LOOKING BACK: KWHI’S TOP STORIES OF 2025

  

As we welcome in 2026, it is now time to look back at some of the biggest stories to cross the KWHI news desk in 2025. 

Our list of top stories is based on how much interest they received, how much discussion they sparked, and how long their storylines played out through the year.

Here are, in no particular order, KWHI’s top stories of 2025:

BRENHAM POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDERGOES CHANGES

Brenham’s police force went through a transition in the spring after the retirement of Chief Lloyd Powell and Assistant Chief Curtiss Schoen, both longtime members of the Brenham Police Department.  The City of Brenham soon appointed David Gott as an interim police chief, and he served until the summer when the city named Gary Boshears as its new full-time police chief.  The police department also marked the return of its K-9 program with new K-9 Maki.

ELECTIONS LEAD TO NEW CITY COUNCIL & SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS; ESD PROPOSAL FAILS, BUT SCHOOL BOND & VATRE PASS

Election season came fast and furious in 2025, with numerous races and topics of note across Washington County.  In May, the City of Brenham passed 12 charter amendment propositions and welcomed Steve Soman as a new member to the city council, as well as Leah Cook as a returning member.  Brenham ISD saw the election of two new school trustees with Shawn Koonce and Justin Colley, along with the re-election of Jared Krenek.  All three incumbents to the Burton City Council – Karen Buck, Nathan Kalkhake and Paul McLaughlin – won re-election.  Meanwhile, a proposal to create an emergency services district for the Chappell Hill and Meyersville Volunteer Fire Departments did not pass.  Fast forward to November, and two measures passed for Brenham ISD: a $39 million bond for school facility improvements and a Voter Approval Tax Rate Election (VATRE) to increase the tax rate for the purpose of employee pay raises and funding operational needs.

STORMS CAUSE TRAGEDY FOR LOCAL COMMUNITY

Heavy rain and storms in May led to heartbreaking loss after Devah Woods, a student at Brenham Elementary School, was swept away by floodwaters.  Numerous agencies worked into the night to find Devah, and after hours of searching, her body was recovered.  Brenham residents came together to support Devah’s family, establishing benefit accounts and meal trains and holding prayer vigils to honor her memory.  In July, the Hill Country floods caused devastation for many communities, including Bellville, as Virginia Hollis, a student at Faith Academy who was among the campers at Camp Mystic, lost her life in the storms. 

LOSING LOVED ONES

Several members of the Washington County community and neighboring areas passed on in 2025.  Figures like Dr. Donald Draehn, Betty Hafner, Bill Betts, Ronald Parker, Leon Toubin, Eugene Bothe, Kim Applewhite and Shirley Hegemeyer Biehunko were among those who passed away last year. 

NAVASOTA POLICE OFFICER KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY

A sergeant with the Navasota Police Department was killed in January while responding to a police pursuit.  Sergeant Mark Butler drove into the path of a fleeing suspect who was driving on the wrong side of Highway 6 at high speeds.  Butler’s sacrifice was honored by the state, as the Texas Legislature passed a bill to designate a portion of Highway 6 between College Station and Navasota as the “Sergeant Mark Butler Memorial Highway”.

MANHUNT AFTER INMATE ESCAPES FROM BELLVILLE HOSPITAL

A massive search involving multiple law enforcement agencies began in January and lasted for several weeks, after Salvador Saucedo escaped the custody of the Waller County Sheriff’s Office while undergoing testing at MidCoast Medical Center Bellville.  Saucedo, who was a convicted sex offender and faced multiple other charges, was found in February with a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a burning home belonging to his girlfriend.  He was soon pronounced clinically brain dead.

POST OFFICE PROBLEMS

The Brenham Post Office caught attention in July with a notice posted on the front door that said the facility was “dealing with an Amazon backlog of over 11,000 packages”.  Complaints from local residents and officials regarding the associated delays reached Congressman Michael McCaul, who penned a letter to the Postmaster General asking what steps have been taken or are being worked towards to improve conditions at the post office.

MURDER CHARGE FOR MAN ACCUSED IN FAMILY SHOOTING

A Brenham man was charged in December with murder after a shooting that sent the man’s father and sister to the hospital.  Clay Walker Schumpert, who had previously been arrested in October on narcotic possession charges, is accused in the shooting death of Skye Schumpert and the wounding of Mark Schumpert.  The Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers continue to investigate. 

A SHAKEUP IN LOCAL BANKING

In April, Industry Bancshares, the parent company of Bank of Brenham and several other area banks, began the steps of a merger with Mississippi-based Cadence Bank.  The merger was completed in July, and Industry Bancshares’ branches began operating as Cadence Bank in mid-October.  Weeks after that, Ohio-based Huntington Bancshares announced an agreement to acquire Cadence Bank.  The transaction was anticipated to close in the first quarter of the new year, with conversion to the new name planned in the second quarter.

COMPOSTING OPERATION GRANTED PERMISSION TO OPERATE IN LEE CO.

Developments with the proposed compost facility planned near Lincoln continued early in 2025, when the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) sent out a letter informing local lawmakers Lois Kolkhorst and Stan Gerdes that there would not be an opportunity for a public meeting regarding the facility, despite numerous residents demanding one be held.  Kolkhorst and Gerdes went on to file – and pass – legislation aimed at stopping the facility from operating at the chosen site, but ultimately, the TCEQ granted permission for the operation to proceed.  Lee County officials said they plan to appeal the ruling. 

MAJOR PROGRESS ON MAJOR PROJECTS

Much of 2025 was spent laying the foundation and making headway on projects to support the growth in Washington County.  For the county, work continued with planning out a new records storage facility and upgrades at the Washington County Expo, and construction began with the second phase of the courthouse exterior restoration.  The City of Brenham broke ground at the site of its second fire station, accepted a bid for improvements to the city’s surface water treatment plant, and gave the ok to annex and assign special zoning to over 170 acres on the northwest side of town, which is intended to accommodate plans to extend the Vintage Farms subdivision over the course of at least 12 years.  The City of Burton focused on water infrastructure projects, including drilling and testing its new water well. 

LOCAL STUDENTS SHOWCASE TALENT ON GRAND STAGE

2025 was filled with accomplishments by Washington County students, from individual accolades to team achievements.  Some of the high marks of the year included strong seasons from the Brenham and Burton ISD sports teams, national titles for the Brenham MCJROTC, a trip to state for the Brenham Cub Band, the Burton FFA notching state appearances and being recognized as one of the top-performing FFA programs in the Texas FFA Golden Cup Rankings, Brenham High School student Katherine Inestroza selling artwork for $40,000 at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and fellow Brenham High School student Sadaf Shireen conducting cardiology research to present at the upcoming International Science and Engineering Fair. 

What do you think were the top headlines of 2025, and what do you think will be the biggest stories of 2026? KWHI encourages you to join in the discussion in the comments section on Facebook.