A business in El Campo has set up shop in a former church without securing the required special use permit. Midnight Tinterz, owned by Jesse Avendano, operates a tint shop at the rear of the 220 Main property, with plans for community gatherings in the front. The city allowed setup work to proceed, noting that … Read more
In El Campo, burglars stole over $16,000 worth of computers, handguns, and cash in a spree targeting Homes 2 Suites by Hilton and SunnySide Inn. El Campo police suspect the same thieves hit both sites, breaking vehicle windows to access valuables. Captain Arnold Terrazas mentioned that laptops and cash were stolen from two vehicles at … Read more
Community Actors of South Texas is kicking off its annual season with Night on Broadway: A Traveler’s Tale, a dinner theatre production running Jan. 23–Feb. 1. Directed by Kara Cowart, the show mixes Broadway hits, country tunes, and classics like “Life is a Highway” and “Route 66” in a treasure-hunt-inspired storyline. Catered by Fat Grass … Read more
Wharton County has approved a new alert service to combat deed fraud, joining other counties in the effort. Deed fraud involves illegal manipulation of property documents to transfer ownership without the real owner’s consent. The program will alert property owners if their registered information is used in another document, allowing them to verify its legitimacy. … Read more
Stephen Jimenez, a seasoned law enforcement officer with nearly 20 years of experience, was sworn in as Van Vleck ISD’s new police chief during the school board meeting Monday night. Replacing longtime chief Fred Wesselski, Jimenez brings expertise from roles including narcotics detective, K9 officer, and SWAT commander. His career spans service at Wharton PD, … Read more
The Martin Luther King Jr. Scholarship march will start at the Wharton County Courthouse and end at the Boys & Girls Club of Wharton. Mozelle Stephens, who began the march in ’82, will be present. The event honors King Jr. with a monument placed in ’84. The scholarship program, started in ’87, awarded $11,900 to … Read more
A colder blast is heading for the Houston-Galveston region this weekend, with freezing temperatures as low as 27 degrees and wind chills down to 18 expected from Sunday into next week, according to the National Weather Service. Matagorda County officials warn this front could bring the area’s first Hard Freeze Warning of the year, urging … Read more
A 61-year-old Palacios man was arrested Monday night after a high-speed chase through Matagorda County, sparked by the theft of eight ribeye steaks from a Bay City Walmart. Officers responded around 6 p.m. and pursued Timothy Wright in a white Nissan Frontier after he fled. The chase reached speeds of 100 mph, ran through fields, … Read more
Brazoria County started tornado debris cleanup on Monday following the Dec. 28th EF-2 tornado that left an 8.78-mile path of destruction, killed one person, and injured several. Residents were asked to sort debris into categories—appliances, vegetative waste, and construction materials—and place it by the roadside without blocking ditches. Appliances will be collected separately on a … Read more
A fire broke out last week at an apartment complex on Cornwall Drive in Victoria, prompting a swift response from firefighters and first responders. The blaze was contained to one unit and quickly extinguished, but smoke damage affected several residents. Four people were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. All residents were evacuated, … Read more