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County Record Vol. 52 No. 52
The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
Week of Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Firestone strike affects more than plant Debby Schamber For The Record
The United Steel Workers Union, Local 13-836, representing 130 hourly employees, are on strike against Firestone Polymers located at 5713 FM 1006 in Orange. More than 50 people were at the gates of the plant on Monday afternoon while two of the workers held signs and paced back and forth across the driveway. According to Richard “Hoot” Landry, USW in-
O’field student to attend Naval Academy Staff Report
For The Record
The U.S. Naval Academy invited a select group of approximately 2,550 young men and women from around the nation and abroad to attend the Naval Academy Summer Seminar program this year. Tr i s t a n Dunn, a student at DUNN Orangefield High School, will participate in the 2013 U.S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar program. Summer Seminar teaches prospective applicants about life at the Naval Academy, where academics, athletics, and professional training are key elements in developing our nation’s leaders. Each student will attend a six-day session and experience a glimpse of USNA life. Students will have the opportunity to live in Bancroft Hall.
H • SHERLOCK BREAUX Page...................... 4A • Obituaries Page.......................7A •Dicky Colburn Fishing...................1B • CHURCH NEWS Page......................5B • CLASSIFIED ADS Page......................6B
ternational staff representative., it is against the law in Texas to “mass picket.” Therefore, the workers must take turns carrying the signs. The last time workers picketed was in 1993. A driver in a United Parcel Service truck refused to cross the picket line Monday to deliver a package because his company was unionized as well. As he drove away, he gave the workers and thumbs up and wished them luck. There are two main reasons why they chose to strike which are health care and wages, Landry said. Both sides were able to resolve many issues, except for health care and wages. Firestone wants to make major changes in its health care offerings by shifting more of the health care costs onto the employees. It wants to change the existing PPO plan by tripling the cost of the out-of-pocket deductible for individual and family coverage and reducing the percentage it will pay of
Joey Cormier and Norman Joseph take their turn holding the picket signs in front of Firestone Polymers located in FM 1006 in Orange. The workers went on strike to protest their current proposed contract which would change their insurance costs and a two percent wage increase. RECORD PHOTO: Debby Schamber
Orange Housing braces for cuts Debby Schamber For The Record
The Orange Housing Authority is bracing for what could be a bumpy ride as they look to the future to determine what cuts may come from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The program, according to a report from White House Office of Management and Budget, has not escaped the acrossthe-board congressional spending cuts known as sequestration and will fall on the highly vulnerable families. “Nothing is clear cut what HUD is going to do,” said LaNita Brown, deputy executive director of the Orange Housing Authority. “It all depends on Congress.” The housing choice voucher program, administered by HUD, provides subsidies to
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In spite of funding cuts, the Orange Housing Authority has proposed plans through different funding programs to move forward with tearing down the old Pine Grove apartment complex and rebuilding on the site. RECORD PHOTO: Debby Schamber
qualifying individuals and families in need of assistance. Across the nation, housing hardships among low-income renters are rising sharply. Since 2007, the number of
renters with what HUD terms “worst-case housing needs,” has risen by 43 percent, to 8.5 million households. Hardships for families with children have been particularly acute and
the number of families living in homeless shelters has risen 32 percent over the same peri-
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Porky puckers for teacher’s kiss Debby Schamber For The Record
The staff of Bridge City Elementary recently had an extraordinary way of raising money for the American Cancer Society which involved a pig and ruby red lips. Jars were set out in the school for a week with the contestants pictures on them. The contestant’s jar which collecte the most money would win the prize of kissing the large, hairy, black pig. The actual kissing of the pig recently took place one morning in front of the staff and students. The top two contestants were so close in the amount of money collected, with only $6.70 between them, it was decided they would both kiss the pig. Ann Cupp,
health care costs after the deductible is met, according to information from the USW. The company has proposed a consumer-driven health care plan that has low premiums, but out-of-pocket deductibles that are six times higher than what the workers are paying today. Workers would pay more of their health care costs after the deductible is met. Firestone also wants the union to give up its right to bargain over changes in the health care plans. Local 13-836 members are concerned about their health care costs because they are exposed to highly hazardous chemicals and work in a dangerous environment. They are more likely to need medical care because of their workplace exposure. The workers want the right to be able to negotiate their co-pay amounts, deductibles and premiums on their insurance plans. However, the insurance company is not new to Firestone, since the corporation has been using the plan, but Orange has not had the same program. “What we are saying is that we want the right to sit at the table and achieve a fair deal,” Landry said. Their other source of contention was the amount of the annual cost of living raises which is two percent. The an-
Kelly McBride, plants a kiss on the pig to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Kelly McBride, principal, and Ann Cupp, school counselor, of Bridge City Elementary win the honor of kissing a pig in an effort to raise money for the American Cancer Society
school counselor and Kelly McBride, principal, were outfitted with a sash and crown. But, the pig kissing would not take place until they had the finishing touch of bright red lipstick applied to their lips. The crowd cheered them on as they put their lips on the big hairy beast, but after all, it was for a worthy cause.
OC grand jury indicts on murder charges Debby Schamber For The Record
The Orange County Grand Jury recently returned indictments for two people on two separate incidences on charges of murder. One of the indictments stem from an incident in November 2012 when Curtis Allen Garrison, 26, was located by Orange County Sheriff’s Office Deputies at another residence in the 15000 block of FM 1442 in the Mauriceville area and was detained without incident. It was later learned this was his parent’s GARRISON residence. Initially, there was a report of shots fired in the 5600 block of Woodside in Vidor. When deputies arrived on the scene they found the victims, Aaron Conn, 34, and Summer Conn, 30, dead at the scene. Both victims appeared to have sustained gunshot
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