Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
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As a confessed political junkie, I sit around wondering many times about why some things are as they are. As an example, when I see a candidate flooding the news media with ad after ad which costs millions of dollars, I just wonder where in the world, he or she, got all the money and why. When I live in a world in which all politicians claim to be the freest democracy on earth, why do so many of our members of legislative bodies vote for measures which increasingly make it...
PUTIN CONTINUES TO INFLICT DEATH ON UKRAINIANS When and how will it end? Western officials and analysts say the conflict is turning into a grinding war of attrition, with Russian president Vladimir Putin's forces using air power and artillery to pulverize cities from a distance. Russia's invasion has driven over 3.5 million people from Ukraine. Those who have made it out of Mariupol told of a divested city. There are no buildings there anymore. The pre-war population of...
OUR POPULARITY GROWS Over the last few weeks we have had increased demand for more papers. We increased our circulation last week by 800 more County and Penny Records at some of our drop locations. The popularity of the publications could be from a full staff of writers for the first time in a long time. Margaret Toal, longtime newspaper reporter, former editor of the Leader, and a noted feature writer, is now retired but will devote some of her time to feature writing on a...
It’s very difficult to write about the state Legislature without including a few stories about lobbyists. Lobbyists represent various interests in the capitol and do their best to influence legislation in such a manner that it will benefit or not harm their client’s interest. All kinds of people are lobbyists and all lobbyists have different methods of reaching members of the Legislature. Most are bonified characters and after 32 years in the Legislature I recall many and som...
Hopefully, our recent warmer weather didn't lull any fellow gardeners into believing spring had arrived in Southeast Texas! March weather patterns are unpredictable, quickly changing from warm day time temperatures to frigid nighttime temperatures within a short period! Dramatic temperatures swings can make even the most seasoned gardeners cringe, while determining when to plant annuals, perennial flowers, and vegetables (as I too, almost planted tomato and pepper plants this...
THESE ARE HISTORICAL TIMES-PUTIN'S WAR The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine worsens by the day. Where will it all end? I recall WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan but this could be different than all the others. One difference for the United States is we won't have boots on the ground. We will have to make sacrifices at home. With the oil embargo on Russia, we will see gas prices rise even higher. That is a small price to pay in comparison to what the people of Ukraine are...
Plant choice is one of many important steps in creating a new garden design or outdoor living area transformation. Choosing the right plants for your garden space depends on a several different factors, such as knowing the exact amount of space to fill with plants and understanding your garden's characteristics. Determining the soil type and deciding on the look you want to create. Naturally, there are numerous exciting elements to consider while determining your planting...
How often do you hear someone say, "Nobody tells me what to do!"? After watching the recent election results, it seems that over 80% of Texans, including those in Orange County, are willing to let someone else tell them what to do. Most folks, if asked, would claim to be good, loyal Americans as well as good citizens. Unfortunately, their conduct, or lack thereof, at election time belies their claim. How could you be a good citizen if apparently you do not care about...
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...
All politicians have egos, particularly after winning a hard-fought election battle. I must confess, I too was pumped up quite a bit after winning my election to the state Senate. It was enforced by the fact that I had been invited to be the parade martial at the pre-rodeo festivities in Liberty, Texas. I was told to dress western; so I put on my finest cowboy-looking coat, hat and cowboy boots. As I arrived in Liberty for the parade, I was assigned to sit atop a Cadillac...
The Battle of New Orleans I turned down Larry Messier's offer to be his guest at the Ali-Spinks heavyweight fight in Vegas and made my annual trek to Rising Star's Sipe Spring cemetery, that dates back to the Civil War, where my dad Clay, his parents and siblings are buried. Leon Spinks shocked the boxing world and accomplished, against great odds, what he had told me a few days earlier he would do. He defeated world champion Muhammad Ali for the heavy weight crown. Ali was un...
Another season is coming to an end and very soon winter will be nothing more than a fading memory for us all. As spring nears, each passing day becomes slightly warmer, though we may still have an occasional cool night. Our last anticipated frost date is around March 12th. Our local soil temperature remains too cold to plant tomatoes and peppers just yet, so wait until after the last anticipated frost date. Now is a great time to complete the following gardening tasks. Plant...
By John Green, Certified Master Gardener Hello gardeners! Another cold snap has now left the area and who knows, perhaps it'll be our last, but I wouldn't bet my plants on it. Many of you (like me) and can hardly wait to begin gardening. We have about a month to go before our last anticipated frost date (March 10th), so rather than risk planting tender plants now, it's better to focus on the few remaining garden tasks preparing for springs' arrival. Who knows, you may even...
JUST DO IT-NOW IS THE TIME Well, it has come down to election time. I fear it will be a very low turnout. Seventy-five percent of the registered voters won't take the time to vote. In Orange County we just have two contested races but they are two important races. Pct. 2 will elect a county commissioner to replace Commissioner Theresa Beauchamp, it's important to elect a qualified candidate who can work with the present court. Justice of the Peace Joy Dubose-Simonton is the...
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...
EARLY PRIMARY TO CAUSE LOWER TURNOUT Texas has the earliest primary election day in the nation, for a midterm election cycle, March 1. Early voting is set from Feb. 14 to Feb. 25. No other state in the United States holds primary elections before May. The new election date in Texas was by design by state-wide incumbents. The Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General are all on the ballot. Political experts say the early primaries sneak up on the voters that will likely resul...
UNVACCINATED PUTS VULNERABLE AT RISK Orange County continues to be one of the least COVID vaccinated counties in the state. In the last three weeks we have had three people die from the virus, ages 62, 57, 51. My cousin Debbie, a beautiful person, a wife, mother, grandmother, artist and also unvaccinated, died from the virus.. Debbie, who you would think was smart enough to dodge the pitfalls of conspiracy theories on social media talk shows and opinion PODCAST. Yes, she was...
It has been quieter the last few days at home. For 19 years there has been a TV blaring from the other end of the house, frequently joined by a country music station on the radio. I don't know how Bill could stand the two noises at the same time. It always made my brain hurt when I went in his room, with the TV and radio competing for attention. Bill's brain didn't work the same as ours, so it was music to his ears. Billy Wayne was my husband Gerald's younger brother. He was...
City Hall will be closed this month on Monday, February 21st in observance of Presidents' Day. When I was in school (way back in ancient times!) we observed February 12 as President Lincoln's Birthday and February 22 as President Washington's Birthday. I guess they consolidated them so we would only have one holiday in the month. Either way, it's probably good for us to remember these two and all the other chief executives for their contributions to our country and our...
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...
BRADY RETIRES MOST DECORATED PLAYER IN LEAGUE HISTORY Tom Brady is retiring from the NFL after 22 seasons. The seven-time Super Bowl champion officially announced his retirement on Tuesday via social media. "I have always believed the sport of football is an 'all-in' proposition, if a 100% competitive commitment isn't there, you won't succeed, and success is what I love so much about our game," Brady wrote. "There is a physical, mental, and emotional challenge EVERY single day...
Monday, January 31 is the last day to register to vote in the March primary elections. To register, simply complete an voter registration application available online through the Secretary of States website, fill it out with the necessary information, and return it to your county election office. The website to view this information is www.VoteTexas.gov. Remember, the voter registration application must be completed and returned at least 30 days before the upcoming election...
STARTING WEEK WITH MY BOAT FULL I had great intentions for this week’s column but my boat filled up before I knew it. Between doctors visits and falling way behind, I’m playing catch up. Besides that, I just heard my friend of over 60 years Essie just died. I need to do something on that in her honor. She deserves it. I received a gift from Pat Pate recently. She sent me Eddie Lovelace’s book. He now goes by the name Eddie Love. He and Christina Ledbetter wrote the book,...
Hello fellow gardening enthusiasts! We have been lucky this past week experiencing mild seasonal temperatures including a couple nights of below freezing temperatures (barely below). This got me thinking about cold-hardy plants which do well in our going environment. Strawberry plants came to mind since they are cold hardy and now is the time to plant them. Late January through mid-March is the ideal time to plant this low spreading fruit. They can be planted as early as six...
