News

What Is Economic Development? Economic development is the intentional practice of improving a community’s economic well-being and quality of life.

LA GRANGE – The thunder rolled and the rain came on April 20 at the Fayette County Sheriff’s Posse rodeo arena near La Grange.

COLUMBUS – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Executive Director Dawn Hoffmann in Colorado County reminds foreign investors with an interest in agricultural land in the United States that they are required to report their land holdings and transactions to USDA.

Cat Spring VFD holds annual fundraiser

AUSTIN – As we enter severe weather season, Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar reminds Texans they can purchase certain items tax free during the state’s sales tax holiday for emergency preparation supplies, which begins at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, April 27, and ends at midnight on Monday, April 29.

LA GRANGE – Charles Lee Tillman Jr. was found guilty of the murder of David Harrison Jr, 40, of La Grange, on April 18 by a Fayette County Jury.

RICHMOND – Wharton County Junior College (WCJC) and Texas Woman’s University (TWU) are collaborating to aid students who wish to continue their educational career at a four-year university.

Weimar PD replaces patch

Driving requires drivers to use their senses so they, their passen - gers and their fellow motorists can safely traverse the roadways. When any of those senses are compromised, the risk for acci - dent increases. Sight is vital to safe driving. Individuals who have vision problems must correct these is - sues by wearing eyeglasses or contact lenses to stay safe behind the wheel. But what if the con - dition affecting vision is night -

COLUMBUS – COLUMBUS – To all the concerned citizens of Colorado County, there will be a town hall meeting on tonight (Thursday, April 18), from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Nesbitt Memorial Library at 529 Washington St. in Columbus.

SEALY–A beautiful spring day seems to have been ordered just for the Sealy Spring Fest on April 13 at the Sealy Historical Park. The lively event, sponsored by the Sealy Area Historical Society, offered music, dances, demonstrations, games, vendors and great food.

Sport utility vehicles (SUVs) may never be as fuelefficient as more traditional cars, but one segment of the SUV market has made great strides in relation to fuel efficiency since the turn of the century. Data from the Environmental Protection Agency's 2020 EPA Automotive Trends Report indicated the small SUV segment had the greatest improvement of fuel economy among all vehicle segments between 2000 and 2020. Average fuel economy among small SUVs increased by 65 percent during that period, which began with such vehicles getting 17.9 miles per gallon of gas and ended with them averaging 29.5 miles per gallon. The Chevrolet Equinox FWD, the Ford Edge FWD, the Hyundai Kona FWD, the Jeep Cherokee FWD, and the Mazda CX-30 2WD are among the vehicles that are categorized as small SUVs.

Columbus Garden Club announces April winners

AUSTIN COUNTY Bellville ISD

INDUSTRY - Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services in Austin and Colorado counties are partnering with Texas Parks and Wildlife to host a Feathers, Furs, and Farming program on Friday, May 3. The focus of this program will center around Invasive Species, including Feral Hog Control methods, Updates on the Kaput Hog Bait, Fire Ant and leaf Cutter Ant Control, and Invasive plants. Three TDA CEUs (2 IPM, 1 General) will be offered for TDA Pesticide Applicators.

BELLVILLE – The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has a rich history of providing educational programs that address the most critical issues in Austin County. To ensure that the programs planned for the future are on target, we invite your participation in the Texas Community Futures Forum to be held on Thursday, May 2, at the Bellville United Methodist Church Activity Center, located at 234 S. Masonic Street, Bellville. Your opinion is highly valued in our community, so we truly hope you can join us. Registration will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the Forum will begin promptly at 6 p.m. Light refreshments will be available during registration. We expect the forum to conclude by 7:30 p.m., as we understand the

Seybro Door donates to Seniors Together

The Bluebonnet Master Gardeners, in conjunction with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, announce its seventh year of holding Kids’ Kamp in Austin, Colorado, Fayette and Washington counties.

Modern automobiles are technological marvels. As advancements in automotive tech - nology have made cars more reliable than ever, drivers may feel as though vehicle own - ership also is more hands-off than ever before. Though it's true built-in diagnostic technol - ogy is designed to alert drivers when issues arise, it can still benefit motorists to recognize when certain issues may arise. Cars and the people who drive them are different, so mileage intervals are not al - ways the best measuring stick for maintenance issues. How - ever, the following rundown can serve as a guidebook for drivers who want to know what to expect at various mileage in -

Chamber mixer a great time

Inflation has been a hot topic for several years, as the cost of everything from groceries to gas to housing has increased consid - erably since 2019. Cars are no exception to that phenomenon, and anyone who has purchased a new car over the last half decade likely experienced some sticker shock when they started their search for a new vehicle. Data from Kelley Blue Book indicates the average cost of a new car was $37,590 in 2019. By 2023, the av - erage cost had risen to $47,899. That marks an increase of more than 27 percent in a four-year pe - riod. Cars are indeed a significant investment, which underscores the importance of vehicle mainte - nance. Maintenance is more than just tending to what's under the hood. Tires also require drivers' attention, as aging, damaged tires pose a safety risk that also com - promise vehicle performance. Tires are easily overlooked, but the following are four signs tires need to be replaced.