Arrest of Samuel Villa

In Victoria, a 38-year-old man named Samuel Earnest Villa found himself in trouble last Sunday. The Victoria County Sheriff’s Office arrested him for allegedly using a vehicle without authorization. The incident occurred at around 10:34 p.m. Villa was taken into custody and subsequently booked into the Victoria County Jail with his bond set at $10,000 … Read more

Dog Park Construction Begins

Wharton is getting its first-ever dog park at Santa Fe Trail, thanks to a successful fundraising campaign. Construction started on Monday, with separate sections for small and large dogs, each equipped with fun obstacles. There’ll be water fountains and pet waste disposal areas too. The park will also have benches and a parking lot, connected … Read more

Tropical Storm Harold Impact

Tropical Storm Harold hit southern Texas and northern Mexico, bringing intermittent rain showers to Wharton County due to the cyclone on Tuesday. With winds of 50 mph and gusts of 60 mph, the storm caused potential flooding and a flash flood warning. It marked the first named storm of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season to … Read more

Arrest of Houston Man

A Houston man, Delbert Humprey Perkins Jr., accused of causing a fatal wreck in Harris County, has been arrested by Wharton police. Perkins, 49, was taken into custody without incident after a bounty hunter company informed the police of his location. He’s facing charges of intoxication manslaughter for a crash on February 9th in Houston … Read more

Hotel Hearing Postponed

The historic Luther Hotel’s fate gets a reprieve. Lawyers and a judge postpone a restraining order hearing in a video conference. The order stops the Corpus Christi-based Ed Rachal Foundation from demolishing the hotel, part of a sale agreement. The hearing, once set for Sept. 11th, is now on Feb. 12th. Meanwhile, lawyers and Judge … Read more

Tropical Storm Warning

Calhoun County faces a tropical storm warning until Wednesday morning, as shared by the National Weather Service. The storm, positioned 423 miles from Port Aransas on Monday, might bring 60 mph wind gusts and 0.5 to 3 inches of rain to Crossroads coastal areas. Victoria County could get 0.5 inches of rain, while heaviest rain … Read more

Fire sparked by power lines

The Bay City Fire Marshal’s Office reported a significant 100-acre grass fire near FM 2540 and CR 146 on Sunday. The fire was sparked by downed power lines, and Jackson Electric was present to restore power to affected homes. Gratitude to all responding departments, Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office, and Precinct 1 Constable for traffic management.

Teenagers Arrested After High-Speed Chase

Last week, three Palacios teenagers were arrested following a high-speed chase from Bay City to El Campo. It all began when authorities responded to a car alarm. Individuals trying to break into cars fled to Meadow Chase Apartments and sped off in a black SUV. A pursuit began, reaching speeds of 100 mph. The chase … Read more

Water Line Breaks Summary

In El Campo, summer heat is causing water supply lines to burst twice a day due to ground shifts. Crews are working under the scorching sun to fix them. The city has water usage restrictions in place, triggered if demand surpasses availability. Thankfully, that hasn’t occurred yet. Despite breaks, water supply remains stable, with over … Read more

Warehouse Fire Battle

Firefighters from six departments battled intense heat while fighting flames at an old grain warehouse in El Campo last week. The fire sparked grass fires that threatened homes, prompting AC shutdowns for safety. Teams from El Campo and Wharton, with aerial ladder trucks, joined forces. Power was off for over four hours. The fire began … Read more