COUNTY LIFE
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Neva Cozart may be a fifth-generation educator, but she recalls it was never her intent to follow that path. It was a realization about her own children that led her to the classroom.
Her 31 years of elementary teaching have all been at Prairie Valley School, and they came to an end as she retired this past week.
With so many teachers in her family, it seemed a foredrawn conclusion she would come to school. Her mother, Helen Ferguson, coached at Nocona and PV and taught at Saint Jo and PV. She also taught other subjects and after she retired taught homebound.
“She taught until she couldn’t,” recalls her daughter. “She was the middle of seven children and all but one was an educator, the only boy was a professor at Perdue University, while the others were first-middle school teachers and principals. I never dreamed of being a teacher. I got the retired teacher scholarship and completed my basics, then I didn’t know what was next.”
Read the full story in mid-week Bowie News.
Bowie Community Development presented awards to the window decoration contest during the Candy Cane Sip & Stroll. Gaylynn Burris of the BCDB presented Rustic Wings/Belle Rose Boutique with the first place award. Second place went to Rustic Rose Furniture and Treasures. Studio 81 Tattoos and Hwy 59 Boutique were third and fourth place winners. The contest is sponsored by Bowie Community Development.
See photos of all the winners in the weekend Bowie News.
Jan. 1, 2025 is the first day of a new elected term for many Montague County officials. There will be a swearing-in ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 in the courthouse annex.
The public is invited to attend with refreshments to follow.
Officials being sworn in are: Sheriff Marshall Thomas, County Attorney, Commissioner One Roy Darden, Commissioner Three Mark Murphey, Constables Jerry DeMoss and Harvey Johnson and Tax Assessor Kathy Phillips.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Captain Kent Stagg of the Bowie Police Department recalls a friend told him, “I was a cop before I was cop” looking back to a childhood where he always played the cop for cops and robbers, and his bicycle had a siren.
It makes him smile as he recalls being something of a “geek” who always knew he was going to be a lawman. More than 30 years later as he retires from a career in law enforcement, including the past 20 at Bowie PD, he looks back on a life of service in the only career he wanted.
At the age of 56, Stagg ends this part of his working career on Dec. 31, but he is looking forward to new opportunities and spending time with his dad, Lowell, who has battled some significant health issues in the last year, but is doing much better ready to enjoy time with his son.
Stagg grew up in Alvord the adopted son of Lowell and the late Wanda Stagg, who passed in October 2022. He graduated from Alvord High in 1986 and spent much of his teen years running around Bowie. Lowell worked as a purchasing agent for Southland Corporation in Dallas. This veteran lawman had various influences when he was growing up including friends and family who were in law enforcement.
“I think just seeing the officers in their uniforms and being around them brought home to me the notion of what the police did. I watched all the TV cop shows and they were entertaining but maybe not true,” recalls Stagg.
Read the full feature in your weekend Bowie News.
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NEWS2 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
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NEWS1 year agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
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NEWS2 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
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NEWS2 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
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NEWS1 year agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
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Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
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NEWS2 years ago
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