From the Creaux's Nest

COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL CONCLUDES

The Landry boys, Shea at West Orange-Stark and Chadat Bridge City, had a good run at it.

WO-S lost a one game playoff to Robinson to end their season 4-2 in the Class 4-A Region III semifinals last Thursday.

Coach Shea has done a great job bringing back baseball at WO-S to a high level.

Meanwhile, Coach Chad, at Bridge City, didn’t have the usual senior loaded talent that has made Bridge City a baseball power over the years.

Coach Landry didn’t have any players that were super stars, in fact they were young and rough at the edges. It took a lot of patience to get as far as they did and that was, for the most part, due to good coaching.

Landry made the best use of the talent he had, in most cases having to relay on playing small ball.

He didn’t have the power hitters of the past.

The youngsters got better as the season rolled along but like most young teams, they made their share of mistakes and costly errors but kept playing at their best.

What is disheartening about this young team is that they really got robbed from advancing and this week should be playing Robinson for the Regional Championship.

Bridge City lost the first game Thursday to China Springs, came back Saturday and won the second game.

In game three, they were leading 9-8 in the bottom of the seventh inning, with two outs and two strikes on the China Springs batter.

One more strike, game over, Bridge City wins.

The Cardinal pitcher threw a perfect strike, backed up by the fans and game film.

Game over.

Not quite.

To everyone’s disbelief, including the opposing team, Blue called the pitch a ball.

On the next pitch the batter drove in walk off runs to make the score 10-9.

Game over.

Bridge City youngsters deserved better.

My ‘Coach of the Year’ is Coach Chad Landry.

He took what talent he had, yet undeveloped, and did a yeoman’s job of putting a winning team together.

They might not have advanced past this week but they deserved the chance to compete.

My guess is that this bunch will show much greatness in the coming years.

PREMIUMS UNDER ‘TRUMPCARE’ UP 20%

The TrumpBill that would repeal and replace Obamacare would lead not only to higher premiums but would lead to 23 million fewer people having health insurance.

The legislation, if passed, is expected to increase cost of coverage by 20% in 2018.

People who are less healthy or have pre-existing or newly acquired medical conditions would ultimately be unable to purchase comprehensive non-group insurance at current prices, if they could purchase health coverage at all.

Sen.

Richard Blumenthal said, “The CBO non-partisan, fact-based score shows what a horror show this plan is for the people who need health care most.” Policies would typically provide less coverage said the non-partisan CBO report. The new estimates will serve as a starting point for GOP senators writing their own version of the health bill.

They will consider changing the Congress’s Medicaid cuts, tax credits, etc.

Trump promised, on the campaign trail, that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid would never, never be messed with or changed.

“That I can guarantee, you.” Well, they are messing with all of it.

The losers are the elderly, the poor and middle-class.

85^th LEGISLATIVE SESSION GETS POOR GRADE

The 85^th Texas Legislative Session comes to an end but a special session is all but certain to be called by Gov. Greg Abbott. After five months of deliberations the Legislature is left with unfinished business.

The Senate and House charged each other with the blame.

Legislative leaders said Sunday that they expect Abbott to call them back to address a measure to keep five state agencies open because bills to do so were not approved.

One bill is the licensing of 85,000 doctors.

If legislation is not passed the Medical Board could go out of business in one year.

There was enough bickering between the two houses on who is to blame.

Much work went undone, including property tax reform.

By Monday, it really got nasty as legislatures nearly came to blows and worse.

The 85^th Legislature gets a grade of D.

The only good thing we got was that our senator, Robert Nichols was elected Pres-Pro-Tem.

He’s a good guy but he serves with some crazy ass people starting with the Lt.

Governor.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

10 Years Ago-2007

A benefit will be held for 5-year-old Kason Ricks, son of Jerry and Faith Ricks.

Kason, in the hospital in Galveston, is still listed in critical condition with head injuries and brain trauma after a May 23 auto accident on Interstate 10.

The family has no health insurance.

(Editor’s note: Ten years have gone by.

I wonder how the young man, who would now be 15-years-old, is doing.)*****Congrats to Coach Billy Bryant and his young Bridge City baseball team.

They went much farther than most people believed when the season opened.

They lost 2-1 to Jasper in the third game of the Reginald Finals, which was a weird series.

Crazy things happened, but we seem to forget sometimes that these are just youngsters, not professionals.

Both teams played exceptionally well.

Bridge City Cardinals seniors who played their last baseball game for the Cards are an ann-star line up of players.

They are Chase Leger, Troy Bolton, Daniel Willey, Garrett Delano, Chase Warner, Joseph Robertson, Jordan Lemoine, Phillip Meeks, Blake Hubbard, Jeff Stringer, Blake Snyder, Matt Hicks, Eric Matthews, Dustin Breaux, Johnny Dishon, Jaden Dillon, Casey Jackson, Anthony Cessac, Jason Clark and Grant Encalade.

(Editor’s note: Hard to believe 10 years have gone by.

What a team.

The Region III Semifinal championship team made a positive 28-8-1 impact on the legacy we know as Cardinal baseball.

Billy Bryant’s 121-25-3 record, in his four years as the Cardinal’s head coach, is part of that legacy.

Dishon was selected to play in the Texas High School Baseball Coaches All Star game.

He also had committed to play for LSU. Dishon racked up 107 runs, scored 26 by homeruns in his four years.

He had 89 RBI’s, 103 hits and stole 54 bases, with 67 walks for the Cardinals during his 275 at bats.*****A little shift in the tempo here; now gays and lesbians in California prisons will be granted conjugal visits, ‘overnights’ with their partners for up to 72 hours.

They must be registered as domestic partners to ask for the visits.

I see one potential problem.

It’s jealousy from their ‘in jail’ affair partners*****GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: Ruth Anne Reed, 27, of Bridge City, died June 3.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Wednesday, June 6.

Ruth Anne was born on Oct. 1, 1979, in Nederland.

She was the daughter of J. Michael Reed and Debbie Hardin. She was a member of the Second Baptist Church and a homemaker.

She is survived by her fiancé, Michael David Henry; father, Mike Reed and stepmother, Ruthie, mother, Debbie Hardin, and stepfather, Billy, paternal grandmother, Marty Mccoy paternal grandfather, Jim Reed, and maternal grandmother, Agnes Beaty.

She is also survived by her two daughters, Tristina and MichaylaHenry and brother Jay Reed.*****Madeline Inez Frederick, 87, of Mauriceville, died Monday, May 28..

Funeral service was Friday, June 1.

She is survived by her daughter; Pat Cheek, sons, Wayne Frederick and John Roy Frederick and daughter Pam Williams, 17 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.*****Shawn T. Garrett, 32, of Orange, died, Friday, May 25.

Funeral service was Thursday, May 31.

Shawn was born Jan. 5, 1975, in Orange, to Jackie Ray and Toshiko (Asanuma) Garrett.

Shawn has been a lifelong resident of Orange.

He graduated from West Orange Stark and was employed by I.T.W. in Mauriceville.

He was preceded in death by his grandmothers, Pat Garrett and Setsuko Asanuma.

Surviving him are his parents, Jackie and Toshi Garrett, fiancé Cassi Dillard, grandfather, G. L. "Red" Garrett, sister, Trisha Garrett, aunts and uncles, Dalton and Dot Murphy, Mike and Sandra Garrett, Beth Rach, and Ikuko Ashikawa.*****Dorothy McGill Gilcrease, 90, of Orangefield, died Thursday, May 31.

A graveside service were Saturday, June 2.

Mrs. Gilcrease was a U.S. Postal Service clerk in Orangefield.

She is survived by her daughter, Patsy Rogers, son, James Gilcrease, three grandchildren; five great grandchildren; and sisters, Rachel Cunningham, Earline Russell, Jimmy Pattillo and Sunny Sinclair.***** Patricia Ann Kennedy, 67, of West Orange passed away Monday, May 28.

A Mass of Christian Burial was Thursday, May 31.

Patricia is survived by a loving family, sons; Christopher K. Kennedy,Matthew B. Kennedy and Jeffery P. Kennedy, daughters; Sharon K. Fontenot and Kathleen A. Marsh, brothers, Timothy Chatagnier and Leonard Chatagnier. She is also survived by ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild.*****Baghdad is out of control.

Fifteen young soldiers were killed in the first three days of June with only one quarter of the city secure.

Troop deaths total 3,493, injured, 26,487, maimed, 11, 702.

*****Paris Hilton is in jail for 23 days.

Locked up alone, with only one hour a day out of her cell.

Don’t you know some of those old gals would love to have her in the general population? A trophy they could brag about into old age.

She’ll make millions from this jail sentence.

40 Years Ago-1977

After several months effort, the old J.O. Sims house has been jacked up from its foundation and relocated one block south of the original location at Front and Eight Streets in Orange.

It has been restored and opened as the only history museum in Orange County.

The new location is on Division Street.

Some responsible for meeting a Heritage House goal are Nadine Slaughter, Coilia Hales, Roy Wingate, Bill Nugent, and Hubert Meadows.

The first slate of officials for the House are Mrs. Joe Powell, president; Mrs. James Pledger, vice-president; Mrs. Douglas Hales, treasurer.

Board members are Nugent, Nick Matsoukas, Meadows, Wingate, Mrs. Thomas Brennan and Mrs. Len Savignano. Frances Reid was named coordinator with the Texas Historical Commission.

The names of persons on the charter list were hand lettered, for permanent display by John Klinkhammer (Editor’s note: It’s hard to believe it’s been 40 years.

Many of these folks responsible are now gone.

I couldn’t help but notice that 40 years ago a ladies first name was seldom used, it was mostly Mrs. husband’s name).

*****Homer Flanagan has adopted a chicken, which he keeps at the Harmon Chevrolet car lot.

*****Speaking of Harmon Chevrolet, Kyle Block is new car salesman there.

*****Ann Lieby writes in her ‘Between the Bridges’ column, that on June 5, Phyllis Dunn gave Roy a great birthday party at their home.

The party was attended by over 100 merry guests.

Ann describes it as a strange gathering, a unique menagerie of Roy’s friends attended.

Don Jacobs, in his column, tells about how several friends decided it was time for an old-fashioned Roy Dunn Roast.

The roast was done with poetry, song and comedy routines and described Roy’s outrageous gifts; some wrapped in Bob Axelson’s ‘P.S.’ columns. Sheila Beeson baked a cake with a mounted outhouse on top.

Jacobs concluded the Dunn’s throw great parties (Editor’s note: Many of Dunn’s friends who attended are no longer with us, W.T. Oliver, Judge Grover Halliburton, Louis and Beth Dugas, Betty Em, ‘Teddy Bear’ Cox, Tim Lieby, Judge Harold Beeson, Gordon Baxter, Conley Windel, Allen and Viola Bendy, Big John Ottea and many others).

*****Tim Hughes celebrated June 5 and Helen Harrington on June 6.

*****Cong.

Charlie Wilson celebrated his 44th birthday last week in his office with a four-piece band.

Wilson staffer, Candy Shy, presented him a pound of chopped liver shaped into two large four’s.

.*****Country and Western top singles of the week are: ‘Luckenback’ (Back to the basics of love) by Waylon Jennings; ‘If We’re Not Back in Love by Monday’ by Merle Haggard; I’d Do It All Over Again’ by Crystal Gayle; ‘I Can’t Help Myself’ by Eddie Rabbit; ‘Some Broken Hearts Never Mend’ by Don Williams; ‘Married But Not to Each Other’ Barbara Mandrell; ‘Your Man Loves You Honey’ by Tom T. Hall; ‘The Rains Came’/’Sugar Coated Love’ by Freddy Fender. (Editor’s note: I don’t remember that one.) ‘It’s a Cowboy Lovin’ Night’ Tonya Tucker and #10 was ‘Burning Memories’ by Mel Tillis.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

We were sorry to learn of the death of John Repasky, age 100, of Bridge City.

Back in March we ran a story on this WWII veteran on his birthday.

He passed away May 26.

Funeral service will be held Thursday, June 1, 11 a.m.

at Claybar Funeral Home, in Bridge City.

Graveside service, with Military honors, will be Friday at 1:30 p.m.

in Converse, LA. He was a good man.*****We were also saddened to learn of the death of longtime national sport’s writer Frank DeFord, 78, who passed away Monday.

Anyone who follows sports even just a little knew about Frank and his great work.***** ‘Cloud Computing’ the horse that won the Preakness Stakes won’t run in the Belmont Stakes. Also the Kentucky Derby winner, ‘Always Dreaming’ will not run at Belmont June 10, in New York, leaving the final leg of the Triple Crown without a winner from the first two races.

That will make for three different winners of the Triple Crown.*****A few folks we know celebrating birthdays in the next few days.

May 31: Wilda Hart, Haley Duhon, Jeannette Foster, Rhonda Wilson, Brad Spooner and Brooke Edwards all celebrate today.

Celebrities joining them are actors Clint Eastwood, 86, Brooke Shields, 51 and football player Joe Namath, who turns 73.*****June 1: Shirley Griffin, Linda Wolfford, Gene Armand, Sheila Deason, Rollie Carder.

Also celebrating on this day are actor Morgan Freeman, 79, model Heidi Klum, 43, comedian Amy Shumer.*****June 2: Nina Aven, Peter Modica, Jr., John Gifford, Kayla Hickey and Susan Broussard all celebrate today.

They are joined by actors Wentworth Miller, 44, Wayne Brady, 44, Dana Carvey, 61 and Justin Long, 38.*****June 3: Celebrating today are Tanya Thibodeaux- Molley, Herman Dupuis, Harold Tranthan.

Also having birthdays on this day are TV host Anderson Cooper, 49 and actor Zane Emory, 18.*****June 4: Bridge City Chamber B.J. Hanneman, Pete Sterling, Sandra Hoke, Donna Benefield, Glenn Fisher and Donna Rogers celebrate.

They are joined by celebrity actors Angelina Jolie, 41, Russell Brand, 41 and Noah Wyle.*****June 5: Britt Godwin, Joyce Dowdle, Roy Dunn, Tim Hughes, Steve Culp, Gena Guyote, Karen McDuff, Chris Andes, Brenda Howard, all Gemini’s, born in the middle of the sign, celebrate today.

Joining them are actor Mark Wahlberg, 45, saxophonist Kenny G, 60and singer Brian McKnight, 47.*****June 6: Lynn Fields, Gail Griffith, Linda Smith, Sherilyn Brister and Kelsey Moisler celebrate today.

This would have been our friend Lannie Claybar’s birthday.

He died in 1969 at age 57.

Also having birthdays today are actors Robert England, 69 and Paul Giamatti, 49.*****The Wednesday Lunch Bunch will dine at Robert’s this week and next week the group will make its first outing to Van Choates Tuffy’s.

Van and Josette look forward to hosting the group.

Shirley Zimmerman and Roy will be celebrating their birthdays.

Everyone welcome.

Come pass a good time.*****My favorite person on America’s Got Talent was host Nick Canon, now he’s gone, replaced by host Tyra Banks.

Nick left unhappy.*****Phone service and internet service out again Tuesday in Bridge City.Our deadline day and no service.

That’s a regular problem with AT&T. They said the problem could last four to 24 hours.

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

Calvin Comeaux came into some money a few years ago. His Grandpa died and Calvin was left in good financial shape. Calvin him, got to spending most of his time on da golf course. Last mon’h him, he took a trip to Las Vagus. While dere, Calvin met a women and fell head over heels in love wit her. On da last night before Calvin was leaving to return to Breaux Bridge, he and dis gorgeous women went to dinner. Dey had dem a serious talk bout’ how dey felt bout’ one anutta and how dey would continue dere relationship.

Calvin done fall in love him. He told his new love, “Babe, it’s only fair to warn you dat I’m a golf nut me, I eat, sleep and breath golf. I care a lot bout’ you, but if my golf is a problem, you’d better say so now.”

The woman answered, “Well, if we’re being honest and coming clean with each other, here goes, I’m a hooker.”

Calvin was quite for a moment, den he says, “I see, you know wat Babe, it’s probably because you’re not keeping your wrists straight.”

C’EST TOUT

OUR NATION STUCK IN PARK

It’s been well over a year since I wrote that if the GOP nominated Donald Trump he would wreck the Republican Party.

Then I later added if he were elected United States president, it would be four years of chaos misrepresentation.

You see, he never was a Republican, he conned people into believing he was the only person that could “Fix It.” He said “I alone can fix it.” For many years he has been a New York shyster like Ted Cruz said he was.

Wait and see, time and history will likely prove that Trump is the most corrupt president ever.

Can you believe he wanted a straight, private line to Putin and the Kremlin and Putin would control the line.

He sent son-in-law Jared Kushner and Flynn to make the deal.

The biggest joke is that now they are spinning that the private line to the White House, with Putin controlling the switch, is a good thing.

Kushner was trying to pull off a good thing alright, for the Trump to communicate with the guy he’s joined at the hip with.

One of the things I said was that he would never release his tax returns.

It ain’t never gonna happen.

I also wrote that he would never get on Putin’s bad side.

The Trump brand would be leaving too much on the table.

Believe me, it doesn’t get any better.

Trump promised more and delivered less than any president in modern times.*****Some great stuff to read in this issue.

Read us cover to cover.

Please shop with the good folks who bring you this newspaper every week.

I don’t know how well I’ve done, but I’m all done in.

I’m headed to the wagon.

These shoes are killing me.

Take care and God bless.