NEWS
Panama Canal could boost coastal prosperity to Texas
By BARBARA GREEN
On June 26 a 984-foot Chinese container ship cleared the new massive locks of the Panama Canal becoming the first to officially pass through the expanded canal and sparking what what many are calling “a new dawn” for Panama and global shipping.
For those of us landlocked in North Texas one may wonder what the expansion of the 102-year-old canal means to our small bit of the Lone Star state.
Organized efforts are underway to help Texas ports and infrastructure get ready to be a major player in this new world of global shipping. Tex-21 Transportation Excellence for the 21st Century is spearheading a multi-faceted approach driving an opportunity for Texas to make its Gulf Coast the “third coast” as a major importer and exporter of goods.
That diverse approach includes not only creating ports that can accept the newer mega-ships, but infrastructure where cargo can be moved across the country and to the ports, state highways and rail line. Tex-21 was formed 12 years ago by a handful of public officials seeking ways to improve transportation.
City of Bowie Mayor Larry Slack recently was invited to talk about his city at a Tex-21 meeting in Decatur. Mayors from Grapeland, Decatur and Rhome also spoke.
Slack said the focus in north Texas is the future designation and development of U.S. Highway 287 as an interstate highway.
Read the full story in the weekend News.
Members of the Bowie City Council will face a brief agenda when they meet at 6 p.m. on Oct. 13 in the council chambers.
Following routine reports and consent agenda items, the council will consider a resolution authorizing submission of the city’s 2027/2028 Texas Community Development Block Grant application to the Texas Department of Agriculture.
Then council members will consider approving Bob Blackburn for appointment as a reserve police officer with the Bowie Police Department.
Following an executive session, the council will discuss and potentially take action regarding the annual employment evaluations and duties of both the City Secretary and the Municipal Court Judge.
After nearly three months of no rain, Mother Nature brought the showers this past week.
Downtown Bowie rain reports varied from 7 to 8 inches, while the Saint Jo area reported a 10-inch total. The city water plant in Bowie reported 5.55 inches on Sept. 30 with 1.6 Oct. 1-3.
Nocona saw a total of 6.31 inches of rain across Sept. 26 to Oct. 3.
On Oct. 6, Lake Amon G. Carter saw a level of 917.39 mean sea level rising to 81.31% full. Just one week earlier the lake was 73.6% full, while one year ago it was 94.01%. The lake is full at 920msl.
Lake Nocona was 73.7% full at 823.02 on Oct 6. One week earlier it was 70.41% full and one year ago it was 92.41%. The lake is full at 827.5 msl.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
One Montague County City has joined the battle against any data centers being built in this county and there is a petition drive underway to urge the commissioner’s court to keep data centers out of Montague County.
At a Sept. 28 called meeting of the Saint Jo City Council, officials unanimously approved a resolution stating its opposition to the “siting, permitting, construction or operation of data centers and similar hyperscale computing facilities within the city limits or the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.”
City Secretary Debbie Dennis said several citizens approached Councilor Jack Dunn about their data center concerns and he helped prepare a resolution. The council gave unanimous support.
Read the full story in your Thursday Bowie News.
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