NEWS
Court handles brief agenda of items
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Members of the Montague County Commissioner’s Court handled a brief agenda full of routine items including elections orders and a pair of property plats during its regular meeting on Monday.
Elections Administrator Ginger Wall offered the order of election and notice of election for the May 28 runoff election in the Republican Party Primary. Early voting will be May 20-24, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. those days with ballots cast only at the courthouse annex in Montague. On election day all four polling locations will be open including the annex, H.J. Justin Community Room in Nocona, Saint Jo Civic Center and Bowie Senior Citizen Center.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
The Saint Jo City Council had a brief meeting on June 17.
The 2026-27 budgets for appraisal and tax collections from the Montague County Tax Appraisal District were approved. The tax collection budget faces a 3.71% increase and 2.2% in the appraisal budget.
The city’s payment for tax collections will go from $1,305 for the year down slightly from $1,445 last year. The appraisal portion for Saint Jo will be $9,526, up from $9,361 in 2026.
A municipal election for Nov. 3 was called. Places open on the ballot will be mayor, and the places filled by Melissa McPherson and Jack Dunn, who was appointed to fill out a term.
The council approved a resolution to apply for grants for water infra structure improvements through the Texas Water Development Board. The city is working with engineers from Corlett, Probst and Boyd of Wichita Falls on a proposed project.
The 60th anniversary Jim Bowie Days Celebration opened on June 20th with a full day of activities focusing on sports and a barbecue cookoff.
Festivities continue throughout the week highlight by rodeo, youth rodeo, kid’s activities and Pioneer Court. The second annual Smokedown BBQ Cookout began on Friday night with the steak and beans contests. Three other categories for chicken ribs and brisket followed on Saturday. There were 27 teams, four more than last year.
Conducted by Outlaw BBQ, the grand champion was Vinny McNamara, with 36 points. Steve Cumbie was reserve grand champion with 26 points.
Read about all the weekend’s winners complete with many photos in your Thursday Bowie News.
Top photo – The first annual pickleball tourney drew 17 teams. Teams greet each other before they start play (Photo by Barbara Green0
A Bowie couple accused of causing serious injuries to a 15-month old boy in January 2025 pled guilty in 97th District Court on June 14 and both received state prison terms.
Jonah Belcher and Cheyenne Eckert, both 24, Bowie, were each charged with injury to a child, a first-degree felony. Belcher received 17 years in prison and Eckert, the child’s mother, received 10 years.
Read the full story in the Thursday Bowie News.
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