Heather Lanelle Osborn

Heather Lanelle Osborn, daughter of Jerry and Cathy Osborn of Port O’Connor, Texas is an Honor Graduate of Calhoun High School. Heather has been an outstanding student throughout all of her school years. Heather has been actively involved in community service, a member of her local 4-H Club, UIL, Robotics Club, National Honor Society, Who’s Who Among American High School Students, and U.S. Achievement Academy. Heather is attending The University of North Texas in Denton in the fall.

Kaitlyn and Payton Rice

Kaitlyn and Payton Rice, daughters of Gary Rice and Franklin and Marie Luckey of Port O’Connor, will both be attending Manuel and Theresa’s School of Hair Design in Victoria, TX to major in cosmetology their first year out of high school. Kaitlyn will also be working towards her real estate license in Corpus Christi. Both have always had an interest in a career in the medical field and, at this time, they intend to pursue that after completing beauty college.

“We have truly been blessed through the years with our family and friends who have molded us into the young ladies we are today.”

Darian Kay Bubenik

Darian Kay Bubenik
Calhoun High School Graduate
Daughter of Michael and Dawn Bubenik of Seadrift
National Honor Society, The National Society of High School Scholars,
Texas Scholar Interests – Anchor Club, Young Republicans, FCA, Volleyball (3yr), Track (1yr), Varsity Cheerleader (1yr)
Darian Kay plans to pursue a degree in Occupational Therapy

Johnathan Daniel Pitonyak

Johnathan Daniel Pitonyak
Proud parents: Sylvia and John of Port O’Connor
Johnathan will be going to Victoria College in the fall semester. He is looking forward to finding a career in Process Technology.

Daylyn Rene′ Cady

Daylyn Rene′ Cady
Seadrift
Calhoun High School Class of 2014

Ethan Tyler Quinn Bowman

Ethan Tyler Quinn Bowman
Seadrift, Texas
2014 Graduate of Calhoun High School
Ethan enjoys fishing, hunting and hanging out with his grandfather, Joseph Beaver, Sr., of Seadrift and his grandfather’s friends and listening to them talk about the stories of their youth.
Future plans: Joining the Army after graduation
Favorite quote: “Get ‘er done!”

Jaclynn Renae Lopez

Jaclynn Renae Lopez
Daughter of Jeremy & Jessica Helms
Granddaughter of Joe David & Rose Stringo
Jaclynn is graduating this year and plans to attend Victoria College in the fall and start basics to work toward her nursing degree. She enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her friends and family.

Jorden Wadley

Jorden Wadley is the daughter of Julie & Quintin Wadley of Wylie TX., & Granddaughter of Twiggy & Bob Wadley of POC. Jorden, a Graduate of Wylie High School 2014, is a Lieutenant of the Pirate Pacesetters drill team.
Jorden has demonstrated a commitment not only to the drill team but to other activities as well. She is a member of an organization at WHS titled PALS (Peer Assistance and Leadership). She is also a member of Friends of Rachel (A service oriented organization). During her high school years, she participated in the Reach for a Star community service project through drill team. This project helps needy families give Christmas gifts to their children. She also participated in the Dallas Children’s Holiday Parade benefiting Children’s Medical Center Hospital. She has helped out and supported Relay for Life for the community of Wylie.
Granny & Grandpa love you, Jorden, and we are so proud you. Twiggy & Bob

Athletes of the Year at Seadrift School Tori Mikolas and Felix Ruelas

 
Seadrift School Athletic Awards

Lady Pirate Athlete of the Year: Tori Mikolas

Track Most Valuable 7th Grade: Krislyn Key & Karley Gregory

Track Most Valuable 8th Grade: Abigail Morgan

Volleyball Offense 7th Grade: Anna Sachtleben & Heather Glover

Volleyball Offense 8th Grade: Krislyn Key

Volleyball Defense 7th Grade: Haley Bales and Karley Gregory

Volleyball Defense 8th Grade: Kellie Blevins and Abbi Luna

Basketball Offense 7th Grade: Krislyn Key & Rebecca Barrera

Basketball Defense 7th Grade: Heather Glover & Tabetha Sylvester

Basketball Defense 8th Grade: Abbi Luna & Kayla Williamson

Basketball Offense 8th Grade: Abby Morgan

Cross Country Most Valuable Player: Anna Sachtleben and Danielle Morales

Pirate Pride Award: 7th – Cierra Harper & Heather Glover

Pirate Pride Award: 8th – Torri Mikolas & Savannah Marek

Pirate Athlete of the Year: Felix Ruelas

Football Awards:

Offense Most Valuable Player: Benny Torres

Defense Most Valuable Player: Hector Morales & Benny Torres

Most Valuable Lineman: Will Helms & Enrique Torres

Pirate Pride Award: Casey Wooldridge, Danny Munoz, Damien Cardiel, Rayne Lamphier, Andrew Chavez, Carlos Pena and Angel Chavez

Most Improved: Hunter Mitchell & Antone Nguyen

Basketball Awards:

7th Grade Offensive MVP: Will Helms

7th Grade Defensive MVP: Daniel Martinez

Most Improved: Enrique Torres, Jacob Guerra and Angel Chavez

Pirate Pride Awards: Jairo Castillo, Andrew Chave
z
8th Grade Offensive MVP: Ethan Wooldridge

8th Grade Defensive MVP: Felix Ruelas

Most Improved: Sean Estes

Pirate Pride Award: Payton Ballard & Will Helms

The Seadrift Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for the 34th Annual Shrimpfest Event to be held June 13th and June 14th on the Bay Front at A.D. Powers Park. Festival events will include 5K Run and Walk, Kids Fishing Tournament, Horseshoes/Washers/Volleyball Tournaments, Shrimpfest pageants, Karaoke Contests, Food & Craft Booths, Rides and Games.

The Southern Drive band will kick off the music Friday 6- 9:00 p.m. then Bill Pekar & The Rainey Brothers Band will entertain until Midnight. Saturday’s musical entertainment will begin at 6-9:00 p.m. with the Los Kolaches and then Clay Crockett & The Shotgun Riders will take over the stage until 1:00 a.m.

Event sign-up forms will be available on-line at www:seadriftchamber.com or contact the Chamber at 361-237-0406 for additional information.

The Seadrift Chamber of Commerce is accepting vendor application’s for the Shrimpfest this year on June 13th & 14th. If you are interested in a food booth or non-food booth, please contact Kristine Metcalfe at (830) 445 9889 or email at kmetcalfe1@yahoo.com.

The Shrimpfest Pageant has a new sponsor this year! The Seadrift Lions Club will host this years pageant, with all proceeds to benefit the Seadrift Lions Club Scholarship Fund. This year, for the first time, the pageant is open to all county residents. There will be eight titles up for grabs, culminating with the crowning of Miss Shrimpfest.

This year, Most Photogenic will only be open for children aged 0-5 years. Entries for this category must be received no later than Monday, June 9 at 5:00pm. An entry form, 8×10 photograph, and full entry fee will be required for consideration. Judging will take place Thursday, June 12 with the winner being announced at the pageant on Saturday.

Beach Baby Boy and Girl will be open to infants and toddlers who have not yet reached their 3rd birthday. Entrants will wear their best beach attire. Little Miss and Little Mister will be for ages 3-5, and Junior Miss will be open to girls age 6-9. Young Miss is open to girls aged 10-13, and Miss Shrimpfest is for young ladies aged 14-18. Entrants should wear Sunday, Party, or pageant style attire.

All entrants will receive a participation gift, and the top three in each category will receive a trophy. Junior, Young, and Miss Shrimpfest will receive a Sash and Tiara, and Miss Shrimpfest will also receive a college scholarship and an opportunity to be sponsored in the Calhoun County Fair Pageant.

Businesses or individuals wishing to sponsor any part of the pageant, or make a donation to the Scholarship Fund should contact Lion Peggy Gaines at SeadriftLions@GMail.com. For more information about the pageant, entry forms, judging criteria, or times should contact Lion Lynn Reeves at (361) 746-2524 or Lion Marcy King at marcelindak@hotmail.com.

The Pageant will be held during Shrimpfest on Saturday afternoon from 1:00pm until 4:00pm. Pageant applications will be available at businesses throughout the county or on the Seadrift Lions website, www.SeadriftLions.org. Information and updates will be available up until the start of the pageant on our Facebook Page, www.facebook.com/SeadriftLions.

Kirby Inland Marine leaves Port O’Connor “Better than they found it”.

Kirby Inland Marine is headquartered in Houston and has employees from up and down the Gulf Coast. Our vessels transit through Port O’Connor on a daily basis. Kirby employees enjoy the many opportunities the area offers for fishing and other outdoor sports. Hence, in many ways, Kirby feels as if it is and long has been a part of the community. When the recent spill occurred, Kirby’s view was that it needed to protect this community and the surrounding environment as if it were our own home and leave it as if the spill had never occurred. As it turns out, in some respects we were able to leave the community better than we found it.

With respect to the spill, when trajectory models suggested that the oil spilled in Galveston Bay could be headed down the coast, we recognized that it was essential to protect environmentally sensitive marshes and similar areas in the Matagorda Bay complex. In concert with the Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office and the government natural resource trustee agencies, we deployed contractors to set up boom to ensure the area was protected before the oil arrived. Fortunately, oil did not enter the bays and impact was limited to the beaches, primarily on Matagorda Island.

Again working with the various agencies, and especially with those responsible for the protection of wildlife, we formulated plans that would allow us to remove the oil from the beaches while limiting the disturbance to the environment. Those plans have now been executed, the oil was removed per the plans and we have taken steps to erase the traces of our presence in sensitive areas. We continue to monitor the area for any additional oil that may be discovered, but are hopeful that all significant areas of oiling have been cleaned up.

It takes a lot of people in the field, in staging areas and in the command post to carry out a complex operation such as this. At its peak, over 1200 people were a part of the response in the Matagorda area. The community allowed us the use of the Community Center in Port O’Connor as the command post for our Matagorda area response. One thing that we realized is that we needed more room outside than was available for staging equipment and in discussions with community leaders, we learned there was a desire to expand the parking lot at the community center. As a result, we were able to add 30,000 square feet to the parking lot. This accommodated our need to stage equipment and has been left behind to enhance this facility for the community. We know our use of the center added wear and tear to the facility, so we are also providing funds for some refurbishment, which we understand may include paint, waxing floors and the like.

We also looked for other ways our presence could have a positive impact on the community. As our response was winding down, we found that we had ordered more food than we needed for our crews. As a result, we were able to donate over 1200 meals to the Fisherman’s Chapel for distribution to the needy in the community.

Kirby deeply regrets that this spill occurred, but is very grateful for the support of the Port O’Connor community as we did what we could to make things right for the environment and the community that relies on it. We want to be a good neighbor wherever we operate and appreciate our good neighbors in Port O’Connor.

Kirby Inland Marine