Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
Hometown News For Orange County, Texas
Sorted by date Results 230 - 254 of 495
WORLD SERIES STARTS FRIDAY PHILLIES vs ASTROS The Philadelphia Phillies are going to the World Series for the first time in 13 years, and they are going there in a fashion that defies any and all words, Harper's two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning propelling them to a 4-3 victory over the Padres in Game 5 of the NLCS. Whatever happens from this point forward, whether it ends in victory or defeat in Houston or in Philadelphia, the 2022 Phillies have cemented...
PATH TO WORLD SERIES YANKEES vs ASTROS The Houston Astros have a record six consecutive American League Championship Series appearances after an 18-inning win over the Seattle Mariners. Jeremy Pena parked a full count fast ball over the center field wall to give Houston a 1-0 victory and series sweep in three games. The 18-inning game tied the record for the longest playoff game in major league baseball history and tied the Astros franchise record for most innings in a post...
What is the difference between a bribe and a campaign contribution? I must admit that sometimes it is difficult to tell. As I mentioned in a previous article, a former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives opined that money was the ‘mother’s milk’ of politics. Certainly I cannot disagree. Unfortunately, recent decisions and attitude of too many members of Congress have changed about money used in politics. For decency in politics one of the worst Supreme Court opinions...
Another week of fantastic weather has ended and fortunately many of us welcomed much needed rainfall, though the amount will hardly reduce our rainfall deficit! Our first true cold snap of the season has also arrived, with evening temperatures dropping into to the low 40’s and upper 30’s in some areas. So, if you have not yet started, now is the time to determine what to do with your numerous ornamental plants placed outside on porches, patios, decks or scattered about the yar...
BASEBALL PLAYOFFS NOW STARTED Baseball League playoffs and the World Series championship games are my favorite times of the year. Baseball is still truly like apple pie; it doesn’t age, and is the one team sport that magnifies the talent of the individual player. Baseball is special; it is an American sport, played by youngsters as early as five years old. It takes great talent to make it to the Major Leagues and a good amount of luck. Many youngsters who are very good just d...
Recent polls indicate the U. S. Supreme Court has suffered a great decline in public confidence. In my opinion it is because of several different rulings that are out of step with the opinions of the American public. The reason is linked to three recent rulings. There are other rulings, however, that seem to not fit with how things are in today’s world. One of the worst decisions of the current Republican Supreme Court has to do with the voting rights of American citizens. The...
POWERFUL STORM IAN SWAMPED FLORIDA I’ve lived long enough to have witnessed many hurricanes. I go back to an un-named storm in 1939 and many with names since. I don’t recall all the bad ones except maybe Audrey, in June 1957, which was as powerful a hurricane Ian that hit Florida Wednesday, Sept. 28. It’s one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the United States. Besides the catastrophic damage, it left over 100 people dead. The hurricane’s center struck just west of...
I don’t know about you, but this finally feels like fall is here. Temperatures are making their way into the 50’s in the mornings, not getting into the 90’s at midday, all of that spells autumn. The leaves are even beginning to act like it’s that time of year. Speaking of fall, that’s a good time for festivals in this part of the country because of the weather. I hope everyone was able to attend the National Night Out last evening. I would like to thank all the citizens...
Of late there has been more discussion of America becoming what is called a religious nationalistic country. Unfortunately, it is my belief that people who advocate this such as the pastor of the Second Baptist Church of Houston, Texas either have not read our nation’s constitution, history or do not understand either. The first of our Bill of Rights includes the phrase “Congress shall make no law respecting establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise the...
What a fantastic week, the temperature is finally moderating as autumn-like weather is slowly sneaking into our area! Now, let’s hope we get increased rain chances in the weather forecast, as I’m certain all of you (myself included) are watering lawns, vegetable beds and flower gardens once or twice weekly. The cooler morning temperatures are making garden work a much more pleasant experience, which means spending more time outdoors. Stay hydrated and wear sun protection. Las...
BUM BORN HERE 99 YEARS AGO “BUM” NFL Coach Never Forgot His Roots O.A. “Bum” Phillips was born Sept. 29, 1923, at home on John Street in Orange, Texas. “Bum” the most popular and well known native to ever come out of Orange County would be 99 years old this week. All of Bum’s children were born in Orange, including son Wade, who started his coaching career at Stark High. He has been a longtime successful NFL head coach and defensive coordinator. The Phillips family roots run d...
According to the Farmer’s Almanac, 2022 fall season has arrived (though it doesn’t feel like it to me), with a blistering start! Eventually, cooler temperatures will appear and if you’re like me, you can hardly wait and are ready for them…Now! As cooler days will slowly arrive, let’s take this opportunity to review turfgrass management techniques which can assist us in lawn weed control. Before “digging” into this week’s subject, let’s review the three basic weed groups, whic...
In my opinion, the greatest problem facing America today is the division among the people of the United States. It goes without saying a team that does not have unity of purpose is generally never a winning team whether on the athletic field or anywhere else. It also seems that every major problem facing America today could be solved if only the leaders of our two major parties would come together and remain at the task until the problems were solved. I suspect that part of...
LAST QUEEN FOR A LIFETIME LAID TO REST Masses line the roads as Elizabeth is taken to castle for burial. Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was lowered into the royal vault of St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle on Monday afternoon, signifying the end of a state funeral that began with a majestic service at Westminster Abbey, and a procession in London before closing with a more intimate service at the place where the queen lived in the twilight years of her life. It was a culminat...
I am beginning to suspect that aliens are taking over the world by replacing human beings with machines. I wouldn’t complain so much if the machines were more accommodating. As an example, I recently tried to reach one of my many doctors. First, I was greeted by the standard, “If this is an emergency, hang up and dial 911.” Next, I was told if I knew the extension number I could dial direct. Of course, I had no idea what my doctor’s extension number was among the many I was p...
During a recent Orange County Master Gardener monthly meeting, fellow Master Gardener, Eddie Shaw, who counts himself a fan of the rain lily, surprised me with a gift of seeds. The zip top plastic bag he gave me contained a neatly folded paper towel, clutching hundreds of shiny, black, elongated, flat seeds. He called them rain lilies, explaining rain lilies are bulbous plants which enjoy our warm, humid environment. The information and seeds he provided me piqued my interest...
YEARS LATER WORDS JUMP BACK AT ME Words you read from our Out of the Past section, 20-45-50 years etc, are words I wrote all those many years ago. I just rework them for today’s publication. Some things I wrote years ago seems like I penned them recently. Example: In 45 Years Ago, you will read about Larry Spears, no not our Mayor of Orange but the Mayor’s dad, who was a big football star who I was writing about. That seems very recent. There are hundreds of examples of mem...
Fall is in the air…well almost! Autumn officially begins in a couple of weeks, on the 22nd of September to be exact. Soon lower humidity and cooler temperatures will be upon us. It’s a great time to begin fall cleanup and preparation for vegetable gardens. September is a swing month in the garden, or as I like to call it a “preparation month”, since many gardeners, including myself, consider fall to be the best time for planting cool season vegetables, trees, and shrubs....
WATCHING 9-11 AS IT UNFOLDED 21 YEARS AGO As I sit here on the 21st anniversary of 9-11, my mind goes back to that moment. I was sitting in the office, my feet propped on the desk, the paper for that week was running late and Dwayne Marsh and I were just waiting on the truck. We were watching on what had been Uncle Jim McKay’s old black and white television when Katie Couric, on the Today Show, made the announcement and showed a picture of a plane hitting the first of the T...
While I was in the state Senate, I was invited and attended a Roundtable at Oxford on education. It was attended by educators from all over the world. Many were from countries just emerging from the dominance of the Soviet Union. One thing that all the emerging nations shared was the fact that the previous government had placed limits on what they could teach in their schools. Social studies were no more than propaganda and even some theories of math had a bias. I am seriously...
I wasn’t sure August was ever going to get over. It seems like it must’ve rained somewhere in the city every day. The unsettled weather sure reminds me that “H” season is here. (I don’t even want to say the word!) And those of us who have lived here very long know that September is usually the most active month of the Atlantic Basin “H” season for us. For the last couple of months, the City and the School District folks have been going over plans for how we respond to a...
Can you believe we are now more than halfway thru hurricane season 2022? Fortunately, there have been no tropical storm developments within the Gulf of Mexico so far and I'm going to "knock on wood", ancient superstition or not! Hurricanes not only damage homes, buildings, and other structures but severely damage plants, especially trees. Often, trees appear to weather tropical storms and hurricanes with minimal damage from high winds and excessive rainfall, then a year or...
ANOTHER LABOR DAY ROLLS AROUND Monday, September 5, is Labor Day. Over the years, Labor Day in our area was always a big day of celebration. Just a few years ago, before the Reagan years, the labor movement that grew from the textile mills of the East became a strong liberal force in our country. Labor unions in this area of Texas were responsible for all workers getting better wages, even if they were not represented by a union. Labor, in the United States today, is at an all...
Last week's article reviewed garlic (allium sativum) varieties which grow well in our climate. This week I want to share information on a wonderful companion plant to interplant with garlic: strawberries! Some gardeners would never consider companion planting strawberries with garlic because they plant strawberries in spring. But is spring really the best time of year to plant strawberries in Southeast, Texas? The short answer is no but let me provide a more detailed...
Recently I have heard much discussion about fear that the United States may descend into a socialistic type government. Generally in my conversations with folks, I have found that few of them can give an accurate definition of socialism. Socialism is defined as government controlling major means of production and distribution of goods and services. We have a republic governed by the people, but it has many socialistic features which I doubt many citizens would advocate doing...
