NEWS
Tornado recovery goes slow; community reflects on rebuilding one year later
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Devastating, heartbreaking, shocking are just a few of the words used by Bowie residents to describe the aftermath of the May 22, 2020 tornado.
At 8:29 p.m. as storm sirens blared across the city an EF-1 tornado ripped a path of destruction across Bowie. It arrived in the midst of heavy rain, straight-line winds and hail.
Funnel clouds were reported all around the area from Bellevue to Jack County. Blue lightning filled the skies followed by an eerie quiet and the sound of a freight train, many now know was the tornado.
The National Weather Service said the tornado had winds up to 95 mph and straight-line winds were tracked at 70-85 mph during the storm.
It appeared the tornado took a path along West Wise Street and traveled into downtown before swinging to the south side pulling the roof from the school administration building, turning numerous mobile homes into kindling or moving it across the street, taking down blocks of power poles and ripping off roofs.
Initially, there were 400 to 500 power poles impacted, about 50 businesses were damaged and more than 200 residents had different levels of damage. As the area was surveyed in the following weeks the numbers rose with 570 total properties affected, 468 residences and 102 businesses.
Read the full feature in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
The Bowie City Council welcomed three newly-elected members Tuesday night and the panel had its annual council orientation of duties presented by the city attorney.
Brandon Walker and Laramie Truax took the oath of office for their respective seats during the meeting. Laura Sproles was sworn in prior to the meeting as she was enroute to the hospital after a fall at home where she injured her hand and wrist. All the candidates had to take the oath by Tuesday night after the votes were canvassed.
City Attorney Courtney Goodman-Morris made the presentation on council duties and obligations, as well legal requirements. Brent Shaw was elected as mayor pro tem.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Trustees of the Bowie Independent School District welcomed one new member this week following the Nov. 5 election and accepted the 2023-24 outside audit with no exceptions.
Incumbent Trustee Jacky Betts returned to place one and Angie Christmas took the place two seat. After the board officers were dissolved with the new ones taking the oath, officers were elected. Betts will continue as president, Guy Green as vice president and Kent Dosch as secretary.
Paul Fleming of Edgin, Parkman, Fleming & Fleming, PC, presented the audit telling there were no issues and the process went smoothly. He noted the biggest change was the Legislature compressing the district tax rate and additional changes in the tax law. State aid formula grants increased due to the state’s funding formula compensating for lost property tax revenue due to the law change previously mentioned.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
By BARBARA GREEN
[email protected]
Information was the watchword for the second hospital/emergency room community meeting Tuesday night, as the steering committee was announced along with additional financial considerations.
About 50 people attended the meeting. Melody Gillespie, who was named chairperson for the committee, said the goal is to gather information to get it out into the community. This group was formed after the Bowie emergency room was closed by Faith Rural Health System in early October just shy of one year of operating in Bowie.
Kylie Ward, one of the public relations volunteers, said, “This committee is not here to force things on you and there are assumptions already we are proposing a tax. We are not, we don’t have that ability, we are just a research team here to explore all the options.”
Other members of the committee include Tiffany Chandler and Damon Benton handling finance and grant research; Jennifer Tellef, secretary; Valerie Tomerson, grant research; Ann Smith, PR and Margin Latham and Gillespie, legislative research. It was pointed out there are other members of the sub-committees who are helping with research, but they also invite anyone interested to help with the process.
Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – Jack County Judge Keith Umphress spoke at this week’s steering committee meeting. (Photo by Barbara Green)
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