Community Rallies to Help Family Rebuild

The Assistant Fire Chief from Matagorda County and his wife lost their home and belongings in a house fire, but say neighbors have carried them through it. The McClellands and their three young kids are now living in a donated camper from a Sargent couple while they clear the site to rebuild. A benefit to … Read more

Smoke Triggers Brief Evacuation

Bay City High School was cleared out Wednesday morning after smoke set off alarms inside one wing of the building. Staff found the source and pushed the smoke out before the Bay City Volunteer Fire Department arrived. Fire crews and district police then swept the area and secured the perimeter while students and teachers waited … Read more

El Campo Hosts Bay City Friday Night

Football fans will finally get a heavyweight district test Friday night when the 6-1 Ricebirds host rival Bay City at Ricebird Stadium. El Campo cruised through its first two league games, but Bay City brings speed and a spread attack that has burned teams all year. The Blackcats just suffered a tight loss to La … Read more

Babysitter Sentenced to Five Years

Angel Castro of El Campo has been sentenced to five years in prison in the death of a 19-month-old toddler she was babysitting back in 2021. A Wharton County jury earlier found her guilty of causing serious injury to little Roselynn Coates, who later died. Judge Randy Clapp said he believed Castro could have qualified … Read more

Renewed Push in Victoria Teen Disappearance

Victoria Police are renewing attention on the disappearance of 17-year-old Nora Janak, who vanished from Victoria back on October 4th, of ’24. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children pushed her case again on social media over the weekend to reach new eyes. Local officers are urging anyone who remembers something, even small, to … Read more

Parent Session on Dyslexia Awareness

Ganado ISD will hold a free parent meeting next Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m. at the Ganado Media Center to talk plainly about dyslexia. The district plans to bust myths, share facts and raise awareness of what Yale researchers call the most common neuro-cognitive disorder. Roughly one in five people nationwide live with dyslexia. … Read more

Award-Winning Pumpkins

The El Campo Branch Library wrapped up its annual Great Pumpkin Bash with 51 hand-decorated pumpkins on display all week. Kids from ages 3 to 14 turned ordinary pumpkins into book characters, movie icons and spooky scenes. Local judges picked winners in each age group, with the grand prize going to Victor Eder for a … Read more

Infant Dies While Under Babysitter’s Care

Jackson County investigators are looking into the death of a baby who stopped breathing while in the care of a babysitter on County Road 131. First responders rushed in around 4:40 p.m. on October 3rd and performed CPR before taking the infant to Jackson County Hospital, where the child died. The Sheriff’s Office, Texas Rangers, … Read more

El Campo’s Rueben Owens Scores First TD

Texas A&M running back Rueben Owens II, a ’23 El Campo High grad, scored his first touchdown of the season in College Station during the Aggies’ 34–17 win over Florida. He punched in a short fourth-quarter run and finished with 51 yards. With top rusher Le’Veon Moss going down injured, Owens is now expected to … Read more

Bay City Backs Move to Lift Historic Label

The Bay City Council has thrown its support behind Bay City ISD’s push to drop the Texas Historic Landmark status from the old Linnie Roberts Elementary campus on Whitson Street. The district says years of failed redevelopment attempts and the cost of maintaining a protected building are draining its budget. Removing the designation would let … Read more