General Excellence 082722

FRIDAY NIGHT SCOREBOARD

WHARTON 6 WASHINGTON 34

EAST BERNARD 7 EDNA 47

BOLING 34 PALACIOS 14

Today’s Funeral and Death Notices, Page 2 Betty Ann Flores

Dateline Wharton Dateline Wharton

 Wharton Area Community Jazz Band

Meets the last Sunday of every month from 4-6 p.m. in the WCJC Fine Arts Building on the Wharton main campus.

St. Thomas Episcopal Church

Invites all singers from all communities around Wharton to join them every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the music room at the church. For more info call 979.240.5760.

Alcoholic/Narcotics

Anonymous Meetings

Alanon/Narcotics Anonymous meetings are being held at Hesed House, 413 Colorado St.. Wednesdays from 6-7 p.m. for NA, and 7:15 - 8:15 p.m. for AA. Kelley 979.282.1456 or Tammy 979.282.1276.

Wharton VFW Post 4474

Fundraiser Sunday, August 28, 10:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at the American Legion Hall, Wharton. Pork Steak Lunch Plate $12. Drive-thru Pick-Up.

Bake Sale inside. For more info call 979.257.2807 or 979.533.0111.

Retired Teachers in Wharton County meeting

Will be held Sept. 7, at the Wharton Co. Museum, 3615 N. Richmond Rd. at 10:30 a.m. Meal will be Chicken Fried Steak and trimmings. Cost is $10. RSVP to 979.533.2905, 979.541.9072 or 281.798.6261.

East Bernard Fair Fund

Will be hosting its 35th Annual Cook-Off on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the American Legion Hall, Hwy 60 in East Bernard. They ask that all entries be turned in by Sept. 2 to help with space assignments. For more info contact Jane Primrose at jane.primrose@springbranchisd.com or vist www.eastbernardfairfund.org.

Branded Bliss Western Wear

Will be having their Grand Reopening Ribbon Cutting Saturday, Sept. 10, 2 - 7 p.m.

Knights of Columbus Bazaar

Sunday, September 11, BBQ Chicken & Sausage w/ trimmings. Dine In or Drive Thru. Cost of tickets are $14. Serving begins at 11 a.m., 2820 N Fulton. For more info call Richard at 979.533.0428.

Fraternal Order of Eagles

#4507

Will be hosting their annual Hamburger plates Sept. 15. Plates include burger, beans, chips and dessert for $12. Plates are pre-sold only. Pick up is at the KC Hall drive thru, 2328 N. Fulton from 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are available from any eagle member or Contact Brenda Macek at 979.453.1617.

See DATELINE, Page 2

Water, sewer, trash rates going up

By JOE SOUTHERN news@journal-spectator.com

Residents of Wharton will see their water and sewer rates, along with the trash collection fee, go up starting Oct. 1 after the city council approved the rate hikes at its meeting Monday night. The 10% increase for water and sewer and 7% increase for trash were approved by the council as they set the date of Sept. 12 for a public hearing on the 2022-2023 budget. The 10% rate will increase the average water bill by $8.83 per month or $105.98 per year. Solid waste collection rates will increase $1.25 per month or $15 per year.

Finance Director Joan Andel made the proposals to council following a budget workshop held earlier this month where the council discussed the rates. Andel explained that 5% of the trash rate increase is coming from Green For Life, the company providing trash service to the city. The other 2% will help the city begin repairing aging sewer lines.

At the public hearing for the budget, residents will be able to comment on the $21,753,502 budget and tax rate of $.41761 per $100 of valuation. The tax rate is a drop from $.419 this year.

PID created

The council re-opened a public hearing regarding the creation of a Public Improvement District (PID) for a proposed 135-acre housing development on the east side of the city along CR 1301. Only one person spoke at the hearing

and that was Ken Schott, representing Waterstone Development. All he did was make himself available if there were any questions. None were asked and the hearing was closed. The council then voted unanimously to approve Public Improvement District No. 1.

A PID is a development tool that allows the city to levy a special assessment on the properties within the district to pay for improvements up front such as roads, water, sewer, drainage, landscaping, trails, parks, etc. The money collected by the city is then

passed on to the developer to reimburse them for the upfront costs of creating the development. It essentially makes the city a conduit for transferring payments from the homeowners to the developer over a specified period of time, generally several years. Once the debt is paid, the PID is dissolved. It doesn’t continue like a Municipal Utility District.

Farmers Market moving Kodi Keiler, president of the Wharton County Farmers Market asked for

and received permission to move the market from Guffey Park to Waterfront Park when it opens for the fall season from Oct. 1 to Dec. 15.

“We’re asking for rental fees to be waived for this location and for permission to sell glass containers in the park,” Keiler said. “We would need a space from 7:30 a.m., so vendors can start setting up, until 2 p.m. when our vendors have packed up and left. We would like to offer maintenance of the

Change of venue sought in Satterfield murder case

With a change in venue request pending, the competency trial for accused killer Robert Allen Satterfield is set to get under way Monday. The case remaining in Wharton County’s 329th District Court depends on if an impartial jury can be seated.

“We’re going to find out next week,” District Judge Randy Clapp said during a hearing for pre-trial motions Thursday.

The defense team argued pre-trial publicity would keep citizens from remaining impartial.

Wharton Storage undergoes major rehab

By JOE SOUTHERN news@journal-spectator.com

An abandoned, rundown mini storage business in a blighted section of town now shines brightly and is open for business after undergoing a major rehabilitation.

Wharton Storage at 629 W. Caney St. was purchased and rehabbed by Steve Haver of Sugar Land, who purchased the property last year and opened for business in July. The time in between was spent applying grit and elbow grease to make the property functional again.

“Yeah, it looked like something out of a Stephen King

horror flick,” Haver said. “It was abandoned for many years from what I understand, doors falling off, just lots of debris and overgrowth. Kind of a scary looking place.”

Haver is no stranger to rehabbing property.

“I like to buy rundown commercial properties and bring them back to life, make them beautiful again,” he said. “And I like mini storages. And I’ve actually driven through Wharton several times over the last few years, going to Bay City or wherever, looking at other property. And I’ve noticed that property over there. It’s been abandoned for a while. I used

El Campo Leader-News Publisher Shannon Crabtree was called to the stand, questioned extensively on newspaper distribution, accuracy of coverage, its effect and whether it had a quelling effect on a jury.

“The citizens of Wharton County have the right to know when a person is accused of a crime, why they are accused, and when they will face trial. I would like to think an informed public is not a biased one,” Crabtree said after the hearing.

Prospective jurors in the upcoming trial, as with all trials, will be asked about their ability to listen to presented evidence and make their decision based on that information only.

The defense also asked for a mistrial Thursday, denied by Clapp, and called into question

Photo by Joe Southern

Kodi Keiler, president of the Wharton County Farmers Market, asks the Wharton City Council for permission to move the market from Guffey Park to Waterfront Park when it opens for the fall season from Oct. 1 to Dec. 15.

Photo by Kristy Quijas

A plaque dedication was held Aug. 23 at the Wharton High School tennis court where English teacher and tennis coach Roben Eller was honored. The plaque reads, “In honor of Roben Eller, Wharton High School English teacher and beloved tennis coach for 32 years who instilled the love of tennis in so many students and community members through her unyielding dedication to the sport and those she served.” She is pictured here with several students at the school.

Photo by Joe Southern Steve Haver poses in front of building he refurbished at Wharton Storage. In addition to rehabbing the property, he installed more lights, a security system, and a high-tech gate.

Santos Sanchez Suaste

Santos Sanchez Suaste, age 96, entered eternal rest on Saturday, August 6, 2022, at the home of her daughter in Austin. She was born on October 28, 1925, in Matagorda, daughter of the late Manuel Sanchez and Jacinta Montelongo Sanchez.

Mrs. Suaste was a resident of Wharton County since 1938, having lived mostly in Boling and Wharton, and until the last five years in Austin. She attended Iago and Boling schools and made a decision to forego her last year of school to help care for her siblings, when their mother took ill. At the age of 18, she married Francisco Suaste while he was in the US Army, on October 6, 1943. Once Frank was out of the Army and back in Boling, Santos and Frank accepted his Blanco siblings into their home for approximately two years, to care for them after his mother passed away. They were married 63 years when she lost her devoted husband in late April of 2007.

Santos, for many years was fondly known as Suaste, completed and graduated the Vocational Nursing Course of Study at Wharton County Junior College on September 18, 1961, followed by the Texas Board of Nursing licensing

COUNCIL

Continued from page 1 facilities prior to each market and supply paper products for the restrooms there.”

The council unanimously approved the request.

Sinkhole narrowly avoided

Public Works Director Anthony Arcidiacono requested and received $45,000 for emergency repairs on a water line at 1509 N. Fulton St.

“Basically it was about to turn into a sinkhole,” Arcidiacono said.

He said the line was very deep and it required a contractor to come in and repair.

“There was a huge void under Rusk that we were able to see

TRIAL

Continued from page 1 the ethics of Wharton County District Attorney Dawn Allison over the objections of Assistant District Attorney Lance Long who has worked on 13 death penalty cases.

“They keep throwing accusations out. I value my career and I know Ms. Allison values her career,” Long told the judge.

“Nothing the team does ... is meant to be personal,” lead defense council Brian Lacour said, but added his client’s life literally depends on the

after having her four children. Before and after child number five, she began as a rural visiting nurse in her early years of nursing, moving into surgery where she worked alongside Dr. Robert B. Caraway, Jr., for the remainder of her nursing career. Suaste worked at Rugeley and Blassingame Clinic before it became South Texas Medical Clinic all the while for Dr. Caraway, where they would spend dedicated and tireless years working with MD Anderson in the detection, prevention, and treatment of cancer, with a large primary focus on breast cancer. She retired in 1989 and spent the remaining last year conducting research for Baylor College of Medicine in the Texas Medical Center. She was a long-standing acting member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, Legion of Mary, Guadalupana Society, The Catholic Daughters of the Americas, the Gulf Coast Medical Center Active Advantage group, as a Eucharistic Minister, served the nursing homes and homebound communities, and countless hours of devoted volunteer services for Toys for Tots, St. Thomas Thrift Shop, and the Wharton County Library. She was an avid reader, storyteller, prankster, homemaker, lover of plants and flowers, with an incredible instinct and deep fondness for blooming African Violets; supporter of music and the arts and enjoyed the fulfillment of service and mentorship to the youth and her Mexican American culture.

Survivors include daughters Gloria S. Martinez of Rosharon, Barbara J. Suaste of El Paso, M. Renee Suaste of Austin, and son M. Benjamin Suaste of Alexandria, VA; sisters, Lucia San Miguel of Manvel and

before it showed its ugly face and caved in, but it probably could have easily swallowed a small car,” he said. “But we blocked the road off once we found it. The contractor came in within two or three days and mobilized and got it fixed. It was about 15 feet deep.”

New stop signs

The intersection of Mockingbird Lane and Sunny Lane between Wharton Junior High School and Sivells Elementary School will soon become a three-way stop.

Sgt. Ariel Soltura of the Wharton Police Department requested the stop signs because there is a problem with people speeding down the street and losing control where the two roads curve together.

outcome of proceedings.

Satterfield is accused of the June 13, 2018, murders of Ray Shawn Hudson Sr., 28, Maya Victoria Rivera, 24, and their 5-year-old son Ray Shawn Hudson Jr., all of Angleton. He faces a possible death sentence if convicted, but that trial has been put on hold until his competency, or ability to assist in his own defense, can be determined.

If a jury rules Satterfield is competent, the murder trial can be set and will proceed. If a jury says he is incompetent, Satterfield will be sent for treatment.

Dateline Wharton

Continued from Page 1

Comfort Wood Chapter

NSDAR

Will be hosting a Constitution Luncheon on Sept. 17, 11 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at the Wharton County Museum, 3615 Richmond Rd. Cost of ticket to attend is $25. Contact Sarah Hudgins at 281.433.3357 for more info.

Courthouse Tours Wharton County Courthouse guided tours are the first Saturday of each month at 11 a.m. Free admission. No registra-

Genoveva Torres of Houston; brothers, Ben Torres of Missouri City and Genaro Torres of Manvel; grandchildren, Averie M Cervantes and husband Thomas, and Kisha M Ransom and husband Joey; great-grandchildren, Andrea M Acuna, Gabriella M, Ernesto I, Jr., Rocco Villalobos, and Eduardo Villescas, Jr., with numerous adoring nephews and nieces, and countless committed friends who lovingly maintained contact with her during her twilight years in Austin.

Besides her parents and her Dad, Manuel C. Torres, Mrs. Suaste was preceded in death by sons, Abel Suaste, on Dec. 5, 1990 and David Suaste, on Sept. 14, 2019; and brothers, Edmundo and Isiderio Sanchez, Charles M and Astolfo Torres; sisters, Edulia M Sanchez, Angela Sepeda, and Margarita Torres. Funeral mass services are being held under the care of the Wharton Funeral Home on Saturday, September 10, at Holy Family Catholic Church beginning with a Rosary led by The Catholic Daughters of the Americas at 10:30 a.m., with Father Dan Porter officiating. Graveside services and interment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Ben and Genaro Torres, Anthony Sanchez, Francisco Sanchez, Jr., Jim Nickolyn, and Honorary Pallbearer Posthumously, Dr. Robert B. Caraway, Jr.

In lieu of flowers and plants, if desiring, memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 632008, Houston, TX 77263 Services under the direction of Wharton Funeral Home, 515 E. Boling Hwy. Wharton, Tx. 77488. 979.532.3410.

“Numerous vehicles that have left the roadway damaged and residential property,” Soltura said.

At an earlier meeting Ray Roberson complained about the intersection, saying he was nearly hit by a vehicle there.

“It’s a corridor that connects Alabama Road to Fulton (Street) and as it sits right now there are very few traffic control devices along that path,” Soltura said.

The council approved the request unanimously.

Setback variance approved

The council approved a setback variance request by Marshall Francis and Ronnie Wittig, owners of F&W Storage at 210 W. Third St. for a new building to expand their business.

Bernard Wobbe

Bernard Wobbe, 69, of Rosenberg and formerly of Wharton, passed away peacefully on Friday, August 19, 2022. He was born September 26, 1952 in El Campo to the late Adolph and Margaret Baca Wobbe.

Bernie was raised in the Wharton area and graduated from Wharton High School with the Class of 1972. He married Louise Hobrecht on November 24, 1972, moved to the Rosenberg area, and began working together at Texas Instruments for many years. They spent the last 50 years raising their kids, going on numerous trips all over the states, and making memories together. He loved riding his motorcycles and ATVs, fishing, traveling to Fredricksburg to buy fresh peaches, playing pool, and driving down to different places to get his old-fashioned kolaches, jerky, and saltwater taffy. His kids and grandkids were his pride and joy, you could always count on him to be cheering them on at all their events. He took great pride in teaching his kids how to fix things around the house and work on their vehicles.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Lloyd Wobbe.

Bernie is survived by his wife of 50 years, Louise Wobbe of Rosenberg, son, Ryan Wobbe, and wife, Cara

of Rosenberg. Daughter, Leann Wobbe, and spouse Marlon Mathis of Texas City. Grandchildren, Michael, Benjamin, Jake, and Gabrielle, along with many friends and extended family.

Relatives and friends are invited to the Graveside service on Saturday, August 27, at 11 a.m. at Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery in Wharton.

Condolences may be left at www.whartonfuneralhome.com.

Services under the direction of Wharton Funeral Home, 515 E. Boling Hwy. Wharton, TX 77488. 979. 532.3410.

a favorite team. She is survived by her children Betty Jean Flores (Eric Duncan) of Wharton, Braulio Flores, Jr. (Amber) of Wharton and Matthew Flores, Sr. of Houston. She is also survived by her siblings Rosita Rodriguez, Carmalita Chavez (Ignacio), Mary Light, Kathy White (Wesley), Margarita Rodriguez, Loretta RodriguezSanchez (Luis), Herminio Rodriguez (Rosalva) and Joe Rodriguez (Roberta), nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Braulio Flores, Sr., and sister Diana Rodriguez. Relatives and friends are invited to the viewing on Monday, August 29 from 9-11 a.m. at Wharton Funeral Home, 515 E. Boling Hwy., Wharton. Rosary will be said beginning at 10:30 a.m. Religious service to begin at 11:00 a.m. with Fr. Antonio Perez officiating. Per Betty’s wishes, she will be cremated with inurnment with her husband to take place at a later date in the Glen Flora Cemetery with her husband.

Betty Ann Flores

Betty Ann Flores passed into the arms of the Lord on Thursday, August 25, 2022 at a Wharton Nursing Home. She was born on December 17, 1951 in El Campo to the late John Rodriguez and Ramona (Sanchez) Rodriguez.

Betty was married for many years to the love of her life, Braulio Flores, Sr. until the time of his passing on December 24, 1994. She lived her life in the Wharton area and raised her family here. According to her family, Betty loved to watch professional wrestling and everyone better have quieted down when it came on! She also loved to watch football, even though she didn’t have

Wharton’s Local Weather

Check journal-spectator.com for current conditions and updated forecasts

Saturday: A 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. Heat index values as high as 103. Light southeast winds becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Saturday night, a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. Southeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday: A 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93. South winds 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Sunday night, a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76.

Monday: A 40% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 93.

Monday night, a 20% chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 76.

Tuesday: A 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Tuesday night, a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 1 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75.

Wednesday: A 50% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 89. Wednesday night, a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74.

Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

DENTAL Insurance

tion required. The courthouse is at 200 South Fulton Street, in Wharton. Sponsors are the Wharton County Historical Commission and the Wharton Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. For details, call 979.532.1862, or email helpdesk@whartonchamber.com. Dateline is a free of charge listing in the Wharton Journal-Spectator and the East Bernard Express for nonprofit events and fundraisers open to the public. We encourage civic groups and organizations to submit information.

Condolences may be left at www.whartonfuneralhome.com. Services under the direction of Wharton Funeral Home, 515 E. Boling Hwy. Wharton, TX 77488. 979.532.3410.

Wharton cowgirl brings home big money, multiple championships

Treylyn Hancock of Wharton had a highly successful summer with her equine partner, Slyd My Way “Slick.”

Hancock and Slick won the All Around Ranch Horse Youth Title at the 2022 American Paint Horse Association World Championship Show in Fort Worth.

The pair won a total of five Youth World Championships in Ranch Conformation, Ranch Riding, Ranch Trail, Ranch Rail Pleasure and Ranch Cutting. They won a Reserve Youth World Championship in Ranch Reining. In total, they won six Gist Trophy Buckles and a saddle commemorating the All Around Youth win and additional $3,000 in scholarships.

Additionally, Hancock and Slick won the Non Pro Limited Working Cowhorse Championship bringing home a Gist trophy buckle and a check for $1,400.

Hancock and Slick weren’t finished with their winning ways at the APHA World Show. They competed in the Non-Pro Triple Crown Ranch Horse Challenge. Hancock was one

of three youths competing in the challenge against seasoned adult competitors. Hancock piloted Slick to being named champion in the Ranch Riding Challenge and champion in the Ranch Trail Challenge. They also won reserve champion in the Ranch Rail Pleasure Challenge. The team brought home two custom trophy saddles, two custom belt buckles, two trophies and checks totaling $12,682 for the event.

The first week in August they headed to Oklahoma City for the American Quarter Horse Association Youth World Show. They qualified to compete in Ranch Riding, Ranch

Trail and Youth Working Cowhorse Boxing. Hancock and Slick came home with third place finishes in Ranch Riding and Youth Working Cowhorse Boxing. They were awarded two Bronze AQHA Globes and checks totaling over $1,000. Hancock is the daughter of Trey and Michelle Hancock of Wharton. She is the granddaughter of Forrest and Julia Lewis of Wharton and Lillian Hancock of East Bernard. She trains with Tom Neel of Millsap. Her next big events are the National Reined Cowhorse Snaffle Bit Futurity and the Stock Horse of Texas World Show and Derby.

STORAGE

Continued from page 1 to flip houses years ago and moved into commercial real estate.”

The rehab was done with support from the Wharton Economic Development Corporation.

“It’s great, they did an excellent job restoring the facility,” said Joshua Owens, executive director of the Wharton EDC. WEDC provided $5,000 for façade improvements and $763.99 for signage.

“Wharton EDC encourages investment in the community by providing matching grants to revive commercial properties around town,” Owens said. “Steve Haver has done an excellent job in restoring the Wharton Storage facility.

looked like before it was rehabbed when

purchased it in April of 2021.

The property is on the route of my daily walk and I have been pleased watching progress he has made in bringing that small corner of Wharton from dereliction into productive economic use. He maintains a clean, well-lit facility.”

“They basically gave me 50% of my sign costs and $5,000 for the business restoration grant,” Haver said.

“And I’m really grateful to work with the City of Wharton, because not all cities often grant money like that. So it’s a nice incentive for commercial investors. I think it’ll just benefit the community in the long run and attract more investment dollars.”

Haver said he found some surprises when he began cleaning up the place. There was a lot of junk that had to be cleaned out.

“We discovered some drainage issues that we fixed. Between the buildings, that were holding water, it was kind of a surprise,” he said.

He did a soft open in July and had the grand opening on Aug. 1.

“I’ve got 45 mini storage units, 5 by 10 and 10 by 10 non-climate controlled units and then I’ve also got 13 outdoor parking spaces I’m renting as well for boats, RVs, and vehicles,” he said.

Haver said he hopes his business will spark more redevelopment in the area.

Milam is mostly abandoned buildings; there’s probably two or three buildings in use on Milam between Sunset and Old Richmond, so that the whole block needs some love,” he said.

Courtesy photo

Steve Haver

Courtesy photo

Treylyn Hancock of Wharton and her horse Slick won numerous awards in shows over the summer.

Doubting science with good reason

“Trust the science,” say the media.

Polls show that fewer Americans do. There’s good reason for that.

“They don’t trust science because science is increasingly untrustworthy,” says science writer Andrew Follet in my new video. “The only group that trusts science right now is Democrats.”

Sixty-four percent of Democrats have “a great deal” of confidence in the scientific community, compared to 34% of Republicans.

Of course, true science –using the scientific method – is important. But that’s not what much of “science” is these days.

Instead, today government science is misused by progressive politicians.

Example 1: Environmental activists want to limit commercial fishing. They want Congress to pass what they call the “Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act.” It claims climate change is the “greatest threat to America’s national security” and offers a dubious solution: close more of the ocean to commercial fishing.

The administration’s deputy director of Climate, Jane Lubchenco, told Congress that a scientific paper concludes that closing more of the ocean can actually increase catches of fish.

Really? That doesn’t seem logical.

It isn’t. The paper was retracted. One scientist called its logic “biologically impossible.”

Also, Lubchenco didn’t tell Congress that the paper was written by her brother-in-law!

And edited by her!

Did the White House punish Lubchenco for her ethics violations? No. In fact, after her testimony, she was appointed cohead of President Joe Biden’s Scientific Integrity Task Force!

Last week, the National Academy of Sciences banned her for five years. Yet she’s still on the White House’s Scientific Integrity Task Force.

Sadly, much of what’s called science today is simply leftwing advocacy.

“New fields like fat studies, African studies, Latinx studies, queer studies,” says Follet, “are essentially entirely fake.” Fake? Well, they must be. “Experts” in those fields keep being fooled by people who submit gibberish.

Example 2: A ridiculous paper, “Embracing Fatness as Self-Care in the Era of Trump,” was accepted by Massey University’s “Fat Studies” conference. The conference then invited the paper’s author, “Sea Matheson,” to speak.

Attendees gave Matheson’s speech rave reviews, praising the paper’s description of Donald Trump’s “fatphobia” and inviting Matheson to review other work submitted to their “scientific” journal, Fat Studies:

An Interdisciplinary Journal of

Letter to the editor

WCJC reopens fitness center

Dear editor,

Thank you to Wharton County Junior College for reopening the fitness center. We are excited to be back where we can work out in such a nice facility and with reasonable fees. With such a variety

John StoSSel

Body Weight and Society.

But Matheson is no scientist. “She” is actually comedian Steven Crowder, who disguised himself as an overweight woman to expose “ivory tower quackery.”

Crowder is just the latest person to fool today’s so-called science journals. James Lindsay, Peter Boghossian and Helen Pluckrose submitted nonsense papers to “grievance studies” journals like Fat Studies, Sexuality & Culture and Sex Roles.

Seven accepted ridiculous papers. One that took a section of “Mein Kampf” but replaced references to “National Socialism” with “feminism,” was accepted by Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work.

Gender, Place and Culture accepted a paper that claimed there is rape culture at dog parks.

Follett blames this perversion of science on government. Its science agencies, like much of America, have been taken over by leftists hungry to promote themselves and their agenda.

In science, the way to promote yourself is to get papers published. That often gets you more funding. Government agencies like the National Science Foundation provide most of that funding.

“Nobody wants to publish something that goes against the paymaster,” says Follett. “You don’t get published unless the NSF likes your results.”

Example 3: The NSF gave nearly half a million dollars to a team that wrote a paper questioning glacier science because it “stems from knowledge created by men.”

Absurdities are pushed by the right, too. Some people still claim that man plays no part in climate change or that the climate isn’t warming at all. Some say vaccines don’t work. But the right’s junk science doesn’t get backed by government funds.

I’m angry that my tax dollars go to support leftist nonsense.

Unfortunately, most Americans don’t care. That’s probably because they don’t know that government throws so much money at ridiculous progressive advocacy.

“We’ll all start caring when the bridges start falling down and the planes start crashing,” says Follet. “That’s the inevitable end result of this.”

John Stossel is creator of Stossel TV and author of “Give Me a Break: How I Exposed Hucksters, Cheats, and Scam Artists and Became the Scourge of the Liberal Media.”

of exercise machines as well as free weights, anyone can find the perfect exercise routine for his or her individual fitness level. Since exercise is so important for physical and mental well-being, now is the time to join to improve your health. I urge adults of all ages to be a part of this program.

Sheila Taylor Wharton

Agree, disagree or have something else to say?

Please send letters to the editor under 500 words to: P.O. Box 111, Wharton, TX 77488 or e-mail your letter to news@journal-spectator.com. Please include name, town, and phone number.

Don’t go there, your life matters

The passing of Jamey Rootes, who served as the president of the Houston Texans for 20 years, hit me pretty hard.

I only met him a couple of times, one of which was in 2020 when he gave me an autographed copy of his book “The Winning Game Plan” to review. I frequently passed by him on the sidelines while I was photographing Texans games. I doubt he would have remembered my name, but most people in the organization recognize me as the photographer with the cowboy hat.

When Rootes took his life on Sunday, Aug. 21, I was shocked, as were most people.

It was akin to Robin Williams committing suicide. You’d never suspect that someone who seemed so happy, content, and confident would be harboring suicidal thoughts. Every time I saw Rootes he was smiling, upbeat, and positive. His book oozed his passion and enthusiasm. He was a man clearly living the dream.

What really brought it home for me was the fact that my brother has been heavy on my heart this week. Friday, Aug. 26, would have been his 56th birthday. He took his life Jan. 1, 2021. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t feel the pain of his loss or the fondness of his

memory. Wednesday was also the birthday of a former youth pastor at our church. He was energetic, creative, and fun and stunned everyone who knew him when he ended his life three years ago.

I can’t say that I fully understand why people suffer in silence and then abruptly end their suffering, but then again, I do understand it. For many years I suffered with moderate to severe depression. I was never to the point of wanting to end my life, but I did have several bouts where I no longer wanted to live. And yes, there is a difference.

I know what it’s like to feel so lost and hopeless that you just want your misery to end. I know what it feels like to grudgingly trudge through the motions of each day unable to feel any positive emotion at all. I spent more than 12 years not feeling joy, peace, love, happiness, contentment, excitement, euphoria, etc. Oh, there would be brief moments when those feelings would surface, but they were quickly quashed and the darkness would return.

I overcame my depression through Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) treatments two years ago. That’s the happy ending to my story. Unfortunately, the treatment

is not well known, very expensive, and only has a 75% success rate. My point is, there is hope. The light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a train. There are many proven ways to battle depression. TMS is what worked for me.

Joe SoutheRn Faith, Family & Fun

The one thing that kept me from tipping over from not wanting to live to wanting to die was love. I couldn’t bear the thought of the trauma my death would cause my family. I may not have been able to feel love, but I loved them too much to make them suffer that way. I’ve never told anyone that before, so it might come as a surprise when they read this.

Love is powerful and should never be underestimated. As the Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” One of my favorite quotes is from the late Rocky Mountain News columnist John Coit: “Life is short and it hurts. Love is the only drug that works.”

Today I feel love. Perhaps that’s what makes these losses to suicide so painful. It’s been said that suicide doesn’t end the pain, it just transfers it. As I scroll through my Facebook

feed, I see a huge outpouring of love for Jamey Rootes. He made an enormously positive impact not only on the Texans and the city of Houston, but in every aspect of life that he touched. We still need his fire to burn brightly. Now we must carry the torch without him.

I know there are some who are reading this who are mentally and emotionally trapped in that dark, foreboding place. Trust me when I say there is hope. There is love. There is a future and a world that absolutely needs you. If you find yourself on that threshold, call 988, the suicide prevention hotline. Call a friend. Pray. You are not alone. Your life has meaning and value and it’s meant to be shared with all those around you.

Joe Southern is the managing editor of the Wharton Journal-Spectator and the East Bernard Express. He can be reached at news@journalspectator.com.

We are arranging and planning our next event, the Fourth Annual Party Under the Bridge, from 5-8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20, at Dinosaur Park.

First, we want to thank our sponsor from the inception of this event, Paul and Cindy Webb. We expect to offer free T-shirts, food trucks, train rides, a bouncy house, face painting, DJ, and more. There will be no admission charge again, and come early for the free tees.

There’s a lot of moving parts to any such event. We have applied for permits with the city of Wharton and are now squaring away all the other details. The cornerstone is my staff, Linda King and Victoria Ritter, our chamber board members, and Ace Volunteer Amanda Gonzales. We want to thank Kristi Kocian of Custom Creations for ensuring a supply of the shirts with, of course, the event logo.

I am so blessed. And now other chamber stuff. Our next chamber ribbon cutting will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 10, at Branded Bliss Western Wear, at the corner of West Milam Street and Richmond Road. It will be part of the store’s grand reopening celebration. They will be selling western wear from 2-7 p.m. that day.

Oxygen Orchard is a new chamber member scheduled for a chamber ribbon cutting on Oct. 13. Located adjacent to Wharton Feed & Supply, Oxygen Orchard makes and markets a small appliance that oxygenates drinking water.

We also want to welcome two new chamber members, The Ranch Downtown by BR Cutrer, which specializes in farm-to-market products including their flagship Brahman beef, and Ranch House Designs, a Wharton web design and marketing firm for small business and

rural brands. We welcome all and look forward to announcing more.

And now courthouse tours.

We will host our first bus tour here on Tuesday, Sept. 20. They will stop at the TeePee Motel (of course!) and then tour the historic Wharton County Courthouse with Jeffrey Blair as guide. This group will consist of about 20 people from the Czech Heritage Society in Houston. After the courthouse tour, the group goes on to the Danish Heritage Museum in Danevang.

Also, the general public is invited to tour our historic courthouse at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 3. It’s about an hour, and there is no admission fee.

The story of saving and restoring our courthouse is a remarkable tale worth seeing and hearing. No one can tell it better than Jeffrey Blair, who

was among a handful of people that persisted in convincing the people of Wharton County and Austin to save and restore it some 15 years ago.

And please note that Coffee

With Your Cops will now be on the second Wednesday of each month, not the first Wednesday.

And now let’s talk about pickles. I don’t want to make a big dill about this, but did you know:

There are at least 12 famous people who have Pickle as a surname. And there are at least 25 varieties of pickles. And pickleball, a real sport, is gaining in popularity.

Reasons why you should adopt a ghost

Down through the years, when a favorite aunt or uncle would pass away, I would be given the opportunity to choose something of theirs to remember them by.

From the “stuff” left by a much loved aunt and uncle a very long time ago, I chose to keep a depot sign of a small town that had passed away to the realm of Texas ghost towns. Each time I see that sign in my tool shed, I feel very sad.

Although according to my research, Texas has at least 511 “ghost towns” (the largest number of ghost towns of any state in our country), no research turned up this little town, may it rest in peace!

When loved ones die, we leave beautifully engraved tombstones so that they will never be forgotten, but many old towns die, left with no marker of any kind. Yes, some special ghost towns do live on with Texas State Historical markers, or by means of annual festivals to keep the “ghost” alive – examples would be Luckenbach and Terlingua.

My sources for the various “facts” in all this were the Handbook of Texas, the Texas Almanac, Texas Escapes, and Wikipedia, though I must say

they didn’t always agree with each other. In fact, I don’t think there’s even an agreement on what constitutes a “ghost town.”

I was surprised to see “Serbin” and “the Grove” listed as ghost towns. I can tell you that those two towns are very thriving Lutheran towns, with Serbin as the historical seat of the Texas Wends!

Just wondering about Teacup, Alligator, Catfish, Rest, Diddy Wa Diddy, Welfare, Quicksand, Soda, and Sugar Loaf! Aren’t those absolutely wonderful names for towns, ghost or otherwise!?

I did find ghost towns in Wharton County, though they are not as famous as Indianola, Luckenbach, and Terlingua. If you’re living in one of the Wharton County ghost towns right now, you may be surprised that they’re “dead.” Maybe your town “dies” when it loses its Post Office! Who knows, I don’t!

Plainview is located at the intersection of FM441 and FM1163, southwest of El Campo. It had its own school from 1916 until 1948. Since there are just a few houses left, and no school, it’s listed as a ghost town. Shanghai seems a little stranger since

it passed away before it was even fully planned. A cotton gin and a prisoners’ quarters were built and then the town kind of disappeared. Peach Creek had a Post Office (a real sign you’re not a ghost) until 1847.

Ray SpitzenbeRgeR imageS

This Wharton County ghost town, named after the creek it was built on, is located west of FM102 near Egypt. When William Kincheloe established Peach Creek, he believed it would become the county seat of Wharton County, but that didn’t ever happen.

For my last Texas ghost town, I want to switch geography back to my old stomping grounds, Lee County, because I remember Blue when I was a kid in the 1940s. My sources listed Blue as currently “a dispersed rural community,” whatever that means. It lost its Post Office in 1913, so I suspect that’s when it became a ghost. Founded in 1846, it is located eight miles northwest of Lexington, on FM696, not far from where many of my Wendish relatives lived (Lincoln, Lexington, Fedor area). Originally named “Blue Branch,” the Post Office shortened its name to “Blue” in

1897. In its heyday, it had a one-room school, a cotton gin powered by horses, a small chair factory, a Methodist church, and a “newspaper,” printed on blue paper called “Blues News.” Now the town can be “adopted.”

The Texas Almanac Land Rush Program lets you adopt a town of your choice (Blue being one of them), and share your message with the world, benefitting education in Texas. Might be fun to adopt a ghost! Go Blue! That’s what we used to say at the University of Michigan! I think it is very important to remember the past, people you loved, places you loved!

So, let’s adopt a ghost!

Ray Spitzenberger is a retired WCJC teacher, a retired LCMS pastor, and author of three books, It Must Be he Noodles, Open Prairies, and Tanka Schoen.

Are Your Valuables Safe?

Are Your Valuables Safe?

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We have a variety of sizes to choose from starting as low as $15.00 a year.

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(979) 282-2861 1-800-627-0266 FAX 979-282-2951 www.doriantool.com

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EL CAMPO MEMORIAL HOSPITAL

NURSING :

Emergency Room RN/LVN-FT,- days and nights, all shifts. Sign on bonus available.

Director of Med/Surg- RN, LVN, CNA - all shifts.

ICU RN-Full Time

OR/Perioperative Nurse - will train right applicant. LVN - PRN, - all depts, nights, and weekends required.

LVN/RN - PRN, Palacios location all shifts.

Bay City LVN - 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Rotating Shifts

HOUSEKEEPING :

Housekeepers - PRN , all shifts available.

LABORATORY:

MLT/MT - FT/PRN - all shifts.

Tech - PRN

PHARMACY:

RADIOLOGY :

Tech - PRN , days.

CLINIC :

FT Receptionist Positions Available -Wharton and El Campo medical offices. Prior customer service experience and bilingual a plus. Competitive salary and benefit package available.

DIETARY :

Hospital Cook - Cook/Prep Cook

To Apply Visit www.ecmh.org

Red River Place Apts

Wharton County Tax Office is accepting applications for a: Front Line Deputy Clerk (Wharton Office)

Application and job description can be obtained at www.co.wharton.tx.us or at 309 E Milam, Suite 300,

filed in the County Court of Wharton County, Texas, on the 06/21/22

AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE HEIRSHIP of the said ESTATE OF PAUL PENRICE SR, DECEASED . Said application will be heard and acted on by said Court at 10 o’clock a.m. on the first Monday next after the expiration of ten (10) days from date of publication of this citation, at the Wharton County Courthouse Annex, 309 E. Milam, Ste. 700, in Wharton, Texas, 77488.

All persons interested in said estate are hereby cited to appear before said Honorable Court at the said above mentioned time and place by filing a written answer contesting such application should they desire to do so.

All interested persons are further advised that they have the right to employ an attorney and that if they or their attorneys fail to file a written answer with the clerk who issued this citation by 10:00 a.m. on the first Monday next following the expiration of ten days from the date of publication of the citation, the Court may enter with binding effects upon said persons.

GIVEN UNDER THE HAND AND SEAL OF SAID COURT at office in Wharton, Texas this 23RD day of JUNE, 2022.

BARBARA SVATEK, CLERK OF THE COUNTY COURT OF WHARTON COUNTY, TEXAS. BY:

Deputy

CITY OF WHARTON ORDINANCE NO. 2022-12

AN ORDINANCE REPEALING AND REPLACING THE CITY OF WHARTON CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 86 UTILITIES & SERVICE, ARTICLE III, SOLID WASTE DISPOSAL EXHIBIT A; PROVIDING THAT A VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE OR ANY PART OF THE CODE AS ADOPTED HEREBY SHALL CONSTITUTE A PENALTY UPON CONVICTION OF A FINE AND SETTING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Wharton, Texas, that Chapter 86 Utilities & Service, Article III Solid Waste Disposal Exhibit A shall be replaced as follows:

SCHEDULE “A”

Base Rates

PENALTY

Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, any person found guilty of intentionally, knowingly or recklessly violating any provision of this article and upon conviction thereof in the municipal court shall be fined in accordance with the terms of Section 1-5 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Wharton, Texas.

SEVERABILITY

If any court of competent jurisdiction rules that any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this ordinance is invalid or unconstitutional, any such portion shall be deemed to be a separate, distinct, and independent provision, and any such ruling shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions hereof.

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Ordinance shall become effective at 12:01 a.m. on the 1st day of October 2022. PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Wharton, Texas, on the 22nd August 2022.

City of Wharton Ordinance No. 2022-11 Page 2 of 2

CITY OF WHARTON, TEXAS

CITY OF WHARTON, TEXAS

By:/s/: Tim Barker

By:/s/: Tim Barker

TIM BARKER Mayor

TIM BARKER Mayor

CITY OF WHARTON ORDINANCE NO. 2022-11

AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF WHARTON CODE OF ORDINANCES, CHAPTER 86, SECTIONS 86-15, 86-16, 86-17 AND 86-21, UTILITIES AND SERVICES, ARTICLE I IN GENERAL; PROVIDING THAT A VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE OR ANY PART OF THE CODE AS ADOPTED HEREBY SHALL CONSTITUTE A PENALTY UPON CONVICTION OF A FINE; PROVIDING A SAVINGS CLAUSE AND REVOKING ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH ONLY TO THE EXTENT SAME ARE IN CONFLICT HEREWITH OTHERWISE PROVIDED HEREIN.

BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Wharton, Texas that Chapter 86, Utilities and Services, Article I in General; Sections 86-15, 86-16, 86-17 and 86-21 be amended by the following:

Section I. Amendment

The Code of Ordinances of the City of Wharton, Texas, Chapter 86 Utilities and Services is hereby amended to be enforced by the City of Wharton as follows: Sec. 86-15. - Water and sewer tap charges, deposits, administrative penalties and other charges.

Severability

If any court of competent jurisdiction rules that any section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or portion of this ordinance is invalid or unconstitutional, any such portion shall be deemed a separate, distinct, and independent provision, and any such ruling shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions hereof.

Penalties and Fines

Any person knowingly or recklessly found violating and are convicted of a violation of this ordinance shall be fined in an amount not to exceed $2,000.00. Each day or fraction of a day during which this ordinance or any part thereof is violated shall be deemed a separate offense and punishable as such.

Effective Date

This ordinance shall be effective on the 1st day of October 2022 at 12:01 a.m.

Passage and Approval

ATTEST:

ATTEST:

/s/: Paula Favors PAULA FAVORS City Secretary

APPROVED AS TO FORM:

/s/:Paul Webb PAUL WEBB City Attorney

Published in the Wharton Journal Spectator on Saturday, August 27, 2022 and Saturday, September 3, 2022.

to contact the City Secretary’s Office at 979-532-4811 ext 225 or by Fax 979-532-0181 at least two (2) days prior to the meeting date. BRAILLE IS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHARTON COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES

DISTRICT NO. 3

By: /s/ Kenneth Wittig Kenneth Wittig

Secretary, Wharton County ESD No.3

This notice was published in the Wharton Journal-Spectator on Saturday August 27,2022

PASSED AND APPROVED by the City Council of the City of Wharton, Texas, this 22nd day of August 2022.

City of Wharton Ordinance No. 2022-11

CITY OF WHARTON, TEXAS

Boling sweeps Louise in volleyball

By JOSHUA REESE news@journal-spectator.com

The experienced Boling Lady Bulldogs took down the Louise Lady Hornets in a sweep on the road Tuesday night.

Boling’s offense and defense was strong in Louise, picking up the win in three sets 25-10, 25-8, 25-13.

Lady Bulldog front row, seniors Payton Calk and Madison Malone were dominant landing many kills on Louise.

“I think our communication was one of the bigger things (working against Louise),” Calk said. “I know that’s been an issue in the past but we were all on and we had a really good night hitting and just allaround communication, passing and it just clicked.”

Boling started the first set and ended it with big runs.

Lady Bulldog junior Savannah Savage served the first six points, grabbing one ace during the process. A double block from Louise stopped the run, but Boling kept the pressure on. Trailing 12-5, Louise picked up three points in a row with Lady Hornet senior Addison Lewis scoring with a tip and kill and senior Kate Garrett landing a kill. Boling closed set on a 9-1 run, with junior Maddie Jay serving eight points and picking up two aces. Boling kept the momentum

going in the second set, with Louise having a hard time stringing points together.

The Lady Hornets in the finale took it to Boling early.

Louise jumped out to a 5-2 lead forcing a Boling timeout. Back on the court, Calk landed a kill after a long back and forth between Louise and Boling to make it 5-3. Malone scored with a kill in between a tip from Lewis and a Louise double block.

Leading 7-5, the Lady Hornets served the ball out of bounds giving it back to Boling.

Lady Bulldog middle blocker Ellie Voulgaris scored three quick points and combined on a double block to give them the lead.

A Boling error and an ace from Garrett tied the game for the final time.

Voulgaris again put Boling ahead with a solo block. The Lady Bulldogs continued to stretch out their lead. Malone ended the game by serving the final five points with back-toback aces for the win.

“This year the chemistry is a lot better altogether this year,” Calk said.

Coming into the game, the Lady Bulldogs won the silver bracket in the Bay City tournament. Malone and junior Emma Jones were named to the all-tournament team.

Boling will be back in action against West Columbia on Tuesday at Bulldog Gym.

El Campo cross country meet rained out

By JOSHUA REESE news@journal-spectator.com

EDUCATION NEWS

Locals graduate from Baylor

More than 3,000 Baylor University graduates – including nearly 90 graduates who completed their degree requirements in 2020 and 2021 –received their degrees during four commencement ceremonies May 13-14 in the Ferrell Center.

Among them were William James Anderson of East Bernard who graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Accounting from Hankamer School of Business and Jackson Carter Wilkins of Wharton who

graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the School of Engineering and Computer Science.

Local makes Baylor Dean’s List Shannon Dube of Wharton was one of more than 4,800 Baylor University students named to the Dean’s Academic Honor List for the spring 2022 semester. Students honored on the Dean’s List earned a minimum semester grade-point average of 3.70 with no grade lower than a “C” while enrolled in at least 12 graded semester hours.

The first El Campo cross country meet ended without finishing, with heavy rain causing a cancellation on Wednesday morning.

Only high school girls were able to compete as the high school boys and middle school athletes weren’t able to run after rain made the track around Legacy Field unsafe.

High school girl athletes started the race with intermediate light sprinkles. However, after making a second lap

around the field on their twomile trek, heavy blinding rain poured over the course. The rain was so thick some athletes missed the turn towards the finish line and continued running. The runners who missed the turn needed to get redirected to cross the finish line and end their race.

“I was disappointed the weather did not cooperate with us. We can run in the rain but the lightning adds another element and the kids’ safety comes first,” El Campo cross country coach Gabe Villarreal said.

While the meet didn’t go as

planned, they look forward to hosting again next year, Villarreal said. Of the 55 runners who competed, the Wharton Lady Tigers had two runners finish in the top-20. Wharton junior Bailey Lopez was 13th with a time of 15:04.4. Lady Tiger senior Karyme Garza was 15th and junior Grace Simper came in 38th. Lady Tiger senior Catherine Gomez placed 46th and junior Barbara Plaza was 51st.

Boling had two runners at the meet with juniors Heaven Clapp coming in 24th and Bianca Sanchez was 37th.

Courtesy photo

Wharton High School recently named its 2022 homecoming nominees. They are king candidates (top, from the left) Caleb Moreno, Jarad Newsome, and Ryan Mendiola, and queen candidates (bottom, from the left) Madison Hernandez, Abrianna Guzman, and Kateria Knight.

Photo by Joshua Reese Boling senior Madison Malone gets ready to block a Louise volley over the net Tuesday on the road.

Contest Rules

1) Each ad will contain a game number and game. Select the team you think will win and enter it by game number on the entry form. If you think there will be a tie, enter both names.

2) Entries: Only one entry per person. Filling out extra forms and putting friends’ or fictitious names on them is not allowed and will result in disqualification if caught. Wharton Journal-Spectator employees and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter.

3) Deadline: All entries must either be in the Journal-Spectator office, one of the locations listed below or be postmarked no later than 5 p.m. THURSDAY of each week’s contest. Faxed copies will be accepted, but must be readable. Neither the Journal-Spectator nor its advertising sponsors will be responsible for failed or illegible faxed entry forms or forms that are lost, stolen or damaged in any way. E-mailed entries are not acceptable.

4) Weekly Prize: The contestant who picks the most games correctly will win $50. If there are multiple winning entries, those entries will be placed in a container and the winner will be determined by the first entry pulled at random. Prize money will be mailed to the winner the following week. No purchase necessary to win.

Three Ways To Enter: Mail or drop off entries to:

Tigers fall in season opener to Washington

By JOE SOUTHERN news@journal-spectator.com

The Wharton Tigers opened a new era of football Friday night with the same old result, falling to the Booker T. Washington Eagles 34-6.

The loss is the 22nd consecutive for the Tigers, who have not won a game in the last two years.

Alvin Dotson II made his start as the Tigers new head coach only to have his debut spoiled by turnovers and missed opportunities.

“We had a lot of missed tackles,” Dotson said after the game. “There’s a lot of work to do in the weight room, the guys have got some issues we got to fix. But it’s the first game and the good thing is we’ve got a plan and we know what we got to do to get these kids better, to get better performance on the field.”

The Eagles struck first on the opening drive. The Tigers fought hard on their first possession, even advancing the drive on a pair of fourth down plays, but were unable to score. They drove down to the two yard line, only to have running back Raymond Hudson fumble. After a few exchanges, the first quarter ended 7-0 in favor of the Eagles.

The second quarter started out with more back and forth between the teams before Washington fumbled at the goal line and the Tigers recovered in the end zone. Both teams were unable to move the ball very effectively until

the Eagles caught a break and ran a punt return for a touchdown with 55 seconds to go in the first half. The teams took their break with Washington up 14-0.

The Tigers came out in the third quarter and Hudson made up for his earlier miscue with a 66-yard touchdown run. The extra point kick failed, but the Tigers closed the gap to 146. That’s as close as they would get on the night. Just over two minutes later the Eagles scored again for a 21-6 lead.

The Eagles added another score midway through the fourth quarter but missed the extra point for a 27-6 lead. A short time later they capped off the night with one more touchdown and the 34-6 final score.

Despite the outcome, Dotson did like what he saw in Hudson’s efforts on the night.

“He had a real good game. We just got to be more creative in getting him more touches; getting him touches in different places. Not just in the backfield,” he said.

The Tigers rushed for 147 yards. Hudson had 141 of those yards on 21 carries. Quarterback Ryan Mendiola had 19 passing yards and an interception.

Dotson said he will now turn the team’s focus on improving the basics and getting ready for Worthington next Friday.

“Right now we’re just trying to focus on what we got to do to get better and get healthier and stronger,” he said.

Boling sinks Sharks in Palacios to start season 1-0

By SHAWN CHILEK news@journal-spectator.com

The Boling Bulldogs returned to the Friday Night Lights in style, crushing the Palacios Sharks 34-14 on the road.

The Sharks struck first putting together a 60-yard drive and scoring on a quarterback keeper. The Bulldogs offense sputtered on their first drive, turning it over on a fumble at midfield, but Raybert Williamson took the ball right back with a fumble recovery.

The Dogs drove it down and Jaxson Urbanek connected with Trenton Jones on a 15yard touchdown pass.

The Dogs drove it down to the one yard line on their next possession, but turned it

over on downs. They forced a three-and-out and a punt by the Sharks. Kyler Sweat came up with the punt block and the Bulldogs wasted no time scoring as Trenton Jones ran it in from the one.

An interception by Christian Montalvo put an end to the next Shark drive at midfield. Ryan O’Neal ran it in from the 38 for the touchdown.

The Sharks tried to put something together at the end of the half, driving it down to the Bulldog three, but Kyler Sweat made another big defensive play, scooping up a fumble on a loose snap ending the drive.

The Bulldogs extended the lead on their first drive of the second half as Ryan O’Neal rushed from 21 yards out for

the score. After a few back and forth punts, the Dogs found the end zone again as Nathan King

took it to the house from 64 yards out, extending the lead to 34-7 with only 10 minutes left to play.

got a fumble recovery to stop the

1st Place Team: Larry Viktorin, Olan Benge, Rob Mullins, Jim Richardson and Freddie Pekar, Board Director

2nd Place Team: Johnny Simmons, D.J. Cotton, Shawn Didear, Freddie Pekar, Board Director and Scott Stephenson Longest Drive: Larry Viktorin and Freddie Pekar, Board Director

Jimmy Capps and Freddie Pekar, Board Director

Kaden Lunford

Sharks next drive and the Dogs ran most of the time off the clock

on the next series. The Sharks found the end zone on the last drive of the game, making the final score 34-14.

Photo by Joe Southern

Wharton Tiger running back Raymond Hudson (4) takes off on a 66-yard touchdown run Friday night against the Booker T. Washington Eagles. The Tigers lost the game 34-6.

Photo by Joe Southern

A Washington Eagle player fumbles the ball at the goal line during Friday’s season-opening game in Wharton. The Tigers recovered in the end zone, but still lost the game 34-6.