Local News

For the first time since his hiring last summer, Sealy ISD Superintendent Bryan Hallmark addressed the district’s staff as a whole in person at the Sealy ISD Administration Awards banquet in the Sealy High School gymnasium last Thursday, May 27. 42 staff members were honored with service milestones and four retirees were celebrated on their way out: Lynda Mauney, Kimberly Buxkemper, Kerri Schovajsa and Sabrina Rotter.

After 34 years of service to Austin County Emergency Medical Services, Assistant Chief Jim Turnbull signed off and entered retirement last Wednesday, May 26. Turnbull originally found his interest in EMS when he had a construction accident in 1986 and soon after enrolled in an EMT class at the Methodist Church sponsored by Houston Community College.

Monday morning, dozens of people gathered at the Sealy American Legion Post 442 for the Memorial Day program hosted by the Legion and the Auxiliary Unit. Later in the afternoon, retired Colonel and longtime community leader Paul Dronka – who passed away Memorial Day, 2020 – was honored with a ceremony at the Columbus Hall.

The 71st Annual Meeting of the Austin County Livestock Association will be held Thursday, June 3 at the Cat Spring Agricultural Hall in Cat Spring, Texas.

An Austin County jury gave a local man the maximum punishment in court action before District Judge Jeff Steinhauser last Friday, May 21, for indecency with a child. The jury of eight women and four men sentenced Cesar Urbina, 38 of Industry, to life in prison for the crime that occurred in 2018.

Last Friday’s announcement by the Texas General Land Office of grants to local governments for flood mitigation prompted a victory dance by Austin County officials while the huge city lying to its east is singing the blues.

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar is reminding families and businesses that they can save on the purchase of certain water- and energy-efficient products during the state’s Water-Efficient Products and ENERGY STAR® sales tax holidays.

The City of Sealy approved an ordinance that would restrict registered sex offenders from residing closer than 2,000 feet from where children gather. During the May 18 meeting of the Sealy City Council at the Hill Center, the council approved an ordinance regarding residency restrictions for registered sex offenders and restrictions on park entrances.

A fatality was reported Wednesday night, May 19, on a frontage road of Interstate 10 three miles west of Sealy. Patrick Ratcliffe, 36 of Sealy, was pronounced deceased on the scene.

Sergeant Stephen Woodard of the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed Ratcliffe’s 2019 Chevrolet pickup truck was traveling eastbound on the frontage road on the north side I-10, opposite of the direction of traffic.

The only reported injury was Ratcliffe’s.

The main-lane closure on Interstate 10 at the Brazos River originally scheduled for Saturday, May 22, has been postponed again to Thursday, May 27, according to a Tuesday update from the Texas Department of Transportation.

The Saturday closure was postponed to Monday, then because of the rain was pushed again to Thursday with the same start and end times.