News

The Austin County Sheriff’s Office would like to welcome Alyssa Lowe as a Telecommunicator. Lowe is a 2019 graduate of Brenham High School and graduated from Sam Houston State University in August 2023 with a Criminal Justice degree. Austin County Sheriff Jack Brandes is honored to have Lowe working with the department. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Thirty-four Sealy FFA and Jr FFA members competed at Colorado Co Fair Livestock judging. Solid start for the 2023 Fall season. Highlights include Champion Jr team led by Kash Parker. 3rd high individual Hunter Hinze and Chandler Austin. 10th high Jackson Volking. Reserve Champion Jr Team led by Ainsley Oliver; 1st high point JR Atalie Petrash; 4th high Levi McNeely Heath Hinze; Sr 1st high point individual Ryleigh Gilfoil led the 10th Place Sr team with Sydney Petrash, Makensize Summons and Cade Schroeder. 10th Place JR team Keaton Parker 12th Makinsey Bookout, Jaxon Fikes and Hudson Novicke.

On Sunday, Aug. 13, Austin County 4-H hosted their annual awards banquet with over 200 in attendance. This year’s banquet was hosted by Stars & Stripes and Bellville 4-H Clubs at Kenney Agricultural Society Hall and the meal was catered by Big Boys Catering.

Brazos Interact kicked off the new school year with info about Round Up, Chili Cookoff and community service opportunities. COURTESY PHOTO .

A public hearing on the new proposed tax rate will be held by the Sealy City Council 6 p.m. Sept.

A collaboration of five local governments has given rise to the 1093 Rails to Trails Local Government Corporation (LGC), an initiative that aims to convert a 31-mile former rail corridor, west of Houston, into a shared-use trail for the community.

Can you imagine an entire railroad line sinking and disappearing underwater? Even if you can’t, the proofs in the pudding. Over 135 years ago on July 28, 1888, the San Antonio Aransas Pass Railway Company received a letter written by Austin County and State Representative Wm Guyler approving their purchase for the rights to build a railway through Austin County, Just 25 years later in 1913, the Brazos River experienced flooding so catastrophic that it nearly caused that railroad and bridge to float away, almost submerging neighborhoods in Wallis and Simonton PHOTOS BY ABENEZER YONAS/COURTESY PHOTO Wallis resident Franklin Rohan holds up a picture from a 1913 newspaper clipping of the former railroad lines peaking above the water behind.