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H Published For Orange Countians By Orange Countians H

County Record TheRecordLive.com

Vol. 58 No. 43

Week of Wednesday, March 1, 2017

The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas

County Judge ‘throws shade’ at no shows payment of $3.2 million to the dead man’s family and legal representatives. And, Carlton said, it would reveal the changes that had been made to avoid similar tragedies.

But often Monday night, citizens questions went unanswered. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a member of the Sheriff’s Office or District Attorney’s Office to tell us what

they’ve done,” Carlton said. While the sheriff and the attorneys did RSVP their regrets in the form of a “Joint Statement” sent to news representatives earlier Monday, it was left to Carlton to deliv-

er words that Orange County citizens were hoping to hear. “I am totally against a tax increase to pay for something like this,” he said. “We did OC TOWNHALL Page 2A

Council hopeful aims for ‘better service’ Dave Rogers

For The Record

Veronica Woodle says growing up the daughter of a highly visible African-American policeman during the turbulent 1990s in Los Angeles provided her first taste of politics. Now the former City of OrWoody Dugas of Vidor poses a question for Orange County Commissioners’ Court members during a town hall held Monday to dis- ange police officer has become cuss a $3.2 million judgment against the county after the death of a politician herself, running a jail inmate. RECORD PHOTO: Dave Rogers for a seat on Orange City Council. “Welcome to my journey the Town Hall at the Orange Dave Rogers from public service to public County Expo Center. For The Record About 50 people sat in the office,” is the title on her campaign’s Facebook page. Perhaps they smelled an audience and listened. Woodle registered a month ambush. And, in case anyone forgot The five members of Or- who was missing from the ago to run in the May 6 city ange County’s Commission- 75-minute forum, nameplates election for council at-large ers’ Court — County Judge for Merritt, Kimbrough and Place 6 against popular inStephen Brint Carlton and Manning sat at the end of a cumbent Larry Spears, Jr. and commissioners Johnny Trah- long dais in front of a single the contest has since expanded to include Mary Ekene, a an, Barry Burton, John Gothia chair and Crump’s attache collection supervisor. and Jody Crump — showed bag. Woodle makes it clear she is up Monday evening to rehash For more than two months not running against Spears – a long-running federal court Carlton had said the town or anyone – but for Orange. case that cost the county and hall would examine the “My agenda is to be of better its taxpayers more than $3.5 events immediately leading service,” she said. “I resigned million. up to and since Oct. 12, 2011, [from the Orange Police DeBut the men to whom those when Robert Montano died of five were looking for most of renal failure after four and a the answers — Sheriff Keith half days in an observation Merritt, County Attorney cell at the Orange County John Kimbrough and Assis- Jail. It would explain the decitant County Attorney Doug sion-making process through Manning — were no-shows at the loss on appeals and a final

partment] with every intention of running [for office],” she said. “I knew there had to be a better system.” A single mother, Woodle says she moved from California to the Golden Triangle to be closer to her mother, who lived in Bon Wier. She cites experience working as a correctional officer, a substance abuse counselor and a short time for Child Protective Services while getting her criminal justice degree at Lamar University. She worked six-plus years for the Dallas Police Department, she said, before coming to work for the Orange Police. “All the skills I got through life, I think it helped me be a better servant to the people in Orange,” she said. Woodle says she wants to streamline social services to make the process easier to navigate for people in need of assistance. “The issue that I did have when working here was – and it’s not a complaint on the po-

Former Orange police officer Veronica Woodle is seeking “open communication” between city government and citizens in running for Orange city council.

lice department at all – I was running into obstacles,” she said. “Where are the services? Where are the homeless shelters? Where are the parks that I really would like my children to go, and be proud to take my

children to. “Who am I supposed to talk to to get it fixed? “These are things that I’m used to knowing, because of where I come from. I’m used WOODLE Page 2A

LCM HONEY BEARS EARN TOP RATINGS

OC man becomes centurian today Dave Rogers

For The Record

Talk about having his dance card punched. Retired Bridge City plumber and pipefitter John Repasky just celebrated Valentine’s Day

“Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

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with his wife Sue and in April, the couple will celebrate 71 years of marriage. But first, there’s March 1. Rapasky It’s when John turns the big 1-oh-oh. As in 100. A century. “I never thought I’d get that far,” said the man born a month before the U.S. joined World War I. “But here I am.” John and his 92-year-old bride live in a sunny well-kept home and stay busy with trips to the store and two breakfasts a week with friends at the Bridge City McDonald’s. “I don’t know if you’d say there’s a secret,” John said, when asked his secret of longevity. “A whole lot depends on the man up there,” he said, nodding to the sky, “and you have to have a pretty good wife.” “Not pretty good,” Sue interjects. “You’d better say a good wife.” The Repaskys will celebrate John’s 100th on Saturday, March 4, with a get-together for family, friends and neighbors, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 770 Avenue A, in Bridge City. John wasn’t always sure he’d make it to 2017. Eight years ago, when he had a tough bout of pneumonia, things looked bleak. “The doctor gave me two REPASKY Page 2A

The Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School Honey Bears traveled to Goose Creek Memorial High School this weekend for an HTE Dance Competition. They scored enough points for a Division 1 rating in each of their four routines, which earned them a Sweepstakes Award. Their High Kick Routine won 1st Place Kick in its category. They also won a special award for Choreography. The team includes Juliann Jennings (Captain), Hanna Sadler (Co-Captain), Allison Ball (Lieutenant), Tilor Armfield (Lieutenant), Tori Crosson, Jessica Rouse, Albanie Calais, Sarah Gonzalez, Meredith LeBoeuf, Harli Foreman, Andrea Howard, Daisy Sutton, Dajha Myles, Shelby Smith, Caylee Aleman, Chrisyln Wells, Sydney Peet, Ashley Umbenhaur (Manager), Jodi Cabiness (Manager), and Kimberly Thompson Scott (Director)

Citizens Sheriff’s Academy begins March 21 Staff Report

For The Record

Orange County Sheriff Keith Merritt will be putting on the Eighth Orange County Citizen’s Sheriff’s Academy March 21-April 27. Class dates will be Tuesdays and Thursdays, with class times being from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The purpose of the Citizen’s Sheriff Academy is to improve Sheriff’s Office community

relations and enhance public cooperation. The program offers the Orange County Sheriff’s Office a chance to show the Merritt public the selection and training process that applicants must go through, the continued training requirements, operation

procedures and tactics, and its efforts to provide a professional level of law enforcement to the citizens it serves. Citizens gain a better understanding of the criminal justice system and law enforcement administrators gain a better understanding of citizens’ concerns and perception of law enforcement. Citizens spend a few hours in “observations” of divisions such as Patrol, Corrections, and Communications get a

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feel for the inner workings of the Sheriff’s Office. Anyone interested in being a part of the next Academy can pick up an application at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office beginning Monday, Feb. 6. Deadline for applications is March 8. For further information, contact Captain Dennis Marlow at dmarlow@co.orange. tx.us or by phone 409-8827821.


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