Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
Sorted by date Results 76 - 95 of 95
How Lamar State College-Orange came about is a somewhat interesting story about community involvement and politics. The story really began with Port Arthur College. Port Arthur College was established in the early 1900s by John "Bet-a-Million" Gates. There were not enough radio operators which were required to be on ships. And at the time were there enough stenographers, or people with office skills available for growing Port Arthur. Gates endowed the school to teach radio...
How many times have you heard someone running for office say, "I am not a politician"? The phrase seems to suggest that being a politician is necessarily a bad thing. I disagree. Anyone hoping to win in any game, be it athletics, business, cards or even monopoly must know the rules. To me in a free, democratic form of government one who knows and understands the rules and how to apply them is a politician. Washington, Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin et. al. were all consummate...
The good news for Orange, County may be indicative of good news coming for all of America. There has been enough bad news in recent years accompanying the pandemic: arguments over wearing masks, the decline in supplies, inflation and other aggravations imposed on Americans. Good news for Orange County is certainly a bright spot for Southeast Texas. Good things seem to abound for Orange County. Never since the 40s when virtually overnight, Orange grew from a sleepy little East...
I wonder whether or not there is anyone besides me old enough to remember when there was no bridge to Bridge City. When one was driving west out of Orange, as you neared the Neches River, you would veer sharply to the left and end up at the loading place for a small ferry. There was only one ferry boat and sometimes there was quite a wait if the ferry had recently departed and was loading on the other side. I remember, remember it quite well, because in the summertime, if we w...
As a boy I was fascinated by books telling tales of gallant knights saving the people. It was exciting to read about Ivanhoe, King Arthur and other errant knights going forth to slay dragons and defend against evil doers. I loved reading about heroic exploits done by noble knights chosen by fair maidens for their defense. Like fair maidens of yore, we can choose our heroes to confront our enemies in the coming new year. In order to do so, however, we must be prepared by...
After chairing the Texas Senate Education Committee for several years, I am absolutely convinced that although education is expensive, it is not near so expensive as ignorance. I am also convinced that ignorance is the greatest danger to a free society. Jefferson and others of our founders often advocated knowledgeable citizens were essential to a free society. There is a growing concern today as to whether or our educational system is producing the level of knowledge...
If you are over 60 years old there is an additional plague attacking you rather than the current virus. I am absolutely convinced that computers were invented to drive us old folks crazy. Remember when phones were answered by humans? And the only folks with numbers were convicts? How many passwords do you have? Better yet, how many passwords do you have that you remember? Once upon a time ordering from Sear & Roebuck catalog and making phone calls was a simple matter. Now...
Recently, Governor Abbott has made a been to-do about the fact that Beto is not is not Beto O’Rourke’s real name. O’Rourke’s real name is Robert Francis O’Rourke. The governor, however, is being a little hypocritical in his criticism of his opponent for the governorship. Beto is a pet name for children in the Mexican culture. It is an endearing name for Robert or Roberto. Beto was born in El Paso, raised in the border area of Texas, is fluent in Spanish and has been called Bet...
Rick Perry (Richard Perry) was the 47th governor of Texas, serving from 2000-2015. Perry served as the longest presiding governor of Texas after being elevated from lieutenant governor to governor upon George Bush's election as president. He is a graduate of Texas A&M. Interestingly enough, while at A&M he ran for student body president and lost to John Sharp. Perry later defeated John Sharp in the race for lieutenant governor. He went on to unsuccessfully run for president...
While Ann Richards about whom I have already written succeeded Bill Clements, one short article in the Penny Record does not give adequate credit or respect to Ann Richards by becoming the first female governor of Texas in many years. Unlike Ma Ferguson who was elected governor because of the illegal and unethical conduct of her husband, Ann Richards got elected on her own merits in large measure because she had the fortitude to favor a state lottery, be a ground breaker showi...
Ann Richards succeeded Bill Clements. Her familiarity with state politics began while secretary to Sara Weddington. Weddington is well known for having argued the case of Roe v. Wade. Ann went on to run for and be elected to county commissioner in Travis County. Later she was elected treasurer of the State of Texas. Among Ann's promises as treasurer was to advocate eliminating the office of treasurer and folding it into the duties of the state comptroller. Ann's chance of winn...
Bill Clements was only the second governor to have served as governor, suffered a defeat and made a return. The other governor sharing this unique election experience was Ma Ferguson. Mark White was not able to survive his failure to keep several promises, including the one to grant school teachers a large pay raise. He lost his bid for re-election to Bill Clements. Clements’ second term was fairly non-eventful as he continued his policy of retribution against those of us D...
Mark White was the governor who succeeded Bill Clements' first term in office. White was a member of a prominent Houston law firm. On his first political venture he defeated Price Daniel, Jr. for attorney general. This was a surprise to everyone. It was believed Price Daniel, Jr. was shoo-in to be elected following in the footsteps of his father, Governor Price Daniel. White went on to defeat Bill Clements in a close race for governor, running primarily on promises to enhance...
William (Bill) Clements was elected after Dolph Briscoe. Clements defeated a former attorney general for Texas, John Hill, who was a prominent trial lawyer prior to being elected attorney general. Clements' defeat of Hill gave Texas its first Republican governor since the post-Civil War era. I strongly supported Hill and urged him to run a very aggressive campaign. Hill ran as though he were already elected governor with the belief that Democrats had controlled Texas for so...
The forty-first governor of Texas was Dolph Briscoe, who served from 1973-1979. Briscoe was a conservative Democrat and was elected at a time when Texas was still a one-party state. No Republican had been elected governor since the episode following the Civil War called Carpetbag government. Briscoe defeated Preston Smith who probably lost because of the largest scandal known to Texas: The Sharp’s Town Scandal. He was a congenial fellow; a multi-millionaire, a rancher who o...
John Connally was succeeded as governor by Preston Smith who served from 1969-1973. Smith had been lieutenant governor from 1963-1969. Smith was from Lubbock, Texas and while serving both as lieutenant governor and governor had a reputation for being very friendly to the business lobby in Austin. Smith was more of a caretaker governor than any other. Generally, he did not try to influence or meddle with what was going on legislatively. And, was well liked by the great...
Connally stayed in office through two, two-year terms and was the first governor to serve a four-year term. Connally's second run for governor was again opposed by Yarborough. I had supported Yarborough in his initial race but the more I listened to some of his ideas, it became apparent to me that Yarborough was long on oratory, but short on knowledge of government. Yarborough was at a disadvantage financially. Connally had millions with which to support his gubernatorial...
In 1962, the year I was first elected to the Legislature, John Connally was elected governor in a very close Democratic Primary. He succeeded by narrowly defeating a young candidate named Don Yarborough. Connally, with his good looks and handsome demeanor looked the part of a governor. Ability to perform is a great benefit in the political arena. He majored in drama while at the University of Texas undergraduate school which served him well. He went on to law school and...
This article will be the beginning of a series in which I will examine and comment on the various governors in office during my political career. I served in the Legislature during the tenure of eight different governors. In effect, this series will be remembrances of occurrences during my tenure in office and my relationship with the various governors. In Texas the governor’s office originally was extremely weak. It was established by the constitution adopted in the 1800s f...
From the 40s to the 60s organized labor was the most potent political and economic force in Southeast Texas. Jefferson and Orange Counties had the highest per capita income in the state, wonderful school districts and everyone seemed to be prospering. At the time it was difficult, if not impossible, for someone politically inclined to win election without labor support. Even with the benefits, Labor was not without its crises at the time. Critical times in the area included...
