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SPORTS

ORANGE COUNTY

Commentary

FISHING Capt. Dickie Colburn Page 5 Section B

Kaz’s Korner Joe Kazmar Page 4 Section B

Outdoors

RELIGION

Capt. Chuck Uzzle Page 3 Section B

SEE PAGE 7 SECTION B

HUNTING & FISHING

NEWS, ARTICLES CHURCH DIRECTORY

County Record TheRecordLive.com

Vol. 58 No. 24

The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas

Week of Wednesday, October 12, 2016

County meets opposition with proposed ‘Vidor loop’ Dave Rogers

For The Record

While leadership at the Orange County courthouse took a baby step Tuesday in the direction of building a 6.5-mile loop to connect either end of Vidor’s Main Street, two more Orange County cities cried “Halt!” Both Orange and Bridge City’s city councils Tuesday joined Vidor in passing a nonbinding resolution that opposes Orange County financing, either in part or full, a TxDOT roadway. “If we can’t pay our employees decent wages, with raises and benefits, then we do not need to jump into a bottomless pit of debt to fund a road that no one really wants or needs,” homeowner Sharon Odegar of Little Cypress said, holding in front of her a pre-

pared statement she read before Orange City Council at their morning meeting, again at the afternoon County Carlton Commissioners meeting and finally at the Bridge City City Council meeting Tuesday evening. She was referring to the fact that Orange County has reduced benefits and nixed raises for most employees in recent years, citing tough economic times. No one knows how much the FM 299 project will cost. The highest price tag mentioned when consultant Scott Young of Strategic Planning and Program Development Inc. (SPPDI) presented it to

commissioners in an early September workshop was $63 million total, with the county committing up to $23 million for the two-year build. The SPPDI plan calls for

the state, through the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), to pay the $40 million balance as a reimbursement based on FM 299 traffic. In the workshop, fi-

nancial consultant John Crew of Public Werks said economic development created by new businesses locating along the loop should more than cover the county’s invest-

ment. But commissioners appear to be approaching the loop with caution. COUNTY BUSINESS Page 3A

Scarecrows are back in season at Shangri La

Chiasson writes the book on BC history Dave Rogers

For The Record

A two-year job with a former Orange County newspaper launched Charlotte Schexnider Chiasson as a story teller. Her biggest story, “The History of Prairie View – Bridge City,” is about to hit print just in time for Christmas. Prairie View was the name of the town that became Bridge City in 1941. “The original settlers called it Prairie View because there were no trees,” said Chiasson, who moved to Bridge City with her family in 1955. “You could see for miles and miles.” The writer said it was her time working for editor Glenda Dyer at the Orange Countian that opened her mind to the many fascinating stories from the early days of the Orange County community. “She’s really the person I credit with sparking my in-

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

H

THE RECORD DIGITAL EDITION ONLINE NOW

TheRecordLive.com

terest in history and feature stories,” Chiasson said of Dyer, who was later editor at the Orange Leader. Chiasson Chiasson went to work for the Bridge City Chamber of Commerce in 1987. That 15-year association naturally brought her into contact with many of Bridge City’s movers and shakers. “Whenever I’d talk to civic leaders, I’d take notes,” the author said. “I always thought, ‘Someday, I’ll write a book.’” Stories in the book emerged from a variety of sources: a man she met during the 1991 dedication of the Veterans Memorial Bridge had fought in the Battle of the Bulge in World War II; naturalist Sue Bailey relayed to Chiasson things her grandmother had shared with her about life before electricity; Robert Kibbe told stories about his heirs who were the Blands, one of the first big landowners in the Bridge City area. “The last four or five years, I’ve tried to get it done, all written and edited,” said Chiasson, an administrative assistant at Lamar State College-Orange. “I interviewed about 100 local families. The book will have everything from local family histories, histories of our bridges and road system, schools, oil and Orangefield. There’s a whole section on sports, and one on how the post office started. “I don’t know of anyone else who’s written the history of our town. I hope it will be a go-to book. It tells about when the school district was built, how the town consolidated.” “The History of Prairie View – Bridge City,” a 400plus page hardback book, is set for publication Nov. 30, in time for Christmas gift-givCHIASSON Page 2A

James Williams of Mauriceville, foreground, takes a photo of Nathaniel, 6, and Daniel, 5, Tuesday at Shangri La Gardens in Orange. The annual Scarecrow Festival opened Tuesday and runs through Nov. 5. RECORD PHOTO: Dave Rogers

Scarecrow Festival ‘seasons’ Shangri La Staff Report

For The Record

The weather couldn’t be greater and Shangri La Gardens is celebrating the coming of fall with its eighth annual Scarecrow Festival now through Saturday, Nov. 5. Also mark Sunday, Oct. 16 on your calendar. That’s when, at the peak of Scarecrow Festival, the Symphony of Southeast Texas returns to Shangri La Gardens, beginning at 5 p.m. This year’s program features Broadway hits.

The Scarecrow Festival at Shangri La, 2111 W. Park Ave., in Orange, is the biggest of its kind in Texas with dozens of hand-crafted scarecrows displayed throughout the gardens. Created by talented people from community organizations, businesses, schools, churches and families, scarecrow designs range from funny to clever to wacky and weird. Admission is to the Scarecrow Festival is free for toddlers 3 and under; $2 for children aged 4-9; $5 for youth

10-17, students with IDs and seniors 65 and up; $6 for adults 18-64. Tickets for the symphony performance range from $10 to $35 if purchased in advance. Costs go up $5 each for tickets purchased day of the performance. Like fingerprints and snowflakes, no two scarecrows are ever the same. A heap of imagination goes into the creations that are innovative, inspiring and kind to the world. The Scarecrow Festival

theme focuses on “environmentally friendly” scarecrows that are with repurposed and recyclable materials. Family friendly activities include scavenger hunts throughout the gardens, guess the weight of the largest pumpkin and voting for a favorite Scarecrow. Autumn Fair is Saturday, Nov. 5, the last day of the Scarecrow Festival, and a day of family harvest fun at Shangri La Gardens. SCARECROW FEST Page 2A

OCP presents “Leaving Iowa” The Orange Community Players will present “Leaving Iowa” by Tim Clue and Spike Manton. Show dates are October 13-15 and October 20, 21 and 22 at 7:37 p.m. A matinee is scheduled for October 23 at 2:37 p.m. The cast above includes; seated: Christina Gengo, Damon Gengo and Jolene Reyes; standing: Bryan Buzbee, Tiffaney Thomas, Kyree Jackson, Joshua Scales, Jona Gilchrist, Dylan Kilday, Ciarra Kendall and Madelyn Dewall. The play is directed by Damon Gengo. For more information and reservations call 409-882-9137 or visit the OCP website, orangecommunityplayers.com.


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