Orange police are investigating four cases of gunfire on Monday including a county deputies' car being hit. One deputy in the car fired back. No injuries were reported in any of the incidents. The deputies were said to be on duty in an unmarked car in the Roselawn subdivision about 9:25 p.m. Twenty minutes earlier, shots were fired at a pickup truck driving northward in the 2400 block of  16th Street in the highly-traveled commercial district near Interstate 10. The driver of the pickup, along with a witness, hid in a convenience store until police arrived. The witness was a Georgia woman … [Read more...] about OPD Investigating Four Cases Of Gunfire

The Orange City Council approved spending $250,000 next budget year for federal community development block grants, but City Manager Dr. Shawn Oubre said the Trump administration has indicated it wants to eliminate the grants. "We just don't know what the (federal) budget will be," he said. One of the block grant projects for the 2017-18 budget year will be to install a sidewalk along Bob Hall Road from St. Mary School northward to Interstate 10. Uncertainty in Washington policies also led to the council to pass a resolution opposing any change to add deductibles for Federal Emergency … [Read more...] about Orange Council Discusses Block Grants

Buildings, facilities, and even equipment on Orange County property are supposed to be smoke free for about the last year.  The Commissioners Court met Tuesday to consider posting signs on county property stating that smoking is not permitted within 25 feet of any entrance to county owned buildings.  Human Resource Director Lori Ardoin explained the Personnel Policy #415 covers the prohibition on smoking.  Kurt Guidry the director of the Maintenance Department would be involved with getting the signs made and with installing them.  Guidry pointed out a problem with the wording that uses … [Read more...] about Commissioners Discuss No Smoking Signs

A 45-year-old Vidor man has been sentenced to prison for federal drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston on June 13.   Ben Doyle Vaughn, III, pleaded guilty on Jan. 5, 2017, to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Thad Heartfield. According to information presented in court, on Mar. 3, 2016, officers with Orange County (Texas) Sheriff’s Department executed a search warrant for a residence located at 130 Clair St., Vidor, … [Read more...] about Vidor Man Receives 135 Months

At approximately 1:50p.m., the Texas Department of Public Safety received a report of a train crash near Hartburg Road in Newton County. Initial reports indicate that an all-terrain vehicle (4-wheeler) was stopped on the railroad tracks and was struck by a train.  Troopers and other emergency officials are working to determine if anyone was occupying the 4-wheeler at the time of the collision. Troopers are in the early stages of this investigation; therefore, details are extremely limited and will only be released as information is confirmed. … [Read more...] about Accident Involving Train In Hartburg

Veterans will have a special reserved parking space at the West Orange City Hall in recognition of the service of one former West Orange resident.  The City Council unanimously approved on Monday designating a space to honor Tim Hankins in the parking lot at the front of City Hall by Western Avenue. The request for the reserved space was made by Kenneth Droddy to honor Hankins who did 11 tours of combat with special forces before losing his life in October.  Droddy said the city would only have to pay for erecting the pole to hold the sign, stating he would pay for the sign and to get it … [Read more...] about WO Welcomes Sign Of Service