NEWS
Child Exploitation Unit arrest five men
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that the Child Exploitation Unit (CEU) of his office arrested five men for Possession of Child Pornography during a two-week span between October 23rd and October 31st. The arrested suspects include:
- Damon Todd Turner, 52, of College Station, arrested October 23 on one count of Possession of Child Pornography.
- Justin Howard Everett, 37, of College Station, arrested October 24 on one count of Promotion of Child Pornography.
- Enoch Santo Rivera, 35, of Bedias, Texas, arrested on October 29 on five counts of Possession of Child Pornography.
- Jason Dominguez, 29, of College Station, arrested on October 30 on three counts of Possession of Child Pornography.
- Carl David Baxter, 43, of College Station, arrested on October 31 on four counts of Possession of Child Pornography.
“I commend the hard-working investigators from my office’s Child Exploitation Unit for stopping these child-predators from potentially harming more innocent children,” said Attorney General Ken Paxton. “This grotesque behavior is clearly rampant across the country and it serves as a reminder that we, as a community, must continue to protect the vulnerable from exploitation.”
Turner, Everett, Rivera, Dominguez and Baxter were each arrested after CyberTipline reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) notified CEU that Rivera uploaded child pornography to an internet service account, Everett and Dominguez uploaded child pornography to social media applications, and Turner and Baxter uploaded child pornography to an internet search engine. Investigators executed search warrants at each of the men’s residences.
Numerous digital devices were seized by the CEU to be examined by the Digital Forensics Unit. Rivera was transported to the Grimes County Jail, while Turner, Everett, Dominguez and Baxter were all transported to the Brazos County Jail.
Attorney General Paxton’s office works to protect children by using the latest technology to track down some of the most profoundly evil predators online. Since its inception, the Child Exploitation Unit has made 347 arrests and obtained 593 convictions on charges for possession of child pornography.
Attorney General Paxton urges all parents and teachers to become aware of the risks children face on the internet and take steps to help ensure their safety. If you suspect someone is producing or downloading child pornography, you can report it to NCMEC.
For more information on cyber safety, please visit:
NEWS
Bowie City Council ready to finalize budget
Members of the Bowie City Council will meet at 6 p.m. on Aug. 25 to finalize the budget and conduct a public hearing on a proposed tax rate.
The ordinances adopting both the 2026-27 budget and the 2026 tax rate are on the agenda for action. The public hearing on the tax rate presents a rate of .5750 cents per $100 in property value, which is slightly higher than the 2025 rate that is .5430.
The new rate is projected to generate $2,990,998, compared to $2,703,176 from last year’s rate. This is the first significant change in the rate since 2019, when it was .5445 cents. The next year it went to .5447 cents, where it stayed until 2023, when it went to .5430 cents, through 2025.
A bid will be awarded for the Rock and Pillar Street drainage project. Wall Contractors will be recommended by the city engineer and staff review. The bid came in about $1.3 million, which was lower than the estimated $2 million. It is expected to straighten the channel and get this intersection reopened for traffic after more than a year of closure to collapse of a portion of the pavement on the street.
The council will consider stop signs regulating traffic flow around the Kingdom Ridge Subdivision next to the elementary school.
In the city manager’s report Bert Cunningham will provide information on the hazard mitigation plan, the 2025-26 audit preparation and the bid for the Rock and Pillar project.
NEWS
Commissioners to consider budget, tax rate
Montague County Commissioners will adopt a budget and tax rate when they meet at on Aug. 24 in the courthouse annex.
The budget hearing will be at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 24, followed by a public hearing for the proposed tax rate at 8:45 a.m.
During the regular meeting at 9 a.m., there will be one final budget workshop for any last minute tweaks or changes, followed by adoption of the 2026-27 budget and 2026 tax rate.
The proposed tax rate is .4961 cents per $100 in property value, which is the same rate as 2025. Due to the increase in property values despite the same rate, the total tax levy on all properties will see a 3.64% increase.
A copy of the proposed budget is available on the county website at https://www.co.montague.tx.us/.
Several other financial related items are on the agenda. Accumulated comp time in the sheriff office and jail will be discussed. The commissioners also will consider any year-end expenditures utilizing any or the budget year contingency funds.
Other items on the agenda will include: Acceptance of the District Attorney’s 2023- 2024 and 2025 Chapter 59 asset forfeiture reports and authorize DA Katie Boggeman to sign them; imposition of optional fees from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles for 2027; House Bill 3834 cybersecurity and AI training certification for state and local governments compliance reports; interlocal cooperation agreement between the Department of Public Safety and the county court and district court; review the sherif office application for sheriff immigration law enforcement grant program Senate Bill 8; consider distribution of state grant HB 3000; and consider using Real Estate Station LLC Agent Denise Thurman to sell 5.9 acres on the corner of U.S. 81 and State Highway 59.
NEWS
Heat taking its toll on lakes, no rain since June
It should be no surprise, the month of July is recorded as the hottest month on record for the country.
July wrapped up with seven straight days of 100 degrees or higher July 25-31. August also opened hot with the first 100-plus degree day on Aug. 3 and it has topped that marked through Aug. 19. On Tuesday the high was 107 degrees at the water plant, but in town thermometers recorded 108 and 109 degrees.It was expected to top that mark on Wednesday.
There was no rainfall recorded in July or in August. Bowie has only 21.71 inches for the year so far and Nocona has 22.35 inches.
Lake Amon Carter
Aug. 19 –
917.22 msl, 80.2% full
July 19 – 918.10 msl, 86.1%
Aug. 19, 2025 – 919.84 msl, 98.8% full
Lake is full at 920msl
Lake Nocona
Aug. 19 – 823.48 msl, 76.3% full
July 19 – 824.41 msl, 81.05%
Aug. 19, 2025 – 826.878 msl, 95.85%
Lake full at 827.5msl
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