SDN: February 10, 2026

February 10, 2026

‘Let the good times roll’

Seguin Education Foundation invites community to 2026 Mardi Gras fundraiser

Cindy Aguirre-Herrera

(Seguin) -- Beads, barbecue and bigticket prizes are back this week as the Seguin Education Foundation hosts its annual Mardi Gras celebration.

Tickets for the 2025 Mardi Gras Celebration are still available. The event will be held this Thursday from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Seguin Coliseum. Tickets are $50 each.

Jill Nash, executive director of the Seguin Education Foundation, says the event plays a critical role in helping educators bring creative ideas to life that traditional budgets simply can’t cover.

“Mardi Gras gives us an opportunity to give back in the form of a grant to our campus, the departments and our students so what that looks like is our teachers have many many innovative ideas that don’t happen to fall within the budget and so we are able to fund those absolutely amazing ideas such as Dinosaur George that we brought to the district. We’ve also built bicycles for Ball (Early Childhood Center) for our little Matadors,” said Nash.

Steve Parker, SEF board member, says this year’s celebration will once again feature plenty of fun and additional ways to give back.

Fundraiser, pg. 3

Vehicle pursuit ends safely after multi-agency response

Cindy Aguirre-Herrera

(Seguin) -- A nine-minute, multi-agency vehicle pursuit Monday morning drew a noticeable law enforcement presence along Interstate 10 and State Highway 90 before ending safely near the Guadalupe River.

Patrol units from Guadalupe County, DPS, Bexar County and the Seguin Police Department reportedly attracted a lot of attention as authorities worked to stop a fleeing vehicle that had entered Guadalupe County.

According to Lt. Zachary McBride of the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, the pursuit began around 10:36 a.m. when the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance as they tracked a suspect vehicle traveling eastbound on Interstate 10 near Mile Marker 593. Response, pg. 3

NB woman heads to prison for caging, starving children

(New Braunfels) -- A Comal County jury has convicted a New Braunfels woman, on four counts of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury after evidence showed she starved and confined two of her adopted children for years.

Jurors on Jan. 28th returned the guilty verdict for 53-year-old Susan Rae Helton, following a two-week trial. The first-degree felony charges carry a punishment range of five to 99 years. The jury assessed 20 years on each count. Judge Stephanie Bascon ordered the sentences for each child to run consecutively, totaling 40 years in prison. Helton must serve at least half before becoming eligible for parole.

The case began with a Child Protective Services referral reporting suspected abuse and neglect. Investigators found the two teens

severely underweight — a 14-year-old weighing 48 pounds and a 13-year-old weighing 50 pounds.

Forensic interviews revealed the children were routinely denied food,

beaten with a belt if caught taking food and confined inside makeshift cages built with baby gates. One child slept inside the enclosure for extended periods. Other children in the home confirmed the punishments.

During an unannounced home visit, CPS found the gate structures still in place. Helton admitted confining the children, claiming it prevented them from “stealing” food.

Medical records showed the children had gained only about six pounds over five years and grew less than three inches. After being removed from the home, both gained more than eight pounds within a month and were diagnosed with severe malnutrition and failure to thrive. Doctors testified the cause was simply lack of food.

Woman, pg. 3

Fundraiser, continued.

“We do have Burnt Bean Barbecue. That’s a big selling point and it really boosted our ticket sales last year and we went with it again and then throughout the course of the night, there will be music. There will be different varieties of games, some great live and silent auction items. We are always reaching out to the community and asking if they have live and selection auction items and if they would like to be a part of that because that’s an easy way to donate $30-$40 and turn that into $100-$120 by having a live auction or a silent auction item and so we have that throughout the night,” said Parker.

One of the most popular events of the evening will again be the limited “Golden Ticket” raffle which gives participants the chance to win a trip of their choice.

SEF Board Member, Bryan Sphan says he encourages supporters not to wait to purchase their tickets.

“You get to choose from four trips. One of them is a Tuscany, Italy trip with six nights and a private apartment. You get a cooking demo and wine tasting – a Kentucky Bourbon experience, three nights,

Response, continued.

The vehicle, described as an orange Hyundai, continued east on I-10 before deputies deployed spike strips. He says the strips successfully slowed the vehicle, which then exited onto State Highway 90 toward Seguin

Woman, continued.

distillery tours, private transportation and a (Jeff) Ruby Steakhouse dinner. You can also go to Costa Rica for five nights so there are only 100 tickets available so don’t wait. Go online now. Go buy them. We are hoping we sell out before we even get there,” said Spahn. Also, on the available list of trips to choose from is a three-night Nashville Opry getaway which includes hotel plus tickets to Grand Ole Opry.

Tickets and sponsorships can be purchased through the Seguin Education Foundation website or via its Facebook page.

and came to a stop near the Guadalupe River bridge.

Authorities reported the driver then fled on foot and entered the river. Law enforcement agencies coordinated ground units with aerial support and safely detained the suspect at approximately 10:44 a.m.

Both victims testified in court about the abuse. One described spending most days inside the gates for eating, sleeping and schoolwork. The other told jurors he lived in constant hunger and feared punishment.

Helton testified in her own defense but later admitted she confined the children for convenience and knew withholding food could cause serious harm.

Prosecutors praised the victims’ courage and the jury’s decision. Assistant District Attorney Lauren Cole said the children were “not victims, but survivors.”

The case was investigated by the New Braunfels Police Department and CPS and prosecuted by the Comal County District Attorney’s Office.

Officials say no injuries were reported during the incident, and traffic disruptions were minimal.

McBride advises that any information regarding the driver’s identity, the reason for the pursuit or potential charges should be directed to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.

TLU Breaks DMR Record for Second Straight Year at FasTrak Collegiate Classic

HOUSTON, Texas — After their initial season-opening meet was canceled due to the winter storms last month, the Bulldogs finally made their trip to the Yeoman Fieldhouse at the University of Houston for the FasTrak Athletix Collegiate Classic on Saturday.

A year almost to the day after breaking the 4000m distance medley relay record that stood for 22 years, the Texas Lutheran distance team comprised of Mackenzie Combs (New Braunfels/ Canyon), Zoe Gregg (Austin/Akins), Audrey Malbrough (Selma/Veterans Memorial), and Aliyah Fonseca (Harlingen/Harlingen) shattered the previous record (13:49.04) by 34 seconds with a time of 13:15.61 to finish fourth overall and second amongst Division-III teams. Combs, Malbrough, and Fonseca were on last year’s relay team that broke the previous record. The time is a top 50 time in the country, ranking 41st nationally.

Bowman (Killeen/ Shoemaker), and Katie Kostelnik (Hallettsville/

Sacred Heart Catholic) finished second behind Texas A&M-Kingsville at 4:05.39, shaving seven seconds off their time from last week.

Garcia also finished seventh in the triple jump, second amongst Division-III jumpers, with a mark of 10.32m (33′ 10.25 ).In throws, Emagen Styra (Nordheim/Nordheim) finished third amongst Division-III throwers in the weight throw with a mark of 12.63m (41′ 5.25 ). She also finished third amongst DIII throwers in the shot put with a mark of 10.69m (35′ 1 ).

Full Results: https://tf.tfrrs.org/ results/93555/f/FasTrak_Collegiate_Indoor_Clas Texas Lutheran travels to Lubbock for the Jarvis Scott Open hosted by Texas Tech on Feb. 1314. The meet will be streamed on ESPN+. For all updates on Texas Lutheran Track and Field, follow @tluthrows and @tluxctf on Instagram as well as as all official TLU Athletics accounts. All schedule updates can be found on tlubulldogs.com.

Crisis Services is a 24/7 walk-in clinic for children and teens experiencing a psychiatric emergency.

Outpatient services offer diverse treatment interventions, such as individual, family, and group therapy.

Southside High School is home to a new Clarity location, allowing all students enrolled in a Southside ISD school access to mental healthcare.

Inpatient hospitalization stabilizes kids in crisis who need immediate care and continuous supervision.

First Step is a one-time consultation for families that know their child is struggling but aren't sure what help they need or where to get it.

Multisystemic therapy is a community-based program, focused on empowering caregivers by providing skills to keep kids in their homes.

Partial hospitalization provides intensive mental healthcare during the day and then works with families to practice skills in the evening. The Next Step Center connects families to services that support their child’s continued path to mental wellness.

Claritycon is an annual conference on children’s mental health. Attendees work in education, social work, nursing, psychiatry, psychology, etc.

VITAL STATISTICS

Trinidad

Eugenio “Gene” Trinidad, Jr., age 69 of Seguin, passed away on February 2, 2026. Eugenio was born on April 25, 1956, to Maria (Escovedo) and Eugenio Trinidad, Sr.

Gene is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Jose Escovedo Rodriguez, two half-sisters and one-half brother.

Survivors include his loving sisters, Mary Gomez, Margarita Figueroa and husband Felix, Fidelia Trinidad Sanchez and husband Juventino, and Teresa Moreno and

husband Abel; half-brother, Abelardo Trinidad and wife Celia; numerous nieces, nephews, other loving family members and friends.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 7, 2026, from 2 to 4 pm. with a prayer service beginning at 3 p.m. A procession will depart Tres Hewell Mortuary on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. for graveside services and interment at 2 p.m. at the Elm Creek Community Cemetery in Seguin.

Serving as pallbearers will be Manuel Galvan, José Galvan, Michael Gomez, Samuel Gomez, Jr., Trinidad Galvan, Alicia Sanchez, Samantha Gomez, and Henry Morales.

You are invited to sign the guest book at www.treshewell.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Tres Hewell Mortuary, 165 Tor Dr., Seguin, Texas, 78155, 830-549-5912.

COVID Period Hurt Short Term Chances Of Cancer Survival

(Chicago, IL) -- A new study shows COVID pandemic disruptions to cancer related treatment and diagnosis hurt people’s short term cancer survival chances early in the pandemic. Researchers at the medical journal JAMA Oncology discovered those who were diagnosed with cancer in 2020 and 2021 had a lower chance of short term survival than those diagnosed in the years just prior to the pandemic. Many postponed cancer screenings and scans during the early stages of the pandemic. The researchers looked at one-year survival rates.

Wegovy Weight Loss Pill Sales Are Strong

{Bagsværd, Denmark) -- Novo Nordisk says there’s really high demand for its Wegovy Weight loss pill after it launched last month in the U.S. The company says 50 thousand prescriptions are being filled weekly and about 90 percent of them are being paid for out of pocket. The Wegovy pill costs 149 a month when paying out of pocket, much lower than the 349 a month for the injectable version. Eli Lilly has a weight loss pill that’s expected to be approved soon.

Kennedy’s FDA Softens Food Additive Regulations

(Washington, DC) -- The FDA is now “practicing enforcement discretion” for federal regulations targeting artificial food dyes. Under the FDA’s definition, any color additives, whether they’re derived from artificial or natural sources, are labeled as “artificial color” even if the color additives were derived from a “vegetable, animal, mineral, or other source.” FDA leadership published a letter on Thursday announcing the agency would be practicing enforcement discretion and not penalizing companies who label their products with “no artificial color/colors/coloring” even if they still contain additives that fall under that federal definition.

Nationwide Recall On Chips Ahoy! Expanded

(Chicago, IL) -- A nationwide recall of Chips Aho! Baked Bites Brookie is being expanded. According to the FDA, the updated recall alert includes additional pouches of the product which were sold at a limited number of retail stores nationwide. Mondelez Global LLC first announced the voluntary recall in December due to an incorrect mixing process that resulted in the formation of small cornstarch clumps in the product.

February

TLU Celebrates Black History Month

Throughout February, Texas Lutheran University will celebrate Black History Month with a series of free events for the community, centered on this year’s theme, The Stories, Songs, and SPIRIT of the Black Experience. The full schedule can be found at tlu.edu/ black-history-month. All events are free and open to the public.

Geronimo VFW Dance Schedule (Feb–Mar 2026)

Dance the night away at the Geronimo VFW Post 8456, located at 6808 Hwy 123 N. All dances are open to the public with $10 admission/donation at the door. Sunday Dances: Doors open 1:30 p.m. | Dance 3–6:30 p.m. Tuesday & Friday Dances: Doors open 6 p.m. | Dance 7–10:30 p.m. For reservations, call or text 830-305-8829. Upcoming Dance Schedule: Feb. 1 – Bob Appel (Burgers); Feb. 3 – Round Up 4 Charity feat. Rick Rice Band (7–10 p.m., Burgers); Feb. 8 – Paul Sanchez; Feb. 15 – Brandon Rosage; Feb. 20 –Round Up 4 Charity feat. Cactus Country Band (7–10 p.m., Burgers); Feb. 22 – Czechaholics; Mar. 1 – Alibis (Burgers); Mar. 3 – Round Up 4 Charity feat. Meyer Anderson Band (7–10 p.m., Burgers); Mar. 8 – Dave Jorgenson; Mar. 15 – Lone Star Pickerz; Mar. 20 – Round Up 4 Charity feat. Randy Carson Band (7–10 p.m., Burgers); Mar. 22 – Nathan

Colt Young; and Mar. 29 – Ken Simpson & Bentley Boys.

Seguin Job Shadow Program Invites Local Businesses to Participate

The Seguin Economic Development Corporation and the Seguin Area Chamber of Commerce are inviting local companies to take part in the Seguin Job Shadow Program, offering businesses the chance to host high school juniors and seniors for a one-day job shadow experience. Participating students will come from Seguin High School, Mercer Blumberg Learning Center, Navarro High School, and Marion High School. Employers may choose one or more available dates and host different students each day. Available Job Shadow Dates (9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.):

• Wednesday, February 4

• Thursday, February 26

• Tuesday, March 31

Email Jessica Dersen at jdersen@seguintexas.gov to sign up.

Regional Job Fair

The Seguin Economic Development Corporation, Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, Cibolo Economic Development Corporation, and Schertz Economic Development Corporation are teaming up to host the first Regional Job Fair of 2026 on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Seguin Coliseum, 950 S. Austin Street. More than 50 employers from Seguin, New Braunfels, Cibolo, and Schertz will be on hand

with job opportunities in a variety of industries. Job seekers are encouraged to dress in business attire and bring multiple copies of their résumé. For details, visit https://info.seguinedc.com/regional-job-fair-winter-2026-jobseeker-info-page.

Guadalupe Native Plant Society Monthly Meeting

The Guadalupe Chapter of the Native Plant Society of Texas will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church (FM 465) in Marion. A plant and seed exchange begins at 6:30 p.m., followed by the program at 7. Conservation Biologist and Plant-Centric Ecologist Andy Blair will present, “Beyond Bluebonnets: An Introduction to Local Wildflower Diversity.” Meetings are free and open to the public. For details and directions, visit https://npsot. org/chapters/guadalupe/

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Birch Please Class

Create an original composition of Birch trees utilizing primarily one type of brushstroke for the majority of the painting! Students will use various techniques that call back to pointillism and Impressionism and will be given background on Color Theory with focus on values of individual colors and complementary colors. Book your spot by calling the gallery during open hours Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Or stop by! We accept cash, credit card and check. 830-305-0472

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SEF Mardi Gras 2026 Fundraiser

Enjoy an evening of great food, games, and giving at Mardi Gras 2026 on Thursday, February 12, 2026, starting at 6 p.m. in the Seguin Coliseum, located at 950 South Austin Street. The event features food from Burnt Bean Co., interactive games, prize opportunities, and fundraising in support of a Fund-a-Need recipient to be announced soon. Tickets and sponsorships are limited and selling fast. Purchase tickents online at https:// seguineducationfoundation.betterworld.org/events/seguin-education-foundation-mard-3#tickets-form.

Annual Fiber Art Show Now through Feb. 13

The Seguin Art League Annual Fiber Show is open during Gallery Hours Tuesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Twenty-five works of art by 15 artists include quilts, crochet, weaving, felt, embroidery, baskets and more. Stop by the Gallery and see what our talented area fiber artists have been creating. All pieces are available for sale.

Texas Farm Bureau Food Connection Day

Texas Farm Bureau will host Food Connection Day on Friday, February 13, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Guadalupe County Farm Bureau office, located at 325 South State Highway 46. Local farmers will visit with the community about how food gets from the field to your fork, and hamburgers will be available for just $1 each.

Comes to the Texas Theatre

The Texas Theatre presents “The Savannah Sipping Society,” a Jones-Hope-Wooten comedy filled with laughter and Southern charm. Opening Night is Thursday, February 13, at 6:30 p.m., with additional performances February 14, 20, and 21 at 7:30 p.m., and February 15 and 22 at 2:30 p.m. The production will be staged at The Stephen & Mary Birch Texas Theatre, 425 N. Austin St., Seguin. Audiences are invited to enjoy this heartfelt and humorous story brought to life by an all-star cast. Tickets are available online at https://thetexas.ludus.com/index. php?show_id=200511473.

Laubach Bowling Club Chili Cook-Off

The Laubach Bowling Club will host a Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, February 28, from 1 to 7 p.m. at Laubach Bowling Club, located at 1986 Laubach Road in Seguin. Teams will compete in categories, including People’s Choice, Spiciest Chili, and Best Overall. Bowling will also be available during the event. The entry fee is $30 per team, with registration due by February 18. Proceeds benefit Laubach Hall repairs. For more information, contact Jodi Watts at (830) 822-0608 or the Laubach Bowling Club at (830) 379-9033.

Call For Entries into Elementary and Middle School Art Show

All students in elementary and middle school (grades 1-8 are invited to participate in the Seguin Art League’s annual student art show. All entered works will be judged and eligible for cash prizes and

ribbons. Deadline to Enter: February 19, 2026. Get the entry form on seguinartleague.com or call the gallery during open hours Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. for additional information.

Singo Bingo Fundraiser to Benefit Local Charities

The Seguin Sunrise Lions Club will host a Singo Bingo Fundraiser on Friday, February 21, starting at 4 p.m. The event will be held at the Silver Center, located at 510 E. Court Street in Seguin. Tickets are $20 and include five rounds of Singo. Proceeds will benefit local charities and Lions Club service projects.

Annual “Taste of Soul”

The Guadalupe County MLK Commission invites the community to attend the Annual Taste of Soul, a celebration of culture, community, and cuisine. The event w=ill be held Saturday, February 28 at the Seguin Youth Services building, located at 919 N. Guadalupe St. in Seguin. Doors open at 11 a.m., and admission is $15. This annual gathering features a variety of soul food dishes and offers an opportunity for fellowship while honoring history and uplifting the future of the community. For more information, email guadalupecountymlkcommittee@gmail.com.

To ensure non-profit organization’s meetings and events appear in this calendar, send information to: communitycalendar@kwed1580.com, or drop off the information at the Seguin Daily News/KWED offices located at 609 E. Court St. in Seguin. For best results, submit information at least two weeks prior to the event.