NEWS
Friday the 13th origins are varied
The number 13 is widely considered unlucky, so much so that certain buildings do not list a thirteenth floor. It’s hard to avoid 13 when it makes up a day each and every month, and even more so when the 13th falls on a Friday.
Every year people are treated to at least one Friday the 13th on the Gregorian calendar, but some years there can be as many as three such days. It is difficult to pinpoint when superstitions surrounding Friday the 13th first came to be, but it may have something to do with Christianity.
The New York Historical Society says the unlucky connotations may be traced back to The Last Supper. In attendance were 13 people: Jesus as well as his 12 apostles (one of whom betrayed him). The following day (Friday) Jesus was crucified. Superstitions cropped up among Christians that a table of 13 “courted death” and that having 13 people around a table or in a group was unlucky, according to the BBC.
The number 12 often is seen as a sign of completion. The 12 months of the year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 apostles, 12 days of Christmas, and 12 gods of Olympus perhaps bolster that reputation. That belief may have given rise to foods being sold in multiples of 12, as in a dozen doughnuts. Thirteen is then incomplete.
Friday also has a reputation for being unlucky. It was said to be the day Eve gave Adam the apple from the Tree of Knowledge as well as the day Cain killed his brother, Abel.
The Christian connection is not the only potential source of superstition surrounding the unlucky nature of 13. History.com says the ancient Code of Hammurabi reportedly omitted a 13th law from its list of legal rules. Also, National Public Radio says the Knights Templar were condemned on a Friday the 13th.
Although there are many past examples of when Friday and the number 13 have been linked to potential bad luck, word of mouth also may have contributed to this unfortunate relationship. Things have a tendency to be misremembered, which is known as the “Mandela Effect.” It is possible someone misremembered or incorrectly indicated that Friday the 13th was unlucky, and then it has since been remembered that way.
Thirteen is not always considered unlucky. Prior to World War I, the French traditionally considered 13 a lucky number. In Italy, 13 was the lucky number in football pools. The Italian expression “fare tredici” meant “to hit the jackpot” and is translated as “make thirteen.” Also, Colgate University has long considered 13 a lucky number, as the school was founded by 13 men with 13 dollars, 13 prayers and 13 articles.
Friday the 13th next falls in December 2024, potentially leaving the superstitious on edge.
The Montague County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about an increase in sophisticated scams involving individuals falsely claiming to be law enforcement officers. These criminals use fear, intimidation, and urgency to convince victims to send money through cryptocurrency
kiosks, Bitcoin ATMs, or digital wallets.
Scammers often identify themselves as deputies, investigators, or federal law enforcement officers and falsely claim the victim has an outstanding warrant, failed to appear for jury duty, or is involved in an ongoing criminal investigation. Victims are then instructed to make an immediate payment using cryptocurrency to avoid arrest or resolve the alleged issue.
The Montague County Sheriff’s Office reminds the public:
We will never demand payment over the telephone.
Deputies will never instruct anyone to pay fines, bonds, or fees using cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, gift cards, or wire transfers.
Legitimate law enforcement agencies do not threaten immediate arrest if payment is not made
over the phone.
Scammers frequently “spoof” official phone numbers, making calls appear to come from
legitimate government agencies or law enforcement offices.
If you receive one of these calls:
Hang up immediately.
Do not provide personal or financial information.
Do not send cryptocurrency or any other form of payment.
Contact the Montague County Sheriff’s Office using a verified telephone number to report the
incident or verify the caller’s claims.
Anyone who believes they have been targeted or victimized by this scam is encouraged to contact the
Montague County Sheriff’s Office immediately. Prompt reporting can assist investigators and help prevent additional victims.
The sheriff’s office is available at 894-2871.
Press release provided by the Montague County Sheriff’s office.
Montague County Commissioners will meet at 9 a.m. on July 13.
Items on the agenda include the following: Approve bond for deputy clerk tax assessor-collector; reappoint Jan Ward to the Helen Farabee Center Board; approve line-item budget adjustment of $6,650 from election judges to election supplies for the purchase of a NeuraScanner; approve election judges, alternates and clerks for 2026-27 election year; consider enrollment with the Texas Association of Counties certified AI course; consider naming a private road Berkley Lane off of Farm-to-Market 1655; replat in precinct four and final plat for Twin Acres subdivision; review sealed bid for base rock and budget workshop for fiscal 2026-27.
Members of the Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on July 14 in regular session.
The city manager’s report from Bert Cunningham opens the meeting.
He will report on the Coffield to Roberts Streets waterline; budget preparation; status of the Texas Water Development Board grant application and a new water line on Session Street from Coffield to Roberts.
In new business, the council will consider a medical access and service advantage program, an ordinance calling the Nov. 3 election and an amendment to the finance department’s cash handling policy.
The city manager will make the presentation of the proposed 2026-27 budget, followed by setting a public hearing and budget workshop.
In old business, there will be the second reading of an ordinance updating the office of emergency management along with an update on an agreement for automatic aid assistance between the City of Bowie Fire Department, Sunset Volunteer Fire Department and Bowie Rural Volunteer Fire Department.
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