LUNCH BUNCHERS LAST 2019 GATHERING

Due to several offices Christmas parties being held last week the Lunch Bunch gathering was lighter than usual.

A well rounded group of Orange County citizens were in attendance however.

The annual event is hosted by Robert Remirez and his staff at Robert’s Steak house. It was good to see Zack Johnson who works in the office of State Representative Dave Phelan.

Zack hadn’t been around in a while.

He has found a lady willing to marry him in April.

***Lamar president Dr.

Tom Johnson is an interesting guy with a most interesting background.

I look forward to hearing about his days with Congressman Charlie Wilson and some scoop on Jack Brooks and his time in Washington.

I learned that Doc. doesn’t let grass grow under his feet.

He’s a doer.

Brad Frye, running for constable, took some ribbing about his motorcycle riding.

He won’t be delivering legal papers on the bike.

He says he’s “through riding.” Judge Carl Thibodeaux and CommissionerKirk Roccaforte reassessed all the hurricanes and ice storms they worked through.

Judge Chad Jenkins is due to make one more deer hunt.

He makes his own sausage Judge Troy Johnson and Karen Fisher are just glad they have been spared a political race.

Rex Peveto and Michael Catt are both seeking to replace Judge Dennis Powell as 163^rd District Judge.

Mary Alice Hartfield continues to do good deeds year round.

Judge Derry Dunn was still excited about his recent Nevadatrip.

Cedric Stout, 98 year old Pearl Harbor survivor and wife Cherry still enjoy being around people.

Joel Steirman, one of my favorite Jewish people is always open to discussing anything as long as its talking he’s for it.

Shirley Zimmerman had just returned from visiting her mom in Oklahoma.

Stephanie Roberts, a PR person for Claybar, is not only good to look at, she’s interesting.

Waitress Cary takes care of us throughout the year and Robert is one of the nicest guys I know.

We wish him continued health improvements.

A big thank you to Pam Honeycutt, who keeps the Bunch informed throughout the year and making arrangements for special events.

She’s a blessing.

That was the last gathering for this year.

See you Jan. 8, 2020.

Everyone is always welcome.

*****See you in the New Year.

Merry Christmas.

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

EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE CALLS FOR

TRUMPS REMOVAL

Christianity Today, a conservative magazine founded by Billy Graham, calls for President Donald Trump be removed from office.

The Christian magazine harshlycriticized Trump’s behavior, repudiated his actions toward Ukraine and has a “Grossly immoral character” and should be removed out of “Loyalty to the Creator of the Ten Commandments.” Trump could lose some evangelical supporters that have remained loyal to him despite his payments to adult film stars and attacks on war heroes, congressional widows and a teenage climate activist.

He bragged of sexual assault caught on tape.

The Access Hollywood tape hears Trump bragging about grabbing women’s genitalia.

He has stoked bigotry against Mexicans and Muslims, encouraged fans to “Knock the Crap” out of protesters, bilked Americans with his fraudulent “Trump University” mocked a disabled reporter and has told nearly 15,000 lies.

Trump is not known to read the Bible or pray.

His first wife said in the 20 years she was married to him he never set foot in a House of Worship.

To this day as president there is no evidence that Trump has attended any church service.

That will probably change now that he’s in hot water with Christians.

VP Mike Pence, Mark Meadows and other republicans have encouraged Trump not to use the Lord’s name in vain in rallies.

He swears frequently in White House meetings and regularly makes derogatory comments about people, including last week suggesting that the late Congressman John Dingell, the longest serving member of Congress, could be in hell after his wife voted to impeach him.

Trump has stacked his administration with crooks and cronies, bribed a foreign ally for personal gain and hired a morally bankrupt attorney general.

The impeachment has shown us that Trump, from day one, was unfit to be president.

Mitch McConnell and Sec.

Lindsey Graham have done everything they can to see that Trump is not convicted in the senate trial.

No doubt it will be a Kangaroo Court but one thing that is for sure, “Trump is forever impeached.”

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

10 Years Ago-2009

“Casey” Bryant, age 77, a longtime resident of the Bridge City community died Christmas Day.

He had been fighting Lou Gehrig’s disease.

We had known Casey almost from the day he arrived in Bridge City as the first football coach back in the mid-1950s.

He and his wife, Mary, have been friends to most of us all those years.

They raised a great family, three boys and a girl, all outstanding athletes.

Son Matt is an NFL kicker with Atlanta.

He kicked a 51-yard field goal Sunday to win over Bills.***** Congratulations to Thad Angelle, who on Jan. 1, will become president and CEO of MCT Credit Union. The Bridge City native is serving on the Orangefield ISD board.

The son of Earl and Joyce Angelle, Thad has served in many civic and community leadership roles.

He and wife Candace and sons, Tyler, Chase and Cody make their home off 1442 in the Orangefield School District.*****We were sorry to hear of the death of Percy Rush, age 88, who died Dec. 27.

He was the father of Mrs. Connie Wood, longtime Orangefield teacher.

Our condolences.*****We were also saddened to learn about the death of S. Roy Simar.

We had known he and wife Wanda for many years.*****Judge Marlin Shelton was one of the great guys from the old school.

You could go to the bank on what he told you.

He believed in two things, “A man’s word” and “A person’s loyalty.” The Judge passed away Tuesday morning at Baptist Orange after falling at home.*****Good news, everyone’s friend Johnny Dorman came home Tuesday from Baptist Hospital in Beaumont where he underwent open heart surgery and five bypasses.

Everyone is glad to see that great guy bouncing back.*****Van Choate, in conjunction with Glenda and the Wayne Jones family, will re-open the Catfish Kitchen on 11th.

Street in Beaumont.

Everything will be original including the recipes that are being handed down.

Wayne’s granddaughter will manage the restaurant.

Van will also continue to operate Tuffy’s in Mauriceville that is managed by Cathy Clark. She continues to make great improvements.*****The Wednesday Lunch Bunch had a great outing at Tuffy’s last week.***** Special happy birthday wishes this week to Karen Jo Vance, who celebrated Monday, Dec. 28.*****Sharon Bearden got a year older on Dec. 27, but I believe he’s in better shape at 71 than he was at 51.*****Robert Hokes celebrates this week as does Nancy Lapeyrolerie and Barbara Dardeau.

40 Years Ago-1979

Some of the folks spotted at the different Christmas open houses for Cooper Realty, Jerry Hughes Realty and Dal Sasso’s new offices were Tony and Ray Dal Sasso, J.D. Standfield, Lou Givens, Judy Gurnee, Sleepy Smith, Phyllis Cessac, Tony Trimble, Margaret Christie, Joyce Kleninknecht, Earl Wright, Harmon Beauchamp, Pete Sterling and sons Deane and Scott and Lee Clark and daughter Debbie.***** Birthday guys and dolls are pretty Ann Segura, who celebrated another birthday Dec. 26.*****Sonja Richards becomes a teenager Dec. 30.*****Polly Gamblin turns all of 19 on Dec. 30.*****Norma Fusilier is another year older on Dec. 31.*****Jim Sharon Bearden turned 41 on Dec. 27.*****Karen Jo Vance, easy to look at, will mark her 25th on Dec. 28.*****F.L. “Speck” and Rachel Ferris celebrate 41 years together on Jan. 1.*****Roy and Phyllis Dunn chalk up 25 years on Dec. 31.*****The big news is that Speedy and Sharon Stakes completed one year on Dec. 19.*****Pete Rose was named the Sporting News Baseball Player of the Decade. He beat out Rod Carew, Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Palmer.

(Editor’s note: Today, Rose has still not been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.)*****When University of Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer heard that Southern Cal’s Charles White had beaten out the Sooner’s Billy Sims for the Heisman trophy he commented, “I’m very disappointed.

Billy Sims is the finest college football player in America.

The NFL draft will substantiate that.”*****Lou Holtz is the coach at Arkansas.***Terry Bradshaw is quarterback of the Steelers.

He loves to play the Houston Oilers even though he gets beaten up badly when doing so.

He says they knock his tail off and then act very concerned.

They look down and say, “Brad, Brad, are you OK guy? Dammit, Terry say something?”

A FEW HAPPENINGS

Our friend Pat Pate stopped by last week.

This will be her first Christmas without H.D. She’s planning a quite Christmas having dinner with friends.

On the way from a Thanksgiving visit to her sister, a man ran a stop sign and crashed into her car totaling it.

Fortunately she was not hurt. The insurance company has been good and she is now shopping for a new car.*****Our buddy Van Choate has taken care of a long problem, he finally had knee replacement surgery.

His recovery is going well.

Van never slows down but his speed has been greatly reduced.*****Some friends have been traveling while I’m still trying to get to Buna.

Joyce and John Dubose have been to Italy.

I need to find out about that trip and how Joyce got him to get away and spend that money.*****Tax Assessor Karen Fisher got off on a cruise.

Karen is a great lady doing a good job.*****Judge Derry Dunn took a nice trip with his family to Vegas.

What impressed him most was Hoover Dam. It’s an amazing development built before modern equipment.*****We got our annual Christmas visit from our friend Ms.

Essie Bellfield. She’s getting up in years.

She loves people and is a real angel.

She lost a daughter last year and unfortunately she doesn’t have contact with her other daughter, who lives in the Dallas area.

She’s all the folks Essie has left.*****Our friend Phillip Welch stopped by.

He’s great to visit with.

He’s always in on the know.*****Our friend, going way back, Joyce Dowdel, has been working on her health and has lost 40 pounds.

She says she can feel the difference and no longer has to worry about diabetes.*****“Neighbor” Cox, after burying his “Jenny” on Saturday, was admitted into the hospital the next day with shortness of breath.

He’s out and will enjoy Christmas in Lufkin with daughter Karen and family.

He’ll be fine, just exhausted.*****A few folks we know celebrating this week.

Dec. 25 was Baxter’s birthday but he didn’t want to compete with Jesus so he celebrated Christmas in July.

Baxter was always a little different.

However, Judge Flo Edgerly, a great lady, celebrates on Christmas Day.

Flo is still very active, especially during political season.

Her husband Gene has been slowed down with leg problems.

They are a great couple and longtime friends.****Ronnie Hutchison is also having a birthday on this day.*****On Dec. 27, a group of good guys celebrate who would make a good hand to draw to.

Longtime special buddy, Attorney Sharon Bearden marks number 81 today.

He’s catching up with Roy.

By the way, we ran him a special birthday card in this issue.***Also having a birthday is Commissioner Kirk Roccaforte.

He’s given much of himself to the community over the years.***Bobby Fillyaw has a birthday and Coach Russell Bottley.*****Some great ladies having birthdays on Dec. 28.

Karen Jo Vance, former county clerk, who we have known since her early 20’s, celebrates today as does Harriet Dubose, David’s pretty wife.

Earl’s mom, Debbie Thomas celebrates today as does Marcy Messer.*****Dec. 29 finds Bridge City native Kenny “Kee Kee” Dupuis celebrating.

He and Nancy raised a great family in Bridge City.

He was just a pup when I first met him.*****Dec. 31 is a special day for a special lady, Norma Fusilier.*****Also on this day 65 years ago, two couples were married in two different ceremonies.

Rene Hanks married pretty Lucy and Roy convinced Phyl she should marry him.

Rene and Roy are two of the luckiest guys in the world to spend 65 years with those lovely ladies.*****We wish a speedy recovery to our friend Richard Belk who recently underwent knee replacement surgery.*****The poem “My First Christmas in Heaven” by an unknown author appears somewhere in this issue.

Take time to read it.

Thoughts of Joe Parkhurst, John Roy Frederick, David Cagle and the many others we lost in this last year come to mind.

Also read the Harry Choate story.

He was born this week in 1922.

BREAUX BIRTHDAYS

Celebrating birthdays on Dec. 25 are Earline Russell, Velma Theriot, Janelle Deutsch also singers Annie Lennox, 65, Jimmy Buffett, 73, and actress Sissy Spacek, 70*****Dec. 26: John Podnewich and Kent Broussard celebrate along with actor Kit Harington, 33, actor and singer Jared Leto, 48 and singer Chris Daughtry, 40.*****Dec. 27: Bobby Sibert and Max Pelham celebrate.

Also celebrating are actors Emilie DeRavin, 38, Shay Mooney, 28 and Olivia Cooke, 26.****Celebrating on Dec. 28 are Jacob Broussard, Stacy Roberts and actors Denzel Washington, 65, TV show host Seth Meyers, 46 and R&B singer John Legend, 41.*****On Dec. 29, Pam White, Jacklyn Bradberry and Donna Self celebrate.

Joining them are actors Jude Law, 47, Ted Danson, 72, Jon Voight, 81.*****Dec. 30, Kari Stringer and Paula Aven celebrate also golfer Tiger Woods, 44, basketball player LeBron James, 35 and boxer Laila Ali, 42.*****Dec. 31, Celebrating on this day are Holly DeRouin, Brenda Amy, LaSanda Williams and actors Anthony Hopkiins, 82 and Val Kilmer, 60.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

Da tree Premeaux old maid sisters inherited da old plantation place, between Abbeville and Perry, from dere dad. Dey sold some of da land, lease some and kept some to live on. Dey stay in the big old house. Dose girls never was much to look at, da boys never came around, now dey was old dem. Sometimes dere age is comical. Verna May is 96, Edna Mae, 94 and Agnes, da youngest, is 92.

One night Verna May draws some bash waters upstairs, puts her foot in and yells to Edna Mae, “Was I getting in or out of da tub me?”

I’ll come up and see,” says da 94 year old. She gets to da stairs and shouts at Agnes, who is sitting at da kitchen table drinking her tea and listen to her sisters, “Agnes, was I going up or coming down.”

Agnes says, “I hope I never get forgetful like dem me.” Den she say, “Knock on Wood.”

Again da 94 year old yell, “Agnes.”

“Edna Mae,” Agnes says, “I’ll be coming to help you boat as soon as I see whose at da door.”

C’EST TOUT

Note of Interest

We are hearing all the spin about our great economy from Trump’s ads his crones at FOX News are pushing.

Here’s an examination of what is really happening with out economy.

Trump’s big tax cut, $1.6 trillion, to the super rich and corporations have failed to deliver.

Employees were promised bonuses plus their annual salaries would go up $4,000 a year but records show only 10 percent got those benefits.

Trump promised the tax give away would bring back many manufacturing jobs and all those rusty buildings would be replaced with new, shiny ones.

He said, “We’ll have so many jobs we won’t be able to fill them.” Just the opposite has happened.

Manufacturing jobs are on the decline. A real problem for all of us in that the deficit this year is nearly one trillion and expected to be over a trillion in 2020.

That’s the largest deficit since WWII. Our national debt continues to rise while the rich get richer.

Consumer prices at the store have gone up 22 percent in the last three years, fees have doubled.

Let’s explain how much Trump has really grown the economy.

When Trump took over unemployment was at 4.6 percent, today its 3.6 percent.

Ithas dropped one percent.

Here’s a real fact, Obama added more jobs in his last 33 month than Trump has added in his first 33 months.

Trump inherited a strong economy, he didn’t build it, and it just kept growing like the last administration said it would.

Trump hasn’t done anything magical, in fact, when you factor in the deficit, we are going backward.

The economy is healthy but it has been in the past 10 years when it recovered from the Great Recession.

In fact unemployment came down from 10.2 percent under Obama. *****That’s it for me for this year.

Next week we will again distribute this publication on Tuesday, with ourNew Year issue.

Have a great and safe Christmas.

Please read us cover to cover.

Take care and God bless.