NEWS
Montague County loses its mask exemption due to active cases topping 20
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Montague County residents were able to avoid the governor’s mask mandate for almost two months, but the active COVID-19 cases pushed past the 20-case limit mid-week eliminating the county’s exemption from wearing masks in public locations. As of Friday active cases were at 31.
County Judge Kevin Benton released a letter announcing the change on Wednesday. He stated there were multiple positive tests reported Tuesday which, when added to the previous cases brings the total number of active cases well above the 20 count limit.
“As per Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-29, the county no longer falls under the exemption for face coverings. The governor’s order states all counties which are unable to affirmatively opt out of the face covering requirement shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public or when in an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six-feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household,” states the letter.
Along with the mask requirement, business occupancy rates were reduced from 75 percent back to 50 percent. This applies to all businesses in Montague County.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
NEWS
Bowie Council meets June 23
The Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on June 23.
The agenda includes both old and new business items.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will make his report on the 2026-27 budget process, bid opening for the Glenn Hills lift station on July 16 and the bid for Rock and Pillar repairs.
In new business a pair of planning and zoning committee recommendations for replats at 107 E. Nelson and 412 Green will be reviewed. An ordinance adopting an office of emergency management amending a present ordinance will be offered.
Old business will see the second reading of the pickleball court reservation fee ordinance and the ordinance prohibiting drilling and mining or the reopening of an abandoned well or mine in any public park in the city limits.
NEWS
City of Bowie reports heat advisory today
A HEAT ADVISORY will be in effect from noon until 9 p.m. today (Thursday). Please plan accordingly.
Hear Audio Alert:https://hrpow.us/oeFZANN
NEWS
Sheriff confirms human remains found in Sunset area
Montague County Sheriff Marshall Thomas has confirmed human skeletal remains were recovered on June 13 in the Sunset area, and they could possibly be those of a flight attendant believed to have been murdered almost a year ago in the Fort Worth.
The murder suspect, Dennis William Day, 66, admitted in June 2025 to strangling Rana Soluri, 47, an Envoy flight attendant who lived with Day during that last year. She was reported missing by a co-worker on June 11 and had not been seen or heard from since March 2025.
Day initially denied any involvement, but later admitted to the murder and indicated he dumped her body somewhere in the Montague County area. Lawmen have scoured the areas in questions in both Montague and Wise County, but found nothing.
Sheriff Thomas said on June 13 the SO received a call of possible skeletal remains in the Brushy Creek area north of Poss Dyer Lane on Farm-to-Market 1749. A deputy went to the scene and confirmed it was human remains.
Investigators responded and kept the scene secure overnight until staff from the University of North Texas Forensic Anthropology Center could arrive and made the recovery on June 14. A Texas Ranger and staff from the Fort Worth Police Department also were on scene.
“There is no determination made yet on how long it has been there,” said Thomas. “The anthropologist was pleased to recover most of the skeleton in these conditions. Heavy rains previously made the past searches difficult. We are working jointly with Fort Worth to make an identification and if it is the victim in their homicide.”
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