News Staff El Campo and neighboring towns Wharton and East Bernard are urging residents to shop locally as sales tax rebates have recently dropped, impacting local budgets. El Campo saw a 2.75% decline in October’s rebates, while Wharton and East Bernard faced larger drops of 10.23% and 4.12%, respectively. City officials emphasize that local shopping is crucial … Read more
Bay City’s Sunshine and Rainbows Academy wrapped up its 35th annual Pumpkin Patch fundraiser, with local volunteers and community groups coming together for the event. Hosted by the First United Methodist Church, the fall tradition featured 1,080 pumpkins sold, surpassing last year’s total. Parents, grandparents, and local organizations like 4H and Boy Scouts helped set … Read more
Early voting begins today in Wharton County, including El Campo and East Bernard, for the Nov. 7 General Election. Voters will decide on races like county sheriff, District 17 state senator, and U.S. Representative for District 12. There are 26,416 registered voters in the county, and Elections Administrator Cindy Richter encourages everyone to vote early, … Read more
Matagorda County commissioners have approved the allocation of federal funds to local volunteer fire departments and the sheriff’s office. The funds, from the American Rescue Plan Act, must be used by the end of this year. Judge Bobby Seiferman emphasized the need for training and equipment for first responders. Eleven fire departments, including those in … Read more
A FedEx driver may have suffered a broken leg after a collision with a truck hauling farm equipment on FM 1300 in West Wharton County. The crash happened around 1:45 p.m. Monday when the truck attempted to turn into a residence, and the FedEx van behind it hit the truck, veering off the road into … Read more
El Campo’s city council approved a $3.7 million bid to replace a nearly 75-year-old water well, as it faces the risk of failure. The project will drill a 1,000-gallon-per-minute well and install a new 500,000-gallon metal storage tank. Delays due to permits and land acquisition have pushed the project over budget. The extra $274,000 will … Read more
A former Wharton High School hall monitor, 29-year-old Bartee Grissom, faces up to 20 years in prison for allegedly engaging in an improper relationship with a student on campus during school hours in February. Arrested in March, Grissom posted a $20,000 bond the same day. Wharton ISD Police launched an investigation after receiving reports and … Read more
Bay City resident Kayanne Crain quickly rallied her community to help after witnessing the devastation of Hurricane Helene across Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas. While thinking how Matagorda County could have been hit, she launched a social media campaign for donations, which took off. Over two weeks, locals donated truckloads of essentials like food, blankets, … Read more
El Campo police are investigating an alleged incident where a special education teacher’s aide at Hutchins Elementary may have struck an 8-year-old boy on October 8th. The aide resigned shortly after the complaint. The child was examined by the school nurse, but no further treatment was needed. The classroom, equipped with video cameras, is part … Read more
Wharton county is moving forward with cutting down 20 diseased pecan trees around the historic courthouse after getting a second opinion from Texas A&M expert Dr. Stephanie Adams. She confirmed earlier findings of severe rot and fungi, making the trees a safety hazard. The county had paused for a second review due to the trees’ … Read more