H H H H H YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1960 H H H H H
The Record TheRecordLive.com
Vol. 51 No. 49 Week of Wednesday, March 7, 2012
The Penny Record of Bridge City and Orangefield • Founded 1960
Townsends fight for PA disannexation David Ball
For The Record
Skeeters not going away any time soon David Ball
For The Record
Patrick Beebe, director of the Orange County Mosquito Control Department, reported to the Orange County Commissioners’ Court at their Monday af ternoon meeting there is still a mosquito i n fest at ion problem. In fact, the departBEEBE ment set a record for February with 260 service calls. “Our records go back to the early 1980s and some other years. The adult mosquito activity is extremely high,” he said. The department is monitoring stations and counting mosquito traps. Mosquito control personnel have only captured salt water mosquitos, so far, and none of the disease-carrying species found in brackish waters. Beebe reported 91,164 acres have been treated by ground and 19,840 acres treated by air for 112,000 acres treated — another new record. Precinct 1 Commissioner David Dubose commended Beebe and his department for springing into quick action during they are usually inactive. Beebe told the court many full-time employees have been out spraying while new personnel were being trained or interviewed, so there is an additional cost for services. Overtime salaries, furthermore have been depleted. County Judge Carl Thibodeaux said for Beebe to come to commissioners’ court next week with a SEE COUNTY PAGE 2A
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Though it lies within the city of Bridge City’s domain, the Entergy Sabine Power Plant actually has been inside the city of Port Arthur’s jurisdiction for 15 years. All of that, however, could change through legal processes. Attorney Alan Sanders of Orange has filed a petition on behalf of his clients, Rodney Sr. and Debbie Townsend, to disannex their property from Port Arthur. There’s also the possibility of disannexing the 3,200 acres from Port Arthur where the power plant sits upon. Their home is on 340 acres on Highway 87 at the foot of the Rainbow and Veteran Memorial Bridges. “Disannexation is the removal of territory from a city,” Sanders said. “It’s the opposite of annexation. There are different paths to disannexation.” He explained the acreage was previously part of Orange County before the city of Port Arthur annexed it on April 15,
1997. Though there are several owners of the acreage, only the Townsends as registered voters may file a petition.
“Port Arthur has failed and refused to provide municipal services to the Townsends. Port Arthur has only given
them a tax bill. Failed means you just didn’t do it. Refuse is an active word and means you’re not going to do it.”
DISANNEXATION PAGE 3A
The Rodney Townsend Sr. and his wife, Debbie live at the foot of the Rainbow and Veterans Memorial Bridges and are seeking to be disannexed from the city of Port Arthur. There’s a possibility the city could lose the Entergy Sabine Power Plant through the legal process. RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn
Strutters sweep regional awards at Kilgore Staff Report
For The Record
The Bridge City Strutters attended the Gussie Nell Davis Classic Regional Competition at Kilgore College in Kilgore, on Feb. 25. In medium category, the team won Sweepstakes, Gussie Nell Davis Award, and Judges Awards in novelty and open categories. In order to receive a Judges Award, teams must receive a 95 or higher from every judge. The Strutters took honors as second runner-up Academic Champions with a 3.74 grade point average on a 4.0 grade scale. The Strutter officers won Sweepstakes, Gussie Nell Davis Award, Best Overall Choreography, Best Overall Presentation, Judges Awards in novelty and open, and Best in Class Overall second runner-up. Solo finalists are Kaitlyn Ezell, Nicole EncaSTRUTTERS PAGE 3A
Sanders said his clients have tried several times to receive city services, but to no avail. “The Townsends have made several efforts for services, including receiving a police patrol after they had a break-in. They (the Port Arthur Police Department) refused to investigate it. They have no fire protection, no animal control to pick up dead critters, no trash
OISD names Karr interim super David Ball
For The Record
Philip Welch has been with the Orangefield ISD for over 20 years and the district superintendent for five years, but that all ended on Tuesday night. The board of trustees named Kay Karr as the interim superintendent at a special meeting Tuesday night. Karr said she’s honored to be named to a position to the Orangefield ISD because of the district’s positive reputation. “There’s more pluses her than any minuses,” Karr said. “I propose no changes but only stability and consistency until someone long-term is named.” In the meantime, Karr will be preparing the district profile. Karr has been an educator
The Bridge City High School won Sweepstakes, Gussie Nell Davis Award, and Judges Awards in novelty and open categories. In order to receive a Judges Award, teams must receive a 95 or higher from every judge.
BC will have election Mike Louviere For The Record
Bridge City mayor Kirk Roccafort and council members Mike Reed of Place 2 and Eric Andrus, Place 4 will be unopposed on the ballot this May. Danny Cole has filed to run against Councilwoman Lucy Fields for the Place 6 seat. Cole filing for the seat means the city will have to hold an election. In the council meeting Tuesday, March 6, Edward “Barry” Randolph, a resident who lives on Charles Street appeared to voice his concerns and those of some of his neighbors about the proposed Acadian Village project. Randolph has concerns about the drainage situation that is in that neighborhood and how it would be affected by the addition of 42 housing units. “We are concerned about the traffic situation. Texas Avenue is bad now, what will it be like later. We are also concerned about adding the
extra housing units with no upgrade to utilities. How do we know that in ten years this will not go to Section 8 and we end up with a HUD district in the middle of town?” asked Randolph. “Another thing we are concerned with is why the entrance is on Charles and not on Texas Avenue.” The council voted to deny the request by Entergy for a rate increase. This puts Bridge City in line with the other municipalities in the county. Approval was given to award a bid for $95,380 to Allco L.L.C. to make improvements to the sewer lift station on Blueberry St. “This is a major lift station for our system that is old and needing improvements. Upgrading this station is something that has needed to be done for quite a while. We secured a very reasonable bid to do the work and are eager to get the project started,” said City Manager Jerry Jones.
KAY KARR
Fontenot sets new school record . . .
Bridge City Cardinal track star Bree Fontenot broke a record in the 3,200-meter race on March 2 at the Vidor Track Meet. She broke the record by seven seconds with a time of 12:05. Her next goal is to break the record in the 400-meter, which currently is 59.2 seconds. Her best time on the 400-meter is 59.6 seconds. RECORD PHOTO: Kyle Ezell
for 47 years at every grade level. She’s been a superintendent for 17 years. She has since retired, but joked there is no such thing as retirement for an educator. Since retiring, she has started a business and still works daily with children with the Texas Education Agency as a monitor and as a conservator. “I’m thrilled to be part of the team. I see this as an opportunity to make Orangefield grow bigger and better,” she said. Karr originally hails from Lubbock. She grew up in West Texas before moving to East Texas in the Guadalupe Mountains. She moved to Orange in 2002 after her daughter married a man from Orange. Since then, she said she’s been loving every minute spent with her grandchildren. Welch is now officially retired as the Orangefield Board of Trustees accepted his reOISD PAGE 2A