Lifestyle

   Lodestar Energy got a five-year tax abatement for a $35 million, 227-acre rail transfer station near the El Maton-Buckeye area from Matagorda County Commissioners Court Monday, Dec. 23.
   The court vote was 3-1 for the tax abatement that would be 85% for the first two years, and 75%, 50% and 25%, respectively, for the next three years, which averages out to 60% over the five years, said Precinct 2 Commissioner Kent Pollard.
   Pollard, who presided over the meeting in County Judge Nate McDonald’s absence, and commissioners James Gibson and Gary Graham voted for the abatement.
   Precinct 4 Commissioner Bubba Frick cast the dissenting vote.
   In return for the abatement, Houston-based Lodestar is required to provide 10 new jobs with an average annual salary of $85,000.
   The rail transfer station will transfer Gulf Coast oil and gas products from pipelines to rail cars and from rail cars to pipelines.

   City Council discussed city manager applicants and the process to interview them at an executive session Thursday evening, Dec. 19.
   There were about 40 applicants for the job, but only 14 of those met qualifications that council set out earlier this year.
   Council agreed Thursday to continue talking about the process at a special session Jan. 7.

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   Bay City Independent School District, along with Communities in Schools (CIS) of Brazoria County, has been awarded a Texas Education Agency grant to expand Communities in Schools to Bay City ISD. 
   BCISD is the first district in Region 3 offering this program to its students and families.
   Communities in Schools works directly in schools to build relationships that empower students to stay in school and succeed in life. 
   CIS school-based staff partner with teachers to identify challenges students face in class or at home and coordinate with community partners to bring outside resources inside schools. 
   CIS in Texas is administered by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). 
   CIS staff work year-round, full-time, and on school campuses. BCISD is partnering with CIS of Brazoria County, which serves 6,500 students over 90 program sites in nine school districts.

   7th Street Market owner Kimberly Riggs says she is thrilled with the reception her new business has received in her first few weeks of being open.
   “The turnout has been amazing and we’ve already had several repeat customers,” said Riggs.
   “I’m really excited about having my business here and being a part of the community.”
   The Market is at 2824 Seventh Street in Bay City and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays. 
   Riggs, originally from Mount Pleasant, Texas, said that her family moved to Bay City months ago.

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   A proposed rail project from the Port of Freeport to the Rosenberg rail hub that included a possible route through Matagorda County was recently cancelled by the Brazoria-Fort Bend County Rail District Board of Directors.
   Cedar Lane resident Louis Peter who has monitored the project after learning about it in a Brazoria County newspaper, attended the rail district meeting when the board agreed to cancel the project last week.
   Also attending the rail district meeting were County Judge Nate McDonald and commissioners Gary Graham and Kent Pollard. 

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   The Sheriff’s Office reports investigations conducted at the same time by the Criminal Investigation and Narcotic divisions.
   Those probes include investigations into several recent burglaries in southern Matagorda County, where a black Chevrolet Tahoe was identified as a possible suspect vehicle.  
   Investigator Sgt. Mike Ferrel received information Tuesday, Dec. 10, that the Black Tahoe might be at a residence near Collegeport on FM 1095.  
   Ferrel was driving in the area when he observed a 2004 Black Chevrolet Tahoe at FM 521 and FM 1095.  
   Ferrel made contact with that vehicle and its three occupants.  
   The officer asked for but was denied consent to search the vehicle, reports show.  
   Matagorda County K-9 was summoned and the K-9 team arrived and made a “free air sniff” around the vehicle and a positive alert was given by K-9 Hansel.  

    I have to confess that I’ve been excited for “Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker” since it was announced by Disney.
   To that end, it fits into the series fairly well, minus a few pacing issues and random half-done plotlines gathered and shoved into one film.
   And I know that sounds bad, but, overall, it’s an enjoyable film and they did good credit to Carrie Fisher’s legacy as General Leia Organa.
   The movie is rated PG-13 for sci-fi violence and action, clocks in at two hours and 21 minutes with no special scenes following the credits.
   The Rise of Skywalker currently ranks No. 1 worldwide with a revenue just over $374 million in its debut weekend.
   The film is an epic space-opera film produced, co-written, and directed by J.J. Abrams.
   It is the third installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and concludes the nine-part “Skywalker saga.”