Lifestyle

   Van Vleck ISD trustees unanimously approved Superintendent John O’Brien’s contract extension during their regular meeting Monday night. 
   O’Brien’s new contract officially starts in July.
   “I’m super excited that the board felt confident in me and what we’re doing at the district,” said VVISD Superintendent John O’Brien.
   “We’re breaking ground on three new campuses and that’s big deal. Not to mention renovations to several existing buildings. I am honored to be a part of the district’s growth and plans for the future.”
   Trustees also approved going forward with a “District of Innovation” plan and assigned a mix of 17 parents, educators, and staff to an organizing committee.
   “Almost every district in the state has signed up for and created their own plan,” said O’Brien.
   “The committee is in charge of drawing up the plan that provides for a comprehensive educational program for the district.”

   Mayor Mark Bricker said plans are on hold to place a statue of Olympic champion Joe Deloach downtown at Avenue G and 6th Street after a contentious City Council meeting last week.
   With comments about the statue better suited for the BCHS campus – Deloach is a former Blackcat – and over the lack of communication on the placement downtown on the square, mayor and council got a verbal backlash at their regular meeting, Thursday, Jan. 11. 
   “We believe the statue should be at the new or old (BCHS) stadium for young people to see,” said Becky Cook, owner of the Children’s Store.
   City crews removed brick pavers last week in front of the Children’s Store at the southeastern corner of the downtown intersection.
   The pavers were replaced after last Thursday’s meeting.
   “We were never approached about our thoughts,” Cook said.
   The statue of the 1988 Olympian would be placed at the only entrance to the Children’s Store, Cook said.

   Miscommunication between small children and their father about their whereabouts led to a countywide search for three children, involving several law enforcement and emergency agencies Sunday afternoon, Jan. 13.
   Two of the children didn’t tell their father they were going with a neighbor and his son fishing – even though the neighbor told the two kids to get permission.
   Bay City police officers were sent in reference to missing children to the 5100 block of White Oak Lane – near Hamman Road in South Bay City - at about 2:42 p.m. Sunday, reports show.
   Upon arrival, officers contacted the father of two of the missing children. 
   He told officers that his two kids and one of their friends were missing. 
   The children, ages, 5, 6, and 7, were last seen about 2 p.m. Sunday.
   The father described all of the children and what clothes they were wearing when they were last seen. 
   Officers began searching the area.

   A 12-inch Equistar pipeline that will cross under five county roads en route to a San Patricio County destination was approved by Matagorda County Commissioners Court Monday, Jan. 14.
   The pipeline is in Commissioner Bubba Frick’s Precinct 4. 
   San Antonio-based Epic Y Grade Pipeline will carry ethane from the Clemville facility, Frick said.
   “Everything looks good,” Frick said of the project.
   County Judge Nate McDonald asked if the line would go under the roads and Frick said they would.
   The county roads include: CR 419, El Dorado Road; CR 417, Hoffman Road; CR 451, Cessor Road; CR 452, Tom Cornelius Road; CR 454 Sliva Road; and CR 401 Knebel Road.

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   Bay City January sales tax rebates from the State Comptroller’s Office totaled $420,788, down 4.31 percent from the same month a year ago.
   The city’s January 2018 total was $439,783.
   In Palacios, the first month’s rebate was $49,340, down 7.65 percent from the January 2018 total of $43,428.
   Statewide, the total local sales tax allocations for January were $734.7 million, 3.6 percent more than in January 2018.
   These allocations are based on sales made in November by businesses that report tax monthly.
   In Brazoria County, Angleton’s January rebate was $403,846, up 22.4 percent over the same month last year, while Lake Jackson’s January tally of $772,793 was 10 percent lower than January 2018.
   Port Lavaca’s January rebate of $284,287 was 19 percent higher than the January 2018 total.
   Both El Campo and Wharton January rebate totals were down from the same month in 2018.

   Tickets are on sale now for the annual “Wild Game and Wine Camofest” from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26, downtown in Bay City on Avenue G.
   There’s live music, food, wine and vendors to be downtown on the square along with activities for children.
   The event honors Bay City native and world-renowned artist, Forrest Clemenger Bess, 1911-1977. While serving in the Army Corps of Engineers during WWII, Forrest received a commendation for designing camouflage.
   Festivities will actually begin Friday night with a Wolf Moon Concert put on by Visit Bay City from 6-11 p.m. Something Else will open the concert from 6-7 p.m. and Journey cover band San Antonio Lights will take the stage from 7:30-10:30 p.m. There will be a beer tent, food and cornhole as well as music and dancing.

   Surprisingly, “The Upside” has toppled “Aquaman” to be No. 1 at box offices during its debut weekend with over $21.6 million in worldwide earnings.
   The film is technically a remake of a remake and based on a true story.
   Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, a Corsican French businessman who is the Director of Pommery and was the owner of an inherited historic Hôtel Particulier in Paris used as a function hall.
   He became a diabetic quadriplegic in 1993 following a paragliding accident.
   His life story inspired several other biographical films including Upside.
   Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston headline the movie with fellow actors Nicole Kidman, Julianna Margulies, and Aja Naomi King rounding out the cast.
   The film follows a paralyzed billionaire Phillip Lacasse (Cranston) who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a recently paroled convict Dell Scott (Hart) whom he hires to take care of him.