NEWS
Tornado crosses Montague County, throttles Valley View
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The National Weather Service confirmed Monday the tornado that tracked through Montague County and into Cooke County Saturday night was an EF-2 with estimated peak winds of 135 mph; while the one that struck nearby Valley View in Collin County was an EF-3 with winds up to 165 mph.
While the emergency sirens came on three times in the City of Bowie Saturday evening, the community was spared any significant damage as the long-track tornado came east across the county. Nearby Clay County also had tornadoes spotted in the Windthorst area.
In Cooke County, the small community of Valley View, which is only 50 miles east of Bowie was hard hit. Cooke County Sheriff Ray Sappington reported on Sunday there’s “just a trail of debris left” in the town that lies along I-35 just south of Gainesville.
The sheriff said seven people were killed in this area including two children ages two and five in Valley View which only has a population of about 800. Two other children, ages 15 and nine were later confirmed to have also died. The bodies of three family members were found in one residence said Sappington.
Governor Greg Abbott in a Sunday news conference said at least 100 others were injured in the Valley View area and more than 200 homes and buildings were damaged along with 120 other structures in the area.
These powerful weekend storms left 15 people dead across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Another tornado tore through Denton County Saturday night damaging homes and knocking out power.
On Sunday the governor signed the state’s severe weather disaster declaration to add Denton, Montague, Cooke and Collin Counties, bringing the total number to 106. This tornado was rated an EF-3.
“As further assessments are made those death and damage numbers may increase. It has been a harrowing week with lives lost, property reduced to rubble and crushed hopes and dreams of those that owned homes or small businesses,” said Abbott.
The governor also encouraged those whose homes or businesses have been damaged to contact their insurance companies as soon as possible and to report damages at damage.tdem.texas.gov.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
Top Photo – Brad and Rebecca Largent captured this photo of the tornado near Windthorst Saturday on Deer Creek Road in Clay County on FM 1883. They said it was about eight miles from their home.
National Weather Service Fort Worth TX
12:24 PM CDT Tue Jun 25, 2024
Counties Included: MONTAGUE-Young-Jack-Wise-Stephens-Palo Pinto-Parker-Eastland-Erath-Hood-Somervell-Comanche-Mills-Hamilton-Bosque-Lampasas-Coryell
Cities Included: Meridian, Jacksboro, Ranger, De Leon, Eastland, Granbury, Goldthwaite, Dublin, Mineral Wells, Breckenridge, Gorman, Comanche, Bridgeport, Valley Mills, Olney, Glen Rose, Decatur, Oak Trail Shores, Graham, Lampasas, Hamilton, Hico, Gatesville, Copperas Cove, Weatherford, Cisco, NOCONA, Stephenville, Clifton, Briar, and BOWIE
…HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY…
* WHAT…Heat index values up to 109.
* WHERE…A portion of north central Texas.
* WHEN…Until 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY.
* IMPACTS…Hot temperatures and high humidity will increase the
risk for heat-related illnesses to occur, particularly for those
working or participating in outdoor activities.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
> Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives/neighbors. Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.
> Take extra precautions when outside. Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing. Try to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening.
> Take action when you see symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location. Heat stroke is an emergency!
Call 9 1 1.
Montague County Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. on June 24 to consider a variety of agenda topics.
The Montague County Tax Appraisal District will present it 2024-25 budget proposal. The county is part of the appraisal portion of the operation where costs are shared among all the taxing entities across Montague County.
Sealed bids for base rock #1 and #2, oversize and chip rock will be opened, along with bids for installation of a back-
up generator for the courthouse annex.
The court could approve the 2025 plan year Texas Association of Counties Health and Employee Benefits plan renewal.
Two line-item budget adjustments will be offered both in precinct one from the sale of property and refunds. Both will move into gravel.
Precinct one also will seek authority to go into the David Steadham property on Berry Road to correct the drainage issue. Commissioner Roy Darden also will ask for a road use agreement with Fortissimo Storage, LLC for a property in precinct one.
An agreement for sign language interpreting services between the county and Hired Hands Inc., will be considered.
A budget workshop is the final topic as elected and departmental officials are invited to present their budget request for the next fiscal year.
Members of the Bowie City Council will discuss the power cost recovery factor of the electric rate, review the appraisal district budget proposal and examine an economic development project for creating new and expanding jobs.
The council will meet in regular session at 6 p.m. on June 24.
In closed executive session the council will hear about an economic development negotiation related to jobs and infrastructure upgrade requirement. Any action would be taken back in open session.
City Manager Bert Cunningham will discuss the power cost recovery factor and his recommendations on a possible increase to help the city recover a portion of the ongoing hikes in the factor. The PCRF is the variable portion of the wholesale power costs and changes as needed based on factors in the wholesale market which can include the cost of natural gas, the fuel that powers most electric generation in the state.
Earlier this year the city manager recommended an .0111 cent increase that would run just under $9 a month for the basic residential customer. For example, the average customer uses 800 kilowatt hours of power each month and with that factor the increase would be $8.88 more a month.
See the rest of the story in your weekend Bowie News.
-
NEWS2 years ago2 hurt, 1 jailed after shooting incident north of Nocona
-
NEWS7 months agoSuspect indicted, jailed in Tia Hutson murder
-
NEWS1 year agoSO investigating possible murder/suicide
-
NEWS1 year agoWreck takes the life of BHS teen, 16
-
NEWS11 months agoMurder unsolved – 1 year later Tia Hutson’s family angry, frustrated with no arrest
-
NEWS1 year ago
Sheriff’s office called out to infant’s death
-
NEWS1 year agoBowie Police face three-hour standoff after possible domestic fight
-
NEWS2 years ago
Driver stopped by a man running into the street, robbed at knifepoint