HONORING ALL MOTHERS

This coming Sunday, May 12, is the day we honor and remember all mothers, past and present.

None of us would be here without our mothers.

Mom is special in so many ways, but most of all when everyone else has given up on you, Mom is the one person who will always be there for you.

As unhappy as she might become with us, she will never give up on you.

A mother’s love is unconditional, her heart may get broken but she will wrap her arms around you, she may have a tear in her eye but she’ll have a forgiving pray in her heart. Only a mother forever protects her child.

Return that hug from Mom this Mother’s Day and give thanks that you still have her.

If you don’t, find a mother that may need a hug and is fighting loneliness.

My Mom is gone now but I think of her daily.

Someday soon you will do the same.*****I have to move on.

Please come along, I promise it won’t do you no harm.

TRUMP RIDES THE WAVE

Economic job growth just keeps on going with 109 months of continued job growth.

When Obama inherited the economy from George W. Bush, unemployment was at 10.6 percent and we were in a recession.

When Obama turned it over to Trump it was down to 4.6.

Since Trump it has dropped 1 percent to 3.6.

In Obama’s last 2 ½ years, he added slightly more jobs than Trump has.

Today nearly 10 million more people have to work two jobs to make it.

Don’t forget whose economic policies gave us today’s great economy.

Trump inherited a good economy, he didn’t build it, but because of it he is claiming to be the best president ever.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

10 Years Ago-2009

The elections last Saturday didn’t really hold any surprises.

The voter turnout was pitiful. Not much of a surprise either.

For the most part incumbents were returned accept in the Orange City Council race where Bill Mello defeated Mayor Pro-Tem Deborah Mitchell by a little less than 200 votes.

Mello’s election continues the trend to elect candidates with the newly-annexed Little Cypress support. Mitchell received only a fraction of the vote in the Little Cypress boxes.

Jimmy Sims, Orange city councilman, drew support from throughout the city to win 640 to 549 over Elgin Browning.

In the Bridge City and Pinehurst races all incumbents were returned.

At LC-M Keith Adams won an open seat.

*****Evidence is piling up that the worst part of the Bush recession has ended.

Job losses declined to the lowest level in six months.

Home sales and summer spending is up.

That doesn’t mean the pain is gone.

Over 13.7 million people are still unemployed and that could go up before the Obama plan takes hold, stabilizes and heads down.

*****The Kentucky Derby winner Calvin Borel, on top of the 50-1 Mind That Bird may not ride the gelding in the million-dollar Preakness Saturday.

Instead Borel would ride Rachel Alexander, a horse he won on in the Kentucky Oaks by over 20 lengths.

That is if the filly is allowed to run in the 14-horse field.

Most observers don’t give Mind That Bird, who came from last to win the Derby, much of a chance in the 1 3/16 mile race.

A move is on to keep Rachel out of the all boy’s club but if she’s in, look for Borel to give up his Kentucky Derby winner and by doing so, giving up any chance for a Triple Crown.

*****Why are gas prices at the pump up while oil barrel prices are down? According to the oil companies, it’s because they have to make a summer blend.

I’m not buying it.*****Freedom Tower will finally get built at Ground Zero.

It will rise a symbolic 1,776 feet, making it the world’s tallest building and will feature an asymmetrical spire that evokes the Statue of Liberty’s upraised torch.*****Warren Claybar did good for himself.

He and the lovely Brandi Hinds were wed last Saturday, May 9.

We wish them many healthy, happy years.***** Stump Weatherford took a trip to the Athens / Canton area family farm to spend Mother’s Day with his mom.

Stump reports at age 83, she is as active as any 60-year-old.*****Hubert Spradlin of Sprad’s Boat Town reports boat sales are way ahead of last year at this time.

Sprad says the industry right now is giving great savings that he is passing on to the customers.***** No doubt that regardless if Adam Lambert wins American Idol, he will be a big star.

My choice to win it, going back to the beginning, is Danny Gokey.

With Lambert in the finals, Danny is in trouble and could let his big lead a few weeks ago get away.

A picture is being circulated on the web showing Lambert kissing a guy.

Will that help or hurt him? Talent may win out.

(Editor’s note: Lambert came in second but did become a big star.) *****Betty Jo Spence, who passed away Sunday, once told us she had no family, not even a cousin.

She had been a teacher over 50 years and retired after putting in a few years at Lamar-Orange. She once was editor of the Opportunity Valley News where she recorded a lot of history.

She also was fond of her racehorses and was successful at the game.

According to her wishes, her body was cremated and no service was held.

*****It’s with sadness that we also learned of the death of Randy Arnaud.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Obituaries 10 Years Ago-2009

Brian Willey Sr., 61, of Orange, died Monday, May 3.

Funeral services were Friday.

Survivors include his wife of 38 years, Diane Willey; daughter, Tammy White; sons, Kenneth Willey, Brian Willey Jr. and six grandchildren.***** Thelma Everett, 82, of Bridge City, died Wednesday May 6.

Funeral services were Saturday.

Survivors include her three sons, Richard Everett, David Everett and Robert Everett; two sisters, Lucille Roberts and Nell Dailey, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.***** David Lee Miller, 83, of Orange , passed away Friday, May 8.

Funeral services were Monday.

Miller began his career in the United States Navy at 16, he later joined and retired from the United States Air Force as a master sergeant and worked as a police officer.

During his time in the Air Force, Miller coached the pistol team, achieving three world records and 36 international awards and competed in the Mexican Olympics as a shooter.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Ruby Lee, son David Miller, grandson Douglas Alexander Miller, companion Nikki Ryder and their daughter Savannah Rose Miller and one grandchild.***** Felix Roy Hebert, 87, of Bridge City, passed away Sunday, May 10.

Funeral services were Wednesday, May 13.

He retired from Texaco Refinery after 36 years of service and was an Army veteran of World War II, where he served as an exterior guard for the 74th Station Hospital.

Felix is survived by his wife of 55 years, Nettie Lucille Hebert; daughters, Lucy Casey, Debbie Istre Guillot, Rosemary Hebert McClanahan, Louise Hebert; son, Felix C. Hebert, 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.

40 Years Ago-1979

Over 30,000 people attended the annual International Gumbo Cookoff held Saturday from 10 a.m.

to 11:30 p.m.

Larry David was cookoff chairman.

Jim Stelly is Chamber president.

The Bridge City gumbo team of W.T. Oliver, Ethel and Lawrence Foux, Roy Dunn, Dr.

David Olson and Tim Lieby won the chicken and sausage gumbo competition and was also named overall grand champion.

Also doing real well was the team of Major Inman, Jim Graves and Jules David, of the Orange Chamber team.

Some of the natives spotted having a good time were Al Zeno, Tony DalSasso, Joe Grossman, Ed Bacon, Corky Harmon, Grover Halliburton, Wilson Roberts and Dudley Baker. Local recording artist Jim Taylor entertained 10,000 fans at the big nighttime street dance.

Other gumbo winners were Mildred Cobb, best seafood gumbo; Martha Oliver and Barbara David, best chicken; Red Hobbs, (Red’s Barbecue,) best professional.

Sheriff Ed Parker’s team won special events.

KOLE defeated KYKR, KPAC and KOGT in the media contest.

*****John Dubose of Bridge City has been named general manager of the Port Arthur News.

*****Theresa Hughes turned sweet 16 on May 15.

*****Johnny Phillips and pretty Melissa Mullins are wed May 13, which is also Mother’s Day.*****Bridge City High School baseball pitcher Pat Meeks set a school record with 11 wins and 1 loses for the season.

Congrats to Billie Bradberry and Faye Fisette who were awarded life memberships to the Bridge City PTA. Marlene Cooper is new PTA president.

The PTA meeting was held at the home of Brenda Lapeyrolerie. A covered dish luncheon was held.

*****Celebrating birthdays are Vernon Peveto, May 10, Kim Leblanc, May 17, Karen Dunn and Evy Kathleen Ramsey celebrating May 20.

45 Years Ago-1974

Charles Sexton, son of attorney Bill Sexton, will be practicing law with his father.*****Orange native Jerry Pennington will be practicing law with Morris, Graves, Smith and Peveto. *****Faithful longtime legal secretary Barbara Mulhollan is employed by Jerry.

Pennington.

(Editor’s note: Barbara passed away last year.)*****Forty years ago, May 23, 1934, at 9:15 am., Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were ambushed in Acadia, La., at Black Lake..

(Editor’s note: Folks, today that’s 85 years ago.)***** Grover and Sue Halliburton celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary.

(Editor’s note: Both are gone now.)*****Congrats to local winners of the Optimist sponsored beauty pageant.

Claudia Conway, queen of the senior division, Carla Burg, queen, junior division, Kristina Scott, 4-year-old Little Miss and Vicki Honeycutt, Miss Photogenic.

Judy Savoy and Diana Hill were co-chairpersons of the pageant.*****Dean Marks, Bridge City Little Leaguer on the Pee-wee Wasp team, hit the first over-the-fence home run by a Pee Wee that anyone can recall.

Dean was on cloud nine.

The coach and kids autographed the ball and gave it to him.

(Editor’s note: I wonder what became of that first home run ball?)*****Roy and Phyl Dunn are the proud owners of a Jo Amodeo painting, a gift from the artist.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

Longtimefriends Jean and Ron Moreau will celebrate 50 years of marriage on May 10.

I’ve yet to figure out why they got married in Laredo.

You can see from their picture in this paper that they both looked like movie stars 50 years ago.

Jean is still a beautiful woman but what happened to Ron? Maybe too many plane and motorcycle crashes.

We extend our best wishes for many more healthy, happy years.

*****Norah O’Donnell will become anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News and Gayle King is getting two new morning show co-hosts.

O’Donnell, 45, who replaces Jeff Glor as anchor of Evening News this summer, will be the third woman to serve as solo anchor of an evening newscast, following Diane Sawyer at ABC and Katie Couric at CBS. Starting in the fall, the program will be helmed from Washington instead of New York for the first time.*****Our buddy Ray Cotton turns 89 on May 9.

It doesn’t seem that long ago we celebrated his 80^th.

Ray stays in good shape, walks a lot and eats healthy.*****Another old boy that will do to ride the range with is the barbeque man himself, J.B. Arrington, who reaches his 94^th birthday on May 13.

J.B. is an early riser; if the sun comes up he’ll beat it by a few hours.

We extend a happy birthday to both of these special guys.

Best wishes for many more.*****A belated happy birthday May 6, to WWII veteran Eugene Goudeaux, who reached his 95^th birthday and is still very sane.

He rode a ship during the war built in Orange, Texas.*****Nearly 400 former federal prosecutors said President Donald Trump would have been charged with obstruction of justice for his acts if he were anyone other than president.

Both Democratic and Republican prosecutors said special counsel Robert Mueller’s report “describes several acts that satisfy all of the elements for an obstruction charge.” A Justice Department legal opinion says sitting presidents cannot be indicted.*****Matt Bryant isstill not signed.

For years, the Falcons didn’t need to worry about the kicker position.

From 2009-2018, Matt Bryant made 88.7 percent of his field goals and 99.2 percent of his extra points.

The Falcons let Bryant hit free agency where he still remains Monday night.

The Falcons might end up regretting their decision to move on from Bryant, who went 20 of 21 on his field goals last season.

It’s understandable that a cap-strapped team would want to get cheaper at kicker but it’s the kind of decision that could backfire in a big way.

The Falcons have had the luxury of a reliable kicking game for a while now but they’re now poised to enter the upcoming season with a giant question mark at kicker.

It could just end up becoming their downfall.

****The Wednesday Lunch Bunch last week met at Robert’s where the boys from Little Cypress, Commissioner Johnny Trahan, Judge Chad Jenkins and David Bailey told about growing up there.

Most said while at LCM they were paddled by principle Derry Dunn.

Johnny told about Van Choate, today a famous cycle rider, started riding when he was 3-years-old and as a teenager how he escaped the law on his motorcycle.

Sheriff Merritt recalled the day Van asked him for a deputy constable job.

“You’re kidding,” Merritt said, he added, “Van turned out to be a good lawman.” Commissioner John Gothia said he didn’t realize those LCM guys were so rowdy.

This week the Bunch dines at Guadalajara and next week at J.B.’s Barbeque.

Everyone always welcome.*****Let me take this opportunity to say Goodbye to our longtime friend H.D. Pate.

May he rest in peace.

BRITHDAYS THIS WEEK

Folks celebrating birthdays in the coming week.

May 8: Wilma Horner, Debra Truncale, Patty Cook Ginger Hogden, Alan Bates and Arlon Fields.

Also celebrating are “Arrow” actor Stephen Amell, 37, and actress Melissa Gilbert, 54.*****May 9: Doug Havens, Lynn Scales, Justin Dupuis, Mary Callahan, Trudy Blair, Dalton Gilliam, Laura Ashwood and Ray Cotton turns 89 on this day.

Also celebrating are Rock singer Billy Joel, 69 and actors Rosario Dawson, 39, Cree Cicchino, 16.

Happy 10^th anniversary to Warren and Brandi Claybar. *****May 10: Celebrating on this day are Gerald Taylor Katie Hubbard, Sharon Woolley, Stacie Teaff and Chuck Williams.

Celebrating also are Rock U2 singer Bono, 58, actor Lindsey Shaw, 29.*****May 11: Happy birthday to Frances Fisher, Tammy Yawn, Pat Collins, Sarah Moreland, and Penny’s sister Sherry Walles.

Celebrities joining them are football player Cam Newton, 29, actors Coby Bell, 43 abd Pam Ferris, 69.*****May 12: To day is Mother’s Day.

Celebrating are Justin Roberts, Jerry Hardee, Johnny Yawn and Hazel Heckendorf.

Also celebrating are actors Emillo Esteves, 56, Kim Fields, 49 and Malin Ackerman, 40.*****May 13: J.B. Arrington turns 94 today.

Celebrating birthdays also are Bryan Bolt, Calvin Granger, Mike McNaie, Kristie Hughes and Renee Price.

Joining them are R&B singer Stevie Wonder, 68, Country singer Darius Rucker, 52 and TV host Stephen Colbert, 54.*****May 14: Janis Gros, James Birdwell, Brad Johansson, Cortney Spring and Madison Lyons, an employee of Karen Collier’s office, all celebrate.

They are joined by director George Lucas, 74, actress Cate Blanchett, 49 and Country singer Dustin Lynch, 33.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

Joe Gilbeaux from Port Arthur, decided him, dat it was time for him to change his ways and join a church. He went to Brother Gaspard’s church. Da preacher said, OK, Mr. Gilbeaux, but you have to pass a small Bible test first. Da first question is “Where was Jesus born?” Gilbeaux answer, “Longview.”

Brother Gaspard say, “I’m sorry but you don’t know dat basic question, you can’t join my church.”

Gilbeaux tried anutta church. Da preacher axe him da same question, “Where was Jesus born?”

Gaspard say, I know me, it’s Tyler.”

Da preacher said, “You wrong Mr. Gilbeaux, sorry.

Gilbeaux decided he would try one mo church so he went to see preacher Comeaux at da non-denomination church and told Brother Comeaux he want to join his church.

BrotherComeaux welcomed him with open arms. Gilbeaux say, “I don’t got to pass no Bible test?”

BrotherComeaux said, “Sure don’t.”

Gilbeaux say, “Preacher, let me axe you something, “Where was Jesus born.”

Brother Comeaux answer, “He was born in “Palestine.”

Gilbeaux say, “I knew me, it was somewhere in East Texas.”

C’EST TOUT

DERBY HISTORY—WINNER DISQUALIFIED

For the first time in the 145 years history of the Kentucky Derby, the winner Maximum Security was disqualified and the win was given to Country House, a 65-1 long shot.

Jocky Flavien Prat rode his horse into the winner’s circle on Saturday, May 4.

At the 516ths pole Maximum Security drifted right into the other lane causing a chain reaction that impacted War of Will and Long Range Toddy racing closely behind him.

The misstep didn’t appear to be any intent by jockey Luis Sael to impact his competition.

Who knows what the horse was thinking with thousands of screaming fans and a wet soggy track.

He might have been trying to avoid a water puddle, plus a horse was squeezing in between him and the rail.

Anyway, I got to witness history again, the first in Derby history.*****My time is up.

Thank you for yours.

Until we visit again, take care and God bless.