News Staff Matagorda County officials will increase patrols to catch impaired drivers during the New Year holiday. A wrecked car display at Highway 35 and County Road 457 aims to warn against drunk driving. Police Chief Christella Rodriguez urges residents to keep Texas roads safe. Lt. Stephen Lunsford highlights the high cost of DWIs and the ability … Read more
West Wharton County faced tornado scares Thursday as funnel clouds formed, damaging two barns near Pierce. No injuries were reported. Alerts were issued at 2:30 p.m., urging residents to seek shelter. The first funnel was seen near U.S. 59 and Highway 71. High winds caused minor damage at Mikeska’s Bar-B-Que. Emergency responders found no major … Read more
Days before Christmas, Bay City Police arrested Armando Lara for stealing a brand new Kia Telluride from a parking lot and crashing it into a Walmart pole. The car’s owner, Tiffany Sanchez, left it running while shopping. Lara, 38, was identified after fleeing the scene and later apprehended on Seventh Street. He’s charged with unauthorized … Read more
Rasmussen Farms Distillery in El Campo is set to receive up to $50,000 in economic development funds to expand its site. The distillery, known for transforming rice into vodka, plans to add a restaurant to its location on U.S. 59 Frontage Road. This project is expected to create 10-12 full-time jobs and boost local economic … Read more
Tenaris teamed up with Matagorda County United Way to support 27 local families, including 86 children, through the Adopt-a-Family program this holiday season. Tenaris employees donated gifts like bicycles, clothes, shoes, electronic devices, and games for children of all ages. Community and Regulatory Affairs Manager Scott Savage expressed pride in the employees’ generosity, highlighting the … Read more
Lawrence Herald, a 78-year-old El Campo resident, had his life sentence for fentanyl possession upheld on appeal. Convicted in ’23, Herald argued ineffective counsel but was denied. Arrested in ’19, his home search yielded fentanyl, cash, and a pistol. Herald fled before his trial’s second day but was recaptured. He faced an enhanced charge after … Read more
Jose Miguel “Mike” Salazar of Edna was indicted for the murder of Jasmine Ramirez and aggravated assault. The indictment alleges that on October 16th, Salazar beat Ramirez and ran her over with a vehicle while intoxicated with two children present. He was arrested the following day on Highway 59 near County Road 300. Salazar faces … Read more
Richard and Hope Bustamante were honored as the El Campo Garden Club’s Yard of the Month for December. They’ve transformed their front yard into a vibrant flower bed and plan future projects like a carport and water feature. The couple enjoys gardening together, with Hope attributing their success to regular watering and care. Despite Richard’s … Read more
Bay City honored its top volunteer firefighters at the annual Christmas awards dinner. Camilo Reyes was named Firefighter of the Year, while Bill Luder received recognition for 50 years of service and Ronald Gomez for 25. The Top 10 Response Team included Bill Luder, Libbie Cruz, Fred Van Wie, Jeremy Boyce, Vincent Lara, Ronald Gomez, … Read more
Bay City Volunteer Fire Department made Christmas special for two local families by raising over $1,000 for a Walmart shopping spree. Firefighter Libbie Cruz, who participated as a child, continues the tradition. The department collects donations year-round, matching contributions to provide groceries and gifts. This year, extra donations allowed the five children to get more … Read more