07/03/2009

Police: Independence holiday a 'no refusal' weekend
With drunken driving suspected in half of traffic fatalities in the county since Hurricane Ike struck, police promise vigilant patrols targeting impaired drivers this holiday weekend.

Peninsula church, Archdiocese Galveston-Houston back in court July 13 U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon has scheduled a hearing for July 13 on the archdiocese’s argument that the decision on the future of Our Mother of Mercy is an internal church matter and is thus, under the First Amendment, not an issue for the courts.

Fireworks show in Galveston County
Hots dogs, apple pie, cold drinks and, of course, fireworks can be found across Galveston County to celebrate the Fourth of July.

DWI charge upgraded to murder in Jamaica Beach case
Prosecutors have upgraded charges in the case of a Jamaica Beach woman killed in an automobile crash last year.

Help still months away for some Ike victims Thousands of Hurricane Ike victims, most desperate for government assistance to restore and rebuild their houses, may have to wait months for help.

07/02/2009

League City residents ordered to conserve water
League City residents with even-numbered addresses are being allowed to water their lawns on Tuesdays and Thursdays only.

Burnt palm trees baffle Galveston police
Serial arsonists have torched 30 palm trees since May, prompting a tree service owner to offer a $1,000 reward for information that leads to charges.

Congressmen: Clean energy bill 'disastrous'
The American Clean Energy and Security Act that barely passed the U.S. House of Representatives last week is either the first major step in curtailing the emission of gases believed responsible for global warming or will lead to "the complete annihilation of the oil industry in the United States."

Arrest made in beer pong assault
A beer pong party that turned violent left one man beaten unconscious and another eventually charged with aggravated assault, authorities said Wednesday.

League City enforces mandatory water rationing
League City has joined the list of local communities enforcing mandatory water rationing. It’s the first Galveston County city to issue a mandatory order.

07/01/2009

Rescued Galveston dolphin recovering, but straining budget
A Galveston group that rescues stranded marine mammals says a young dolphin they rescued in November is doing great, however his rehabilitation has been costly and they are in need of supplies and donations in order to keep him healthy.

06/30/2009 Will Galveston's future be under water? In a hundred years, a new Texas A&M study predicts the sea could rise 1.5 meters. If that happens, the only part of Galveston that could remain above water is the area built up around the sea wall.

Arsonists torch 30 Galveston trees The Galveston Fire Department believes it has a tree arsonist on its hands. Since March, thirty palm trees have been set on fire.  Eighteen of those fires were set within the last week.

07/01/2009

NOAA awards $5.15M to preserve wetlands
The Texas General Land Office will work with Texas Parks and Wildlife to restore more than 300 acres of wetlands in Galveston Island State Park and Jumbile Cove.

Escapee's life sentence upheld
A state appeals court has rejected an inmate's appeal of a life sentence from a conviction of attempted escape while using or threatening use of a deadly weapon.

Chopper leaves officials clueless
For the second time in less than a month, a low-flying military helicopter had residents scratching their heads. So too were city emergency management officials, the Texas Army National Guard and Joint Terrorism Task Force officials, who said they had no idea what the chopper was up to.

Shuttle manager pitches cheaper mission to the moon
Like a car salesman pushing a luxury vehicle that the customer no longer can afford, NASA has pulled out of its back pocket a deal for a cheaper ride to the moon.

White House accepts U.S. Judge Samuel Kent's latest resignation
The White House has accepted the resignation of an imprisoned federal judge whom the House impeached on allegations of sexually assaulting two women and lying about the assaults.

06/30/2009

White House accepts Kent’s resignation
The White House has accepted the resignation of an imprisoned federal judge whom the House impeached on allegations of sexually assaulting two women and lying about the assaults.

Landry's mulls selling, demolishing iconic Flagship Hotel Landry’s Restaurants Inc. is in talks with a potential buyer for the Flagship Hotel, again raising questions about the fate of the rare, iconic property on pilings over the Gulf of Mexico.

Many FEMA trailers vacant in Galveston
More than three months after it opened, the mobile home park at Schreiber Field in Galveston is still only half full.

Handicapped resident complains about new Dickinson City Hall
Tuesday is to be the grand opening of an $8 million city hall and library complex, but a handicapped resident complains the facilities are inaccessible for people like her.

Voluntary water rationing in League City
League City on Monday joined a growing list of Galveston County cities urging residents to conserve water.

06/29/2009

Galveston considers implementing two-hour parking limit
In an effort to cut down on parking problems downtown, city officials are considering placing a two-hour limit on parking in the area.

Court order to end unlawful pollution at Texas City BP plant
BP Products North America Inc. agreed Monday to a court order forcing the petrochemical giant to end what state officials said are illegal pollution emissions at its Texas City refinery.

NASA trainer heads to Arctic base for month-long simulated Mars mission
League City resident Stacy Cusack left Sunday for a simulated Mars base in the Canadian Arctic, a two-story pillbox where she’ll don a mock spacesuit for Extra Vehicular Activity excursions and keep careful watch for curious polar bears.

Officials seek to dismiss lawsuits filed by Galveston prisoners after Ike
The county’s legal department will seek dismissals of all lawsuits filed by prisoners who claimed living conditions were intolerable in the days after Hurricane Ike’s landfall in Galveston.

06/28/2009

Researchers predict rise in sea level
Almost 80 percent of Galveston County households could be displaced by 2109 if water levels in the Gulf of Mexico and Galveston Bay rise as quickly as they have during the past 100 years.

06/27/2009

Many Galveston landmarks to be rebuilt
Many of the historic landmarks that once stood on seaward pilings along Galveston’s beaches but were wiped away last year by Hurricane Ike are coming back in a different form. But some are gone forever.

06/28/2009

Not dry enough to ban fireworks in Galveston County
t may be hot and dry, but believe it or not, it is not dry enough for county officials to declare a ban on fireworks in Galveston. Although Harris County recently slapped a ban on a certain class of aerial fireworks, Galveston County won’t follow suit.

Jury awards former BP security guard $743,000
A Galveston County jury on Thursday awarded a former BP security guard $743,000 for injuries she suffered after she tripped walking out of a portable toilet four years ago.

06/27/2009

La Marque residents frustrated by blackouts
With temperatures hovering near 100 degrees most of the week, having the power knocked out for even a few minutes is not good. When more than 2,000 La Marque customers go without power for more than four hours, that power outage quickly turns into a powwow at city hall.

Texas issues $650,000 fine against BP
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on Friday fined BP’s Texas City operations $650,000 for what the state said was improper disposal of waste product. The fine covers 10 environmental violations over six months in 2007, the state’s environmental agency said.

06/26/2009 Two years later, microwaved baby living a happy life in College Station Kaylee Croxton is a bossy, pink-loving, 2-year-old girly girl. Two years ago, inside a Galveston motel, her biological father put her inside a microwave and turned it on. Slideshow: Kaylee Croxton

Dead trees to be removed in Galveston
Dead trees that need to be removed for Hurricane Ike recovery in Galveston will be hauled away starting the week of July 6.

Man killed, teens injured in crash
Police suspect alcohol and excessive speed contributed to a two-car crash that killed one man and injured two teenagers, authorities said Thursday.

League City man comes home for lunch, walks in on robbery
A League City homeowner came home for lunch only to find two suspected robbers inside. The knife-wielding men tied the 62-year-old man up with a necktie after forcing him to show them where all his valuables were.

Fire guts house; firefighter hits teen
Fire gutted a San Leon family’s hurricane-damaged house that was just a few weeks shy being move-in ready, a fire official said Thursday.

06/25/2009 From behind bars Kent resigns from bench Faced with the possible removal from office by an impeachment conviction in the U.S. Senate, U.S. District Judge Samuel B. Kent has decided to resign 11 months early, officials said.

Bolivar protesters march at Mass
About half a dozen protesters marched across the street from Galveston’s San Giovanni Mass on Wednesday.

Al Roker brings $540,600 to Galveston hurricane-recovery group
Erin Toberman wiped tears from her eyes as she watched volunteers unload home appliances, plumbing fixtures, paint and air-conditioning units from a bright yellow Penske moving truck.

Galveston County hires media firm for storms
Galveston County commissioners on Wednesday approved hiring a media consultant to manage the emergency operations center’s public information duties during hurricanes and other emergency situations.

Valero loses power, cranks up flares
A brief power outage forced the shutdown of two process units at Valero’s Texas City refinery Wednesday, a company official confirmed. Because of the loss of power the company had to increase its use of flares.

Suspect leads cops on 45-minute chase through Galveston County
A suspect led police on a chase through multiple cities in Galveston County early Thursday morning. Police said an officer tried to pull over a PT Cruiser in Galveston around 3 a.m.

06/24/2009

Researchers at UTMB find ways to block Ebola infection
Researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch reported that they have discovered two biochemical pathways that the Ebola virus relies on to infect cells.

Galveston, Bolivar Catholic parishes move toward consolidation
It’s not official yet, but Roman Catholic congregations on Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula are moving forward with plans to consolidate into a single family.

Senate accepts impeachment articles against Judge Kent
Members of the U.S. Senate are expected to receive today four articles of impeachment against Judge Samuel B. Kent.

06/23/2009

Crystal Beach man in hospital after fist fight with drinking buddy
A Crystal Beach man who was beaten at his home Saturday waited until Monday to call for help for his head injuries, Galveston County Sheriff’s Office officials said.

Discussion on smoking ban lights up again in Galveston
The Galveston City Council will decide Thursday whether to reconsider a controversial ban on smoking in bars and restaurants that failed three years ago.

Council may stop work on League City dog park
One League City councilman wants to leash a proposed $194,000 park for pooches the city approved last year.

Wrong-way driver causes wreck on Galveston's West End
Four people had to be taken to a Houston trauma hospital after an early morning accident on FM 3005 that police said was caused by a wrong-way driver. Investigators suspect the wrong-way driver also was drunk.

Santa Fe neighborhood raises flag to honor troops every day of the year
Each morning at sunrise most residents of Triple Bar Estates emerge from their homes to raise an American Flag.

06/22/2009

New metal utility poles built to withstand hurricanes in Bolivar
When the next hurricane blows through Galveston County, Entergy Corp. officials believe their new metal utility poles could help restore electricity sooner to residents of the Bolivar Peninsula.

Video slot machine bill awaits Perry’s signature
A bill that could aid law enforcement in the regulation of video slot machines sits on Gov. Rick Perry’s desk, awaiting his signature.

Crews raise Bolivar's Highway 87
Crews working on a $6.16 million road project funded by a federal economic stimulus program will begin raising Bolivar Peninsula’s only highway, which was damaged by Hurricane Ike. Work is scheduled to start today.

Town hall meeting set to discuss Galveston housing
Galveston residents are invited to attend a town hall meeting Monday night to talk about housing.

06/21/2009 Teen charged in 12-year-old sister's death Police called Sunday's incident an accidental shooting, but charges were filed on Monday. Galveston authorities say the charges were filed against the teenager because her actions were reckless.

06/20/2009

Some League City residents join police to keep the public safe
Lane Christian said she has learned more at the Citizens Patrol Academy then she has working in the department. The group doesn't have the power to make arrests or carry weapons but you'll know they're on patrol.

Lost wedding ring found 2 years later Shirley Felts was sitting in the back of the church's sanctuary when she heard Joel Wassner and the other volunteer workers talking about finding a lost ring. She knew exactly who the ring belonged to.

Perry signs UTMB recovery funding bill University of Texas Medical Branch faculty, residents and students stood and cheered as Gov. Rick Perry signed a bill giving the institution $150 million in recovery funds.

Challenging Friendswood may cost residents $1M
Five Friendswood residents opposed to the city’s plan to buy Alvin land and issue debt without voter approval might have to front more than $1 million in bond money before a judge hears their case.

06/19/2009

Perry to sign UTMB funding bill in Galveston
Governor Perry will head to Galveston Friday to sign a bill giving UTMB an additional $150 million. The money will help repair the damage from Hurricane Ike.

Bolivar church in battle over inheritance left by parishioner David Kohlhofer said his brother Dan left the church 10 percent of his estate, or approximately $300,000.  The money, he said, was to be used to maintain and repair the church.

Texas City toddler drowns in pool
A 20-month-old boy drowned in a west Texas City pool Thursday afternoon, Texas City police said.

Spending bill pre-empts House vote on Kent impeachment
House impeachment proceedings against Judge Samuel B. Kent, although initially scheduled for Thursday, were pre-empted by a daylong voting marathon on a spending bill and postponed, possibly until today.

Art exhibit showcases black history
An exhibition on slavery winds along dark wood walls in Stringfellow Orchard House in Hitchcock, with paintings richly detailing a story of pain and hope.

06/18/2009

Convenience store clerk charged with illegally selling Viagra
Friendswood Police have arrested a convenience store clerk they say was selling Viagra over the counter.

Friendswood hot tub homicide remains unsolved The Friendswood Police Department is still searching for answers in a homicide case from last December.

Texas City refiners under fire for not reporting incidents
Power outages at two Texas City refineries late Tuesday afternoon set off a series of extended flare burns. While there was no emergency, representatives from the two companies were summoned to city hall for failing to report the incidents to city emergency management officials.

Man charged with DWI after fatal wreck
A Montgomery, Ill., man was charged with driving while intoxicated following a wreck that killed a father and injured his wife and two children, authorities said Wednesday.

More than 200 Galveston County seniors fail TAKS test
For the third year in a row, hundreds of seniors failed to graduate from area high schools this year because they couldn’t pass the state’s standardized exam.

Bond hearing canceled in Texas City DWI deaths case
Tracy Leal had expected to be in a Galveston County courtroom Wednesday to look for the first time into the face of the man accused of killing her daughter.

Galveston County Commissioners review Bolivar recovery plan
County Commissioners got their first look Wednesday at a broad plan for rebuilding on the Bolivar Peninsula.

House vote on Judge Samuel Kent impeachment scheduled
The U.S. House of Representatives has scheduled today two hours of debate to precede a vote on whether to impeach Judge Samuel B. Kent, an official said.

06/17/2009

Perry signs law to help Texas universities
Gov. Rick Perry has signed into law a bill that awards seven Texas universities millions of dollars in an effort to help them become top U.S. research institutions.

Elderly woman's death in Gulf ruled drowning by suicide
The death of a woman found floating in the Gulf was ruled to be self-inflicted, authorities said Tuesday.

Officials looking at blueprint for rebuilding Bolivar Peninsula
County commissioners today are scheduled to get their first look at a plan to rebuild the Bolivar Peninsula after Hurricane Ike. The plan is still in its formulation stages but will be part of a workshop following the commissioners’ regular meeting.

DTV Troubleshooting Tips

Dad killed in Galveston crash
A man thrown from and pinned beneath a pickup was killed Tuesday in a two-car crash, and police have arrested another man suspected of driving while intoxicated, authorities said.

Bolivar church fight moves to federal court
The Galveston-Houston Catholic Archdiocese successfully argued to have a lawsuit in a dispute with parishioners about the proposed demolition of a church at Port Bolivar moved to a federal court from a state district court.

Many of Galveston County’s boat ramps, piers still closed because of Ike
Despite being surrounded by water, Galveston’s free access to the bay has been limited since Hurricane Ike knocked out one of the most popular boat ramps in the county.

Behind bars: Judge Kent's new job runs from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Kent received a 33-month sentence after his Feb. 23 guilty plea to an obstruction of justice charge for lying to authorities investigating his nonconsensual sexual contact with two of his female employees.

06/16/2009

Two injured in crash that sends truck over Galveston seawall
Two people were injured when their truck collided with the rear of an unoccupied car and plunged off the seawall, authorities said Monday.

Correlation probed in League City carjacking, robbery
Police are investigating whether a woman’s weekend carjacking in Alvin is related to a man’s arrest on armed robbery charges in League City.

83-year-old woman believed to have drowned in Galveston
A woman found floating in the Gulf, who was pulled from the surf and taken to a hospital, has died, authorities said Monday.

Judge postpones hearing on Friendswood's plan to issue debt
A Travis County judge on Monday postponed a hearing until July to determine whether Friendswood can issue $11 million in debt without voter approval and buy park land outside city limits.

1 killed, 4 hurt in Friendswood crash
A head-on collision that spawned a three-car crash killed one man and injured four other people, authorities said Monday.

Commission to discuss new Galveston beach building setback
Hurricane Ike gave island officials a temporary reprieve from complying with new state beach building regulations that suggested houses should not be built within 300 feet of the dunes.

06/15/2009

Help4Galveston coordinates Ike volunteer projects
A few days at the beach in Galveston will take on different meaning this first summer after Hurricane Ike.

USS Stewart exhibit reopens after Ike
The USS Stewart military exhibit at Seawolf Park in Galveston has reopened nine months after Hurricane Ike.

Seawolf Park plans hinge on FEMA
The Galveston Park Board of Trustees is trying to convince the Federal Emergency Management Agency that repairs to the pavilion at Seawolf Park would cost more than half of what the building is worth.

Expanded mainland bus service starts Monday
An expanded bus service for Texas City and La Marque starts today with new routes, new stops and a new name.

Judge Kent is now behind bars
As federal Judge Samuel B. Kent reports for prison Monday, U.S. House members were expected to convene impeachment proceedings against the convicted jurist possibly this week.

Police: Galveston's Club 23 a nuisance, could lose liquor license
One of the oldest bars in Galveston could lose its license to serve booze. Police complained to the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission that Club 23, 2009 23rd St., is a neighborhood nuisance, serving known felons and prostitutes.

06/14/2009 Academic association to probe UTMB layoffs A committee appointed by the American Association of University Professors will travel to Galveston and Austin this summer to investigate whether the University of Texas Medical Branch used Hurricane Ike as a handy excuse to thin out tenured faculty.

Today Show to broadcast from island
Popular morning television show host Al Roker will broadcast portions of NBC’s The Today Show live from Galveston on June 24.

Debris fire gets out of hand in Santa Fe
Three Santa Fe fire stations and two Alvin fire trucks responded to the 19600 block of state Highway 6 late Saturday morning after a debris fire spread to a building’s main structure.

06/13/2009 Texas City teen injured in fatal crash ready to face DUI suspect in court Priscilla Selvera is three months into her recovery from a shattered pelvis, a broken tailbone and a foot partially paralyzed by severe nerve damage. She was injured in a crash that killed two of her friends.

06/14/2009

Bolivar church planning Mass minus priest
Catholics who call the Bolivar Peninsula home were to have their first Mass since before Hurricane Ike struck nine months ago at a nearby Methodist church. The Mass was abruptly canceled Saturday afternoon and parishioners accused the Galveston-Houston Catholic Archdiocese of ordering the Bolivar parish priest to stay away.

Mardi Gras to get extra hotel tax
Forestalling the annual fight over who will pay for Mardi Gras, the city council on Thursday authorized City Manager Steve LeBlanc to pay for the 2010 party out of hotel tax accumulating in Galveston Island Convention Center accounts.

06/13/2009

Friends, family gather to remember soldier from La Porte
Friends and loved ones gathered Saturday morning in La Porte to remember a fallen soldier.

Elderly woman nearly drowns in Galveston
An elderly woman was transported via Life Flight to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston after she was found unconscious in the water near the Galveston seawall Saturday morning.

Ex-teacher pleads guilty to sex with teen
A former social studies teacher pleaded guilty Friday to charges of sexual assault of a child and having an improper relationship with student, an official said.

DA blocks release of autopsy in Taser case
The family of a Texas City man who died after he was shocked by a police officer’s Taser is supporting the Galveston County District Attorney’s decision to fight the release of information on how the man died.

Autopsy shows fisherman pulled from Gulf drowned
A Houston fisherman whose body was pulled from the Gulf drowned, results from an autopsy revealed Friday.

Man, 23, beaten after leaving family party
Sheriff’s investigators continue to search for a suspect in the brutal beating of a San Leon man who remained hospitalized Friday.

Federal bill includes money for debris removal
The federal 2009 supplemental appropriations bill headed for a vote in the House and Senate early next week includes language that authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to continue paying for 100 percent of the cost of debris pickup in Galveston County communities still trying to recover from Hurricane Ike.

06/12/2009

Fisherman's body pulled from Gulf near Galveston's South Jetty
The body of a fisherman was pulled from the shallow Gulf water near the South Jetty late Thursday, authorities said.

Mayor: Friendswood not suing residents
Friendswood is not suing its residents by asking a judge to validate the city’s plan to issue $11 million in debt without voter approval, Mayor David Smith said.

People upset vehicles were towed during Texas City Funfest
Some residents are angry their parked cars and trucks were towed during the city’s annual Funfest, and they want the Texas City-La Marque Chamber of Commerce, which sponsors the event, to foot the bills.

Galveston residents may be on the hook for tree removal costs
Property owners might have to pay the full cost of having their dead trees cut down and hauled away.

Man Tasered after leading cops of slow-speed chase through two cities
A man accused of stopping his car on the interstate was shocked with a Taser after leading police on a slow-speed chase through two cities, authorities said Thursday.

06/11/2009

Body of soldier who died mysteriously in Afghanistan returns home
The body of a soldier from La Porte will arrive in Houston Thursday afternoon. The circumstances surrounding the death of Jarrett Griemel are still a mystery.

Advocates pushing Galveston levee study
If the city’s leaders hope to lure new investors across the causeway, they will have to convince them their investments will be safe from any future Hurricane Ike-like storm surge, say two members of the committee that drafted the city’s long-term recovery plan.

3 murder indictments for DWI suspect in Mother's Day seawall crash
A grand jury returned three murder indictments Wednesday against an island man accused of driving while intoxicated during a Mother’s Day wreck that killed three people on the seawall.

Police: Dickinson woman found dead in her home is a homicide victim
A Dickinson woman’s suspicious death was ruled a homicide, authorities said Wednesday.

06/10/2009 Kent's impeachment sent to House A House committee has endorsed impeachment charges against a federal judge accused of sexual assault and lying to the FBI.

UTMB emergency room to reopen Aug. 1
The University of Texas Medical Branch’s emergency room will reopen Aug. 1, closing a health care gap that worried residents and burdened other trauma centers for almost a year after Hurricane Ike.

Investigators look for clues after Dickinson woman found dead in home
Investigators are searching for clues in the suspicious death of a Dickinson woman after a relative found her body Tuesday morning.

Four charged in beating outside bar
Four men, including two brothers, have been accused of the severe beating of a San Leon man outside a bar, authorities said Tuesday.

Police: Man drops kids off at ex-wife's house, gets beaten with shovel
A man who went to drop off his children at his ex-wife’s residence was beaten by two men with a shovel, authorities said Tuesday.

Family of teen crash victim fights to keep accused killer in jail
The man charged in the drunken driving deaths of two Texas City teens remains in the Galveston County jail without bond. That could all change next week when Jim Howard III goes before a district judge requesting he be granted bail.

06/09/2009 Governor sidelined after breaking collarbone Gov. Perry’s events in Galveston, Corpus Christi and South Padre Island will be postponed. Perry broke his right collarbone and received a minor abrasion to his right elbow due to a mountain biking accident near his residence.

Galveston’s trees hard-hit by Ike
Forestry officials touring areas of Galveston flooded by Hurricane Ike determined the city lost as much as 80 percent of its tree canopy.

Dickinson police probe possible homicide
Detectives are trying to determine what happened to a 54-year-old woman found dead in her house in Dickinson Tuesday.

Judge halts demolition of Bolivar Peninsula's only Catholic church
A judge on Tuesday issued a temporary restraining order to halt the demolition of a Catholic church on the Bolivar Peninsula.

Pace quickens for impeaching Judge Kent A House panel has voted 10-0 to recommend impeachment of U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent of Galveston, who has been convicted of lying about sexual assaults of two female employees.

City of Friendswood wants judge to rule on voter approval on debt
The city has asked a Travis County judge to say it is legal for Friendswood to issue $11 million in debt without voter approval.

Galveston City Council mulls helping homeowners cut dead trees
All six trees surrounding Rita and Robert Roth’s historic east end home are dead.

DA seeks felony murder charges in Mother's Day seawall crash
A man accused of killing two children and a man in a seawall crash could face felony murder charges, an official said Monday.

Bike cop pursues fleeing car in Galveston
A bicycle patrolman peddled fast enough to keep up with a fleeing car until an officer in a police car caught the suspect, authorities said Monday.

06/08/2009

Officials ready to cut down trees killed by Hurricane Ike in Galveston
Texas tree experts are bringing a member of the U.S. Forest Service to the island Tuesday, hoping to get federal officials interested in funding a $2 million plan to replace trees killed by Hurricane Ike.

District to demolish Texas City school buildings
When Kendra Anderson looks at a classroom door at Franz Kohfeldt Elementary School, she sees her father’s face framed inside the tiny window.

06/07/2009 Galveston graduates share stories of Ike It was a senior year like no other. Weeks into the last year of school for members of the Class of 2009, Hurricane Ike hit Galveston on Sept. 13, destroying Galveston County houses and schools, displacing teachers and students, and forcing the cancellation of schools for weeks.

Port Bolivar church parishioners fight to preserve a legacy Parishioners in the hurricane-battered town of Port Bolivar fear Our Mother of Mercy, the last standing Catholic church on the peninsula, is on the verge of demolition.

06/06/2009 Memories of Ike weighing heavily on Galveston Another hurricane season is the last thing Galveston wants to think about after last year's devastation from Hurricane Ike. As the 2009 hurricane season began this week, many in Galveston were still mired in repairs nine months after the state's costliest disaster.

Perry still studying Bolivar exemption bill
Gov. Rick Perry said Friday he has not made any conclusions about a bill that contains a provision exempting property owners on the Hurricane Ike devastated Bolivar Peninsula from a state law preventing building on the public beach.

TCHS principal steps down
The principal of Texas City High School has resigned for a job in the Carroll school district in the North Texas community of Southlake.

06/05/2009 Perry still studying controversial beach bill Gov. Rick Perry said Friday it’s too early to make any conclusions about a bill that contains a provision that would exempt property owners on the Bolivar Peninsula, including an East Texas lawmaker who helped craft the amendment, from a state law preventing building on the public beach.

La Porte soldier dies in Afghanistan Specialist Jarret Griemel, 20, was killed Wednesday while serving at a forward-operating base in Gardez, Afghanistan.

Memories of Ike weigh on Galveston's summer
Another hurricane season is the last thing Galveston wants to think about after last year’s devastation from Hurricane Ike.

Frustrations mount as mosquitoes swarm in Galveston County
First it was the surge from Hurricane Ike, but now residents of the Bolivar Peninsula are dealing with a surge of a different sort — mosquitoes. And it’s just not just the peninsula.

Police: Two homeless women killed in Galveston were slain by same man
Two homeless women found dead in or near vacant houses in February were slain by the same man, authorities said Thursday.

Pet snake saved from house fire
No one was hurt in a fire at a house in the 6800 block of West Bayou that the Hitchcock fire chief said started in the garage.

Texas Land Commissioner fights Open Beaches Act exemption
Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson is asking Gov. Rick Perry to veto legislation that would allow Bolivar Peninsula property owners to rebuild houses that ended up on the public beach after Hurricane Ike.