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 21, 2012
The Penny Record of Bridge City and Orangefield • Founded 1960
New flower beds to brighten city hall Mike Louviere
Sheriff unopposed first time in 52 years David Ball
For The Record
County Judge Carl Thibodeux said when he ran for re-election in 2010, he was the first sitting judge that didn’t face an opponent in either the primary or the general election in 50 years. Now incumbent sheriff, Keith Merritt, can say the same MERRITT thing. Sheriff C.A. Hollts was the last sitting sheriff to run unopposed in 1960, according to records from the Orange County Election Office. Merritt said an “oldtimer” timer told him the same thing but he didn’t verify it yet. “I’m flattered and pleased (on running unopposed),” Merritt said. Thibodeaux said Merritt is doing a great job in the sheriff’s department. Merritt added he didn’t know why the Orange County Republican Party wasn’t running an opponent against him. “I have friends in both parties and there hasn’t been anyone. I guess their pleased with our performance,” he said. “As sheriff, I do things based on the law and not politics.” Merritt was Precinct 1 Constable for several years before he beat incumbent Mike White for sheriff in 2008. “The citizens must think we’re doing a good job though we want to be better. My employees play a big part. We’re working together as a team,” Merritt said.
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For The Record
Bridge City has come back strong after the devastation of Hurricane Ike. Businesses that were flooded have been repaired and reopened. Houses that were flooded have been repaired and remodeled and are once again homes. The City government is up and running with a new interior in the City Hall. There was only one thing left to replace at City Hall, the flower beds. Councilwoman Lucy Fields took charge of the project and got things moving. Fields first decided that she would plant Pink and White Hawthorn plants. The Hawthorns are hardy and would do well in the existent beds. Fields got the materials assembled and then lined up some help. Her crew for cleaning the beds, making them ready for planting and helping her plant the Hawthorns would be a group that has been seen doing work for the city since the devastation of Ike. Fields crew would be six offenders from the Stiles Unit of the Texas Department of Corrections. The six men and two corrections officers arrived and were soon on the job following Field’s plans for the beds. They prepared the beds, put down the ground cloth and started digging to plant the plants. When the job was completed the Hawthorn plants were placed evenly spaced and
far enough back from the front edge so as to be able to grow and not impede anyone using
the sidewalk. “We put white rock against the building so as not to have
any mulch contacting the wall. It also makes a nice background. I did a couple of other
BC FLOWERS PAGE 2A
County tax office to close March 23 David Ball
For The Record
Councilwoman Lucy Fields planting in the new flower bed at Bridge City City Hall. RECORD PHOTO: Mike Louviere
J.T. Ford turns 90 and counting
Penny Leleux
For The Record
Just like B. J. Honeycutt on the long running TV series, M.A.S.H., J.T. Ford of Bridge City never had a name. “Initials only,” he said. Ford said they were the initials of both his grandfathers. “They named me J.T. and I’ve been that way ever since.” Ford turns 90 on March 26. He was baptized in the Winfree Baptist Church on Dec.13, 1939 and just received his 45year pin for the Independent Order of Oddfellows. “I’ve been here awhile,” he said. While most parents in their 90s are being looked after by their children, Ford not only tends to himself, but is also looking after one of his offspring. He has a daughter that lives not far from him that has a broken knee. “I pick up stuff for her all the time,” he said. “I stopped at Market Basket for her and got her some bread and mayonnaise and stuff she needed.” Ford is living in another daughter’s home, since Hurricane Ike made his home inhabitable. He maintains the home while his daughter and son-in-law are in Albuquerque, N.M. Ford mows the grass, but he can no longer weed eat due to a shoulder injury he sustained many years ago. “We moved here in the Winfree Community in the fall of 1937 and I’ve been here in this area ever since,” said Ford. “When we moved over here, there wasn’t no Bridge City. It was Prairie View,” he said. “My daddy rented 22 acres,
things the Master Gardeners told me to do. I think it made for a nice job, Crews from the Stiles Unit have been working in the city since Ike. They have done a great amount of work in the city and enabled a lot of work to be done faster than we had hoped it would have been done. These guys today have been really helpful and good to
and a house and a barn for $7 a month.” Ford said they used to sell eggs for eight cents a dozen. “You can’t hardly by one egg for eight cents no more,” said Ford. They also sat on the side of the road and sold cantaloupes, five for a quarter, and watermelons for 10 cents each. “My mother died when I was 7 and my stepmother raised me. She raised three of us boys, Louis, myself and Bill. I’m the only one left.” Ford also has a half-brother, retired Precinct 3 Constable John Ford and a half-sister Evelyn Ford Bernard that are both still living. “I’ve worked since I was 14 years old,” said Ford. His first job was bailing hay for 50 cents a day and lunch. “You didn’t stay for supper either, you went home for supper.” “My wife was a McGuire, Willis McGuire’s daughter. We married and we built a little house up there in 1947. We were married 58 years. I lost her in 2001. I’ve been a widower ever since.” Ford said he helped build MacArthur Drive and the traffic circle in Orange in the 1940s.That was just one of many jobs. “I worked for Lawrence Winfree and “Buckshot,” his son, for 18 years hauling cattle.” Ford said he has hauled cattle from Florida to California. He also worked for C & B Truck Service, starting in 1968. “I worked for them in the mornings,” Ford said. “I bought an old truck from them in ‘’71. I drove it for three and
J.T. FORD PAGE 3A
J.T. Ford who will turn 90 March 26 still mows the lawn and takes care of his daughter’s home where he has lived since Hurricane Ike made his home inhabitable in 2008. RECORD PHOTO: PENNY LELEUX
Friday, March 23 may not be the best day for residents who have business with the Orange County Tax Office. The Orange County Commissioners’ Court approved closing the office on that day to upgrade the Department of Motor Vehicle computer equipment at their meeting Monday afternoon. The state is overseeing the installation of the new equipment. Lynda Gunstream, tax assessor-collector, said it will be an all day project. Residents who need to do business that day with the office may go to the Vidor office for assistance. The court approved a reDUBOSE quest from organizations requesting Community Participation Funds from the county. Julie Rogers “Gift of Life” requested $24,000, Lower Sabine-Neches Soil & Water Conservation District #446 requested $1,000, the city of West Orange requested $800 for fire protection and the Southeast Texas Resource Conservation & Development, Inc. requested $500. Julie Rogers is a first time request. County Judge Carl Thibodeaux said the county funds organization who go above and beyond the services the county can offer. Precinct 3 Commissioner John Dubose preferred giving Julie Rogers $10,000 rather than $24,000 so enough funds would be available to go around for all organizations. The rest of the court agreed and passed the measure. Gunstream presented to the COUNTY BUSINESS PAGE 2A
Longtime county employee saying goodbye David Ball
For The Record
Jean Parker has seen many changes in her 23 year tenure with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office — working under three different sheriffs and in the process transferring from being their secretary to the purchasing department. That phase of her life will end on March 30 when she retires from the department and
begins a new chapter in her life. “I was hired by Huel Fontenot in 1989 as his secretary. I didn’t have a PARKER clue (on police matters). I didn’t know what a reserve deputy was.” She worked for Fontenot for eight years until he lost the election to Mike White.
White kept her in his office, but brought her in on the side to do budgets while his own secretary did the clerical work. Keith Merritt, likewise, kept her around when he became sheriff in 2008. “He (White) did me a favor because all of this (transferring to the purchasing department),” Parker said. She issues out and inventoJEAN PARKER PAGE 3A