REMEMBERING JFK AND HIS DEATH

Next Monday, November 22, will mark one of the darkest days in United States history, along with Pearl Harbor, 9-11 and the domestic insurrection on the Capital, January 6, 2021. This November 22, marks 58 years since President John K. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas. Texas Gov. John Connally was seriously wounded and VP Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as U.S. president. As a witness to history, Roy Dunn, in his Down Life’s Hwy. column, recalls the days approaching November 22 and the events of that day. The day changed the course of history.*****I must move on. Please come along, I promise it won’t do you no harm.

RACE STARTS -ABBOTT RUNNING HARD

Saturday, Nov. 13, registration started for candidates to qualify for the 2022 elections. Qualifying ends Dec. 13. early voting for the primary election begins Feb. 14. March 1st is Election Day. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has already hit the campaign trail but it’s not about his two primary challengers, Allen West and Sen. Don Huffins, he’s taking dead aim at Beto O’Rourke, a Democrat. O’Rourke announced he’s getting in the race. Abbott has been making political stops in areas with high Hispanic voters reminding the crowd that his wife Cecilia is Hispanic. Abbott has also gone to television with ads against O’Rourke even though the General Election is a year away Nov. 2022. Abbott is areas in Texas where O’Rourke beat Sen. Ted Cruz in 2020 race that Cruz won by just 2.5 percent. Abbott is taking O’Rourke more seriously than Cruz did. Abbott, seeking his third term, is counting on Trump supporters in the Primary Election and expects to move away from Trump in the General Election. O’Rourke’s decision to run was announced Monday, Nov. 15. His political action committee sent out emails stating, “We’ve got something big to announce and want you to be a part of it.” O’Rourke has been jabbing Abbott, blasting him for his handling of the pandemic and his failure of the power grid. He also has been critical of Abbott sending thousands of police and National Guard troops to the border, which he calls a political ploy. Abbott is also being accused of wanting to be re-elected in Texas to help him in a primary race for president. After seven statewide political campaigns, dating back to 1965, with no significant primary challengers, supporters say Abbott appears to really be concerned about next year’s General Election against Beto O’Rourke. Abbott continues to carry Donald Trump’s baggage, hoping to get Trump’s support in a presidential race if Trump is not in it. My thought is that you can book it, Trump won’t run and he’ll throw Abbott under the bus. That’s a long way off, first Abbott has to win a primary vote and then face a fresh, new face. Polls show Abbott and O’Rourke, an independent Democrat and former congressman from El Paso, in a dead heat.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

10 YEARS AGO-2011

A few special people we know who are celebrating their special day. Thad Angelle, a longtime banker and one of the wheels at Mid-County Teachers will celebrate on Nov. 16.*****Kenneth Hass, who has been married to the lovely Phyllis Guidry Hass for many years celebrates Nov. 17. Dot’s little boy. Edgar Esbach, is a year older Nov. 20.***A great guy, Phyl and Roy’s middle child, son Allen Dunn, celebrates his special day on Nov. 20. He’ll do to ride the range with.***Also celebrating on the same day is one of our favorite people, Lon Hubbard.***A guy we have known since he was a puppy, Butch Campbell, marks his special day Nov. 22.*****Mary Tate, our Penny’s baby sister celebrates Nov. 22 as does Jason Leleux. *** Belinda Thibodeaux celebrates Nov. 22.***Also celebrating on Nov. 22 is legal secretary, a gal who spent most of her childhood working for the late Grover Halliburton, Jackie Roberts.***** Folks were wondering what became of John Heard Saturday morning when he didn’t show up with his oranges and grapefruit at the Farmer’s Market. Now we know he had emergency gall bladder surgery. *****Sleepy Smith goes back to Houston this week for a check up on his Pacemaker. He says he is doing fine. *****Our buddy Harry Stephens is on the rebound after a stay in the hospital with phenomena. His nurse, Margie, never left his side. ***** When Preston Fuller lost his cell phone he retraced his all-day steps and finally, at Dairy Queen, called his number and in the distance could hear it ringing. It was in the dumpster. He retrieved it, the phone is worth the digging.

18 Years Ago-2003

Donald Gunn is scheduled to have open-heart surgery Monday, Dec. 1, at St. Elizabeth. The a valve will be repaired or replaced. His personal nurse, longtime bride Mary Lou, will be by his side. (Editor’s note: Donald passed away sometime after that. Mary Lou has also passed away. )*****Joe Burke celebrated his 85th birthday Nov. 22 with friends in Newton. He also attended Joel Steirman’s 60th birthday party. A complete Mexican dinner, catered by Robert’s Restaurant, was served. The party was held at the Boat Club in Orange. *****The Orangefield Bobcats were just one minute and 19 yards away from victory but then disaster struck. Coach Kevin Flanagan’s Bobcats, with two seconds left on the clock, lost to LaGrange 17-14. *****Dereck Cloeren and Shon Landry, of Little Cypress-Mauriceville, signed baseball scholarships. Cloeren signed with Northwestern and Landry with McNeese.***** Real estate salespeople at First Realty are Sleepy Smith, Betty Derrick, Gale Beckett and Marie Trimm. *****Orangefield High School junior, Angela Ledford, 17, will compete for Miss Texas Teen USA in Houston. *****Earl and Ruth Davis are promoting better relations with Israel by making several trips to the Holy Land with the “Bridges for Peace” organization.

48 Years Ago-1973

An overflow crowd attended the “Shoot Out” Saturday at West Orange between the Bridge City Cardinals and the West Orange Chiefs; both teams were playing for the district championship. The winner went on in the playoffs. The Cardinals had a 14-14 tie on their record; the Chiefs were undefeated with a 9-0 record. The Cards were 8-0-1. In the previous season B.C. had beaten the Chiefs out of the playoffs. This was coach Chief Wilson’s final game as coach. Even if the Cards lost, Wilson had been the most successful coach at Bridge City by winning the state championship. The Chiefs won the game 34-13, doubling the amount of points the Cards had allowed all season. Standouts for the Chiefs were Ray Pousson, Roy Williams, Lorance Wills, Randal Tate and Barney Duhon, who all scored. (Editor’s note: Over the years, coach Wilson, who retired from coaching after that game, has always spoken highly of the 1973 Cardinals, the team he had hoped to return to state with. Only one team advanced back then, even with an 8-1-1 record.)

50 Years Ago-1971

The West Orange Chiefs defeated Coach Wilson’s Bridge City Cardinals, for the East Zone title. Adolph Hryhorchuck is athletic director, coach and head coach is Donald Jay, assistants are George Berger, James Riley, Glen Green, Ronnie Anderson, Don Witherspoon and Sherril Womack. All but a dozen players on the squad are seniors. The district’s leading rusher, Butch Campbell, is a sophomore. Silsbee is the top ranked 3-AAA team in the state. In the first playoff game, Coach “Stud” McGallion and his Tigers came to town and defeated the Chiefs 14-7 to advance, ending West Orange season 9-2. Campbell was injured and was replaced by sophomore Phillip January, a good, young, running back. The Chiefs, however, felt the experience of Campbell and his record setting rushing might have made a difference in the game. The Chiefs had hoped to make it all the way to state.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

I’m extremely proud of the job first-year coach Eric Peevey has done at L.C.M. We have known the Peevey family for several years, great folks and good athletes. Good luck Eric and the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears in the playoff game Friday against Columbia, a team that is 6-4 overall. They won’t be a push over. They beat number one seed North Forest 65-38 in bi-district round.*****The West Orange-Stark Mustangs face Jasper Friday at Beaumont ISD Memorial Stadium. WOS is 9-1, while Jasper has a 6.4 record. Coach Cornel Thompson’s defense will be hard for Jasper to penetrate. The Mustangs should keep rolling.*****I’ve been cooped up way too many months. Mostly I’m missing friends and hearing what’s going on around the county. I spoke with Marlene Merritt, she and Keith spend time working on their far away deer camp. She said son, Easton, is doing much better and was planning to go to work this week or next.*****I had hoped a good Republican candidate from Orange County would run for the U.S. congressional seat. The window is open to finally elect an Orange Countian. I know of two guys locally who would be good U.S. representatives.*****I visited with Danny Brack Tuesday. He says the hardest thing in the grocery business is receiving shipments and hiring help.*****People no longer beg for jobs. You have to beg them to give them a job. There is a 4.4 unemployment. Everyone has change in their jean pockets and some folks are saying the economy is bad.*****I hear Dist. Clerk Vickie Edgerly will hang it up a year from now. I can hardly remember when Vickie wasn’t around. She’s a good one who does her job well but don’t take much lip. Over the years I noticed it wasn’t very wise to step on Ms. Vickie’s toes.*****A few folks we know celebrating birthdays. Nov. 17: A special lady, a good wife, great mom, longtime BCISD employee Reba Eddins celebrates today. A Port Arthur native whose dad operated the lift bridge that crossed over from Port Arthur to Pleasure Island. She and I both recall stories about those times. Happy Birthday Reba. Also celebrating today are Barbara Briggs, Patsy Bristen, Katy Taylor, Laurie Kosh and Lexy Brock.*****Nov. 18: Celebrating today are Theresa Evans, Aimee Huckabay, Jonathan Vogt, Stephanie Williams and Bryan Garrett.*****Nov. 19: Joel Steirman, Helen Stankus, Kade Parkhurst, Michelle Judice, Liz Harris, Trina Stringer, Linda Klein, Kristina Denman, Meagan McGill and Charles Cagle all celebrate today.*****Nov. 20: In 1863, Abe Lincoln gave his Gettysburg address. Many years later some fine folks were born on this day. Happy Birthday to Allen Dunn, Lon Hubbard, Sunni Moseley, Jan Briggs, Hayden Clark and longtime friend Edgar Eschbach. President Joe Biden celebrates today also.*****Nov. 21: Celebrating today are Jennifer Mott, Jason Leleux, Bart Williams, David Heyduck and Tabatha Force. On this day in 2019, our friend John Roy Fredrick passed away with a massive heart attack. Hard to believe that two years have gone by. It seems I was with him just a few months ago.*****Nov. 22: One of the great guys I know, Judge Rodney Price, celebrates today as does Butch Campbell and lovely Jackie Roberts. Pam Chapman, Carolyn Hagen and Bobby Tarter.***Two great guys that have left us, H.D. Pate and Judge Joe Parkhurst, celebrated birthdays on this day. John F. Kennedy was killed Nov. 22, 1963.*****Nov. 23: A special Happy Birthday to longtime friend Becky “Bear” Rutledge. Celebrating also are Randle Morris, Barbara Boynton, Rita Ellis, Haylie Belcher and Christina Tallant.***Happy Birthday to all.*****NOTICE: Former Bridge City students are putting a school history together. They have records of all the classes since 1957 with the exception of year 1963. If you have any information on the class of 1963 please call 409-474-1067.*****How about those Baylor Bears. The Bears beat Texas and Oklahoma in the same season. The number four Sooners were 9-0 before the Baylor loss. Don’t get around Sharon Bearden if you don’t want to hear about Baylor.*****Deer season is in full swing. I must get word out to Judge Chad Jenkins that the doctors have cleared me to eat deer meat, in fact, they said sausage would be best for me, high protein and no carbs. Maybe I should get in touch with my buddy Wendie.*****Special thanks to our longtime friend Quincy Procell, who brought us some goodies out of Louisiana. He has a connection for the best crawfish pie and seafood gumbo I’ve ever eaten. Procell is one of those great guys who lends a helping hand to anyone who need and deserves it. He never forgets his friends. We go back many years when he was a young, most often broke, Millwright.*****Trump has threatened to run a candidate against Speaker Dade Phelan, our state representative. So far I’m not aware of who that challenger might be, however, Dade running so many political ads on TV indicates he knows something. Dade has done a good job for us and the state by not calling for a hand count canvas of 2020 votes in the state. That count would have cost every county thousands of dollars for a state Trump won. Pure foolishness. What he should fear most is being thrown under the bus by the top three in the state government to please Trump.***** President Joe Biden signed his hard-fought $1 trillion infrastructure deal into law Monday before a bipartisan, celebratory crowd on the White House lawn, declaring that the new infusion of cash for roads, bridges, ports and more is going to make life “change for the better” for the American people. Stay tuned, Joe will soon find his “Mojo.” He’s far more government wise than Tucker and Hannity want to admit. A year from now, GOP candidates will be trying to take credit for Biden’s public works measure that they voted against.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Nov. 17: Actor Danny DeVito, 77; Director Martin Scorsese, 79; TV Host RuPaul, 61.*****Nov. 18: Baseball Player David Ortiz, 46; News Anchor Megan Kelly, 51; Actor Damon Wayans, Jr., 39.*****Nov. 19: Fashion Designer Calvin Klein, 79; Actors Jodie Foster, 59; Meg Ryan, 60.*****Nov. 20: United States President Joe Biden, 79; Country Singer Josh Turner, 44; Rock Singer Joe Walsh, 74.*****Nov. 21: Actress Goldie Hawn, 76; Football Players Michael Strahan, 50; Troy Aikman, 55.*****Nov. 22: Actors Scarlett Johansson, 37; Mark Ruffalo, 54; Jamie Lee Curtis, 63; Tennis Player Billy Jean King, 78.*****Nov. 23: Pop Singer Miley Cyrus, 29; TV Host Robin Roberts, 61; Actor Page Kennedy, 45.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

Oris Comeaux’s boy, Joseph, went to da cemenary to become a priest him. Wen he was ordained, he was sent to da Catholic parish in New Orleans. He was nervous bout hearing confessions for da first time so he axe Father Broussard, an older priest, to sit in on his sessions.

Father Comeaux him, hears a couple of confessions, den Father Broussard axe him to step out of the confessional for him to give a few suggestions.

Father Broussard suggests, “Cross your arms over your chest and rub your chin wit one hand and try saying tings like “Yes, “I see,” “Go on” and “I understand.”

Da new priest, Father Comeaux him, crosses his arms, rubs his chin wit one hand and repeats all da suggested remarks to da old priest.

Father Broussard say to da young priest, “Now, don’t you tink dats a little better dan slappin your knee and saying, “Keyaw, wat happened next hanh?”

C’EST TOUT

AGAINSTERS NOW WANT PIECE OF THE PIE

U.S. congressmen, who voted against President Biden’s infrastructure bill, passed by a bipartisan vote in both houses, ironically are now urging Chairman Buttigieg to lift the pause on 1-45 expansion and use some of the infrastructure funds for the project. The U.S. Representatives making the request are Brian Babin, Randy Weber, Kevin Brady, Michael Cloud and Dan Crenshaw. The Representatives sent a letter to Sec. Buttigieg requesting him to release the funds. I believe it says a lot about integrity after fighting to defeat the bill these Republicans are the first to jump out there soliciting funds after fighting policies that benefit all Americans. I would like to have seen Babin and Weber at least make an attempt at getting funds to dredge the Orange ship cannel to the Port of Orange even though they don’t have the stroke. I believe the only Texas Republican that can possibly help is Sen. John Cornyn. He voted for the bill. Actually he’s the only Texas Republican who has the qualifications and integrity to be a candidate for president. Ted Cruz is far off the board. He’s a nightmare. He again has failed Texans, even criticizing Big Bird for promoting COVID-19 vaccines. Ted is for Ted. We have already had far too much of that.*****My time is up for this week. Thanks for coming along. Stay safe, take care and God bless.