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11/17/2025

FOR SALE- Professional Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus suit and all the accessories. Call 409-945-7000.

11/15/2025

Galveston Naval Museum Honors Veterans

By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor

The sky was crisp and blue. A light wind kept the flags waving and the red, white and blue bunting fluffing as an audience gathered in between the USS Stewart and the USS Cavalla. It was an ideal setting with ideal weather for the large crowd who had come to commemorate American veterans at the Galveston Naval Museum.

Children with their parents and adults without children explored the ships before the ceremony began. Entrance to the museum was free on Veterans Day, and many people took the time to both enjoy the museum and to honor our nation’s veterans.

Young John Listowski and his sister Lilly came with their mother and grandmother. The children have several grandparents who have served in the military, and one of their great-grandfathers served in WWII.

“Every year we look for a ceremony to take the kids, and this year, I found the Galveston Naval Museum while searching on the internet,” said the children’s mother.

The Listowski family had enjoyed exploring the historic submarine.

Ball High School ROTC were included in the ceremony. The ROTC presented the colors as the ceremony opened. The national anthem prerecorded by the Aggie Sea Choir embraced the hearts of the people.

Sgt. Ivan Hammond, who had served as a Marine radio operator at Iwo Jima, attended the ceremony with his daughters. Hammond celebrated his 100th birthday in August.

“We are grateful for every day we have our father with us,” said his daughter. “And the weather was perfect for our dad to attend today.”

Keynote speaker Col. Michael Fossum inspired the attendees with his military journey, starting from when he first joined.

“My hair was shoulder length, and all I knew it meant by joining the corps is that there was a haircut in my future,” Retired Air Force Col. Fossum shared with the audience of many veterans and their families, who chuckled in understanding. He had committed to the corps at Texas A&M as a way of paying for his college tuition and has no regrets.

In concluding his speech, he put out a call to action.

“It is up to all of us to spread the message to our kids and grandkids why we love America and what we can do to make it better,” Fossum said.

Fossum currently serves as vice president of Texas A&M University at Galveston. His career in the Air Force included flying 34 different aircraft as a test pilot. In 1992, he left active duty and turned to flying as an astronaut with NASA. He retired from the Air Force in 2010.

11/15/2025

From the Desert to the Sea and Back Again

By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor

Sea Lab III Pioneer Fernando Lugo had traveled from Yuma, Arizona to Galveston for a reunion with his fellow crewmates from the USS Halibut. He and his son were among the attendees at the Gaveston Naval Museum Veteran’s Day ceremony.

“I agree with what the Colonel said. We need to get the young people more involved. We need to teach them to have an attitude of respect. For example, we need to teach young people to open doors for the elderly,” Lugo said. “And it looks like the young people are turning back to the values of 40 to 50 years ago.”

Lugo had a unique position in the Navy as a member of the Man in the Sea Program from 1966 to 1968. But Lugo was not a man of the sea. He is a self-described “desert rat.” He was born near the Gila River in Yuma, Arizona, and after serving in the Navy. He returned to living in the desert of Southwest Arizona.

11/15/2025

This week’s Galveston County Animal Resource Center Pets of the Week are Delilah and Arrietty.

Give a big Hello to Delilah (A041598), a spayed Domestic Short Hair Brown Tabby and White sweetheart. Delilah is about twenty-one months old, friendly, playful, and outgoing. She really enjoys attention and checking out new toys. Delilah's coat is about half and half on the tabby and white with a special white splash on her back. Her dainty face features expressive hazel eyes. Darling Delilah is waiting and hoping her new family will find her soon. She is ready for her fur-ever home!

Meet Arrietty (A042236)!! She is a sweet and smart girl. She loves running in the yard and loves cuddling on the couch. She may be a little slow to warm up, but she has a heart of gold. She smaller and easy to take with you for outings. She needs her forever home to settle in and pour her love out to a family.



Arrietty and Delilah will be available for $42.50 from Tuesday Nov 18th – Nov 22nd, 2025. Pets of the week adoptions include rabies vaccination, spay or neuter and microchip. For more information call 409-948-2485 or visit www.gchd.org. These and other pets are available at the Galveston County Animal Resource Center, 3412 25th Ave N. Texas City, TX. 77590.

11/12/2025

GARAGE SALE- Thursday, and Friday, 9-4. 9617Yellow Rose Drive, Texas City 77591. Like New Baby clothes etc. Household Decor and lot's of miscellaneous.

11/11/2025

First Ever Galveston County Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame Induction
By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
Late Sunday afternoon, the Wayne Johnson Community Center in Hitchcock was filled with a multi-generational gathering. There were tots in boots and tots in ballet slippers, seniors in cowboy hats and seniors in ball caps.
The American flag was proudly waved while the National Anthem was played and the Black national anthem was sung. Harold Cash asked all veterans to stand while he read an essay/poem honoring America's flag and America's veterans.
Heads were bowed as a prayer of blessing was offered, and then the party began.
Reverend Chris Carter Sr. served as emcee, and with such a large gathering, it required him to direct tables to join the dinner line. In good humor, he hastened the guests through the line as there were many plates to be filled.
From the smiles on the crowd's faces, the laughter heard, and the room filled to its limit, it was clear that Galveston County's first-ever Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame Induction and Scholarship Banquet was a success.
Ten rodeo cowboys were posthumously inducted into the Galveston County Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame, while their surviving family members received the awards. Buckles were given to those who had been part of the STAR rodeo and to others who had been involved in Galveston County rodeos, serving in roles outside of the arena.
The board of directors graciously awarded me, as a journalist, a buckle for my extensive coverage of Galveston County’s history and tradition of cowboys, cowgirls, and rodeos.
Three beautiful trophies were presented. Two went to corporate sponsors: Amoco Federal Credit Union and Better Care Matters Hospice Care. The third trophy went to a very surprised senior who had not a clue he would be honored. Mr. George Cash is 101 years old, and his son Harold Cash presented him with the award.
Two young ladies were awarded scholarships for their college education.
This is the first of what will be many future Galveston County Hall of Fame inductions. Through the support of the community and the board of directors for the non-profit, next year's induction promises to be another success.

11/11/2025

Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce to Honor Vic Pierson as 2025 “Nonno” Tony Smecca Galvestonian of the Year

The Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce is celebrating one of Galveston’s most respected and widely admired Texas business leaders, Vic Pierson, as the 2025 “Nonno” Tony Smecca Galvestonian of the Year at its 181st Annual Meeting on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at the Galveston Island Convention Center, 5600 Seawall Blvd.
Pierson, Chairman, President & CEO of Moody Bank, currently serves on the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Board of Directors and inducted into the Texas Bankers Hall of Fame in 2020. A pioneer in Texas banking and a lifelong champion for Galveston’s economic vitality, his leadership continues to shape business and community across the state.
“Vic Pierson exemplifies what it means to be a true Texas leader — principled, visionary, and deeply committed to the success of others,” says Gina M. Sp****la, President and CEO of the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce. “His legacy of service and integrity has shaped Galveston’s business community and inspired generations of leaders across Texas. Always leading with heart and purpose, his influence reaches far beyond the island, and his impact will be felt for generations to come. We are honored to recognize a man whose leadership continues to strengthen the very fabric of our region and the Great State of Texas.”
Keith Zahar, 2025 Chair of the Galveston Regional Chamber of Commerce, adds, “Vic’s leadership has guided and inspired our business community for decades. His vision, dedication, and unwavering commitment to Galveston set the standard for what it means to serve with purpose. He is a true Texas legend; one whose influence continues to shape our Chamber and the region for the better.”
The event will feature an evening of elegance, tradition, and authentic Texas charm in a “Bankers Ball meets Texas Hill Country H***y Tonk” atmosphere with dinner, drinks, and live entertainment.
The evening begins with a networking reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by a brief annual meeting and awards presentation at 6:30 p.m., just enough time to celebrate the Chamber’s milestones and honor this year’s Galvestonian of the Year before the night opens up to live music, dinner, dancing, and Texas style fun.
Sponsor tables and individual tickets are available. Proceeds support the Chamber’s mission to promote and advocate for business and community development while strengthening education, leadership, and the collaborative spirit that drives our region’s success.
For sponsorship opportunities, reserved tables and tickets, visit the Galveston Chamber website.

11/11/2025

Voters approve all 17 proposed amendments

Texas voters approved all 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot last week, the Houston Chronicle reported. Those included measures to raise the homestead exemption and reduce property taxes for businesses, and to provide $1 billion annually for a statewide water fund.
Other propositions passed would allow judges to deny bail to people accused of serious crimes and create a $3 billion dementia research fund.
“This legislative session, we delivered the conservative victories Texans demanded,” Gov. Greg Abbott wrote in a statement. “And this November, Texans showed up to enshrine them in the Texas Constitution.”
Nearly 3 million cast ballots statewide
Texans showed up in record numbers for this off-year election. Unofficial statewide returns indicate nearly 3 million cast ballots – nearly 15% of all registered voters in the state, the Austin American-Statesman reported.
That appears to set a new record for off-year election turnout in Texas, driven in part by key local issues in larger counties, such as Travis and Bexar counties.
The statewide leader in voter turnout was tiny Loving County on the Texas-New Mexico border, where more than half of the county’s 140 registered voters cast ballots.
Nelson fighting GOP lawsuit over closed primaries
The state’s top election official is fighting a GOP lawsuit that seeks to restrict the state’s primaries to registered party members, the Texas Standard reported. Republican Secretary of State Jane Nelson in her filing said that decision should be left up to state lawmakers, not the courts.
She said that a court ruling now, with the March primaries just a few months away, would “confuse voters, unduly burden election administrators, or otherwise sow chaos or distrust in the electoral process.”
The Texas Republican Party claims the state’s open primaries violate their constitutional right to freedom of association. Key Republicans, such as Attorney General Ken Paxton, complain Democratic and independent voters are casting ballots in Republican primaries to back more moderate candidates.
Closing Texas primaries would require overhauling the state’s voter registration system, require changes in state law, and take years to implement, the Standard reported.
Lawmakers filed at least six bills in 2025 to close the primaries but all failed. Nelson said state lawmakers could take the issue back up in the 2027 session.
Significant increase in whooping cough in Texas
The Texas Department of State Health Services is reporting a steep increase in cases of pertussis, or whooping cough, this year. Early data indicates Texas has had more than 3,500 reported pertussis cases through October, four times the number reported over the same period last year.
This is the second straight year the state has experienced high increases in pertussis cases, according to DSHS.
Pertussis can cause serious and possibly life-threatening complications in infants and young children who are not fully immunized. About one-third of babies younger than a year old who contract pertussis need to be hospitalized.
Pertussis is a highly contagious illness with early symptoms akin to the common cold. It can lead to extended coughing fits that can last for weeks or even months.
Texas to buy 54,000 acres for new state park
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission last week accepted a gift of a 54,000-acre ranch in the western Hill Country, the Statesman reported. The Silver Lake Ranch, about 125 miles west of San Antonio, is being acquired from the Moody Foundation.
“We actually haven't been using it for a long time,” Elle Moody, with the foundation, said in an interview before the formal vote by the parks commission. “But hopefully it will be in the near future for camping and paddling and mountain biking. So we’re really looking forward to opening it up to the wider public.”
The parcel, located in Kinney and Edwards counties, would be second in size only to Big Bend Ranch State Park, at 300,000 acres and purchased in 1988.
“This is exactly that kind of property that could really help expand or meet the demand for recreational opportunities on public land in Texas,” Luke Metzger, with Environment Texas, said. “I swear, that’s just some of the prettiest country I’ve ever seen in Texas. It’s just gorgeous out there.”
The money to purchase the ranch would come from the state’s new Centennial Parks Conservation Fund, established in 2023 when voters agreed to allocate $1 billion to create a dedicated revenue stream to increase the state’s parks inventory.
State exceeds 3 million registered businesses
Texas has set a record high by exceeding 3 million registered businesses, Abbott announced.
“This milestone shows the true strength of the Texas economy. Texas is the land of freedom and opportunity where businesses and workers can chart their own path to succeed and thrive,” he said.
The number of registered business entities in the state has more than doubled since 2015, when 1.4 million businesses were registered.
The total includes both businesses incorporated in Texas and out-of-state entities conducting business here. The largest classification is in-state, limited liability companies (LLCs).
Major Texas airports see flight reductions during shutdown
Four Texas airports will have the number of daily flights reduced by 10% by Nov. 14, as the government shutdown drags on and air traffic controllers and TSA officers, working without pay, increasingly call in sick or are otherwise absent.
The Dallas Morning News reported the reduction at DFW could mean 96 fewer flights a day, or more than 13,000 fewer seats. Love Field is seeing cuts of 20 flights a day, or roughly 3,000 seats.
In Houston, both Houston International Airport and Hobby also have seen flight reductions.
The airports have seen major delays during the shutdown. Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants, called for an end to the shutdown.
“The only way aviation keeps moving during a shutdown is because air traffic controllers and TSA officers come to work without getting paid, while everyone who supports their work for our safety and security is sent home without pay,” said Nelson. “Cutting capacity is a regular tool used to keep aviation safe when increased risks are present.”
Gary Borders is a veteran award-winning Texas journalist. He published a number of community newspapers in Texas during a 30-year span, including in Longview, Fort Stockton, Nacogdoches, Lufkin and Cedar Park. Email: [email protected].

11/11/2025

Texas Makes History as First State to Enshrine Parental Rights in Its Constitution
Proposition 15 Affirmed by Texas Voters, Securing Parents as Primary Decision-Makers for Their Children

Fort Worth, Texas — November 5, 2025 Texas families made history. With the approval of Proposition 15, Texas has become the first state in the nation to pass a Parental Rights Constitutional Amendment, formally affirming that parents, not the government, are the primary decision-makers responsible for the care, upbringing, and education of their children.
For decades, parental rights across the country have rested largely on judicial interpretation by unelected federal judges. Without explicit constitutional protection, those rights have remained vulnerable to shifting political climates and evolving legal philosophies.
By voting YES on Proposition 15, Texans have now enshrined parental rights directly into the Texas state constitution, ensuring that the foundational bond between parents and children is recognized, preserved, and protected under Texas law for future generations.
Key Effects of the Amendment:
Affirms a Fundamental Right: It explicitly recognizes that parents have the unique responsibility and the corresponding fundamental right to raise their children.

Preserves Existing Law: The amendment does not change the law. Instead, it protects long-recognized legal principles upheld for more than 150 years.

Protects State Sovereignty: Parental rights will now be protected under the Texas Constitution, ensuring that final decisions are made by Texas judges, not distant federal courts.

Strengthens Family Freedom: The amendment reinforces that the family is the fundamental unit of society and that parental responsibility begins at home.
Until last night, parental rights were not explicitly listed in any constitution anywhere in the United States. Texas is now the first state in the nation to adopt a constitutional amendment of this kind. The passage of Proposition 15 is expected to set a national precedent, encouraging other states to pursue similar measures to ensure families, not government institutions, remain at the center of children’s lives.
This historic vote is the culmination of years of advocacy, grassroots education, and unified action by parents, families, and organizations across the state.
Last night, Texans affirmed what has always been true: that parents know and love their children best.

11/11/2025

Once a Marine always a Marine, Sgt Ivan Hammond served in WWII as a radio operator on Iwo Jima---he turned 100 in August---it was two years ago my daughter and I had the pleasure of meeting him and I wrote his story in The Post Newspaper--- I am including the link to the original story so that we can remember who he is and how he served our nation. https://thepostnewspaper.net/.../09/remembering-time-served/

I will have more coverage of the Veteran's Day Ceremony at Galveston's Naval Museum in our weekend edition.

11/10/2025

Fight to the finish exhibit - 1945: the final year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. In commemoration, the Fight to the Finish

11/10/2025