Top Volunteer Firefighters Honored

Bay City honored its top volunteer firefighters at the annual Christmas awards dinner. Camilo Reyes was named Firefighter of the Year, while Bill Luder received recognition for 50 years of service and Ronald Gomez for 25. The Top 10 Response Team included Bill Luder, Libbie Cruz, Fred Van Wie, Jeremy Boyce, Vincent Lara, Ronald Gomez, … Read more

Christmas Shopping Spree

Bay City Volunteer Fire Department made Christmas special for two local families by raising over $1,000 for a Walmart shopping spree. Firefighter Libbie Cruz, who participated as a child, continues the tradition. The department collects donations year-round, matching contributions to provide groceries and gifts. This year, extra donations allowed the five children to get more … Read more

Special Use Permit for Castro Tire

El Campo City Council approved a special use permit for Castro Tire Shop’s new location on S. Mechanic Street, requiring all work to be done indoors to support the anti-blight initiative. Despite their history in the city, the council voted 6-1 to impose these restrictions. Planning & Zoning had approved the business plan with conditions, … Read more

Middle School Teacher Resigns

An El Campo Middle School teacher resigned Wednesday amid an ongoing investigation into an alleged inappropriate relationship with a student. El Campo police, with assistance from the Texas Rangers, are examining evidence primarily involving electronic communications. The investigation began after a high school parent filed a complaint Monday, expressing concerns about the teacher’s relationship with … Read more

Head-on Collision

A head-on collision shut down Highway 60 in Bay City for nearly two hours Tuesday evening, leaving two people airlifted to hospitals. The crash happened around 5:45 p.m. in the 100 block of Avenue F North. Emergency crews used the jaws of life to rescue a 72-year-old Bay City woman trapped in an overturned pickup. … Read more

New Ricebird Turf

El Campo ISD’s football field will get a major upgrade next year after the school board approved a $1.15 million bid for new turf. Construction starts after soccer season, with completion set for next football season. The field will feature Hellas’ Matrix turf system, used by NFL teams like the Cowboys and Texans, along with … Read more

Traffic Stop Drug Arrest

A traffic stop in Bay City led to the arrest of 50-year-old Brandon Osborne. Police found 2.13 grams of unidentified prescription pills and 2.36 grams of methamphetamine in his pockets. Osborne was initially defensive but complied with officers. He spent a night in Matagorda County jail before posting a $7,000 bond. Osborne, son of Matagorda … Read more

Luddeke New Head Football Coach

Matthew Luddeke, who previously coached at Industrial High School in’18, has been hired as the new head football coach and athletic director for the Cobras. After gaining experience as defensive coordinator and powerlifting coach, Luddeke returned to Industrial when the opportunity arose. The Industrial ISD Board unanimously voted him in on Monday. Luddeke expressed his … Read more

Wreaths Across America

The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2438 honored over 1,000 fallen service members with Christmas wreaths at Cedarvale Cemetery last weekend. This is part of the Wreaths Across America initiative in Matagorda County. Kenneth Thames led the ceremony, emphasizing the sacrifices made for freedom. The event also honored POWs and MIAs. Nearly 4,150 wreaths were … Read more

Holiday Traffic Enforcement

Texas highway troopers are gearing up for their annual holiday traffic enforcement, which starts today and lasts through New Year’s. With roads busier than usual, troopers will be watching for speeders, seat belt violators, and drunk drivers, as well as other traffic offenses. Colonel Freeman Martin says stay alert, avoiding distractions, and following laws like … Read more