Articles

Work zone crash fatalities decreased for the first time since 2018 in Texas

AUSTIN – On April 13, Governor Greg Abbott announced that nominations for the 2023 Star of Texas Awards are now open to honor peace officers, firefighters, emergency medical first responders, and members of federal law enforcement who were seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.

COLUMBUS – The Columbus Chamber of Commerce partnered with Medical Skin Associates and Spa to host an April Lunch and Learn at the Stafford Opera House.

Rene Cooper is running for re-election to the city council in Eagle Lake. Rene is a registered nurse and has been practicing for the past 54 years. She is a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church. Rene stated that she was born to be a public servant both professionally and publicly. There are some projects that are in the works for Eagle Lake. One improvement has been the replacement of the water meters to help with the calculation of citizens’ water bills.

Hi, my name is Leah Newby, and I am running for Weimar ISD School Board Place 1 Trustee.

I am Jim Wood from Eagle Lake, running for city council. I am 74 years old, married for 50 years and have three adult children and seven grandchildren. I retired after owning and operating S & W Parts Co. for 45 years. I was in the Army from October 1969 until April 1972, and I am a Vietnam Veteran. I have lived in Eagle Lake since 1967 and through the years have participated in many Eagle Lake organizations. I am a member of the Parish of the Nativity Church. I will be proud to serve as a city councilman if elected.

My name is Michele Eden, and I happily reside in Columbus, Texas. I have been married to Jeremy Eden for 18 wonderful years. We are both graduates of Columbus High School, and we are the proud parents of one Columbus High School graduate and two children who are currently attending Columbus ISD at the junior high and high school levels.

For over 30 years, Roman Footnick has been a noteworthy leader in various fields including nutrition, fitness, martial arts, philosophy, medicine, hypnotherapy, and leadership training. He has been recognized by: The Today Show, People Magazine, Flex Magazine, The Houston Chronicle, Austin American Statesman, and other media for his work and ideas.

I was born and raised in Columbus and graduated from Columbus High School. I have been a resident in the district for over 35 years. After a successful career working with a local ophthalmology practice, I was inspired by my wife, Amy, who was teaching, to become a teacher myself. I served as a special education teacher and coach at Columbus High School for eight years. I continued my education and became assistant principal and eventually principal at Columbus High School. I am currently a Human Resources Coordinator in Katy ISD.

My name is Sandra Dee Flowers, a 1979 RHS Graduate, U.S. Army Veteran, mother of two daughters and grandmother of four.

My name is Jenny Rodgers and I’ve lived in Eagle Lake for just shy of 18 years. My husband Kurt and I have been married for 17 years and we have three children, Reyna and Ty (14) and Reanne (7). When I first came to Eagle Lake, I worked at Eagle Lake Elementary School as a fourth-grade teacher. After three years, I stopped teaching to be a stay-at-home mom for our twins. During that time, we joined the First Baptist Church of Eagle Lake and made it our church home. About five years ago, I started a home baking business, Jenny Bakes and it has grown into a full-time job. I love baking and the flexibility it provides me to be present for my children and involved in their activities.

As a 1994 graduate of Rice High School, I grew up in the Rice Consolidated School District since kindergarten. Now a mom to a 13-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son, I am eager to get to work for you the taxpayer on behalf of the district.

As a life-long resident of Colorado County and a graduate of Rice High School, I believe I can represent the school district in beneficial ways. I have served on various local boards and served on the Eagle Lake City Council for many years. My wife is employed by the district and both of my children attend RCISD. I believe there are some improvements that can be made in the future and look forward to solving problems. I would greatly appreciate your vote in the upcoming election and welcome your concerns, complaints and ideas.

Jim Sanders is running for Place 1 on the Weimar ISD School Board. Jim is Partner and General Manager of Cavender Auto Country Chevrolet Buick GMC in Weimar. He is married with seven children, three of whom are currently enrolled in Weimar ISD. As a former graduate of Weimar High School, Jim has a passion for his community and the school system in particular. He wants to see it continue to thrive and grow despite the many challenges we face today. He knows that children are our most valuable asset and resource for the future, and a school with a strong value system is essential in preparing them for what lies ahead. Jim will work to make sure those values stay intact. Adding to the importance of high academic standards, he believes that a variety of vocational programs should be available so that our kids can develop marketable skills for the workplace. Jim’s experience in the business world also adds to his qualifications. So please vote for Jim Sanders on May 6. He truly appreciates all of your support.

Chris Parker was born and raised in West Texas in the Tall City of Midland, Texas. He graduated from Midland Lee High School in 1982 and then went on to Texas Tech for two years before transferring to the University of Texas San Antonio, where he obtained his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1987. Right out of school, Chris went into outside sales for a telecommunications company. In 1995, he went into the information technology field and eventually worked his way up to Operations Director for a data center in Houston, Texas. In 2003, Chris began his career in the oil and gas industry as a petroleum landman and is still at it today. In 2008, Chris married his wife, Shelley. They celebrated their 15th anniversary earlier this month. Chris and Shelley own a Mosquito Authority franchise together and are in their third season of that endeavor. They have lived in Eagle Lake for six years and share conservative values.

My name is GayeLynn Thomas. I was born in Eagle Lake and have lived here for nearly all of my 60 years. Before retiring and opening a small business here, I worked as an educator for approximately 37 years, mostly at the community college level. In addition to my position on the city council, I currently serve as a director on both the Chamber of Commerce board and the Rails-to-Trails Project board, organizations focused on creating a better future for Eagle Lake. I believe that the residents of Eagle Lake deserve council members who are dedicated to moving our city forward. I am seeking re-election to the Eagle Lake City Council in order to continue the progress we are making, and I would appreciate your support on Election Day.

The Columbus Tractor Supply is providing free garden kits to local children to teach the basics of at-home gardening.

The Friends of the Weimar Public Library welcomes all area poets of any age to participate in the library’s National Poetry Month celebration.

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office is hosting a Multi-County New Landowner Education program to help new landowners be aware of what types of agricultural enterprises are best for their property.

The Rice Raiders’ varsity baseball team had some quality hitting over the last week of competition. The Raiders found several hits and even played some at-bats with bases loaded with potential to score. However, despite a week of effective hitting at the plate, the Raiders could not get the big swings to bring in scores for the offense. Many runners were left on board as the Raiders struggled to bring runs home from the base path. Even in a game where the Raiders outhit their opponents, they still suffered two-straight blowout losses as they failed to keep pace with their opponents’ scoring.

Rice’s varsity track team will have a number of athletes competing in the upcoming Area track meet after a solid overall team performance. Many individuals stepped up as the Raiders claimed many top four sports to qualify for the Area Championship Meet. The girls picked up a lone area meet qualifier while finishing with one of their highest team totals of the season. On the other side of the tournament for the boys, they found plenty of success in long-distance runs as well as in field events as they took fourth place as a team.