Bulletin Board

Red Hot Flashers

The Red Hot Flashers of the Red Hat Society of Orange County will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, May 20, at Sunset Grove Country Club. Birthday ladies are:Lovely Lady, Ruth Fisher and Lady Lady Bug, Jacque Phelps. Members are invited to bring a small door prize and wear their finery. All ladies are welcome. For more information, call 886-1609.

OC Republicans to meet

The Orange County Republican Party will hold its monthly meeting on Tuesday, May 25 at the Orange County Administration Building.

The meeting will be called to order by the newly elected Chairman, Trudy Pellerin, at 7p.m. Items on the agenda will be the swearing in of the new precinct chairs that were elected in the March primary. The adoption of new bylaws will also be on the agenda.

Everyone is invited. Convention delegates and alternates are encouraged to attend the meeting for discussion of the upcoming events in Dallas.

Benefit Saturday at KC Hall

A benefit for Sherry Stevens to help with medical bills and expenses will be held 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Saturday May 22 at the Knights of Columbus Hall located at 770 Ave. A in Bridge City.

Links, hot dogs, boudain, cakes cookies and cokes will be for sale. Raffle tickets are $1 each for several prizes: a gift basket of Paul Mitchell Products and a salon gift certificate valued at $125; a Dooney and Bourke purse valued at $140; Walmart gift card valued at $200; and a spa basket containing: one hour massage, 30 minute salt glow, one hour facial, herbal wrap and a one hour spa pedicure valued at $275. The drawing will be held at 2:30 p.m. You need not be present to win.

OISD Retirement Reception Today

Orangefield Independent School District is hosting a retirement reception at 3:30 p.m., today, Wednesday, May 19 in the Orangefield Elementary Cafeteria.

Retirees to be honored are: Grace Grimes, Walker Linscomb, Nora Shafer, Arnold Van Metre, Elizabeth Van Metre, Harvey Wilson and Ed Worthy, Jr.

For more information contact the superintendent’s office at 735-5337.

BC to host volleyball camp

Registration is being accepted for the 2010 Bridge City Volleyball Camp. Participants will learn fundamental and basic skills along with competition as individuals and teams. Camp begins June 28 and continues through July 1 for incoming 4th, 5th, 6th and 9th graders. Fourth-sixth graders are scheduled 9-11:30 a.m., while ninth graders attend 1-3 p.m. Incoming seventh and eighth graders will attend camp 9 a.m.-noon, Aug. 16-18. All sessions will be held at the BC High School gymnasium.

Cost for the camp is $30 and includes a camp tee-shirt. Deadline to enter the camp is Friday, June 4 (for guaranteed shirt). Make check payable to ‘Becca Peveto.

Applications can be found on TheRecordLive.com or at the school. Completed applications should be returned to ‘Becca Peveto, Bridge City High School, 2690 Texas Ave., Bridge City, TX 77611 or they may be turned in directly to Coach Peveto (Mathews) at the high school or Coach Garza at Bridge City Intermediate.

OF Class of 1960 invites ‘59 to reunion

The Orangefield High School Class of 1959 is invited to attend the reunion celebration of the Class of 1960 during their 50th anniversary party on June 12.

Please contact Beverly Campbell Brown–409-920-5448, Joann Godeaux Bradley–409-745-1521, Jerry Lunsford–409-745-2057, Robbie Self McCabe–409-745-1503 or Jean Carolyn Wolfe Dugas–409-988-9031 for more information. Cut-off date is May 23, 2010.

OF announces summer dismissal

Last day of classes for Orangefield ISD students will be Wednesday, May 26. Classes will be dismissed at 1 p.m. for the elementary, 1:15 for the jr. high and high school classes witl be dismissed at 12:30, lunch will be over at 1:05 and the buses will depart at 1:15 p.m.

Graduation ceremony is scheduled for Friday, May 28 at 7:30 p.m. in F.L. McClain Stadium.

Cormier Museum open June 12

The Paul Cormier Museum will be open 9:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-3 p.m., Saturday, June 12 in conjunction with the annual homecoming.

The public is invited to tour the museum.

BCLL schedules election

Bridge City Little League will hold board elections from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., Saturday, May 22. The elections will be held in the league board room at the Little League complex.

All people that have children currently enrolled in the program are eligible to vote and hold office. Any person that has volunteered consistently in the last two years is also eligible to vote and hold office.

Softball and baseball is offered to the children of the Bridge City School District, Orangefield School District, West Orange-Stark School District and the southern part of the Little Cypress-Mauriceville School District. Also girls in the Vidor School District are welcome to play at BCLL. Ages are 4-16 years old.

BCLL is one of the largest leagues in the state and is highly respected in East Texas. 950 children signed up to play Little League this year. This is due to the commitment of the people that volunteer to run the league. Several responsibilities come with being on the board; attend meetings, help organize and run the various programs, work your board assignments, close the park several times a year, and help maintain the complex. A board election sign-up sheet will be located in the league office.

Little League requires all positions to be filled each year. If you have the time and commitment, please volunteer to help with this valuable youth program.

Call 409-697-1440 for more information, or see a board member at the park.

Container Gardening class

An Orange County Master Gardeners Container Gardening class will be Saturday, May 22, at the Texas AgriLife Extension Office, 11867 Texas 62 N. in Mauriceville (across from Market Basket). The class will be hands on training. Each person attending the class will go home with a container garden. Class is limited to 20. To pre-register call the Orange Extension office at 882-7010. There will be a $15 registration fee payable the day of the class.

Salem VBS

Bible lessons, music, crafts and food will be some of the highlights of Salem United Methodsit Church’ s Vacation Bible School Monday through Friday, June 14-18, at 402 W. John Ave. for grades Pre-K through eighth. The theme will be “Under the Balboa Tree.” For more information, call the church at 883-2611.

Video game course

Lamar State College-Port Arthur will offer a Video Game Design and Development course this summer for high school juniors and seniors and 2010 graduates interested in video gaming.

The program will be presented Monday through Friday, June 14-18. Students can attend in morning classes (9 a.m.-noon) or afternoon (1-4 p.m.).

Cost is $40. Registration and payment must be received by 5 p.m. Monday, June 9. For more information, or to register, call 984-6418.

LSC-PA auditions

The Lamar State College-Port Arthur Theater Department and Port Arthur Little Theater will conduct auditions at 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, June 1-3, for the cast of “The Sound of Music,” in the LSC-PA Performing Arts Center, 1700 Procter St.

LSC-PA theater director Keith Cockrell said students and members of the community are invited to audition for the show, which has roles for both adults and children.

“We try to make sure that everyone who shows up to audition feels welcome,” he said. “We will teach songs from the show at the auditions. Casting will be as inclusive as the script allows.”

The musical will be staged on July 29-Aug. 1 and Aug. 5-8.

For more information, call Keith Cockrell at 984-6338.

Peltier fundraiser

A fundraiser for Debbie Peltier, former owner of Handle Bar West, is being organized. Peltier has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. The benefit will feature a golf tournament Saturday, June 26, at Terrell Park in Beaumont. Sponsors and players are needed.

Also, on Sunday, June 27, The West Bar and Grill, 6445 Calder Ave. in Beaumont, will host a day of live music, raffle and silent auction. Donations and sponsors are needed, along with prizes for the drawings and auction.

For more information, call 866-4733 or e-mail [email protected].

Blood drive

St. Francis Health Ministry will sponsor a LifeShare blood drive Saturday, May 22, from 8 a.m.-noon. The LifeShare bus will be in the front parking lot of the Church/Canticle Building, 4300 Meeks Drive, Orange. Snacks and door prizes will be inside the Canticle Building, Blood will be drawn on the LifeShare bus. ID will be required to donate.

Grand opening

Luke Bryan will be live in concert at the Texas Longhorn Club for the new covered arena’s grand opening Saturday, May 22 Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 the day of show, available at the Horseman Store, Cotton’s Western Wear, Sam’s Western Wear, Bar B Western Wear, the Longhorn or by phone at (337) 589-5647. Doors open at 8 p.m. Buy a Luke Bryan ticket and get in the grand opening of the Longarena before the concert. Rodeo events include trick riders, “kids’ calf” and sheep scramble. Gates open at 7.

For more information, go to http://www.thetexaslonghorn.com or call 337-589-5647.

Tips for property owners

Property owners who believe their county appraisal district has overestimated the value of their homes or businesses have a right to appeal to their local Appraisal Review Board (ARB) to reduce their property values.

Two video presentations on Texas Comptroller Susan Combs’ website inform homeowners and small business owners about protest procedures, what to expect during an ARB hearing and how to make an effective presentation to the ARB.

“For a successful appeal, a property owner must be prepared to present well-organized, clear and convincing evidence to persuade the ARB that a particular home or business has a lower value than the value placed by the appraisal district,” Combs said. “Our videos also explain how property owners can protect their right to appeal in court if they disagree with the ARB’s decision.”

“How to Present Your Case at an Appraisal Review Board Hearing, A Guide for Homeowners,” can be found online at http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/proptax/homeprotestvid/player.html. “How to Present Your Case at an Appraisal Review Board Hearing, A Guide for Small Business Owners” is located at http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/proptax/businessprotestvid/player.html. The Comptroller’s property tax Web page at http://www.window.state.tx.us/taxinfo/proptax/ also includes much more information about local property taxes.

Most ARBs schedule property value protest hearings in May, June or July, except in certain major urban areas, where hearings occur year round.

THC seeks ‘untold tales’

The Texas Historical Commission (THC) is committed to saving the unknown stories of Texas’ past.

This dedication resulted in the adoption of criteria to award approved candidates with Marker Application Funds collected since fall 2006.

For each new and replacement historical marker, a $100 application fee will fund an account to offer financial incentives for special or priority markers to address historical gaps, promote diversity of topics and proactively document significant undertold or untold stories important to Texas’ history.

A sampling of the most recent group of marker topics that were approved include Mabel Welch, the first woman architect and first woman builder in El Paso, and Hernandez versus State of Texas, a U.S. Supreme Court case centering on civil rights for Mexican Americans.

The THC will accept applications for future underrepresented topics from May 1-June 15. THC staff will review submitted topics and make recommendations to THC commissioners, who will approve nominations at its regularly scheduled quarterly meeting in July. Criteria will include diversity of topic, endangerment, significance and historical or architectural integrity.

To nominate a topic for Marker Application Funds consideration visit http://www.thc.state.tx.us or contact the THC’s History Programs Division at (512) 463-5853.

W.O. rates going up

The following new rates for Sanitation Department services go into effect July 1, according to the city of West Orange and Waste Management.

• Residential pickup (twice weekly by Waste Management) will be $20 per month.

• Commercial pickup (twice weekly by Waste Management) will be $40 per month.

Payment discounts will continue to be offered as follows:

• Six-month advance payment equals discount of 5 percent of base rate.

• 12-month advance payment equals discount of 10 percent of base rate.

A charge of $17.60 per cubic yard (plus tax, plus $1 R&R fee) will be collected prior to pickup of curbside debris.

Dumpster rental will increase to $30 per dump, with a maximum use of 10 working-days.

Garbage collection days are Tuesdays and Fridays. Garbage should be set out by 7 a.m.

Customer service contacts for Waste Management are 1-800-553-1902; or e-mail [email protected].

Discovery 2010 begins June 21

Lamar State College-Port Arthur will present its annual Discovery program June 21-25 for area students entering third, fourth, fifth or sixth grade in the fall.

Discovery 2010 is a week of hands-on enrichment courses on topics ranging from clay sculpting to computers and music to Spanish. Classes meet from 1-4:30 p.m. daily with students attending two classes. Each class is kept to a maximum of 15 students and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

The cost of the program is $100, which includes all supplies, a T-shirt and a drink each day. The instructors are Lamar State faculty and staff members, teachers from area school districts and community members with expertise in the topics being presented.

The Game Programming class studies simple game program that can be played on computers. The Body Tours class will study the fundamentals of anatomy by dissecting worms and other animals.

Other classes offered this year include “A Taste of Music,” “Art,” “Clay Sculpting,” “Computer Animation,” “Computer Graphics,” “Junior Chefs,” “Science Explorers,” “Scrapbooks and Stamping,” “Spanish” and “Woodcrafters.”

Discovery 2010 also will feature classes such as “Models Inc.” where students study manners and self-improvements, and Publishing Wizards, a class in which students study the history of their last name and create a book about their name.

Businesses and organizations in the area contribute to the success of the Discovery program by donating money to provide scholarships for students who otherwise would not be able to participate in the program. Anyone interested in making a tax-deductible contribution may call 984-6230. The registration deadline is Friday, May 28.

For more information, call 984-6230 or 984-6316.

Bengal Guards meeting

The Lutcher Stark Bengal Guards from 1935-44 will meet Friday, May 21, at 11 a.m. at the Magnolia Tea Room on Strickland Drive in Pinehurst. Discussion will include reports on the reunion earlier this month.

Free diabetes class

The Orange County Diabetes Prevention, Awareness and Health Education Program presents a class designed to teach participants how to manage their glucose levels Monday, May 24.

To pre-register, call the AgriLife office at 882-7010.

Fire safety/prevention camp

Applications are being accepted for the Fire Museum of Texas’ Fire Safety and Prevention Summer Camp 2010.

Session one runs June 21-25 for children ages 4-6 years. The second session, for ages 7-10 years, is June 28-July 2. Both sessions run 9 a.m.-noon and costs $60.

Class is limited to the first 20 children per session. No late or first day of camp registration will be accepted.

To register, print and complete the registration forms found at http://www.firemuseumoftexas.org (please include T-shirt size).

Mail to: Fire Museum of Texas, 400 Walnut, Beaumont, 77701.

The camp is sponsored by the YMBL. Volunteers are needed. For information, call 980-3927.

Stark HS reunion

Members of the Lutcher Stark Senior High School classes of ‘49’, ’50 and ‘51 plan a reunion June 11-12. Letters are being prepared to be mailed to members’ last known address. To report an address change, call the appropriate class representative: 1949 – Fred Fontenot, 886-3978; 1950 – Betty (Estes) Duhon, 886-3150; 1951 – Mary (Broom) Morgan (979) 330-5350 as soon as possible.