Welcome back to our second ‘What’s Going Orange?’ column here on KOGT.com. We had a good response last week about our first one and we had some offer their suggestions to a new title for the column if I don’t stick with what we call it now.
There’s one that I like so a change could be coming. Many of the suggestions were repeated and some were just too long. The name of a column should just be a few words. Anyway, you guys had fun with it and that’s what it’s all about.
Of course we have to talk about the snow! We will all remember January 21, 2025 from now own but hopefully as a good thing instead of dates of hurricanes, tornadoes and floods. It was great to see everyone having a great time. Orange Mayor Larry Spears was probably like many parents when he said this snow event just saved him a lot of money instead of having to take his kids to Colorado to play in the snow. Below I wanted to share a video sent to me by JJ Phillips showing just how much snow was falling. Is this really in Orange?!
I had many people ask me how much snow we had because the TV weathermen were just using the Brooks Airport total of 4.5″ and all of you believed there was more. We’ll see what the NWS has to say in the coming days. Orange native Doyle Morse sent a pic from a station in Dallas showing Bridge City at 7.9″ Certainly the most I’ve ever seen.
Covering the snow as a news event was interesting too. Working with the county, cities, schools, coaches, police, and others is usually challenging in one of our weather events. I’m not saying there were none but it was handled pretty well. And no matter how many of these “events” we have, every one is a little different than the next.
Speaking of the Mayor, I told you last week he was going to be my next guest on the Behind the Mic Podcast but he texted me on pod day to say he had the flu so we hope to reschedule. Meantime I’m scheduled to visit with longtime coach Mark Foreman on the show and hope to have it up this weekend.
And speaking of coaches, a tip of the cap to longtime LCM baseball coach Steve Griffith. After retiring from LCM, he went over to Starks High in Louisiana in 2019. And like he did with the Bears, he’s leaving his mark there too.
Griffith will be one of three teachers in Louisiana to receive the Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher Award which is sponsored by the VFW. Knowing Griff for a long time, one thing you can’t question is his heart when it comes to helping a kid. So congratulations to him for the recognition.
Anyone who knows Shaun Hallman or his family has him on their prayers list. The 6-7 gentle giant who recently turned 20 has been battling cancer. Well that prayer list just got supercharged over the weekend thanks to Father Jim Sichko. The Papal Missionary was in Rome visiting the Pope and he brought him a picture of Shaun and told him about his journey. The Pope responded that he would be praying for him daily!
So happy for former Astro Billy Wagner to get his call to the Hall. When Wags came through the door in the outfield wall to the sounds of Enter Sandman was the highlight of any trip to Houston to watch the Astros. And then he’d light’em up with a handful of 100mph plus fastballs.
And his story is one for the Hall for sure. Wagner taught himself how to throw left handed after breaking his right arm twice as a kid.
And I have to give a shoutout to Randy and Kathy Brown of Orange after their Ohio State Buckeyes won the Natty over Notre Dame. They are true Buckeye fans and were at the game in Atlanta. It was one long season with the new playoff format which meant 17 games to the final two teams. Crazy how both of their fan bases wanted their coaches out after a bad loss during the season. In fact if Ryan Day had lost after a 31-7 lead, I still think he would’ve had a moving truck at his home when he returned.
Mardi Gras in Orange is right around the corner. The parade is Feb. 22. If you’re a business or organization and want to be in the parade, please check with the Chamber of Commerce for info. Many think you have to be a Krewe to be involved but not the case. It’s a lot of fun and the more the merrier and all those other clichés’! That also means it’s close to KOGT Mardi Gras Treasure Hunt time! I better start writing those clues!
Stay Classy!
-Gary Stelly, KOGT-
gstelly66@gmail.com
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