News

   City Council unanimously approved a resolution to ceremoniously rename Seventh Street as “Tom Uher Memorial Highway,” during a special meeting March 12. 
   The renaming will not affect postal addresses or 911 callouts. 
   The resolution states that only the section of the street within Bay City city limits will be renamed. 
   The renamed signage appearance and placement will have to be approved by TxDot before it can be installed. 
   That portion of the resolution is passed to the City’s Public Works Department and is required to notify the council and the city secretary upon completion.
   The city also plans to have a ceremony to dedicate the renaming once the signs are completed and able to be installed. 
   Council members also unanimously approved moving forward with drawing up a lease agreement with Pastor Frank Paiz’s House of Refuge homeless shelter.

   A robber dressed in black and wearing a mask robbed Metro PCS here of about $2,000 Friday, March 15, Bay City police said.
   The bandit entered the Metro PCS at 2519 Seventh St. just before closing and quickly approached the counter, a store employee told investigating officers.
   The suspect went behind the counter and had a hand inside their jacket, reports show. 
   The store employee never actually saw a gun, but he said it appeared to be the shape of a gun under the jacket, officers were told. 
   The employee opened the cash drawer, and the suspect grabbed the money and fled the scene on foot - eastbound in front of the store - with about $2,000. 
   The suspect is described as an unknown male or female, approximately 5’4” with a slender build, police said.
   The robber was dressed in all black and had a mask covering his or her face. 

        March/April 2019
   Howdy! I hope this finds all of you well and enjoying the weather with a little less of the wet stuff! 
   In the past few days more and more of Matagorda County farmers have been able to make it into the fields to get a few things done. 
   Already this late in the planting season make the prognosis for corn and grain sorghum a little tough with decisions to be made as to if or when to plant. Compaction seems to be an issue in some areas which will obviously need more soil work before additional steps can be taken. 
   A consideration for all to take into account is to check soil fertility now as the ground is drying a bit even if you may have checked it previously. 
   Soil testing is a cheap insurance policy to assure correct fertilizers are applied. This will apply across the board for crops, as well as, forages. 

   The U.S. Postal Service is actively searching for a new location for the Matagorda post office branch. 
   Over 50 residents attended the informational public meeting about the office’s relocation March 7. 
   The office loses its lease with Stanley’s General Stores in October 2019. 
   “Currently, we’re evaluating the market for potential sites,” Damian Salazar, USPS real estate specialist, said during the meeting. 
   “Our preferred area is within the city limits of Matagorda that meet our space and parking requirements.  
   “I can tell you right now that we’re only looking to lease space or a building. The USPS does not want to buy any land or own a building.” 
   Salazar provided attendees with the specific needs for the relocated office that included 11 parking spaces and just over one total acre in size. 

   Tidehaven ISD trustees approved a $2.3 million bid for stadium renovations from Hellas Construction during their regular board meeting, March 7. 
   “The bid accepted was for $2.3 million dollars that included new synthetic turf and an eight-lane UIL competition track,” said Superintendent Dr. Andrew Seigrist. 
   “The board of trustees held a long discussion, thoroughly looking at the new field from many different angles and perspectives.  
   “I would just add this project will be funded with the recent settlement proceeds from Tres Palacios Gas with no additional tax revenues from our residents,” added Board President Stephen Crow. 
   “We’re very excited to complete this final phase of district renovations.” 
   Hellas was one of four featured artificial turf presentations the board heard during their regular meeting Feb. 18. 

   Precinct 1 JP Jason Sanders was suspended recently as city associate judge.
   “Judge (Suzan) Thompson and I discussed and mutually agreed of a temporary suspension of Judge Sanders from municipal court until the charges against him have been resolved,” Mayor Mark Bricker said Tuesday.
   Sanders was indicted on a charge of tampering with government record, a Class A misdemeanor, by a Matagorda County grand jury Feb. 25, county court records show.
   Thompson is Municipal Court Judge and Sanders has served as Associate Judge.

   With the opening of two new schools in Bay City ISD in Fall 2019 – Bay City Junior High and Tenie Holmes Elementary - Bay City ISD also will be realigning grade levels, with Pre-K and Kindergarten all being housed at Cherry Elementary. 
   Grades one and two district-wide will move to Linnie Roberts Elementary, and grades three, four and five will all be housed at the new Tenie Holmes Elementary.
   Students across the district in grades three through eight, no matter where they live, will be attending new buildings in BCISD. 
   Transportation logistics are under development now, and the district will inform the public about bussing once plans are finalized. 
   School start times will be staggered to allow for transportation issues. 
   The school day for BCISD campuses for the 2019-2020 school year are:
   Bay City High School (Grades 9-12) – 7:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.
   Bay City Junior High (Grades 6-8) – 7:40 a.m. until 3:10 p.m.