NEWS
City of Bowie sees massive damage from Friday night’s storm believed to be tornado
Shortly after 8 p.m. Friday night a storm believed to be a tornado, swept through Bowie causing massive damage through downtown and in the south side of town.
Emergency responders from all over the county converged on the Bowie to help rescue people who were pinned in their home from collapsed roofs or where trees had fallen into their homes. Power was out across the city and while it came up for parts of the city around 4 a.m. it was out again after 6 a.m.
Bowie Police Chief Guy Green said Saturday morning as far as they know there have been no major injuries or fatalities. Citizens are urged to check in with friends and family to make sure they are safe and accounted for.
City officials were already meeting with state emergency management officials early Saturday to initiate a response.
Mayor Gaylynn Burris said early estimates show at least 50 businesses damaged and at least that many houses. She expects that number to escalate.
Here are are some preliminary basics:
National Weather Service personnel were expected Saturday to examine the storm damage and make a determination if it actually was a tornado.
The Texas Department of Emergency Management is in the city helping coordinate activities. They are sending instant management teams who will help coordinate things like removing debris.
Bryan Texas Utilities is sending six crews to assist electric crews to restore power. The initial estimate has about 400 power poles damaged. People on the south side of town are not expected to have power within the next 48 hours at least due to the damage.
Debris – Citizens are asked to place there debris such as tree limbs at the curbside near the street and they will be collected.
Lake Amon Carter is closed. The lake is at 926.04, more than six feet above full level.
A press conference is planned for Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
With just 10 days left until the May 4 school bond election, Bowie Independent School District officials made a final push this week to get information out to the public.
The district conducted two town hall meetings at different times on April 24 and took part in a virtual town hall the day before. There were almost 40 people attending, which is more than all the town hall meetings conducted during the October vote. Another 12-15 attended a noontime meeting.
Superintendent Blake Enlow went through a powerpoint outlining the bond proposal and then took questions. The same bond plan failed last November 1,079 to 855.
The plan includes the following projects: A new intermediate school for grades three to five, built at the corner of Rock and Tarrant. The existing junior high is overcapacity and due to age is Texas Education Agency non-compliant.
The 100-plus year old building will be repurposed for offices and staff development. The existing BJH gyms will be maintained for community use. The new intermediate will handle 600 students and include a storm shelter, ballistic rated entrance glazing and keep student traffic away from the street.
The junior high students would move to the existing intermediate after renovations. There will be a dedicated sixth grade wing, a renovated ag science facility and a new weight room and fieldhouse. The old classrooms, gym and locker would be renovated. The school also would include storm shelter areas, ballistic glazing and keep students away from the street.
The existing elementary campus will receive a new bus lane and covered pick-up and drop-off areas, as well as new staff and visitor parking that allows for safe walking to the entry. The existing high school will have a new weight room which it does not have now, plus new restrooms at the baseball/softball fields with a handicap parking area.
Citizens asked questions about how the plan was developed and how the costs figures were calculated.
Read the full story and citizens questions in the weekend Bowie News.
Pictured above: Superintendent Blake Enlow talks to citizens at a bond election town hall meeting Thursday night.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Bowie City Manager Bert Cunningham presented a lengthy monthly report to the city council Monday night updating the group on the various building projects and program grant applications.
The council has not met since March 11 due to a lack of action items, so there was a lot to catch up with.
City Manager report
Nelson Street project – Cunningham said the project is proceeding well. Downstream of the bridge the contractor is about to pour concrete into the creek to maintain the water flow. The main streets also are being cleared of debris so they will be ready for the pending concrete pour.
Right now the biggest obstacle is the unfinished drop box at the intersection of Mill and Nelson. In flux for the last couple of months, the engineer is requiring the contractor remove the drop box because the dirt under the structure was not compaction tested as required by the contract.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
The final two days of early voting for the May 4 school bond elections in Bowie and Forestburg will be April 29-30, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Bowie Senior Citizens Center.
Sample ballots are available on the county website at co.montague.tx.us, click on the elections tab. As of 2 p.m. Thursday the total was 741 for early voting for both districts’
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