Firefighter instinct saves BC man Debby Schamber For The Record
It was all “just instinct” when Chris Harvey, 29, a Beaumont Firefighter, jumped into the water to save a 19-yearA Ford Explorer driven by Dalton Ivy, plunged into the water about 2 p.m. Monday after a near miss with a parked vehicle on Highway 87. Ivy was rescued by an offduty firefighter who was passing by the location.
old Bridge City man whose vehicle has just plunged into the water off of Highway 87. Harvey was traveling about 2 p.m. Monday in his 2012 Ford F-250 on Highway 87 on his way to Bridge City when he saw the blue Ford Explorer, driven by Dalton Ivy, about 100 yards ahead of him. The pair had just passed FM 1006 when things suddenly went wrong. Ivy was in the right lane and he initially thought a vehicle stopped in the lane
ahead of him was moving. However, as he approached, he discovered the vehicle was actually stopped. Ivy quickly tried to avoid striking the vehicle by swerving to the left which caused him to spin out of control and “fishtail.” “Luckily, I was far enough behind him,” Harvey said. Ivy said he had to swerve to miss the
FIREFIGHTER INSTINCT Page 3A
H H H H H Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1960 H H H H H
The Record TheRecordLive.com
Distributed Free To The Citizens of Bridge City and Orangefield
Vol. 53 No. 07
Week of Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Texas Registry changes could cause more work Penny Leleux For The Record
Emergency Management Director Jeff Kelley updated commissioners on the situation with the state changes to the Transportation Assistance Registry. The state is converting to the new State of Texas Systems Registry, which is not compatible with the county’s system. Kelley said we do not have access to the system and we have no visibility to the data. “I’ll tell you what I know at
Shangri La takes part in National Public Gardens Day Visit Shangri La Botanical Gardens and Nature Center on May 10, 2013 for free admission on National Public Gardens Day. This is a national day of celebration to raise awareness of America’s public gardens and their important role in promoting environmental stewardship and awareness, plant and water conservation, and education in communities nationwide. Admission will be waived for Shangri La with presentation of an online voucher (Outpost Tour fees are not waived). For information on Shangri La or how to get a voucher, go to www.shangrilagardens.org.
H • SHERLOCK BREAUX Page...................... 4A • Obituaries Page.......................7A •Dicky Colburn Fishing.......Section B • CHURCH NEWS Page.......................7B • CLASSIFIED ADS Page......................8B
KELLEY
this point. We will have to go into this hurricane season managing two systems. There is no doubt about it, they will not be
compatible.” He said training for the new system was posted, but when they went to register for the training Monday, the posting had been removed. “So something’s up with that training.” “If we have to go into the season having to manage two systems and we have to perform an evacuation, we use anywhere from four to eight folks from other county departments to come in and help us run that phone bank, that’s going to double having to run two essential but separate systems to make sure we get everybody. We’re going to have to manually cross check that system against our system to make sure that no one is missed, name by name,” said Kelley. According to Kelley, it was the chief of Division of Emergency Management that decided to go with the new system. He said they met with all the jurisdictions last February and sought input on what they intended to do. “We pointed out what we didn’t like and what the problems we saw were and when they rolled the new system out, no changes had been made, it was exactly as it was presented when they came around in February.” Kelley did assure commissioners they were as ready as possible, but if an evacuation situation comes up this year, it is going to take double the manpower to make sure no one is left behind. “We’ll continue to work on it and update you,” said Kelley. “Always wanting to mess with things that work,” commented Thibodeaux. “It’s amazing.” In other business, commissioners appointed Franklin Walters, Connie Cassidy, Mark Wimberly, Doug Manning and John Banken to the Consultant Selection Committee for the 80x80 box hanger project at the Orange County Airport. The project is funded by Non-Primary Entitlement Funds from TxDOT Aviation. Commissioners approved the purchase of a Ford F-150 at $15,260 with trade-in of a 2003 Ford F-150 through Philpott Ford. The local bid was more than $3,000 above
COUNTY Page 2A
Kree Harrison, 22, greets her fans Saturday in Woodville. The streets were lined with people showing their support for the American Idol contestant. RECORD PHOTO: Nicole Gibbs
Let Kreedom sing
Kree Harrison makes appearance in SETX Debby Schamber For The Record
Fans of Kree Harrison from all over Southeast Texas arrived Saturday morning at the Wesley United Methodist Church in Woodville to greet her as she exited the limousine. The fans donned Kree TShirts and held up signs while chanting, ‘We Love Kree!” She smiled broadly as she walked by and saw the signs welcoming her home. She would later say, she instantly felt the love from the fans. She also commented the signs which were “amazing.” Initially, the press conference was for the press only, but in the end, city and American Idol officials allowed fans to come inside. Fans of all ages rushed inside like a swarm of bees anxiously taking the remaining seats. Harrison was greeted by the mayor of Woodville, Ben Bythewood, at the podium. “It feels good to be home,” she said to the crowd. She added she would hug as many people as possible before leaving. “This process is so fast and intense,” she said of her schedule for the weekend. “But, it’s the cherry on top.” Harrison said it is the fast paced lifestyle of being on American Idol which is “diffi-
cult” but feels in the end it will all be worth it. Harrison not only has the gruelling time crunch on her practices before the next show, but also makes public appearances. Going to a children’s hospital was one of
her favorite things to do outside of performing. When asked if it was everything she ever dreamed of, she replied, it is a lot more than she ever thought. “To be able to do this for the
rest of my life would be like living a dream,” she said. Some of the younger fans requested a photo with the ris-
MOM Page 3A
P.A. deannexes 340 acres Debby Schamber For The Record
Rodney Townsend and his wife, Debbie, have won their battle with the city of Port Arthur to be deannexed. According to Townsend, the decision was finalized by the city and he was officially denannexed in February. Their home is on 340 acres on Highway 87 at the foot of the Rainbow and Veteran Memorial Bridges. Townsend said when he purchased the property, he was not aware it was actually listed as being within the city of Port Arthur. However, he quickly found out when it was time to file the paperwork. The Townsends, who have lived there for more than five years, also encountered other problems such as they would not be able to receive city services such as water, sewer and garbage pickup. However, they
Rodney Townsend and his wife, Debbie, have won their battle with the city of Port Arthur to be deannexed. RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn
would still have to pay taxes for those services. “Disannexation is the removal of territory from a city,” said Alan Sanders, a local attorney who petitioned the city on the Townsend’s behalf. “It’s the opposite of annexation.
There are different paths to disannexation.” Over the past few years, the Townsends made several attempts to obtain services, including a police patrol after
TOWNSEND Page 3A
• Award Winning Hometown News