Lifestyle

   The Peyton Creek Wind Farm is going forward.
   Commissioners court approval for the wind farm to lay a collection line of three cables along Shepard Mott Road - at the court’s regular meeting Monday, March 18 - was the first public sign the project is still alive.
The county also approved a Port of Palacios resolution that asks the legislature to amend the Texas Transportation Code to create an Overweight Corridor through Matagorda County to and from the Port of Palacios.

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   The new BCJH construction is nearing completion, while work is well under way on the new Tenie Holmes Elementary.
   That’s what Project Architect Francis Zordilla told the Bay City school trustees in a workshop and at the board’s regular meeting Monday, March 18.
   In addition to Zordilla’s updates on all of the projects from the district’s bond referendum in November 2016, trustees also heard a presentation on the proposed aquatics center from Wellness Matagorda Co-Chairmen Loy Sneary and Renee Savage. 
   Board President Robert Klepac gave an overview optimistic in tone about the history of the $124 million bond issue that voters approved.
   Klepac told how advisors made bond revenue projections that were way off – based on the advisors’ wrong property valuation calculations.

   Van Vleck ISD Trustees unanimously approve a $20,991,690 million guaranteed maximum price bid for a new elementary school during their regular meeting Monday. 
   “That’s just under budget,” said Mike Mandola, PBK Architects project manager.
   “We did a little value engineering for things like finishes and furniture, but nothing structural. The new facility will house about 550 students.”
   “We feel real confident about these numbers,” said Ron Bailey, PBK architect.
   “The bid also includes a $30,000 allowance for tree protection, a root barrier, tree trimming and more for roughly 5-10 trees on that space.”
   “Remember, it’s just an allowance,” said Superintendent John O’Brien.
   “That means if we don’t spend it all on the trees, we can use the rest for something else.”
   O’Brien reminded trustees that there was still $9.5 million left in the bond project fund after the elementary project.

   The 9th Annual Boys and Girls Club of Bay City and Matagorda County’s “Great Steak Cook-Off” fundraiser kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23 at the Bay City Civic Center. 
   Dinner begins at 6:45 p.m. with tickets at $50 per person. 
   Tickets are also available for purchase online at https://baycitybgc.ejoinme.org/cookoff19.
   The event boasts bucket raffles, live and silent auctions, and awards for best steak, crowd favorite and more!

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   A Commissioners Court’s workshop Monday on obtaining law enforcement software for the sheriff’s office focused on what different software vendors could provide.
   County Judge Nate McDonald sought comments from county department heads – including District Judge Craig Estlinbaum and District Attorney Steven Reis – and heard from the vendors present.
   The vendors included Kologik, Tyler InCode, Tyler New World and Southern Software. 
   A major factor in discussing the law enforcement software is the U.S. Justice Department’s plan to award millions to improve crime reporting nationwide replacing the current 70-year-old crime reporting system.
   The Justice Department’s Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) announced a major step toward moving the nation’s crime reporting apparatus into the 21st century with grant funds.

   As an avid sci-fi fan, I’m always down to see any movie with aliens in it.
   All alien flicks from animated children’s flicks and classic reboots are on my radar.
   Sadly, this one wasn’t marketed as strongly as other alien movies I’ve seen and that’s unfortunate because I thoroughly enjoyed it.
   “Captive State” really takes the usual alien invasion idea and jumps ahead a decade after the first contact, while urging people to resist the new oppressive regime.
   Captive State is a science fiction thriller movie directed by Rupert Wyatt and co-written by Wyatt and Erica Beeney.
   The film stars John Goodman, Ashton Sanders, Jonathan Majors, Machine Gun Kelly, and Vera Farmiga.
   It largely follows a young man who participates in a conspiracy to rebel against an alien race that invaded Earth and enforced strict martial law on all humans.