Countyrecord issue101415

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Published for Orange Countians by Orange Countians

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County Record

TheRecordLive.com

Vol. 57 No. 24

The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas

Week of Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Ambulance company permit denied October marks breast cancer awareness month David Ball

For The Record

Janelle Cockran: no pity party needed

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An ambulance company’s application for a permit to operate in the city of Orange was a no-go at the regular meeting of the Orange City Council on the morning of October 13. An application from Acute Medical Services LLC for a permit for emergency and nonemergency ambulance service in the city of Orange was denied. Prior to the vote there was a public hearing on the issue. Acadian Ambulance has had an exclusive agreement with the city via ordinance

since 2006 as the sole ambulance provider in the city. Jody Means with Acute said he grew up in Orange and graduated from OUBRE West OrangeStark High School. After learning EMS management, Means said he wanted to return home. He added he worked at the largest and busiest EMS, the Harris County Emergency Services District #1. He said he learned Acute was denied a permit through a

memorandum from David Frenzel, Orange fire chief who serves as a liaison with ambulance companies and the city. Means said he was not asked for Acute’s input and the reason for denial are “not valid.” He then made his case, point by point, to Frenzel’s reasons for denial. Means said Acadian has a history of non-responses while Acute has made thousands of 9-1-1 calls, particularly in Harris County. They also serve as a backup for the city of Beaumont. He said Acute’s dispatchers are all certified and not limited

to one location, particularly if a natural disaster strikes on the Gulf Coast. The company’s software allows dispatchers movement and relocation. Calls can be routed to central dispatch. All EMTs are licensed to work in the state of Texas. Rotor wing ambulances are available through PHI and Hermann LIfe Fllght. Means said Acadian does not provide rotor wing ambulances for Orange. Acute has adequate ambulance units in Orange and the surrounding cities. Three cur-

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R&B personnel to get overtime pay David Ball

For The Record

Janelle Cochran was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012. She takes a daily pill and will continue to do so until she reaches five years of being cancer-free which she fully expects to achieve. She says she is not a cancer survivor until 2017 and will then be “home free.” RECORD PHOTO: Debby Schamber

Debby Schamber For The Record

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ctober 1 kicks off breast cancer awareness month. The color pink is seen everywhere from banners to sports teams in an effort to show their support and raise awareness. Nobody ever expects to get breast cancer, but in 2015 an estimated 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 60,290 new cases of non-invasive breast cancer. In addition, there will be about 2,350 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed in men. About 40,290 women in the U.S. are expected to die in 2015 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1989. Women under 50 have experienced larger decreases. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness But, first there must be a better understanding of breast cancer. The term “breast cancer” refers to a malignant tumor which has developed from cells in the breast. Usually breast cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules or the ducts. Less commonly, breast cancer can begin in the stromal tissues, which include the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast, according to breastcancer.org. Over time, cancer cells can invade nearby healthy breast tissue and make their way into the underarm lymph nodes. If cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they then have a pathway into other parts of the body. Breast cancer is always caused by a genetic abnormality. However, only five to 10 percent of cancers are due to an abnormality inherited from your mother or father. Instead, 85 percent to 90 percent of breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and the “wear and tear” of life in general, according to breastcancer.org. About one in eight U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Janelle CoJANELLE COCKRAN STORY Page 3A

Some Road and Bridge Department personnel will receive some overtime pay as it was approved at the meeting of the Orange County Commissioners Court on the afternoon of October 13. Clark Slacum, county engineer, requested the increase to the department’s budget line item for overtime due to them operating the East Roundbunch swing bridge. Vessels frequently require the opening of the bridge outside normal working hours and on weekends. Road and Bridge personnel also respond to callouts after hours from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to clear the roadways of trees and other debris. During the summer, the crew can work more effectively by utilizing 10 hour days on road construction. The request was to consider increasing the overtime amount by $20,000. Slacum said the bridge was opened 300 times last year with 100 openings done after hours. Jody Crump, Precinct 4 commissioner, asked if the state maintained the bridge. Slacum answered no that it was a county operation. Commissioners approved promoting a part-time employee to full-time to fill a Clerk II position in the Records Management Department and waiving the six-week waiting period. The position became vacant on October 2. Also approved was hiring a part-time position in the department. Regina Cameron, Records Management Director, the Clerk II is very much in need and the department was “tremendously backed-up.” Cameron also revealed there’s an occasional water leak in her building when it rains. John Banken, Precinct 3 commissioner, said that could create mildew in the records and she needed to contact maintenance about the problem. David Dubose, Precinct 1 commissioner, said a full-time position and and part-time position are already budgeted and the item should be approved. The vote was 4 to 1 with Crump voting no. Denisha Lowe, assistant department head of the Collections Department was moved to Department Head.

County Judge Brint Carlton said the Collections Department is expanding and another position was being added. SLACUM There is a $10,000 difference in pay between the assistant department head and the department head. The exit inventory for outgoing Human Resource Director Minnie Hightower was completed on October 12. Her last day is on October 15. Slacum requested funds out of contingency capital outlay to purchase a chip spreader which was approved. Two quotes were received with the cheaper model costing $152,000 and the costlier model $173,000. Slacum was told by contractors he should go with the pricier machine, the Etnyre, because it’s more reliable.

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Pierce and Holland crowned LCM Homecoming Royalty Little Cypress-Mauriceville seniors, Sydney Pierce and Jeffrey Holland were named Homecoming Queen and King during pregame ceremonies on Friday night. Sydney is the daughter of Leslie and Jason Pierce and Jeffrey is the son of Vicky and Jeff Holland. RECORD PHOTO: Ty Manuel

One of the oldest churches in Orange celebrates anniversary David Ball

For The Record

Dr. Andrew Pate has been senior pastor of First Christian Church of Orange since 1985. In that time one word stand out to him, the church’s resiliency. Due to that resiliency the church is celebrating 130 years and counting this month. “A biblical word come immediately to mind--steadfastness, the capacity to remain firm in the faith through all the uncertainties or rapid change and unexpected challenges: specifically in recent years, standing firm amid the consequences of two major hurricanes and a Great Recession, not to mention having to deal with the sometimes unpredictable daily variances in behavior among the persons involved,” Pate wrote. Pate wrote in his 30 years members of the church have faithfully supported--spiritually and materially--four senior pastors, two associate pastors, and three youth directors. In

The first church building for the First Christian Church of Orange in 1895 at the corner of Main and Ninth Streets in Orange. The church is celebrating its 130th anniversary this month.

addition, they supported several interim pastors in transition between pastors, plus other staff persons who served specialized ministries. The church has a long and illustrious history: When the Rev. D. A. Leak got together with 10 residents of Orange in 1885 to found the church, he was ministering to a

small, but obviously dedicate group. They had to be committed, otherwise, why would several of them have been baptized in the Sabine River, and possibly on a breezy Sunday in November or December? Properly baptized, in the Disciples manner, these found-

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