tactics: Scammers often use convincing language and may even impersonate real Deputies/ Officer’s or use spoofed phone numbers to appear legitimate.

* Protect Yourself: If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a Deputy or representative of law enforcement demanding payment, do not comply. Instead, hang up immediately and contact the Montague County Sheriff’s Office directly to verify the call’s authenticity.

* Vigilance is Key: Stay vigilant and cautious when answering unsolicited phone calls. Never provide personal or financial information to unknown callers. Discuss this warning with family members, especially seniors, who may be more vulnerable to these scams.

The Montague County Sheriff’s Office is committed to protecting our community from fraud and scams. By staying informed and exercising caution, we can collectively combat these deceptive practices and prevent financial loss.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Bowie Police Department

Bowie Police also reported a possible warrant phone scam and posted this message on its Facebook page earlier in the week.

An individual contacted the Bowie Police Department and advised that he had received a phone call from one of our officers. The conversation stated that a warrant was obtained for his arrest and he needed to turn himself into the Montague County Sheriff’s office. This department has not been calling individuals and advising them of warrants. If you receive a call, contact us at 940-872-2251 to confirm if the call is legitimate.