From the Creaux's Nest

EDUCATING CONSUMERS ON HEALTH INSURANCE

Well me and Creaux are embarking on another week.

I’m running behind and Creaux is a little puny but we will try to weave our way though another one.

Many citizens don’t realize that the Affordable Care Act goes into effect Jan. 1, 2014.

Everyone will have to have coverage.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry has chosen not to give Texans that opportunity because the state chose not to participate by establishing its own insurance exchange.

The United States Department of Health has set up a 24 hours a day website to get out information about insurance marketplaces and how to buy health insurance beginning Oct. 1.

UninsuredTexans can use the website to compare and buy insurance.

The sign up deadline is approaching.

Those without employer-backed coverage will be able to buy insurance through exchanges and might qualify for federal subsides to help pay for it.

Also Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas will participate in the exchange.

Among the uninsured almost 80 percent don’t know they will have opportunity to buy health coverage.

Here’s how to find more information on the government websites, healthcare.gov. and Blue Cross/Blue Shield website at becoveredtexas.org/en/ or call toll free 800-318-2596.

It’s not too early to get started getting info now.*****I’d best get going.

Come along, I promise it won’t do you no harm.

FAMOUS TEXAS TV ANCHORS

In the past 60 years Texas has produced four famous TV network journalist. Walter Cronkite attended high school in Houston and attended the University of Texas. His papers and documents are on display there. Dan Rather’s name is on the Mass Communication building at Sam Houston State. Bob Schiefer is the namesake of TCUSchool of Journalism in Fort Worth. Scott Pelly, CBS present anchor, was born in San Antonio. At age three, his family moved to Lubbock where he attended high school and Texas Tech. These four Texans also have the CBS connection in common, where they all showed the world their Texas Talent.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

7 Years Ago-2006

Jessie Domingue, anxious to see his home on Gilmer Street, in Bridge City, after Hurricane Rita, let a film crew from the Weather Channel tag along.

Last week, a 30 minute show “Hurricane Rita” aired on the network and featured Jessie and his neighbor, Arthur Connor.

“Storm Stories” series is narrated by Jim Cantore.

*****Last week, in the aftermath of Hurricane Rita, Bridge City Bank officially returned to its main facilities.

The bank had been conducting business in portable buildings until the renovations were completed.

*****An Orange County soldier, 30-year-old Benjamin Dwayne Williams, was killed in Iraq.

He was on his third tour of duty.

The Marine Staff Sergeant was a career soldier.

He is the second former LCM student killed; Lance Corporal Shane Goldman was killed in 2004.

*****Our buddy Don Stanton had a big retirement party at Courville’s in Beaumont.

Don hung it up at Exxon Mobile Chemical after illness forced him to give work up.

(Editor’s note: Since then Don has been hanging around the house enjoying being around his lovely wife Mary.

If he gets tired of baby sitting just give us a call, we’ll see if we can get him some relief.) *****Three former Bridge City high students received degrees from Texas A&M. They are Freeman Michael Peart, Jeffrey Ryan Lack and KatieElise Hoffpauir.

*****Patsy Ramsey, 49, mother of Jon Benet, died June 23 from ovarian cancer. Jon Benet was found dead in the cellar of their home on Dec. 26, 1996.

(Editor’s note: The murder has never been solved.)*****Gary Stelly was surprised with a 40th birthday party at the Country Club.

It was put together by his wife and mother.

*****Actress Nicole Kidman and singer Keith Urban were wed in their native Australia in a fairy-tale ceremony.

Kidman, 39, was married to Tom Cruise for 10 years.

Kidman made Urban sign a prenuptial agreement.

Kidman, worth over $150 million, will give Urban $600,000 for every year they are married.

(Editor’s note: Not bad, it’s been seven years at $600,000.

What’s that, about $4.2 million?)*****Barbara Mulhollan, Roy McDonald, Doris Norwood and Nancy Dupuis celebrate birthdays.

*****George Crile, author of “Charlie Wilson’s War” dies at age 61.

37 Years Ago-1976

In a few days, the United States will celebrate its 200th birthday.

On June 31, 7 p.m., the Bridge City Bi-Centennial beard contest will be held next to Bridge City Bank, on Texas Avenue.

*****Sak-N-Pack opens a new convenience store at 1510 Texas Avenue.*****A two-day community wide picnic in the park will be held Saturday, July 3, and Sunday July 4, at Adams Bayou Park, 1 p.m.

to 10 p.m.

Wear your Bi-centennial outfits.

Over 30 booths and displays, live radio, free games will be on the grounds.

Sunday will be Edgar Brown Jr., Memorial Day, with plenty of live entertainment and fireworks show.

Everything is free, presented by Sabine Area Bi-Centennial Commission.

Roy and Crystal Wingate are co-chairmen.*****A USA softball game was held between Carl Parker, incoming Texas senator and a team put up by Roy Dunn, made of members of the media, with H.D. Pate thrown in.

Richard Cordor is umpire.

All proceeds, plus a donation from the losing team, will go to the Bridge City/Orangefield Community Center fund.

*****Max Windham is the young manager of Perry’s in Bridge City.

He will be 32-years-old this week.

(Editor’s note: Can you believe it; he now qualifies for Social Security.)*****Judge Hormer Stephenson is in St. Elizabeth hospital after having a heart attack.

*****Big chested Sherri Morse, who just returned from a grocery store convention in Houston, was admitted to the hospital for emergency gall-bladder surgery.

She says she will be glad to finally eat like everyone else.

Her first choice will be stuffed lobster at Paw Paw’s.

*****Ann and Jimmy Segura took a flying trip to North Carolina to visit son Tommy and wife.

Becky.

They are stationed at Polk Air Force base.

*****National Bell Ringing will take place July 4 at exactly 1 p.m.

across the country.*****A big sale at Payless shoes.

Cowboy boots, only $17.96, in honor of our 1976 birthday.*****Mark Dunn writes a feature story on G.G. Shinn and the TSC Trucking Company, made up of Kenny Babb, Gerry Mouton, Rat Brown and Oran Guidry.

(Editor’s note: I know G.G. is still around but I wonder about the other great musicians.)*****Traci Goza, nine-year-old daughter of Mr.

And Mrs. Gene Goza, winner of a talent contest at Baylor for toe dancing and piano playing, will receive a scholarship, jewelry and an all expense paid trip to the nationals.

BIRTHDAYS THIS WEEK

Becky Hodgkinson, Marie Williamson, Phyllis Davis, Reggie Rogers, Jan Henry, Judy Cagle, Rodney Davis, Sherby Dixon, Barbara Whitrock, Bridgett Teaff, Claudine Hogan, David Kimbell, Jessica Simon, Kristin Lollar, Shanna MacCammond, Shanna Scott, Trevor Kimbell, Jimmy Marshall, Jody Raymer, Dorris Norwood, Jeff Bourdier, David Ball, Jeri Whitmire, Al Baas, Alyce Haynie, Joan Cummings, Karen Tomlin, Kourtney Derouen, Leighia Barron, Tina Bernard, Brett Barclay, Connie Berry, Eric Broom, Kelly Kimbrough, Jana Fisette, Lester Morris, Nancy George, Cobey Sonnier, Rebecca Griffin, Barbara Mulhollan, David Sandlin, Katie Keneson, Chris Huebel, Nancy Wood, Beverly Haggard, Mary Beth McClure, Roy McDonald, Sonya Jarreau, Deanna Shuford, Eula Waters, Frances Osborn, Betty Derrick, Charlie Learned, Dian Arnold, Jeff Eby, Lisa Wilson, Amber Fisette, Marla LeMoine, Maria Garcia, Brennon Mitchell, Mary Martell and Nancy Dupuis.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

Last week we ran into our friend Moe Litton.

He‘s now happily married and says everyday get a little better.

Moe tried clearing a ditch on 1442 sometime back and that didn‘t work out too good.

Banged up the car that has been repaired like new.

Daughter Mickey now lives on the bayou.

She bought Flo and Gene Edgerly’s longtime home on Cow Bayou.

I want Moe to know our friend Bootie, at Express Mart, will turn 46 Sunday, June 30.

She’s just hitting her peek.

Happy birthday, Veronica.*****It just hasn‘t been the same here on Henrietta for the last few weeks without our buddy Don Harmon around.

Don has been away battling cancer.

His strength is slow coming back.

He was always the first one at work at the car lot.

Every morning you could count on Don sweeping the outside entrance carpet and walking the grounds picking up any trash and all cigarette butts.

He would then come in and ask, “If my education was holding me back?” No one loved his line of work any more than Don, who has been in the car business over 60 years.

We look forward to his return.*****We are also concerned about our friend, Chief Jerry Wimberly, who has been undergoing cancer treatments and hasn‘t made the Lunch bunch gatherings in a few week.*****Bobby Taylor, a cancer survivor, stopped by for a visit this week.

It‘s always good to see Bobby.

We both know so many of the same people why back when.

Many years ago, Bobby married Barbara, a Georgia beauty.

Bobby was out searching for homegrown tomatoes.

I hope he located some.

He carries a stick with four feet.

It stands up while he sits down.*****Mickey Gilley, who has Gilley’s night clubs in Dallas and Las Vegas, is planning a resurrection of the original Gilley’s Club in Pasadena.

Fire gutted the famous club in 1990.

The movie, “Urban Cowboy” with John Travolta, brought the club national fame.

*****The Wednesday Lunch Bunch will dine at Novrozsky‘s this week and will have a special gathering at Robert‘s next week.

Make plans to attend.*****I enjoyed the great pizza from the new Bridge City Pizza, located on Texas Ave. in Curl‘s Liquor old building.

For $8.99 you can get up to 10 items on a 14 inch pizza.

Very good.*****Next I want to try the new Italiano‘s Pizza and Pasta, at 1845 Texas Ave. in Bridge City.

I‘m sure hearing some good things about this Italian place.

I’ll give them a try this week.*****Our condolences to the family of Joe Luna, 60, who passed away at his home in Pinehurst.

Services was held Sunday, June 23.

Joe was one of the good guys.

His wife Margaret cared for Joe over the long haul and the staff at SETX Hospice cared for him the last few weeks of his life.

May he rest in peace.*****The Miami Heat overcame the San Antonio Spurs in a rare NBA seventh game, 95-88.

It’s rare when a season comes down to one game.

The Spurs will long relive game six, when they had the championship in the bag and the cat got out in the most exciting five seconds in basketball.

It was the second championship in a row for the heat and made Lebron James MVP. Names like Dwayne Wade, Shane Battier and James are future hall of famers, while Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, for the Spurs, will make the record books.

It was one of the best series in the last 20 years.*****All but forgotten in the new redistricting map, approved by the Texas Republican led house last week.

is rural Texas, We country folks are screwed; again controlled by Houston area, Dallas, Fort Worth and SanAntonio.

It was exactly what Gov. Perry called for when he called a special session.

A Washington court in 2011 ruled the same map “Discretionary” so the door is open for another court challenge.

Under 22 years of Rick Perry’s power politics, it’s obvious to any political novice that the interest of Texans is secondary.

Perry looks after Perry and his well connected friends, many have made mega-millions with Perry paving the way.

The history of Texas health care has been far from successful, yet the state denied expansion of Medicaid which hurts low income families.

Perry passed up $500 billion from the Federal government to boost his own ambitions.

Texas has the highest rate of uninsured in the country.

Texas ranks number 45 in access to health care and affordability.

Perry’s answer, “I won’t be held hostage to Obamacare.” I guess it’s to hell with the citizens.*****Meanwhile, opponents of the Immigration Bill want to provide up to 40,000 agents on the border at a $30 billion cost.

However, that’s not all, they want to build a 700 mile fence and $3.2 billion in drones.

I was just thinking instead of a fence, that a ladder can climb over, why not use that trillion dollars to protect the citizens on the Texas coast with a 500 mile levy.

No more Ike.*****A few folks we know celebrating birthdays in the next few days.

June 26, find Claudine Hogan celebrating another year.

***Joining her is Sherby Dixon, Judy Cagle and Phyllis Davis.***On June 27, Jody Raymer, an Orange native, married to pretty Ms.

Beverly, former teacher, is a year older on this day.

Jody is also one of Miss Pearl Burgess’ son-in-laws.

He’s fortunate to have two smart ladies in his life.*** Also celebrating is our longtime friend Doris Norwood, bride of Euel for many years.

They made Bridge City home where they raised their family.***Also former Record reporter David Ball celebrates.

We’ve lost track of David but we know he’s keeping up with us online.***Singer Laurie Morgan also celebrates on this day.***June 28, Kelly Kimbrough, Connie Berry, Tina Bernard and Kourtney DeRouen join Kellie Pickler, singer, who turns 27, in celebrating their big day.***June 29, celebrating on this day is longtime friends, retired legal secretary Barbara Mulhollan and Bridge City native Ann Lieby.***June 30 finds mayor Roy McDonald, who battled illness over the past year and is now blessed to be running full speed on this birthday.

***Also celebrating are Nancy Wood, Mary Beth McClure and Betty Derrick.***July 2, finds “Kee-Kee’s” better half, Nancy Dupuis, celebrating and also Amber Fisette, Maria LeMoine and Mary Martell.***Our friend Lester “Buckshot” Winfree died on this day in 2010.

Please see complete list.*****The old Elliot Ness TV weekly series, in the 1950’s, was a favorite viewer choice.

Then came the Godfather shows.

As crime shows go, I don’t believe they can ever be duplicated, but the Soprano’s, that ran on HBO from 1999 to 2007, set record ratings.

The acting was good and one guy was born to play the lead of the mob boss Tony Soprano.

The part was played by actor James Gandolfini, 51, who died of a heart attack in Italy last week.

Tony Soprano showed violent tendencies yet somehow was a relatable family man and appealed to a broad audience.

For some reason Americans have love affair with crime shows.

Despite Tony Soprano being a crime boss, Gandolfini played the part so well the audience always pulled for him.

The world lost a great actor at a young age.*****It probably went unnoticed to most people but not to me and Neighbor Cox.

Last week, at ago 90, Slim Whitman died.

Who was he you ask? Slim was a country pop singer in the early 1950’s.

He was a regular on “The Louisiana Hayride.” His first hit was “Indian Love Call.” In the 1970’s and 80’s, his career was revived by telemarketing campaign that blanketed country’s local TV stations with his “All My Best” hits collection.

No one sang like Slim Whitman.*****A benefit will be held at Cow Bayou Marina Saturday and Sunday, starting at noon, for Mary Lee, 9-year-old granddaughter of Tony and Karen Fuselier, who broke both arms only 30 minutes before school let out for the summer.

All musicians are welcome.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

One day Clovis Comeaux and Sostan Thibodeaux went to a job interview, da boss came out of his office and gave dem a test. Well, it took bout two hours to finish dat test. The boss pick dem test up and graded dem. Wen he finish, he came back out of his office and said, “Ya’ll bot did very well and pass da test. In fact, ya’ll scored da same grade. Den he tol Comeaux he got da job.

All of a sudden Thibodeaux jump up and said, “Well wait, if we bot scored da same grade, din why does Comeaux get da job?”

Da boss said, “Well because of your answers, for example, on number 25, Comeaux wrote, “I don’t know,” and you wrote, “Me either.”

C’EST TOUT

In the news this week: Of course the Edward Showden, age 30, national security agency leaker, is the number one target of the United States government.

Meanwhile, China and Russia have both used Snowden as a way to embarrass the U.S. It looks like he will make his stand in South America although now he’s traveling with no passport and is holding up at a Moscow airport *****The Paula Deen saga continues.

Paula, 66, is from another time, raised in the antebellum south, in Georgia.

Anyone over 60, raised in the south, probably used the “N” word.

It was a way of life.

Most Blacks even used the term.

It never was racial with us.

However, those times are passed and so much care goes into what you say today because there is always someone taking exception to the slightest hint of being improper, women’s rights, racial or whatever.

With our background sometime we slip a word in that’s not proper today.

It happened to me a few days ago.

I was telling a story about my youth and used the words “colored people.” A Black man quickly called me on it.

I should have said “people of color.” I didn’t mean any disrespect, I had never used “people of color” before.

Likewise, I don’t believe Paula was trying to be cruel.

The times are different.

It will pass when our generation does.

She can survive on a smaller scale.

An interview with Oprah Winfrey would help or a straight talk interview with Robin Roberts, a well respected Black journalist.

Paula is again scheduled to appear on the Today Show.*****An A.P. report out Monday ranked Texas in the bottom 10 states on providing children’s health care.

Meanwhile, the Texas government has again screwed rural counties with their political maps that give the power to the large cities.

Gov. Perry is expected to sign the bill he proposed.

Think about this, why is unemployment so high in our area when Texas is booming? It’s because the days are gone when we had local representation that went to bat to bring local industry and jobs to this area.

The state even gives abatements to attract industry to certain areas.

We continue to suck the hind teat.*****One thing we can all agree on is that the United States Congress is doing absolutely nothing to help the economy, especially jobs.

Their argument is to give more tax breaks to the top one percent.

I believe a jobs bill and an immigration bill will do more to help the economy than anything.*****Tuesday, the Republican controlled SupremeCourt struck down key parts of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, opening the door for voter suppression.

Look for Texas to go to photo identification by next election.*****Well, that’s it for me and the bird.

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Thanks for your loyalty.

Take care and God bless.