News

   Bay City ISD trustees unanimously approved hiring former Bay City High School star Chandi Jones to coach the Bay City Ladycat Basketball Team during their special meeting, May 28.
   Jones had stellar careers at BCHS and the University of Houston. 
   Her Hall of Fame honors include both her high school and college.
   “I look forward to sitting down with Jones and welcoming her to the team,” said BCISD Superintendent Dr. Marshall Scott, III.
   “I’ve heard great things about this Basketball Hall of Famer. 
   “Congratulations to coach Trahan as well for bringing Blackcats back to the district and building up Blackcat nation.”
   New Athletic Director Warren Trahan recently said he would bring back Blackcat excitement.
   Chandi Jones is a 2000 BCHS graduate – the same Bay City class as new Blackcat Head Football Coach Robert Jones.

   Fifteen Bay City ISD students have been selected as the first cohort of the new Bay City Early College High School (ECHS) program debuting Fall 2020 at Bay City High School. 
   The students received the good news via a parade of district representatives to each of their homes on May 22. 
   The students were selected through a rigorous application process, and had to earn a passing score on the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) exam.  
   The students selected are: Cristofer Bocanegra Casique, Anavie Bryant, Giselle Calderon, Mark Calderon, Alyssa Campbell-Clayton, Kyler Estrada, Carlon Jones, Rafael Lara, Juan Martinez, Marco Mata, Liya Ochoa, Yareli Ochoa, Rubi Ortiz, Emily Sierra Lopez, and Brayton Williams. 
   This first ECHS student cohort will be freshmen at BCHS in the Fall 2020 semester. 

   We will open for the 2020 Swim Season Tuesday, June 2.  
   Pool operations for the 2020 summer season are limited. 
   Hilliard Pool will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 12 noon – 7 p.m.; Valiant (16th) Pool will be open Friday from 12 noon – 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon – 7 p.m.  
   We will shut down every two (2) hours to clean and sanitize the facility. The number of swimmers is limited. Floats and are floaties are not allowed. 
   Cost: $1 per child 17 & under and $2 per adult 18 & older.  
   Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. 
   Lap Swim will be Tuesday – Friday from 5 – 7 p.m. at Valiant Pool.  
   Lap swim is $1/day or a monthly pass can be purchased for $10/month.  
   We have partnered with CivicRec to make buying a lap swim pass or season pass an ease.  

   Tenaris has awarded 12 Matagorda County high school seniors scholarships totaling $186,000, as part of its annual awards recognizing the students’ achievements inside and outside of the classroom. 
   Via a virtual ceremony, held to respect social distancing due to the ongoing pandemic, Tenaris announced the winners and runners-up. 
   “Education is an impactful tool and we applaud all the scholarship recipients’ commitment to taking advantage of the opportunities that academics offer,” said Luca Zanotti, Tenaris US President. 
   “Although they are closing out their senior year in an unusual way, it is one’s resilience and ability to adapt to the unexpected that strengthen preparedeness and development. Best of luck to all.” 
   The scholarships include a $60,000 Student of the Year scholarship and six Merit Awards, each in the amount of $20,000, as well as awards to runners-up ranging from $500 to $1,000. 

Council heard a timetable for Nile Valley Road reconstruction that would see work begin in November at a workshop Tuesday, May 26.
   Jones & Carter engineer Matt Breazeale projected that bids on the proposed $6 million, two-phase work of resurrecting the Nile Valley Road could be let in September, construction to begin November with a possible completion in June 2021.
      Breazeale called the work “pretty straightforward” and reiterated the point that keeping the road’s speed limit at 45 mph – and reducing roadways structures for a higher speed – would save money.
   Breazeale wants to close off the road from the barricades at NVR and MLK and the barriers near Linnie Roberts Elementary for the initial phase of work.

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   Tidehaven ISD trustees heard a graduation ceremony update from Tidehaven High School principal Dr. Patrick Talbert as part of their regular board meeting, Monday, May 26.
   “Governor Greg Abbott and the state say we can go out there and hold in-person graduation at 25% capacity of the stadium,” said Talbert.
   “We’ll be set up at the south side of the end zone.”
   Talbert added that the students currently can’t meet to practice the graduation ceremony.
  

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   If preparing for an election isn’t challenge enough, adding a second week of early voting and safeguarding voters and election workers during the COVID-19 pandemic adds more concerns to County Clerk Stephanie Wurtz.
   Matagorda County’s next election will be the July 14 runoffs from the March 3 primaries and the two local races are on the Republican side.
   The Precinct 3 Commissioner runoff will be between Steven Johnson and Troy Shimek.
   The other local election is the District 25 State Representative runoff between Cody Vasut and Ro’vin Garrett, both from Brazoria County.
   “Some Republicans will see two elections and another group only see one,” she said, noting that only Precinct 3 voters will decide the commissioner race.

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   Memorial Day Weekend in Matagorda was marked by a fierce storm in Wadsworth Monday, seven near drownings on Matagorda Beach Friday and Saturday and subdued – and in some cases cancelled – Memorial Day remembrance ceremonies. 
   A reported twister ripped through the Wadsworth area early Monday morning, leaving a trail of downed power lines, heavily damaged barns and fences and lots of trees. 
   AEP crews rushed to Wadsworth to restore power outages caused by its toppled power line across Texas 60, prompting authorities to close the highway into the community. 
   A state trooper was posted at the Texas 60-FM 2688 intersection at Bay City to halt traffic south. 
   There were no injuries, Sheriff Skipper Osborne said Monday morning, May 25. 

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