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The Record TheRecordLive.com
Vol. 53 No. 04
Distributed Free To The Citizens of Bridge City and Orangefield
Week of Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Orange couple near bombing in Boston Debby Schamber For The Record
An Orange couple returning home from Boston after two explosions rocked the city Monday afternoon, will certainly be relieved they made it home safely. Brad and Amanda Britnell were in the airport Tuesday morning on their way back home. According to Brad Britnell, the busy airport had taken precautions and provided extra armed security.
Bridge City Strutter Clinic April 20 Staff Report
For The Record
The Bridge City Strutters will be hosting a dance workshop for Pre-K through eighth grade students. It will be held from 8:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 20 at the Bridge City High School Gym. The Bridge City Strutters Dance/Drill Team will teach participants stretch technique and a jazz dance. Participants are invited to dance in the Strutters Spring Revue on Saturday, May 4 at the Lutcher Theater in Orange. The cost is $35, which includes a “Future Strutter” t-shirt and Spring Revue ticket. Registration deadline is Monday, April 15. For more information, contact any Strutter, or call Amy at 719-6186.
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‘There are people walking around with guns,” said Brad Britnell, of the security people. However, both he and his wife are less stressed than the day before when two explosions occurred at the Boston Marathon which caused three deaths, and more than 140 injuries while sending the city into chaos. Another explosion occurred at the JFK Library, but authorities were unsure if the incidents were linked. The blasts downtown near the finish line in Copley Square occurred just before 3:00 p.m. About 23,000 runners participated in this year’s Boston Marathon. Nearly twothirds of them had crossed the finish line by the time the bombs exploded, but thousands more were still completing the course. Amanda Britnell had just finished the marathon about 30 minutes prior to the explosion and was in the medical tent receiving treatment for low blood sugar. She was receiving IV treatment when she was suddenly rushed out. She later returned to her hotel with the IV still in her arm. Brad Britnell was standing about 100 yards from the blast site, waiting on his wife,when the bomb detonated. “I looked up and saw a cloud from it,” Brad Britnell said. Witnesses described it as a “flash and then a giant boom.” A few seconds later there was a second blast nearby. “At first I was trying to process what was going on,” he
Rumble in BC baffles cops Staff Report For The Record
Area investigators remain baffled by the explosive sound in Bridge City shortly after 8 p.m. Monday. A dispatcher with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office stated officers were searching all over areas of Bridge City and Orangefield. A Bridge City dispatcher stated it is still under investigation as to the cause and where it occurred. There were also reports of the sound being heard in parts of Groves and Port Arthur. Officials with the The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality said none of the plants in Orange and Jefferson Counties have reported any type of explosion Monday night. However, Motiva Enterprises LLC’s Port Arthur Refinery experienced a plantwide power failure Sunday as a result of an electrical malfunction at one of its electrical provider’s substations. As a result of the power outage, emissions and flaring occurred at the 600,000-barrela-day refinery’s alkylation unit, and each unit was brought back on line only when it was safe to do so.
said. He thought for a few brief seconds it was part of the celebration associated with the
marathon. Patriots’ Day commemorates the opening shots of the American Revolution, at Concord and Lexington in
1775. For many people it is a day of pride which comes with historical re-enactments, the Boston Marathon, baseball
and a day off for schools and government employees.
ORANGE COUPLE Page 3A
Lady Bobcats head to state
The Orangefield Lady Bobcat golf team recently placed third at regionals and are now headed to the state championships. Their scores from the regional meet are: Macy Hamilton 95,110; Ashton Gautreaux 105,105; Megan Burton 107,112; Rylie Granger 119,119; Maggie Hebert 120,136. First day team 426, second day team 446, total 872. The golf coach is Brandon Prouse.
AMERICAN IDOL . . .
Kree still going strong Debby Schamber
For The Record
Beverly Mire, the grandmother of Kree Harrison, recently went to Los Angeles, Calif. to watch her perform on American Idol. As the numbers of performers continues to dwindle, Harrison has made it to the top five and is still going strong. Each contestant sang two songs last Wednesday night. One theme was tunes from the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song book. The other theme was “A Song I Wish I Had Written.” Harrison put her own spin on “What the World Needs Now Is Love.” She started off somewhat slowly and picked up the pace as the song progressed. She hit some nice, solid notes throughout the performance and seemed relatively confident with the song. “She did really well,” Mire said. “It was beautiful.” American Idol judge, Keith Urban,
Beverly Mire, of Groves, grandmother of Kree Harrison, recently went to watch her granddaughter perform on American Idol.
said he felt Harrison’s “motherliness” when she sang. “You have a real genuine compassion for people,” he said, a “humanity” that really came through. Nicki Minaj agreed, but added that
Harrison’s style was also “hella cocky.” Mire attended the results show too and was elated when Harrison shared the top two spot with another contestant, Candice Glover, of South Carolina. Mire who met all of the contestants on American Idol stated, “they are one big happy family and really love one another.” Following the conclusion of the show, they will go out on tour. Mire said she is happy they get along so well. Harrison is no stranger to performing before an audience. During her first concert she ever attended, The Doobie Brothers, at eight years old, they called her on stage and she sang “listen to the music” with them. This was the first big crowd she had sang in front of and she knew she was hooked. Kree Harrison will need votes from Southeast Texans in addition to across
KREE AMERICAN IDOL Page 3A
SB 1265 affects local ESD board Debby Schamber For The Record
Orange County Emergency Serivce Districts could face changes on how their board of commissioners is chosen if Senate Bill 1265 passes in the near future. Currently, members of an emergency services district board are nominated by the
commissioner of their presiding precinct and then approved by the commissioners court of the county in which the ESD is located within. The Orange County Commissioners Court believes that the process for choosing ESD board members should rest upon the people being served within the precincts. C.S.S.B. 1265 changes current statute
to make ESD board members in Orange County elected rather than appointed, according to the Texas Legislature online. “Senate Bill 1265 will ensure members of the Emergency Service District (ESD) Board be chosen by the people they serve. Giving Orange County citizens the ability to vote for these important positions is
an excellent example of the democratic process. As you may know, ESDs are taxing entities and therefore should be elected, “ said Senator Robert Nichols. David Roberts, fire chief of the McLewis Fire Department, opposes the changes. “It’s not going to be a good
ESD BOARD Page 3A
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BEST FISHING IN TEXAS Dickie Colburn Page 1B
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