NEWS
Man arrested for arson at new home in Bowie
A 43-year-old Whitesboro man has been arrested in connection with a fire that damaged a newly built home in Bowie Wednesday morning.
City of Bowie firefighters responded to the fire shortly after 7 a.m. on Aug. 3. Construction of the new home was recently completed by Rojelio Aranda and Thomas Rivera.
The fire appeared to be contained to the attic as smoke could be seen coming through the vents. A neighbor was outside wetting down his own roof with a water hose as a precaution if the fire began to spread.
Nikki Jones looked on as firefighters went in and out of what was going to be her new house she was set to close on that very day.
Fire officials indicated the fire may have done some structural damage and the ceiling had to be taken down, but they felt it could be repaired. There was no furniture inside to have been damaged by smoke.
Lt. Randy Hanson said the initial investigation pointed to arson, and he moved forward with obtaining an arrest warrant for a possible suspect, Glen Allen Jones, Whitesboro. He also is the ex-husband to the pending owner. Hanson did not want to elaborate on the details of the arson as the investigation is ongoing.
Hanson coordinated with the Grayson County Sheriff’s staff and Jones was arrested on the city warrant on Thursday. He was transported to the Montague County Jail on Friday morning where he faces a complaint of first-degree arson with a $75,000 bond. As of 1 p.m. Friday he remained in jail.
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Montague County Commissioners wrapped up a few items before the end of the year as they met on Dec. 23.
Grant Coordinator Charley Lanier asked the court to go ahead and obligate $276,961.84 from the American Rescue Funds to complete the new wastewater treatment plant that will serve the courthouse complex.
He explained Dec. 30 is the last date where grant funds can be obligated, and he did not expect any issues since this project had already been approved in court using ARPA funds, he called it a “safety net,” to avoid any problem and possible return of the funds to the federal government.
Montague County has about $276,961.84 in grant funds which has not been allocated.
The court gave approval on the request.
Lanier also asked the court to apply for a grant for a tire cutter. Funded through the Nortex Regional Planning Commission and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the application will ask for $26,865 to purchase a larger gas-powered cutter on a trailer, which can be moved around for use. It would cut the larger tires into four pieces, which would be allowed into a landfill. Lanier said if the cutter comes through the county would need to obtain a permit for its use from TCEQ, which he added should not be an issue.
Commissioner Mark Murphey said he picks up more tires abandoned on the county roads than he disposes of at his own yard, adding he probably has 500 at his yard. The court gave approval to apply for this competitive grant.
The remainder of Monday’s brief meeting were year-end items. Bonds for the justice of the peace one, county clerk, county attorney, district attorney, sheriff, commissioner three and constable two were accepted.
A cooperative agreement with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the county was approved, along with a license and services agreement with Local Government Solutions to provide software for both justice of the peace officers. The county attorney’s Chapter 59 Asset Forfeiture report was presented with no new seizures or forfeiture.
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