Dickie Colburn: Fishing See Page 4B
Orange County Cooking See Page 8A
High School Football See Page 1B
County Record The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
Vol. 51 No. 20
Week of Wednesday, August 24, 2011
County reinstates burn ban, tax rate proposed Nicole Gibbs
For The Record
It’s no secret that much of Texas is facing one of the worst draughts anyone can remember. On Monday, Jeff Kelley, director of Orange County Emergency Management, informed the Commissioners that there are only four counties out of the 254 counties in Texas have not implemented a burn ban. Orange County brought that number down to three.
Jeff Kelley, director of Emergency Management for Orange County, said that “We don’t really have any sigTHIBODEAUX nificant relief in sight. We do have a little bit of chance [of rain] this week but it’s not much and it’s scattered.” The Burn Ban in effect can be rescinded at anytime. County Judge Carl
Thibodeaux and the Commissioners have set the proposed tax rate for the fiscal year 2011/2012 at 0.53559 percent; this is the same tax rate as last
year. This proposed tax rate is not set in stone; this rate has room for adjustment. “The proposed tax rate is to get the clock running to adopt
our budget,” Thibodeaux said. “You can go below this tax rate once it is adopted, but it cannot go above this rate. This is just a number for us to be
working with.” The Commissioners set two public hearings on this proCOUNTY BUSINESSY PAGE 2A
Using social networking to watch criminals
Awards given at recent Orange Lions Club annual installation. Left to right: Lion of the Year- John Martin; Rookies of the Year- Amber Helms and Chris Kovatch; Distinguished Melvin Jones Award- Thomas Hennigan and Ron Cowling; Outgoing President’s AwardEd Frieberg; International President’s award- Stump Weatherford.
Sgt. Chad Hogan in the Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigation department, pulls up the Web site for Leads Online, a site used for tracking and recovering stolen property, methamphetamine labs, metal theft and solving crimes. RECORD PHOTO: Greg Hayes
Greg Hayes
For The Record
One of the signs of the time in this age of technology has been the near-recent creation of social networking. People of all ages, from children to grandparents and all ages inbetween post pictures, videos and text about their daily lives on networking profiles such as those offered by Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. It has become a common thing — even for criminals and those under police investigation. And, that is where the law steps in.
Inside The Record • SHERLOCK BREAUX Page..................... 4A • Obituaries Page......................7A •Dicky Colburn Fishing..................5B • Kaz’s Korner Joe Kazmar...........4B • CHURCH NEWS Page......................9A • CLASSIFIED ADS Page......................8B
Just run a search on police and social networking on an online search engine, and stories pop up from all across the country: Police catching criminals, doing investigations, recovering cash and stolen property, etc. — all from finding clues on social networking sites. But, this isn’t just a national trend. It goes on right here in Orange County too. Sgt. Chad Hogan, an investigator with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, monitors Facebook and other networking sites to aid him in his investigations, as well as other Web sites like www.leadsonline.com which can track and help recover stolen property among its uses. “How we use social networking depends on the crime,” Hogan said. “For instance, if we are looking into a homicide, we can contact the companies like MySpace and Facebook and get their cooperation. But, for other things we will just monitor the profiles of the ones we are investigating.” Some people place their profiles on private viewing, but not everyone does — and Hogan said that sometimes he is amazed by what he sees online. “You may question a suspect and they will tell you that they don’t do those things or hang out with the people they are being questioned about,” he said. “But, then you go browse their profile and there they are, posting pictures of them doing the very things they said they were not doing or hanging out with the people they COUNTY PAGE 2A
Orange Lions install officers
Staff Report
For The Record
Tony Dallas was recently installed as Club President of the Orange Lions Club for 2011-2012. Tony is a local insurance agent. Outgoing President Ed Frieberg presented 2010-2011 awards to Lion of the Year- John Martin and Rookies of the Year- Amber Helms and Chris Kovatch. The Distinguished Melvin Jones Awards were presented
to Past Presidents Thomas Hennigan and Ron Cowling. Jones was the Founder of Lions Clubs International. Stump Weatherford, 2010-2011 Council Chairperson for the Texas Lions, received the International Presidential Award. Other officers installed were Stump Weatherford, 1st Vice President; Bret Johns, 2nd Vice President; Robert Sepulvado, 3rd Vice President; Carlene Ortolon, Secretary; Jim Dwight, Financial Secretary; Lois Hughes, Membership
Secretary; Randall Morris, Treasurer; Harold Welch, Tail Twister; Lee Roy Boehme Jr., Lion Tamer; Ed Frieberg, Bulletin Editor and Ron Rudeseal, Assistant Bulletin Editor. Also installed were 1-Year Directors- Chris Kovatch, Debbie Hughes, John Martin and Tara Lanphar; 2-Year Directors-Marlene Merritt, Bill Smith, Pauli Olson and Butch Campbell; 3-Year Directors- Dan Mohon, Trey Reeves, James Simar and Curt Leger.
LCM senior is making a difference Darla Daigle
For The Record
To look at Conner Hanks, tanned skin, sparkling brown eyes, bright white smile and adorable pixy nose, one’s mind would not jump to Texas Association of Student Councils (TASC) State Officer – Parliamentarian, Texas State Representative for the National Convention of Student Councils and Honor Societies or STARS Convention or Student Body President for Little Cypress-Mauriceville. One might think Head Cheerleader, particularly seeing her sitting in her LCM practice cheer uniform. The interesting thing is, of course, that she is: all the above plus a few additional titles. Currently a senior at LCM, Conner, not yet 18, has her dance card quite full. Born and raised in Little Cypress Conner excelled all through school. When entering middle school she discovered and ran Conner Hanks, a senior at Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School has made it a point to be active in her school and be a diligent academic. She is a member of the Student Council, Texas Association of for student council. “I’ve always been the kind Student Councils, honor societies, student body president and is the head cheerleader. of person that wants to be inHer point of view on the volved,” she says confidently the ways to do that.” Having more students as well allowbenefit she has seen their ing her to enter a consolidated also been on the cheerleadwith an infectious smile, “I Student Council generate for high school where she was ing squad through out middle like knowing as many people out of my circle as possible. school/junior high no doubt unfamiliar with a great many MAKING A PAGE 3A Student Council was one of expanded her familiarity with students.