News Flash

City seeks input to improve services for residents who bike or walk

PHOTO: A pedestrian crossing signal at Azalea Street and Houston Highway.

The City of Victoria is seeking residents’ input on a new master plan that will help the City make improvements to its transportation system to better accommodate people wa...

City seeks input on boating facilities for grant application

PHOTO: The boating exit area in Riverside Park is located behind The Pumphouse. The City of Victoria Parks & Recreation is seeking a Texas Parks & Wildlife grant to improve boating facilities in the park.

Residents are invited to share their input ...

Victoria Housing Authority hires new executive director

The board of the Victoria Housing Authority has hired Tammy Emerson as its next executive director.

Emerson brings 19 years of professional experience in city and county public housing agencies of various sizes.

In her new role, she will promote the Victori...

Victoria Parks & Recreation to host Toddlers Dance Party

PHOTO #1: Ziggy’s Fun Zone will provide face painting and balloon animals at the Toddlers Dance Party hosted by Parks & Recreation on April 1 at Ethel Lee Tracy Park.

PHOTO #2: Foamed Up will provide music and foam at the Toddlers Dance Party...

City to host American Junior Golf Association tournament

PHOTO: A young golfer watches his shot at Riverside Golf Course in 2017.

Nearly 100 young golfers from around the world will come to Victoria to test their skills when the City of Victoria hosts the Victoria Texas Preview, an American Junior Golf Associati...

City of Victoria recognized for effective budget presentation, transparency

PHOTO: The City of Victoria Finance office was recognized at a March 7 City Council meeting for receiving the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for fiscal year 2022. Shown from left are City Manager Jesús A. Garza, Assistant Finance Direc...

Victoria Public Library promotes new director

The new director of the Victoria Public Library is looking forward to helping write the next chapter of an institution she’s been helping to grow in one way or another for the last 22 years.

Jessica Berger has been promoted to Victoria Public Lib...

Main Street Animal Hospital earns City beautification award

Keep Victoria Beautiful board members and Main Street Animal Hospital veterinarian Dr. Travis Schaar pose for a photo March 7 at Main Street Animal Hospital, 2306 N. Main St. Main Street Animal Hospital received KVB’s beautification award for th...

City of Victoria invites local nonprofits to apply for funding

PHOTO: Application forms for the 2023-2024 Community Development Block Grant Public Service Agency and Public Facility grants will be available starting March 31 at the Development Services Planning office and online at www.victoriatx.gov/cdbg

Local nonpro...

Victoria Police Department to host secure document disposal event

PHOTO #1: From left, Victoria Police Department Deputy Chief Chuck Young and Prosperity Bank Chairman John Zacek help unload documents from a resident’s vehicle during the Shred-it secure document disposal event April 23, 2022, at Prosperity Ban...

City launches new app for residents to request service

PHOTO: The new Victoria TX 311 app allows residents to add a location to a service request and keep track of updates.

Victoria residents can now request service from the City and track the status of requests using the City’s new app, Victoria TX ...

Victoria Police Department launches new tool for collecting feedback

The Victoria Police Department is launching a new survey tool that will allow residents to provide the department with feedback after receiving emergency assistance.

The new survey software, AXON My90, is integrated with the department’s computer...

Mayor’s Youth Council collects donations for Food Bank of the Golden Crescent

Members of the Mayor’s Youth Council delivered a donation of nonperishable food items to the Food Bank of the Golden Crescent, 801 S. Laurent St., on Feb. 28 after conducting food drives at their schools. The students collected 45 pounds of food...

2023 TAAF Winter Games draws 1,800 athletes to Victoria

Texas Blaze Coastal, of Victoria, won first place in the 12U division during the 2023 Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Winter Games softball tournament hosted Feb. 25-26 at the Victoria Youth Sports Complex during the second weekend of the TAAF Winter Ga...

Keep Victoria Beautiful and partners host Queen City cleanup, resource fair

Community members gather in Queen City Park on March 4 before the Queen City neighborhood cleanup hosted by Keep Victoria Beautiful. About 200 volunteers helped residents move brush and bulky trash to their curbs during the cleanup. The City of Victoria E...

Assistant City Manager Mike Etienne earns Credentialed Manager designation

Victoria Assistant City Manager Mike Etienne recently earned his Credentialed Manager designation from the International City/County Management Association. He is one of about 1,400 local government management professionals worldwide who are curr...

City of Victoria Environmental Services promotes new assistant director

The new assistant director of the City of Victoria Environmental Services is no stranger to combining waste disposal management and financial considerations with community and employee engagement.

Christy Youker was recently promoted from community appeara...

Residents graduate from 2023 Citizens Academy, earn recognition

PHOTO: 2023 Citizens Academy graduates who have also completed the Civilian Police Academy and the Civilian Responder Program received the Distinguished Citizen Award during the 2023 Citizens Academy graduation ceremony Feb. 23 at the Victoria College Eme...

City seeks property donations for infill housing program

The City of Victoria will forgive outstanding code enforcement fines for property owners who donate their abandoned properties to a new program that encourages private builders to turn eyesore vacant lots into modestly priced homes.

The City is partnering ...

Longhorn Steakhouse coming to Victoria

Longhorn Steakhouse is planning to open a new location in Victoria near Red Lobster. 

Construction is expected to begin in April.

The new steakhouse was selected by Hull Property Group, the developer that owns the Victoria Mall an...

Victoria Public Library receives statewide excellence award

PHOTO #1: From left, Victoria Public Library assistants Rebecca Sevier, Alexandria Torres and Daisy Garcia—also known as Ms. Rebecca, Ms. Alex and Ms. Daisy—set up lighting and video equipment in 2021 to film the library’s virtual storytime livestream, St...

Texas Zoo Welcomes New Executive Director William Baker

Press release from The Texas Zoo

VICTORIA, TEXAS – The Texas Zoo Board of Directors has chosen William K. Baker Jr. as their new executive director.

Baker brings 23 years of zoological management experience and 30 years of experience within the fi...

City employees get moving, raise funds with Crossroads Heart & Stroke Walk

Thirty-seven City of Victoria employees signed up to participate in the Crossroads Heart & Stroke Walk, of which the City was a co-sponsor, Feb. 4 at the University of Houston-Victoria/Victoria College campus. The walkers raised $775 for medical resea...

Action agenda update shows progress on 2035 Comprehensive Plan goals

PHOTO #1: The City hosted a ribbon cutting Oct. 25, 2022, for Enchanted Gardens, 4601 N. Ben Jordan St.

PHOTO #2: The City hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking Dec. 7, 2022, for the new Riverside Park dog park. Shown, from left, are  Councilman Duan...

Victoria Fire Department honored for medical response during event

PHOTO: The Victoria Fire Department was recognized by the Department of Public Safety’s Chief Executive Protection Bureau for its response to two medical emergencies during an Oct. 27 campaign visit from Governor Greg Abbott. Shown from left, wi...

City creates review process for housing developers seeking formal support

As part of the City of Victoria’s efforts to expand budget-friendly housing options, developers who plan to apply for the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ competitive Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program may request ...

Planning administrator earns nationwide planning certification

City of Victoria Metropolitan Planning Organization Administrator Maggie Bergeron recently earned her American Institute of Certified Planners certification. To earn this nationally recognized certification, a candidate must have a relevant combination of...

Municipal Court to host outreach dockets to help residents resolve cases

PHOTO: The City of Victoria Municipal Court has been hosting outreach dockets at local nonprofits for the past year. Shown at a May 2022 docket at Mid-Coast Family Services, from left, are Municipal Court Administrator Tiffany Totah, Assistant City Attorn...

City offers help with down payments, closing costs

As part of the City’s efforts to expand access to housing, Development Services is offering assistance with down payments and closing costs for qualifying first-time homebuyers.

The assistance is funded through the federal Community Development B...

Victoria Police Department’s K9 Hummer has received donation of body armor

Press release from Vested Interest in K9s

Victoria Police Department’s K9 Hummer has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.  K9 Hummer’s vest was embroid...

City hosts visiting athletes for 1st weekend of 2023 TAAF Winter Games

The Corpus Christi Rimz won first place in the wheelchair basketball tournament hosted Jan. 14-15 at Victoria East High School as part of the first weekend of the 2023 TAAF Winter Games of Texas. About 1,000 amateur athletes from across Texas and around t...

Civilian Police Academy now accepting applications

PHOTO #1: Senior Police Officer Lee Peters gives a demonstration of a traffic stop during the 2022 Civilian Police Academy.

The Victoria Police Department Community Engagement Unit is now accepting applications for the Civilian Police Academy. 

Wha...

City of Victoria’s police and fire departments to host Lunch and Learn

PHOTO: Victoria Police Department Officer John Turner speaks during a Lunch and Learn event in 2022 at the Victoria Community Center.

The City of Victoria’s police and fire departments will host a monthly “Lunch and Learn” eve...

Victoria Fire Department’s first civilian cadets train to earn certifications

PHOTO #1: The Victoria Fire Department’s new civilian cadets pose for a photo on their first day of training with the Victoria Fire Department’s in-house Fire Academy on Jan. 9 at the Victoria Fire Training Facility.

PHOTO #2: Fire Trai...

Juvenile case manager provides support, accountability for young defendants

PHOTO #1: Juveniles who are completing community service through the City of Victoria Municipal Court have the option of attending a class taught by Mid-Coast Family Services’ Youth Prevention Department once per month. The classes count toward ...

Victoria Police Department Deputy Chief Mark Jameson named interim chief

Deputy Chief Mark Jameson will serve as the interim police chief for the Victoria Police Department while the City seeks a permanent replacement for Chief Roberto Arredondo.

The City announced in November that Arredondo was leaving the City to begin a new ...

Juvenile case manager completes higher education

City of Victoria Municipal Court Juvenile Case Manager Elizabeth Montes recently earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Houston-Victoria. Students who graduate from this program have a profound psychological understand...

City and partners break ground on dog park within Riverside Park

PHOTO #1: From left, Councilman Duane Crocker, City Manager Jesús A. Garza, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Laurie Eder, Councilman Rafael DeLaGarza, Councilman Mark Loffgren, Victoria Sales Tax Development Corporation President Russell Dem...

City lifts Stage III drought restrictions, returns to Stage II

The City of Victoria is lifting some of its drought restrictions, but residents must continue to conserve water by limiting some types of nonessential water usage to the cooler times of day.

The City had entered Stage III of its drought contingency plan in...

City to break ground on Riverside Park dog park

PHOTO #1: The new dog park within Riverside Park will include exercise equipment, a walking trail and separate fenced areas for large and small dogs.

PHOTO #2: This map shows the location where the new dog park will be built in Riverside Park.

PHOTO #3: Dis...

City of Victoria hires Convention & Visitors Bureau assistant director

The new assistant director of the City of Victoria Convention & Visitors Bureau knows firsthand that residents often aren’t aware of the interesting attractions right in their backyards.

As the former executive director of the Children&rs...

Victoria’s police chief to begin new role in Carrollton

Roberto Arredondo Jr., Victoria’s police chief, will be leaving the City of Victoria to begin a new job as police chief for the City of Carrollton.   

Arredondo joined the City of Victoria Police Department Nov. 30, 2020, and hi...

City Council to consider dog park construction contract

The City Council will consider whether to approve a construction contract for the new dog park in Riverside Park at its Nov. 15 meeting.

If the contract with By Grace Floors & Construction is approved, construction will begin within a month. The projec...

City partners with Bad News Chairs to expand adaptive sports opportunities

PHOTO #1: From left, Bad News Chairs founder Danny Camacho and Parks & Recreation coordinator Alex Aguero pose for a photo with the footballs and hula hoops that were used for an adaptive Punt Pass Kick competition Oct. 22 outside the Challenged Athle...

City’s Main Street Program offers downtown building improvements grant

PHOTO #1: The interior of 213 S. Main St. is being remodeled in preparation for reopening as 5D Tavern.

PHOTO #2: The interior of 117 S. Main St., which was once a general store, is being converted into an apartment building.

Qualified occupants of downtown...

City Council to consider design contract for public safety headquarters

PHOTO: An undeveloped tract at Main Street and Airline Road was chosen as the site of the new public safety headquarters based on its central location, citywide growth projections and compatibility of nearby development.

The City Council will consider whet...

City remains in Stage III of drought contingency plan

PHOTO: The Guadalupe River is in a state of low flow due to a long period of low rainfall upstream.

The City of Victoria is reminding residents to conserve water while Victoria is in Stage III of its drought contingency plan.

At the Oct. 3 City Council Meet...

City breaks ground on duck pond

PHOTO #1: This conceptual rendering shows the new design for the Riverside Park duck pond.

PHOTO #2: The City of Victoria hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Riverside Park duck pond construction Sept. 12. Shown from left are City Manager Jes&ua...

Developer announces new apartment complex for seniors

PHOTO #1: This illustration provided by FishPond Development LLC shows a future FishPond apartment complex in Alice, Texas. FishPond is planning to build a similar three-story complex in Victoria.

PHOTO #2: This map shows the future location of FishPond at...