COUNTY LIFE
Domestic Violence Awareness Month brings attention to widespread issue
“All it takes for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing.” – Edward Burk
One in three women in Texas will experience domestic violence in her lifetime, according to the Texas Council on Family Violence. October is the month for Domestic Violence Awareness as purple is displayed in hopes of bringing awareness to a far too common problem.
“People want to say it’s not my business and I am not going to get involved, but we have to stop that. If we want to see a change, everyone wants it to go away and it not be true, but we can’t stop it if it is not addressed,” said Ginger Johnson, Community Educator and Bilingual Advocate for Wise Hope.
The Wise Hope Crisis Center, located at 1123 Highway 59 North in Bowie, opened its doors in April to help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Montague County.
“We hit the ground running. With a new office, I anticipated trying to get the word out to everyone that we were here, but that hasn’t been the case,” said Johnson. “It is very pleasing to me because living here in Bowie I knew there was a need. You just have to read the newspaper and talk to people to know it’s there.”
Wise Hope has served the Jack and Montague County areas in the past but advocates were only able to be in the area one day a week. A grant from the region out of Wichita Falls changed all that, allowing Wise Hope to place an office in both Jack and Montague counties, giving them the ability to better serve those communities.
Not only does it operate the two offices, but also the main Outreach Office in Decatur, a thrift store and a 15-bed shelter in Bridgeport. The shelter is not just for victims in Wise County, but for victims in all the communities, and if a victim needs to get to safety quickly, a cot can always be pulled out.
The dual agency helps not only domestic violence victims, but sexual assault victims as well. It operates a 24-hour crisis hotline at 940-626-4855. No appointment is necessary for immediate face-to-face crisis intervention and advocacy services.
Read the full story in the weekend News.
The Nocona City Council gave its budget proposal a final once-over before setting a public hearing for it and the proposed tax rate for Sept. 9 at 8 a.m.
Council members also heard from Blake McNew who is against the recently approved fee and registration process for golf carts and related vehicles.
Last month the council approved an ordinance that set forth registration requirements for these vehicles with a $50 registration fee. After several close calls and complaints from downtown business people and citizens on near misses with ATVs and golf carts driving unsafely downtown the council took the step to add the ordinance.
City Secretary Revell Hardison said after some discussion the council asked for it to be back on next month’s agenda with possible consideration for repealing the fee. After some research she added a person can go through the state to obtain a license plate for these vehicles and the local sticker would not be needed.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
The staff of Texas Education Agency on Aug. 14 announced the release of 2026 A-F Accountability Ratings for public school systems and campuses across the state.
Almost all of the school districts in the county saw their district ratings increase or remain consistent, along with some of their campuses.
There were 1,202 districts and 9,105 campuses rated in 2026. Some 24% of both districts and campuses increased in rating compared to 2025.
Read the full story and see all the county ratings in your Thursday Bowie News.
2026 state accountability ratings
Bowie Independent School District – B, 80 of 100 points
Elementary/intermediate – C, 74
Junior high – B, 84
High school – B, 86
Bellevue ISD – A, 92
Forestburg ISD – B, 82
Gold-Burg ISD – C, 76
Montague ISD – A, 93
Nocona ISD – B, 86
Elementary – B, 80
Middle school – C, 79
High school – A, 94
Prairie Valley ISD – B, 88
Saint Jo ISD – B, 82
Elementary – D, 66
High school – A, 92
Friends of the Bowie Animal Shelter will host the annual Clear the Shelter event from 8 a.m. to noon on Aug. 22.
The shelter is located at 1508 E. Wise. While this is a nationwide effort to recognize the work of animal shelters, their staff and volunteers, this also is a chance to support their efforts by attending the bake sale, silent auction and food vendors.
Adoptable dogs from the Bowie shelter as well as Easy Street Shelter of Saint Jo, Lucky Paws in Nocona and McCares of Montague will be present.
If your family is considering adopting a pet this would be a great time to visit with the animals and meet the volunteers who can tell you a bit about the animals. Prospective volunteers also are welcome, so ask your questions.
Staff from Cross Timbers Vet will be giving reduced price vaccinations.
There will be a prize drawing at noon for a bounce house and a Turtle Box speaker. Tickets are $5 each for a chance to win either prize. Drawing at noon.
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