NEWS
New alert system goes live in Bowie
The City of Bowie has initiated a new community alert system that went live on Oct. 3.
Kirk Higgins, city emergency management coordinator, explains with this system a citizen inside the city limits can select the alerts they wish to receive whether it be community events or severe weather alerts and how to receive those for example on a cell phone.
Announcements might include the dates for a festival or news about a broken water main. It also automatically sends national severe weather alerts for tornadoes or storms.
“While it is similar to what the county provides, it is easier to use and allows you to update it when you want,” said Higgins.
The subscriber can set the alerts or messages to come in a phone call, text message, email or through Alexa.
Those preferences can be changed at any time in the future. Higgins said one of the great features is being able to narrow down a specific area of the city for an alert, for example, a broken water main impacting a five-block area in town. Alerts could go out just to those in the impact area not to everyone in the system.
“It can be tailored to whatever we need by simply drawing a box on a map of the city, which creates a lot of options,” said the coordinator.
Community announcements will include utility outages, wildfires, floods, public health alerts and criminal activity.
Community events could include Jim Bowie Days, Chicken and Bread Days, Second Monday and other similar items.
This service is provided free of charge to the residents of Bowie. Higgins added if you reside outside the city, but work inside the city you could use the work address to receive alerts that impact that area. Citizens can sign up at hyper-reach.com/txcityofbowiesignup.html, call or text 940-531-9400. For an Alexa, the citizens asks it to enable hyper-reach.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Montague County Commissioner’s Court reluctantly returned money to the state connected to Senate Bill 22 in fiscal 2024.
During Monday’s regular session, County Auditor Charley Lanier explained the three transactions. SB 22 provided funding for prosecutor offices to assist with paying staff, and in the sheriff’s office for staff and equipment.
If all the money was not spent it had to be returned. Lanier explained the fund was approved in 2024, but it arrived after the fiscal year began and commissioners did not want to spend any of until the funds actually arrived in county coffers.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
The Saint Jo City Council had a brief meeting on June 17.
The 2026-27 budgets for appraisal and tax collections from the Montague County Tax Appraisal District were approved. The tax collection budget faces a 3.71% increase and 2.2% in the appraisal budget.
The city’s payment for tax collections will go from $1,305 for the year down slightly from $1,445 last year. The appraisal portion for Saint Jo will be $9,526, up from $9,361 in 2026.
A municipal election for Nov. 3 was called. Places open on the ballot will be mayor, and the places filled by Melissa McPherson and Jack Dunn, who was appointed to fill out a term.
The council approved a resolution to apply for grants for water infra structure improvements through the Texas Water Development Board. The city is working with engineers from Corlett, Probst and Boyd of Wichita Falls on a proposed project.
The 60th anniversary Jim Bowie Days Celebration opened on June 20th with a full day of activities focusing on sports and a barbecue cookoff.
Festivities continue throughout the week highlight by rodeo, youth rodeo, kid’s activities and Pioneer Court. The second annual Smokedown BBQ Cookout began on Friday night with the steak and beans contests. Three other categories for chicken ribs and brisket followed on Saturday. There were 27 teams, four more than last year.
Conducted by Outlaw BBQ, the grand champion was Vinny McNamara, with 36 points. Steve Cumbie was reserve grand champion with 26 points.
Read about all the weekend’s winners complete with many photos in your Thursday Bowie News.
Top photo – The first annual pickleball tourney drew 17 teams. Teams greet each other before they start play (Photo by Barbara Green0
-
NEWS3 years agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS4 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS3 years agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS3 years agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS3 years agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
Show us something good9 years agoCountry music star children perform in Bowie
-
NEWS3 years ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
100th Birthday4 years agoLooking back at the 1958 Centennial edition of The Bowie News