Bilski said the damage from water and mold inside the fairly new police headquarters is catastrophic. She said a buildup of water in the ductwork and walls caused the near-catastrophe. The extent of the repairs needed will be decided next week.

BELLVILLE — The Austin County Commissioners

Court will hold a public hearing on Monday, July 13, at 6 p.m., at the Austin County Expo Center at 1076 Hwy 159 East in Bellville.

The purpose of this hearing is to gather public input on a proposed moratorium (temporary pause) on new Battery Energy Storage Systems and Data Centers in the county.

If you cannot attend, you can submit written comments before noon on Friday, July 10, to diannag@austincounty. com. Sign your name and address to confirm that you are an Austin County resident.

ered that permanent jury exemptions did not transfer correctly into the new system. Our office is current - ly manually re-entering all permanent exemptions to ensure the records are accurate.

If you receive a jury summons and even if you pre - viously signed a permanent exemption, do not ignore the summons. Please call the court clerk and let them know you have already filed a permanent exemption. They will verify your status and excuse you from that specific summons.

Remember: A jury summons applies only to that one court date. It does not automatically apply to future summonses.

If you qualify for a permanent exemption but have not filed one yet:

You may receive a form in the mail. If you would like to file a permanent exemption, please contact: Col -

orado County Election Center - 979-732-6860.

2. Maintain normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

3. Promote muscle building and recovery after exercise.

4. Support physical and mental strength.

5. Prevent loss of muscle and strength that occurs with aging.

6. Improve blood sugar control 7. Protect muscles during weight loss.

The Navidad Valley CattleWomen, a local chapter of the Texas Cattlewomen, is a non-profit organization that sup ports and promotes the beef industry. The Navidad Valley local works to provide quality information on their industry and how to incorporate beef into a healthy diet.

CattleWomen encourage everyone to aim for 25-30 grams of protein at all three meals. To support this and as part of their beef promotion activities, CattleWomen donat - ed a total of 196 pounds of hamburger amongst seven area food pantries.

For more information on how making beef part of your diet and its benefits, go to https://beeflovingtexans.com/.

Additionally, the pantries received materials provided by Beef Loving Texans that shared beef recipes, shopping tips and advice on healthy protein options.

The next major CattleWomen activity is the Navidad Valley Cattle Women Ranch Run, which will be held on Aug. 1 in Schulenburg in conjunction with the Schulenburg Festival. Proceeds support the NVCW scholarship outreach.

Food pantries receiving the beef are Schulenburg Area Food Pantry, Consider Love Food Pantry in Weimar, Great - er Mount Airy Baptist Church in Weimar, Weimar Food Pantry, Manna Food Pantry in Hallettsville, Amen Food Pantry in La Grange and the Flatonia Area Food Pantry.

To register, runners or walkers can go on-line to http:// getmeregistered.com/NVCattleWomen5K or contact Susie Shank at 979-820-8964. Volunteers and donations are al ways welcome.

For more information on Navidad Valley CattleWomen please follow them on Facebook at @nvcw.org or visit their website, www.nvcw.org.

CVFD TO HOLD FUNDRAISER

CARMINE — The Carmine Volunteer Fire Depart-

ment will hold its annual firemen's fundraiser Sunday, July 19 at Carmine Hall. The fried chicken dinner, drive-thru only will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until sold out. Donations accepted as payment for the meal. Eckermann’s sausage links available for $10 each. Desserts will be available. Raffle tickets will be sold.

ST. JAMES MENS CLUB TO HOLD BBQ LA GRANGE - The St. James Episcopal Men's Club (Holy Smokers) will hold a barbecue Saturday, July 11, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until sold out, at 156 N. Mon roe S. across from H•E•B in La Grange. A half chicken is $6 and sausage link $7, drive through only. The event is for the benefit of The Texas Ramp Project.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL HEALTH FAIR/ BACKPACK GIVEAWAY PLANNED BELLVILLE —Mark your calendars for the Annual Countywide Back-to-School Health Fair and Backpack Giveaway. This community event will be held Wednes- day, July 15, from 10 a.m. to noon at Bellville High School in Bellville. Students in grades K–12 can receive a

free backpack filled with school supplies-available on a first-come, first-served basis. In addition, a variety of free

health screenings will be offered for both children and adults. The event is hosted by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service of Austin County and the Department of State Health Services of Austin County, with generous support from our sponsors: Bellville Lions Club, Wood - menLife of Sealy - Chapter 105, CJ's Tax Service, and the Austin County FCS Advisory Board. For more details, contact Michelle Wright at 979-865- 2072.

SEALY KC'S TO GRILL PORK STEAK SEALY — The Sealy Knights of Columbus will be serving a grilled pork steak drive-thru meal Sunday, July 19 at the Sealy Columbus Club Hall located at 1310 Hwy 90 West in Sealy. Serving drive-thru only, will be from 10:45 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., (or until sold out) for only $15 a plate. Cash, check or most major credit cards accept ed. The grilled pork steak meal will include mashed po- tatoes, green beans and a roll. Proceeds will benefit the council's church, youth and community programs.

Perhaps it is why I am not a gardener. I suspect I have a lot of my ancestors still in me. Perhaps I am rebelling against the work that was in my family's life blood. But however I might feel about planting and weeding, I think there is something within me that recognizes the cycles of the seasons, the coming of summer and the pause that comes in the middle of the summer.

Every year, I try to celebrate the summer solstice. I start a new journal. I read my journal from the last six months. I take a long walk late in the evening. I try to make note of the fact that this is the longest day of the year to be more mindful of the passage of time. And since I grew up in a northern state, I always felt I should take advantage of the short, warm months.

It only occurred to me this year that the summer might be a good time to rest.

The seeds are in the ground. The harvest is months away. While a farmer never had the luxury of idleness, it is too late to do any more planting, this time of year. There comes a point when we have done all we can do, and we must wait for the harvest.

'Will you pick my raspberries?' my sister asked. 'Can I eat some of them?' 'Of course!' 'Then yes, I certainly will.'

My sister is going to Argentina with her husband and her son to meet her daughter, Isabelle, who has been working there for the past year. They will have a terrific time, with Isabelle as a tour guide. They will see a lot and do a lot and make amazing memories.

My sister is a teacher. She grabs the summer with a gusto that astonish- es me every year. She flies out the door on the first day that school is out with more plans and activities than I would attempt in many months. She is a flurry of camping and gardening and traveling and home improvement, and she can never believe how soon September rolls around.

Meanwhile, I have no plans to go anywhere except 'up north' to visit my parents all summer long. And I am not at all unhappy about it. Because I finally realized that, for me, the summer is not about getting busier. The spring was busy. The fall will be busier. This time -- right as the serious heat sets in and the first of the berries are ripe -- this time is a good time to pause.

It's not a long rest. We all know the harvest is coming.

But I am taking a moment to enjoy the summer's heat. I feel the days are already growing shorter and the season will change before I know it, and it will be hard to remember what it felt like when I walked in the late evening and the air was still warm and heavy.

I'll pick my sister's raspberries, and I'll eat more than a few.

Till next time, Carrie

Private John Sorrell was a Continental Army soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

Sorrell served under Captain John Harding. He and his wife, and 12 children, later moved to Fayette County in the 1830s. Sorrell died in 1841 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Fayette County.

This year’s awards supported technology, curriculum and supplies in the areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), Instructional Materials, Novels and books, Agriculture Mechanics Tools and Shop Equipment, and social-emotional learning curriculum.

The foundation has placed importance on education in Schulenburg and Weimar. This is based on Victor and Joe Stanzel’s constant pursuit of knowledge through education.

Teacher grants help support this focus by providing finan cial support, resources, and education for teachers to be effective in the classroom.

Teacher grants are also given in memory of Ginger Stanzel Bosl, who served as a board member and was an educator herself. She was deeply involved in the teacher grant process and cared deeply about supporting teachers and students. Her love for education and commitment to her community continue to live on through the lasting impact she made.

The Stanzel Family Foundation envisions a community of lifelong learners in which each member is engaged in a voluntary, self-motivated pursuit of knowledge.

The foundation is grateful for teachers who carry this mission every day and are essential to our children’s learning.

For information, contact: cheryl@stanzelmuseum.org or connect with the foundation via Facebook.

There was another glaring problem that Texas Division of Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd told legislators about: Unlike paid firefighters and police officers, the state has no re quired training for all local emergency management coordinators, the people tasked with planning for and helping to lead the response to disasters.

“I do think it's time that we as a state decide there needs to be a baseline for people that get appointed into that position,” Kidd told lawmakers at a July 23 hear- ing focused on the floods.

Nine months later, in April, he told another state committee investigating the disaster: “To be an emergency management coordinator in the state of Texas, you need the signature of a mayor or judge. Period. That needs to change.”

Two bills meant to address that issue, and others Kidd highlighted, failed in the final special legislative session of 2025. And as the one-year anniversary of the disaster arrives, that lack of action means that leaders in Texas’ 254 counties, as well as all of its cities, can hire people with no formal train- ing in the field.

After the floods, which left more than 130 people dead, state lawmakers re- quired flood warning sirens to be installed in areas struck by the summer disaster that also have histories of flood ing. In Kerr County, where the vast majority of deaths happened, six of the first eight planned sirens are in place.

Legislators also passed two camp safety bills, championed by the parents of 27 girls who died at Camp Mystic, which include requirements for camps to have more robust emergency plans and move cabins from flood- prone spots by rivers. Nearly 300 camps have been licensed under the new regulations, according to state data.

Legislators’ next opportunity to address Kidd’s recommendations — if they choose to — happens in January when they return to the Capitol for their regular session.

“We have work to do next session,” state Sen. Charles Perry, a Republican from Lubbock who authored the failed bill to address licensing, said in the April hearing.

“We just don’t have to start from ground zero.”

A recent poll by the University of Texas at Austin found that 62% of rural Texans, who vote heavily Republican, support the measure, the paper noted. Seven counties — Hays, Caldwell, Henderson, Hill, Hood, Somervell and Van Zandt — have now called for either a special session or for the issue of regulating data center construction to be a top priority at the next regular legislative session in January.

At a campaign stop in East Texas, Abbott reiterated the restrictions he has called for, including that new centers need to “bring their own power, reuse their own water, and do it in a way that reduces electricity costs for residents across our state.”

More than 480 “large” data centers have requested permission to connect to the ERCOT grid through 2032, according to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which operates most of the state’s power grid.

Most arrested by ICE in Texas have no criminal conviction A Chronicle examination of immigrant arrest and detention data from February 2025 to February 2026 concludes that, despite President Trump’s vow to deport the “worst of the criminals,” a plurality of those arrested in Texas did not have criminal convictions or pending charges. Statistics from the Deportation Data Project, which uses the federal Freedom of Information Act to obtain i nterna l gove r nm ent immigration data, indicate that during that period, more than 38,100 immigrants with clean records were arrested in Texas, compared with 30,670 arrests of people with criminal convictions and about 22,720 with pending charges.

The number of arrests in Texas nearly doubled between February 2025 and February 2026, with arrests of non-criminals more than quadrupling during that period. ICE has often touted its arrests and detentions of criminal immigrants without providing proof of what crimes have been committed, the Chronicle reported.

“ICE’s use of detainers to imprison people without due process and, in many cases, without any charges pending or probable cause of any violation has raised serious constitutional concerns,” the American Civil Liberties Union wrote in a policy brief.

Abbott appoints Huffines to be state comptroller Proving the adage that politics make for strange bedfellows, Abbott appointed the man who ran against him for governor just four years ago to be state comptroller for the rest of 2026.

Don Huffines, a former state senator, defeated Kelly Hancock in the GOP primary for the position. Abbott had appointed Hancock, a former state senator, to the post when Glen Hegar resigned to become chancellor of the Texas A&M University System.

The Texas Tribune reported that Hancock resigned, effective at the end of this month.

"Don Huffines brings the right mix of business experience and conservative principles to this vital office," Abbott said in a statement announcing the appointment.

Huffines, a 68-year-old businessman from the Dallas area, faces state Sen.

Sarah Eckhardt, D-Austin, in the November general election. She blasted the ap- pointment, saying Huffines “can’t win on his own.”

The comptroller is re- sponsible for key financial duties, including collecting taxes, auditing state agency spending, and administering the state’s new $1 billion school voucher program.

Report details ‘cascading failures’ at Camp Mystic One year after devas- tating floods in the Texas Hill Country claimed 139 lives, including 25 campers and three staff members at Camp Mystic, a report commissioned by state lawmakers describes a ‘cascade of failures’ at the camp on July 4 of last year.

The report was prepared by investigators Casey Garrett and Michael Massengale, a former appeals court judge. Massengale said there was no written evacuation plan, no training for camp staff to prepare for an evacuation, and no practice drills, according to the Texas Standard.

“There were warnings, including early flood alerts leading up to the flood, that should have put the leaders of Camp Mystic on alert to be watchful and prepared,” Massengale said. The only member of senior leadership who awakened was Dick Eastland, the main leader and patriarch of the family-owned camp. He died during the flood while trying to evacuate a cabin of girls.

The camp did not open this summer, and its owners recently filed for bankrupt cy.

GOP to hold first

national midterm convention in Dallas

Calling it a “rally like none other,” Trump announced the Republican Party plans to hold its first national midterm convention in Dallas in hopes of energizing voters ahead of the November general election, The Dallas Morning News reported.

Organizers said the event will blend elements of a traditional political convention with a Trump-centered program. Questions remain about the details, but a date and place have been set; Sept. 9-10 inside the American Airlines Center.

“We're very excited about Dallas. We're excited to work with the people in Dallas. It's going to be a phenomenal event,” Joe Gruters, Republican National Committee chairman, said.

Boaters urged to ‘Clean, Drain and Dry’ Texans are taking to the water in droves, as they do every summer. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is urging boaters, paddlers and anglers to do their part to protect the state’s lakes from aquatic invasive species.

“While we want everyone to have a great time, we also want to avoid giving harmful invasive species free rides to new lakes,” said Brian Van Zee of TPWD. The best way to do that, he added, is to take a few minutes to clean, drain and dry boats after every lake visit.

State law requires boaters to do so and to drain all onboard receptacles, such as bait buckets.

Two of the biggest threats to Texas lakes are zebra mussels and giant salvinia, both of which continue to spread to new areas.

Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email gborders@texaspress. com.

Court Filings Marriage License

Colten David Perry and Jolene Janet Sechser

Divorces Filed

William Allison and Jean Allison Hector Gustavo Medieta and Merly Consuelo Mendoza Zambrano

County Court Cases Filed July 1

Joseph Anthony Simmons, fail to identify a fugitive with intent to give false information.

Omar Carrillo, unlawfully carrying weapon.

Lullian Grave Schroeder, attempt to commit assault causes bodily injury.

Zion Fredrick, unlawful use of criminal instrument.

Koby Grant Lyons, driving while license invalid with previous convictions/ suspensions without financial responsibilities.

Arnoldo Felan Jr., driving while intoxicated, second.

District Court Dispositions June 30

Robert Dwayne Stevenson, motion to revoke, burglary of habitation with the intention to commit other felony. Originally filed March 29, 2023. Defendant’s probation was revoked and sentenced to five years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with credit for 296 days served, and was assessed fees, fines and restitution.

Christopher Shepard, unlawful possession of firearm by felon. Defendant was sentenced to three years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice with credit for 597 days served, and was assessed fees and fines.

Christian Garcia, possession of controlled substance Penalty Group 1/1B in an amount less than 1 gram. Defendant was sentenced to four years deferred adjudication, and was assessed fees and fines.

Christian Garcia, possession of controlled substance Penalty Group 1/1B in an amount less than 1 gram. Defendant’s case was dismissed.

Jeffrey Scott Mackenzie, possession of controlled substance Penalty Group 1/1-B in an amount greater than or equal to 4 grams but less than 200 grams. Defendant was sentenced to four years deferred adjudication, and was assessed fees and fines.

Deeds June 25

Deed: First America Homes LTD to Zahra Martha Grant, Lot 48, Block 2, Bluebonnet Village Subdivision, Section 2.

Deed: Abel A. Pena Jr. to Elfega Valdez Rocha, see recording.

Deed: The Estate of James Terry Strange, deceased to Genevieve Goebel, see recording.

Deed: Charlotte Anders Strange to Genevieve Goebel, see recording.

Deed: Louis Smid to Frank Monk, see recording.

Deed: Jose Edgar Aguilar Villarreal to Graciano and Isabel Contractors LLC, see recording.

Deed: Ressa Byler Ueckert, trustee to 425 E. O’Bryant St. LLC, see recording.

Deed: 1916 Properties LLC to 425 E. O'Bryant St. LLC, First Baptist Church Subdivision.

June 26

Deed: Mark E. Mohr, trustee to Frank Poessel, see recording.

Deed: William Cortland Fellers to David A. Smetek, see recording.

Deed: Jan Earl Droegemeyer to JRG Property Holdings LLC, see recording.

Deed: Ashley Rosberg to Michael W. Doyle, Lot 55, Quail Meadows Subdivision.

June 29

Deed: Shanna Litton to D.R. Horton Texas LTD, Lot 3, Block 1, Westward Pointe Subdivision, Section 3.

Deed: GTA Opportunistic Investments LLC to Jesus Bocanegra Colin, see recording.

Deed: Lynda Bauer to Travis D. Bauer, see recording.

Deed:MalindaSchramm to Lana Schramm, Lot 26, Hickory Creek Ranch Subdivision.

Deed: Comanche Data LLC to Giga 11 Wallis LLC, see recording.

Deed: Jurriaan C. Van Der Oord to Rebecca A. Van Der Oord, Multiple Lots/Blocks, Town of New Ulm.

Deed: Joseph G. Marek to Giga 11 Wallis LLC, see recording.

Deed: Sylvia Mlcak to David J. Mlcak Jr., see recording.

Deed: Victoria Rose Mlcak Shupak to Sylvia Mlcak, see recording.

Deed: Sylvia Mlcak to David J. Mlcak Jr., see recording.

Deed: Amanda Morales to Matthew Hicks, trustee, Lot 8, Block 2, South Creek Crossing Subdivision, Section 1.

Deed: Miriam V. Bixler to Christopher Patek, see recording.

June 30

Deed: Travis Cobb to Eric Scheunemann, see recording.

July 1

Deed: Tyra Lynett Bigbee to Nichole Marie Mc-Carty, see recording.

Deed: D.R. Horton Texas LTD to Juan Olvera, Lot 4, Block 1, Westward Pointe Subdivision, Section 3.

Deed: Cheryl D. Buenger Family Trust to Bruce Charles Buenger, see recording.

Deed: Alice Strohm to Francisco Chavez, Carolyn Meadows Addition.

COLORADO

Court Filings Marriage Licenses

Ramses Emmanuel Gomez and Abigail Renee Deleon Anthony Wilfred Cain and Angela Dawn Ford

Divorces Filed

Dawn Denise Schultz and Darren Neal Schultz Travis Shane Redding and Georgia Redding

County Court Cases Filed June 26

Byron Bodean Smith, fleeing police officer.

Omarian Eaton, evading arrest/detention.

Zachary Miller Spradling, driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content in an amount greater than or equal to 0.15.

July 1

Brandon Charles Price, assault causes bodily injury/ family violence.

Senika Chantel Scott, failure to identify fugitive with intent to give false information.

Michael Alan Nichols Jr., criminal trespass.

Jase Lathan Bhola, possession of marijuana in an amount less than 2 ounces.

District Court Indictments June 18

Joseph Aaron Ekarius, driving while intoxicated, third or more, if at trial.

William Joseph Greer II, unlawful possession of firearm by felon.

Krystal Jeanae Jackson, possession of controlled substance Penalty Group 1/1-B in an amount less than 1 gram.

Kareem Roschard Jefferson, harassment of public servant.

Kareem Roschard Jefferson, unauthorized use of vehicle.

Deeds June 25

Deed: Arturo Toriz Beltran, et al to Arturo Toris Beltran, et al, Lots 9-11, E.W. Hanly Subdivision, City of Eagle Lake.

Deed: Robert Socha and Catherine Michalsky, independent co-executors, and the Estate of Mary Lee Wilson to Molly Brown, Catherine Michalsky and Robert Socha, 61.397 Acres, James Cummins League Survey, A-14.

Deed: Catherine Michalsky, Robert Socha and Molly Brown to Catherine Michalsky, Robert Socha and Molly Brown, 26.077 Acres, James Cummins League, A-14; 10.009 Acres, James Cummins League, A-14; 24.058 Acres, James Cummins League, A-14; and 1.252 Acres, James Cummins League, A-14.

Gift Deed: Paul and Catherine Michalsky to Amanda Bruner, 1.252 Acres, James Cummins League, A-14.

Special Warranty Deed: Mary Simmons Mattingly, independent executor and the Estate of Patty Nell Simmons to Mary Simmons Mattingly, 7.704 Acres.

Special Warranty Deed: Gregory Patrick Christmann, independent executor and the Estate of Harold F. Christmann Jr. to Gregory Patrick Christmann, trustee and Marital Trust under the Will of Harold F. Christmann Jr., 31.94 Acres, Bernard Scherrer Survey, A-498 and 34.64 Acres, Bernard Sherrer Survey, A-498.

Special Warranty Deed: Gregory Patrick Christmann, trustee and Marital Trust under the Will of Harold F. Christmann Jr. to Ann D. Christmann, 31.94 Acres, Bernard Scherrer Survey, A-498 and 34.64 Acres, Bernard Sherrer Survey, A-498.

Special Warranty Deed: Sandy Creek Partners LP and Sandy Creek Partners GP LLC to Stephen J. Mc-Daniel and John P. Foley, 1,517.082 Acres, Tract 1, HT&B RR Co. Survey No. 5, A-729; 136.602 Acres, James Hays Survey, A-341 and Macklen Holden Survey, A-332.

Special Warranty Deed: Ignacio Salvador Salazar Hernandez and Silvia Marquez Torres to Martin Marquez, Lots 7-8, Tract George Beaks, P. Reels Easters Survey, part of Town of Eagle Lake.

Warranty Deed: Houston West Management LLC to CREI Ventures LLC, 10.00 Acres, Tract 2, I&GN RR Co. Survey, A-59.

Warranty Deed: Daniel Thomas and Sandra Jane George to Jerry L. and Donna Pustejovsky, 0.294 Acre, William Frels Survey, A-207.

Warranty Deed: Marilyn Nelson to Evelyn Orange, Lots 7-8, Block 5, Irwin Addition, City of Columbus.

Warranty Deed: Evelyn Orange to CG 7600 LP, 8.553 Acres, James Stuart Survey, A-507.

June 26

Warranty Deed: Bron-Co to Marshall Ray LLC, Lot 2, Block 14, City of Columbus.

Warranty Deed: FEI Xiang Crosby LLC to Double Creek Development LLC, 211.544 Acres, Casper Heiman Survey, A-260.

Warranty Deed: Kyle and Spencer Christen to Jakob and Gwendalyn Rehak, 0.2567 Acre, Lot 1, Block 56, Henry Austin Five League Grant Survey, A-4, City of Weimar.

Warranty Deed: Madeline Pavlu to Dagon I. Gonzales and Adriana Espinosa, Lots 13-18, Block 24, Town of Garwood.

Warranty Deed: Jason Z. and Theresa M. Gahr to Lance and Cyresia Oliphant, 0.191 Acre, Lot 6, Block 56, City of Columbus.

June 29

Warranty Deed: Evan Cody and Anne Marie Douglas to Catherine Edwards, Lot 7, Block 30, Town of Weimar.

Warranty Deed: Georgie Ann Wienken, et al to Doris S. Hoeinghaus, 52.96 Acres, Francis Mayhar Survey, A-399.

June 30

Gift Deed: Oscar A. and Elizabeth A. Henicke to Elizabeth A. Henicke, 102.58 Acres, Richard Dowdy Survey, A-163.

Gift Deed: Reva Prause West to Bryan A. Guzman and Jana M. Lovell, 1.337 Acres, B. Beason League Survey, A-5.

Warranty Deed: Frank N. and Evelyn A. Howell to Elan Land Development LP, 1.24 Acres, Blocks 97 and 100, Elizabeth Tumlinson League Survey, A-44, City of Columbus.

Warranty Deed: Patrick L. Hajek to Brandon Anders, 0.24 Acre, Block 110, City of Weimar.

July 1

Special Warranty Deed: Keith W. and Rose M. Morgan to The Morgan Family Trust, and Keith Wayne and Rose Michelle Morgan, co-trustees, 25.510 Acres, Lot 9, Yaupon Creek Estates Subdivision.

Warranty Deed: ABELCO Inc. to Percy and Martin Sandel, 0.1416 Acre, Lot 2, Block Q, Town of Columbus.

Warranty Deed: Al Dean and Robin L. Allcorn to Kairos Legacy LLC, 0.727 Acre, Block 88, City of Weimar.

Warranty Deed: Kveton Property LLC to Maria Maldonado and Tebi Cheeran, 3.564 Acres, Tract 3, M.A. Posey Survey, A-701.

Warranty Deed: Kveton Property LLC to Scott Shaw, 3.564 Acres, Tract 4, M.A. Posey Survey, A-701.

FAYETTE

Court Filings Marriage Licenses Mark Coleman Farris and Sharon Kay Tyner George Carl Aschenbeck to Samantha Rose Herrmann Timothy Rush Canady to Adrienne Claire Armstrong Briston Dee Jones and Susan Diane Hilinski

Divorces Filed

Sherri Lynn Van Dresar and John Allan Van Dresar Joann Enriquez and Joseluis Mejia Enriquez

Divorces Granted

Rose Kocurek and Monte Kocurek Emilio Fernandez Martinez and Rosalinda Munoz

County Court Cases Filed June 25

Maria Guadalupe Reyes, driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content in an amount greater than or equal to 0.15.

June 26

Barbara Sue Janacek, driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content in an amount greater than or equal to 0.15.

Ian Nicholas Wilcox, driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content in an amount greater than or equal to 0.15.

June 30

Madison Kathleen Selakovich, driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content in an amount greater than or equal to 0.15.

Judd Edward Hollas, terroristic threat.

District Court Indictments July 1

Michael David Lyman, burglary of building.

Deeds June 25

Warranty Deed: Sandra L. Vinklarek Revocable Living Trust, et al to Steven Vinklarek, Steve Craig Vinklarek Jr., and Paula Kay Vinklarek, 21.797 Acre and Ease, Thomas Thompson 3/4 League, A-100.

Warranty Deed: Alisha Lynn Douglas to Venitia J. Skelton, 10.41 Acres, William H. Taylor League, A-97.

Warranty Deed: Guadalupe and Sanjuana Lopez to Marjorie Ellen Phillips, et al, 15.76 Acres, being Lot 8 and part Lot 7, Jeddo Ranches, S.M. Williams League, A-110.

Warranty Deed: Rocky Creek Estates LLC to Gerald W. II and Dorothy Knupp, Lot 2, Estates at Astoria Subdivision, James Will League, A-114.

Warranty Deed: Benjamin and Paula Kay Vogel Lewellen to Emile J. Schwarz Jr., 2.209 Acres, being Lot 31, Forest Hills East Subdivision, John Eblin League, A-42.

Warranty Deed: Bastrop 4 Group LLC to Thomas Nunez, 0.228 Acre, being Lots 15-17 and part Lots 14 and 18, Block 5, Simank Addition, Ellinger.

June 26

Deed: Teresa L. James to TJ Enterprise Properties LLC, Lots 1-10, Block 39, Ellinger.

Gift Deed: Harriet Pappas to Michael S. Pappas, 110.39 Acres less 3.899 Acres and 1.883 Acres, James Bell 1/4 League, A-14.

Special Warranty Deed: National Home Corp. to Jerry and Brenda White, Lot 14, Thomas Estates Subdivision, John H. Moore 1/2 League, A-71.

Warranty Deed: Larry and Deborah Goedhart to Patrick Pearson, 15.907 Acres, John Vanderworth League, A-312.

Warranty Deed: Charity Bell Revocable Trust and Charity Bell to James and Brittany Stacey, 4.418 Acres, being Lot 5, Feder Estates, Andrew Castleman League, A-30.

Warranty Deed: Rocky Creek Land Co. LLC to Jesse Allen and Hollie Stephan, 110.744 Acres, M. Muldoon League, A-75.

Warranty Deed: Jimbo Tally, et al to Reina Hernandez Ibarra, 0.328 Acre, John H. Moore 1/2 League, A-71.

Warranty Deed: Virginia K. Blair, et al to Brian J. and Dawna J. Faldyn, 21.917 Acres and Ease, Montraville Woods League, A-115. Warranty Deed: William Scott and Lizabeth Manning Mica to KRKRK Williams Properties LLC, 0.07 Acre, being Lot 30 and 0.07 Acre, being Lot 32, Block 35, Flatonia.

June 29

Gift Deed: Lad A. Jr. and Janet M. Krenek to Ashley Havell, Brian Krenek and Tammy Orange, 36.96 Acres and 18.48 Acres, Alex Thompson League, A-98.

Quitclaim Deed: Ray C. Evans to Anja Evans Patton, 0.417 Acre, being Block K, see instrument.

Quitclaim Deed: Ray C. Evans to Anja Evans Patton, 0.1572 Acre, being Block K, see instrument.

Quitclaim Deed: Ray C. Evans to Anja Evans Patton, 0.2074 Acre, being Block K, see instrument.

Quitclaim Deed: Ray C. Evans to Anja Evans Patton, 0.417 Acre, being Block K, see instrument.

Quitclaim Deed: Ray C. Evans to Anja Evans Patton, 0.8541 Acre, being part Lot 3, Block VII, Freytag Addition.

Special Warranty Deed: Martin O’Connor Ranch Management LLC and Martin O’Connor Ranch LTD to 3Q Winchester LLC, 483.525 Acres, J.A. Wells League, A-320; John Ingram 1/4 League, A-56; James R.J. Ross 1/3 League, A-271 and William Rabb 3 League, A-86.

Warranty Deed: Jose Manuel Leal to Local Roots Holdings LLC Series 413 S. 1st LLC, see instrument.

Warranty Deed: Brian E. Becker 2008 Trust, et al to Woody Creek 3 LLC, 59.114 Acres, Benjamin Greenville League, A-50.

June 30

Special Warranty Deed: Advance Hydrocarbon Corp. to Lost Eagle Land & Cattle LLC and Mason M.

Griffin, 10.000 Acres, W.H. Taylor League, A-97.

Warranty Deed: RGS GP LLC and Horse Hollow RGS LP to Smith Legacy Group LLC, 2.095 Acres, William A. Faires League, A-180.

Warranty Deed: Texas Tuesday Holdings LLC to AutoZone Parts LLC, 1.065 Acres, Ygnacio Almansur League, A-120, Schulenburg and 1.068 Acres, I. Almansur League, A-120.

Warranty Deed: Ysleta F. Shults, et al to Kenneth Wayne Steinhauser, 0.293 Acre, being part Block 6, Faires Addition, Flatonia.

Warranty Deed: Steven R. and Niccole E. Davis to Laris Carlos D. Mondragon Nazario, 0.222 Acre, being part Lot 6, Block 3, John H. Moore Plan, John H. Moore 1/2 League, A-71, La Grange.

Warranty Deed: Terrence Noel Brunson Jr. to Valeen Ellen Battle, 20.02 Acres, being Lots 29-30, Woodcreek Phase 2, See instrument.

July 1

Warranty Deed: Dusty H. and Lindsey D. Broun to Michael W. and Sarah C. Olle, 4.35 Acres, W.A. Hall League, A-51.

Warranty Deed: Heart 235 Field LP, Heart 120 Field LP and Country Communities Inc. to Gary and Gaylon Thomas, 7.29 Acres, John Shaw League, A-92.

Warranty Deed: Amanda Whitehead Johnson to SOTX Ranches LLC, 15.567 Acres, William Williamson League, A-113.

Voting was conducted by TSWA members based on nominations from coaches and media members from around the state.

Class 4A Coach of the Year — Julie Murry, Bullard.

Player of the Year — (tie) Bayleigh Taylor, Liberty and Brooklyn Brannen, Bullard.

First Team — Pitcher: Brooklyn Brannen, Bullard; Bayleigh Taylor, Liberty; and Avery Dunlap, Salado. Catcher: Abby Lynch-Buxton, Aubrey. First Base: Braelyn Bailey, Corpus Christi Calallen. Second Base: Jaleah Williams, Carthage. Third Base: Lila Peters, Spring Hill. Shortstop: Kara Kram, Sealy.

Outfield: Ella Burnett, Bellville; Yaritza Vargas, Dumas; and Kylie Butcher, Corpus Christi Calallen. DH/DP/Flex: Karter Swanson, Bullard. Utility: Brooklyn Bagley, Carthage.

Second Team — Pitcher: Jordyn Thobodeaux, Corpus Christi Calallen; Allison Coleman, Brock; and Isabelle Lewis, Prosper Richland. Catcher: Hagen Walker, Cooper Liberty. First Base: Samone Clark, Caldwell. Second Base: (tie) Sophie Robinett, Spring Hill and Justyce Malone, Prosper Richland. Third Base: Amber Schmidt, Needville.

Shortstop: Kynlee Bishop, Liberty. Outfield: Vida Fierro, Dumas; Jade Barton, Sealy; and Peyton Dees, Spring Hill. DH/DP/Flex: Kendall Bradford, Sealy.

Utility: Ashton Eggleton, Eagle Mountain.

Third Team — Pitcher: Jessica Hinnant, Smithville; Hannah Speed, Sulphur Springs; and Sam Riley, Prosper Richland. Catcher: Audryna Almarez, Corpus Christi Calallen. First Base: Addi Woodall, Sulphur Springs. Second Base: Ava Wilson, Lindale. Third Base: Rylea Dent, Columbia. Shortstop: Brooke Edevold, Huffman. Outfield: Karly Kram, Sealy;

Zoe Hawthorne, Eagle Mountain; and Kenzi Roberts, Bullard. DH/DP/Flex: Marlee Vazquez, Andrews.

Utility: Callie Phillips, Marble Falls.

Honorable Mention — Pitcher: Sarah Beall, Spring Hill; Kenlee Keith, Lindale; Star Cortes, Dumas; Jailey Potter, Van; Devyn Somers, Venus; Josie Stephens; Carthage; Avery Dees, Needville; and Alivia Ramon, Sealy. Catcher: Issabella Turner, Frenship Memorial; Aaliyah Chairez, Dumas; Paisley Keith, Lindale; Callie Lancaster, Carthage; and Aubreigh Whiddon, Spring Hill. First Base: Emma Watkins, Lindale; Kaitlyn Weber, Salado; and Josie Gray, Spring Hill. Second Base: Abbie Key, Liberty; Sloan Booth, Brock; and Peyton Walker, Bullard.

Third Base: Avery Crigar, Sealy; Kynlee Harkins, Mineral Wells; and Aubrey Hassell, Rusk. Shortstop: Addi Shields, Wills Point; Makynli Zemer, Lindale; Addison Otto, Smithville; and Brylee Duckworth, Spring Hill. Outfield: Laynie Marriot, Brock; Mesha Johnson, Caldwell; Emerson Swoape, Van; Claire Thompson, Sulphur Springs; Brilee Ford, Gatesville; Addison Cooper, North Lamar; Kristen Leal, Corpus Christi Calallen; Kinley Brasier, Liberty; Jayci Smith, Brock; and Mya Nelson, Carthage. DH/ DP/Flex: Emma Copeland, Spring Hill. Utility: Tatum Gibson, Randall; Kylee Spray, Springtown; Alani De Leon, Prosper Richland; and Olivia Parsons, Gatesville.

Class 3A Coach of the Year — Thomas De Los Santos, Santa Gertrudis Academy.

Player of the Year — Madi Doty, Grandview.

First Team — Pitcher: Callista Berrett, Iowa Park; Abby Atkinson, Boyd; and Madi Doty, Grandview.

Catcher: (tie) K’Lee Bazan, Santa Gertrudis Academy and Kysen Toney, Franklin.

First Base: Gracie Jo Currey, Grand Saline. Second Base: Allie Cranek, Columbus.

Third Base: Kyleigh Whatley, Anderson-Shiro.

Shortstop: Neci Potts, Arp.

Outfield: Reese Madisen, Thrall; Hailey Ortega, Santa Gertrudis Academy; and Addi Hart, Coahoma. DH/ DP/Flex: Natalie Mullins, Huntington. Utility: KJ Hubbard, Grandview.

Second Team — Pitcher: Teal Kibodeaux, Orangefield; Brynli Reynolds, Clyde; and D’Andra Fernandez, Santa Gertrudis Academy. Catcher: Sutton McClain, Clyde. First Base: Stella Fincher, Hooks. Second Base: Elise Jordan, Wall. Third Base: Madison Lewis, Hooks. Shortstop: Aubree Gamblin, Orangefield. Outfield: Tinsley Aldredge, Gladewater; Hallee Becker, Orangefield; and Mahayla McMahon, Mineola. DH/DP/Flex: Texcee Kelley, Hughes Springs.

Utility: Brooklyn Wesley, Central Heights.

Third Team — Pitcher: Lexi Ruiz, Santa Gertrudis Academy and Kinley Fife, Warren. Catcher: Melanie Martens, Muleshoe. Second Base: Kyra Yates, Rogers. Third Base: Selah Salmons, Peaster. Shortstop: Leilani Tagudin, Anderson-Shiro. Outfield: Kate Roberson, Peaster; Madi Fugate, Grand Saline; and Emma Fisher, White Oak. DH/ DP/Flex: Kayley Bloedorn, Rogers. Utility: Taylor Thompson, Edgewood.

Honorable Mention — Pitcher: Madee Williams, Wall; Maddlynn Longoria, Canadian; Ally White, Anderson- Shiro; Taylor Akin, Lexington; Natalie Escobedo, Santa Gertrudis Academy; Ava Collins, Industrial; McKennah Davis, Grand Saline; Alabama Anding, Malakoff; Addysyn Billings, Hughes Springs; Lacy Fletcher, Arp; Emma White, White Oak; and Addy Young, White Oak. Catcher: Mia Clemmer, Coahoma; Kylie Caraway, White Oak; Tessa Dannelley, Hughes Springs; and Taryn Reece, New Diana. First Base: Bree Lewis, Coahoma; Fantasi Smith, Hughes Springs; and Melody Holt, Peaster. Second Base: Maddie Hart, White Oak and Brenna Tillerson, Warren. Third Base: Kamryn Curry, Groesbeck; Laila Agerton, Orangefield; Kinsley Bardwell, Mal - akoff; and Kody Haw -

kins, Alpine. Shortstop: Blakely Rodgers, Coa - homa; Ariela Gutierrez, Rogers; and Abby Wiley, Peaster. Outfield: Kens - ley Wolf, Lexington; Em - ory Inman, Jacksboro; Emilee Denz, Kirbyville; Shyanne Floyd, Wall; and Kaidence Mason, Daingerfield. Utility: Brooke Reaves, Jacks - boro; Payton Allred, Clyde; Addi Valle, New Diana; Journie Wilson, Mineola; and Chloe Green, New Diana.

Class 2A Coach of the Year — James Harp, Ganado.

Player of the Year — Kaylyn Benavides, Ga -

nado.

First Team — Pitch - er: Saylor Bures, Ga - nado; Sidney Castillo, Woodsboro; and Emily Grandgeorge, Beckville. Catcher: Kaylyn Be - navides, Ganado. First Base: Kayla Stancik, Ganado. Second Base: Paige Fritsch, Burton. Third Base: Taelynn Tatsch, Harper. Short - stop: Gabby Finney, Honey Grove. Outfield: Laci Holt, Ganado; Teely Salazar, Martin's Mill; and Allie Smith, Bosque - ville. DH/DP/Flex: Graci Adair, Como-Pickton. Utility: Blake Edwards, Tom Bean.

Second Team — Pitcher: Addison Por - ter, Tom Bean; Lauren Springfield, Shiner; and Destiny Garza, Sundown. Catcher: Kaygen Lewis, Woodsboro. First Base: Emaleigh Davis, John -

son City. Second Base: Nolan Harris, Norman - gee. Third Base: Raelynn Peña, Ganado. Shortstop: Kaylie Jenkins, Mildred. Outfield: Jalee Trussell, Flatonia ; Camry Jourden, Sundown; and Amaya Williams, Bur - ton. DH/DP/Flex: Kloe Polasek, Shiner. Utility: Kylie Hielckert, Lindsay.

Third Team — Pitch - er: Jaylee Lowe, Haw - ley; Hannah Rogers, Beckville; and Landry Wilie, Bosqueville. Catcher: Brynly Greg - ory, Sundown. First Base: Brynlee Berend, Muenster. Second Base: (tie) Kennedy Guar - diola, Riesel; Nayleen Morin, Sundown; and Olivia Ramirez, Ita - ly. Third Base: Kori Rhodes, Crawford. Shortstop: Addy Siegel, Shiner. Outfield: Jen -

na Gould, Frankston; Kyleigh House, Frank - ston; and Saylor Smith, Como-Pickton. DH/ DP/Flex: Kaylie Webb, Frankston. Utility: Jay -

cee Cruz, Thorndale.

Honorable Mention — Pitcher: Ali Kayte Roberts, Groveton; Kait - lin Lucas, Amarillo High - land Park; Riley Taylor, Woden; Aubrey Corpus, Cisco; Breigh Gregory, Sundown; Harper Day, Cysian Fields; Makay -

la Gresham, Alvord; Skyler Green, Muen - ster; and Kelsey Vaught, Overton. Catcher: Lily Johnson, Muenster; Col - lins Metzig, Frankston; Chloe Clark, Johnson City; Morgan Nickell, Celeste; and Anna Per - kins, Overton. First Base: Raizel Chaparro, Reisel; Mia Obenhaus, Colorado City; Maddie Martinez, Woodsboro; and Araceli Ibarra, Sundown. Second Base: Landrie Dennard, Beckville; Kinley How - ie, Frankston; Koop - er Welch, Woden; and Rilee Lyons, Danbury. Third Base: Deja Torres, Bosqueville; Za'Kay -

la Smith, Abernathy; Skielar Castillo, Winns - boro; and Kalee Camer -

on, Beckville. Shortstop: Addison Young, Bre - mond; Lexie Rainey, Co - mo-Pickton; Lily Bailey, Hawley; Emry Jourden, Sundown; Carly Collins, Bosqueville; Kirsten Commander, Elysian Fields; Annabelle Green, Harleyton; and Avery Woodley, Waskom. Out -

field: Caleigh Chase, Alvord; Paisley Wat - kins, Como-Pickton; Madison Owens, Elysian Fields; Chayse Wernli, Woodsboro; Ava McG - lasson, Sundown; Hailey Radicke, Shiner; Jaelyn Dominguez, Sundown; Riley Fluitt, Shiner; and Taelynn Oden, Colorado City. DH/DP/Flex: KK Lloyd, Colorado City and Aubrey Malcuit, Cisco. Utility: Malayya Dodson, Thorndale and Bryleigh Nelson, Over -

ton.

Two big innings (1st and 5th) put the game out of reach for a final score of Serbin win - ning 14-3.

Good defensive plays were made by Ryan Rerich, Conner Geisler, Camden Morrison and Brett Janacek did yeoman's work behind the plate.

Offensive leaders: Geis - ler, double, base hit, 2 RBIs; Kannyn Goehring, 2 base hits, RBI, run scored; Rerich, dou - ble, HBP, run scored; Emerson Harvey, base hit, HBP, run scored; Mo Pavlik, base hit; and Seth Janecka, base hit.

Shane Janecka closed out the game pitching the final two innings, allowing no runs, striking out two, allowing two base runners and throwing some heat.

Thanks to Preston Lang - hoff for announcing and man - ning the scoreboard. Also, the great fan support as always. As usual, a super concession stand by Tom Strickland and crew.

Sponsors of the week were Hill Bank and Trust Company, Elstner Meat Company, Win - kler's AC & Electric, Bubela Real Estate, Anytime Fitness, KC Insurance-Bear Kana, State Farm Insurance-Ken Kram, and the Sara Prihoda family.

See y'all next Sunday, July 12 at Strickland Field at 3 p.m. versus Flatonia for the final home game.

Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluids than it takes in. Come the dog days of summer, it's easy to lose fluids when spending time outdoors.

Sweating is one way to lose fluid on a hot day, but there are myriad ways to avoid dehydration once the hot weather kicks in.

•Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink water. According to NHS Inform, the national health information service of Scotland, thirst is typically the brain's way of warning individuals that they are dehydrated.

So it's unwise to wait until you're thirsty to drink water. A proactive approach can help to prevent dehydration, especially when spending time outdoors on hot days.

•Take breaks for water.A mid-morning coffee break or a mid-afternoon snack break are part of many people's daily routines. You also can incorporate drinking water into your daily routine. When pouring your morning coffee or tea, pour yourself a glass of water as well. When reaching for a mid-afternoon snack, pour yourself another glass of water.

•Keep a water journal.

Documenting your daily water intake is one way to overcome forgetfulness in relation to remaining hydrated. Smartphone apps like Water Reminder and Plant Nanny can help people remember to drink water throughout the day. For those who prefer a more traditional approach to journaling, keep a small notebook near your desk or in your pocket when going outdoors so you can always know when your most recent water break occurred.

•Look to foods to stay hydrated. Drinking water isn't the only way to ensure you stay hydrated. Various foods are loaded with water. Henry Ford Health notes that watermelon, berries, bell peppers, and grapes are water-rich foods that can help you stay hydrated.

Dehydration can creep up on hot summer days and put people in serious jeopardy. That's why it's imperative that people make a concerted effort to hydrate and do not wait until they're thirsty to enjoy a glass of water on a hot summer day.

3RD

JULY DANCE

This team is continuously good and head Alfred Rosa has had a ton of success, but this year they kicked things up a gear and made an appearance on the big stage.

This had to be a great accomplishment for Rosa and company after being right on the cusp of the state tournament for years and years.

Now the next step is to make it to the championship game and win it all, which this team is more than capable of doing.

Class 1A

Most Valuable Player — Aiden Shank, Gordon. Player of the Year — Jack Schley, Fayetteville. Slugger of the Year — Stryker Reed, Gordon. Gold Glove — Jesse Bittick, Chester. Brandt Cox, Ira; Jaxon Gay, Chester; Jayse Gay, Chester; Ian Gruben, Hamlin; Turner Johnson, Chester; Derrick Lechuga, Hamlin; Hudson Luft, Ira; Will Neese, Round Top-Carmine; Sergio Quistian, Neches; Brayden Walters,

Gordon; and Luke White, Hamlin.

Class 2A

Most Valuable Player — Ryder Starkey, New Home. Player of the Year — Tyler Witt, Burton. Slugger of the Year — Hunter Burrell, New Home. Gold Glove — Eli Jaeger, Burton. Easton Calzada, New Deal; Clayton Cunningham, Muenster; Joshua Gaitan, Charlotte; Blayne Griner, Valley Mills; Jayse Janda, Schulenburg; Cooper Kent, Bosqueville; Luke Lorenzen, Johnson City Lyndon B. Johnson; Cayden Mc-Cutcheon, Bosqueville; Jack Nichols, Forsan, Ray Row, Mason; and Conner Schreiber, Windthorst.

They have athletes, but they also have good coaching and leadership from head coach Shane Walker.

Flatonia has made consecutive deep runs in the playoffs with some of their best players being sophomores and juniors.

With the underclassmen playing how they have been, the future is very bright for this team as they’ve shown on paper they can compete at a high level.

Flatonia has great experience from players that will now be upperclassmen, so it’s likely they’ll go on another great run in ’26.

This team isn’t just athletic, they are gifted basketball players as well. Bellville found ways to win games last year while being able to hang with the good teams because they are a solid ball club as well.

They relied on some seniors last year, but they also have underclassmen who know how to play the game and can be put out on the court in order to win.

Fayetteville always finds ways to put together a strong season and it seems like they always have depth and players that get the job done in big spots.

Head coach Clint Jaeger is one of the most winningest coaches in the area and has his team ready each and every year for the ultimate stage, the state championship game. This team has experience from underclassmen but also senior leadership.

There’s a good chance Fayetteville will have a dominant season yet again.

SCHULENBURG

By BRIAN PIERSON Banner Press Sports

The Schulenburg High School baseball team has been dominant for each of the past two years and it’s because they have good coaching and a team that plays together.

They also know what it’s like to play at some of the highest levels. There’s a good chance Schulenburg will be really good again in ’26 because it seems as though the program has turned itself around with a huge rebuild.

Schulenburg knows how to win as they show on the stat sheet and they’ll continue to reap the benefits if they continue on this kind of pace.

Decades later, the grim reality of that statement has materialized. The FPP, operated by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) and Austin Energy, has transformed the Lower Colorado River Basin into a highly contested theater of ecological degradation, while the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has systematically abandoned its regulatory duties.

The Health Toll: Cancer Clusters and Premature Mortality The human cost of the FPP is mapped, documented, and devastating. Groundbreaking epidemiological research led by Dr. Kristina Zierold at the University of Mississippi has definitively linked communities living adjacent to unlined coal combustion residual (CCR) impoundments—like those in Fayette County—to statis- tically significant, elevated rates of lung, cardiovascular, and thyroid cancers[cite: 6, 11]. The coal ash contains known human carcinogens, such as arsenic, which is proven to cause skin, lung, and bladder cancer, as well as neuropathy.

This toxicological expo- sure has horrific localized impacts. Third-generation local pecan farmer Harvey Hayek developed a massive, exceptionally rare skull tumor— diagnosed as the third largest in the United States— which resulted in temporary blindness and near-death following chronic environmental exposure. The biological pathology extends to local fauna as well; Fayette County resident Elizabeth Parry’s cat required a partial amputation due to severe tissue necrosis, lesions, and embedded toxic inorganic silica definitively linked to coal ash deposition.

Beyond the soil and water, the atmospheric plume from FPP has been a silent killer. Utilizing advanced dispersion modeling and Medicare data, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin established that fine particulate matter ($PM_ {2.5}$) soot from the facility was directly responsible for 560 premature deaths in Texas in 2003 alone.

A Subterranean Crisis and TCEQ Complicity A 2019 analysis of the facility’s own federal monitoring data by the Environmental Integrity Project revealed a 100% failure rate across all 23 groundwater monitoring wells at the FPP site. Highly toxic, bioaccumulative heavy metals are actively leaching into the Gulf Coast Major Aquifer. Testing confirmed that lithium and sulfate are leaking into the groundwater at exactly three times the federal maximum safe limit.

Instead of holding the LCRA accountable, the TCEQ has institutionalized regulatory capture. Feder- al litigation filed in 2025 exposed that the LCRA routinely disables critical pollution controls during maintenance, startup, and shutdown (MSS) events, resulting in massive particulate matter spikes exceeding 2,000 pounds per hour. The ultimate betrayal occurred on April 30, 2026, when TCEQ Commissioners unanimously rubber-stamped a major amendment to FPP's wastewater permit, completely removing selenium discharge limits from multiple outfalls and implementing a mathematical 'dilution trick' to artificially water down the concentration data of toxic discharges.

The Phony 2026 Testing Sham

The state’s commitment to shielding the plant was put on full display on April 15, 2026, when the TCEQ conducted a compliance evaluation investigation in response to formal complaints of excessive selenium discharges. Rather than investigating the complex network of outfalls or the surrounding groundwater matrix, the investigator staged a performative, single grab sample exclusively at Outfall 001.

Predictably, because Outfall 001 is a continuous, high-volume stream of oncethrough cooling water, the sample diluted the results to below laboratory reporting limits.

The TCEQ eagerly used this single, manipulated test to declare the entire allegation 'unsubstantiated,' completely ignoring the true sources of concentrated toxic load at the site. It was an administrative sham designed to generate a 'General Compliance' letter and pass off a carefully curated data snapshot as true environmental safety.

The Mandate for Local Intervention: Chapter 36 We can no longer rely on the TCEQ to protect us. The responsibility now falls squarely on local governance. The Fayette County Groundwater Conservation District (FCGCD) Board of Directors, including Precinct 2 Director Harvey Hayek and his fellow board members, must take decisive, immediate action.

The board can no longer hide behind bureaucratic helplessness. Under Texas Water Code (TWC) § 36.101, our local district has the absolute authority to 'make and enforce rules' to provide for the protection of the groundwater. Section 36.0015 ex- plicitly defines their core mandate as providing for the preservation, conservation, and protection of our water. Furthermore, Section 36.123 gives these directors the unassailable right to enter public or private property to inspect and investigate conditions threatening water purity.

It is unacceptable for the district to enforce strict monitoring rules on private water developers while simultaneously claiming a 'lack of rules' to independently monitor industrial heavy metal plumes from major utilities. Under Section 36.1071(a)(4), the district is required by law to maintain a management plan that comprehensively addresses groundwater quality issues. The tools are there. The authority is there.

For the members of this board currently facing re-election this December, the political reality is simple: the citizens of Fayette County are watching. If you refuse to use your statutory power to protect our water quality, voters will replace you with candidates who will.

Call to Action: Protect Your Well

We must force the district to act by demonstrating the scale of community concern. Every resident in Fayette County relying on private water wells must immediate- ly contact the district office.

Call the FCGCD at (979) 968-3135 or contact Wendi at the board's office. Demand to be explicitly added to the upcoming county-funded study list to have your water well independently tested for heavy metal and toxin convergence.

We must secure enough names to force the board to fund this critical study and protect our families from the unlined, leaking infrastructure at our borders.

The era of turning a blind eye to cancer clusters, toxic plumes, and administrative shams must end. Take control of your water safety today.

Clark, the justice of the peace in Precinct 3 of Colorado County, turned himself in June 23 to the Colorado County Sheriff's Office after an arrest warrant was placed against him on several charges stemming from an alleged incident with facts yet to be brought out.

Clark, 60, of Frelsburg, was booked into jail on June 23 under charges of false report to police officer/law enforcement employ - ee, Texas Penal Code 37.08; offi cial oppression, under Texas Penal Code 39.03 and false report to induce emergency response, under Texas Penal Code 42.0601(b).

Official oppression carries a Class A misdemeanor but can be enhanced to a felony under spe- cific aggravating factors. This charge covers the intentional mistreatment or denial of civil rights by a public official acting in their official capacity.

False reporting to a police of- ficer/law enforcement employee is a Class B misdemeanor. There are no felony applications on this charge of 37.08. This charge concerns Clark making deceptive statements to law enforcement personnel during an active investigation.

For false report to induce emergency response, it is classi- fied as a Class A misdemeanor.

This charge penalizes reckless false reporting to emergency services.

The Texas Rangers were involved in resolving the public-integrity issue involving Clark.

According to records, the investigation culminated on June 23, when Clark was indicted, and he then turned himself in to the Col- orado County Sheriff's Office for the formal arrest and paperwork.

Clark was elected to the Colorado County justice of the peace, Precinct 3 position, and sworn in on May 11, 2023, to fill an unex pired term left vacant by the death of Judge Francis Truchard. He beat out nine other applicants and came to the position with 28 years in the Secret Service. While in the Secret Service, he served on the presidential security team of George W. Bush, Barac Obama, and Donald Trump. He was on the Hazardous Agent Mitigation Medical Emergency Response Team and frequently led task forces alongside the FBI, CIA and the ATF. He was elected again in 2026 to continue his position as JP 3.

The community has been divided as to Clark’s alleged charges. Many local colleagues and friends have defended his character as he has served the U.S. and the county.

The Banner Press has reached out to Clark for comment, but there has been no response as of press time. Clark is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.