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 Montague County Commissioner’s Court will meet at 9 a.m. on Oct. 12 in the County Courtroom at the Courthouse Annex in Montague.
Commissioners are scheduled to consider issuing a proclamation declaring October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month within Montague County.
The court also will consider accepting $850 in unanticipated revenue for the sheriff’s office generated during National Night Out activities, alongside interlocal cooperation contracts between the Texas Department of Public Safety and Justices of the Peace for Precincts 1 and 2.
An executive session is scheduled to discuss personnel matters pertaining to sewer/septic inspector for the county. Any action would be taken back in open session.
The Oct. 9-11 Art of the Song Music and Art Festival opens Friday night for three days of art and entertainment in downtown Nocona.
The festival opens on Oct. 9 with a Chisholm Trail Art Association Preview Party from 5 to 7 p.m. on Oct. 9 at the H.J. Justin Building.
Come see all the entries for the adult show, which formally opens at 10 a.m. on Oct. 10.
Live music will be played by Full Circle Band.
Also on Oct. 9 enjoy a Nocona Nights Street Dance from 7 to 9 p.m. with the Mark Murphey and Highway 82 Band. Cost is $10 per ticket and $200 for a table seating eight. Bring your lawn chairs.
Read the full schedule of events for the festival in your Thursday Bowie News.
These students are nominees for the 2026 homecoming court at Gold-Burg High School. Homecoming royals will be crowned in pre-game ceremonies before the Bears take on Throckmorton at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 9. Pictured are: Freshmen: Kenzley Foster and Jackson Allen, freshmen; Yareli Aguirre and Jojuan Grace, sophomores; Zara Andrade, junior and Brayden Odom, Kaylie Duncan, both seniors. Not pictured: Caleb Epperson, junior and Keelyn Case, senior.
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