The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

LOCAL POLITICS TURNS DARK

I can't remember at anytime when we had just two local races. In this case, only one party participated. I'm turning this column in before the polls close so the outcome will have to be in our news section. The races were well fought in the commissioner's race but I was disappointed by the personal attacks in the J.P. race. It was meant to hurt a candidate but it also hurt the entire family. One's record of service is open for review and criticism but not a candidate's personal family life. Waiting to drop a last minute dirty trick is a rotten thing to do. There is no place for that in local politics and those involved should be ashamed of themselves. I hope you took time to vote. If so, you are to be congratulated.*****I have to move on. Come along, it won't do you no harm.

WHAT LOW VOTER TURNOUT PROVES

Elections in Texas for the mid-term has come and gone at 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, and as of this writing I don't know the full results yet. What we do know is that the Abbott administration's trial run on voter suppression has worked to their favor as planned. The real test will come in November. A record number of voters stayed away from the polls due to Republican laws that have made it more difficult for the elderly, handicapped and minorities to vote. With new nit-picking voter ID requirements, stricter rules regarding voter assistance, sowing confusion, being spied on by partisan poll watchers convinced many they were the problem with voter fraud being rampart. This is strictly propaganda. Most voters want ethical elections. The above is to scare voters away and it worked. On early voting it was made very difficult for the elderly. My ballot was returned. I did everything right, put my drivers license number inside like instructed but didn't put it on the outside envelope. Why it's needed twice is just another harassment. Abbott and Company have stacked the deck, screwing voter map lines in their favor, securing an unfair advantage in congressional races. However, in November, voters can make amends in statewide races if they just get by all the intimidation. Come hell or high water, let nothing stop you from voting in November.

REMEMBERING TERRY LANDRY

Terry Landry was only 63 years old when he passed away Friday, February 25. I had known him since his Little League days in Bridge City where he was coached by his father Donald, a friend, just like others of Terry's relatives, Cherry Stout, Jay and the late Ray Trahan, who loved that boy. I bought a lot of clothes from Terry at Terry's Men's Wear at MacArthur Shopping Center. I was fond of him. He loved baseball and coached many youngsters in Little League. His sons learned the game from their dad. Shea and Shon went on to play college ball and entered the coaching ranks. Terry moved to West Lake 10 years ago where his funeral services were held Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Our condolences to his wife Danika and the entire family. May he rest in peace.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

15 Years Ago-2007

The Bush Administration announced plans to allow Mexican trucks to haul freight into the United States. Boy, what a calamity that will be. Have you ever seen Mexicans who are paid $12.50 a day, drive trucks? Old substandard trucks at that, accidents waiting to happen. I wonder if the Feds will reimburse states for the extra DPS officials and extra inspectors it will take, if not, they will haul pot by the truckload. *****Our longtime friend, Franklin Scales, who has battled a bad heart for several years, keeps on moving on. He celebrates another birthday on March 3. (Franklin died several years ago.) *****Airlines who hold passengers on planes for 10 to 12 hours should have to supply Depends diapers. Three hundred passengers, trying to use two holes just don't fit; someone is bound to pee in their clothes. *****Vice-president Dick Cheney said in Japan last week that the United States will not relent in Iraq. He added that Nancy Peloski wanting to pull out was embellishing the terrorist.  That's a cop out. They gave him a 19-gun salute as he boarded the USS Kitty Hawk. They all missed. *****Health care to skyrocket in the next 10 years. Twenty-cents on every dollar will be spent on health care. Its big business since all hospitals have been privatized and no longer owned by local entities I'm not for socialized medicine but the time is fast coming when we will have to take a hard look at it or an alternative. *****No Lovie: Lovie Smith's negotiations for a new contract with the Chicago Bears are at a stalemate. In a three-year contract, Lovie is the lowest paid head coach in the NFF at $1.35 million. His agent Frank Bauer says barring a breakthrough, a deal wouldn't get done. *****Dancing with the Stars will start again on March 19. Muhammad Ali's daughter Laila, who is a boxer, is one of the contestants. Sports star Clyde Drexler, former Houston Rocket, will be one of the male contestants. Emmitt Smith represented the sport's world in the last contest. *****Two of the Golden Girl's at Bridge City Bank, Joyce and Patty, were left behind last week when the third one, Shirley, attended Mardi Gras at Fred's Lounge in Mamou. Most folks I saw returning from Fred's looked ragged last Wednesday. I didn't see Shirley but Kebble looked like a bunch of bad nights out. *****Gayle Meadows, a great lady who really cares, has announced that after many years she will not run for reelection for Pinehurst City Council. We wish her the best. Government needs more people like Ms. Meadows. *****Cheney went to Pakistan to apply pressure. Boy, don't you know catching bin Laden would be like catching a 22-pound, big mouth bass at Toledo Bend. They should take a clue from Tony Blair's pull out of Iraq and head to the border. The Pakistan/Afghanistan border.***** The cost of a postage stamp is bad enough but will be going up to at least 41 cents. A plan is in the works however, for the sale of a stamp that you buy up front and the price never goes up. No telling what it will cost. *****David Clark, owner of Clark Chemicals, was in town Monday with his mom Helen. You may remember her; she was a gospel singer with a great voice. Anyway, David and Teresa moved to Woodville about four years ago and started a church there. His business is still in Orange. Good folks.***** Neighbor Cox is ready to start gardening and we are ready to get back to bucket farming. We just need spring to come and stay.

45 Years Ago-1977

The H. D. Pate family moves into their newly acquired home in Sylvanglade. *****Hank Thompson and the Brazos Valley Boys played at the Beaumont Knights of Columbus Hall. Several Orange County folks in attendance. Thompson has sold over 30 million records. *****Judge Sid Caillavet says, "The reason young people sew wild oats is because you gotta sew'em while you've got'em." (Editor's note: I know 45 years later what he meant.)*****Howard and Evelyn Morse, along with Bill and Elaine Townes are in Dallas making final grocery preparations for the big grand opening of Big Red's Pantry. The new supermarket will replace the one destroyed by fire. *****Debbie Harmon came home from Houston with a large Afghan dog. She said the fellow that gave it to her guaranteed it would keep the lions away from her apartment. After a few days at her parent's home Corky asked if it was true the dog is a lion hunter. Debbie replied, "You ain't seen any lions around since I've been here have you?"*****Frank Manshac is lost somewhere in Florida. His wife Athelene says she's not buying that he's been kidnapped and held hostage for a week. *****Harold Beeson writes a feature story on Huey Simon and his hunting exploits. Huey has just returned from Alaska where he paid $2,500 to shoot an eight-foot bear. He took Harold to his place to show him his many hunting trophies, including lions, moose, Kodiak bear, panthers and at least 50 other mounted game. (Editor's note: Both died many years ago, Huey in a car accident and Harold of heart problems.)*****Dennis Hall writes about appliance storeowner, Harry Stephens, who ran down a man who had abducted and abused a woman. The man ran into a store to elude capture. Hall says Harry the old Marine, gave chase without any reluctance of getting involved. He just did it on instinct and hopes some other man would do the same if it were his wife. When captured, the man was armed. Harry had never given that a thought. *****Barbara Williams, Bridge City girl's basketball coach, who led her girls to district playoffs this season, gave birth to a baby girl shortly after her last game. *****Pretty Julia Fudge celebrates a birthday this week. *****Jerry McInnis is selected as president of Bridge City Little League, Olan Richard vice-president, Doreen Allen, secretary, Mrs. Charles Uzzle, player agent.

50 Years Ago-1972

Marriage license issued to Stephen Hardy, 21, and Mrs. June Saperstein, 26. (Editor's note: I wonder if they are still together. They are in their 70's today. I remember June, she was manager of Payless and had been married to Fred. By the way, what became of him. They had a son.)*****L.C.M. high school athletic director and head football coach Jim Crossland has a weekly column in the O.V.N. Other columnists are Betty Drake, Louis Dugas, Pete Runnels, Virginia Gilbeaux, Gordon Baxter, Lee Grimsley and Ear to the Ground by the Office Hound.*****Around Town: Larry Bergeron is manager of McLaury's.***Tommy Nichols is owner of Park Avenue Conoco service station on 15th and Park.***C.R. 'Buddy' Rhodes, longtime owner of the Bengal Café on Green Ave. that was destroyed by fire, has opened the 'County Restaurant' at Brown Bowling Alley.***Barbara Waits and Gary Savoy both celebrate birthdays on March 6. Also Happy Birthday to Moe Litton and Henry Stanfield.*****Harmon Chevrolet, 3rd and Green, owned by Jackie, Corky and Don Harmon, features a new 1972 Monte Carol Coupe, loaded for $3,798, Chevy ½ ton pickup, $2,488.*****Charlie Wickersham Ford is featuring a 1972 Gran Torino Coupe for $2,756, four door Galaxie 500 for $3,189, Ford 100 pickup, $2,438. (Editor's note: Those prices wouldn't even make a down payment now a days.)

75 Years Ago-1947

Deputies Ray Robinson and Alva Griffith, alone with city policeman Bob Henderson, aided by bloodhounds, captured Ezekiel Sly, a suspected burglar, after a three hour manhunt. (Editor's note: I remember Alva, a great guy. He was Edna Lusignan's father.)

100 Years Ago-1922

Sheriff Helton arrested seven men in connection with the murder of Ben Clemens, in the heart of the oilfield gambling den. He then took charge of the Petroleum Club, piled the gambling devices outdoors, lit a match and destroyed them, claiming the stuff encouraged murder.*****C.C. Kanter and J.W. Ratcliff, were charged with murder in the deaths of Henry Griffith and Deputy Sheriff Luke Hailey during a shootout at the corner of Fifth and Front, in Orange. Officers said there was no apparent reason for the shootings. (Editor's note: Pretty rough place back then.)

A FEW HAPPENINGS

It's a small world. I discovered this week that longtime friend Millie Harper, who Ed Bacon nicknamed 'Tall Boy,' is still around. We go back to the old Jack Tar days where Millie was one of the great waitresses at the Sugar and Spice restaurant and later at the Ramada. She lived at Harper Valley, just out of Mauriceville, in a family commune where I attended several parties. I think of all those great folks every time I drive past the place. What I learned that was surprising is that Millie's pretty daughter Becky, is married to J.W. Dalton, who now owns all of Harper Valley and everything across Hwy. 62. In this case both married well. She comes from good stock and he will do to ride the range with.*****I'm glad to hear that my buddy Quincy Procell, who has been very ill and in the hospital for three weeks, is home now and improving. He nearly bought the farm. We are all praying for him.*****I was thinking that it's a little ironic that the initials of the first three men on earth, Adam, Able and Cain, are identical with those of the first three men on the moon, Armstrong, Aldin and Collins.*****On February 25, 58 years ago, Judge Sid Callivet, Sheriff Chester Holts, Joe 'The Barber' Blanda and Roy, drove to Lake Charles to view on the big screen a fight between a young Black Cassus Clay, 21 years, 10 months and five days old, who was fighting heavy weight champion 'The Bear' Sonny Liston for the World Championship. The odds were against Clay. He upset Liston and became the youngest champion ever. In this week's Down Life's Highway column, Roy wrote about the 'Battle of New Orleans,' and how Ali, (Cassus Clay) recaptured the world title for the third time, winning over Leon Spinks, who had previously beat him. Cassus had become Mohammed Ali years earlier and was the only fighter to capture the Heavy Weight Championship three different times.*****A Sure Bet: Starting this week, Abbott will start moving away from Trump. Between now and November he will put a motor on his wheelchair to get as far away from Trump as he can. By the November election he'll be asking, "Donald Who?" By then Trump will have so much baggage it will fill several dump trucks. He and his 'Genius' will be found to be morons by more people than Mitt Romney. Most clear minded people will come to recognize a couple of buffoons, acting out their narcissistic personalities, when they see them.*****Playboy Playmates who didn't reach 50. Anna Nicole's death at age 39 puts her in a group of other Playmates who didn't make it to age 50. Elisa Bridges, 28, died of a drug overdose, 2002; Ellen Louise Maligo, 40, killed in Florida, 1997; Dorothy Stratten, 20, killed by husband, 1980; Claudia Jennings, 29, died in auto accident, 1997; Eve Meyer, 46, airline collision, 1977; Paige Young, 30, drug overdose, 1974; Willy Rey, 23, drug overdose, 1973; Carol Willis, 20, auto accident, 1971; Jayne Mansfield, 34, auto accident, 1967; Tonya Crews, 28, auto accident, 1966; Marilyn Monroe, 36, sleeping pill overdose. 1962. Monroe was the cover girl for Playboy in its first issue.*****I can't get over the debacle at the CPAK gathering in Orlando where Trump continued to praise Putin. The master-of-ceremonies called for three cheers for Russia at the same time they were invading a free democracy and killing its citizens. I'm ashamed and every Republican should be also.

BREAUX BIRTHDAYS

A few folks we know celebrating in the next few days. March 2: Happy Birthday to Amy Taylor, Graig Nugent, Tommy Andrus, Apryl Carter and Kay Butler.*****March 3: Celebrating today are Lori Bonds, Joan Broussard, Donna Sullivan and Carolyn Miller.*****March 4: Pretty Cassie Caillouet Bearden celebrates today. She is the bride of our buddy Jim Sharon and comes from a long list of Bridge City pioneers, 'The Caillouets.' Also celebrating today are Colby Richard, Carolyn Sheppard, Travis Reeves and Darrell Evans.*****March 5: Jennifer Byrd, Chris Slaughter, Lenzi Childress, Cathy Kimbrow and Carolyn Hillsten all celebrate birthdays.*****March 6: Coach Sam 'Bucket' Moore celebrates a birthday wherever he's hanging out these days. Also having a birthday on this date are Marie Benson, Trubie Beebe, Kristen Rucker, John Philps and Glyndon Childress.*****March 7: Happy Birthday to former sheriff Mike White and also to Sharon Crumpler, Libby Mitchell, Misty Thurman, Dana Bourque, Leisa Miller and Rick Trahan.*****March 8: Christi Wiegreffe, Shelly Granger and David Thibodeaux all share birthdays today.*****Happy Birthday to a couple of special ladies, longtime friends Pat Pate and Liz Weaver. (They'll do to waltz with.)***Happy Birthday to everyone having one.

Having a birthday or anniversary let us know, call 409-735-5305 or email therecordlive.com.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

Tree friends were sitting at Black's Oyster Bar, across from da St. Mary Magdalene church, wat sits on a hill overlooking Abbeville. A funeral possession was jus unloading poor Joe Breaux's body from da hurst to take him into da church. Da men's looking out da big window at Black's start talking about dying.

Clovis Boutte, him axe, "Wen you in you casket and you friends and family are mourning over you, wat would you like dem to say?"

Elwood Marceaux spoke up, "I would like dem to say Elwood him, was a good man, a good husband to Agnes and always kept his family supplied with crawfish."

Rene' Oubre say, "Me, I would like dem to say, Rene' him, he served his church and God and made a difference in people's lives."

Den day turned to Clovis and axe him, "Wat about you?"

"Well, while everybody is looking at me in dat casket, wearing my new suit, someone starts hollowing, "Look, Look, Clovis him is moving."

C'EST TOUT

THE STATE OF OUR UNION

President Biden gave his State of the Union speech Tuesday evening. He had a lot of bases to cover. Remember, he was dealt a bad hand coming in, the pandemic complicated things and also the movement of products led to rations and increased prices at the gas pump. The economy is strong but inflation will have to be dealt with. No one could have done a better job dealing with NATO and our partners countries over the Russia invasion of Ukraine. Biden's long suit is his expertise on foreign policy. I hope his speech turns the tide for him at home. My bet is that time will prove that Joe Biden was the right person at just the right time in our history. No one ever came to the presidency better prepared. He's a good man who will always put the country first.*****Let's all pray for the citizens of Ukraine. Many will be killed by Russia but they are brave people standing their ground. Most likely Russia will overrun the small country and President Zelenskyy, who bravely led his people, will be killed. Take care and God bless America and the people of Ukraine.

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