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   State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst urged people to get involved in CenterPoint Energy’s proposed 345-kV double-circuit transmission line between the Bailey Substation in Wharton County to the Jones Creek Substation in Brazoria County. 
   CenterPoint Energy said the line is necessary to meeting growing industrial electricity demand in the Freeport area. 
   CenterPoint Energy is proposing 30 alternative routes for the line – most of the load in the Freeport area is industrial - and most of those alternative routes go through Matagorda County. 
   CenterPoint’s list of directly affected property owners of habitable structures in Matagorda County include Bay City, Van Vleck and Wadsworth area residents. 
   “A CenterPoint power line is coming through here” with different routes, the senator pointed out in her Bay City Chamber of Commerce luncheon speech at the Civic Center Monday. 

   The 24th Annual Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day is scheduled for 8 a.m. - noon Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Matagorda County Fairgrounds. 
   Household hazardous waste is any product labeled: toxic, corrosive, poison, flammable, combustible or an irritant. 
   This also includes things such as used batteries, pool chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides as well as household cleaners. 
   “We’re hoping for a good turnout this year and no rain,” said Liza Krobot, Matagorda County Environmental Health director. 
   “The event is rain or shine. We don’t cancel for rain, we put on our rubber boots and get to work.” 
   Last year’s collection had 13,032 gallons of paint, 2,365 tires, 10,905 pounds of household waste and 12 pallets of electronic waste, among others. 
   A limit of eight tires will be taken per household, but they cannot be tractor or Semi tires. 

   Even though it started Monday, Early voting in Matagorda County for the Nov. 6 general election is “very high,” County Clerk Janet Hickl said Tuesday afternoon at press time. 
   In Bay City, Monday’s total was 583 votes cast, while in Palacios the total was 122 for a first day of early voting total of 705. 
   “That’s more than we’ve ever had,” Hickl exclaimed, adding that by 4 p.m. Tuesday, there was an impressive 450 ballots in.  
   In addition, another surprisingly high election number is the 845 ballots that were mailed out. 
   “That is more than usual too,” she said. 
   Early voting continues through Nov. 2, with extended voting days Oct. 25 and Nov. 1, when the voting time will be 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

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   Braulio Garcia, 40, will be nearly 90 years old when he is released from prison for sexually assaulting his daughter. 
   Garcia was sentenced on Oct. 17, after being found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child under six years of age. 
   He was arrested Feb. 1, 2017, and remained in custody until he was tried by a jury of eight men and 4 women. 
   Prosecutors summarized the case before testimony began by telling the jury that Garcia sexually assaulted his young daughter while her mother was in the U. S. Army during the fall of 2007. 
   Martha Fletcher married Garcia in 1998. They had three children. According to Fletcher, the marriage was good for the first years but began to wane in 2006. 
   Fletcher, an employee at South Texas Nuclear Project, separated from Garcia and joined the Army. She said that while she was in training at Fort Hood, Garcia kept their children in Bay City during 2007. 

   Time is running out to be part of this year’s Matagorda County Museum’s annual “Festival of Trees” exhibit. 
   “The museum has about 50 trees and 25 are spoken for at the moment,” said Barbara Smith, museum director. 
   “Call as soon as possible to reserve a tree because they have to be decorated by Nov. 3.” 
   Certificates are given for the top three viewer’s choice trees with the most votes.   
   Categories include businesses, organizations, schools/daycares and individuals. 
   “We have several new decorators this year, along with many who have participated in the past,” she added. 
   The Blessing American Legion Jr. Aux. tree is the first decorated tree to be completed this year and will receive a certificate for this distinction. 

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