Rodeo roped by rain, moved to August 24-25 Penny Leleux
For The Record
A decision was made by the Orange County Sheriff Posse Tuesday evening to postpone the annual rodeo that was scheduled this weekend due to rain. The committee met
at the arena to evaluate the situation. “The new date; Aug. 24 and 25 and that’s a Friday and Saturday night. That is the weekend prior to a lot of the area schools starting, so our goal is to promote this as kinda the last summer hoorah
with families before starting school,” said Jamia Harris, spokesman for the posse. “Nothing else has changed. All the same events will take place. We’re still promoting the ribbon run, the calf scramble, the lamb scramble for the kids and the calf
dressing as well.” The Orange County Sheriff Posse Rodeo is the largest rodeo held in Orange County, drawing over 2,600 spectators annually; one of the highlight events in the county. The rodeo is always scheduled for the third weekend
in July, which is this Friday and Saturday, but frequently has had to be postponed due to weather the last couple of years. It will begin at 8 p.m. on the new date. This year’s main rodeo sponsor is David Self Ford. Events include: bull riding,
Jr. bull riding, team roping, lamb scramble, calf scramble, steer wrestling, tie down roping, barrel racing and mutton busting. A negative equine infectious anemia (EIA) test result OC SHERIFF POSSE PAGE 2A
County Record The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
Vol. 52 No. 16
Week of Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Blanchard found ‘not guilty’ of sexual assault Debby Schamber For The Record
Jamie Blanchard Jr., 24, was found not guilty on charges of aggravated sexual assault Tuesday after a one day trial in the 128th District Court. If convicted of the felony charges he could have faced up to 99
Orange County Farmer’s Market open every Wednesday, Saturday The Orange County Farmers’ Market is open for the season on Wednesdays from 3-6 p.m. and Saturday from 7-10 a.m. The market ends when the produce is sold out, which is often earlier than the times shown. The following items are now available: watermelon, tomatoes, okra, speckled butter beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, squash, zucchini, purple hull peas, a variety of peppers, blueberries, blueberry juice, jams and jellies, salsa, local honey, boudain, jerky, sausage (jalapeno, green onion, smoked, and Italian), flowering plants, herb plants, blueberry bushes, fig trees, and more. The market is held in the parking lot in front of Big Lots on MacArthur Drive. For additional information, contact Texas AgriLife at 882-7010.
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years in prison. The case stems from an incident in September 2005 in which Blanchard, who was 17 BLANCHARD years old at the time, was accused of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl. First called to testify was a former Orange Police Department detective David Vaughn. He testified he took the statement from the sister of the victim following the outcry of sexual assault. Although the alleged incident occurred in 2005, the outcry was not made until June 2007. The sister of the victim, Elayah Finster, would testify later her younger sister would tell her of the incident after watching television and she saw a couple engaged in sexual activity. The mother of the alleged victim, Sharon Gilbert, took the stand to tell of the events leading up to the reported incident and what allegedly happened afterward. According to Gilbert, Blanchard was the son of her boyfriend of 10 years. Blanchard had moved into the household in July following a falling out with his mother. During his stay, he slept on the couch in the den. The victim slept on futon in the living room. Gilbert testified her daughter would often follow Blanchard around as if she had a “crush” on him. However, the girl dramatically changed her personality and she believed the attitude change was
Lane Martin, Orange Police Chief, stands by the latest vehicle to join the force. The 2013 Ford SUV is fully equipped and out on the streets. RECORD PHOTO: Debby Schamber
Chief Lane Martin works to make Orange safer Debby Schamber For The Record
Lane Martin, police chief for the Orange Police Department, wasn’t one of those little boys who always dreamed of becoming a police officer when he grew up. Instead, he attended college to study business. Martin, 45, grew up in Mauriceville and graduated from Little Cypress-Mau-
riceville High School. It was an elective class that drew him into law enforcement. “I found criminal justice to be very interesting,” Martin said. As a result, he took additional classes on law enforcement and had found his niche and a new career choice. Following graduation at the age of 20 he applied for a patrol position at OPD. He was about to turn the minimum
age of 21 years old and in January of 1989 he was hired. Over the course of his career, he has worked in several different departments within OPD. Although he started on patrol, he eventually went to the detective division. But, it was patrol which lead him to become a field training officer and promoted to captain. He was later promoted to captain of the detective division as well. He would trans-
fer again back to the patrol division as a captain before becoming a major. Finally, about 19 months ago he became the police chief. “This has been a rewarding career and I’ve enjoyed it,” Martin said. “I met a lot of nice people.” As chief his plan to make the community as safe as CHIEF MARTIN SEE PAGE 3A
BLANCHARD SEE PAGE 2A
Family, friends gather to Judge leads by example for jury remember Bridgette Gearen David Ball
For The Record
When Judge Buddie Hahn of the 260th District Court in Orange County received his jury duty summons notification he did what every citizen ought to do- he served. He was in the jury pool on Monday morning in Judge Coutrney Arkeen’s 128th District Court for the start of a sexual assault case. Hahn, however, was excused from jury duty because he was too familiar with the case. “I’ve got a notice to appear just like everyone else. The county has been insistent on people appearing and going after people who don’t show up. Judges are not exempted by law. It wouldn’t be fair,” Hahn said. The case was originally as-
signed three weeks ago in Arkeen’s court. The defendant didn’t appear and a warrant was issued for him HAHN and his bond amount was kicked up, he said. “I told both lawyers (the prosecutor and the defense attorney) I could be fair but there would always be a question in my mind. I couldn’t get the failure to appear charge out of my mind,” he said. “I couldn’t promise it would not affect me.” Hahn added it angers judges and upsets them to set up a jury for a case and the defenJUDGE HAHN PAGE 3A
Debby Schamber For The Record
A press conference was held at the Galveston County Sheriff’s sub-station Sunday morning to mark five years since the day Bridgette Gearen, 28,of Orange, was murdered. To the packed room, family members spoke of the woman they loved dearly. In a show of support they each wore a small pink silk rose pinned to a small piece of paper which said, “Our Angel Bridgette.” As the meeting continued the roses were passed out to everyone. Tommy Hansen, lead investigator in the case, would begin by stating this day was the same day of the week and also a windy, stormy day. It was very much reminiscent of the day when deputies
The daughter of Bridgette Gearen, 7-year-old Kyra, reads a statement telling how much she misses her mother who was murdered in July 2007. Standing beside her is her maternal grandmother Pamala Kinball. Watching the grieving family members is Tommy Hansen, lead detective in the case. RECORD PHOTO: Debby Schamber
were called to the scene on Monkhouse Road in Crystal Beach. Eager to get away from
her hectic life, in July 2007 Bridgette and her then twoBRIDGETTE GEAREN PAGE 3A
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