News

   A 55-year-old Bay City man was arrested on 44 counts of child endangerment in connection with reports that he drove a Bay City ISD school bus recklessly while taking children home after school Sept.  24, BCISD police reports show.
   Following the Sept. 24 incident, the BCISD Transportation Department and BCISD Police Department investigated immediately and determined that the driver was not driving safely, ISD reports indicate.
   The driver was immediately put on administrative leave pending further investigation, and did not drive for BCISD after Sept. 24, ISD officials said.
   Those officials said that Allan Shows of Bay City, resigned from BCISD Sept. 25. 

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   Van Vleck ISD trustees heard bond construction updates and a public hearing on the Schools Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas (FIRST) report during their regular Monday meeting, Oct. 21.
   “The high school and junior high campus are at about 30 percent completion,” said Sofia Dusek, PBK architect project executive.
   “The outside masonry is almost complete while inside ductwork is still being installed.”
   Dusek said that the HVAC system piping installation was finished.
   Trustee Terry Evans voiced concerns about the Ag shop renovation schedule.
   “I know we were told it might be done at the end of October, but I’m curious as to how close we are to completing that,” Evans asked.
   “We should be finished in the first part of November,” answered Dusek.
   “From what I know, we’re waiting on the refrigeration panels in the processing room,” said VVISD Superintendent John O’Brien.

   First-term Texas House Speaker Dennis Bonnen on Tuesday announced he will not seek reelection to the lower chamber in 2020 — marking an end to the Angleton Republican’s months-long political fallout that has roiled the lower chamber he oversees.
   “After much prayer, consultation, and thoughtful consideration with my family, it is clear that I can no longer seek re-election as State Representative of District 25 and subsequently, as Speaker of the House,” Bonnen, who is from Angleton, said in a statement, which included a list of 43 House Republicans — a majority of the House GOP Caucus — that the speaker said “have made clear that it is in the best interest of both myself and the House to move on.”

   Bay City will again test its resolve to shed past mistakes as it faces the Sealy Tigers there this Friday in a District 13-4A-1 contest. 
   Bay City is 0-7 going into this matchup against Sealy (1-2, 4-2). 
   The Blackcats lost to Brazosport 35-20 last Friday, while the Tigers were shut out by El Campo 28-0. 
   “Things haven’t gone our way and we are continuing to work on those things we’re not very good at,” said Blackcat Head Coach Patrick Matthews. 
   “Sealy is very good football team. Most people don’t realize they’re in a rebuilding phase as well and the (Sealy) coach is trying to put together a good football team,” Matthews said. 
   Sealy started the season strong, but had some upsets. 
   While Bay City and Fulshear are exceptions, the rest of District 13-4A-1teams have been ranked at some time in the state 4A division, Matthews said. 
   “We trying to be in position to make plays. 

   The Schulenburg Shorthorns used a ball control offense, and an opportunistic defense to outscore the high-potent Van Vleck offense in a 49-34 win last Friday night.
    With the loss, Van Vleck has to win out the rest of the way in order to have a chance to reach the playoffs.
   Things went Van Vleck’s way early in the game, with the Leopard offense attacking quickly. 
   After Van Vleck forced a Schulenburg punt on their first possession of the night, the Leopard offense needed only one play to get onto the scoreboard. 
   Van Vleck runningback Sam Bree took the first Leopard handoff of the night from the Van Vleck 47-yard line and raced untouched for a quick touchdown. 
   Slade Huerta booted the extra point through, and the Leopards were up 7-0 with 9:02 left in the first quarter.
   The Leopard defense forced another Shorthorn punt on the next series, but a Van Vleck miscue got Schulenburg going.