Galveston County Sheriff’s Office Town Hall Recap In a packed town hall meeting last week, Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen and his team met with residents to review the results of the 2025 Jeep Weekend operations, highlighting a successful year marked by a dramatic decrease in violent crime on the Bolivar Peninsula. Sheriff Fullen opened…

A Conversation with Amee LeBlanc, VP and Banking Center Manager at Texas First Bank Nestled within the heart of Crystal Beach, Texas First Bank stands as more than just a place to make deposits or cash checks—it’s a cornerstone of community life. At the helm of this vibrant hub is Amee LeBlanc, Vice President and…

This past Saturday, the Port Bolivar Volunteer Fire Department fired up the community spirit with its 25th Annual BBQ Cookoff Fundraiser—and it was smokin’ hot in all the best ways! The event kicked off on Friday night with a winner-take-all fajitas showdown, where teams of grillmasters battled for the title of Fajitas King (or Queen!).…

On Friday, committee captains who helped orchestrate the 2025 Texas Crab Festival gathered for a special luncheon held in their honor. The event, hosted by Texas Crab Festival Charities, recognized the dedication and hard work of the volunteers who make the festival the largest annual event on Bolivar Peninsula. Mark DeSantis, president of Texas Crab…

By J. Lee Austin, MD Things That Make You Go “Ouch!” As promised, we continue our endeavor of trying to help folks make the most of their coastal adventure. As noted in our prior ramble, the goal is not to frighten, but to maximize the odds of a safe, successful experience. A bit of forehand…

Connect, Promote, and Grow Your Business Are you a local business owner, vacation rental host, or service provider looking to reach more customers? Crystalbeach.com is your gateway to success on the Bolivar Peninsula! Our website receives over 5,000 page views each week, connecting visitors from near and far to everything that makes Crystal Beach, Texas,…

By Linda Elissalde Why do churches celebrate Pentecost? Why do worshippers wear red? Pentecost celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus; It is the birth of the Christian Church. The name comes from the Greek word pentekoste which means fiftieth. It is celebrated on the seventh Sunday…

I live in a resort community on a 21-mile long narrow peninsula on the Gulf of Mexico. My house is raised 21 feet above sea level on pilings. From my deck I can look one way and see ships go by, and the other way and see tugs pushing barges in the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW).…

Surface water temperature 83 degrees in East Galveston Bay. As in previous weeks, the Water clarity is normal. We are still finding good numbers of trout on the protected Shorelines over shell pockets, and are having to weed thru a large number of small fish to find the solid females, as well as Redfish along…

We’re all still a-buzz about the wedding. As usual, I had a blast, I love weddings. The music was great, the food fantastic, I made all my grandsons dance with me, even Dax! I guess the next time I’ll get the opportunity, it’ll be at their weddings. Below is a pic of just our family.…