Orange County’s new senator in Orange Aug. 3

On Wednesday, Aug. 3, Senator Robert Nichols will be visiting Orange County. Senator Nichols, from Jacksonville, will represent Orange County due to the new state redistricting plan. The Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce will host a meet and greet with Senator Nichols at 3:30 p.m. at Lamar State College - Orange Student Center, located at 410 Front Street in Orange.

Nichols was first elected to the Texas Senate in 2006 and now serves as vice chair of the Intergovernmental Relations Committee and sits on the Transportation and Homeland Security, Natural Resources, Health and Human Services, Sunset Advisory Commission and Nominations Committee.

Before running for Senate, Nichols served as a transportation commissioner for eight years. He is a businessman in Jacksonville and has served on his city council, was elected mayor, built four successful manufacturing facilities, earned 32 U.S. patents and created more than 900 jobs for East Texas families.

He worked his way through college by selling fireworks and ironing clothes for other students. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Lamar University in 1968 in industrial engineering. He married his high school sweetheart, Donna, and they have three children: Brittney, Joshua and Collynn’rae. He is a member of the First United Methodist Church in Jacksonville.