Lifestyle

   Bay City High School’s Bryan Hood has been tapped to serve as the Bay City ISD Interim Athletic Director after the resignation of AD/Head Football Coach Patrick Matthews Feb. 27.
    Hood is a BCHS defensive football coach, track and field coach, and teaches physics, chemistry and robotics.
   “It’s an honor for me to serve as the interim athletic director for Bay City ISD.  I am looking forward to serving our wonderful school district and community until a permanent athletic director is put into place. 
   “In the meantime, I will work with our coaches, administrators, staff and community to help Bay City athletics continue to roar proudly,” said Hood.
   BCISD’s search for a new Athletic Director as well as a new Head Football Coach has begun, and the district will review applications as they are received. 
   The district anticipates moving quickly and efficiently to bring on board new leadership to move the athletics program forward.

   The Tigers hosted Bay City on Tuesday and lost 12-4.  
   Taking the loss on the mound was David Perez.  
   Getting 2 hits each were: Joey Kacer, Logan Johnson and Kyus Saha.
      On Friday, the Tigers opened the East Bernard tournament with a 7-6 win over Stafford. 
   Getting the win on the mound was Kyus Saha. Getting 1 hit each were : Kacer, Saha , Johnson , 
   Nick Rodriguez and Taylor Rickaway. 
   Later in the day we were defeated by the Columbia Roughnecks 11-5, taking the loss on the mound was Jackson Sones. 
   Getting 2 hits was Perez. 
   On Saturday we were defeated by East Bernard 12-5. 
   Taking the loss was Perez. 
   Leading hitter with 2 hits was Logan Johnson. 

   SAN ANTONIO  - Senator Lois W. Kolkhorst (R-Brenham) received the Texas Travel Industry Association’s (TTIA) Silver Spur Award at the association’s 30th annual Unity Dinner for her instrumental work in passing Senate Bill 26 and Senate Joint Resolution 24 during last year’s legislative session.
   The Silver Spur is awarded to individuals who have demonstrated leadership and exemplary service to the Texas travel and tourism industry. 
   Senate Bill 26 and Senate Joint Resolution 24 became Proposition 5 in last year’s constitutional amendment election and passed overwhelmingly statewide with 88 percent of the vote.
   For many years, Texas state parks were funded primarily through a one-penny-per-pack tax on cigarettes.
   In 1993, the 73rd Legislature replaced the cigarette tax funding with a portion of revenues derived from the sales tax on sporting goods.

   The 12th Annual Matagorda County United Way Day of Caring has been scheduled for April 17. 
   Over 100 volunteers turn out for this community-wide event to make minor repairs at the homes of elderly homeowners and people with disabilities. 
   Everything from lawn and garden care, painting porches, installing fire alarms, replacing window screens, to building wheelchair ramps and other small carpentry work are tackled by volunteers anxious to make a difference in the community.  
   Applicants must be at least 65 years old or disabled and they must own their home. 
   Work requested must be capable of being completed in one day on the Day of Caring and homeowners must be present. 
   Roof repairs, electrical work, and major plumbing repairs cannot be made.  
   A volunteer team will be assigned to accepted projects. 

   Sheriff Skipper Osborne defeated challenger Bill Orton by 312 votes out of 4,950 votes cast in their race in the Matagorda County Republican Primary Tuesday, March 3.
   The closely watched countywide election was the defacto general election for sheriff, with no Democratic candidates running.
   In other contested Republican races:

•     Bubba Cook defeated incumbent Gary Graham in the Precinct 1 County Commissioner race by a 872-688 vote margin.

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Leaders from several different agencies agreed a united voice was needed to respond to the coronavirus should it surface in Matagorda County.
   “Collaboration starts today – right now our intent is to face something we don’t want to happen here,” Mayor Robert Nelson told the gathered leaders Tuesday morning, March 3.
   The entities represented include Matagorda Regional Medical Center (MRMC), Emergency Management, EMS, MEHOP, Matagorda County, City of Bay City, Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, Bay City Police Department, and the Sheriff’s Department.
   “We started looking at this months ago,” said J. Warren Robicheaux, MRMC CEO.
   “Even though the threat of the disease was pretty low, there was a high probability that we would have someone who had been at least exposed to the virus,” Robicheaux added.
The hospital cannot test for the virus – nor can most hospitals in the U.S. – he said.

   As of press time Tuesday night, there are no confirmed cases of COVID-19 coronavirus cases in Matagorda County.
   That hasn’t stopped local school districts and other entities from taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of the community.
   All entities urge parents, students, faculty, and staff to practice healthy hygiene habits to prevent the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, such as washing hands frequently, covering coughs and sneezes, avoiding contact with eyes, nose, and mouth, and staying home from school or work if sick.

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    The 76th Annual Matagorda County Fair and Live Stock theme this year is “Old Time County Fair.”
   The fair has been ongoing with agriculture, 4-H and various award-winning competitive events since Feb. 14.
   The daily gate fee per person is $5 until 5 p.m., then it goes up to $10 until 10 p.m. and $20 after 10 p.m. until closing.
   Rodeo tickets are $20 per person while children five and under are free, but must sit in their parents’ lap.
    Parents wishing for their child to have a regular seat must purchase a ticket regardless of age.
   Tickets are on sale now at the ticket office at the Fairgrounds at 4511 FM 2668 Bay City, or by calling 979-245-1819.
   Carnival armbands are $20 per person Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
   Armbands cost $25 per person on Saturday.
   The carnival is from 4-10 p.m. Thursday, March 5.

   Market Days will return to the Matagorda County Courthouse Square in April after Commissioners Court signed a lease contract with Fulton Market Days owner Marie Cook, at the court’s regular meeting Monday, March 2.
   The county’s five-year contract – March 1, 2020 to Feb. 28, 2025 - with Cook will return vendors to the courthouse square each month.
   County Attorney Denise Fortenberry said Monday that Cook “will be ready for the first market days in April.”  
   A monthly market day will bring back an event the Bay City Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture ended in late 2017 after several years on the square. 
   The chamber now has Christmas and summer market day events.

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   Main Street Program board members approved a year-long $5,695 contract with adjustments for planter maintenance with Armando Bautista’s ABZ Landscaping company, during a special meeting Feb. 28. 
   “We’re still going to need some clarifications on this proposal,” said Ann Ryan, board member. 
   “We recently replaced many of the timers and hoses in the planters ourselves. Maybe we could get him to adjust the price?” 

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