From the Creaux's Nest

WE KEEP ROLLIN ALONG

We couldn’t have asked for a better week weather wise.

On a quick trip through Central Texas we saw on display the beautiful Texas wildflowers.

The Blue Bonnets are thicker and brighter than I’ve ever seen.*****On a sad note, we’ve lost too many friends.

I’ve recalled the trail we traveled together over many years.*****The Supreme Court is in session taking up the Health Care issue.

It could be the most important decision in 50 years.

The conservative court ruling will affect almost every American.*****On a lighter side, the Baylor Lady Bears have won 38 and lost none.

They are headed to a national championship.

That’s consolation for Sharon Bearden, Tommy Gunn and all the Baylor ex’s for the men getting knocked out in the Final Eight.*****We appreciate all the kind words.

We’re proud to serve this great county.

If local businesses are not using us to get their message out, they are missing a great opportunity.

I’ve gotta move on.

Come along, it won’t do you no harm.

REPUBLICAN PRIMARIES LACK ENTHUSIAM

Last week I said in this column that Mitt Romney, in order to win the Republican nomination, had to swing far to the right and that would hurt him in the general election.

I stated that after the election he would have to swing back to the center.

In less than 24 hours I had my answer.

Eric Fehrnstrom, a top Romney aide, was asked by CNN how Romney would attract the moderate in November after swinging so far to the right? Fehrnstrom replied that, “Everything changes after the primaries.

It’s almost like an Etch a Sketch.” He then added, “You can kind of shake it up and start all over again.” Actually Fehrnstrom is correct because Romney doesn’t have a chance in hell to beat Obama if he tries to ride the Paul Ryan budget plan and all the extreme right wing hogwash.

Rick Santorum says Romney is the worst Republican in the country to run against Obama.

Rick has a point because with Romney at the head of the ticket, many down ticket candidates will lose.

Tea Party congressmen will really be in a bind supporting Romney after he uses the Etch A Sketch and erases all his conservative promises and goes back to being his moderate self.

How will they defend him? Jeb Bush was smart enough to endorse Romney.

He knows he doesn’t stand a chance but he puts himself in good shape to get that big establishment money four years from now when he makes the run.

I looked at the Sunday Houston Chronicle cover to cover and not a word did I read about the election Saturday in Louisiana.

Other papers had short reports way in the back pages.

Santorum won with 49 percent, Romney got about half that.

The voter turnout was low.

As many people vote in a hot New Orleans mayors race as did in the entire state last Saturday.

The enthusiasm is down all over the country, about 12 percent.

Unfortunately for the Republicans, it’s down with the Independents and the woman’s vote.

A national poll out Monday shows Obama leading Romney 48-39.

It’s worse for Santorum.

Romney will buy the nomination by outspending Rick in the large cities.

His problems are just starting.

He won’t outspend Obama 7-1 and his Etch A Sketch plan won’t help.

MAY SHE REST IN PEACE

I JUST LEARNED THAT A DEAR FRIEND, A WONDERFUL LADY, Anabel Anderson, age 90, passed away Monday, March 26.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at 1 p.m.

Friday, March 30, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Orange.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m.

to 9 p.m.

Thursday at Claybar Funeral Home.

Anabel and Arthur lived many years on Cherry Street, across from St. Mary Church, where they raised a great family.

She was extremely proud of her children and their families.

Her home will belong to the Church on a deal that was made several years ago.

A native of Abbeville, she was the only child of Felix and Edna DeMary.

She had quite a history in her background.

Her life was dedicated to her family, community service and church.

I recall just a few short years ago when she went swimming every morning at the Orange Natatorium.

She was an avid friend of this newspaper and a special friend of mine.

I loved her.

She was a real sweetheart. My condolences to her family, church family and friends.

May she rest in peace.

Please see obit.

REMEMBERING A FRIEND

Eugene Paul Hidalgo, age 72, died last week, March 21, service was held Sunday, March 25.

I had known Gene for well over 45 years and for all those years I considered him a close friend.

It’s difficult to write about someone’s death that you have been close to.

There is much I would like to say that space doesn’t allow.

My friends, those that are with me constantly or those far away, are the loyal ones, without a grain of doubt I always know where they are and if the chips are down, I know in my heart their friendship will never waver.

Gene was that kind of guy to family and friends.

He loved life; he loved his people, and was loyal to the core.

I can say that about a half dozen people and he was one that did to ride this crazy world with.

He faced his struggles, always counted his blessings and wore a big smile that flashed his goodness.

I only wish he would have treated himself better.

We’ve lost a special kind who cared more about others than himself.

We’ll miss him.

May he rest in peace.

Please see obit.

CONDOLENCES

We were sad to learn about the death of Ernest “Red” Knight, 87, who passed away March 20.

A native of Raceland, La., he had lived in the Mid-County area 68 years.

I got to know him through his grandsons, the boys of his son Chris Knight.

Red and his wife Frances attended all of the boys sporting events until her health didn’t allow it, then Red could be spotted alone, somewhere behind home plate.

I was always amazed at his knowledge about baseball.

He would quietly give instructions to his grandsons and he was almost always correct in his advice.

He liked sports and he loved baseball.

He was proud of his grandkids but in all the years I knew him he also praised other people’s children as well.

I never heard him say a negative word about another youngster but he was often stern with his own.

He was such a good man.

He had been in failing health for sometime and I know the entire Knight clan will miss him very much.

I’m just proud to have known him and his family.

See obit.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

10 Years Ago-2002

The Stark Foundation opens Shangri La.

Educator Michael Hoke is named director.

Shangri La, in Orange, Texas, was a 250-acre private garden and wildlife sanctuary of the late H.J. Lutcher Stark.

Hoke said, “It’s destined to become a world class nature and research center.

The gardens, which once attracted thousands of visitors, have been closed to the public for more than 40 years.

(Editor’s note: Mr. Stark would not believe the great improvements to his Shangri La.

It’s a great gift from the Stark Foundation to the people of Orange County.

Happy 10th anniversary and thanks.)*****County Bank opened last week on Edgar Brown Drive.

A familiar name but new banking organization.

Edgar Brown, Jr., opened County National Bank, (the round bank), in 1960.

The new County Bank is a branch of First National Bank of Newton and is headed by longtime local banker Carlo Vacek.

The group also has banks in Buna, Jasper, Kirbyville and Vidor.

(Editor’s note: Vacek is still with the bank even though the bank has been sold to Walter Umphrey.

Bridge City native Mike Hatton is a vice-president with Walter’s bank operation.)*****Bill Townes, age 74, died Saturday, March 23, the birthday of his 14-year-old twin grandsons, Chad and Brad Townes.

The twins are the sons of Ted and Debbie, who are also the parents of Tyler and Tara.

Bill retired from Kroger and owned KingSaver Food Centers in Orange and Galveston.

He also served on the Bridge City school board, a World War II vet and a Mason.

Bill also, many years ago, named the Roy M. Hatton Elementary School.

He is survived by his wife Elaine, sons David and Ted, brother Jack, sisters Athello and Eline.

Service held March 25.

(Editor’s note: His wife Elaine passed away a few years ago.)*****Judge Carl Thibodeaux and family flew to New York and visited Ground Zero.

*****Rev. Dewitt Rainwater, the Singing Evangelist, celebrates his birthday April Fool’s Day.

(Editor’s note: Brother Rainwater died a few years ago.

His son James keeps his radio show alive on KOGT every Sunday at 8 a.m.)

35 Years Ago-1977

Bobby Hoosier, a burn victim at John Sealy Burn Center, needs blood donors.

Meanwhile, Jessie Dupuis, who was burned in a Texaco explosion, is doing better and is being removed from the critical list at Parkland Hospital in Dallas.

Also burned in the same explosion is James Rowe, who is still in critical condition at John Sealy Burn Unit.

*****Bridge City baseball team is winner of the John J. Certa Tournament.

Jim Shaw and David Jones were named to “All Tourney Team.” Kim Bryant, of B.C., was selected as “Outstanding Player.”*****Brown Claybar is a candidate for the West Orange-Stark School District school board.

He and Linda have one son, Warren, age two, and are expecting another child.

*****It was a lively party at the home of Roy and Phyllis Dunn to celebrate the anniversary of the Opportunity Valley News.

The party was also a wake for Gordon Baxter, who was again fired from radio.

Entertainment was live and on the hoof.

Bax used his pipe as a mike to emcee the six hours of entertainment.

Jimmy Carlisle, of Nashville radio fame, organized that talent.

Don Jacobs sang most of his songs including “Stump Broke Henry,” “Leave Wella Nuff Alone” and a song he wrote about Harold Beeson’s ex-wife and one about Sheriff Moore, who had a daughter named “Les.” He went on to sing a couple dozen songs.

Vickie Cash, Dennis Hall and H.D. Pate joined all the other entertainers on musical instruments.

All the many guest joined in some way or other.

Judge Don Burgess threw in the “uh-hahs and ye’ah-ye-ahs.

Beeson and Bax passed the bottle of tequila with the worm in it until it was all gone, so was the worm and the two drinkers.

No one knows who got the worm.

Louise Green slept through it all.

(Editor’s note: There are still folks out there who will remember attending that party.

Many are gone including Bax, Beeson and Carlisle.

Jacobs still writes a column that appears in the Sunday Beaumont Enterprise.) Top country songs are “Southern Nights” by Glen Campbell; “Lucille,” by Kenny Rogers; “She’s Just and Old Love Turned Memory,” Charlie Pride; “Desperado, Johnny Rodriguez and “Adios Amigo’s, by Marty Robbins.

(Editor’s note: And so it was 35 years ago.)

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK

Mike Roberts, Rayford Spurgeon, Jennifer Kreamer, Dorothy Keith, Jean Jackson, Lindsey Peoples, Rob Butler, Steve Holland, Annely Domas, Jason James, Katie May, Kaydee Wingate, Robert Clark Jr., Julie Norwood, Ivalyn Anderson, Julie Walker, Kate Ferguson, Karen Bergeron, Rhonda Ritter-Fenton, Lisa Smith, Terry Stuebing, Cliff Brookshire, Terry Seal, Sandra Jones, Malori Walton, Dana Myers, Danny Carter, Randy Wappler, Hunter Wilson, Mary Lejeune, Matthew Cooper, Rebecca Hunter, Carolyn Whittaker, Tracie Ray, Elizabeth Weir, Pam Savoy, James Williams, Steve Adams, Allison Asbury, Angie Sellers, James ”Mack” McDonald, Barbara Riddick,Vickie Foreman, Dalica Marie Bienivides , Ed Whitrock, Jason Vincent, Kellie Fontenot, Kent Pierce, Norma Free, Margaret Richter, Michael McAllister, Mikayla Kohn, Nevella Toal, Sawyer Hogan, Arline Dodge, Mahala McClanahan, Cindy Mitchell, Victor Hernandex, Walter Terry, Desirea Wilson, Eddie Asbury, Geoff Rendall, Lannie Claybar, Linda Currie, Alan Anderson and Hillary Benefield.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

We were glad to hear that Todd Edgerly, after brain surgery and a extended hospital stay, is up and about.

He was spotted at a Bridge City baseball game.

He’s the son of Gene and Judge Flo Edgerly.

We wish Todd God speed and continued improvement.*****Rebecca Cailler Taylor, formerly of here, now an Austin resident, reads us online every week.

Yes, you can read our entire newspaper on our web site TheRecordLive.com and many around the country are doing so.

Thanks to Rebecca for the little jewel you sent us and we will use it.*****For many years I’ve known Rush and Louise Wood, long before they knew each other.

Both have, at sometime or other, worked at most area newspapers.

Lately both have been working at Lamar.

Rush has been Sports Information Director but this is his last week there.

Now he’s retiring.

He’s a prince of a guy; I’ve never met anyone who didn’t like him.

We wish him the best.

*****Last week I made a terrible name mistake.

That’s how it is at times with older folks.

A name appears out of nowhere and at other times a name just escapes and never returns.

I can’t explain why an old mind plays tricks like that.

Last week, in this column, I called Judge Mike Abbott’s wife Jessie.

I have no idea where the name Jessie came from.

Maybe I once knew a Jessie Abbott, seems like I did.

Anyway, I’ve known for a longtime that Mike’s wife is Kay.

My apologies.

***** By the way, the Wednesday Lunch Bunch will dine at Robert’s this week.

Novrozsky’s next week.

*****Folks we know celebrating their special day.

On Wednesday, March 28, Garrett Clay Gros turns 27.

Just a few years ago, it seems he was three, now he has a youngun’ that is a clone, three year old Leland Clay.

Time keeps the generations coming.

***Happy birthday on March 29 to Rev. Leo’s widow, Ivalyn Anderson, who celebrates her special day.

We wish this beautiful, Christian lady happy birthday and happy trails.

***On March 30, Brandy Slaughter’s pretty cousin, Karen Bergeron, has another birthday.

Hope it’s a great one.

***David Myers, Matthew Cooper and Carolyn Whittaker all celebrate on March 31.***Our little sweetheart, Coree Guerra, daughter of Orange County Treasurer Christy Khoury, turns 8-years-old March 31.

A big party is planned at her Nana’s on Cow Bayou.

***Having April Fool’s birthdays are Angie Sellers, Allison Asbury, Pam Savoy, Elizabeth Weir and Steve Adams.

***April 2 is James “Mack” McDonald’s birthday.

He shares the day with Arline Dodge, Sawyer Hogan and Margaret Richter.

***April 3 is a special day for Lannie Claybar, Alan Anderson, Cindy Mitchell and Eddie Asbury.

Happy birthday to all.

Please see compete list in this newspaper.

*****Former vice-president Dick Cheney has a new heart. It was implanted Saturday, March 24.

More than 3,100 Americans are on the national waiting list.

Over 2,300 heart transplants were preformed last year.

Not even Cheney knows the identity, race or color of the donor.

We wish the VP the best, but wonder if the donor was a good, caring Democrat.*****I’m looking forward to the Final Four next weekend.

Saturday’s semi-finals pits Louisville, (30-9) vs Kentucky (36-2) in the early game and Ohio State (31-7) vs Kansas (31-6) at 7:45 p.m.

on CBS. All along it’s been who will beat Kentucky.*****My favorite show of the year, the Country Music Awards is Sunday on CBS.****Speaking of country, Lionel Richie is out with a new country album, “Tuskegee.” His duet partners include such country singers as Tim McGraw, Willie Nelson, Rascal Flatts and many more.

Richie will make several television appearances this week like “The Voice,” “Today Show,” “Letterman,” and Wednesday night on “Piers Morgan Show” on CNN at 8 p.m.

He’ll also appear on the Country Music Awards show Sunday night.

The “Richie and Friends” concert April 13 on CBS will be a big show for the ratings.*****Whitney Houston was another of the celebrity addicts who died.

She joins Michael Jackson, Heath Ledger, Anna Nicole Smith, John Belushi, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis, Judy Garland, Lenny Bruce, Truman Capote, who had liver cancer complicated by drugs, Jimi Hendric, Billy Holiday, Janis Joplin, Ike Turner and Hank Williams.

Just a few of the entertainers who died too soon because of drugs and alcohol.*****Bridge City Coach, Cris Stump, is very happy, as well he should be, in Bridge City.

He’s built up a solid, all-around athletic program in the past five years.

He informed the Humble ISD that he is not interested in the Kingwood coaching position.

I bet among those happy about that is his pretty daughter Kylie, who will be a senior at Bridge City next year.

She is as popular as Coach Cris.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

On March 28, Reba McEntire will be 57; Vince Vaughn, 42 and Julia Stiles, 31.***Warren Beaty will be 75 on March 30; Eric Clapton, 67; Paul Reiser, 55; Celine Dion, 44 and Norah Jones, 33.***Christopher Walken will be 69 on March 31; Rhea Periman, 64 and Rain Phoenix, 39.***Method Man will be 41 on April 1.***Christopher Meloni will be 51 on April 2.***Wayne Newton will be 70 on April 3; Tony Orlando, 68; Alec Baldwin, 54; Eddie Murphy, 51 and Jennie Garth, 40.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

Nolan Desomeaux and his wife Mary Lou, live deep in the Atchafalaya Basin. In da middle of da night, Mary Lou went into labor wit dare first child. Neighbor Joe Premeaux, him, took his boat and went and got Dr. Chauvin. Since dare was no electricity, da doc him, handed Nolan, da fadder, a lantern and said, “Here, you hold dis high so I can see wat I’m doing me.”

Soon a baby boy come into da world. Doc say, “Nolan, don’t put dat light down yet, me I tink dere’s a nudder one coming.” Sure nuff, in a few minutes Doc deliver a baby girl. “Hold dat lantern up Noland,” da doctor say, “Don’t set it down, dere’s another one.” He delivered a turd baby. “Don’t be in no hurry Noland to put da light down, dere’s anudder one,” said the doctor.

Noland, da young, Cajun man, scratch his head and axe da doctor, “

You rekon dis here light is wat’s attracting dem hanh?”

C’EST TOUT

The Supreme Court will hear six hours of arguments, spread over three days, and will rule later on challenges to the Affordable Care Act.

The Court will focus on two main issues, individual mandate and Medicaid expansion.

The ruling will come in June, in the middle of the general election or the Court could wait until 2014, when all provisions go into affect.

Health Care reform was very much needed.

Every president since Nixon had a proposal that they couldn’t get off the ground.

I’m holding a 10-page print out on President Richard Nixon’s health care reform.

Regardless of the Supreme Court decision, many health care experts predict an evolution rather than a return to business as usual.

Despite of what you think, as health care stands today, the benefits are that we are doing something with a broken system.

Even if the Health Care Act is completely thrown out, in order to maintain our competitiveness in the world something will have to replace it.

Avoiding change is not a choice.

If the present Obama Care is stripped, benefactors will be the large insurance companies.

*****On the international scene, it seems President Obama will have a better relationship with Russia with Putin in control.

I bet after the November election, President Obama will be more flexible; working together they will solve the Iranian and Syrian problems.

Speaker Boehner praised Obama on his inroads with Russia.

*****Next week is Holy Week, Sunday will be Easter.

Time flies and mine is all gone.

Thanks for yours.

Read us cover to cover, patronize our family of advertisers, and enjoy the great weather.

Take care and God bless.