A natural solution
Caleb Gajewsky, 10, walks along piles of seaweed recently at Quintana Beach. Officials have stopped removing the seaweed there to help stop beach erosion.

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Today's News

Fundraiser to help pay for special chair
Members of St. John are having a “LutheranPalooza” fundraiser for Ash Weatherly on July 11, to help pay for a wheelchair with a leg lift and reclining seat to allow relief of the pressure and drainage.

Black skimmers back at Dow to nest
FREEPORT — While Dow Texas Operations Plant A might not be as picturesque as their normal habitat, more than 1,000 black skimmers once again are finding the Freeport site a good place to start a family.

Seaweed left on beaches to stop erosion
The seaweed is expected to reduce erosion, facilitate natural beach restoration and bolster dune growth in the wake of Hurricane Ike’s beachfront destruction.

Couple testifies defendant beaten up
ANGLETON — Jorge Muniz was driving home with his wife and child when he saw a group of men beating someone on the ground. Muniz didn’t see who the men were beating, but his wife, Cynthia, recognized him as Salvador Rodriguez, the maintenance man for the trailer park where they lived.

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Sports

Big fish hauled in at Fishin’ Fiesta
FREEPORT — Hot but near-perfect weather Wednesday was welcomed by anglers who cast their lines on the opening day of the Fishin’ Fiesta.

LJ clears fence to down Sweeny
LAKE JACKSON — The 11-and 12-year-old Lake Jackson National All-Star team loved the long ball Wednesday night.

Opinion

Weather jokes too hot to handle
Right now, it’s so hot that mustering the energy to joke about the weather is a sweat-inducing labor. And certainly, dangers created by weeks of stifling heat and drought are no laughing matter.

Congress should reject hate crimes bill
Republicans are rightly questioning whether proposed hate crime changes would expand federal power unnecessarily into cases already being prosecuted by state and local officials. Critics also should be asking why hate crime laws are needed in the first place.

Brazos Living

Days of Spit and Summer
Juicy, delicious watermelons good for eating … and play.

Alcala, Webb, Filippi featured in art show
Faces in the Crowd for July 1

Tales from the Brazos

Storm of 1915 blew in tragedy for 2 families
Even though many county residents still are dealing with the damage wrought by Hurricane Ike last September, weather forecasters are warning hurricane season is upon us again.

Angleton’s ’49ers had swanky time in big city
Is high school graduation in 2009 accompanied by the almost overwhelming number of social events that I remember from “my” day?

Glad You Asked

Mall gives up on new entrance
A resident wants to know if there still plans to build an exit off of Highway 288 directly into the Brazos Mall parking lot.

Barrels for work on Highway 332
Reader questions reason for orange buckets on Highway 332.

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Columns

August a hot time for Arizona birding
By E.M. "Bosie" Boswell

Bringing birthday cake isn't pie in the sky
By Gin Crawford

‘Are we bored yet?’ too often sizes up summer
By Jean Paul

Scorching heat affects fish, too
By Rich Tillman

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