Lifestyle

  City council took no action on Mayor Mark Bricker’s request to consider removing a Bay City Housing Authority commissioner and adding three others after an hour-long closed meeting Monday night at City Hall.
   “We are taking no action,” until the Feb. 7 district court trial on a temporary restraining order that blocks the mayor from removing two other BCHA commissioners, Mayor Pro Tem Chrystal Folse said.
   Neither the mayor, nor council members, made any comment. 
   Council Member Jason Childers went into the executive session, but didn’t return to the open meeting.
   The mayor came under intense fire for his handling of the BCHA commissioner removals and proposing additions from three speakers Monday night before council went into executive session.

   Those interested in filing for city council, mayor or Bay City school board positions have until 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 15 to get their paperwork submitted. 
   Robert Nelson is the most recent candidate to file for mayor, joining Council Member Julie Estlinbaum who filed earlier.
   Mayor Mark Bricker has indicated on Facebook that he does not intend to seek re-election.
   City Council Positions 3-5 up for election are currently held by Mayor Pro Tem Chrystal Folse, Becca Sitz, and Jason Childers respectively.
   Sitz and Childers have filed for re-election to their 4 and 5 seats.
   Bay City ISD trustee Positions 1 and 3 are held by Bobby Kimball and Crystal Allison.
   Helen Knezek held trustee Position 2 but resigned late last year.
   Kimball filed for re-election to his Position 1 seat on the board and has drawn a challenger for the post, Clyde “Trent” Tinnin.

   Matagorda County’s State Representative Dennis Bonnen’s rise to Speaker of the House has provided a bonus gift for those attending Matagorda County Day in Austin, Feb. 18-19. 
   This year’s reception will be in the State Capitol’s second-floor west wing at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19, said Bobby Wilkinson, chairman of the Matagorda County Day Committee.
   The event started in 1993, and over the years Matagorda County officials, residents and high school seniors have traveled to the Texas Capitol to have the county’s recognized in the state house and senate.
   “Never before have we had this opportunity. We’re excited,” Wilkinson said of having the reception in the capitol.

To read more, please log in or subscribe to our digital edition. 

   An AgriLife grant of $14,200 will boost the $38,000 Matagorda County now spends in feral hog eradication, Extension Agent Aaron Sumrall told commissioners court at its regular meeting Monday.
   Sumrall said the grant that the court accepted Monday from Texas AgriLife Extension Service will focus on “different methods to go about this in the right way.”
   “Annual removal of feral hogs from the agricultural landscape is a more average of 200 feral hogs per year,” according to documents part of the AgriLife grant to Matagorda County.
   AgriLife contends that feral hogs threaten the county’s annual $40 million turf grass production.
   “Feral hogs are increasing the frequency and intensity of destruction of sod farms.”
   Trapping isn’t used presently because there aren’t enough people to attend the traps, the documents indicate.
   The reports indicate that livestock and forage producers also have increased losses from feral hogs.

   Bay City Community Development Corporation (BCCDC) board members approved paying a $6,000 portion of the 2018 bill for lighted Christmas garlands for downtown.
   The total bill is $10,886 and includes hanging and storage of the lights.
   “Originally, this bill had been a line item in the city’s budget, but for some reason it was left out last year,” said Jessica Russell, BCCDC executive director.
   “After we pay our amount, I will present this to Main Street at their next meeting and hopefully have them pay the rest. I’ve been talking about this already with Main Street Manager Shelly Story.”

To read more, please log in or subscribe to our digital edition. 

   AUSTIN - State Senator Lois W. Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) joined several statewide advocates for property rights to announce the filing of Senate Bill 421 which proposes a major strengthening of Texas property rights. 
   If passed, Kolkhorst said the legislation would create a substantially more fair, equitable and transparent eminent domain process.  
   A longtime point of controversy, eminent domain is a legal power granted to governments to seize private property for public use. 
   However, in Texas many private for-profit entities can also use the same governmental condemning power while being subject to minimal public oversight. 
   With thousands of Texans facing the loss of their private property through forced condemnation every year, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers is now seeking more landowner protections.   

   After its first weekend at box offices nationwide, “Serenity” is falling short and struggling with about $4.4 million in sales.
   And I get it – it’s confusing if you don’t pay attention.
   Plus, it gets worse before a twist at the end makes it better.
   Serenity is a thriller film written, produced and directed by Steven Knight. 
   The film stars Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Diane Lane, Jason Clarke, Djimon Hounsou, Rafael Sayegh, and Jeremy Strong, and follows a fishing boat captain who is approached by his ex-wife to murder her abusive new husband.
   Baker Dill (McConaughey) is an offshore and private fishing boat captain leading tours off a tranquil, tropical enclave called Plymouth Island.
   Are you willing to buck the bad news?
   He’s living the good life running tours with his first mate Duke (Hounsou), chasing an epic tuna that eludes him every time.