Lifestyle

   Van Vleck school trustees unanimously extended Superintendent John O’Brien’s contract by another year at the board’s regular meeting Monday, Jan. 13.
   O’Brien received a 7-0 vote from trustees to extend his contract by a year. 
   His new contract will start July 1, 2020, and is good through June 30, 2023.
   The district also received a clean report on their annual financial audit – the best possible outcome – from its new auditing firm and heard construction updates on its school bond projects and their financing. 
   Van Vleck ISD received an “unmodified clean opinion – the best the district could read,” said Wade Whitlow, CPA with the Lake Jackson-based CPA firm of KM&L.

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   The official dedication of the LeTulle DreamScape at LeTulle Park will be at 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25.   
   “Safety surfacing is being installed and we are almost ready for children to play,” said Kelly Penewitt, City of Bay City Parks and Recreation supervisor. 
   “We invite the public out to join us as we celebrate children of all abilities at our barn-themed play structures. This project has long been a dream of Bay City and its citizens for several years and it is now coming true,” Penewitt said.
The Le Tulle Park DreamScape received a Houston Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) Parks and Natural Areas Award.  
   H-GAC established the Parks and Natural Areas awards program in 2006 to highlight best practices and innovative approaches to parks planning and implementation. 
   H-GAC honors projects in the categories of Projects Over $500,000, Projects Under $500,000, Planning Process, and Policy Tools.  

   AUSTIN – The Lower Colorado River Authority is offering grants of up to $50,000 for community development projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric or water service areas.   
   Applications for the latest round of Community Development Partnership Program grants are available online in January and must be submitted by Jan. 31. 
   Most grants are for $25,000 or less, but each grant cycle includes awards of two or three grants of up to $50,000. 
   Eligible organizations include volunteer fire departments, emergency responders, local governments, schools, libraries, civic groups, museums and other nonprofit organizations. 
   The grants are not available to individuals, for-profit entities, professional associations and nonprofits with limited group memberships. 

   As we begin 2020 Matagorda County 4-H members are very busy preparing for upcoming 4-H events as well as the Matagorda County Fair and Livestock Show. 
   This past week we had over 200 pictures submitted online for our 4-H Photography Contest.  
   The kids can enter one picture in each of the following categories Animals-Domestic, Animals-Wildlife, Catch-all, Details & Macro, Dominant Color, Elements of Design, Enhanced, Food, Landscape & Nature, Motion/Action, Night, People, Plant/Flora, Shadow/Silhouette, Theme – The Elements. 
   The winners in each of these categories will advance to compete at the District and State Levels. 
   Photography has become one of the more popular projects with just about anyone being able to snap a picture on their cell phones. 
   Texas 4-H Photography Ambassadors are an elite group of 4-Hers selected for their skills that go out and educate others about different techniques. 

   A 40-year-old Markham man was convicted of a state jail felony for hunting a prized 23-point white-tailed deer from a North Matagorda County Ranch without the owner’s consent following a day-long trial Tuesday, Jan. 7.
   The six-woman, three-man jury found Neil Anton Jurek of Markham guilty in the trial’s guilt-innocence phase for white-tailed deer: Hunt or catch without owner consent in the October 2017 incident.
   In the punishment phase, the jurors gave him the maximum sentence of two years and a $10,000 fine, which won’t be probated.
   Defense counsel John Anderson requested the judge poll all jurors in open court on their conviction and punishment decisions.
   Jurors all voted unanimously in both cases.

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   City Council finalized the interview schedule for five permanent City Manager candidates, Tuesday night, Jan. 7.
   Those candidates are Chris Whittaker, John Godwin, Lloyd Merrell, Mo Raissi, and Shawna Burkhart.
   The finalists are slated to be in Bay City for interviews Monday-Tuesday, Jan. 27-28.
   “Travel expenses are included for each candidate,” said Strategic Government Resource (SGR) Executive Recruiter Mike Tanner.
   “We’re talking flights and rental cars, lodging, and meals as needed; including their spouse, if they decide to come with them.”
   Candidates will also get a chance to meet city council, tour the community, city and city facilities and attend a community reception.

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   It’s time to break out the camouflage for the fifth annual Wild Game and Wine Camofest from 2-10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25.
   This year, the Bay City Main Street Program and Visit Bay City will join the Wolf Moon Concert with Camofest to make a full day of events that extend into the night with live music.
   The festival, on Avenue G and Sixth Street, is the Main Street Program’s annual fundraiser designed to attract people to Bay City’s historic downtown area.
   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.
   Visitors will have the chance to sample wild game, fowl and seafood prepared by 12-15 local cook teams and to taste regional wine from 10 Texas wineries.