Louise-Hillje banquet honors tomorrow
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com
      Big honors will be presented tomorrow night during the 49th Annual Louise-Hillje Chamber of Commerce Banquet, including presentation of Citizen of the Year and Educator of the Year honors. Current Chamber president Darryl Chromcak took the reins from outgoing president Kinnon Stockton at last yea...
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Hospice fundraiser once again a success
By BRENDA SOMMER bsommer@leader-news.com
      The country's slowing economy didn't stop good-hearted people from donating with gusto during the annual Heating It Up for Hospice barbecue cookoff held last weekend. "It looks like we did as well as last year," said Claudia Raun, executive director of Hospice Support Inc. "The bills are still co...
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Heating It Up winners named
4th Annual Heating it Up for Hospice Winners
      Barbecue Cook-Off Showmanship Award: Blackbeard's Booty & The Feast People's Choice Award: first, Laid Back Cowboys, $8,113.75; second, S.O.T.S., $6,777.84; third, Hot Wompum, $760.07; fourth, Back Yard BBQ Boys, $237; fifth, CIC Cookers, $167.
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Bond funds cause spike
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com
      The arrival of $1.65 million in bond funds made the revenues in the city of El Campo's first quarter budget report look far better than expected. The report, presented to City Council recently by Finance Director Courtney Sladek, shows more than $5 million revenue accumulated during the first qua...
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Checking Out His Loot
      Myles Svatek, age 4, was checking out every last little bit of the loot he gathered up during the annual Easter Eggstravaganza. The event, held Saturday at Evans Park, featured egg hunts and quality time with the Easter Bunny and was sponsored by Beta Theta Omega.
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Investments looking good
      The investment policy for the city of El Campo was reviewed Thursday and finance officials received a pat on the back. "(Finance Director) Courtney (Sladek) and (Financial Analyst) Willie (Gutierrez) are doing a good job," City Manager John Steelman said. "They are keeping up with them on a daily...
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Agency matches seniors with job training
By BARRY HALVORSON news@leader-news.com
      Older Americans still have a lot to contribute to the nation's workforce and the Experience Works Program is working to match those individuals with host agencies willing to provide them with the proper training to move back into the private sector.
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Fairgrounds' plumbing gets upgraded
By SHANNON CRABTREE scrabtree@leader-news.com
      The Wharton County Youth Fair's new sewer system may not be glamorous, but it should benefit virtually every visitor to the upcoming event. It's just one of several changes - some obvious, others obscure - that will be up and operating by the time the gates open for the first day of the 2008 ru...
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