Granite Construction, working on Wharton’s levee project, plans to repaint the iconic Dinosaur Park statue—turning its gray body “greenbelt” green—pending City Council approval. The company offered free labor and materials as part of its community volunteer efforts. Also the council addressed handgun access during public meetings after a state complaint. Wharton’s finance director proposed a … Read more
Bay City Police are launching their first-ever Junior Police Academy, a free three-day summer program for kids ages 9 to 13. It runs July 21–23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Young participants will get hands-on experience with real police work. Applications are available now at the police station on Mondays through Fridays, 8 … Read more
El Campo High School’s graduation at Ricebird Stadium was cut short Thursday night due to a security concern. Police were alerted about a possible man hiding a weapon, though no one could clearly identify him or confirm the threat. All 241 graduates received their diplomas before being quickly escorted off the field and moved to … Read more
Bay City police are warning locals about fundraising letters from the National Police Association, which lists a Stafford, Texas address. The department says it is not connected to the group and receives no money from it. The mailer pushes a policing style called “Broken Windows” and asks residents to support a petition aimed at Bay … Read more
An El Campo man died a week ago after his semi-truck flipped along FM 1160 near County Road 373, northeast of New Taiton. Authorities say 64-year-old Manuel Vasquez was not wearing a seatbelt when the truck veered off-road and overturned around 10 a.m. El Campo EMS rushed him to El Campo Memorial Hospital, where he … Read more
Three men, including one from Angleton, were arrested for a May 11th shooting outside PIPS Bar and Lounge near downtown. The suspects—two from out of town—are charged with aggravated assault. One person was injured but survived. Police used surveillance and interviews to identify the suspects. Extra charges, including evading arrest and credit card abuse, were … Read more
On Memorial Day, Wharton County offers several ways to honor veterans. At 9 a.m., a service begins at Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in East Bernard. At 10 a.m., the El Campo Community Cemetery on Jesse Street hosts a ceremony with Army retirees Angela Smith-Duncan and Andrew Duncan sharing their stories. At 11 a.m., El Campo … Read more
Bay City Council is tightening rules for new apartment complexes to boost safety and design standards. Updates would limit buildings to 45% lot coverage, require green space, and cap units at 18 per acre. New rules call for garages, sidewalks, fencing, and playgrounds for larger units. Complexes near homes would need bigger setbacks. Meanwhile, the … Read more
El Campo honored its Public Works Department this week, recognizing over 100 years of combined service. City Council and residents gave a standing ovation Monday as Mayor Eugene Bustamante declared the week as National Public Works Week. Crews are wrapping up major sewer line upgrades on North Wharton Street, with more improvements coming to South … Read more
Fifteen Matagorda County seniors received $196,000 in college scholarships from Tenaris during a ceremony at its Bay City facility, marking 12 years of local investment. Bay City High’s Meredith Williams earned the $60,000 Student of the Year award. Six others received $20,000 Merit Awards for pursuing STEM careers. Since ’13, Tenaris has contributed $3.8 million … Read more