NEWS
Burn ban extended for county; budget draft finalized
By BARBARA GREENeditor@bowienewsonline.comMontague County Commissioners went through their 2023-24 budget office by office during a called workshop Monday finalizing a draft proposal that will officially be voted on during the Aug. 14 meeting. The public hearing and vote on the budget will take place on Aug. 28. The court also extended the emergency burn 90 days after the initial seven-day order initiated by County Judge Kevin Benton last week. All outdoor burning in the unincorporated areas of Montague County are prohibited due to the dry and hot conditions continuing across Texas. Violations of the burn ban can lead to a $500 ticket. During the weekend local firefighters were kept busy at grass fires across the area. Friday night about 60 acres burned in the North Field area outside of Nocona. Another fire occurred on Yowell Road on Sunday burning about 65 acres. See the related box for all the specifics about what is allowed during the burn ban for outdoor cooking and welding.
Budget review
Judge Benton offered the court a draft that included many of the primary items its members asked for early in the process including a raise for employees and funding what is needed. Based on the proposal a tentative tax rate would be .5017 cents per $100 in property values, a .0019 below the present tax rate of .5036. The court approved a $5,000 across-the-board raise per employee. Commissioner Bob Langford said they want to try and do whatever they can for the employees and this is a significant increase.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
A bubble truck began the 2025 Bowie Public Library’s summer reading program, “Color Our World,” with free programs continuing through July 22.
Summer reading is open to children ages 0-12 and these free programs will be at the Bowie Community Center at 10 a.m. every Tuesday in June and July excluding July 1. Children will be given a reading log to bring with them to each program. Each child also receives a book at the end of the series.
June will be filled with artsy projects. On June 10 there will be bubble painting and baking soda painting and June 17, noodle and pom picture frame art. On June 24 they will make beaded wind chimes.
July 1 will have movie day at the library. This is the only program not to be at the community center.
July 8 enjoy fruit loop sand art, followed by a glow in the dark paint party with Alicia Betts on July 15. The summer reading series concludes with the popular Creature Teacher bringing a variety of animals for all to enjoy on July 11.
Former 97th District Attorney Casey Hall has filed an appeal in her May 13 conviction for misuse of Montague County grant funds.
The appeal was filed with the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth on May 15, the day after her sentencing where the jury found her guilty of misapplication of fiduciary property and theft by a public servant. The trial had been moved on a change of venue.
On May 14 Hall’s sentence was decided by the same jury and it sentenced her to one year in state jail for the misapplication charge and six years probation for theft by a public servant.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Following approval of the Bowie City Council this past week for construction of new pickle ball courts at Pelham Park, the countdown to a public hearing and the bid process begins.
Ward Wallace, chairman of the 4B Economic Development Corporation, made the presentation to the city council outlining the proposal to build four covered courts in an area west of the Bowie Knife and south of the soccer fields. Along with the courts there will be parking and a portion of the walking trail will be redone. All the new additions also will be handicap accessible.
The 4B board’s request was to spend up to $1.2 million of 4B sales tax funds for the entire project, however, Wallace said they did not anticipate it would be that high as the estimates are running around $880,000.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
The red outlined portion on the lower right of the map shows the future location of the pickleball courts near the Bowie Knife. (Courtesy 4B Board)
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