Special Edition: 2013 Graduation Issue H H H H H Your Hometown Newspaper Since 1960 H H H H H
The Record TheRecordLive.com
Vol. 53 No. 10
Distributed FREE To The Citizens of Bridge City and Orangefield
Week of Wednesday, May 29, 2013
King to speak about the ‘state’ of the district Debby Schamber For The Record
It had been a “great year” for the Bridge City ISD and school officials have plans to make it even better next school year. Mike King, BCISD superintendent, will be speaking at the Bridge City, City Council meeting on June 4 and the Rotary Club on June 13 to discuss the state of BCISD. ‘We had a great school year and we’ve got a lot of plans for the future,” Kind said. During his talk, he intends to cover the various programs
Stark Foundation welcomes new director Staff Report For The Record
The Nelda C. and H.J. Lutcher Stark Foundation in Orange welcomes Katrina (Trina) Nelson Thomas as Director, Stark Art and History Venues, effective Tuesday The recent retirement of Patsy Herrington, f o r m e r Managing Director of The W.H. Stark H o u s e , Thomas presented a unique opportunity for long-term planning for the Foundation’s arts and history venues. Foundation management, with the support of the Board of Directors, initiated a realignment that ultimately resulted in the consolidation of the Stark Museum of Art and The W.H. Stark House under one director. The Stark Foundation Archives will also be part of this art and history union going forward. While the Museum and House will retain separate physical facilities, the realignment will facilitate collaboration among these related venues, and
STARK Page 3A
H • SHERLOCK BREAUX Page...................... 4A • Obituaries Page.......................8A •Dicky Colburn Fishing...................5B • CHURCH NEWS Page.......................7B • CLASSIFIED ADS Page......................8B
the evening ahead. For and how they are dothe first time in Bridge ing. The programs to City ISD history, 300 be discussed include teachers were divided fine arts, athletics, into teams and visited vocational and acaabout 1,500 addresses demics. He will diswithin the neighborcuss how they are dohood sections. ing and the initiatives As 5 p.m. neared for the programs, they geared up to leave where BCISD is presMIKE KING and start knocking on ently and the plans to doors. During each short visit move forward. “We are proud of the kids while talking to area parents and all they’ve done through- and students they emphasized out the school year,” King said. how much BCISD appreciated King began the 2012-13 the strong relationships beschool year with a Red Bird tween the school and home. The teachers were also ready Roundup. The event started with a to answer any questions. Before leaving, the parents kick-off at the Bridge City Elementary as teachers met and were given a back to school received information about packet which included news-
letters from each campus, supply lists from Bridge City Elementary and Intermediate, lunch information, a school calendar, fall athletic schedule, booster club information, computer safety flyer and a phone number refrigerator magnet. It wasn’t long before BCISD was in the headlines regarding STAAR testing. In August there were reports from The Texas Education Agency which announced 44 percent of Texas school campuses met the Adequate Yearly Progress, known as the AYP, which is a federal accountability system. However, the Bridge City school district was the only public district in
Orange County this year to meet the federal standards set by the U.S. Department of Education under the 2001 ‘No Child Left Behind Act.’ Mike King, along with the Bridge City School board took a stand against what is called the “one day, one test” system. “One day, one test does not determine our accountability,” King said during a previous interview. “What we want is a full range of accountability. You just don’t get a full picture on one day tests.” King took the measure a bit farther when he traveled to Austin to discuss the matter further with legislators. The three bills debated were HB 5, SB 3 and SB 1734. The focus
points are accountability, graduation plan reform and funding. King and BCISD officials were faced with the growing controversy over CSCOPE. King said they will continue to use the program, but what is available may become limited. However, Bridge City teachers only use the program as a foundation to their daily lesson plans. CSCOPE, developed by the Texas Education Service Center Curriculum Collaborative and sold by Texas Regional Education Service Centers, is the curriculum management tool BCISD Page 3A
BC Library offers summer reading Debby Schamber For The Record
The Friends of the Bridge City Public Library in cooperation with the Texas State Library’s Reading Club 2013 is offering a Wednesday morning story time and reading program. Children from Pre-K through the fifth grade are invited to participate. Those who register at the library from May 28 through June 4 will receive a timed reading log to record the time spent reading. It is suggested participants read at least 15 minutes daily. The reading logs need to be turned in to the library by June 24. Only those who return logs will receive recognition for their accomplishments. This summer the library will host programs with special guests. Preschool children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian during the program. All of the programs begin at 11 a.m. and end at noon. Starting on June 5, Jim Pennington will present the Texas A&M Chemistry Road Show followed by Chester Moore who will ask, “Think you know the great outdoors?” Tiffany Ivy will host “Put that fire out, Mr. Fireman on June 19 and Don Vercher will make balloon animals on June 26. Janelle Ramsey will be at the library on July 10 talking about Pecos Bill who is not the only folktale. Jo Ann Russell will present a program on Therapy Dogs Caution and being safe around dogs fol-
lowed by Becky Webb on July 24 about pygmy goats liking to be petted. Finally, on July 31 there will be an awards ceremony with the Bridge City Strutters. The Friends of the Bridge City Public Library began as a support committee in March 1988 when twenty concerned citizens addressed the needs of the community to establish the city’s first public library. The response from the public was tremendous. By August 1988 a non-binding referendum passed showing support for a new public library and the city appointed an advisory board for the library. The group worked for two years prior to the completion of the 2,500 square foot structure in 1991 by receiving donations of thousands of books which they sorted and processed in preparation to putting them on the library shelves. The Friends supervised volunteers as they set up a make-shift library in a former dance studio to get ready to open. The city funded the building of the slab and shell exterior of the metal building. After many man hours of labor by the Friends of the Library, to build the interior of the new metal structure and
Tony and Arlette Guidry have been on quite a journey since July of last year. Tony is being called a medical miracle. RECORD PHOTOS: Penny LeLeux
The ‘Miracle Man’ Penny Leleux
For The Record
“He’s a true, documented medical miracle,” said Arlette Guidry. “He should be a vegetable and he’s not, praise God.” The he she is referring to is her husband, Tony Guidry. “When we say he is a miracle of God, we mean totally. Medical, they are not claiming anything but that the grace of God healed him.” In July of last year Tony underwent heart surgery. The surgery went well. It was when they tried to get him off the bypass machine and sew up the hole in his heart they encountered problems. The doctor equated it with trying to sew through cheese. It apparently was a birth anomaly that may have never been discovered. The surgeon, Dr. Lowayne Miller told Arlette he finally got it to hold, but Tony wasn’t out of the woods yet
and advised her to bring in her “Prayer warriors.” A passing nurse heard the whooshing sound of the blood when the sutures failed, even before alarms went off. “If it wouldn’t have been for their quick team work and the doctors, he wouldn’t be here. In fact he was gone,” said Arlette. She said Dr. Miller told them he said, “Lord, I’m losing this man.” He heard God say, “No you’re not.” Dr. Miller told Mrs. Guidry that was the first time he had ever audibly heard God speak to him. “So I kept working,” he told her. Arlette said she heard, but hasn’t confirmed that Dr. Miller was asked about four times if he wanted to “call it,” but he refused. In literal terms, “call it” means to pronounce the time of death. Tony’s brain became completely drained GUIDRY MIRACLE MAN Page 3A
BC LIBRARY Page 3A
Missing person case ruled homocide Debby Schamber For The Record
The case of a missing Louisiana woman is now being worked as a homicide case. Autopsy reports indicate Tami Higgenbotham, 41, was strangled to death. The case is an ongoing, active investigation. Joshua Latham, 26, is considered to be a “person of interest,” according to Robert Smith, of the Texas Rangers. Higgenbotham, left her residence on Feb. 8 from Vinton, La. to go to Orange. Her truck
rings. By 1:30 the was found later at Blue texts from HiggenboBird’s Fish Camp on tham stopped. Simmons Drive, but Knowing it was odd she was no where to be for her sister since she found. During the trip was “always connectto Orange she had sent ed”, Robinson bea text to her sister, Stacame worried and ci Robinson, saying tried repeatedly to she was going to sell call her but each call her phone to Joshua LATHAM went straight to voice Latham. Higgenbotham wanted to upgrade so mail. Robinson later went to the she had decided to sell her phone. Around 1 p.m. Higgen- fish camp and showed a picbotham sent a text to her sis- ture of her sister to people in ter saying Latham wanted her the area. They told her they to help him pick out wedding had seen Higgenbotham and
she had gotten into a vehicle with Latham. However, when Robinson asked Latham if he had seen her sister, he denied ever meeting up with her. Latham’s girlfriend told Robinson Latham was at work on the day of the disappearance. However, Robinson would later learn he didn’t have a job. Latham, who was wanted in connection with the disappearance of Higgenbotham, fled the area. He was arrested a few days later, Feb. 14, in Maryville, Tenn. Orange police contact-
ed local officials in Maryville, and told them Latham had relatives in the area. Maryville police checked the relative’s residence, and found Latham, along with his girlfriend, and their two-week -old infant. The woman and child were reported to be safe. He was held on charges he violated his felony probation. Detectives and the Texas Ranger went to Tennessee to interview Latham concerning the disappearance of HiggenHIGGENBOTHAM Page 3A
• Award Winning Hometown News