COUNTY LIFE
Cars: Passion, addiction, it’s fun
By DEBRA DUNLAP
Scruggs Furniture Store is a Bowie landmark.
It’s been on the corner of Smythe and Tarrant streets for 55 years. Directions are given for downtown locations based on their relationship to Scruggs.
For example, “The newspaper office? Sure I know where it is – right across the street from Scruggs Furniture.”
Owner James Scruggs, who was recently honored for completing 50 years as a volunteer firefighter in Bowie, is as much a part of the landscape as the building that houses his business. His business career began as a teenager when he went to work for Richardson Furniture. He has been with it ever since.
The most memorable fire he ever fought? “July 23, 1990, starting at 2:30 in the afternoon,” he recalled with a wry smile. “That was the day my own store burned down. When that happened, I thought it might be time to do something else. Then I realized I don’t know how to do anything else. Besides that, Bowie has been good to us. So I rebuilt.”
The store is now so much a part of the landscape that one can drive by without even paying much attention to the building. However, if you look close, the 72-year-old has a a surprise for you, a classic car showroom. Pictured: James Scruggs shows off his 1934 Ford sitting in the mirrored showroom. (Photo by Debra Dunlap) Read the full feature in the weekend News.
The 22nd annual July Jam returns on July 27 to the Bowie Community Center West Hall, 413 Pelham Street in Bowie.
There will be a “chickin’ pickin’ fiddling fun time” as guests will be entertained by amazing fiddling tunes and enjoying a chicken meal with delicious homemade jams because it wouldn’t be July Jam without it.
Tickets are just $15 with the event starting at 6 p.m. The funds raised help provide awards for the Championship Fiddler Competition during Chicken and Bread Days Heritage Festival on Oct. 5.
This attracts talented musicians from all over to visit downtown Bowie to test their fiddling skills on stage in the Bowie Fire Hall on Oct. 5.
Along with the live fiddling entertainment, come hungry and be ready to outbid your neighbors at the silent auction or just stop by for a great meal, fellowship and soak in the air conditioning.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
The Nocona City Council met this past week making plans for budget and tax rate hearings.
Councilors received a brief update on the 2024-25 budget preparations. City Secretary Revell Hardison said the final proposal is almost complete and they now await the arrival of the no-new revenue tax rate that will be reviewed by the council after it is calculated by the tax collector.
The proposal includes a tax rate increase of about 3% similar to last year and there will be a small increase in water and sewer rates, but Hardison said the final crunch on those will come after the tax rate projections arrive.
Read the full story in the mid-week Bowie News.
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