Lifestyle

   What Does Hydration Mean?
   The body needs water to survive. In fact, the body is made up of 55-60 percent water according to the Centers for Disease Control. Every cell, tissue, and organ in the body must have water to work properly.
   For example, the body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate your joints. Water is needed for overall good health. When there isn’t enough fluid in the body, it becomes dehydrated.
Physical Changes 
that Affect Hydration
   As we age, the ability to feel thirst lessens with age so seniors may not realize when they need to drink more.
   Seniors also may find they have to use the bathroom more often, so they are losing more fluid. In the elderly, body water content begins to fall and muscle mass declines. 

   The City of Bay City had hoped to move into its new recycling center before the end of June. 
   The city did not meet that goal but hopes to be in the new Recycling Center at 1702 Avenue K by July 19. 
   Construction has been ongoing since February for the new building located at 1702 Avenue K in Bay City. 
   The weather this spring has made it difficult for the contractor, Hlavinka Construction Co. of East Bernard, to stay on schedule. 
   Despite lots of rain and wind, completion is only a few weeks beyond the target date. 
   The 6,000 square foot building will become the new site where residents can leave recyclable materials, including carboard, #1 and #2 plastics, newspapers, magazines, paper, motor oils, and cooking oils.
   Starting on Thursday, July 11, the city will move operations from and close the current drop-off facility at 1812 Avenue H. 

   The House of Refuge homeless shelter’s board of directors held an open forum meeting to address questions and concerns form the community Monday, July 1. 
   “We’re open from 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. and provide them with a clean place to sleep, shower and dinner and breakfast for the day,” said Power Church pastor and House of Refuge Director Franc Paiz. 
   “We are not responsible for what they do after they leave the shelter. Our program is structured to avoid enabling our consumers to remain in the same situation they come in. 
   “Our program consists of each consumer being required to complete 20 hours of community service each week at any nonprofit of their choice.” 
   Paiz added that if a resident violated any of the shelter’s rules or failed to complete 20 hours of community service work, they were barred from the shelter for 30 days. 

   Precinct 6 Constable Bill Orton was presented the Constable of the Year Award at the 75th Annual Justice of the Peace and Constables Association Education Conference in South Padre Island last week.
   “Constable Orton has taken his office to an entire new level, particularly in Matagorda County,” according to the speech read at the JPCA session.
   “After being elected, Orton only had himself and no deputies.  Since that time, he has worked with Commissioner’s Court during budget times and has expanded his office to include five-part time deputies to assist him. 

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   Federal, city and county offices will be closed Thursday, July 4 in celebration of Independence Day. 
   Those offices will reopen at regular working hours Friday, July 5. 
   Included in federal closings are the U.S. Postal Service and banks. 
   Bay City’s Annual Sparks in the Park event will be from 5 – 10 p.m. at LeTulle Park.  
   The event features food, games, and live music at 6 p.m. with fireworks kicking off at 9:30 p.m.  
   Call the Bay City Parks & Recreation Department at 979-323-1660 for more information. 
   WCA Waste Management residential pickups will continue as normally scheduled with offices closed in observance of Independence Day. 
   The Sentinel office will also be closed for Independence Day activities but open again at regular business hours Friday. 

   Local author Judy Barbour has published her latest inspirational book, “Soar: Love Life, Create your own Joy, Never stop dreaming.” 
   Barbour has published 10 award-winning cookbooks over a span of 40 years. 
   Her first book, “Elegant Elk, Delicious Deer” was published in 1978 and was also her first foray into wild game cooking and featured a lot of research before perfecting her recipes. 
   “But, this is the first book of its kind,” said Barbour. 
   “I’ve published several cookbooks over the years, including one each for the state of Wyoming and Colorado that featured historical facts with each recipe. 
“I have also written columns and articles for magazines and the Bay City Tribune for years in the past.”  
   Barbour describes the book as one of “inspiration, motivation, and gratitude.” 

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   Recognition for the Matagorda County Historic Commission’s Distinguished Service Award and praise for the county’s accounting system topped the commissioners court regular meeting Monday, July 1.
      In addition, the court appointed members to a revived Matagorda County Rail Transportation District and approved Aleigha Galvan as a grant-funded Victim Assistance Coordinator in the District Attorney’s office.
   Underlining the significance of the historic commission’s 2018 Distinguished Service Award from the state, County Judge Nate McDonald pointed out that less than a fifth of Texas’ 254 counties receive this honor.
   He credited the commission’s “exemplary work year in and year out.”
   Commission President Ona Lea Pierce said the honor should go to Carol Gibbs, who manages the online Matagorda County history and genealogy website, and serves as a communications liaison for the group.

   An effort to certify a potential industrial site apparently paid off for the Matagorda County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC) recently.
   As part of MCEDC work to get possible sites certified in the North Bay City industrial park – Executive Director Mike Ferdinand had been getting an environmental study done.
   While that study – necessary for the certification – is done Ferdinand was moving on to getting the overgrown eight acres cleared.
   An oilfield services company looking over the site indicated it wanted the property and it would take care of the clearing.
   “They don’t need it done. They’ll do it themselves,” Ferdinand told the MCEDC board Friday, June 28.

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