As a U.S. citizen, it is your right to vote, and your obligation to educate yourself to be an intelligent voter. If you are not registered to vote, below you will find all the information you need:

Who can vote

In the U.S., you can vote if you are:
• A U.S. citizen.
• A resident of the county where you submit the application.
• 18 years old or older on Election Day.
• Not a convicted felon (you may be eligible to vote if you completed your sentence, probation, or parole).
• You have not been declared by a court exercising probate jurisdiction to be either totally mentally incapacitated or partially mentally incapacitated without the right to vote.

Texas voter registration

To vote in Texas, you must first register. There are many ways to register. No matter which way you choose, your county’s voter registrar must receive your application at least 30 days before an election.
Ways to register to vote:
• In-person. Visit your county’s Voter Registrar office.
• By mail. Pick up a voter registration application from your county’s Voter Registrar office, public libraries, government offices, or high schools.
• Online. Fill out your voter registration application through our online portal here, then print, sign, and mail it to your county’s Voter Registrar office.
• Visit VoteTexas.gov for more information
Update voter name or address
This free online service is available for registered Texas voters who have moved or changed their name and need to update their voter registration information with the Texas Secretary of State.
• Update your voter information
Prepare to vote
You may present one of the following approved forms of photo ID to vote in person in Texas:
• Texas Driver License
• Texas Election Identification Certificate
• Texas Personal Identification card
• Texas Handgun License
• U.S. Military identification card with the person’s photo
• U.S. Citizenship Certificate with the person’s photo
• U.S. Passport (book or card)

If you do not possess and cannot reasonably obtain one of these seven forms of photo ID, you may fill out a Reasonable Impediment Declaration at the polls and present an alternate form of identification, such as your utility bill, a bank statement, a government check, or your voter registration certificate.

www.calhouncotx.org
Calhoun County Elections Admin
211 S Ann St Ste 103, Port Lavaca, TX 77979 (361) 553-4440

Ronald Ogilvie “Ronnie” Luster passed away in Houston on Saturday, the 27th of July 2024.

The “outdoors” always called Ronnie. He loved hunting and fishing with family and friends, and he worked to preserve the beauty around him as a passionate conservationist.

He was born in Houston on the 6th of December 1942, to Ronnie Luster and Leila Tarkington Luster. When he was three his family moved to Port O’Connor where his father owned a marina, and Ronnie fell in love with Port O’Connor life. When he was in the third grade his family moved to Acapulco, and his father worked as a professional photographer for the El Mirador Hotel. He captured many photographs of “the rich and famous,” including the marriage of Elizabeth Taylor and Mike Todd. Young Ronnie became fluent in Spanish, developed a flair for dancing, and became the only American to dive off the cliffs of El Mirador.

Ronnie attended St. Edwards Boys Boarding School for his junior and senior years of high school and his freshman year of college. He completed his college education at the University of Texas. He graduated in 1966 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. He concentrated on Marketing, and he was a born salesman. He was a member of Kappa Alpha Order and ran track for St. Edwards and the University of Texas.

Ronnie had a long career in the Commercial Property and Casualty Insurance business. His first job was with Liberty Mutual where he received excellent training. He enjoyed great relationships with many other insurance companies while combining selling insurance and “making friends.” His mantra was “Tell people what they need to know not what they want to hear.”

His passion for hunting and fishing guided his commitment to conservation. He wanted future hunters and fishermen to have the same joys he had experienced. The Coastal Conservation Association, CCA, was his primary interest. He was active in its founding and was a lifelong supporter. He was the first person to suggest and get adopted the Crab Trap Removal program for the Texas coast. He started a movement through CCA that has mobilized 1600 volunteers to remove over 20,000 abandoned crab traps. Other coastal states followed his lead. He became known as “the Crab Man,” and he won the first national award given by Field and Stream magazine for Conservation Hero of the Year. The program of Abandoned Crab Trap Removal continues every February. Ronnie’s involvement with CCA included positions on the CCA Texas Management committee and the National Insurance committee; he served as chairman of the CCA Texas Parks and Wildlife committee. He has also been associated with the Friends of the Port O’Connor Library and has served as a board member of the Guadalupe Blanco River Trust (GBRT.)

Ronnie is survived by his wife of fifty-five years, Lynn Cunningham Luster; and his sons, Ron (Tammy) Luster, and Preston Luster both of Houston. He and Lynn also have four wonderful granddaughters, Samantha, Sloane, Stella, and Caroline Luster.

He loved hosting fishing gatherings in Port O’Connor on his airboat, and he taught his granddaughters how to cast after they saw the fish swimming. The family made great memories at Port O’Connor and in Nordheim at the Runge Ranch. Ronnie and Lynn enjoyed cruises with their travel group, and Ronnie’s favorite cruise was the Lewis and Clark on the Columbia River.

Two years ago Ronnie was diagnosed with MDS – Myelodysysplastic Syndrome. He was under the care of the wonderful professionals at Oncology Consultants in Memorial City. The family wants to thank Dr. Alex Nguyen and staff Vicki and Gracie for their excellent care.

A celebration in honor of the life of Ronnie Luster is to be conducted at two o’clock in the afternoon on Saturday, the 17th of August, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the adjacent grand foyer.

For those unable to attend the service in-person, virtual attendance may be accessed by visiting Mr. Luster’s online memorial tribute at GeoHLewis.com and selecting the “Join Livestream” icon on the service section. While there you may also share fond memories and words of comfort and condolences with his family by selecting the “Add a Memory” icon.

In lieu of customary remembrances, contributions may be made in his name to CCA Texas, 6919 Portwest Drive, Suite 100, Houston, Texas 77024 or at CCATexas.org/donate.

Mary Frances Gonzales, age 69, of Port O’Connor, Texas passed away Tuesday, August 6, 2024. She was born in Port O’Connor, Texas December 20, 1954, to Enrique Flores and Gabriela Ureste. Mary enjoyed spending time with all her family including her husband, daughter, sons, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sisters, nieces, nephews, and extended family and friends. She enjoyed reading and taking care of everyone.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Enrique Flores and Gabriela Ureste and her sister, Inez Flores
.
She is survived by her husband, Ray Gonzales Sr.; Daughter, Bertha Gonzales Carreon (Pete); sons, Ray Gonzales Jr. (Renee) and Randy Gonzales (Erika). Grandkids, Danielle Gonzales Bourg (Adam), Cody Carreon, Nicholas Gonzales, Caitlynn Carreon, Daniel Gonzles, Aaliyah Gonzales; great grandchildren, Cole Bourg and Adaline Bourg.
She is also survived by her sisters, Gloria Flores, Theresa Flores, Patsy Flores, and Margaret Booker (Larry)
.
The family would like to thank Harbor Hospice for their exceptional care of Mary. The family would also like to thank all friends and extended family.

A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date.

Cremation services Entrusted to Victoria Mortuary & Cremation Service, Inc. 361-578-4646.

Walter Mitchell Shotwell (Walt), 68, of Port O’ Connor, TX passed away Monday June 17th, 2024 at his daughter’s house in Pharr, TX where he had been living out his last few months. He passed peacefully with his loved ones by his side.

Walter Mitchell Shotwell (Walt) was born November 30,1955 in Columbus, OH to parents Janet Broussard (Johnson) and Bill Shotwell. He later moved to Port O’Connor, TX with his mom and step-father Lewis Johnson. He attended school in Port O’Connor, TX. He joined the Navy in 1973 and was honorably discharged in 1975. He served in the Vietnam war and was proud of being a Vietnam Veteran.

He loved to fish, hunt, go camping, and boating. He had love for art, he could draw anything. He also liked to collect driftwood from the beach front and carve things out of it. His favorite time was to go fishing and camping with his kids. He always had a love for cats and in his later years he loved to spend time with his cats.

Walter is survived by his sister Leafy Ann Johnson, his daughters Tiffany Koelsh (Eric), Tonya Ecker (Jesse), , Aundria Dickens (Crystal), his grandkids, nieces and nephews, Aunt Pauline and Uncle Johnny Morgan, Aunt Lois Durant, Aunt Janie Pago, Lorraine Duhon and Uncle Ronnie Chargois.

Walter is preceded by his mother Janet Johnson, his stepfather Lewis Johnson, his sister Debbie Lebouef, his brothers Billy Gene Shotwell and Charlie Cecil Johnson.

Scott Brown (far left) and friends who helped with distribution.

“I felt like I needed to do something to help the people in need of supplies due from the damages from hurricane Beryl. I reached out to my friends on Facebook posting that I have a big cargo trailer and that I wanted to get some supplies together and take into these areas hit hard by the hurricane. So a lot of good hearted folks from the Calhoun County and surrounding communities reached out to me wondering how they could help! Can’t thank them enough for helping me help others!

So I got one trailer load ready to go and with the help of Ham Radio I was able to get in touch with the right people to know where I needed to take this load. So off I went to Bay City with the first load to the Matagorda County Emergency Coordinator. They assured me that they would get those supplies into the areas hit hard by Beryl including Sargent, Tx. At this time I had more people wanting to donate too. So we filled up another trailer load. This time I wanted to take it to a different area that was impacted. I then decided to take the second load down to Galveston County. I ended up at the Galveston County Sheriff’s Department where the department was very surprised to see me. We unloaded the supplies into a store room with the help of several deputies. They told me they would put items into their patrol cars and hand them out to civilians through out Galveston County. I was very happy with that.

I want to thank everyone who has donated. Big hearted people in this world still. I couldn’t have been able to make this happen without them.”

Scott was also instrumental in organizing the July 4th Trump Boat Parade.

Some of the goods distributed to hurricane victims.