Sherlock Breaux in the Creaux's Nest

PLAYING THE HAND DEALT ME

I never thought I'd find myself and the country in this shape during my late years. I sit here in lockdown because my family and doctor feel I'm at too high a risk to be running around in the middle of the deadly coronavirus. As a youngster I was raised in the Great Depression by a single mom, in a one-room shack with no utilities. We were very poor and often had nothing to eat. We had no real furniture. I slept on a corn shuck pallet. I have been very fortunate since those early days but I see now where 50 million people are out of work. The fallout will be terrible. Many families will lose their homes, millions more won't be able to pay rent and be forced into moving in with family, others will be homeless. Many small family businesses are going to belly up, others, headed for old age, go through their life savings relying on Social Security and Medicare. Some elderly will fare better than young families. Some youngsters are facing the hardship I did. Because of domino affect we're a long way from being normal. Again, fortunately the congress has helped relieve the pain on the short term. However, the money will dry up and that's where a lot of hurt begins. It's unfortunate because it could have been avoided. In a few days, it will be eight months since the first coronavirus was diagnosed in Seattle. A few days later we learned we had 15 cases. By November, we're facing 200,000 deaths and five million cases, many with terrible side affects Patients suffer covid-19 symptoms for months with fatigue, aches and breathing difficulty. The opinions in this column are my own. Just like every columnist and talk show host in the country I write what I believe to be true. Every citizen will have to decide what kind of country they want or want to leave to their children and grandchildren. As for me, I miss the outside world, my friends, work and especially my grandchildren. None of us asked for this but that's the hand dealt us. I have a lot to say so I'd best be on my way. Hop on, come along, I promise it won't do you no harm.

HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF

HOOVER-TRUMP

There are distinct similarities between President Hubert Hoover and President Donald Trump. Both men were wealthy New York business men; neither had ever been elected to any public office. Both bought their way out of serving in the military. Both administrations were mired with scandal. Neither president listened to advisors. Scientist warned Trump that a pandemic was heading our way. Instead of heeding the advice Trump went into denial and refused to act for the first 70 days. He failed to lead and the virus overran the country. President Hoover was advised by his economist as well as others that the crash was coming. He ignored the advice that led to the great depression, forever branded as Hoover's Depression. Many took their own lives after losing all their wealth, jumping out of high rise buildings to their deaths. In Trump's case, failed leadership has led to the deaths of many citizens. The economy is a disaster with many deaths still to come. Many years down the road this crisis will be referred to as the Trump virus that killed a quarter of a million United States citizens. One big difference between the New York businessmen is that Hoover was orphaned at the age of 9 and with no family he went on to become very wealthy. He lost most of his money by his own depression. On the other hand Trump was born into wealth. He failed in business five times and each time he was propped up by his father. He left banks and individuals holding the bag. When his father Fred died, Donald inherited most of his wealth. After only one term in office Hoover was soundly defeated by FDR and took the senate and congress down with him, carrying only a handful of states. The same fate may also await Donald J. Trump as the country sinks into a deeper and deeper hole. I've lived through the most of Hoover's hard times during the depression. I came along when Franklin D. Roosevelt did. He had the depression to deal with, Pearl Harbor and WWII. He was elected to four terms and served 12 years and one month. Harry S. Truman, vice-president, served for seven years, 11 months. My entire childhood was spent with only two presidents. In 1952, Ike beat Attlee Stevenson to become the 32nd president. That was the first time I voted in a presidential race and I have voted in everyone since. I just pray to live to vote in the most important presidential election in my life time to elect the 46th president of the United States. No one has ever sought the office with more government experience than Joe Biden, with over 40 years in the U.S. Senate and 8 years as vice-president in a successful administration. The choice is obvious, Biden has earned it. The country can't take four more years of failed administration. For years it will be debated who was the worse president. Today Hubert Hoover is, but because of so many Americans dying in a crisis that could have been avoided if not for failed leadership, I believe in time Trump will surpass Hoover and win the title as the worse president ever.

REMEMBERING SHERIFF FONTENOT

Huel Ray Fontenot, 80, passed away July 23. Ironically his death was the day before his late wife Mary's birthday. I had really gotten to know Huel through Mary and we remained friends. He was elected sheriff for two terms. He had spent most of his adulthood in law enforcement. He graduated from the DPS Academy in 1965. He was a state trooper for 14 years before serving as a peace officer in other locations. I recall meeting with him at the home that had totally been washed away by hurricane Ike. They lost everything. His attitude was, even though he was in his late 60's, they would just have to start over. Mary died a few years later. They had one child Amy, who married her high school sweetheart Chad Hanks. Huel had three children from a previous marriage. At the time of his death he was happily married to Donna, who he loved very much. He had been battling cancer but what took his life was a fall a few days before his death. I'm glad to have known him and send condolences to his family and friends. May he rest in peace. Please see obituary.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

10 Years Ago-2010

I recall those early days in my life, long before air conditioning, long before youngsters were spoiled and walked from an air-conditioned house to a car with cool air blowing. That wasn't the only difference in my two daily workouts and the athletes of today. For our two tuff workouts we were not allowed any water, only salt tablets. They said water would give us stomach cramps. It was so hot we welcomed sweat to cool off. We didn't have much to throw up after the first time. I'm surprised those coaches didn't kill us from dehydration. Today there are trainers who do not allow such treatment. They have learned a lot and require regular water breaks. *****We were saddened by the death of Bessie Huckaby, 67, who passed away Monday, Aug. 2. Funeral services were held Thursday, Aug. 5, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange with the Rev. Jay Thomas officiating. An Eastern Star service followed. Burial will be at Orange Forest Lawn Cemetery in West Orange. She is survived by husband C.J. Huckaby, sons and daughter-in-law, Kevin and Dana Bourque, Terry and Laura Huckaby, Brent Huckaby and granddaughters Brittany Bourque and Ashlyn Huckaby.***** It's always good to have one of our local youngsters attain national attention, gain fame and wealth. Earl Thomas was raised a poor boy in Orange. Over the weekend, the former West Orange-Stark and UT star signed a 5-year, $12 million guaranteed contract. However, he could earn a $21.1 million maximum value in five years if he makes all the incentives. Earl, a rookie, was picked 14th overall and will be a starter for the Seattle Seahawks. *****For the first time since 2004, the "Big Three" auto makers are all making a profit and have gone a long way in repaying their bail out U.S. loans. Plants are reopening and 100,000 workers are back on the job. Without the auto bail out we would have been hit with a big depression. Think about it, the rubber, glass, battery, parts workers etc., plus all the dealership employees in the country. Now we need to bail out the small business people in this country. They are the big employer. ***** Our own native son Coach Bum Phillips, who will be 87 on Sept. 29th, will have his autobiography out in two weeks. Phillips was born in Orange. His son, Cowboy coach Wade Phillips, was also born here and had his first coaching job at Stark High. ***** Happy birthday to some special folks. "Sleepy" celebrates on Aug. 6 and is Alaska bound. ***Coach Dwight Thacker turns another peg. What a guy. *****Bill Smith, a great guy, marks another year. *****President Barack Obama turns 49 years old Wednesday, Aug. 4. *****Welcome to Orange County Phillip Ledoux, new area game warden, who recently graduated and will be stationed in the area.  

45 Years Ago-1975

Betty Harmon finally gets Corky to spring for a new home. (Editor's note: That's when the Harmons moved off of Camellia St. in Roselawn and moved to Sunset.)*****Red Garrett and J.D. Stanfield are re-elected to city council. *****Joe Grossman, after many years with Nacol Jewelry, has opened his own store in Sulphur, La. (Joe passed away a few years ago.)*****Cecil Scales says he has a joint checking arrangement with his wife. If he's not home by midnight, she starts checking the joints. *****Roy S. Repasky, 21, who graduated from the Houston Police Academy is now working as a Houston patrolman on the 2 p.m. to 10 a.m. shift. He's a 1977 Bridge City graduate. *****Air Force Sgt. Thomas Segura, of Bridge City, is promoted to Staff Sergeant. He and wife Becky, also in the Air Force, are stationed at Camp Polk in North Carolina. Tommy is a 1971 BC grad. *****On July 26, Gordon Baxter celebrated 30 years on the air. ***** Judge Harold Beeson and wife Sheila have a new baby girl. The baby was 14 days late and weighed in at 7 lbs., 14 ounces. *****Lefty Frizzell died on July 20, at age 47. He made a lot of great records and had a lot of ups and downs in his short life. *****Wally Fowler is visiting Orange this week. He says he and Roy Dunn's friendship goes back to 1948 when they were with the Dudley J. Leblanc Hadacol Caravan. Wally was with the Oak Ridge Boys. Many stars preformed on that show such as Hank Williams, Mickey Rooney, Ernest Tubbs, Red Foley and others.

70 Years Ago-1950

Orange Jaycee members are Roy Wingate, J.D. Hudson, Dick Dibie, Lee Barron, Edward Darrol, Hansen York, Bob Naczi, Ben Caple, Richard Gordon, Fred Finger, Gordon Johnson, Rom Reddy, Herbert Frames, Sterling Bunkley, Paul Skinner, Bill Haggerty, Ed White, Haldor Rigsby, Orval Stoffer, C.C. Bourne, Charles Ezell, Dorrance Williams, Vaughn Seastrunk, Lance Wingate, Bill Wade, Pat Wilson, Hoyt Smith, John Dahlean, Leland Morrow, Jack Price, Marcus Burroughs, Eugene Pollard, Frank Warren, Art Hill, Jim Rather and Bob Whitehead.*****Bob Whitehead, who is 24 years old and former coach at Carr Junior High, will be the new Orange Recreation Director. He will succeed J.B. Peddy. Whitehead went on to be Orange mayor.

NATION HONORS JOHN LEWIS-CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER

Civil Rights leader John Lewis crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge, in Selema, Alabama, one last time. This time the state troopers saluted, mourners cheered, sang and cried as a horse drawn wagon carried the Congressman's flag draped casket. Fifty-five years ago he had been beaten and left bloody with a cracked skull. Today he lies in state in the Rotunda of the United States Capital. John Lewis is the first Black legislature to be so honored. He was America's moral compass in congress. USA TODAY has on the newsstand a 40 page print edition, "The last of the Lions" in Lewis's honor. His life story included being jailed over 40 times defending his beliefs in Civil Rights.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

Two icons of entertainment, Olivia de Havilland and Regis Philbin, contributed decades of entertainment in Hollywood and television. Olivia is best known for her role, in 1939, as Melanie Hamilton in "Gone with the Wind" died Sunday at age 104. She was one of the last stars of classic films of the 1930's. She won Oscars in 1946 for "To Each His Own" and in 1949 for "The Heiress."***Regis Philbin was made for TV, he was more than a host, he was best at being himself. He logged the most hours in the history of television with over 17,000 hours, beating out his friend Hugh Downs. Regis had a lot of stops in his career. He died Friday at age 88, one month before his 89th. (Editor's note: I have an original copy of the movie "Gone With the Wind" that has now been banned from resale outlets.***** A few folks we know celebrating birthdays in the next few days. July 29, finds Sally Andrews, Johnathan Snipes, Hannah Clayton and Lisa Faulk celebrating another year.*****July 30, Keith Gros and Amber's middle son Liam turns 2-years-old. He will celebrate with brother's Luke, 3 and Rowan, 6 weeks*****July 31, our buddy Stump Weatherford notched another year as did Amber Weidner.*****Aug. 1, Celebrating today are Dr. Pauline Hargraves and Wayne Morse, who we have lost track of.*****Aug. 2, A special friend, Judge Derry Dunn, celebrates today also Jean Lapeyrolerie, Sherri Vincent, Bailee Moore and longtime friend Joyce Dubose celebrate birthdays. Joyce and John also celebrate 51 years of marriage.*****Aug. 3, Kaylon Brack, Diana Tally and Lacy Monceaux all celebrate. On this day in 2007, Tony Houseman passed away.*****Aug. 4, Celebrating a birthday with former President Barack Obama is Debbie Wilbur, Judy Leonard and Kody Fisette. Please see complete list.*****Early Voting in Texas will begin on August 13, about 74 days away. Voting begins three weeks ahead of the November 8th General Election. In some places in the county, early voting starts as early as 45 days away.*****The October Surprise in this election will probably be that a vaccine for covid-19 has been developed. Remember vaccine is not a vaccination. My bet is that the vaccine won't be available to the public before at least March or April of next year. To prove a vaccine is safe takes at least six months trial run. Don't believe the October surprise when it's pitched.

BREAUX BIRTHDAYS

Folks having birthdays in the next week. Yvonna Boehme, NaNa Foster, Sherri Christiansen, Ayden Sanders, Cody Hollis, Joe Elam, Elizabeth McBride, Marilyn Snider, Ruth Stone, Dena Cox, Ethel Hicks, Jarrod Vogt, Jeannette Edwards, Ann Collins, Claire Williams, Frances Reid, Cetha Haure.

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

July 29: Dak Prescott  27,  Football Player; Wil Wheaton,  47,   Actor; Martina McBride  53,  Country Singer.*****July 30: Arnold Schwarzenegger  72,   Actor; Lisa Kudrow  56,   Actress; Terry Crews  51,  Actor; Hilary Swank  45   Actress.*****July 31: Mark Cuban  61,  Entrepreneur; Zac Brown  41,  Country Singer; Dean Cain  5,   Actor; JK Rowling  54,  Author.*****August 1: La'Porsha Renae  25,  Singer; Elijah Kelley  33,  Actor.*****August 2: Sam Worthington  43,  Actor; Nick Diaz 36,  MMA Fighter. *****August 3: Tom Brady  42,  Football Player; Martha Stewart  78,  Entrepreneur; Tony Bennett  93,  Singer Isaiah Washington   56, Actor.*****August 4: Daniel Dae Kim  51,  Actor; Billy Bob Thornton  64,   Actor; Jeff Gordon  48,  Race Car Driver; and also celebrating a birthday is the 44th President of the United States Barack Obama  58.  

CAJUN STORY OF THE WEEK

One of Taunt Blanche's former girls in the sticks, Agnes "Cutie Pie" Marceaux, walks into da Abbeville welfare office wit nine kids trailing her. "Wow," says Shriley Boudreaux, da social worker, "Are dem all yours?" she axe.

"Mais Yea, dey all  mine," Agnes answer. Den she says "Sit down LeRoy."

All da chilluns rush to a seat.

Da social worker says, "Me, I'll need all your chilluns names."

"Well, to keep it simple, I named all da boys LeRoy and da girls Leighroy." 

Ms. Boudreaux, da case worker, axe, "Are you serious, dey all named Leroy?"

"Dey sure are," said Agnes, wen it's time to get dem out of bed, I yell Leroy. Wen it's time for supper, I just yell Leroy and dey all come running. If I need to stop da kids from running in da street, I just yell Leroy and all of dem stop. It's the smartest idea I ever had me, naming all dem Leroy."

Ms. Boudreaux, da social worker, shakes her head, wrinkled her forehead and axe, "But Agnes, wat if you just want one of dem kids to come and not da whole bunch?"

Agnes answer, "Well den, I call dem by dere last names."

C'EST TOUT

Does Cohen Have Another Shoe to Drop

Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump's former attorney and fixer, was released to home confinement after a federal judge in New York found he was sent back to prison to deter him from writing a tell-all book about Trump. The judge ruled Cohen was sent back to prison to stop his exercise of First Amendment Right to publish a book. He ordered Cohen to be released. The judge's ruling confirms Bill Barr's Justice Department and Bureau of Prisons can't stop Cohen from publishing his book. The self-described fixer for Trump sued Attorney General William Barr accusing him of retaliating against him after he revealed his intention to write an unflattering book about Trump. Cohen's book will describe first hand experiences with Mr. Trump. For example: the narrative will describe certain Semitic remarks against prominent Jewish people and also racist remarks about Black leaders. Cohen is serving a three-year sentence after pleading guilty to coordinating payoffs to buy silence about film star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal. What's left to expose? Most everything has already been played out on TV and social media. Cohen has to have a hook, a bombshell. What Trump and the administration would fear the most is any mention of abortion. No doubt they will sue to stop the book sale before the election.*****That's it for today. Stay inside if possible, wear your mask if going out and wash your hands frequently. Take care and God bless.