Matagorda Bay Oyster Harvest Halted

Matagorda Bay oyster reefs are closed again after Texas Parks and Wildlife found too few legal-sized oysters in recent surveys. The shutdown, which began last week, affects the TX-19 harvest zone and sidelines both local watermen and weekend pickers. Only 11 of Texas’s 34 public reefs now remain open. Officials say back-to-back storms, heavy freshwater … Read more

Boil Water Notice

City crews in Palacios have fixed a broken water main at Tenth and Humphrey Avenue, but a boil water notice is still in effect for the entire town. The state says bacteria could’ve gotten into the lines when system pressure dropped overnight. Until further notice, everyone should boil tap water for two full minutes before … Read more

Man Gets 80 Years

A Hallettsville man will spend 80 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of major drug charges, according to the Lavaca County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators said 44-year-old Duncan Todd Davis was arrested in February of ’25 when a regional drug task force raided his home, finding cocaine, meth, marijuana, cash, and a gun. … Read more

First Fall Athletic Awards Ceremony

East Bernard celebrated its student athletes recently with the school’s first-ever Fall Athletic Awards Ceremony at Riverside Hall. The event honored standout performances across football, volleyball, and cross country. Senior Daniel Breitenwisher, Justin Kurtz, Lauryn Locke, and sophomore Samantha Fryer earned the Fighting Heart Awards in cross country. Football honors went to seniors Ty Grigar … Read more

Mail Theft Bust

Police say a recent high-speed chase in El Campo helped crack a major mail theft case now under federal investigation. Officers tried to stop a car for broken tail lights, but the driver sped off, hitting more than 70 miles an hour through city streets before being caught on Avenue I. Inside, police found meth, … Read more

Wharton Swimmers Earn Regional Berths

Wharton High School is celebrating strong performances in the pool after the Tigers swim team made waves at the District 12-4A meet in El Campo. Two standout swimmers, Xyrus Zarate and Aron Santes, punched their tickets to the regional competition set for this weekend at Lamar High School. Zarate took second in the 200-yard freestyle … Read more

Victoria County Delays Election Administrator Replacement

Victoria County officials are back to the drawing board after their top choice to replace Elections Administrator Margetta Hill turned down the job. Hill, who has led the county’s elections office for years, was expected to retire next month. But with the March primary just weeks away, Hill says she’s willing to stay on through … Read more

Crews Race To Restore Power

Power crews were busy across the Crossroads Monday as scattered outages hit parts of Port Lavaca and Bay City. Nearly 2,300 customers in Port Lavaca lost power, mainly around Virginia Street, Lynn Bayou, and stretches near U.S. 35. Bay City also saw close to 2,000 customers in the dark earlier, but restoration crews quickly reduced … Read more

Benavidez Honored

El Campo war hero Master Sgt. Roy Benavidez is helping shine a national spotlight on Texas history. The late Vietnam veteran’s story is one of 15 featured at the new National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, just named the best new museum in the country by USA Today. Benavidez earned the Medal of Honor … Read more

Regional Business Boost

El Campo is gearing up to host one of Texas’ 15 Governor’s Small Business Summits this year—a major win for local entrepreneurs. Set for October 15th, the event will connect small business owners and startups with state and federal experts. The City Development Corporation and El Campo Chamber say the summit will bring business leaders … Read more