VOTE LOCALLY IT'S IMPORTANT

GET A SHOT-IT MIGHT SAVE YOUR LIFE

It's come on another week. They sure seem to be flying by quicker than I recall when I was much younger. Health wise the past year has been a bitch. Thank God I got both COVID vaccines. I never feared anything as much as that virus. I knew the odds were against me if I caught it. Wednesday, about the time you'll be reading this, I will be getting a bone marrow test. Maybe than I'll get some answers about why I've been feeling so lousy. My mind is the only thing that seems to be hitting on all cylinders. I've thankful for that. The mind is a terrible thing to lose.*****Let me remind you how important it is to vote in our local elections. On a daily basis, city and school board elections are our most important. The turnout right now is very low. Please make it your obligation to vote. Shame on you if you don't. We have some good candidates who donate their time to serve us. The least you can do is vote. These days everyone knows if you voted or not. A list of voters is published every day. Remember that when you ask a public official for help. They know if you cared enough to vote.*****My advise to you also is to get vaccinated. Even if COVID-19 doesn't kill you there are some very bad reports on long haulers. The bug lives within you. No telling what you might come down with six months or a year after having the virus. I gave the same advice to my sister who wouldn't wear a mask or take the shots. She watched too much prime time FOX News. Sure as hell, she caught it, got very sick and is just trying to live. Don't try to prove a point with your health. God gave us sense enough not to walk out in front of traffic or play Russian roulette. Please listen to your better senses.*****I've got to move on. Please come along, I promise it won't do you no harm.

REMEMBERING JERRY CHILDRESS

Gerard "Jerry" Childress passed away April 22, 2021 at age 67. He retired from the Air Force and was presented many awards for his service. He took his journalism schooling to the pages of several newspapers before serving as editor of The Record Newspapers for several years. Record publisher Roy Dunn said Jerry was an excellent editor and news reporter. He added, we still use his teaching and often think of "How Jerry would do it." Jerry later served as Orange County Service Office. Dunn served as best man when Jerry married Barbara December 31, 1993. He and Barbara were residents of Pineland where they had retired. A private funeral service will be held later this week. Please see obituary. May this good guy rest in peace.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS TO TIME

10 Years Ago-2011

Willie Geist on "Way Too Early" is on the telly from London on MSNBC.  "Morning Joe" will be on at 5 a.m. from the same place. Everything on the tube is about Prince William of Wales marrying Catherine "Kate" Middleton on Friday, April 29. Every print and electronic media is making a big deal out of the future king's wedding.***** I always like to stop and visit my friend Annie Hargrave, who's a morning fixture at Bridge City Market Basket. We always visit about our years in Port Arthur as youngsters. Annie was a typical teenage girl, rolled up blue jeans and wearing penny loafers. This morning we visited about Huey Meaux, Gordon Baxter and the Deejays at KPAC. Annie and her girl friends often hung out at the radio station. Of course the girls drew the boys like flies are drawn to honey. Annie's dad was the bridge tender at the Pleasure Pier Bridge. For a few minutes we remembered the good days of "Blackboard Jungle" and dragging down Procter Street and coasting by the drive-inns and other things I won't disclose. Those were really the best times, before drugs, when having just a sip of Mogen David wine was a big thing. A visit with Annie is always a good way to start the day. I miss seeing her and hope she and Joe are doing good. *****The Texas Cajun Heritage Festival will be held in downtown Orange May 21. No one has more fun than Cajuns, even if it's at a funeral.*****We enjoyed a nice blackberry cobbler thanks to our buddy King Dunn, who picked the berries. He says berries are scarce this year due to the drought conditions. ***** Our little buddy Micah Ellender, who is in Uncle Sam's Army, left his base in Alaska Monday for a one-year deployment to Afghanistan. His parents, the Kirk Ellender's, got to visit with him in Alaska a few days ago.***** *****Orange native, Coach Bum Phillips, along with former Oiler player Mike Barber, have been spending much of their time reaching out to prisoners. Bum told a crowd of 1,000 that in his childhood in Orange, Texas, he lived in the country. A trip to Sunday church services required piling into the wagon, pulled by their farm horse, for the trip into town. They didn't go often. They didn't have the money to put in the collection plate anyway. Sooner or later, hopefully, someone in Orange County will do something to recognize this native son, who never fails to mention Orange as home.*****Huey Meaux, 82, the old barber and music producer, died in Winnie over the weekend. He was a disk jockey on radio KPAC when Gene Bourgeois asked him to record a song he wrote. Huey did. The rest is history. B.J. Thomas, Freddie Fender, Johnny Preston, Barbara Lynn and many others were helped by Huey. The last big hit he produced was "Don't Mess With My Toot Toot," by Rockin Sidney. Jiving Gene can tell hundreds of Huey Meaux stories. *****There wasn't much doubt that Cornel Thompson would be named athletic director and head football coach at West Orange-Stark. It didn't take much savvy for us to predict it. It would have been a no brainer not to give him the opportunity. He earned it. Now if Coach "T" can get Dan Ray to work the sidelines on Friday nights and be in charge of working the referees he'll have it made. Dan won as many games that way as he did coaching.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Obituaries 10 Years Ago-2011

Earline Marie "Maw Maw" Landry, 73, of Bridge City, passed away Thursday, April 21. Service was held Tuesday, April 26. Maw Maw Landry was preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Landry. She is survived by daughters, Cathy Landry Ware, Lori Landry Johnson, Sharon Landry Coleman and Kimberly Landry Lejeune; six grandchildren and one great grandchild.***** Ellen L. Grant, a long time resident of Orange, passed away April 23. Funeral services were held Friday, April 29. She was a longtime employee of Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. Her survivors include nieces, nephews, a step granddaughter and a host of friends.*****Donna Michelle Berry, 45, passed away April 22. Services will be held on Wednesday, April 27. Survivors include her children: Robert, Misty, Maddy and Roy Dominguez; father and stepmother, Wayne Berry Sr. and Theresa King; brother, Charles Berry; half sister, Nina Gonsolin.***** Richard W. Fuselier, 64, of Orange, died Wednesday, April 20. Funeral services were held on Saturday, April 23. Richard was a pipefitter/welder and a member of Pipefitter Local 195. Richard is survived by his wife, Rose Fuselier; daughters, Theresa Love and Lorie Abshire; grandchildren, Joshua, Jessica, Taylor, and Bailey.

23 Years Ago-1998

Oil company profits declined after racking up record profits last year when crude oil prices nearly reached $23 a barrel. (Editor's note: If just 23 years ago oil companies made record profits at $22.72, just imagine what the profits are at $107 to $110 a barrel and $3.70 a gallon at the pumps. Just 23 years ago, gas went up to 65 cents a gallon. That wasn't 100 years ago folks.)*****In the race for school board at Bridge City newcomer, Theresa Simonton, a registered nurse, is challenging incumbent Russell Dillow. She has garnered a surprising amount of support. *****The Bridge City Chamber W.T. Oliver Roast attracted over 250 people. Former Texas Attorney General Waggoner Carr did his Jessie James, "The Bandit" act. Quotes from W.T. on loyalty, "You either is or you ain't, there's no half-ass to it." On friendship, "You either count on them or count them out."*****Capt. Chuck Uzzle and family were vacationing in Colorado this past week. *****Dewey "Pumpkin" Cox, Jr. died Saturday at the U.T. Medical Branch in Galveston. He was the son of the late "Teddy Bear" Cox who was killed in Arkansas in a plane crash. *****This week, Mrs. Mildred Lemoine has been married to Louis for 40 years. It is said that she deserves a medal. They are the parents of five younguns, Jody, Jada, Jana, Jude and June. *****Toby the Clown wrecked another auto. Now he's riding a bicycle. *****Glenda and Denzel Thompson recently opened Snappy's Express Mart at Highway 62 and Hwy. 87. A ribbon cutting was held last week. Kirk Ellender is Bridge City Chamber president.*****PFC Daniel T. Leblanc graduated from Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego, CA, on April 10.*****Orange Mayor Essie Bellfield asks for re-election. Her motto is "A mayor for all the people."*****John Harrington retires. He's known around the area as "The Mayhaw King." *****Early reports show promise for Viagra. It rhymes with Niagara, like the falls. It's new and is the hottest thing on the market for male impotency. The product has been on the market two weeks. Doug Harrington, of Harrington's Pharmacy, said it's still too early for conclusive results but interest is definitely up. *****Brown Claybar is running for mayor of Orange. He is a former school board member.

42 Years Ago-1979

Pam Crew, travel consulate at the Texas Tourist Bureau in Orange, is the "cowgirl" on the staff. An Orangefield grad, Pam was a barrel racer in high school and has been a rider in the Sheriff's Posse for eight years. In 1978, Pam helped 357,468 people who visited the bureau. She also helped distribute 1,250,000 pieces of literature. On July 4, nearly 2,000 persons stopped at Texas' most active port of entry. In 1936, the first bureau was housed in a log cabin, which later, in 1979, housed a liquor store at 10th Street and Western Ave. Since then the cabin has been moved again. I'm not sure where. In the early years, Texas A&M employees staffed state bureaus.

43 Years Ago-1978

J.B. Bearden is promoted in the coaching ranks at WO-S. *****Inez Hearn is being held hostage at Doctor's Hospital after having surgery. She's tough as a barrel of rattlesnakes and ornery as Uncle John's mule. *****Jean Lapeyrolerie, 18, is the youngest grand juror in Orange County history, maybe in the state. She's a Bridge City High student.***** West Orange-Stark Mustangs qualifying  for class 4-A state track meet are Roosevelt Greer, Van Barnett, Romero Chevis, Tony January and Greg Hill.

CORRECTING A TYPING ERROR

Just one word was omitted in this column last week that made me look stupider than I am. A perfect example of how adding or omitting one word can change the meaning of the statement. In the column, written on the conviction of officer Derek Chauvin, it was stated that even Percy Forman, Racehorse Haynes or even Bearden could have won this case. The word NOT was left out. It should have read "Could not have won this case." I couldn't wait to correct that. I don't believe any lawyer could have won unless the jury believed their eyes were lying to them. I did see Percy try a cases, a murder trial, where he got a hung jury. He had a ringer, a Mr. Curtis, who hung it up. Defense attorney for Chauvin, Eric Nelson, really worked hard. I felt for him trying to make the best of an unwinnable situation. He reminded me of Don Kelly, a young, talented lawyer I once knew, now deceased. God had given him a lot of talent.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

I hear Judge Derry has a nice stand of tomatoes. I hope he makes a good crop. Derry doesn't even eat tomatoes. I haven't had a homegrown mater in a year.*****You can't go wrong by dealing with Dupuis Tire and Service Center, on Texas Ave., in Bridge City. Those friendly hometown folks check your vehicle from bumper to bumper. They offer the only full service in the area. At least once a month you should stop by and get your oil, water, tires etc. checked. I found out the pretty young lady there is Earl's daughter. She must take after her mom.*****King Dunn, 93, died on April 29, 2012; Don Cole, 92, died on the same day in 2017; Dot Eshbach would be 99 years old May 1; Corky Harmon died May 3, 2017; McDonald Baptist Church will turn 90 years old on May 1. I wonder if they have anything special planned. *****In the following seven days, five country singers and two pop singers celebrate birthdays. Willie, 88; Tim McGraw, 54; Eric Church, 44; Raelynn, 25; Randy Travis, 62. Pop Singers Frankie Vail, 87 and Lance Bass, 42. *****QUOTE OF THE WEEK: From Sen. Ron Johnson, "If you get a shot that is 95% effective, why do you care if your neighbor gets a shot or not?" (Editor's note: That's how some from the far right base think. No compassion for the rest of the folks. The GOP is now split in two parts. It's important for everyone to get a shot so someday we can rid the country of this deadly pandemic. It is everyone's duty to get a shot. "I've been shot, have you?" You don't even need an appointment. Just do it. *****A few folks we know celebrating birthdays in the next few days. April 29, Jimmie Simmons and Kelsea Burns celebrate. *****April 30, Nina Scales Leifeste, Alissa Williams and Harold Hymon share birthdays.*****May 1, Karolyn Doiron, Frank Carpenter and Jason Mayfield celebrate.*****May 2, Megan Cornwell and Glenda Dailey are a year older.*****May 3, Monica Lemoine, Nicole Gibbs and Stacie Hollier share birthdays on this day.*****May 4, Julia Hoke and Laurie Miller celebrate birthdays today. Please see birthday list.*****Black Civil Rights attorney Ben Crump is making plenty of hay with the police killings of Black men. Ben doesn't try the cases, he gets a team of experienced trial lawyers, he just puts the deal together and they split 40% of the millions.*****If your yard needs shaping up, call Pete at Coastal Landscaping Service. They are experts and very reasonable with price. They brought my yard back to life. For landscaping call 409-738-2070.

BREAUX BIRTHDAYS

Peggy Dunbar, James Seitz, Judy DeCuir, Tommy Bourgeois, Drew Wappler, Janice Gooch, Roger Brister, Kim Izer, Carl Peltier, Flo Arnold, Loretta Phillips, Newt Hodges, Tom McDavid, Jonette Brown, Mary Stewart, Amy Wiebold, Kay Boudreaux, Brandon Applebach, Jeff Harrison, Jenna Dismukes and MacAlan Trammell.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

April 28: Actors Jessica Alba,  40;  Penelope Cruz,  47;  Ann Margret  80.*****April 29: Comedian Jerry Seinfeld,  67; Country Singer Willie Nelson,  88; Actors Michelle Pfeiffer,  63; Eve Plumb  63.***** April 30: Actors Kirsten Dunst,  39; Sam Heughan,  41; Basketball player Asiah Thomas,  60;***** May 1: Actors Jamie Dorman, 39; Joanna Lumley, 75; Country Singer Tim McGraw, 54.*****May 2: Soccer Player David Beckham, 46; Race Car Driver Kyle Busch, 36; Actor Dwayne Johnson, 49.*****May 3: Country Singer Eric Church, 44; Pop Singer Frankie Valli, 87; Actor Christina Hendricks, 46.*****May 4: Country Singer RaeLynn, 25; Sportscaster Erin Andrews, 43; Pop Singer Lance Bass, 42; Country Singer Randy Travis, 62.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

Sostan Badeaux him, had just come in from working 30 day on da oil rig in da Gulf and couldn't wait to get to Tee-Boy's Bar & Grill to get some drinks. He started drinking early in da morning and by four o'clock him, he done got plum drunk. He stagger out of Tee-Boy's and fell down a few time. He made his way to da next block and stagger into old St. Mary Church and sat down in da confessional.

He don't say nuttin him, jus grunt.

Farda Broussard him, he cough to attract Sostan's attention.

Sostan he still don't say nuttin.

Farda Broussard him, knock on da wall four or five times to get Sostan's to say something.

Sostan him, he's so drunk he's nearly asleep. He finally say to Fater Broussard, "Dere's no use knockin you, dere's no damn paper in dis one neither.

C'EST TOUT

A LITTLE 1967 ORANGE COUNTY HISTORY

WHO RAN IT

In 1967, 50 years ago, seems more recent than that. At that time I was very familiar with most of the county office holders. Charlie Grooms was county judge; Sid Caillavet beat him the following year. James Neff was 128th district judge, and Eugene Hoyt was of 163rd judge. Mary was his pretty wife. Roy Wingate was district attorney. Sharon Bearden was an assistant. Members of commissioners court were Casey Peveto, Allen Peveto, Asa Mansfield and l. Williamson from Vidor. Chester Holt was sheriff; Jewel Bearden was his office manager, Roy Loughlin chief deputy. Sadie Stephens was county clerk, Ethel Burton district clerk, Faye Arnold, tax assessor, Berta Block, treasurer. I recall three JP's, David Dunn, Lawrence Gray and Judge Anders, in Bridge City. Forest Ratcliff was pound master; he was a real cowboy who had a famous dad and uncle. The only constables I recall are Buck Patillo, Morris Collier or Donald Gunn, I'm not sure also about Slim Folsom. I do remember a colorful old guy named Homer Cox, who was city marshal in Pinehurst. The mayor of West Orange was Glenn Seale, police chief was Tony Taylor. A boy from Brunner Addition, Jack Huffman, was city manager of Orange, Bob Whitehouse was mayor, Red Garrett, J.D. Stanfield and Paul Hale and a guy named Carter were on the city council. I recall most all of the deputy sheriffs but I'm not sure when they served. W.S. Wagner, Raymond Harper, Max Boatman, Bill Joyce, Charlie Burch, Bill Potter, Bill Dickerson, Bill McDaniel were all there in 1967. Larry Gunter was dispatcher. During that time Roy Dunn was owner of Gulf Coast Bail Bonding, the first bail bonding company in the county. In 1968, Buck Patillo beat Chester Holts for sheriff and Roy turned the bail bonding company over to Cecil Scales, a friend of Sheriff Patillo. Holts, Hoyt and Grooms all were defeated that year. Just a little county history as I remember it. 1967, year after the Bridge City Cardinals won the counties first state championship.*****That's all for me today. Take care, stay safe and God bless.