It’s here, the first day of winter marked by the winter solstice at 4:21 a.m. on Dec. 21.
The winter solstice is the day with the fewest hours of sunlight throughout the year, making it the “shortest day” of the year. Thankfully, after the winter solstice the days begin to grow longer and longer again and until the summer solstice, the first day of summer and the longest day of the year

While many eagerly wait for the Christmas holidays to spend time with friends and family, with all the merriment, it can become a whirl of parties, shopping and cooking. But as much as you are looking forward to the holidays, so are the bad guys. Don’t let them burst your Christmas bubble.
According to the FBI December and January recorded the most burglaries in 2023. While home thefts happen all year round, police says thieves focus on crimes of opportunity.
There were more than 70,000 burglaries at homes across the nation last December, more than any other month of the year. Bowie Police Chief Guy Green say steps to secure you home can be as simple as parking a car in the driveway or leaving your lights on. Some police departments can perform vacation checks , all it requires is filling out a request form at the Bowie Police Department.
A Security.org survey noted that 49 million Americans, nearly 19% have had at least one package stolen in the past 12 months. Some 36% of U.S. adults surveyed say they’ve sent a package somewhere other than their home address, another 54% said they changed plans in order to receive a package in person and nearly seven in 10 said they weren’t willing to change up their online holiday shopping habits in face of package theft.
Green said the number one problem is porch pirates as shopping online sends packages daily to people’s homes.
“The best thing to do it have them delivered where someone is present to bring it in or to an office. Also make sure you vehicles are locked all the time and do not leave purses, wallets or gifts in open view,” explained the chief.

See the full story in the weekend Bowie News.

The Wichita Falls Area Food Bank continues to fight hunger in Bowie and across the 12-county area in North Texas where more than 39,000 individuals including 1 in 4 children struggle with hunger. In Montague County, 3,490 neighbors struggle to put food on their tables.
The WFAFB operates a network of 92 partner organizations. A Partnership with the Bowie Mission helps alleviate hunger and creates a safety net for families and seniors.
Every contribution, no matter how big or small, plays a significant role in feeding hungry neighbors.You are invited to get involved whether by volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word.
Visit wfafb.org or call 940-766-2322 to learn more.