Texans can now show their love for wildlife with the newly redesigned horned lizard license plate from Texas Parks and Wildlife. Chosen by public vote, the new design features a striking photo of the state reptile in its natural habitat, donated by award-winning photographer Hector Astorga. Each plate costs $30 a year, with $22 going … Read more
El Campo residents still have time to weigh in on the city’s long-term growth plan, which maps out priorities for the next 15 to 20 years. The plan covers everything from parks and roads to housing and disaster response. Funded by a $300,000 state grant, it won’t cost local taxpayers. City officials say residents want … Read more
Traffic on U.S. 59 near Hungerford came to a halt Wednesday after a trailer loaded with furniture caught fire, closing the highway for seven hours. The northbound trailer’s brakes ignited around 2 p.m., forcing the driver to pull over and disconnect the truck before flames spread. Firefighters from Hungerford, Wharton, and East Bernard battled the … Read more
Wharton County leaders will meet this morning to tackle road safety and law enforcement upgrades. A public hearing will focus on banning large trucks from cutting through the Newgulf subdivision, where tight corners have caused several trucks to veer off-road. Commissioners will also review grants for bulletproof vests and armored vehicle parts for deputies, and … Read more
A Matagorda Beach fishing trip turned painful for 70-year-old local angler Chuck Bledsoe after a small blacktip shark mistook his foot for bait. Bledsoe said he was reeling in what he thought was a redfish when the shark suddenly bit him in shallow water. The longtime fisherman later went to the ER for antibiotics and … Read more
An 80-year-old Bay City man died after a late-night bedroom fire on Horn Road last Monday. Fire crews were called out around 11:30 p.m. after the man’s daughter found smoke and her father unresponsive in bed. Firefighters quickly contained the blaze to the bedroom, but officials believe smoke inhalation caused his death. The Bay City … Read more
The Wharton Police Department’s Blue Santa toy drive is back for its 12th year, aiming to top last year’s record of helping more than 1,100 local children. Lt. Ben Guanajuato says they’ve already raised nearly $50,000, enough to turn into as much as $200,000 worth of toys through local partnerships. Applications are open for Wharton … Read more
A 22-year-old Boling man was rushed to a Houston hospital after crashing head-on with an 18-wheeler last Friday in Wharton. The wreck happened around noon on FM 102 near Walmart when Masen French’s Hyundai Elantra crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a Mack truck driven by a Rosenberg man. Wharton firefighters had to cut French … Read more
A Wharton man avoided prison time after a major drug bust at his home near Guadalupe Park. Fifty-eight-year-old Arnie Nigel Allen will serve 10 years of probation after pleading guilty to delivering controlled substances. Deputies found cocaine, meth, prescription pills, marijuana, and guns during a 2023 raid on Burleson Street. Judge John Maher also ordered … Read more
El Campo City Council has decided not to move forward with new parking ordinances that could’ve imposed some of the strictest rules in the region. While most proposals were dropped, council members agreed that semi-trucks parked in neighborhoods remain a major issue. Discussion also covered RVs, for-sale vehicles, and parking on grass, with officials saying … Read more