NEWS
Area firefighters battle huge wildfire south of Bowie
According to the Montague Emergency Communications team, Bowie Rural VFD, Sunset and Bowie VFDs responded to a fire in the 2500 block of Fruitland Road near the intersection with Highway 101 sometime after 2 p.m. About 2:45 p.m. deputies with the Montague Sheriff’s office began contacting residents in this area urging them to evacuate. At 3:06 p.m. the deputies asks all residents on Fruitland Road between Smyna and Brushy to evacuate immediately.
At 3:45 p.m. the team reported the fire was moving toward Cole Road and possibly toward Smyrna and Brushy Road. Evacuations of Cole, Smyrna to Brushy Roads continue.
At 4:15 p.m. Cole Road was closed at Brushy. At 4:30 p.m. additional evacuations began from Brushy at Cole to Orchard Road. This area should be avoid due to not only the fire but all the emergency personnel in this area.
UPDATE
5:12 PM Update
Gina McDaniel
For anyone displaced by the fire, we have cabins with beds, restrooms and showers available at Charis Hills Camp in Sunset. please ask them to call Molly at 940-366-3902
5:09 PM Update
First Baptist Church of Sunset 407 Spur 511, Sunset, has also opened a shelter.
5:49pm Update
At this time, forward progress has been impeded but there is still 0% containment. We have been advised that the wind will be shifting around 10pm this evening. PLEASE, if you are in the area, be prepared to evacuate.
4:53 pm Update
Brushy Road has been shut down at 1341 Brushy through to Smyrna Road. There are more reports of vehicles blocking access by fire response. PLEASE GET OUT OF THE AREA!
4:50pm Update
A shelter has been set up in the Bowie Intermediate School gymnasium. You can go into the back entrance to the gym on the Williams Street side.
4:30pm Update
Evacuations have started from Brushy Road at Cole Road North to Orchard Road. Please heed the evacuation warnings and avoid the area.
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)
The following indictments were filed with the 97th District Clerk following the November session of the Montague County Grand Jury.
There were a total of 13 indictments with one sealed awaiting the arrest of a suspect.
A grand jury indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Read the full list of indictments in your mid-week Bowie News.
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