Water was off Wednesday morning as the City of Bowie public works crew replaced a fire hydrant at the corner of Walnut and Matthews. (Photo by Barbara Green)

Congratulations to Leighton and Stephanie Groves, 1510 N. Matthews, the first spring winner of Yard of the Month for April.
The couple has put a lot of work into the property in which they moved in November 2021. Leighton says his wife has the “green thumb,” but they share the work to do it all about 50/50. Along with a lovely front porch and yard, the family has created a cute cottage garden in the back yard full of flowers, vegetables and herbs in raised beds, anchored by a picnic table with lights all surrounded by a picket fence to keep out their two large dogs, two geese and a bevy of chickens.
There were two yards in the city limits that were nominated including the winner and 800 Bennett. Two more were submitted, but were located outside the city limit.
The opening month has been hard on residences with lots of rain and sunshine making it hard to keep up with the mowing. As the season settles down The Bowie News hopes to see more lawn submissions. There will be winners named for May and June.
The winner will be published in the last paper of the month. Call 872-2247 to make a nomination or email it to [email protected]. If you email follow up with a phone call to make sure it arrives. Deadline will be May 24.

Read more on the contest in your weekend Bowie News.

As the final days for early voting were ticking away Montague County Elections Administrator Ginger Wall said there had been a strong turnout with 12% of registered voters casting ballots for the May 4 Bowie and Forestburg Independent School District Bond elections.
The final day for early voting ended at 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Going into the final day there were a total of 1,088 early voters for the bond elections.
On election day May 4 polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at three locations: Bowie Senior Citizens Center, Forestburg ISD Library and Sunset City Hall. Voters can cast ballots at any of the three locations and remember your photo identification.
Bowie ISD is asking voters to reconsider a $65.8 million bond issue, they defeated last November 1,079 to 855. Board members indicated they felt all the needs were still there and they needed to get more information out to the voters.
In the plans there would be a new intermediate school built, and the present intermediate would be renovated to accommodate junior high students that would be moved from their present building.
A weight room would be added at the high school, which did not include one when it was built and a restroom at the baseball/softball fields. Parking would be expanded at the front of the elementary school and a new bus route flow established around the building to alleviate traffic issues.
Forestburg ISD is asking voters to consider a pair of propositions. Proposition A is $4.1 million and centers on a new classroom addition to the high school adding rooms and restrooms, storm shelter and a new roof.
Proposition B at $2.1 million would be for a new eight-lane track, bleacher system and press box with full handicap accessibility and new field with 24/7 public access.