Brenham Banner-Press

07/07/2024

From the National Weather Service on Sunday evening. Please be safe!

Storm Beryl:

TROPICAL STORM WARNING IN EFFECT...A Tropical Storm Warning means tropical storm-force winds are expected somewhere within this area within the next 24 hours.

* LOCATIONS AFFECTED - Brenham - Burton

* WIND - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Equivalent Tropical Storm force wind - Peak Wind Forecast: 40-50 mph with potential gusts to 70 mph.

Conditions are expected to begin deteriorating overnight and into dawn on Monday and continue into the morning and afternoon.

PLAN: Plan for dangerous wind of equivalent strong tropical storm force. -

PREPARE: Prepare for potential significant wind damage.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Significant with some damage to roofing and siding materials, along with damage to porches, awnings, carports, fences and sheds. Mobile homes could be damaged, especially if unanchored. Trees could be damaged as well.

Scattered power and communications outages possible, but more prevalent in areas with above ground lines.

* FLOODING RAIN - LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Flood Watch is in effect - Peak Rainfall Amounts: Additional 3-6 inches, with locally higher amounts.

Potential for major flooding rain.

PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for major flooding from heavy rain.

PREPARE: Strongly consider protective actions, especially if you are in an area vulnerable to flooding.

ACT: Heed any flood watches and warnings.

POTENTIAL: Rivers and tributaries may rapidly overflow their banks in multiple places. Small streams, creeks, canals, and ditches may become dangerous rivers. Flood control systems and barriers may become stressed.

Driving conditions could become dangerous.

There also may be a threat for isolated tornadoes.

07/06/2024

Because of the heavy rain that passed through Brenham earlier in the day, Saturday evening’s Hot Nights Cool Tunes concert has been canceled.

07/04/2024

Happy Independence Day!

06/16/2024

Happy Father’s Day to all you dads and granddads out there!

06/02/2024

The Blinn College baseball team authored a fitting conclusion to a storybook season with a 12-5 victory over Northwest Florida State to win its first NJCAA Division I Baseball championship on Saturday at Sam Suplizio Field in Grand Junction, Colorado.

For details, see the Tuesday Banner-Press.

05/12/2024

Happy Mother’s Day!

05/02/2024

Thursday’s Brenham National Day of Prayer remains planned as scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

If the weather clears, the event will take place at the courthouse gazebo as planned. If inclement weather continues through the afternoon, it will be moved to the Ant Street Inn, 107 W. Commerce St.

The public is invited.

04/18/2024

The Texas Department of Public Safety has filed additional charges against Clenard Parker for his alleged actions on April 12.

On that Friday, a semitrailer was driven into the front of the Brenham DPS office, killing one person and injuring five others.

The additional charges include felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on a public servant, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and criminal mischief, information from Texas DPS released Thursday afternoon stated.

Parker originally had been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury, one count of evading arrest or detention causing serious bodily injury and one count of unauthorized use of a vehicle.

For complete details, see the Sunday Banner-Press.

04/12/2024

The Texas Department of Public Safety is leading the investigation into an incident that occurred Friday morning at the Brenham DPS office.

A semitrailer rammed into the front of the building, 975 Highway 290W, injuring several people. Brenham Police and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office quickly responded to the scene as did other first responders.

Dozens of law enforcement personnel were at the scene.

A witness said he saw a handcuffed man being taken from the scene shortly after the incident. Victims were being treated at the scene before being transferred to hospitals, some by air ambulance.

Official details remained sketchy as of 1 p.m. There were reports that as many as 10 people were injured.

For more information, see the Sunday Banner-Press.

03/31/2024

From all of us to all of you, have a blessed Easter!

03/08/2024

Brenham ISD Acting Superintendent Clay Gillentine was named the lone finalist for the superintendent’s position Thursday night during the board of trustees regular meeting.

For details, see the Sunday Banner-Press.

03/06/2024

Unofficial final 2024 GOP primary results.
Washington County contested races.
Results posted at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

For more, see the Thursday Banner-Press.

Sheriff
Trey Holleway, 4,084
David Blakey, 3,555

Precinct 1 County Commissioner
Misti Harstack Corn, 683
Don Koester, 593

Precinct 3 County Commissioner
Kirk Hanath, 1,367
Billy Ruemke, 856

Precinct 3 Constable
Brad Kuecker, 1,606
Damon Wegner, 523

Washington County District Attorney
Derek Estep, 3,647
Dave Bunger, 3,568

District 12 State Representative
Washington County votes only
Trey Wharton, 2,676
John Harvey Slocum, 2,182
Ben Bius, 2,290

###XX

As of 9 p.m. Tuesday, the Washington County Elections office had posted early voting totals only for the 2024 primary election.

Polls closed at 7 p.m.

Here are the early voting results for contested Republican races in the county:

Sheriff
Trey Holleway, 2,818
David Blakey, 2,273

Precinct 1 County Commissioner
Misti Harstack Corn, 415
Don Koester, 359

Precinct 3 County Commissioner
Kirk Hanath, 961
Billy Ruemke, 588

Precinct 3 Constable
Brad Kuecker, 1,139
Damon Wegner, 346

Washington County District Attorney
Derek Estep, 2,484
Dave Bunger, 2,362

02/13/2024

A fire destroyed a home in the 1100 block of East Main Street on Tuesday morning.

Information at the scene stated no one was inside and there were no injuries.

No other information was available.

For more, see the Thursday Banner-Press.

01/16/2024

Two people were found dead inside a residence after it burned to the ground Tuesday morning.

At about 12:30 a.m., Washington County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the 400 block of New Year’s Creek Lane in reference to a structure fire, WCSO spokesperson Lt. David Blakey said. Other units that responded were the Meyersville and Brenham fire departments and EMS.

Upon the arrival of first responders, a camper-type trailer was observed to be engulfed in flames.

Once the fire departments extinguished the fire, two unidentified bodies were located within the remains of the trailer. The identification of the individuals are being withheld so notification of next of kin can be made.

The fire investigation is being conducted by Sgt. Investigators Clay Bosse and Mike McAnally and assisted by the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

The bodies were transported to Fort Bend County Medical Examiner’s Office for autopsies.

For more information, see the Thursday Banner-Press.

01/15/2024

There will be no school on Tuesday in both the Brenham and Burton independent school districts.

Because of the potential for icy conditions coupled with below-freezing temperatures, both districts announced on Monday that classes were canceled for Tuesday. Burton ISD made its announcement in the morning while Brenham waited until early afternoon.

There was no school on Monday because of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

Burton ISD also announced the school day on Wednesday will begin at 10 a.m.

The Blinn College District also announced it will be closed on Tuesday and that all classes are canceled.

All Tuesday extracurricular activities in all districts have been postponed.

For more, see the Tuesday Banner-Press.

01/01/2024

12/24/2023

From all of us at The Banner-Press to all of you, a very, Merry Christmas!

11/23/2023

Happy Thanksgiving from the Brenham Banner-Press.

11/03/2023

The Banner-Press experienced internet issues throughout the day Thursday and therefore could not upload our e-edition online. We apologize for any inconvenience and hopefully will be able to post it Friday. Thank you for your patience.

10/24/2023

Please join us!

10/23/2023

Texas Arts and Music Festival 2023

10/20/2023

Burton ISD 2023 Homecoming Parade

10/20/2023

Brenham ISD 2023 Homecoming Parade

10/14/2023

Both Brenham and Burton scored big victories on the gridiron Friday night. Check out the Sunday Banner-Press to read the details about each game.

10/02/2023

Clay Gillentine was promoted to acting superintendent of the Brenham Independent School District late Monday morning.

In a unanimous vote, the trustees appointed Gillentine, who was the assistant superintendent under Tylor Chaplin, during a special meeting at the district’s administrative office.

Earlier this year, Chaplin had announced his retirement as superintendent effective at the end of the first semester in December, but he had enough personal days built up that he could leave early, board President Natalie Lange told The Banner-Press. Chaplin’s last day on the job was Friday.

For more, see the Tuesday Banner-Press.

Pictured is Clay Gillentine.

09/28/2023

Brenham High School was put in lockdown as a precautionary measure Thursday afternoon after a phone call was received from someone who Brenham Assistant Police Chief Lloyd Powell described as an alleged suicidal person near the campus.

At 3:42 p.m., law enforcement agencies were notified of a possible suicidal subject near the school with a firearm, information from the city of Brenham stated in a press release issued shortly after 6 p.m.

“Multiple law enforcement agencies began checking the area, and several went to Brenham High School to meet with the school resource officers on location,” the city’s press release stated. “Out of precaution for student and staff safety (and) due to the call type and the person reportedly being in the vicinity of the school, Brenham High School was placed in lockdown.”

Officers checked all buildings on the campus to ensure the safety of everyone on campus and the public in the area, information stated. The reported subject was not located.

The lockdown was lifted at about 5 p.m. There were no reports of injuries.

A statement from the high school issued after the lockdown was lifted confirmed the high school was put on lockdown “as a precautionary measure requested from local authorities.”

Brenham ISD called the incident a “community safety issue.”

Powell told The Banner-Press that Head of Security for Texas Schools John Scott told him that what happened at Brenham High School happened at schools across the state on Thursday.

A news agency from another school district called the incident at their high school “an anonymous threat.”

For any additional information, see the Sunday Banner-Press.

09/21/2023

Burton resident David Eickhoff, pictured right, and a friend made a 12,000-mile round trip to the Arctic Circle earlier this summer. Read about the incredible journey in Thursday’s Banner-Press.

09/17/2023

Katie Seeker will rule over the Washington County Fair this week after she was crowned queen on Saturday evening. For more, see the Tuesday Banner-Press.

08/26/2023

Blinn College football's season and home opener against Louisiana Community Christian scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 26, has been canceled.

Due to a lack of players, Louisiana Community Christian was forced to withdraw from the non-conference matchup.

Blinn’s season will now open in Week 2 against Gordon Prep at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2, at Cub Stadium in Brenham, Texas.