NEWS
Wildfire Preparedness Day May 6
The National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) and State Farm® announce that Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (Preparedness Day) will be held on Saturday, May 6, 2023. The national campaign, which began in 2014, provides an opportunity for groups and individuals who live in wildfire-prone areas to come together on a single day to complete projects that can help make their homes and communities safer from wildfire. This year, the campaign is focused on what residents can do to help their home survive a wildfire.
Years of scientific research support the prescription of removing fuel sources from the area around the home – known as the “home ignition zone” – and is a key component to making a home safe from embers and radiant heat from wildfires. Simple, low-cost home improvement projects such as clearing dead leaves, debris, and pine needles from roofs and gutters, keeping lawns and native grasses mowed to a height of four inches, removing anything stored underneath decks or porches that could burn, and other similar actions are being actively supported by NFPA and State Farm on Preparedness Day and can be easily undertaken by the majority of homeowners.
“The threat of wildfire is becoming increasingly prevalent and dangerous, posting greater risks to people and property than ever before,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of Outreach and Advocacy. “In preparation for a future with more wildfire activity, homeowners need to understand their role and take action in reducing wildfire risk. We encourage people to use and share NFPA’s wildfire safety resources with others in their community to not only make a difference in safety on Preparedness Day, but all through the year as well.”
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, some 71.8 million properties in the U.S. are at some level of risk from wildfire. This number is predicted to grow by 11 percent over the next 30 years. In the past five years wildfires have destroyed nearly 63,000 structures, the majority of which were homes. This number is poised to grow as increased wildfire activity encounters the substantial number of homes and communities located in wildfire-prone areas.
For more information about Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, project ideas, and free resources to download and share, including a Preparedness Day toolkit, please visit wildfireprepday.org.
Bowie High School staff and students welcomed veterans for their annual tribute and breakfast on Veterans Day. Members of the FFA, Kyle Keeler and Rylan Cole folded the American flag as each fold was explained during the ceremony.
Newly elected members of the Saint Jo City Council will take the oath of office when they meet at 6 p.m. on Nov. 13 in city hall.
While the city did not conduct an election due to none of races being contested, new officers will include Mayor Kelly Williamson and returning Aldermen Colton Thomas and Melissa McPherson. A new mayor pro tem also will be elected and the mayor, mayor pro tem and one council member will be added to city financial accounts.
The majority of Wednesday’s meeting is reorganization with member changes to the economic development boards and other officers.
New appointments to the Saint Jo Economic Development Board 4A are: Amber Smith, president; Melissa McPherson, vice president; Kelly Bob Bayer, treasurer; and Jennifer Vogel, secretary. Smith and Bayer will be added to the board’s bank account signatures, while Carla Hennessey and Lucas Thompson will be removed.
Hennessey resigned from the boardin July and Thompson is no longer on the council. Debbie Dennis, city secretary, said these changes were made at the directive of the bank to have specific updated names for those who can sign documents.
Colton Shelton will be removed from the 4B board bank account.
Other topics
Beau Mauldin will make a request to place a tiny home on property located at 101 Katy Lake Road.
The council will discuss removing James Tidwell with Wolfe, Tidwell & McCoy as the city attorney and approve Zac Renfro of Reeves, Renfro Law Group as the new city attorney.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
While Montague County’s ban on outdoor burning expired, commissioners still urge residents to use caution.
Commissioner Mark Murphey in public comments told the court Tuesday while the burn ban has expired after its 90 days, people should still exercise extreme caution with burning. He urged any person doing major burns to call the sheriff’s office at 894-2871, ext. 1, to let them know.
In a brief post-holiday meeting Tuesday the Montague County Commissioners approved numerous routine items.
The court paid two invoices out of its American Rescue Plan federal funds for work on the sewer plant for the courthouse/annex complex. One bill is the permit fee of $620 from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. County Judge Kevin Benton said this will be an annual fee, which they will pay for with ARPA funds this year and budget it next year.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
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