Sports
FISHING ORANGE COUNTY
Commentary Kaz’s Korner
Capt. Dickie Colburn Page 1B
Page 1B
Caroline Brewton
Evy’s Cajun Kitchen
Feature Columnist For The Record Page 2A
See Page 9A
H The Home Of Seattle Seahawk Earl Thomas III H
County Record TheRecordLive.com
Vol. 56 No. 42
The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
Week of Wednesday, February 4, 2015
Dig a little deeper for the next drink as prices rise ing — where the price of spirits grew more than 11 percent — and also in family dining, where prices increased 4.5 percent on average. The casual dining and bar/nightclub sectors, where most spirits are sold, saw virtually no increase. Wine prices also inched up
during the period, with the biggest increases seen at the family-dining and fine-dining levels — though the data may indicate consumers are migrating to more expensive bottles, said Chuck Ellis, president of Restaurant Sciences. Mike LeMoine, owner of Spanky’s Bar and Grill in Or-
ange, said alcohol prices have gone up every year. “Beer has gone up every year. It cost grains to make it. You have transportation costs. Farming costs,” LeMoine said. “Any farm products have went up in price. Beef will go up in the next three years.” He added there’s a 27 month turnaround
on cattle and it takes 27 months to replace them. The State of Texas, additionally, have gone up on taxes. The liquor tax was 14 percent, it’s now 15 percent. Sales tax is eight-and-a-quarter percent. Insurance costs have gone up ALCOHOL PRICES Page 3A
Angela Stone serves drinks at Spanky’s Bar and Grill in Orange. Data shows alcohol prices have risen the last few years due to a variety of causes. RECORD PHOTO: David Ball
David Ball
For The Record
D
ig a little deeper for that next drink If it’s been a while since you last drank your favorite alcoholic beverage you may be in for a rude awakening when you receive the bill. Alcohol pricing in restaurants and bars over the past couple of years has increased dramatically, with wide variations by segment, according to an in Nation’s Restaurant News. Restaurant Sciences LLC, a market research firm that tracks food and beverage consumption across the food ser-
vice spectrum in North America, tracked millions of transactions at a period roughly between October 2012 and April 2013, breaking down price increases on various product categories by segment. According to the research, mass-market beers, like Budweiser and Pabst Blue Ribbon, showed the highest price increases within the beer category — except in family dining concepts, where beer prices for that level of product remained steady. Despite the popularity of “ultra-premium” craft beers, price increases for those products were relatively low. For liquor, the biggest increases were seen in fine din-
Carlton, Crump absent for light LCM Education Foundation awards grants court agenda The LCM Education Foundation presents the check to junior high band director Jose Ochoa.
Mike Louviere For The Record
Penny Leleux
For The Record
Orange County Judge Brint Carlton and Commissioner Precinct 4 Jody Crump were absent at this week’s commissioners court meeting, as was Assistant County Attorney Doug Manning. The Agenda only had a few items. One item regarded re-posting the Maintenance, Transportation and Personnel positions. Apparently they were not all posted in the exact same manner and Carlton had put the item on the agenda. Commissioner Precinct 3 John Banken was vehemently opposed. “I make a motion that we do not re-post the positions; that we have an executive session next Monday morning to discuss the applications we do have. “My understanding is that none of them were posted wrong,” said Assistant County Attorney Denise Gremillion. “Just not all posted identically. Nothing in the posting as I understand it violated the current HR policy.” Gremillion said she did not see the actual posting, but spoke briefly to Carlton and Banken about the issue. “It
is my understanding there was just a discrepancy. Two of them were posted one way and one was posted, somehow difCARLTON ferently. I don’t know the details, but as long as none of them were in violation of the HR policy, then there is nothing requiring them to all be reposted.” Commissioner Precinct 2 Barry M. Burton seconded the motion. The motion passed to discuss the applications Monday. No action was taken on the appointment of five member to the Health and Code Compliance Permit Appeals Board. Each member of the court appoints one of the members, so it was tabled until the full court was present. There was also no action taken reguarding waiving of penalty, interest and attorney’s fees associated with Biehslich Newsum, Inc., doing business as GT Auto. COUNTY BUSINESS Page 3A
A disruptive, rowdy crowd of about 10 people carrying noisemakers, balloons, and beating drums invaded the hallways at all schools in the LCM ISD. Hearing the commotion, one teacher opened his door, ready to confront the noisemaking crew. When
he saw that the leader of the pack was Superintendent Dr. Pauline Hargrove, he retreated back into his classroom. Starting at Mauriceville Elementary School, and going to each of the other schools the group was comprised of members of the LCM Education Foundation who were awarding to 14 teachers who had applied for grants for ma-
RECORD PHOTO: Mike Louviere
terials to enhance the subjects they teach. Since the program began in 2004 the foundation has awarded 130 grants totaling $158, 276.23. This year 14 grants totaling $16,314.89 were awarded. Any teacher in the district may apply for a grant each year. The applications are reviewed by the 20 members of
the board of directors. The directors are all volunteers and are parents, community and business leaders. Dr. Hargrove and Community Relations Director Sherry Combs serve as ex-officio members. They are advisors only and do not take part in the selection process. LCM GRANTS Page 3A
Dr. Jimmy Jones, Humanitarian and Doctor Mike Louviere For The Record
Dr. Jimmy Jones, Humanitarian and Doctor It is not hard to imagine Dr. Jimmy Jones in a black suit, wearing a flat crowned black hat, medical bag by his side, driving a horse drawn buggy making house calls. His attitude about the practice of medicine fits that scenario better than the hustle and bustle of today’s world. At a recent reception honoring both his 75th birthday and the 50th anniversary of his beginning to practice medicine, one thing was prevalent; he deeply cares for his patients and his patients care for him.
Dr. Jimmy Jones address the assembly gathered to celebrate his 75th birthday and 50 years as a doctor.
More than a simple party with cake and punch, the reception was a tribute to a man much loved by his patients, colleagues, and family. Jones graduated from Bridge City High School in 1958. The class was the second graduation class of the new high school. “I was class president and we had $100 left at the end of the year. We needed to do something with the money, so we decided to buy trees. We bought the oak trees that still stand in front of the school today”, said Jones. He enrolled at the then Lamar State College of Technology in Beaumont and graduated with a degree in Biology in 1961. “I knew from an early age
I wanted to be a doctor and wanted to practice family medicine. After Lamar, I went to medical school at UTMB in Galveston. I graduated in 1965 and went to Fort Worth and spent time at John Peter Smith Hospital. I finished there in 1968, came back home and have been here ever since.” Jones first office was on Texas Avenue in Bridge City, after a year he moved to an office on Green Avenue in Orange for two years and then to his present location on Western Avenue in West Orange. “I am practicing in the only medical field I ever considered. DR. JONES Page 3A