State leaders are keeping Matagorda County under a disaster declaration as dangerous fire weather continues across the Texas Gulf Coast. Governor Abbott renewed the order, saying dry and windy conditions still threaten homes, businesses, and lives. For residents, the move means emergency crews can keep using extra state support, equipment, and funding to respond quickly … Read more
On New Year’s morning in Bay City, neighbors reported gunshots. Officers tracked the noise to a house on Rugeley Street. As they got close, more shots rang out, so they took cover. Using the PA system, police ordered everyone outside. Several people came out and admitted they’d been drinking since the night before and firing … Read more
Wharton City Council meets tonight at 7 at City Hall. They’re pushing flood protection: U.S. Army Corps green-lights Phase II of the Colorado River levee project south of town. That includes buying Baughman Slough land—some by condemnation. Council will raise City Attorney Paul Webb’s pay from 175 to 225 dollars an hour. He’s been serving … Read more
The Palacios Preservation Association is kicking off a free Saturday morning breakfast series aimed at protecting local history and strengthening the community. The six-part program begins at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Texas Baptist Encampment and is open to the public at no cost. Organizers say the series will show how preserving historic buildings can … Read more
The Matagorda Chamber of Commerce is honoring longtime community volunteer Cindy Howell as Matagorda Person of the Year for her dedication to preserving local history. Howell, president of the Matagorda Historical Society, is being recognized for years of selfless service. The honor comes as Matagorda prepares for its second annual Mata Gras Parade on February … Read more
In Wharton, a historic school is transforming into much-needed affordable housing while honoring its groundbreaking past. The 1935 building at 500 Abell Street, once Stephen F. Austin Elementary and later Minnie Mae Hopper, was one of the last “Little Schools of the 400” — a 1950s program that taught young Mexican American kids basic English … Read more
Residents of El Campo can look forward to smoother drives on Wharton Street, also known as FM 653. The city recently finished upgrading sewer lines along the nearly three-mile stretch, boosting capacity for over forty percent of local homes and businesses. This key step clears the way for a major state project worth twenty-two million … Read more
Former Boling ISD school board president Jerry James Svatek Jr. is now expected to serve federal prison time after pleading guilty to sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography. Investigators say a Homeland Security probe uncovered more than 100 illegal images on his cellphone. Svatek resigned from the Boling ISD board following his … Read more
Power reliability in Wharton County is getting a major boost as a large transmission upgrade moves forward in the Crossroads. The project targets aging power lines and congestion tied to rapid growth in solar, wind, and energy storage near Hillje. Plans include upgrades to an existing substation and construction of a new one in Hillje. … Read more
A racial discrimination lawsuit by former black police detective Freddie Douglas against the city of El Campo continues in appeals court more than two years after his firing. Douglas claims he was wrongly terminated following an arrest for aggravated sexual assault—that a grand jury later cleared with no indictment—due to bias, including uneven handling of … Read more