CRYSTAL BEACH

Ike made landfall over Galveston Island as a Category 2 Hurricane at 2:10 a.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2008. The storm devastated the regions, killing dozens and causing billions in damage. The Houston-area locals that lived through shared what they remember most about Ike.

With estimated maximum sustained winds of nearly 110 mph, Ike made landfall over Galveston Island as a Category 2 Hurricane at 2:10 a.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2008. The storm killed dozens of people and caused $29.5 billion in damages, becoming one of the most devastating hurricanes in U.S. history.

The annual ‘Go Topless Jeep Weekend’ has returned this weekend to Galveston County’s Bolivar Peninsula.

We put the question Whats your favorite Houston-area beach to go to? to Houston-area residents and what we got back were dozens of responses, ranging from tried-and-true local favorites to well, more distant locales. Here are some of the beaches Houston-area residents said they love going to. Jamaica BeachJamaica beach for sure! Id drive out to Destin or SPI. - RuthLess Fuentes----Beachgoers, what area beaches do you like to go to? What would you add to this list?

GALVESTON, Texas A voluntary evacuation order was issued Tuesday for residents of Bolivar Peninsula, including unincorporated areas of Port Bolivar, Crystal Beach, High Island and Gilchrist. Galveston County officials are expected to give an update on the order during an 11:30 a.m. news conference. After issuing a voluntary order Monday, the city of Galveston upgraded the order to mandatory on Tuesday. All residents were asked to secure loose items on their property and leave the island. You can read more about this and other evacuation orders here.

Two children were flown to the Texas Medical Center following an accident on Bolivar Peninsula Saturday afternoon. Others, adults involved in the crash, were transported by ambulance to an area hospital, according to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office. The crash was reported around 12:30 p.m. Saturday on Highway 87, near Crystal Beach on Bolivar Peninsula. Deputies said three vehicles were involved in the crash. The cause of the accident is not yet known, according to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office.

A 17-year-old boy drowned at Crystal Beach while visiting with his grandmother, according to Galveston County Sheriff’s OfficeOfficials said the grandmother turned around to get something out of the car and when she turned back around the boy was missing. She said she looked for him for about 45 minutes before she called the sheriff’s office. The teen’s body was found 10 miles away, officials said. Officials said it is not clear how the boy drowned, but there wasn’t much beach area due to the storm. The waves were coming pretty far up on the beach and could be strong enough to knock you down, officials said.

Official: Two people shot at Go Topless Weekend in TexasHere's what the Beaumont Enterprise' cameras caught during Day 1 on Saturday. Photo: Fran Ruchalski/The Enterprise Photo: Fran Ruchalski/The Enterprise Image 1 of / 51 Caption Close Official: Two people shot at Go Topless Weekend in Texas 1 / 51 Back to GalleryGALVESTON, Texas (AP) Two men were shot when a man fired into a group of people during a Texas event, a police official said. The shooting happened Saturday during Jeep Weekend on Crystal Beach in Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said. BEACH PARTY: Crowds descend on Crystal Beach for Go Topless Jeep WeekendA group of men started fighting and it transferred over to females fighting, Trochesset said. Crystal Beach residents started an online petition to end Jeep Weekend after 113 people were arrested last year.

GALVESTON, Texas Two men were shot when a man fired into a group of people during a Texas event, a police official said. The shooting happened Saturday during Jeep Weekend on Crystal Beach in Bolivar Peninsula, Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset said. It is an annual event for Jeep enthusiasts. A group of men started fighting and it transferred over to females fighting, Trochesset said. Crystal Beach residents started an online petition to end Jeep Weekend after 113 people were arrested last year.

Published: May 17, 2020, 11:07 am Updated: May 17, 2020, 11:35 amCrowds descended on Crystal Beach during Go Topless Jeep Weekend, an annual event which began as a small, unorganized gathering for Jeep enthusiasts and has now become a huge event drawing hundreds to Bolivar Peninsula each year. Law enforcement usually increases its presence to handle the influx of people to the area. On Friday alone, 48 people were arrested on the Bolivar Peninsula. On Saturday night, two people were shot when a fight escalated. Last year, Jeep Weekend concluded with more than 600 calls for service and 305 people booked into the Galveston County Jail, with 120 of those arrests coming from the Bolivar Peninsula alone, according to the Galveston County Sheriffs Office.

LITTLE ROCK, AR – The body of a Little Rock boy who drowned in Crystal Beach over the weekend is now home in Arkansas. Two days after his tenth birthday, he and his family traveled to Crystal Beach on the Texas Coast. It was not only a celebration of Micah’s birthday but also the end of chemo for his dad, Will, who has battled cancer. While Micah's family is mourning, they are also grateful for the many people who have stepped up. The GoFundMe fundraiser on behalf of Micah’s family in Texas can be found here and the fundraiser based in Arkansas can be found here.

Body found near Crystal Beach matching description of missing boyPhoto: Bolivar Peninsula Texas Photo: Bolivar Peninsula Texas Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Body found near Crystal Beach matching description of missing boy 1 / 1 Back to GalleryA body was found Saturday afternoon in the water in Galveston County that matched the description of a missing 10-year-old boy. The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston was notified about 3:10 p.m. by the Galveston County Sheriff's Office that a body matching the description of the boy was recovered, according to Petty Officer 2nd Class Johanna Strickland. The Coast Guard was notified at 11:55 a.m. that a boy went missing while swimming off Crystal Beach on Bolivar Peninsula. The sector launched an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew and two small boats to assist the sheriffs department in the search, Strickland said. This is a developing story.

HOUSTON – The body of a child that was found at Crystal Beach during a search for a 10-year-old boy who went missing while swimming has been confirmed as that of the 10-year-old Micah Batson, officials said. The body of the boy was recovered about a fifth of a mile from where the 10-year-old boy was said to have disappeared, according to Galveston County Sheriff Henry Trochesset. Officials said they received a call from a woman Saturday, who said her husband and child were missing in Crystal Beach on the Bolivar Peninsula. Officials confirmed the father was found alive Saturday.

HOUSTON – Recent thunderstorms plus weeks of quarantine has pushed many to head to the Bolivar Peninsula for Beach Day this weekend. Beaches on the Bolivar Peninsula are among the few open. There are 27 miles of beach on the Bolivar Peninsula from Port Bolivar to High Island. Starting Monday, the public beaches will open from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. for exercise and non-stationary activities only. The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office deployed extra patrols to manage crowds, which had been mostly family gatherings, Sheriff Henry Trochesset told The Daily News.

'Go Topless' weekend, lavish fundraisers among 2019's best social scenes in Southeast TexasPeople pose with their Jeeps during the annual Go Topless Jeep weekend in Crystal Beach on Friday. Ryan Welch/The Enterprise People pose with their Jeeps during the annual Go Topless Jeep weekend in Crystal Beach on Friday. Ryan Welch/The Enterprise Photo: Ryan Welch/The Enterprise Photo: Ryan Welch/The Enterprise Image 1 of / 124 Caption Close 'Go Topless' weekend, lavish fundraisers among 2019's best social scenes in Southeast Texas 1 / 124 Back to GalleryThe year is almost over, and it's been a memorable one for Southeast Texas. From Galveston to Beaumont, see some of the best social scenes Southeast Texas had to offer this year in the gallery above. One of the most memorable events of the year (and not for all the right reasons) was Galveston's "Go Topless" weekend.

Google MapsGALVESTON COUNTY, Texas - State Highway 87 is under repair from Rollover Pass to north of State Highway 124 on High Island. We wanted to address their concerns of high water impacting SH 87 near SH 124," Danny Perez, with the Texas Department of Transportation, said. They are also realigning the southern curve of State Highway 124 and reconfiguring the northern curve at SH 124 for two-way traffic. Google Maps"For people along the coast, they are accustomed to monitoring high tide because it happens every day, twice a day," KPRC 2 meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "It was a safety issue, and we believe it will help during times of high tide and allow for safe passage during weather events, Perez said.

'It was almost like losing her again': Lost ring with beloved dog's ashes is returned 2 months laterThis custom made ring containing the ashes of Kat Lindell's beloved Labrador, Shelby, was lost in the water off Crystal Beach on Mother's Day. This custom made ring containing the ashes of Kat Lindell's beloved Labrador, Shelby, was lost in the water off Crystal Beach on Mother's Day. Photo: Kat Lindell Photo: Kat Lindell Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close 'It was almost like losing her again': Lost ring with beloved dog's ashes is returned 2 months later 1 / 12 Back to GalleryShelby Ann Lindell was the child Ken and Kat Lindell never had. As she pulled it down, the ring carrying Shelby's ashes slipped off into the water. They never posted a reward for the lost ring.