H H H H H YOUR HOMETOWN NEWSPAPER SINCE 1960 H H H H H
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Vol. 52 No. 7 Week of Wednesday, May 16, 2012
The Penny Record of Bridge City and Orangefield • Founded 1960
Firearm ordinance reversed, LSET honored David Ball
For The Record
BCCC to host annual golf tourney Staff Report
For The Record
The Bridge City Chamber of Commerce annual golf tournament will start with an 8 a.m. tee time on Monday, July 16 at Sunset Grove Country Club. It will be a four-person scramble. • Players package- Golf: $60 includes green fee, cart, beverages food and door prizes. Mulligans are $5 each, limit two per player. • $100 Hole SponsorYour firm will receive recognition in the form of a tee box sign, event and postevent publicity. Payment must accompany registration. The deadline is July 13. Make checks payable to Bridge City Chamber of Commerce and mail to Bridge City Chamber of Commerce, 150 W. Roundbunch, Bridge City, TX. 77611, (409) 735-5671. For more information, call either Jerry Jones at 735-6801 or 626-1789, or Gerald W. Robinson at 7356801 or 626-1786. Sponsors include: Bridge City Wrecker, Orange County Navigation and Port District, Orange County Economic Development Commission, Rodney Townsend Law Firm, Republic Service, Firestone Community Federal Credit Union, Mid-County Teachers Credit Union, COS Printing/Bridge City Lock and Key, J. David and Telisa DeRosier, David Self Ford, Bill Nickum State Farm Insurance, Entergy, d.p. Engineering, Britt Godwin, Triangle Waste, Scales Portable Buildings, Bridge City Radiator, Ace Image Wear, Sabine Federal Credit Union, Granger Chevrolet, Colletti Photography, Cecil Atkission Ford, Dishon Surveyors and Neches Federal Credit Union.
Inside The Record • SHERLOCK BREAUX Page..................... 4A • Obituaries Page......................7A •Dicky Colburn Fishing..................1B •Outdoors Weekly Chuck Uzzle..........6B • CHURCH NEWS Page......................9B • CLASSIFIED ADS Page....................10B
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The Orange County Commissioners’ Court repealed an ordinance at their Monday afternoon meeting they previously passed two weeks ago. The court repealed an ordinance prohibiting the discharge of firearms within the Quail Trails Estates Subdivisions off of FM 1442. A public hearing was held prior to the regular session to receive input from residents. Ronald Dischler is a Beaumont Police officer who lives in the subdivision and he teaches firearms instruction. He doesn’t understand why the commissioners’ court passed an ordinance when state law already addresses the issue. Dischler said deadly conduct is a third degree felony in the Texas Penal Code. He said the original complainants said bullets were skipping across the pond on the property, but there were no calls for service from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Dischler added shots aren’t
coming from his property. The other neighbor has a long pipeline running through his
property which would make gunfire from that direction unlikely. The third neighbor to
the north has heavy brush and trees that would stop a bullet. “That’s why we purchased
May 14 was proclaimed as Leadership Southeast Texas Day with a proclamation from the Orange County Commissioners’ Court at their Monday afternoon meeting. The organization has been in Orange County for over 20 years. Gisela Houseman, a local LSET alum, poses with the Orange County Commissioners’ Court. RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn
our property to be in the country,” Dischler said. “Now you can’t discharge a firearm without violating an ordinance. This turns citizens into criminals and keeps the sheriff busy.” Resident Tim Turley was in favor of the ordinance. He said one day he was cleaning his swimming pool when a stray bullet hit a nearby tree. Shortly thereafter, another bullet came close to hitting him. “I don’t want to change anyone’s rights but we’re too close to each other. I want to protect my family. I”m not against guns but there’s not enough pieces of property between us,” Turley said. “I told a neighbor not to shoot toward me. I made two calls to the sheriff’s office. This is not a policing matter. They do a good job. If that bullet was four more inches, I wouldn’t be here. The ordinance states I can protect my property.” County Judge Carl Thibodeaux said it wasn’t the county’s intention to take COUNTY BUSINESS PAGE 2A
Bridge City council welcomes Cole, BCPD gets new cars
Kirk Roccaforte, Mike Reed, Eric Andrus and Danny Cole were sworn in to the city council for Bridge City by City Judge Don Peters. RECORD PHOTO: Mike Louviere
Mike Louviere For The Record
In the recent city election, Mayor Kirk Roccaforte and Councilmen for Place 2 Mike Reed and Place 4 Eric Andrus were reelected without opposition. Councilwoman Lucy Fields was opposed by Danny Cole and lost by a mere eight vote margin. After going through the process of certifying results of the election, City Judge Don Peters conducted the ceremony to swear in the mayor and city councilmen at Tuesday’s city council meeting. After the ceremony, Cole took his seat on the council. City Manager Jerry Jones reported that the city has two new police cars in service. Jones also reported that the striping project for the parking lots at the Little League Baseball fields is nearly completed. There is also a small amount of asphalt work to be done at the lots. The Provost-Umphery law firm contacted the city about joining the other area cities in the class action lawsuit regarding loss of revenue resulting from the Deepwater Horizon Disaster on April 20, 2010 and the resulting oil spill against BP, PLC and any other responsible party. City Attorney Paul Fukuda met with representatives from the firm and gave a report on what the city may expect if they join the suit. “There are
three criteria to meet to be able to recover a loss from the resultant disaster. First there has to have been some occurrence; in this case the oil spill. Secondly, the community must be a coastal community, which we are. Third there must be a proven loss. The first two criteria are met. The firm will look over the situation in Bridge City and compare such things as hotelmotel occupancy rates and income, gasoline sales, food sales, and anything else that could be affected by the number of people coming through the community. If they feel there was a loss related to the spill they will then enter us in the suit,” said Fukuda. “The normal fees for a suit like this are 33 1/3 to 40 percent. The firm will charge us 25 percent on a contingency fee basis. If the city has no recovery, there will be no cost to the city.” The council voted to accept the proposal of ProvostUmphrey and retain the firm to research the possibility of a loss and recovery of any loss. Councilman Eric Andrus of Place 4 was elected to serve as Mayor Pro Tem through the current term. Roccaforte read and presented a proclamation declaring May as Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month. The proclamation was presented to members of the Circuit Riders Motorcycle Club.
Bridge City Strutters announce new officers for next school year...
The officers for the upcoming 2012 - 2013 year were announced May 5th at the Strutter’s Spring Revue, held at the Lutcher Theater in Orange. The newly chosen officers are from left to right: Lieutenant Ciara Cooper, First Lieutenant, Madison Woodruff, Captain, Sydney Shepherd, Lieutenant, Katie Nation and Lieutenant Aubrey Hale.
Ashleigh Wilburn signs a letter of intent to play softball for Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina.
Wilbur to play collegiate softball David Ball
For The Record
Bridge City Lady Cardinal softball star Ashleigh Wilbur has signed with Southern Wesleyan University in South Carolina on Tuesday. Signing ceremonies took place at Bridge City High School and was attended by family, friends
and local media. Wilbur, a member of the National Honor Society and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, excels in softball, volleyball and basketball and is the recipient of numerous awards both on and off the field. Wilbur’s high school career
include the following: * Two years of varsity volleyball * Three years of varsity basketball * Two years of varsity softball * Named to 2nd Team All WILBUR SEE PAGE 3A
• Award Winning Hometown News