COUNTY LIFE
New district judge staying true to her small-town roots
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
At a young age, Trish Coleman Byars’ mother told her “head-strong” daughter she should be a lawyer so she could learn how to “professionally argue.”
While her original career goal was to join the FBI, once she got to law school she knew she had found her passion in the challenging world of the law.
Trish Coleman Byars was appointed in late July by Gov. Greg Abbott to serve out the remaining term of retired 97th District Judge Jack McGaughey. The ensuing weeks have been chaotic as she gets to know the offices and people with whom she now works.
Country girl
The 44-year-old grew up in Clay County attending and graduating from the Midway schools. All of her family is from Archer County. Her mother’s family were dairy farmers in Windthorst and her father’s family were ranchers in Archer City. Her father worked as a foreman at the Seinsenbarger Ranch in Clay County. Byars is definitely a country girl.
At the smaller school, students took part in all sports, basketball was her favorite, and she showed pigs at the county show. While growing up she thought she was “disadvantaged” because her school didn’t have band, football or volleyball. Like most country kids, she just knew her future would be living in a big city.
When she had to work cattle she recalls putting her hand on her hip and complaining she would not have to do that again once she got out of there. Unfortunately, the gripe often sent her to the dairy farm where it was hard to milk three times a day. Today she feels blessed to come from a family of hard workers.
“I graduated from Midway with seven people, five of us went to school together kindergarten-graduation. We were like brothers and sisters and we still stay in touch. It’s hard to have a prom when your date is like a brother, but it was the best blessing ever,” laughed the judge.
At her swearing-in ceremony, there were many old friends present, as well as her first-grade teacher, which was very special.
“I always say they are who I am, they are the reason I am where I am. I want to keep my boys in a small school so they can experience that. They go to Windthorst because they have football and we are big sports people. God knew what he was doing when he gave me boys. I am rooted in that community,” she explained.
Read the full feature on the new district judge in your weekend Bowie News.
Today is the first day of spring. In 2025, the March equinox happens on March 20 at 5:01 A.M. EDT. This falls on a Thursday and is the astronomical beginning of the spring season in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumn season in the Southern Hemisphere.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the spring equinox (also called the March equinox or vernal equinox across the globe) occurs when the Sun crossesthe celestial equator going south to north. It’s called the celestial equator because it’s an imaginary line in the sky above Earth’s equator. Imagine standing on the equator; the Sun would pass directly overhead on its way north.
On the March equinox, the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere receive roughly equal amounts of sunlight; neither hemisphere is tilted more toward or away from the Sun than the other.
Although in most locations (the North Pole and the equator being exceptions), the amount of daylight had been increasing each day after the winter solstice—and after the spring equinox, many places will experience more daylight than darkness in each 24-hour day. The amount of daylight each day will continue to increase until the summer solstice (in June) when the longest period of daylight occurs.
Information from the Farmer’s Almanac
Economic and community development representatives from across the nation participated in the Texas Community Development Institute March 5-6. Among those completing the Advanced course was Cindy Roller, Bowie Community Development executive director.
Roller was in the 2025 class among 26 in the Advanced class with over 100 attendees overall attending. She has officially completed years 1-3 in the CDI curriculum.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
Spring arrives this week and it is time to start thinking about sprucing up the house and yard. Find tips and deals in The Bowie News Home and Garden section inside today’s edition.
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