Students Take the Stage

Wharton County Junior College’s Drama Department brings “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” to the Horton Foote Theatre tonight through Saturday, with free shows each night at 7. The play, set in a 1960s mental hospital, explores freedom and defiance against authority. Instructor Jami Hughes says the production showcases a strong group of local talent … Read more

New Air Medical Base Takes Flight

A new air medical base is set to open in Bay City by the end of the month, bringing faster emergency air transport across the Texas Gulf Coast. The base, called Allegiance Air 2, will operate from Bay City Municipal Airport through a partnership between PHI Air Medical and Allegiance Mobile Health. Crews will now … Read more

Slight Population Dip

Matagorda County’s population barely dipped last year, edging down by just 31 people between ’23 and ’24—a 0.09% drop. Census estimates show births still outpaced deaths, and international arrivals added residents. But more locals moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in. That small migration shift explains the decline. Even with job growth and … Read more

Former Bay City Officer Arrested

A former Bay City police officer is facing a misdemeanor family violence assault charge. Authorities say 31-year-old Tyler Elaine Lawson-Ramirez was arrested early Sunday in the 2200 block of Bordeaux and booked into the Matagorda County Jail just before 4 a.m. Her bond was set at five thousand dollars. Records show Lawson-Ramirez left the Bay … Read more

Deadly Apartment Shooting

Police in Victoria are investigating a deadly shooting at an apartment complex off Mockingbird Lane near Guy Grant Road. Officers were called just after 1 a.m. Saturday and found 26-year-old Terrance Butler with gunshot wounds. Investigators say 38-year-old Anna Dixon shot Butler before he later died from his injuries. Dixon was arrested on a murder … Read more

Fire Lieutenant Arrested

Police in Victoria say a city fire lieutenant is facing family violence charges after a recent arrest. Officers were called to a disturbance at a home on Calypso Court, where 43-year-old Marshall Kitchens was accused of assaulting a family member. He was booked into jail on a misdemeanor charge of assault causing bodily injury, which … Read more

Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

We are half way through Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month, and the Crisis Center & Children’s Advocacy Center is reaching out to local teens and families. They say dating violence isn’t always physical—it can mean controlling behavior, nonstop check-ins, isolation from friends, or even online harassment. The center wants teens to know that healthy relationships … Read more

County Weighs Plan to Replace Aging Jail

Wharton County leaders are weighing a $74 million plan to replace the county jail on the same site where it’s stood since 1996. A state mandate requires more jail beds by next year, leaving little choice but to build new. The proposed 240-bed facility would modernize security, expand space, and update outdated systems. Expanding the old … Read more

Warrants Resolved Arrest-free

Bay City residents who may have unpaid Class C warrants now have a chance to clear them without being arrested. The Bay City Municipal Court is holding its annual Warrant Resolution period now to March 16th. During that time, residents can call or visit the court at 1824 6th Street to work out payment plans … Read more

Smoker Sparks Small Backyard Fire

Fire crews in El Campo quickly stopped a backyard blaze Thursday evening near Avenue J and Rebe Sue. Around 6 p.m., thick smoke rose behind a fence at 611 Avenue J, drawing neighbors outside. When El Campo firefighters got through the gate, they found a metal shed and part of a boat cover burning. Volunteers … Read more