Sherlock Breaux in the Creaux's Nest

NEWS AROUND TEXAS

Texas is making a lot of news ahead of next Mondays April 8th total solar eclipse. Cities around Texas expect to see a major influx of tourists. Good weather is expected. The Hill Country is a great place to see the eclipse but not the only place. The path of totality is expected to stretch between 108 and 122 miles. There are lots of Texas locations in that wide strip. The First Monday Trade Days, in Canton, this year will be set up for RV and tent camping instead of the flea market. Eclipse sighting of four minutes and five seconds is expected. Around four minutes in good spots will be the norm. The Record will have a reporter in North Texas covering this event.*****I’d better move on. Come along, I promise it won’t do you no harm.

CONDOLENCES

Remembering our Jewish friend, Joel Edward Steirman, age 80, who passed away March 30, at St. Elizabeth Hospital. Graveside services will be at 11:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, at Hebrew Cemetery in Lake Charles. We had known Joel many years and always enjoyed his presence at the Wednesday Lunch Bunch gatherings. Over the years his wife Kathleen marked his birthdays with parties at the Boat Club. Joel once served as a Orange County Port Commissioner. Since 1985 he operated his own CPA business. Beyond his professional endeavors, Joel was deeply involved in various community organizations that allowed him to give back and make a difference. He was a lifelong ambassador of the Orange County Chamber of Commerce. Joel’s leadership qualities shone through as he served as the president of the Orange Rotary Club not once but twice. Additionally, he held a role as Treasurer of the Orange Boat Club Joel also made significant contributions during his military service. Enlisting in the Army OCS, Joel bravely served in Vietnam and Korea with the 101st Airborne Division, ultimately achieving the rank of Captain. His exceptional service was honored with a Bronze Star. Joel’s final military assignment saw him teaching ROTC at McNeese State University while pursuing his Masters of Business Administration—a testament to his unwavering dedication to continuous growth and learning. Condolences to his family. See our website therecordlive.com for complete obituary. He was a good friend. May he rest in peace.

TURNING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME

10 Years Ago-2014

The Affordable Care Act, that you are enjoying today, reached its seven million start up, sign up on March 31, 2014 despite radical opposition in the beginning, I’m sure it’s hard for you to believe in 2034 that at one time the U.S. didn’t have universal health care.***** Bobby Taylor would have been proud to know that hundreds of people filled Cowboy Church to pay their last respects. He also would have been proud of his family who greeted everyone who came. Pearl Burgess, 93-years-old, attended and honored Bobby with a poem which was recited at the service and also printed on the program. We spotted Quincy Procell and his wife who were longtime neighbors of the Taylor’s. Nelda Burton was introducing people to one another. By the way, Nelda is a candidate for an open seat on the Mauriceville water board. Her first venture in politics. She is usually the bridesmaid, not the bride.

20 Years Ago-2004

BCISD Superintendent Sam Lucia and assistant Joe Chenella, display the Nelda and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation’s grant award. The grant for $423,275 will produce for a host of technological advancement in education for the new Bridge City High School.*****Former Orangefield Bobcat, Nebraska pole vaulter, Eric Eshbach, won the Texas relays with a leap of 18 feet, 4.5. inches. Eric beat all college and pro-vaulters. The win qualified him for the Olympic trials. The Austin meet was attended by 22,000 many from Orange County. None more excited than his grandmother Dot Eshbach and Eric’s adopted auntie Margaret Saint. Eric spotted his high school coach Joe Hester in the stands, ran up the steps and picked him up and shook him.*****GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: Wendy Leigh Mericle, 18 year old LCM senior, died April 3 after an auto accident. Service was held April 6 at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. She is survived by her mother Nancy, brother Bryan and grandmother Lena Gaudet. *****Clifford H. Hopper, 90, of Bridge City, died March 31. Funeral service was held April 5 at St. Mark Lutheran Church. A native of New Jersey, he was owner and operator at Hopper Lumber Co. in Bridge City. He was preceded in death by his wife Clara. He is survived by several nieces and nephews. Pallbearers were Jim Rucker, Kelly Rucker, Chris Juaneaux, Billy Garrett, Eric Weeder and Leon Parish.

45 Years Ago-1979

Johnny Dorman, former school teacher, is a candidate for trustee on the Orangefield school board. He is also a former custodian and bus driver in the district.*****Texas Gov. Bill Clements proclaims April 2 to April 6 as Texas Industrial Week. Orange Mayor Major Inman, Mayor A.R. Morgan of Pinehurst and Mayor Glenn Seale of West Orange all proclaimed the same date. A reception for industry leaders takes place April 5 at Sunset Grove Country Club.*****A.J. Judice and Roy Dunn make a tour of Cajun country. After dropping Roy’s mom off in Lafayette, he and A.J. were guest of former Bridge City natives, J.P. and Lloyd Thibodeaux. They were taken on a tour of Acadiania. They visited Roy’s boyhood home in Abbeville and A.J.’s in Loreauville. A big supper was held at boat builder Roy Breaux’s place in Loreauville.*****Flo and Gene Edgerly will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary next week.*****Miss Sherry Curl, Little Cypress-Mauriceville student, is the new Sheriff’s Posse queen and runner-up at the Dogwood Festival.*****Happy Birthday to Janet Griffin and Trella Darby.*****Ed Lovelace purchases two radio stations in Beeville. The population is 49 percent Mexican, 18 percent German, one percent Black, the rest Anglo Saxon. The AM and FM station will carry country on one and Spanish on the other. *****Bill James and Bill Van win re-elections to the Bridge City school board. All three incumbents in Bridge City city council race, Bruce Wright, N.J. Vicknair and Don Caillouet won.

50 Years Ago-1974

A $1,000 four-year certificate of deposit at Orange Savings pays 7.50 percent. A 90-day certificate pays 5.75 percent. A day-in-dayout, $5 minimum, pays 5.25 percent.*****Last year the Bridge City mile-rely team placed third in the state with a time of 3.19. Returning to this year’s team are Bo Worrell, David Guidry and Mark Truncale. Raymond Salazar replaces Larry Hagler, who graduated. Coach Bob Puntes also has high hopes for the area’s best pole vaulter, Raymond Ridley, who has a season high of 13- feet, 7-inches and often makes 14 feet in practice. (Editor’s note: Remember that was before the fiberglass, bending poles of today. Cane poles didn’t give much.)*****David Guidry runs the 330 hurdles in 39 seconds. Other hurdlers are David Weishaar, Billy James and Steve Hock. Distant men are Thad Thompson, Truncale. Desi Ramsey and Wayne Beard run the mile. Robbie Truncale is an alternate in distant runs. In field events are Ridley, Lanston Fall, Graig Morris shot-put: Danny Long discus. (Editor’s Note: Hard to believe that was 50 years ago.

A FEW HAPPENINGS

We have often heard that an elderly person dying is like losing a library building to fire. That certainly is the case with the death of Sen. Carl Parker. Funeral services were held in Beaumont Tuesday, April 2. Graveside services will be conducted Wednesday, April 3, at 1:00 p.m. at Texas State Cemetery, 909 Navasota St. in Austin, Texas.*****On this day, April 6, 1917, the United States entered WWI. ***On this day in 1974, Hank Aaron hit his record 715 home run off of pitcher Al Downing.*****Orange’s 22nd Art in the Park is this coming Saturday. It’s become a popular way to visit with people and become a community, but it’s never been the same without C. Delle Bates. He passed away last April in his beloved Orange. The inventor and businessman was able to devote his latter years toward his artwork paintings. He was one of the local artists who started Art in the Park as a way for local artists to display and sell their work. Artists of all kinds from all over Texas and Louisiana have come through the years. The immortal Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown opened the first Art in the Park with a concert and Mayor Brown Claybar proclaiming the day for the great singer and musician. Darlene Zavada was with the Orange Convention and Visitors Bureau and worked to start the festival. Brandy Judice with the CVB has kept it going. The event is in Stark Park off Green Avenue in downtown Orange. A car show will be set up on Front Street. It all starts at  9 a.m. through 3 p.m. And even though Delle Bates won’t be here to sell his originals and prints, his estate may be here in the future. His family is working on creating prints of some of his popular works and selling them to set up a foundation to help young artists. Also during Art in the Park, the adjacent W.H. Stark House will offer special tours. Wonder how much Orange Mayor Larry Spears will be spending if he takes his daughters?*****The Friends of the Orange Depot started 10 years ago to save the abandoned Southern Pacific Railroad station on Green Avenue. Orange native Carrie Joiner Woliver and her husband, Ron, started the non-profit group to buy and restore the old train depot, which has now become a jewel of downtown. The group’s fundraiser, Depot Day, is set for May 4 with lots of family activities. Vendors who want to set up should contact the group through the Orange Train Museum Facebook page or Rose Simar through 409-330-1576. Rose, Diana Hill, Brown Claybar, Stark High grad and businessman Bill Shaddock, Stephen Lee, Walter Riedel and the late Mike Hoke and the late Dan Ryder all have helped preserve the depot, which is now a popular place for receptions and events. We’ll keep you informed more about Depot Day.*****Spring break is now over for schools and the next couple of months will be zooming by with all kinds of school events, sports, and community activities. Before you know it, school will be out for summer. During the recent spring break, lots of people took mini-vacays. Latouia and Aaron DuBois went with Mandi and Chris Robinson to Camp Margaritaville at Crystal Beach..*****David C. and Sabrina Claybar took their two kids to Crystal Beach for a quick trip before Chef David had to oversee Easter Brunch at his Old Orange Cafe. David not only has a knack for cooking, he has an eagle eye for finding shark teeth fossils on the beach. Ask him how many he found this weekend.*****Keith and Cyndi Longlois saw the Astros opener against the Yankees. Rita Monson, Melany Monson, Della Gallien and Don Bonnin saw the Astros and Yankees another day.*****Round Top Texas antique hunting is popular,  Kill Kunst, Hayli Jones, and Atasha Quebedeux made a shopping trip and wore some shoes out with the walking. Kelli Patin was another taking in not only Round Top, but also nearby Warrenton.*****Ida Schosso and Leslie Johnson took in a Madonna concert.*****Karen Ratcliff held her traditional Easter tea for her great-and great-great-grandchildren.*****MaQuettia Ledet took her grandchildren to Disney World for spring break, while Christy Futch Revers, Bridget Bradshaw Teaff, Susie Beasley, and Karen Hayner left Galveston on a cruise.*****West Orange Mayor Randy First Lady Jane Branch were grateful to have both daughters and the compete Bellow and Parzen families, all nine of them, together for Easter Sunday services and dinner.*****Orange County Next Generation group had a monthly meeting at Orange Stationer and The Office Downtown with Paul Dickerson as host. Attendees included Johnny Asevedo, Hillary Gravett, Caleb Meadows, and Christi Lee Miranda.***** Our thanks to neighbors Thelma Sterling and Kay Williams for the delicious Easter cake from “Nanny Sweets” in Mid-County. What a treat.*****The last week of March is apparently a popular time in the spring to get married. People celebrating wedding anniversaries this week included Mark and Janois Grizzaffi with 10 years, Alaniz and Codie Vasquez with 32, Keith and Sheila Faske with 24, Rick and  Sherry Sturdivant with eight, and Jerry and Mindi Vandervoort with lots.

BREAUX BIRTHDAYS

A few folks celebrating birthdays in the next few days. April 3: Special shout out to Constable Lannie Claybar who celebrates a birthday today, also Mahala McClanahan,  Aliceson Haynes, Victor Hernandex, Walter Terry, Desirea Wilson, Eddie Asbury, Geoff Rendall, Constable Lannie Claybar, Linda Currie,.*****April 4: James Wroten, Hillary Benefield, Debbie Kendick, Hovel Chandler, Jason Ballard, Jeremy Simmons, Joe Peery, Kathie Dorman, Kirk Jordan, Mike Callahan, Rose Cormier, Sandra McRight, Shiloh Walker, Spencer Johns, Travis Primrose, James Wroten, Brandie Fowler,*****April 5: Mary Hesipe, Jean Taylor,  Niki Viola, Janet Bland, Helen Mahfouz, Libby Harrison, Lisa Coffey, Race Dearborne, Cora Woodard.*****April 6: Our buddy “The Top Hog” under the railroad tracks, Justice Chad Jenkins, celebrates.. On that same day, one of Buster Scales lovely daughters, Cyndie Chauvin, Vance’s better half has her big day. Also celebrating are Malori Thibodeaux David Blanton, Helen Locklin, James Bourdier, Jean Saxon, John Green, Shirley Hayes, Bob Cummings, Brenda McPherson,*****April 7: Bethanie Penning, Shelly Watts, Janet Anderson, Kevin Ernst, Linda Juneau, Wayne McPherson, April Butler, Billie Jo Nelson,*****April 8: Jenelle and George’s little girl Angel Sehon celebrates today along with Kaci McKay, Brandy Block,   Joyce Kleinknecht, Lindsey Etheridge, Camrie Helm, Mike Knox, Gary Chaffin, Lorene Zoch, Patsy Herrington, Peggy Drane, Bob Todd, Melissa Pittman and former Strutter boss Cathy Riley.*****April 9: Lauri Williams, Brad Ernst, Trey Dubose, Ken Swenson, Jomie Chapman, Kristi Trahan, Terri Brent, Tonya Burch, Wayne Currie, Adam Prosperie, Barbara Allen.***Other birthdays celebrated Birthday greetings go to Paul Simar, Christine Brown-Zeto, Alayna Jacobs, Nevella Toal, Carolyn Gorby, Katherine May, Al Granger, Taylor Friend, Pam Boehme Simon, Dylan Krummel, Frederick Flore, and Lynn Theriot.

NOTICE: To post birthday or anniversary announcements, free of charge, give us a call at 409-886-7183 or email therecordlive.com

C’EST TOUT

TOP RACE IN TEXAS’ GENERAL ELECTION

Rep. Colin Allred will take on GOP Sen. Ted Cruz after he won Tuesday’s Democratic Senate primary, setting up a key matchup in the fight for control of the Senate.  Allred bested a crowded field of nine Democrats to take on Cruz, who is a top target for Democrats this year as they are largely on defense as they fight to hold on to the Senate. “I’ve always felt like we can’t afford six more years of Ted Cruz representing us in the Senate, six more years of somebody who abandons us when 30 million Texans are freezing in the dark, six more years as somebody who wants to have a nationwide abortion ban, six more years of someone who I think is only interested in themselves, and not all of us as Texans,” Allred said in an interview Tuesday.  In a statement following Tuesday’s primary, Cruz did not make mention of his newly minted opponent. Allred, first elected to the House in 2018 after he flipped a Dallas-area seat, has been viewed as a formidable Senate recruit, having posted strong fundraising numbers and already launched TV ads that were more focused on the general election than on the primary contest.  Texas could be a key race in the fight for the Senate. Republicans need a net gain of just two seats to take control of the chamber, or one seat if Republicans win the White House, because the vice president casts tie breaking votes in the Senate.  Allred declined to directly answer whether he would campaign with Biden.“This is going to be about Texans talking to Texans, neighbors talking to neighbors,” he said. “We’re picking a senator who will serve us for the next six years past the term of the next presidency.*****I’ve gotta shut down for another time. Thanks for coming along. Please read us cover to cover and shop our family of advertisers. Take care and God bless.