Merry Christmas From Your Friends At The Penny Record
The Record TheRecordLive.com
Vol. 58 No. 134
Distributed FREE To The Citizens of Bridge City and Orangefield
Week of Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Burton, Crump end run as county commissioners Dave Rogers
For The Record
Orange County Commissioners Barry Burton and Jody Crump indulged in a playful game of keepaway Tuesday when it came time to put forth a motion to pay the county’s weekly bills. “I don’t want in my last court to make a motion to approve almost a million dollars in expenses,” Burton said. “Commissioner Burton, you can just go ahead and write that check,” Crump joked. The mood was light in what was the final meeting for Burton and Crump as members of the court. Both were defeated for reelection earlier this year. Their terms expire Dec. 31 but next week’s meeting has been canceled for the holidays. The day began with thanks
and praise from fellow commissioners Johnny Trahan and John Gothia and County Judge Dean Crooks. “Whether we agree or disagree, you have to respect somebody for standing up and saying I’ll take all that accountability and responsibility,” said Crooks. “That’s the way I look at this job and I’m sure they do, too. “Who wants to get called at 2 in the morning, because of a pothole? But it probably happens. But for someone to step up and do that, you’ve got to be appreciative of that.” Burton, who represented Precinct 2, which runs vertically through the center of the county from Mauriceville to Bridge City, said he enjoyed his service. “The most rewarding part of this is being able to help people with problems, be a problem solver,” he said. “As a commissioner, you
are the closest elected official to the public, usually. They can’t find their state senator or their Congressman, but they can always find their commissioner.
“So, you hear a lot of things that may not be in your responsibility as a commissioner, but I took pride in never saying, ‘No, that’s not my job.’ I always took each
call and each problem and did what I could to find a solution.” The next meeting of Commissioners’ Court will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2.
Burton’s and Crump’s successors, Theresa Beauchamp and Robert Viator, will be among newly elected county officials swearing in at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 1.
BC couple adds sparkle to Christmas
Orange port seeks to replace retiring CEO Dave Rogers
For The Record
A search will begin in January for a new port director in Orange after Gene Bouillion recently told Orange County Navigation and Port District commissioners he intends to retire in the spring. Bouillion has been director and CEO of the port since 1998, overseeing a $2 million annual budget, and during that time has seen the port’s reserve funds balance increase from $2.5 million to $12 million. The native of Crowley, Louisiana, lost his home in the 2017 flooding caused by Tropical Storm Harvey. Bouillion has commuted from temporary quarters in Lake Charles since. The wear and tear of the commuting speeded up plans for the 66-year-old and his wife of 44 years, Cheri, to retire to Cypress, Texas, a northwest suburb of Houston, to be near their daughter and grandchildren. “Hurricane Harvey was a big part of my decision,” he said. “Our house flooded with three foot of water. We had insurance, so we were able to sell it and buy in Cypress. “It was an economic decision, plus my age,” Bouillion said. “The time had come.” Commissioners Keith
Wallace and John Montagne, Jr., join Bouillion on the search committee. “Gene’s a good man. I Boullion hate to lose him,” Wallace said. “I think we’ll find somebody good, but it will be a hard search, after not having to worry about it for so long.” Wallace said it was appropriate for Bouillion to serve on the search committee for his own replacement. “He should be on the search committee. We’ll need him to help,” said Wallace, a port commissioner since 2006. “And he’s agreed to help us if we need it, because he’s not going to another job.” A graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana in Lafayette, Bouillion worked in rice exporting at the Mississippi River port of New Madrid, Missouri before coming to Orange. He and his wife plan to split their retirement between their fishing camp on Toledo Bend Reservoir and their new home Cypress. Bouillion said in an interview earlier this year that because of the growth in the size of ocean-going ships PORT OF ORANGE Page 3A
Above: The Wilson home at dusk. RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn Left: Jerry and Rose Wilson’s outside decorations began with four elves, Santa and Mrs. Claus and of course Rudolph. Their one of a kind dazzling display can be seen at 155 Farm Drive in Bridge City. RECORD PHOTO: Debby Shamber
“Mainly for the kids.” Debby Schamber For The Record
F
or more than 30 years Christmas cheer has been overflowing at the Wilson house. Jerry and Rose Wilson’s outside decorations began with four elves, Santa and Mrs. Claus and of course Rudolph. Over the years, they have added to their display to where it is now. If a piece is retired, then it is replaced with something else. The latest addition includes two nutcrackers and a melted snowman. A favorite of the Wilson grandchildren are the carolers and Mickey Mouse and his gang in a stage coach.
Each piece of the display is made by Jerry Wilson. He finds his inspiration from coloring books and Christmas cards. Most of yard ornaments are handmade with the exception of only a few such as the metal pieces. His pieces have become quite popular and are all over Southeast Texas because of the frequent requests he receives. Wilson draws them out with the help of an overhead projector. He then paints them and for that special sparkle, they are covered in glitter. The final step to ensure they stay beautiful for years is to spray them with a sealant. The yard decorations are not the only thing lit up, so
Roadside view at dusk.
is the house. Thousands of lights are on the house and like decorating a tree, it would not be complete without a star on top. So,
RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn
they have put a star on the roof. In addition, they have FOR THE KIDS Page 3A
After 50 years Judge Buddie Hahn to start new journey Debby Schamber For The Record
“The level of success you achieve will be in direct proportion to the depth of your commitment,” was written by author Roy T. Bennet. There is no doubt, Judge Buddie Hahn’s commitment to the law which spanned fifty years has been filled with success. Hahn grew up in Sanderson, Texas which is just west of Del Rio. He graduated from the University of Texas in 1966 and from law school in 1968. That same year he was sworn in and his journey
in law began. Out of law school, he headed to Beeville where he would work for a prestigious law firm. After a few years, it was time to spread his wings. During law school, due to the alphabet, from Hahn to Haliburton, the pair struck up a friendship which would later lead him to Orange County. Grover Haliburton Hahn said he actually retired on June 30th, and has been waiting for Steve Parkhurst to be appointed to take his place. RECORD PHOTO: Lawrence Trimm
served as Orange County Judge from 1971-76. However, Hahn would make his move to Orange County in 1972 when he joined a private practice in Vidor. It was here he would take on one of the county’s noted cases. Hahn became a court-appointed attorney for Clifford Blancett who was charged with the 1974 death of Orange Police Department Capt. Danny Gray. Billy Ray Dowden was given a life sentence in the ground breaking case. Although he was not the shooter, it was ruled Gray was murdered because of the ac-
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tions of Billy Ray Dowden, Charles Dowden and Clifford Blancett and therefore they would be held accountable. At about 4 a.m., Charles Dowden’s brother, Billy Wayne Dowden, along with his accomplice, Blancett, arrived at the jail to break his brother out of jail. Charles Dowden was upstairs in a jail cell when the chaos began which ended in the death of Gray. Blancett fled the scene but was later found hiding in a houseboat in West Orange where he was arrested. BlanJUDGE HAHN Page 3A