NEWS
Montague County loses its mask exemption due to active cases topping 20
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Montague County residents were able to avoid the governor’s mask mandate for almost two months, but the active COVID-19 cases pushed past the 20-case limit mid-week eliminating the county’s exemption from wearing masks in public locations. As of Friday active cases were at 31.
County Judge Kevin Benton released a letter announcing the change on Wednesday. He stated there were multiple positive tests reported Tuesday which, when added to the previous cases brings the total number of active cases well above the 20 count limit.
“As per Governor Abbott’s Executive Order GA-29, the county no longer falls under the exemption for face coverings. The governor’s order states all counties which are unable to affirmatively opt out of the face covering requirement shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public or when in an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six-feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household,” states the letter.
Along with the mask requirement, business occupancy rates were reduced from 75 percent back to 50 percent. This applies to all businesses in Montague County.
Read the full story in the weekend 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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