🌱 Will you roll up your sleeve at Bastrop’s holiday blood drive?

Morning Bastrop! We've got the scoop on the latest happenings in town. Read on to get looped in. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

• Will you roll up your sleeve at Bastrop’s holiday blood drive?
• Why a Bastrop resident is now charged in a downtown Austin killing
• How did Schulenburg pull off its early-season win over Bastrop?

Today's riddle: What did one tuna say to the other after getting caught stealing files from work? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Mostly sunny and pleasant, with a high of 70 and low of 47 degrees.
• Friday: Warm with clouds and sun, temps: high: 74, low: 54.
• Saturday: Partly sunny, a shower; warm, with a high of 78 and low of 57 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• 'We Are Blood' holiday blood drive event in Bastrop (fox7austin.com) — Bastrop residents are invited to a community blood drive on Dec. 17 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bastrop Convention Center, supporting Central Texas patients. We Are Blood, city leaders, and Bastrop County District Judge Chris Duggan are teaming up to stabilize the holiday blood supply, and donors will receive a T-shirt for participating.
   

• Bastrop woman arrested, charged in downtown Austin bus stop shooting (statesman.com) — A Bastrop resident has been arrested in connection with a deadly shooting at a downtown Austin bus stop last month. Austin police say 34-year-old Kimberly Sotelo was taken into custody in Spring, Texas, on a murder charge and is awaiting extradition to Travis County. The victim, 52-year-old Gared Goff, died at the scene despite life-saving efforts.
   

• Schulenburg boy's hoops starts season near .500 mark (bannerpresspaper.com) — Schulenburg High School’s boys basketball team has opened the 2025–26 season around the .500 mark, including a win over Bastrop. With several seniors and longtime coach Rich Hoogendoorn, the Shorthorns are expected to be one of the stronger teams in the region as they continue non-district play.
   

📸 Around Bastrop

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Bastrop

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

Saturday December 13

• Library Program: Annual Library Open House
  Bastrop Public Library , 1100 Church Street , Bastrop
• Learn to Fish with an Angler Specialist
  Buescher State Park BuescherStatePark Map&Directions
  9:00 am
• Trail Mix: Edible Plants Guided Hike
  Buescher State Park BuescherStatePark Map&Directions
  10:00 am
• Lost Pines Christmas Lighted Christmas Parade - Downtown Bastrop, Tx
  Bastrop State Park BastropStatePark Map&Directions
  6:00 pm

Tuesday December 16

• Community Organization: Our Voices
  Bastrop Public Library , 1100 Church Street , Bastrop
  7:00 pm

Wednesday December 17

• Library Program: Coffee & Friends: Sampling Your Locale
  Bastrop Public Library , 1100 Church Street , Bastrop
  3:00 pm

Saturday December 20

• Learn to Fish with an Angler Specialist
  Buescher State Park BuescherStatePark Map&Directions
  9:00 am
• Happy Holly-Days!
  Buescher State Park BuescherStatePark Map&Directions
  10:00 am

📣 Bastrop Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 11

• Open Mic Night
  Mutt’s Last Stand , 205 N 3rd St , Smithville
  7:00 pm

Friday December 12

• Brenham Girls Varsity Basketball @ Bastrop
  Bastrop High School , 1614 Chambers St , Bastrop
  8:00 pm

Saturday December 13

• Library Program: Annual Library Open House
  Bastrop Public Library , 1100 Church Street , Bastrop
• Learn to Fish with an Angler Specialist
  Buescher State Park BuescherStatePark Map&Directions
  9:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• SPECTACULAR METEORITE OVER TEXAS
  Tonight (Tuesday) as I was driving north on 95 near the ball fields, I saw a thin light in the northern sky, streaking toward the northwest. The… (Nextdoor Lake Bastrop)
• Ready to save water and money?
  Join us for Rainwater Harvesting 101 on December 16 from 6–8 PM at the Lee County AgriLife Extension Office, 310 S Grimes St., Giddings! Learn how… (Nextdoor )

• H-E-B posted a job opening for Bastrop True TX BBQ - Order Taker/Runner - Part-Time in Bastrop. Apply here.
• Whataburger posted a job opening for Team Member in Bastrop. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Bastrop here.

🗞 Nearby News

Elgin

• Where To Buy Real Christmas Trees In Austin- 2025 Guide (austinot.com)
• Review: Ellen Rodnianski's 'American Baby' (vaguevisages.com)

Giddings

• Bluebonnet Trails Community Services announces transition of primary care services in La Grange, Giddings (coloradocountycitizen.com)
• Bernell Ruth Koslan (lexingtonleader.com)
• Basketball Recap: Groesbeck Piles Up the Points Against Hearne (maxpreps.com)

Austin

Ok Bastrop! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I could get canned for this!
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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