By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
As Montague County’s active cases of Coronavirus continue to rise county officials are being bombarded from both ends of the spectrum with citizens wanting more restrictions and others wanting less.
On Dec. 7 the commissioner’s court appointed Dr. Chance Dingler as the new county health authority replacing Dr. Delbert McCaig who at the time was hospitalized with COVID-19.
Montague County Judge Kevin Benton said Monday his office continues to field phone calls and emails from citizens concerned about the status of the virus and efforts to protect residents. It has been an ongoing battle since the pandemic started in regards to mask mandates and business restrictions.
Initially the governor’s executive orders related to business closures and recommendations to wear masks drew fire from all sides. However, the orders do not provide specific directives, for example, about mask wearing. Some counties and cities have instituted their own regulations, but Montague County has continued to stay with the governor’s orders which have no real enforcement power.
“I am getting questions from both ends of the spectrum,” said Benton on Monday. “I have folks who are angry because people are not wearing a mask and those angry when they are asked to wear one.”

Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.