Thursday,
June 11, 2015
Volume 72, No. 24 • 34 Pages
75 cents
INSIDE
2015 BOLING/EAST BERNARD/WHARTON
GRADUATION
Valedictorian of Boling High School Gabrielle Alcala Valedictorian of East Bernard High School Elizabeth Blackert Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Valedictorian of Wharton High School Ross Raybon
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Our salute to the Class of 2015
Special section
Classified....................... 8 Dateline: EB................. 3 Editorial........................... 4 Living................................. 5 Obituaries...................... 2 Puzzle................................ 8 Sports................................ 7 Worship Directory....... 6
Brahmarettes win state title
Winning is nice gift for retiring principal By KEITH MAGEE kmagee@journal-spectator.com
Need a Job? In Today’s Paper:
23
Employment Ads filling more than
29
Positions!
TODAY’S FORECAST
• Thursday: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Thursday night: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms before 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph. • Friday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Southeast wind 5 to 15 mph. Friday night: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.
BURN BAN LIFTED Wharton County’s burn ban has been lifted until further notice. For burning guidelines, visit www.co.wharton.tx.us. Controlled burns must be reported to 532-1550.
GOT NEWS? For items of interest, from wedding engagements to community events, contact 532-0095 or news@journal-spectator.com
You also can drop off items at our office at 115 W. Burleson St., Wharton, TX 77488.
Photo by Russell Zahradnik, EBHS photography
East Bernard team members proudy display their championhip trophy after winning the Class 3A state softball title on Thursday in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth event is Saturday in Wharton
By KEITH MAGEE kmagee@journal-spectator.com
For the last week or so, news of one of Wharton’s biggest festivals had to be pushed inside the paper because of the breaking news of the rising Colorado River. Now the river is back to normal, residents were thankful that there was minimal damage and it’s time to get ready to celebrate Juneteenth. The sixth annual James Simmons Jr. Wharton County Juneteenth Festival arrives next Saturday in downtown Wharton. The Juneteenth Parade begins at 10 a.m., with the festival slated for noon until midnight. Last year’s event hosted an estimated 15,000 people, which was about 3,000 more than the previous year. Juneteenth is coordinated by Paul Kearney and supported by James Simmons Jr.’s Total Premier Service and J. Simmons Group Inc. Juneteenth celebrates June 19, 1865 when federal troops landed in Galveston with news that the slaves had been freed by Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. The parade kicks off at 10 a.m.
The route will start at Milam Street and end at the Dawson Community Resource Center. In conjunction with Juneteenth, Wharton Training High School reunion festivities will be held at the Dawson center. Back downtown, the festival will feature activites for children including carnival rides and will showcase live music — highlighting gospel and R&B genres — and, of course, good eats and drinks. The gospel program kicks off with James Ray performing between 3 and 4 p.m. He’ll be followed by The Sensational Clouds of Joy from 4 to 4:30 p.m. and a special program between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. honoring dignitaries. Concluding the gospel program are the Jones Family Singers from 5:30 to 6 p.m. and Endurance from 6 to 6:45 p.m. The R&B show kicks off at 7 p.m. with Lady Audrey and Superior Band featuring Miss Rebekah and Willie Winters until 7:45 p.m. Sir Charles Jones will perform from 8 to 8:40 p.m. The highlight of the show are the Temptations with Dennis Edwards beginning at 10 p.m.
Winning a state championship in any sport is always nice — especially for the players, coaches and fans. And of course, it’s always special to school teachers and administrators. East Bernard’s 2015 state championship in softball was especially pleasing for East Bernard High School Principal Buck Wenglar. Wenglar, who has been the school’s principal for 16 years and who has been in the education field for 36 years, is retiring this year. “I told them that was one of the best retirement gifts they could have given me,” Wenglar said. Wenglar, along with Athletic Director Jerry Long, Girls Athletic Coordinator Allison Brantly and Superintendent Ross Aschenbeck, were part of the celebration ceremony on Thursday evening as they presented medals, awards and a trophy to the Class 3A state softball champion East Bernard Brahmarettes. Earlier in the evening, East Bernard beat Hallettsville, 8-1, to win the state title at Red & Charlene McCombs Field on the University of Texas campus in Austin. The Brahmarettes, who won the state title in 2008, See BRAHMARETTES, Page 3
Kolache Klobase Festival arrives Saturday
Courtesy photo
Colorfully costumed Linda Hlavinka and Mark Dujka invite everyone to the 25th annual Kolache Klobase Festival at Riverside Hall on Saturday. The annual event runs from 10:30 a.m. until 8 p.m. and features plenty of entertainment, activities and, of course, food and kolaches. A complete schedule and more information is available at www.kkfest.com.