Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
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LOVE TO MOTHER’S EVERYWHERE Throughout my life, Mother’s Day has always been important to me. Mothers not only carry and give birth, but also nurture us through those formative years but when we skin a knee or fall out of a tree Mom will always make it okay. Her tenderness and motherly love is unmatched. Often it’s when you look back you realize just how important her part was in your development. Sometimes it’s after she is gone, when the big picture fully comes to you. Th...
RUN OFF—WHO CAN VOTE The Primary runoff election between incumbent Dade Phelan, Speaker of the Texas House, and newcomer David Covey is Tuesday, May 28. Early voting begins May 20 and ends May 24. Some people seem to be confused as to who is eligible to vote in the runoff. If you voted in the Republican primary, you can vote again. If you voted in the Democratic primary, you can’t vote. If you didn’t vote in either primary, you are free to vote in the runoff. Democrats didn...
JUST SAY IT AIN’T SO I’m just having a real hard time accepting that my longtime friend Harry Stephens is gone. Early Sunday morning I glanced down at the ringing phone and seeing Margie Stephens’ name I knew it wouldn’t be good news. I had checked on Harry a few days earlier and had gotten Margie’s cell number to use if I couldn’t reach Harry. She told me he was wearing an oxygen machine full time but was still working at the store five days a week and a half-day on Saturday...
HISTORIC TRIAL OF TRUMP BEGINS Not until mid-afternoon Tuesday did Donald Trump’s lawyers and prosecutors select the first seven jurors for the case, which centers on allegations that the former president falsified documents to cover up a sex scandal involving a porn star. Dozens were dismissed after saying they could not be fair, underscoring the towering task of trying a former president in a city where he is deeply unpopular. The lawyers reached the heart of the s...
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE—BIG DEAL The much anticipated solar eclipse shifted billions of dollars across the country. The ‘first’ reports came out of Mexico, headed to Texas Hill Country and beyond. The eclipse laid a 100 mile path from Texas to Maine. It was a big deal for small towns that usually lose out to big sporting events in large cities. Unlike other major events, the 2024 total eclipse was a family affair. Families drove or flew together to unknown places throughout the c...
NEWS AROUND TEXAS Texas is making a lot of news ahead of next Mondays April 8th total solar eclipse. Cities around Texas expect to see a major influx of tourists. Good weather is expected. The Hill Country is a great place to see the eclipse but not the only place. The path of totality is expected to stretch between 108 and 122 miles. There are lots of Texas locations in that wide strip. The First Monday Trade Days, in Canton, this year will be set up for RV and tent camping...
SERVICE TO BE HELD FOR SENATOR PARKER Longtime lawmaker and political titan Carl A. Parker passed away Friday, March 22. He was 89. Parker was born in 1934 in Port Arthur and left home to live elsewhere twice: the first time when he attended law school at the University of Texas — he graduated in 1958 — and the second when he served four years in the U.S. Navy. For more than three decades, he served in the legislature: from 1962 to 1977 in the House of Representatives and fro...
SUPREME COURT PERMITS TEXAS TO ARREST PEOPLE WHO ILLEGALLY CROSS THE BORDER AS LEGAL CLASH CONTINUES The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed Texas to start enforcing Senate Bill 4, a new state law that allows Texas police to charge people with illegally entering the state from other countries. The federal government argued that the law is unconstitutional because enforcing immigration laws is a federal responsibility. The legal case is far from over. The case will now go...
YOGI SAYS “IT AIN’T OVER TILL IT’S OVER” First let me congratulate the winners in the Primary Elections. Those with opponints and those without. After the smoke cleared we ended up with one runoff race in District 21. Our state representative Dave Phelan, who also is speaker of the house, one of the three most powerful offices in state government, finds himself in a runoff with David Covey. Covey, a political unkown from Mauriceville chosen by Attorney Gen. Paxton and Lt. Gov...
ELECTION MOSTLY GOP PRIMARY Every election I run my traps trying to get a read that I can make predictions on. That didn’t happen in this election cycle. The best I got was maybe, not probable, but possible, that we could end up with three races in run-offs. The state representative race, sheriff’s and constable races all have been hard fought and for the most part well run campaigns. Going into a race with multiple candidates usually favors the incumbent, but not necessarily...
WHY PHELAN SHOULD BE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE One of the three most powerful political positions in Texas is on the line. It is more important to House District 21, in Southeast Texas because that is the district the powerful Speaker of the House of Representatives is from. It is the first time in Southeast Texas history that our little part of Texas has had such a strong hand in the governing of Texas. Speaker Dade Phelan is a true southeast Texan; his roots are deep in the...
BIDEN INNOCENT—VICTIM OF CHEAP SHOT The fact that President Joe Biden is a senior citizen is not going to go away. The world is full of successful senior citizens and the president is one of them. Accomplishments in his first term in office are remarkable, and yes, people accuse him of being a senior citizen in that campaign. Through his many years of service, along with getting older, he gained the knowledge that has made him the most experienced and knowledgeable person o...
A BORDER SECURITY BILL WORTH PASSING The Senate bill has reforms Trump never came close to getting. Despite weeks working with Democrats to shape a compromise on illegal migration that also bolsters national security threats, the Trump-dominated GOP intends to do nothing until Election Day. Do Republicans want to better secure the U.S. border, or do they want to keep what has become an open sore festering for another year as an election issue? That’s the choice presented to C...
DEALING WITH COVID For over three years Roy had been very cautious to not be in contact with COVID. He quit going to the office and avoided being around people. He and his family knew that because of existing health problems it would be nearly impossible to overcome a battle with COVID. He and Phyl didn’t take any chances. They took all the shots, all but the last booster shot. They had let their guard down somewhat and didn’t wear their mask while doing doctor’s visits. They...
COURT SAYS TEXAS CAN'T BLOCK FEDERAL AGENTS The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday ordered Texas to allow federal border agents access to the state's border with Mexico, where Texas officials have deployed miles of concertina wire. The order for now, effectively upholds longstanding court rulings that the Constitution gives the federal government sole responsibility for border security. In recent weeks, Shelby Park in Eagle Pass has become the center of a standoff between Texas and...
A.G. PAXTON CAMPAIGNS AGAINST SPEAKER DADE PHELAN IN HIS S.E.T. DISTRICT Attorney General Ken Paxton ramped up his political revenge tour following his impeachment last year with a visit to the district of House Speaker Dade Phelan. Paxton spent the day in southeast Texas campaigning with David Covey, a GOP activist from the Mauriceville area, who is challenging Phelan in the March primary. The Phelan-led House, including most Republicans, impeached Paxton in May on abuse-of-p...
DEMOCRACY ON NOVEMBER 2024 BALLOT The nation faces an unprecedented threat to our democracy that thousands of young men and women gave their lives to protect. Former president Donald J. Trump, a pathological liar is actively plotting to overthrow American democracy. He makes no secret of it and his desire to be a dictator. He calls the free press the “enemy of the people.” He advocates discarding lawful ballots. Remember Hitler did not come to power in a coup. Remember Tru...
8 ARRIVES I pray the people will make the right choice in the 2024 presidential election. I agree we have two old men running but one is very disturbed and dangerous to our democracy. I’m surprised by the polling of women in this country that Nikki Haley is not doing better in the polls because her major opponent has so many negative issues plus he appointed the majority judges on the Supreme Court that did away with Rowe vs. Wade after 50 years. I pray that this is not the...
7 FADES INTO HISTORY Well, we’ve come to the end of another year. 2023 went by with rapid speed. The weeks and months just ran into one another. I don’t recall a year passing so fast. Maybe it’s because I kept my nose to the grindstone. *****Nationally, we’re ending the year on a high note. The stock market is at an all-time high. I’m really optimistic about 2024. I see a boom because of rising companies launching initial public offerings, potentially creating over 14 m...
WELCOME TO OUR CHRISTMAS ISSUE We have rolled up on another Christmas and are very grateful to be here with you and still be able to knock out this weekly column and bring “The Record” to you. We thank our faithful readers who have made us the most popular and most read publications in Orange County. Christmastime is a great time to say thanks to our writers who are always current, informative and interesting. Our staff, week after week, does a yeoman’s job of putting out a...
THE GREATNESS OF MANDELA Ten years ago I watched all the Nelson Mandela service including President Barack Obama's speech. Ninety-one governments were represented. Former United States Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and their spouses attended. President Obama drew the largest reception. He shook hands on the way to the podium with Raul Castro. Mandela was one of a kind; born in 1918, he died at age 95. After being imprisoned 27 years, where he was...
PEARL HARBOR DAY AND CEDRIC REMEMBERED It’s been 82 years since the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. That day is one of the most memorable events in my life. I had a cousin who was injured and stayed in hospital months only to come home and be killed in a farm accident. The attack led to the United States being involved in World War II. We listened to President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s address to the American people on a neighbor’s radio. “This day will li...
Governor Abbott Calls Fourth Special Session Governor Greg Abbott announced Special Session #4 and issued a proclamation identifying agenda items for the special session that began at 5:00 PM on Tuesday. “The Texas Legislature made progress over the past month protecting Texans from forced COVID-19 vaccinations and increasing penalties for human smuggling,” said Governor Abbott. “However, there is more work to be done. I am immediately calling lawmakers back for Special Sessi...
WHY THANKSGIVING IS SPECIAL Most adults today remember Thanksgiving as a fun day, plenty of food, turkey, ham, cornbread dressing, cranberries and great deserts. The youngsters, when the weather was good, enjoyed games outdoors with their cousins. The men watched Turkey Day football, while the women cleaned up, chatted and told of new recipes. In our home for 18 years or so, while the children were growing up, we attended the A&M/Texas Thanksgiving Day game, one year at Kyle...
JIMBO FISHER-GONE FROM AGGIELAND Texas A&M to spend more than $75 million to fire football coach Jimbo Fisher. Texas A&M University fired head football coach Jimbo Fisher on Sunday, committing itself to spend more than $75 million to buy out his contract and announcing a national search for his replacement. Although the decision was announced on Sunday, one day after the Aggies trounced Mississippi State, 51-10, On the same day, Athletic Director Bjork delivered the news to Fi...