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The Monday, February
8, 2010 meeting of
the West Orange City
Council has been
cancelled. The next
meeting is scheduled
for 5:30 p.m.,
Monday, February 22,
2010 in the West
Orange Community
Center.
While
just about
everything else with
roots was dead in
Orange after a hard
freeze, there began
to appear bright
green "fuzzy fish"
around different
areas of town. Known
to most as the
"Jesus Fish" that
you've seen for
years on the back of
cars, the religious
symbol has taken on
a new life thanks to
Keith Adams and
Michael Christian.
Christian, the youth
minister at North
Orange Baptist
Church the past two
years, said it was
Adams who had been
experimenting with
the idea. "Keith was
trying different
things in his own
yard when he came up
with the right
formula that would
make this work," he
said. The two
created a stencil
with the hopes of
using the idea as a
fundraiser for their
youth group while
spreading the
message. Adams said,
"Our pastor has been
preaching to us to
think outside of the
box when it comes to
spreading the word
and this was my way
of doing that. Jesus
said follow me and I
will make you
fishers of men and
the fish symbol lets
people know that we
are followers and
that they live in a
Christian home."
Adams said that the
recipe calls for
moist ground and we
certainly haven't
had any problems
with that this
winter. With moist
ground the seeds
take about two weeks
before you start to
see the pattern.
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Look Left
and "Cast
Your Vote" |
 |
Fred Hanauer,
with wife
Linda, found
the KOGT
Mardi Gras
Treasure
underneath
this
cigarette
outpost at
the West
Orange City
Hall Friday
morning.
Hanauer said
once he knew
Friday's
clue was
about
Stephen F.
Austin he
knew it
would be off
of Austin
St. which
led him to
City Hall.
Hanauer wins
$500 to
spend in the
greater
Orange area.
Check out
the
clues and
hints |
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Beaumont
Police
arrested 49
year old
Chad Arthur
Lindsey, of
Orange,
early
Thursday
morning
after
robbing a
Waffle House
with a
knife. Just
after
midnight
Thursday
morning
officers
were called
to the
Waffle House
restaurant
at 5875 Hwy.
105 where a
man armed
with a knife
threatened
an employee
before
leaving with
an
undetermined
amount of
cash. The
man fled in
a white van.
Officers
checked the
area found a
2005 white
van in the
4800 block
of Concord.
The man
inside the
van matched
the
description
of the
suspect from
the robbery.
Police say
the van he
was in was
stolen.
Lindsey was
arrested for
Aggravated
Robbery,
Unauthorized
Use of a
Motor
Vehicle, and
a Parole
Violation
Warrant. |
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Around 5pm
Thursday,
Claudia
Jones, 33,
of Orange
was driving
this Durango
north on
Hwy. 87 when
she
rear-ended a
white Ford
pickup that
was
attempting
to turn left
on
Canterbury.
Alexander
Smith, 16,
was driving
the truck
and Collin
Foster, 15,
was his
passenger.
Foster was
taken to the
hospital
with neck
pain.
Jones was
cited for
failure to
control
speed. |
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On
Thursday February 4,
2010 at
approximately
8:15AM, Narcotics
Officers with the
Orange County
Sheriff’s Office
executed a narcotics
search warrant at
8325 Buffalo Road in
Orange. Upon entry,
a felony amount of
methamphetamines was
located. The
Officers also
located an amount
less than 2 ounces
of marijuana inside
the residence.
During the search of
the residence,
numerous items of
drug paraphernalia,
surveillance
equipment, and other
contraband was
seized. The suspect,
SHERRY JOHNNIE
GOULD, a 45 year old
Orange resident was
arrested for Felony
Possession of a
Controlled
Substance, along
with Class B
Possession of
Marijuana and
transported to the
Orange County Jail
for booking. She was
arraigned and bond
set at $10,000 for
the Felony and $500
for the Misdemeanor.
The OC Sheriff's
Dept. reminds you
that if you have
information on drug
activities occurring
in your neighborhood
or other areas
please call EasTex
Crime Stoppers at
409-724-TIPS. You
will remain
anonymous and you
could earn a cash
reward for your
information.
U.S. Congressman
Kevin Brady
announced Thursday
that the West Orange
Volunteer Fire
Department has been
awarded a $8,550
grant from the
Department of
Homeland Security’s
Assistance to
Firefighters Grant (AFG)
program. “I’m
honored to
congratulate the
West Orange
Volunteer Fire
Department on
receiving this
grant,” Brady said.
“The grant provides
resources the fire
department needs to
ensure their ability
to continue to
protect the health
and safety of the
local community.”
The purpose of the
FY 2009 AFG is to
award grants
directly to fire
departments and
non-affiliated
emergency medical
service
organizations for
training, equipment,
personal protective
equipment, wellness
and fitness, and
health and safety
modifications to
stations and
facilities.
The man who jumped
off the Veteran's
Memorial Bridge on
Jan. 1, 2010 was
located Tuesday,
Feb. 2. The body was
recovered after
being spotted on the
bank by some boaters
and transported to
the Marine Fueling
dock in Port Arthur
where he was
positively
identified by his
Texas DL as GEORGE
RAYMOND TRENHOLM, a
56 year-old white
male from Spicewood,
TX. His wallet and
drivers license was
still inside his
pants pocket.
Justice of the Peace
Janice Menard
responded and
pronounced him
deceased and ordered
an inquest. Mr.
Trenholm’s body was
transported to the
Jefferson County
Morgue where an
autopsy will be
performed. The
location where the
body was located was
on the north side of
the ship channel,
almost directly
across from the
location where the
victim had last been
seen on January 1st.
The deadline is fast
approaching for
nonprofit
organizations
throughout Southeast
Texas to apply for a
grant of up to
$1,000 through the
Entergy Community
Partnership Grant
program. Since 1995,
the program has
awarded more than
$300,000 to a
variety of
organizations, many
of which are small
and have few other
grant opportunities.
It provides grants
for projects that
effectively impact
education and
literacy, community
improvement/enrichment,
healthy families, or
arts and culture.
The deadline to
apply for a grant
this year is March
31. All applications
must be made online
at
www.entergy.com/our_community/cpGrant_Guidelines.aspx
. Those
interested in
applying in Texas
may contact Mary
Young, Entergy Texas
Customer Relations,
at 409-981-2656.
“These grants
provide a wonderful
opportunity for
organizations to get
financial help for
projects that will
help improve the
quality of life in
Southeast Texas,”
Young said. Entergy
Texas serves 400,000
customers in 27
counties.
The
Bridge City
Strutters traveled
to New York City and
learned from master
dance teachers at
Alvin Ailey and
Broadway Dance
Center . Their
educational trip
included the
familiar NY sites
and they attended
the Broadway show,
Wicked, at Gershwin
Theater, during the
four-day trip. On
their last day in
New York , the
Strutters and their
chaperones arrived
at the ABC Studio
for the taping of
Good Morning America
where they were
viewed by America.
New York bound
Strutters included
Emily Ginn, Gretchen
Hollier, Maci
Mathews, Katelyn
Norman, Lyndsay
Powers, Holly
Simpson, Alyson
Smith, Meghan Smith,
Mallory Wappler,
Taylor Dishon,
Jordyn Ewing,
Allison Morphew,
Karli Anderson,
Caylee Champagne,
Nicole Encalade,
Kaitlyn Ezell, Devon
Skidmore, Samantha
Morphew, and Madison
Woodruff. Strutter
Escorts included
Sawyer Hogan, Tyler
Landrum, and Matthew
Wappler. Chaperones
were Belinda Norman,
Fay Ginn, Charlene
Wappler, Melissa
Smith, Dana Weeks,
Rita Hollier, Lisa
Laird, Traci Ewing,
Leslie Dishon, Kim
Ezell, Jodi Morphew,
Janet Encalade, Jami
Fairley, Amy
Skidmore, Christy
Podnewich, Melani
Woodruff, Cindy
Landrum, Juli Dee
Hogan, and Director
Cathy Riley.

The
Orange County Texas
Exes proudly
announces the
creation of the
Judge Patrick A.
Clark Endowed
Academic
Scholarship. This
scholarship is being
made possible by a
generous donation
from The Beaumont
Foundation in
conjunction with the
sponsorship of the
Orange County Texas
Exes Will Muschamp
Scholarship
Fundraising Dinner
on February 11th.
This endowed
scholarship will be
given each year in
perpetuity to an
Orange County high
school senior that
excels in community
service and will
attend the
University of Texas
as a freshman. Judge
Clark is a graduate
of the University of
Texas School of Law
and a past president
of the Orange County
Texas Exes. He has
served as Judge of
the 128th District
Court here in Orange
since 1980. Prior to
his current bench,
Judge Clark served
as judge of the
County Court at Law
in Orange County.
Judge Clark has
served as president
of many local Boards
including Camp Fire,
Orange County Credit
Union, St. Mary
School Foundation
and the Parish
Council. He is
extremely active in
the community and
his love for all
things burnt orange
is legendary. Judge
Clark will be
honored with this
scholarship
endowment at the
Orange County Texas
Exes Will Muschamp
Scholarship
Fundraising Dinner
on February 11th at
6:30pm. This event
is generously
sponsored by The
Beaumont Foundation.
Tickets are still
available and can be
purchased by
contacting Ann Seals
at 409-779-8330 or
Susan Swan at
409-883-9875. The
deadline to receive
payment for
reservations is
Thursday, February
4th.
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Annie was
last seen
off of 37th
St. in
Orange.
Please call
779-6263 if
you've seen
her.
This little
guy (right)
was found
near the
2300 block
of Sunset
Drive. White
collar with
no
identification.
Call
886-2789 to
claim. |
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Little
Cypress-Mauriceville
Elementary schools
hosted the regional
UIL Elementary
Academic Meet on
Saturday, January
29. The team, made
up of second through
fifth graders from
Mauriceville
Elementary (MVE),
Little Cypress
Elementary (LCE) and
Little Cypress
Intermediate (LCI),
placed 37 students
in the top six
places and claimed
third place in the
overall meet.
more
Mauriceville Middle
School choir
students competed at
Solo and Ensemble
Contest on Saturday,
January 30, bringing
home seventeen
medals. Fleachia
Isbell received an
“Excellent” rating
for her solo. Those
receiving “Superior”
ratings for solos
were: Kirsten
Buchanan, Michaela
Dorsey, Sadie Greer,
DeNay Hutchison,
Taylor Hutto,
Madison Kay, Taryn
LaCour, Macy Malin,
Sarah Martin, Kender
Myers, Alidia
Norton, Hailee
Sasser, Alex
Saucier, and Abby
Turner. Two
ensembles won
“Superior” ratings.
A trio whose members
were Kender Myers,
Hailee Sasser and
Alex Saucier, and a
sextet with Abby
Turner, Macy Malin,
Taryn LaCour,
Michaela Dorsey,
Kirsten Buchanan,
and Taylor Hutto.
Angela Greer is the
choral director for
Mauriceville Middle
School.
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Orangefield
High School
sophomore,
Alex Gilson,
will be
performing
in the
Symphony of
Southeast
Texas Youth
Concert on
February 2
and 3. The
concert will
be held at
the Julie
Rogers
Theatre and
will feature
local
musicians.
The purpose
of the
concert is
to introduce
school-aged
children to
the
symphony.
They will be
playing
familiar
classics
such as "In
the Hall of
the Mountain
King" by
Greig and
"The Star
Spangled
Banner."
Gilson will
be
performing
on the
cello. It is
an honor to
be selected
to play in
this
concert. It
is comprised
of mostly
professional
musicians
and select
Lamar
scholarship
students. |
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Orange Camp
Fire Council
awarded it's
Community
Service
Award to
Danielle
Heil and the
Dan Domas
Youth Award
to Heston
Cheshire at
it's 67th
Annual
Dinner. |
An
armed robbery at the
Vinton Dollar
General was caught
on tape. It happened
the night of
December 28th.
Vinton Police say
they got the call
around 8:18 p.m.
after a black male
entered the store
with a gun demanding
money. "He made away
with about
33-hundred dollars
in cash from the
store," said Vinton
Police Chief Ricky
Fox. But Fox says
the robbery was
captured on
surveillance video
and if you look
close enough you can
see the cashier
smiling and laughing
while unlocking the
safe. "The most
striking, very
seldom have I seen
anyone smile or
laugh when they turn
around in an armed
robbery and that's
that caught our
attention right off
the bat. It made us
very suspicious.
We've had our sights
on her since day
one," said Chief
Fox. She's not
smiling now. Charged
with principle to
armed robbery,
Jamisha Cousar of
Orange was arrested
Saturday evening
after missing work
two days in a row.
"We received a phone
call Saturday
afternoon, late
Saturday evening
that she was packing
to leave town," said
Chief Fox. "So
before she could
run, Orange Police
arrested her at her
home." Cousar's
accomplice, the
armed robber, was
arrested hours after
the robbery.
According to Chief
Fox, "He was
arrested about 5
hours after this
robbery by the Rayne
Police Department
and he still had
approximately $1300
still in his
pocket." 29-year-old
Anthony J. Meaux of
Crowley was being
held in the Acadia
Parish Jail on
unrelated charges
but is now charged
with armed robbery.
But how did
investigators link
Cousar to Meaux?
Initially she told
them she didn't know
him, but they say
her story changed
several times before
she admitted the two
were close friends.
Cell phone records
would tell the rest
of the story. "The
phone records sealed
the deal. It showed
that she had
contacted him
regularly to include
just before and just
after the event that
night," said Chief
Fox. Both remain
behind bars, Meaux's
bond set at
100-thousand
dollars; Cousar's
set at 50-thousand
dollars. (KPLC-TV)
The
Greater Orange Area
Chamber of Commerce
congratulates
Demetrielle
Washington as its
Student of the
Month. Washington is
a senior at Little
Cypress-Mauriceville
High. She has been a
part of the Leo
Club, Future Teacher
of America, Student
Counsel and FCCLA –
President.
Demetrielle has also
received the STAR
Student Award in
2009 and the NHS
award. Not only is
Ms. Washington an
outstanding student
and involved in many
school programs she
donates her time to
her community
through volunteer
work. Teachers and
Staff alike hold Ms.
Washington in high
regard stating that
she is responsible,
loyal, trust-worthy
and honest and a
high moral
character.
Demetrielle plans to
attend McNeese State
College to earn her
teaching degree. Ms.
Washington was
recognized by Cliff
Ozmun, Chairperson
of the GOACC
Education Committee
and by other members
of the Greater
Orange Area Chamber
of Commerce. She
also received gifts
from Greater Orange
Area Chamber
members.
Fourteen students at
Lamar State
College-Port Arthur
qualified during the
fall semester for
membership in the
Alpha Lambda Rho
chapter of Phi Theta
Kappa International
Honor Society at the
college. The 2009
fall and 2010 spring
new members will be
inducted into the
society during a May
ceremony and
reception in the
Carl Parker Center.
Phi Theta Kappa,
which has more than
1,500 chapters
around the world,
was established in
1918 by a group of
two-year college
presidents to
recognize and
encourage
scholarship and to
encourage an
intellectual climate
for continued
academic excellence
at colleges that
offer two-year
associate degree
programs. Membership
is open to full-time
and part-time
students. To
qualify, a student
must attend a
regionally-accredited
school offering
associate degree
programs, complete
at least 12 hours of
college-level
courses leading to
an associate degree
and have a
cumulative grade
point average of at
least 3.5. The new
members include Lisa
Smith of Bridge
City.
We had three
now we have
two left,
these little
guys would
be your
perfect
Valentines
gift to your
loved one.
City of
Orange
Animal
Control, 806
Simmons.
409-883-1056.
$86.00
adoption fee
covers 1st
Rabies and
Neuter or
Spay
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On Friday, January
29, 2010, at
approximately 12:46
PM the Orange County
Sheriff’s Office
received a call
about a man who
jumped off the IH-10
westbound Neches
River Bridge. The
man, whose name is
not being released,
was described as a
white male, Beaumont
resident in his mid
forties. When
deputies arrived on
scene, they found
that the mentally
ill man thought that
he was being chased
by a vehicle. The
man then parked his
vehicle on the
bridge and jumped
over the side into
the Neches River in
an attempt to get
away. A good
Samaritan was in a
boat in the area of
the bridge when the
man jumped. The good
Samaritan, along
with members of the
Beaumont Fire
Department were able
to rescue the man
from the water. The
man appeared
unharmed and was
taken to Christus
Saint Elizabeth’s
Hospital in Beaumont
for a physical and
mental evaluation.
The man has a
history of mental
illness and the
investigation showed
that there was no
evidence of the man
being chased. The
Orange County
Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Division
responded to the
scene along with the
Beaumont Police
Department, Beaumont
Fire Department, and
the Vidor Fire
Department.
The Orange County
Grand Jury met on
Wednesday, January
27, 2010 and
returned the
following true bills
of indictment.
The allegations are
as follows
Who made the LCM
Honor Roll for the
third six weeks?
click
here
A concerned citizen
writes about the old
train depot and
business
opportunities in
Orange. Click
on Looking Back to
read and discuss
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Want to discuss what's going on in
Orange County today or maybe what happened in the past?
 |
Keep
Orange County
Beautiful (KOCB)
presented its
quarterly
Residential
Beautification Award
to Ms. Barbara Bates
on 35th Street in
Pinehurst. J. David
Derosier, chairman
of KOCB, said, “Ms
Bates has done such
a fantastic job of
bringing in soil and
plants to make her
home and the area
shine. She has set
the tone for the
rest of the
neighborhood to
follow.” Pinehurst
Mayor TW Permenter
said, “We are so
proud to have
residents like Ms
Bates - people that
take pride in their
property and keep
our city looking so
nice. They are the
true leaders of our
community.” Keep
Orange County
Beautiful presents
Beautification
Awards each quarter
for both residential
and commercial
properties.
Nominations from the
public for these
awards are always
welcome; nomination
forms can be found
at their website
www.KOCB.org.
Pictured, left to
right, are Sandra
Cash and J David
Derosier of Keep
Orange County
Beautiful, Ms
Barbara Bates, and
Pinehurst Mayor TW
Permenter (also a
board member of KOCB).
Just when you
thought it was about
to wind down, comes
another project
along a stretch of
I-10 in Orange
County. Next month,
TxDOT is expected to
open bids to
reconstruct a
section of the
interstate between
Womack Road and
Adams Bayou, which
includes tearing
down the MLK
overpass. The $35
million project
includes making some
major improvements
to one of the oldest
portions of
interstate in the
U.S.. Work is set to
begin in April or
May. Flashback 10
years ago: Orange
County residents
were complaining
that their county
was being neglected
in highway
reconstruction
dollars. TxDOT said
"Hold on; your share
is coming." And did
it ever come to
Orange County! A
total of four major
reconstruction
projects have either
been completed or
are underway. The
first project was to
reconstruct the
Sabine River Bridge
at the Louisiana
border. The second
project involved
widening the
interstate through
Rose City. Now, two
separate contractors
are rebuilding I-10
between North Dewitt
in Vidor to near SH
62. Both projects
are expected to wrap
up the middle of
this year. The
newest project,
between Womack and
Adams, shouldn't be
as big of a project
as the other two
currently underway.
The only major I-10
reconstruction
project left to do
in Orange County is
from Adams Bayou to
the Louisiana
border. No word as
to when this will
take place. However,
TxDOT continues
working the design
plans and needed
clearances to get
the project off the
ground. -
Marc Shepherd, TxDOT-
Does
the state of Texas
have unclaimed
property that
belongs to you?
click here
 |
The
Orange print
is available in
4 different sizes at the KOGT Studios on
Meeks Dr.
Prints already
framed are for sale
at Pinehurst
Gallery.
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 |
Hurricane
Ike and Rita
books are
currently
available at
the KOGT
Studios on
Meeks Drive
for a
limited
time.
Office hours
are Mon-Fri
from 9-noon
and 1-5p. |
An email with a
historic pictorial
look on Orange has
been going around.
If you haven't seen
it you can see it
here
CHECK
OUT the KOGT Photo Gallery where you
can purchase photos on-line. Click
on Photo Gallery Button on the left.
New galleries will be added
regularly, so check it often.
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