Category: Howe News Bulletin

Jan 24 – Officer Jordan Clark arrested a 56-year-old Garland man for DWI after stopping him on US Hwy 75 for speeding (106 mph). The violation occurred in Howe, but the stop occured in Van Alstyne near exit 54. The officer noticed a handgun laying on the front passenger seat when he walked up to the suspect’s vehicle. The officer removed the handgun and smelled the odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle. The suspect complied with commands to get out, but refused to walk to the back of the car. The suspect resisted, but was eventually handcuffed and arrested. A search warrant obtained for a blood draw. While at a local hospital getting the blood draw, the suspect complained of chest pains. He was admitted to the hospital. A warrant will be obtained for the suspect for DWI (3rd), Resisting Arrest, and Unlawful Carrying a Weapon.

Jan 25 – At approx 11:30 am, Officer Jamie Morris arrested a 47-year-old Howe woman for DWI in the 100 block of Duke Street. Officer Morris attempted to stop the woman on the west access road of US Hwy 75 in response to a report of erratic driving. The suspect was driving in the wrong lane on the access road when the officer attempted to stop her. She continued driving until she reached a residence on Duke Street. The suspect failed a sobriety test and consented to a blood draw at a local hosptial. She was then taken to the Grayson County jail and booked in. This is the suspect’s second arrest by Howe PD for DWI.

This Saturday night at Grayson College South Campus in Van Alstyne, the Hurricane Creek Rotary Club will host their annual casino night which will also feature prizes, drinks, hor d’oeuvres.  Proceeds go to fund scholarships and teacher of the year awards in Howe, Anna, Van Alstyne.

Tickets are $50 for individual or $75 per couple and available at the Howe Development Alliance office in Downtown Howe.

6:00 pm – Doors open
Food and Bar opens
Silent Auction opens
6:15 pm – Casino Tables open
9:15 pm – Live Auction begins
10:00 pm – Casino Prize Drawing

Nearly 20 years ago with Downtown Howe looking like a ghost town, M.E. Curtis convinced the city council to place a “hotel” in the historic business district which would leave the zoning as a commercial district.  The “hotel” then became “apartments” where tenants pay by the week.  Marie Curtis, representing her husband, told the Howe City Council on Tuesday night that because of the commercial zoning of “hotel”, it will cost them $500 more per year for insurance and requested to change the zoning to multi-family.  She also told the council that they plan to add additional units to the north side of the complex.

Councilwoman Debbie Lowery stated that she had phone calls from citizens that opposed making Howe’s commercial historic downtown district a multi-family zone.  Councilman Bill French said that he was concerned that changing the zoning to multi-family would affect what type of businesses could be in the downtown area.

“The downtown area does not make as much money now as it did when there was an upholstery shop that was paying taxes, a beauty shop that was paying taxes, and a hardware store that was paying taxes.” said Marie Curtis to the council.  “It looks good, but you don’t get as much revenue.”

With the recent upgrades and renovation of the buildings that housed the former beauty shop and hardware store, the taxable value of each building increased by over $30,000 each.  The renovation to the building that housed the upholstery shop increased the taxable value by nearly $30,000 according to the Grayson County Appraisal District.

The council unanimously denied the zoning change and the “hotel/apartments” will remain as is.  Any additions to the property will have to be approved by the city as a standard hotel.

(full story in Monday’s Howe Enterprise)

On Monday night, Howe’s Planning and Zoning board approved M.E. and Marie Curtis’ application to change Howe’s “hotel” from a commercial zone to a multi-family zone.  Marie Curtis told the council that her and her husband plan to add additional apartments to the newly renovated downtown area.

Notices were sent out to nearby owners to accept or protest the change of the zoning, of which two came back in favor and two came back in protest.

The decision is now up to the city council for final approval to accept or deny the zone change.  The public city council meeting is tonight at 6 pm at the Howe Community Center located at 700 W. Haning St.

The council, by keeping the with the commercial zoning would have the “hotel” remain in its current state but would keep the downtown commercial district in tact.  By re-zoning the property to multi-family would open the door for more additions and more multi-family units to be built in downtown in the future.

 

Constance “Connie” Marion Bowen McClure passed from her earthly home into God’s perfect eternity on January 16, 2016 at the age of 92.  She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Lt. Col. John Boyce McClure U.S. Army (retired), and parents, Florence Virginia Busby Bowen and Elmer Lewis Bowen. Connie is lovingly remembered by her children Anthony McClure, Carol Keller (Robert), Priscilla Barnes (Bill), Melissa Evans (Bill), ten grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren.

Mrs. McClure was born in Lowell, Massachusetts on May 11, 1923. Her family moved to Anderson, South Carolina when she was a child. She attended Anderson College while still in high school and after graduation, married and began her life as an Army wife.  Always the one for doing for others, she was the perfect wife, mother, grandmother great-grandmother and friend.  She cherished her many friends from around the world and those she saw day to day.  Time with family was special and she took interest in all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s activities and accomplishments.

Connie, formerly of Dallas, Howe and McKinney, worked as a secretary for many years at Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas Independent School District and Pediatric Associates of Dallas.  Additionally she was involved in many service and social organizations including Newcomers’ Club of Dallas, Kiwanians, Military Officers Wives’ Club, XYZ, Red Hat and she was a lifetime member of PTA.  Connie loved to travel and the military took the family to many assignments throughout Europe and Japan as well as the United States.  Connie and John continued their love of travel in retirement visiting Greece, the Holy Lands, the Panama Canal, Spain, the Caribbean, as well as numerous adventures across the States.  Known for her energy, thoughtfulness, compassion and sweet Southern style, “Gam” will be missed by all that knew and loved her.

“All you need is love.  It has been true for me. I didn’t have beauty, fame, success or other things like that but I did have the love of family and friends that made me what I was and sustained me when things were rough. Please continue to apply that love to each other.  And, in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” (unknown)

Connie’s Celebration of Life service will be held at Restland Wildwood Chapel in Dallas on Thursday, January 21, 2016 at 3:00 pm with family visitation preceding the service and beginning at 2:00 pm.  If desired, memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association of Dallas, 3001 Knox Street, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75205 or Grace Hospice, 730 Ave. F, Plano, TX  75074.