The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

HATE ESCALATES IN THE COUNTRY

Another month has flown by and here it is August already.

School begins in a couple of weeks.

Kids today have short summers.

In my day we didn’t start until September or when the crops were in, sometimes nearly October.*****What saddens me today is the escalation of hatred in this country.

Sunday at the Garlic Festival inGilroy, California, a 19 years old, reported to be a White Supremacist, killed three people and injured 12 others using an AK-47-type assault weapon.

A six year old boy, a 13 years old girl and a 20 year old were the victims.

Enough is Enough, it’s a dark and hateful time. I fear it will only get worse and someday a divided nation will spill into the streets pitted against each other.

I can only wish for the day when this great country returns to being normal again.

Every day it seems is a new promoted crisis, including racism.*****I have to move on.

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

HANNITY AND SCOUTS VICTORY LAP

Last week I told you that Sean Hannity, from Right Wing radio and host of an opinion show on FOX News, had tutored his Boy Scouts on how to take on the Mueller live TV hearing, mostly to make statements.

His Republican buds put on a real show, attacking Mueller, while rehashing the fevered swamp theories they knew would land them prized moments on FOX News and praise from Hannity.

Rep.

Louie Gohmert, of Texas, put on the record, a hit job he wrote, “Robert Mueller Unmasked.” He then accused Mueller of perpetuating “Injustice against this honorable man.” Then the sleaziest of all, Ohio Rep.

Jim Jordan asked Mueller, “Is Joseph Mifsud Western intelligence or Russian intelligence?” As though he could or should answer a stupid and loaded question like that in public.

Jordan wasn’t trying to get the truth, he was implying Mueller was doing the bidding of dark forces aligned against Trump.

Rep.

John Ratcliffe, Jr.

then took up the torch for Trump and you can bet Ratcliffe will soon have a position in the Trump Administration.

He can’t get reelected in Texas.

(Editor’s note: Since this was written last Friday, Trump did rewarded Ratcliffe by appointing him Director of National Intelligence replacing Dan Coats.

Ratcliffe supported Trump on the Russian interference in our elections.

He’s not qualified and may not get confirmed.) Then came Rep.

Devin Nunes, of California.

Remember he was the ranking member of the Intelligence panel caught crawling through the White House grounds one night to leak information from the panel to Trump.

He didn’t ask questions from Mueller, instead he gave the last gasp of Russian collusion conspiracy theory.

Nunes was speaking to an audience of one at the White House.

Like Ratcliffe, it may not be long before he has a job in the Administration.

His seat is sure to be up for grabs in California.

Republicans are babbling about conspiracy theories, excusing the Russians, white-washing the hostile foreign intelligence service called Wikileaks and attacking a man of indisputable honor to cover Trump’s tracks.

Meanwhile Hannity, like he’s done for over two years, is attacking Hillary and the Steele Dossier.

Wednesday night however he took credit for schooling his crew well.

He had Jordan and Nunes come on the show and brag on themselves.

Thursday evening Trump rewarded Hannity by spending 38 minutes on his show.

The bottom line is that the Special Council did not exonerate Trump like he claimed.

The threat to our freedom extends beyond Mueller’s findings and there were plenty that I predict Trump will have to answer for.

Hannity is tutoring Trump on talking points that the Justice Department (Robert Barr) should investigate Obama and Hillary and the emails.

She was cleared of that by 67 hearings.

Just another diversion from all of Trump’s problems, including obstruction.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

10 Years Ago-2009

This coming Saturday the “never say die” 11-12 year old Bridge City Little League State Champions take the field in the seven-state regional play.

Their first game is Aug. 8 against Arkansas.

Game time is 1 p.m.

in Waco.

They will face New Mexico Aug. 9 and Colorado Aug. 10.

Coach Ronnie Shugart, assistants and team will take it one game at a time.

The big goal being a trip to the World Series in Williamsport on Aug. 21-30.

Go get ‘Um Big Red.***** It’s with deep sadness that we have learned of the death of Becky Hatfield, 57.

The longtime Leader employee was a delightful lady and easy for our staff to work with while exchanging advertising information between our newspapers.

She also was the sister of our dear and special friends and employees Frances Hogg and Tina Delt.***** When Margie Stephens called to say J.B. Arrington and Nolan Forman were lost I laughed.

Those two rough old codgers are not lost, they know where they’re at.

If anyone had to be stranded in a boat you couldn’t find two better, more knowledgeable boaters than J.B. and Nolan.

I asked Margie if they had any beer? She said, “You know they do.” The whaler boat was unsinkable and J.B. would skin and eat alligator tail if he had to.

The two guys, known for their cooking, downed Vienna sausage and Black’s Bayou had plenty of fresh water.

I wouldn’t have started worrying for at least a week.

They got a lot of skeeter bites.

I don’t know about Nolan but the bites on J.B. were payback for all those times he stung poor Red Garrett with that cattle prodder.

All is well that ends well.

Two of our colorful characters live to fish another day.

J.B. wouldn’t leave his boat.

If he had it still would be stuck out there and he would have had to worry about getting it home.

Never doubt that he’s not a sly old fox.***** Babette and Mark Philpott are now the proud grandparents of a new baby boy.

Wyatt Dean Ernest weighted in at 8 pounds, 13 ounces.

Wyatt’s parents are Brittany and Ben Ernst, two sisters Kate and Abigayle.

*****The NBC Today Show conducted a search for the best burger in America.

The judges were Matt Lauer, Hoda Kotb and Natalie Morales. They picked the RanchBurger from Perini’s Steakhouse in Buffalo Gap.

That’s just out of Abilene, where Parker Thompson and his folks came from.***** Thanks to some friends I’ve been eating good.

Special items made from scratch, like our buddy, 92-year-old King Dunn’s hand-picked blackberries, cooked down into jelly, that is superb on a hot, home made biscuit.

*****Jim Pruter is really a nice guy.

He made Mayhaw consternate using three gallons of berries cooked down to one gallon of juice.

Thebest Mayhaw jelly I’ve eaten in 50 years.

I always thought Archie, the old Kountze News publisher, was the best Mayhaw jelly maker, now I’m not sure.

Pruter’s jelly is full bodied, with the pure taste of Mayhaw. The Mayhaw juice makes the world’s best jelly.****** Ms.

Margaret Louviere sent a couple loaves of pumpkin bread handmade with raisins in it.

The guys at Harmon’s and I devoured one loaf, I hid the other.

I’m not sure how old Ms.

Margaret is, I’d guess 80.

Thanks to all you great senior citizen cooks, you can’t buy that great stuff at the store.

***** Cajun jockey Calvin Borel won again aboard Rachel Alexandra at the race in Saratoga.

She is the first filly to defeat the boys twice as a 3-year-old since Serena’s Song in 1995.

Borel won the Preakness with Rachel, the first filly to win that race since 1924.

***** Later this week, Sonia Sotomayor will be confirmed to the Supreme Court.***** Time magazine’s in the Aug 3 issue, ran a special report called, “The Final Day of Bush and Cheney,” the tale of the rift between George and Dick. It’s a fascinating read.

The final split came over the full pardon of Cheney aid Scooter Libby.Bush had decided that Libby was undeserving and told Cheney so, only to see the question rise over and over.

It reveals a gap in the two men’s views of crime and punishment.

Cheney pushed and pushed and got close to crossing the line.

Bush felt he had done enough for Libby. The Libby investigation went to the heart of weather the administration misled the public in making the case to invade Iraq.Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said Libby had obstructed justice to hide the truth about Cheney’s involvement.

Cheney had placed allies who would alert him in advance about Bush wavering on policy.

That would help him influence the debate at key moments and give him a leg up on selling Bush.

Cheney had uncanny ability to guide Bush’s decisions.

The split started between the two when Bush named Condi Rice secretary of state and also when he cut Donald Rumsfeld.

Unknown to others Bush started getting his own advice from private lawyers.

He despised inside favoritism, he also did not approve of lying under oath by anyone.***** Judge Thibodeaux’sold faithful truck Blue – which had made several campaigns with him at the wheel – has gone to the “Clunker” wrecking yard pile.

Judge Carl turned “Old Faithful” in on the clunker program for a new Chevy truck from Al Granger. All good things finally die.

40 Years Ago-1979

Tropical storm Claudette dumped a lot of limbs and a bunch of water on Orange County.

Several big oaks and other trees were uprooted in many yards.

*****Craig Fisette is having the time of his life in Strausburg, France for six weeks of study.

So far he has visited Switzerland, the French Rivera and Venice. He plans to visit Brussels, Belgium and hopes to visit the Netherlands before returning home.

*****Julia Fudge is back working at the police department.

It also is the week new Bridge City Police Chief Andy Varrett takes over the department.

*****Jean Lapeyrolerie turns 20 on Aug. 2.

*****Millie Lemoine celebrated her special day last week.

*****Mrs. Euphamie Bonin turns 91 and still enjoys playing poker.

(*****Top country songs: “You’re the Only One,” by Dolly Parton.

#2, “Ghost Riders in the Sky,” Johnny Cash; #3, “Shadows in the Moonlight,” Anne Murry; #4, “Save the Last Dance for Me,” Emmylou Harris; #5, “Suspicious,” Eddie Rabbit. *****Gary Worster, 21 years of age, died from injuries sustained in a cycle / truck accident.

He is the son of R.B. and Louise Worster and the brother of Steve. He and Kim have one son, Jacob. *****Fannie Beaty was spotted riding a yellow Moped down Orange streets.

*****Joe Kazmar sinks his first hole-in-one ever.

In fact, it’s the first one he has ever seen.

*****Valerie Lusignan, owner of Fashion Scene, celebrates another birthday Aug. 6.

*****Janet and James Fontenot will celebrate their anniversary on Aug. 13.

*****Beautiful Vickie Drake Curtis is engaged to Frank Brown, son of Edgar and Betty Brown.*****Frank Manchack Jr. will wed Lara Ann Pachar on Aug. 18.

*****Karen Leslie Smith becomes the bride of Mark Hryhorchuk.

They are both A&M graduates.

*****Mary Theresa Mott becomes bride of Mark Couvillion.

45 Years Ago-1974

Weddings coming up ...

Rebecca Duhon will wed Stephen Wolfe on Aug. 10; Pam Romero will wed Stephen Smith Aug. 16; Lizbeth Morrison and Robert E.L. Jones will tie the knot Aug. 17; Donna Cormier is the bride elect of Greg Robertson. Date set for Aug. 17.

*****Ames Fried Chicken on MacArthur Circle has something to crow about.

Three pieces of chicken for $1.16, two pieces for only 79 cents.

(Editor’s note: I recall that place, best chicken I ever ate next to grandma’s fried chicken.)*****Paul and Janice Malagarie own the Hair Scene Beauty and Barber Shop.

Hairdressers are Faye Beth Huckaby and Linda Soloman.*****Harmon Chevrolet offering special deals on Vega models.

Vega Station Wagon, $3,349, Vega Hatchback coupe $3,303; Vega Hatchback with radio, $2,810, $150 down plus TTL. Only $87 a month. *****Sneed’s AutoSalvage is located on Highway 62.

*****The Bamboo Club, where friendly people congregate, on Texas Ave. in Bridge City, is offering homemade pizza.

(Editor’s note: That was before all the pizza places.)*****James Lee, who owns Lee’s Phillips 66, 2209 MacArthur, received the Gates “Mystery Car” award.

Lee was given a plaque bearing three Eisenhower dollars and two Kennedy half-dollars, awarded for exceptional customer service by Gate’s Rubber Co., Denver, Colorado.

*****Swenson’s Garage and Auto Parts, used and new, owned by Rusty Swenson is located at Hwy.

105 and Hwy.

408.

*****Texas Avenue Grocery specials are Folger’s coffee, 99 cents; Pabst beer, 12 ounce cans, 12 pack, $2.29; sirloin steak, $1.39 pound; T-bone steak, $1.49 pound; hamburger, 69 cents pound; pork roast 59 cents pound. *****Winners of OCBC tourney were Troy Woodall, with a catch of 18.3 pounds, big bass 4.7 pounds; Gary Glende, 12-1; Preston Prince, 9.11; and Willie Hayes, 7.10.

*****John and Joyce Dubose celebrate their sixth wedding anniversary.

They wed in 1968.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

Chase Shugart, 22-year-old pitcher for the Greenville Drive, an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, went five innings his last outing, giving up no earned runs.

In his 11 strts this season, the right hander has a 1.59 ERA. He’s struck out 52 batters in over 62 1/3 innings, walking just 15.

Way to go Chase-Bridge City proud.*****Friends celebrating wedding anniversaries this week.

On July 31, Rosalie and Judge Pat Clark celebrate 50 years.***On Aug. 2, longtime friends Joyce and John Dubose celebrate their 51^st.

This date is also Joyce’s birthday.***Also on Aug. 2, our buddy Judge Roy Derry Dunn celebrates a birthday.***A special Happy Birthday to pretty Jean Lapeyrolerie who celebrates her 60^th on Aug. 2.***Aug. 5 finds Dr.

Mike Shahan celebrating his birthday.

We hope he is enjoying retirement.***Happy 85^th birthday to our buddy Sleepy Smith.***On Aug. 5, actress Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her home.*****The Orange County Sheriff’s Posse awarded scholarships to 10 student in Orange County.

The recipients for the 2019 scholarships are Hannah Wiegreffe, Randy Abate, Emily Havens, Emmi Lummus, Walker Smith, Michaela Layman, Elizabeth Hoffpauir, Dylan Van Metre, Manuel Anthony Franklin III and Shaolin Brown. Congrats to all recipients.*****Every July for the past several years when Dan Mahon and wife Manon visit their place in Fredericksburg, they bring me some peaches.

Peaches, like other fruit are better some years than others.

This year is a good crop.

I’ve really enjoyed them.

Thanks to those nice folks.*****I’ve visited with Danny Brack last week who was batching, just he and the two dogs.

Wife Sherry rented a house in Orlando and took three car loads of grandkids, in-laws and out-laws to Disney World. That will take a big slice out of the budget.

He may have to float a loan from Kenneth Smith.

We hope they had a great time.*****Tilman Fertitta, sole owner of Fertitta Entertainment, Landry’s, The Golden Nugget Casinos and Hotels, The Houston Rockets and Star of CNBC show “Billion Dollar Buyer” has written a book, “Shut Up and Listen” hard business truths that will help you succeed.

Published by Harper-Collins, the 167 page book goes on sale Sept. 17.

One quote, “When it comes to business and most everything else in life, there is a paddle for everybody’s ass.” Fertitta is a Galveston native with relatives in Beaumont.

Forbes lists his net worth at $5.2 billion and climbing.*****The Lunch Bunch will honor new county judge John Gothia and new commissioner Kirk Roccafort at Robert’s this week and will dine at Guadalajara next week.*****Mark Dunn finally went through shoulder surgery that has long been put off.

Recovery, I’m told, is the most painful of all surgeries.*****Debbie Fusilier who put in 36 years working for the Dunn Family Newspapers, stopped in for a visit Monday.

She started work when she was 15 and today she’s a great-grandmother.

BIRTHDAYS

Celebrating birthdays on July 31 are Amber Weidner Laci Braus, Nancy Lancaster, Wayne Sanders, Debbie Moerbe nd Marie Pittman. Celebrities joining them are

Shark Tank star and entrepreneur Mark Cuban, 60, Country singer Zac Brown, 40, author JK Rowling, 53.*****Aug. 1: Megan Vogt, Tana Thompson, Megan Leleux, Missy Pillsbury, Vickie Arkeen, Dr.

Pauline Hargrave and Wayne Morse all celebrate.

Also celebrating birthdays are Rapper Coolio turns 55, actors Jack O’Connell, 28, and Elijah Kelley, 32.*****Aug. 2: Sherri Christiansen, Stump Weatherford, Travis Fields and Chloe Halliburton have birthdays.

They are joined by football player Golden Tate, 30, MMA fighter Nick Diaz, 35 and actor Sam Worthington, 42.*****Aug. 3: Kaylon Brack, Diana Tally, Glenda Delano and Frank Wiegreffe celebrate birthdays.

Also Patroits QB Tom Brady turns 41, entrepreneur Martha Stewart, 77 and singer Tony Bennett will be 92.*****Aug. 4: Celebrating on this day are Judy Leonard, Debbie Wilbur, Rene Beard,, John Harrington and Kody Fisette.

Also celebrating are actor Billy Bob Thornton, 63, race car driver Jeff Gordon, 47 and former President of the United States Barack Obama, who is 47.*****Aug. 5: Nan Briggs, Paul Jagen, Mitzi Peoples and Angie Lane celebrate birthdays today.

Joining them are basketball player Patrick Ewing, 37, actors Jesse Williams, 37 and Maureen McCormick, 62.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

A Louisiana State trooper pulled an old boy over what had Nevada license plates on his car. Da trooper axe da driver why he was speeding him. Da driver said he was a magician and juggler and was on his way to Kinder to perform at da Coushatta and didn’t want to be late.

Dat Cajun trooper was fascinated by juggling and told da man if he did some juggling, he wouldn’t give him a ticket.

Da juggler said he had shipped his equipment ahead and didn’t have anything.

Da trooper said, “Me I got flares in da trunk, could you juggle dem?”

While da man was juggling, an old pickup truck pulled up behind dem. Clovis Broudreaux, drunk as a skunk him, watched da performance. He staggers over to da patrol car, opened da rear door and got in. Da trooper him went to his patrol car an axe da drunk Boudreaux wat he was doing him?

Clovis him replied, “Mr. policeman, you might as well pass my ass to da jail, dere ain’t no way I can do dat test me.”

C’EST TOUT

Record Heat All Over the World

“How hot is it MaMa?”

July 2019-Earth’s hottest month on record fueled by record-breaking warmth in Europe, the U.S. and the Arctic and supercharged by Global Warming.

Scientists say that this month will be the hottest month for the earth since records began in 1880.

According to data from NASA and NDAA, nine of the 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 2000.

Scientists have tied it mainly to emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities.

They say now we are seeing multiple episodes of record heat in a given summer.

If we continue on this present trajectory, by mid-century we will simply call these episodes “Summer.” Global Warming climate change is caused by the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal which release heat trapping greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The present administration under Trump, just refuses to take Global Warming seriously.

Democratic leaders are pushing ahead to try to pass legislation and increase federal funding to address climate change before the end of the year.

They are hoping to win over republican members who are watching public support for climate action grow.

As long as Trump is in office there is little expectation of passing sweeping legislation.

There’s enough bipartisan support however to pass smaller scale legislation until there is someone in the White House who accepts the concept of climate change.

President Trumpcalls Climate Change a hokes, just like he does with Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Americans believe Climate Change and Russian Interference are real.

Trump does also, but it is not to his advantage to own up to it.***** Please read us cover to cover.

Patronize those in our advertising family.

Take care and God bless.