NEWS
County Judge says county can stay at 75 % opening for its restaurants; new cases confirmed
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
New Montague County Judge Kevin Benton jumped into the fray just a few days after taking the oath of office as he fielded phone calls Friday about how Governor Greg Abbott’s Friday executive order impacts the local area.
In that order Abbott closed all bars and similar establishments which receive more than 51 percent of their gross receipts from the sale of alcoholic beverages. However, these businesses may remain open for delivery and take-out, including alcoholic beverages.
Restaurants may remain open for dine-in service, but at 50 percent of indoor capacity beginning June 29 instead of the previously allowed 75 percent. Outdoor gatherings of 100 or more people must be approved by local governments with certain exceptions.
Benton issued a letter Monday outlining the limits within Montague County based on case count. He explained counties with a current attestation filed with and approved by the State Department of Health and Human Services regarding the minimal cases of COVID-19, will remain at the 75 percent occupancy rate.
“Montague County falls within that classification. In paragraph five of the order, any outdoor gathering in excess of 100 people, other than those set forth in paragraphs one, two or four (a lengthy set of activities covered by the executive
order) must be authorized by the mayor if within the incorporated city limits or the county judge if the activity is proposed in
the unincorporated area of the county,” stated Benton.
Those stipulations could change if the county’s case totals continue to escalate.
Dr. Delbert McCaig, county health authority, reported as of June 30 there are 18 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the county and four probable for a total of 22.
Within those cases there has been one fatality, a Sunset area resident, and the remainder have reportedly recovered and almost all are out of quarantine.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie 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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