Lifestyle

   Commisioner’s court unanimously approved setting several September public hearings during its regular Monday meeting. 
   The first hearing features discussion for an order limiting the weight and establishing the rules and regulations of certain heavy-haul vehicles on or over roads maintained by the county at 9:45 a.m. Monday, Sept. 14. 
   “This public hearing is coming out of workshops we held on policies in the past,” said Matagorda County Attorney Denise Fortenberry. 
   Precinct 1 Commissioner Gary Graham brought up concerns about the possibility of a “weight officer position.” 
   “It is a possibility with this new policy, yes, but it isn’t budgeted at this time,” answered Fortenberry. 
   “But, a weight officer would have these responsibilities outlined in the policy when needed or hired.” 
   The second public hearing is for the approval of Roehm America’s tax abatement agreement at 9:45 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28. 

   The Bay City Parks and Recreation Department will host its first-ever “Riverside Smoke Off” event Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11-12. 
   “There are three things we all know that come with the month of September: end of summer, county fairs, back to school and barbecue cook-offs,” said a Bay City PARD press release.  
   “And while we can’t bring summer back, we can help with the cook-off and a taste of the great outdoors with camping Riverside Park. 
   Citizens are encouraged to show support for reopening Riverside Park by participating in the Riverside Smoke Off.  
   “We will have a concert on Friday night beginning at 6 p.m.,” said the release. 
   “More information on the concert line up will be released in August.” 
   Cookers can enter into a total of six categories: brisket, chicken, ribs, beans, Dutch oven sweet and best-decorated site.  

Bay City at Sweeny
Head Coach Robert Jones  

   VAN VLECK - The Lady Leopard volleyball team has been under the leadership of coach Amy Kile since last season and is looking to improve drastically in year two of her tutelage. 
   “We did not have the season we hoped for last year in my first season as Head Coach here in Van Vleck.”  
   With a year under her belt and a senior class that packs a punch Kile and the Lady Leopards will have a better idea of how to navigate a season where expectations are higher than the norm for the program. 
   “We have a great group of girls and it is my job to bring them together and make them gel. We have to come together as a team and program, if we do that the rest of the stuff will take care of itself.” said Kile. 
   Seniors Trinity Fields, Maria Van Zandt, Michaela Bormes, Destiny Zuniga, Emma Garrison and Kylie Junek will be the tone setter for the entire program as the numbers for volleyball are high in Van Vleck.

   When you go to the beach, you typically go with the intention of collecting shells, sea glass, or other unique finds. 
   But do you ever go with the intention of collecting trash? Most likely not and who could blame you. 
   However, while you’re out beachcombing you probably come across less-desirable items like water bottles, straws, or lonely flip-flops. 
   These things definitely do not add to the beauty of our beaches, but rather detract from all the wonder these landscapes instill.
   While a day at the beach should be about recharging and relaxing, maybe consider picking up a few pieces of trash as you stroll down the swash zone. 
   It won’t take you any extra time and it won’t cost a dime. 
   Bring a bag and fill it up - you would be surprised how quickly that bag becomes full in about 30 minutes. 

   Coming out of a brief executive session commissioners unanimously rejected a 312 tax abatement agreement with Danish Fields Solar, LLC at the end of their regular meeting Monday, Aug. 17.
   “We rejected the application because the project didn’t appear to create enough jobs in our area,” said Matagorda County Judge Nate McDonald.
   “They had two permanent positions on their application and our county policy requires a minimum of 10 jobs for consideration.”
   McDonald added that the proposed solar farm could be located in the northwestern part of the county.
   “They didn’t include a map, but mentioned being in the northwestern part of the county,” he added.
   “Part of that project could also be inside Wharton County.”
   A 312 tax abatement is between a taxpayer and a taxing unit that exempts all or part of the increase in the value of the real property and/or tangible personal property from taxation for a period not to exceed 10 years.

“It was a very good first day as first days go, in the face of a pandemic,” Van Vleck School Superintendent John O’Brien told trustees at their regular meeting Monday, Aug. 17.
   O’Brien’s bright comment was in reference to Van Vleck students beginning school Monday. 
   Van Vleck welcomed 1,021 students to school – a number O’Brien noted was “below last year, but expected during what’s going on.”
   Students have been out of school since March because of the pandemic.
   The district is offering both in-person and distance learning this fall, and the superintendent said about 15-20%, or about 150 to 200 students, will be online.
   “As the day wore on that (online) number went down,” he pointed out.
   Parents of online students “liked what they saw” when they came to school Monday to get school work, O’Brien said.

   New COVID-19 cases shot up last week and the eight-week trend of active cases increasing has the attention of Matagorda Regional Medical Center officials.
   A total of 91 new cases was the most prominent development in the weekly COVID-19 report from the Emergency Operation Center that was released Monday, Aug. 17.
   EOC noted there also are 58 new recovered cases, and eight new fatalities and 35 total. There are now 362 estimated active cases.
   “Our number of new cases this week is higher than last week, though the past two week’s new case numbers are lower than the five previous weeks,” said Aaron Fox, Chief Business Development Officer and Public Information Officer, Matagorda County Hospital District.
   “Whether we’re at the beginning of a downward trend, a plateau, or in the early stages of a new upward trajectory remains to be seen. 

   Bay City ISD trustees unanimously approved the limitation in appraised value of property application with Roehm America during their regular meeting Monday, Aug. 17.
   Roehm proposes building a $500 million, 70-employee, world-scale plant to produces methyl methacrylate, an important raw material for applications in a variety of industries that include automotive and construction, among others.
   The plant will be on an 18.641-acre site on the OQ Chemical (old Oxea) campus, Roehm documents show.
   Roehm’s tax abatement agreement with the county faces the vote Aug. 31.
   Board members also unanimously approved an increase to the stadium bond project’s price point by over $501,000 for several updates including: