H H H H H ALL-ORANGE COUNTY FOOTBALL TEAM H H H H H
See Page 1 Section B
County Record Vol. 51 No. 39
The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
Week of Wednesday, December 28 , 2011
‘Auld Lang Syne’ Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012
DPS stepping up patrols through New Year Staff Report
For The Record
Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers will be stepping up enforcement efforts to ensure safety on the roadways and seek out impaired drivers through January 1. Additional troopers will be on the road targeting drunk drivers in locations where alcohol-related crashes are most likely to occur. This effort is funded by a $1.5 million grant from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for targeted DWI enforcement over various holidays throughout the year. During the same period in 2010, troopers made 1,264 driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrests. Of those, 449 were made by troopers whose patrols were funded through the TxDOT grant. In addition, troopers issued 17,436 speeding citations, 2,426 safety restraint citations, and 2,593 no insurance citations. Troopers also made 1,284 felony and fugitive arrests, and recovered 50 stolen vehicles. All available troopers will also be on patrol across the state during New Year’s weekends to enforce traffic safety as part of Operation Holiday. “We want everyone’s holiday to end as well as it started,” said Assistant Director Luis Gonzalez, Chief of the Texas Highway Patrol Division. “Please drive safely, and if you’re going to drink, designate a driver.” DPS offers the following tips to ensure safe travels: • Don’t drink and drive; designate a driver. • Be aware of, and prepared for, changing weather conditions. • Don’t text and drive and keep cell phone chatter to a minimum. Just drive. • Make sure everyone in the car is buckled up. • Don’t travel fatigued. Switch drivers or find a safe location and take a break. • Drive courteously. • Make sure your vehicle is properly maintained.
Record Year In Review
Harrison announced plans to leave BCISD
Date ran: Jan. 26 ,2011 - Former Bridge City ISD Superintendent Dr. Jamey Harrison announced he would be leaving the district at the end of the 2010-2011 school year. Harrison agreed to become the Deputy Director for the University Scholastic League (UIL) in Austin. He had been with the HARRISON district since 2007. Harrison graduated from HardinJefferson ISD, received his bachelors and masters degrees from Lamar Beaumont and received his doctorate at the University of Texas in Austin. He has worked for the Buna, Lumberton and Hardin-Jefferson school districts prior to working for BCISD. Harrison’s tenure will be remembered as one of accomplishment, leadership and community involvement. In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, Sep. 13, 2008, Harrison had students back in class by Oct. 9. The timing was critical in preserving the community as displaced citizens returned home. For his efforts, Harrison, along with Orange County Judge Carl Thibodeuax and Bridge City Mayor Kirk Roccaforte, were named ‘Newsmakers of the Year’ by the Press Club of Southeast Texas in 2009. Harrison was instrumental in gaining government disaster relief funds and other resources to build the nearly completed Bridge City Elementary School on West Roundbunch. Both Hatton Elementary and Sims Elementary were destroyed by Hurricane Ike. Bridge City Elementary students have been going to school in modular buildings since the storm. The new school is expected to open in May. Harrison plans on finishing out the school year to ensure the building is completed. “I [wanted] to finish the new building here, to make sure it’s ready for the first day of school,” Harrison said. “This is such a wonderful place. It was a really grueling decision for my wife and I to make. It’s an opportunity that’s too good to pass up, but that doesn’t mean that it was very, very difficult to decide to take it. We have been so happy here. We love this town, we love the schools, and we love our neighbors. It’s just a special place. We’re going to miss it.” The UIL exists to provide educational extracurricular academic, athletic, and music contests. The initials UIL have come to represent quality educational competition administered by school people on an equitable basis.
Inside The Record • Obituaries Page......................7A
•Outdoors Weekly Chuck Uzzle..........6B • CHURCH NEWS Page......................9B • CLASSIFIED ADS Page....................10B
Pictured above are Alan Sanders, port attorney, swearing in Port Board President Jerry Hughes and John Gothia as new Directors of the Port’s IDC Board. Mr. Hughes assumed the vacant seat of the late Mr. Lester Winfree. Mr. Gothia assumed the vacant seat of the late Mr. Tom Perry.
Burch-Arkeen named 128th District Judge
Lloyd of Orange. Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Judge Derry Dunn pronounced Smith and Bates dead at the scene and Brantley, who was riding in the backseat, was transported to St. Elizabeth’s in Beaumont where he later died. Lloyd suffered from a broken leg and his three year old son, who was secured in his child’s safety seat, received a few minor bruises. Neighboring school districts sent counselors to Orangefield High School to help the students and staff with the grieving process. A memorial service was held the following Monday at the high school gymnasium. Friends and family gathered together to remember the lives of these three young men that were tragically cut short.
COURTNEY BURCH-ARKEEN
the end of the 2010-2011 school year, June 30. “It is sad to see an iconic staff member retire from our District, especially with the legacy that he has created with West Orange – Stark football. We value and respect him,” Superintendent James Colbert said. “When people across this State think of West Orange – Cove School District or West Orange – Stark High School, they think of Mustang football, Dan Hooks, and Dan R. Hooks Stadium. We are going to miss him tremendously.” Coach Hooks became the West Orange – Stark High School Head Coach in 1981. Under his leadership, the WO-S Mustangs won the UIL 4-A Football State Championship in 1986 and again in 1987. The Mustangs also advanced to and played in the State Finals in 1988 and 2000. “We have had great coaches and good players,” Coach Hooks said. “I had a great time and hope to see the program continue to do well.”
Community mourned the loss of three Orangefield teens
• SHERLOCK BREAUX Page..................... 4A
•Dicky Colburn Fishing..................5B
The Refuge of Last Resort ground breaking ceremony. Pictured left to right: Jody Crump, Owen Burton, Mark Wimberly, Jeff Kelley, Carl Thibodeaux, Tina Lewis, T.W. Permenter and Bobby Fillyaw. RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn
FORMER WOS A.D. DAN HOOKS
WOS Coach Dan Hooks announces retirement Date ran: March 23, 2011 - West Orange – Cove CISD Athletic Director/ Head Football Coach Dan Hooks announced his retirement effective at
The members of Court met and interviewed the final four candidates. After reviewing the qualifications of each candidate and their impressions of the interviews the court decided to hire F. E. “Gene” Smith as the new VSO for Orange County. County Judge Carl Thibodeaux explained that Smith’s qualifications and presentation on how the Veterans Service Office should operate made him stand out. One of Smith’s goals is to have every veteran in Orange County registered in the county office. “We need to know who the veterans are. If they will register in our office and keep their information current we will be able to help them better. In case of a death of a veteran we would already have a head up on getting the paperwork started to help the survivors obtain benefits,” said Smith. “We are employees of Orange County, not the Veterans Administration. Our primary purpose is to serve our county veterans. If a veteran comes into the office that is not an Orange County resident, we will help him, but we want out-ofcounty veterans to know that there is a county service officer in every county. The information about county offices is easy to obtain. One way is through the website for the county. Out of state veterans should go to the office nearest to them in their home state. Each state has a separate budget and most importantly, different benefits.” According to Smith the duties of the employees in the office are to serve in a manner similar to a secretary. “We are here to do paperwork for the veterans. Some of the forms and questions can be very confusing. It is our job to help our vets understand the process and keep them on the right path. I have spent nearly 70 percent of my life in and with the military. My goal in my job is to help any veteran, in any way I can,” said Smith.
Date ran: Sept. 21, 2011 - Through tears of sorrow and pain, the Orangefield and the surrounding community mourned the loss of three young men. Grey Smith, Jacob Bates and Darrick Brantley, all juniors at Orangefield High School, died Sunday, Sept. 18 due to a car accident on Hwy 62 near Hoo Hoo Rd (south of FM 105). At approximately 3:30 a.m., Smith, the driver of the four door Mazda, crossed the center line into the path of a Chevrolet Tahoe, driven by Clinton
Smith named as new Veteran Service Officer
Date ran: July 20, 2011 - The Orange County judge and the four county commissioners were faced with a difficult problem in early June. Veteran Service Officer Jerry Childress resigned and the Benefits Coordinator was let go due to several complications. The County then had to decide how to get the Orange County Veterans Service Office back HARRISON to serving veterans in the shortest amount of time, and who to select to fill the position of Veteran’s Service officer. After only a few days the office was once again serving the veterans. The county administration was advertising for candidates seeking the VSO position.
Date ran: April 27, 2011 - Even as she was donning her cap and gown at her graduation from Orangefield High School in 1994, Courtney Burch-Arkeen knew that she wanted to work in the field of law. “No one else in my family is a lawyer,” she said, “but, I knew that I wanted to work in law. When I left for the University of Texas, I wanted to work in the state capitol. And, while working on my undergraduate degree, I worked for State Representative Ron Lewis.” Eariler this year, the state senate confirmed that Burch-Arkeen will now don a new black robe — as the 128th District Court judge. Former district judge Patrick Clark retired from the bench, leaving the position vacant. The position will once again be up for election in 2012. Burch-Arkeen has been practicing family, criminal and civil law for the THE RECORD YEAR PAGE 2A
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