Show Breaking News BarCloseLocal News Corley Peel EL CAMPO Texas – An El Campo family is seeking answers after their beloved pet pig was shot and killed in broad daylight at their home off FM 441 road KPRC 2 reporter Corley Peel spoke exclusively with the family who is fighting for accountability in Rosie’s death The family said Rosie was more than just a pet; she weighed over 600 pounds and was a cherished member of the Janak family “She actually came in as a bottle-fed baby,” said Laura Janak Laura described how Rosie was raised alongside her grandchildren sleeping with them and even being house-trained The tragedy struck on April 12 when Laura received a heartbreaking phone call from a neighbor Rosie got out of the gate and was seen up the road from her house Joe Soliz said he witnessed a truck near Rosie with a black hat rack and a black toolbox in the back,” Soliz said Soliz attempted to call for Rosie as the truck followed her He said someone in the truck fired at Rosie Soliz said Rosie was struck by 3 bullets that ultimately He heard a total of twelve gunshots during the incident The motive behind the shooting remains unclear but Laura learned that the Wharton County Sheriff’s Office has opened an investigation into the incident KPRC2 reached out to the Wharton County Sheriff’s Office for comment but was informed that no one was available Friday afternoon but anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Wharton County Sheriff’s Office at (979) 532-1550 Texas Blessings Rescue is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest (979) 479-0627 Copyright 2025 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved Corley Peel is a Texas native and Texas Tech graduate who covered big stories in Joplin Florida before returning to the Lone Star State TV Listings Email Newsletters RSS Feeds Contests and Rules Contact Us Meet the Team Careers at KPRC Closed Captioning / Audio Description Public File Current EEO Report Terms of Use Privacy Policy Do Not Sell My Info FCC Applications Copyright © 2025 Click2Houston.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group We thought we wanted out. As teenagers in a west Houston neighborhood, my friend Karl Rosenbusch and I had dreams bigger than Texas. He would be a rock star, and I’d be a Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist. We’d wind up in New York or Paris. Neither of us would have believed that we’d both settle in small-town Texas, me in Hutto where he moved in 2011—not to strut across a stage wielding a Les Paul but to work as a chef and raise a family Turns out the good life was right here in the Lone Star State all along. I love lesser-known Texas cities of a certain size, like mine and Karl’s. They make a visitor work for it. A famously enchanting destination like, say, Wimberley or Fredericksburg which has clear signs directing you to the locus of charm You can’t really “discover” a town where there’s already a well-worn path to wineries you’ll stumble on a gem of a shop tucked between a Target and a Chili’s Or a cafe that’s not all that inviting from the outside but is warm and friendly once you walk through the door Or what might just be the most exclusive speakeasy in America The best way to visit such a town is to ask an old friend like Karl to show you around. Karl lived out in the country in Louisiana but became “citified” when his family moved to Houston and traded his leather pants for cowboy boots and jeans then in 2018 began working at a farm-to-table restaurant in town called the Feed Store and a South Texas salad that a few women in a local boutique tell me they still dream about Karl began working in nearby Wharton as the food-services director at Wharton County Junior College His former customers sometimes drive out to eat whatever he’s whipping up for lunch He’s a local with a big-city perspective and he sees El Campo as a mecca of country living and back-to-basics charm: a place to return to his truest self My first stop is the 409 Club on Mechanic Street The two-story building houses an “exclusive waterfowl hunting lodge” upstairs and a 4,400-square-foot event venue on the ground floor and deer hunters but is open to all travelers will serve as my abode for the next few days I’m greeted by a menagerie of taxidermy in the common room: lions and tigers and bears plus a massive elk and a leopard preserved mid-leap over a goner of a gazelle The decor is an eclectic mix of rustic and industrial pieces handpicked by owner Chris Staff “Word has it that upstairs was a brothel and it sure did look set up like it,” he tells me I’m sleeping in one of the four guest rooms A stuffed peacock hanging on the wall and a crocodile hide on the floor remind you that this is as much habitat as hotel. Although Wharton County was founded in 1846 the town of El Campo wasn’t incorporated until 1905 It was originally called Prairie Switch because it was a switching point on the Houston-Victoria railroad and a shipping point on the New York Karl tells me that cowboys nicknamed the town the Pearl of the Prairie because the light from the railroad’s section house shone for miles and looked like a pearl gleaming in the night Cattle ranching was a major industry in the area—and it remains so today The vaqueros who worked and lived on the land called it El Campo (“the field”) The Czech influence lives on in places such as Prasek’s Family Smokehouse, where Karl takes me the next morning. It’s a brand familiar to anyone who’s been in a Texas convenience store Mike and Betty Jo Prasek opened a little grocery and sausage business that later expanded into a sausage and jerky plant They process about 10,000 deer each year and can cook as many as 240 briskets as well as an average of 140 dozen tamales a day Their excellent dried sausage and jerky are sold at H-E-B and at hundreds of gas stations and specialty foods like pickled quail eggs and jalapeño jelly How did I not know this when so many Texans do estimates that his company has guided about 1,200 hunting tourists in the area for each of the past three years There are several other outfits of similar size and hunters also come for pintail duck as well as snow and specklebelly geese. an era when breaking news came via teletype machine and live musicians played during breaks because prerecorded tracks didn’t exist Clinto Robinson and Russell Hill are finishing their morning show they invite “Chef Karl” to join in on the banter a little bit before they sign off KULP hosts one of the longest-running radio programs in America Hill tells me that fans from all over will sometimes pop in to get a look a trio of men from the Czech Republic stopped by “It was a destination for them,” he says “We play polka one hour a day and country the other twenty-three ‘You’re that polka station.’ ” They also broadcast the high school football games on Friday nights and soccer is the redheaded stepchild.” As coach for his son’s soccer team Karl says this with a faint trace of exasperation. and oodles of holiday ornaments year-round. After a lunch of brisket and ribs at Pitt Viper BBQ, which Brandon and Dawn Rivera opened in 2018, we check out the new Rasmussen Farms Distillery The elegant and brightly lit tasting room features cocktails made with their small-batch farm-to-bottle vodka “See,” Karl tells me as we sip our cold drinks “We can have nice stuff in the country too.” Mike told us to stop by the speakeasy he shares with a few buddies We park at what looks like an antiques store and walk through a secret door in a bookcase and end up in a large room with brick walls I see a gorgeous—and generously stocked—vintage wooden bar Mike and his friends call their time here their “prayer meeting,” but they’re not exactly reciting scripture Mike pours us vodka sodas and I listen to them trade local gossip: One farmer planted his cotton later than everyone else and ended up with the largest crop in the county I can’t share the location of this hideout but let’s just say that if I could create my ideal version of a true speakeasy Afterward, we meet Karl’s wife and kids for dinner at Greek Bros. Oyster Bar and Grill a dance hall and restaurant with live music and no Greek food I marvel at a forty-year bond that’s withstood career shifts All the unexpected detours life throws our way And now here we are in the Pearl of the Prairie sharing a meal and yapping about everything under the sun The next day, before I head home, we stop by Jackson Street Coffee and Market It’s in an abandoned dairy building and features the main cafe groups of women play bridge and chat about their grandkids who like most chefs is particular about how he likes things served raves about the amount of foam on his cappuccino This downtown extravaganza features about twenty local trucks selling food Children ages two to fifteen can throw out a line at the pond at Legacy Park during this city-run event each spring and prizes include ones for “biggest fish” and “youngest fisher.” Loaner poles and bait are provided but there’s a limit of five catfish per entrant so make sure your kids don’t fish too well Every spring at the Wharton County Fairgrounds and “Xtreme Bulls,” an event showcasing top professional bull riders and new contestants putting their skills to the test This year’s fair runs March 28 to April 5. This long-running event in Alamo Park celebrates the city’s heritage with live music and entertainment Dina Gachman is a Hutto-based writer and author whose work has appeared in The New York Times and Vanity Fair This article originally appeared in the March 2025 issue of Texas Monthly with the headline “The Best Way to See a Small Town.” Subscribe today. He would blame it on their lack of aspirations for pursuing education what I was scared to admit — was that I lacked the same aspirations Between the tall hills lies the Santa Maria Valley where endless acres of farmlands stretch out and campesinos work under the blazing sun their efforts contribute to the nourishment of the United States These are the people who have pushed me to the position that I hold today I grew up surrounded by farmworkers within my family and community I remember the boombox on top of the tractor playing “Alma Enamorada” by Chalino Sánchez As the sun continued its path through the sky the workers tried to keep each other’s spirits up with jokes This strenuous work has different effects on the body due to the intense labor there are many types of farmwork — from picking strawberries to laying water pipes — each have their own brutality to the body Family members would talk about how they would only last a couple years before their backs gave out or how much pain their bodies were constantly in I myself have started to recognize the toll that this work has taken on my body Even though their work continues to keep the United States afloat I knew a handful of workers who used marijuana as it was the only way to alleviate their pains even though other workers looked down on usage of the drug Many can’t even take advantage of benefits such as retirement funds or Social Security farmworkers face deep struggles despite being among the most essential workers in the United States they still show up to their company’s fields and tend the land with hope of pursuing a better life For many families who don’t want to see their children bear the weight of farmwork Parents urge their children to pursue education and obtain a more stable job parents put a lot of pressure on their children to perform well in school — pressure that leaves no room for falling behind While parents often blame their child’s lack of effort on laziness I remember having difficulties speaking English and connecting with course materials It was not until my junior year of high school that I found subjects I liked such as a newly implemented ethnic and social justice history course These courses were a sample of UC Berkeley’s ethnic studies program Despite finally having some interest in school these ethnic studies courses were not Advanced Placement courses which kept me behind other students who did take such classes This experience is not unique to me — many other students end up finishing general requirements and returning to the fields my father always criticized these people because of the frustration that comes from having a degree and still not being able to move ahead Aspirations that were thrown away when teachers believed I would not make it past the fields or saw my English as not good enough to succeed That is the brutal reality that I faced as a Latine living in a fieldworking town Driving to the outskirts of town to pick up tortillas I would look to my left and see miles upon miles of fields The endless rows of crops felt like a barrier Social mobility and education become as difficult as working on the farms themselves son.” Who was I to not at least try to give myself a better chance at a future Desde el campo a la clase — from the fields to the classroom — farmworkers represent a powerful force in the pursuit for a better future Even as the current administration intimidates farmworkers there are still organizations that make attempts to aid them and community members helping in any capacity that they can — because being successful in this country The fields have taught me more than just agriculture It has taught me the value of community and the importance of hard work As my parents continue to get up to work in the fields I have to continue to get up and obtain my education but to empower myself in ways my parents never had the chance to Alex writes the Friday column on being a first-generation Latino at UC Berkeley. Contact him at ahernandezavila@dailycal.org, the opinion desk at opinion@dailycal.org — or follow us on X Email notifications are only sent once a day We're an independent student-run newspaper and need your support to maintain our coverage Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Wharton County` — A strong line of storms moved through Southeast Texas Thursday bringing with it reports of tornadoes and plenty of video on social media showing them The first tornado was reported in Wharton County The sheriff's office posted about it Thursday afternoon It said there were sightings at Loop 183 and County Road 428 FM 960 and FM 961 and in the area of Highway 59 and the El Campo truck stop heading northeast toward Pierce PORT LAVACA — Calallen head coach Charlie Reeve admitted it was different seeing his brother standing on the other sideline But Charlie Reeve knew he and El Campo head coach Travis Reeve had the same goal in mind as they coached against each other for the first time it doesn’t matter who’s on the other side,” Charlie Reeve said It’s your brother and your nephew over there Calallen used a powerful running attack to claim a 35-14 Class 4A Division I bi-district win over the Ricebirds on Friday night at Sandcrab Stadium The Wildcats piled up 25 first downs and 347 yards on the ground Calallen advances to the area round against Somerset whose team was plagued by a slew of injuries while losing its final four games and finishing with a 6-5 record They ran the ball right at us and we had a hard time with it.” Starting quarterback Ridge Spenrath was the latest El Campo player sidelined by an injury Spenrath was replaced by sophomores Jackson Bystek and Colt Reeve “We just wanted them to run the offense,” Travis Reeve said “We weren’t going to win because of them and we weren’t going to lose because of them I thought those guys stepped in and did their job.” More: Cruz, Tsesmelis lead Alice football to victory in final game at Memorial Stadium The Ricebirds took a 7-0 lead on a 13-yard touchdown run by Camdyn Phillips But the Wildcats tied the score on a 43-yard touchdown run by quarterback Sebastian Dennis who rushed for 152 yards and three touchdowns “Our quarterback is one of our best players and he’s one of our playmakers,” Charlie Reeve said “Being a big game like this he was going to carry even more of a load you’re able to get another hat in the box and we needed as many blockers as we could get He’s been a great player for us all year.” Jude Hernandez rushed for 114 and two touchdowns as Calallen was able to put together four scoring drives of over 65 yards The Wildcats attempted only one pass and it was incomplete “Our offensive line is our weapon,” Charlie Reeve said “That’s kind of been a weapon for us those five guys up front That’s a really good defense against the run That was kind of an emphasis this week is we’ve got to be physical up front and we’ve got to stay on schedule and continue to move the chains.” El Campo was able to pull within 28-14 on a 2-yard touchdown run by Phillips early in the fourth quarter But any hopes of a comeback ended when Phillips was stopped for a 2-yard loss on a fourth-and-two attempt from the Calallen 46 with 5:33 left “It’s always difficult when you’ve got injuries,” Travis Reeve said They’re big and physical up front and we struggled to stop them.” Friday's Class 4A Division I bi-district playoff game between Calallen and El Campo will end in either joy or disappointment when Charlie and Travis Reeve open the playoffs on different sidelines at Port Lavaca's Sandcrab Stadium The matchup between the two brothers is believed to be the first time a Coastal Bend coach has had to face a sibling in a UIL playoff matchup "It makes for a great story and it's a tough because you know how much time and effort goes into the preparation," Charlie Reeve said "The reality is that somebody has to go home and that's always tough." More: A new era: Calallen welcomes new head football coach/athletic director Charlie Reeve More: Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend high school football playoff scores, schedule Charlie Reeve is in his first season as head coach of the Wildcats after being named the 18th in Calallen's 81-year history during the offseason who coached the Wildcats for two seasons after the departure of Texas' winningest coach Charlie's older brother Travis is in his second season leading the Ricebirds after coaching at New Caney for three seasons and Cuero for eight seasons before that "It will be a fun matchup with two really good teams with programs with a lot of history and success," Charlie Reeve said "It's unfortunate that these two teams have to meet in the first round and it's definitely unique that it's two brothers." The two brothers share a rich football tradition after playing at Victoria High and coaching together at New Caney and Cuero Charlie served as the offensive coordinator at New Caney for two seasons before coaching at Victoria East Reeve also has coaching stops at Katy Seven Lakes Travis led Cuero to the 2018 UIL Class 4A Division II state championship and played quarterback at Victoria High Charlie Reeve said the similarities between the brothers will benefit both teams because of the offenses both teams run "It's almost like playing Jedi mind tricks," Charlie Reeve said "They know what we do and we know what they do you just have to do what you do and execute It does add another element than an average game." Charlie said the conversations between him and his brother this week have been mainly about game details and normal conversations they usually have not involving football His concern now is making sure the Wildcats are focused coming off an open week Calallen enters Friday's matchup on a five-game winning streak and a District 16-4A Division I championship The Ricebirds have lost three consecutive games including a loss against La Vernia last week which set up the contest between the brothers "Our goal going into the year was playing our best football in November and we have continued to get better throughout the year," Charlie Reeve said "We were still trying to figure out who we were and mold our schemes early on but I think we have been playing our best football as of late and that's always a plus but I'm excited and I'm proud of players and coaches Mayor: Run-off between Mouton and West.Councilmember At-Large: Turner and Williams Ward 1: CrenshawWard 2: HilliardWard:3 Sherwood Tx — The Hamshire-Fannett Lady Longhorns battled the El Campo Ricebirds in the 4A-DI Regional Semifinals The Lady Horns were tied at 0-0 at the half but ultimately fell 4-0.