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County Record Vol. 52 No. 8
The Community Newspaper of Orange, Texas
County gearing up for hurricanes David Ball
For The Record
Orange teenager sentenced in murder
Week of Wednesday, May 23, 2012
It seems the Orange County Commissioners’ Court was ahead of the curve in proclaiming May 27 through June 2 as hurricane awareness week in Orange County.
Jeff Kelley, emergency management coordinator, said there has already been a named storm this season of the coast of the Carolinas. In fact, the emergency management staff will be participating in a
KELLEY
hurricane preparation drill on June 7. They have already attended the Hurrex 2012 workshop in Beaumont in preparation for the drill. Kelley added predictions from the National Hurricane Center po-
tentially looks like it will be another East Coast hurricane season as it was last year. He also reported the FAA has approved a new flag pole and sign for the Orange County Airport entrance. Precinct 1 Commissioner David Dubose asked Kel-
David Ball
For The Record
An Orange teenager who murdered a 63 year old West Orange man will have to serve at least 15 years of a sentence before he can be eligible for parole. Braeden Richter, 15, was sentenced on Monday to 30 years after pleading guilty to the May 25, 2011
ley about reports he heard of drone flights being approved to fly from the Orange County Airport. Kelley said the only matter he knows of was a request by Equisearch to find a missing person in Precinct 4 using a drone. He described it a a remote control airplane with a camera attached to it. Kelley also reported on the status of the 2009 Port Security Grant Orange County applied for in 2011. If awarded, the Shelter of Last Resort on FM 1442 will receive $500,000 in a 75 percent/25 percent matching grant for electronics, technology, Internet and telephones. The county’s portion of the match would be made through donations. In other county business, COUNTY BUSINESS PAGE 2A
Pinehurst swears in mayor, councilmen David Ball
For The Record BRAEDEN RICHTER
shooting death of Charles Henry Southard. He was sentenced in Judge Buddie Hahn’s 260th District Court. Richter was certified last week to stand trial as an adult for the murder and indicted by a Grand Jury on May 16. The shooting occurred on May 25, 2011 in the 1300 block of Milam Street. West Orange Police reports read two boys, Richter, then 14, and a 9 year old boy, were trying to steal Southard’s car at his house. He tried to stop the boys and was shot by Richter. Since the 9 year old is under age 10, he cannot be charge according to Texas law.
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Inside The Record
The LCM Lady Bears are three games away from goint to Austin for the state championship in softball. The team has done it through hitting, pitching and solid defense. Coach Dena Adkins said her team needs to stay focused and keep to the fundamentals of the game. Sitting (L-R): Morgan Babineaux, Danielle Deramus, Kelsey Fults, Taylor Fraccastoro, Hope Russell and Chelsea McLain. Kneeling (LR): Shelby Lefouef, Kayleigh Roy, Mikaela Stegall, Raven Cole and Kassie James. Standing (L-R): Coach Dena Adkins, Loni Prouse, Camrie Helm, Ashleigh Jones, Baylie Comeaux, Coach Jennifer Walker and Coach Melissa Brewer. RECORD PHOTO: Chris Gunn
Lady Bears vie for championship David Ball
For The Record
F
or the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Lady Bears softball team, lately all that glitters is gold with some green mixed in. Fresh off a win against the Richmond Foster Lady Falcons last weekend, the Lady Bears are on a roll and face Montgomery Thursday night at Goose Creek Memorial High School in a best-ofthree format. Coach Dena Adkins said it’s been a “crazy time” reaching the Elite 8 in the Class 4A Region III semifinals. If they beat Montgomery, the Lady Bears will
David Ball
• Obituaries Page......................6A
Shawn Oubre, city manager of the city of Orange, said the new Orange Senior Center is another example how the city was able to make lemonade out of lemons. He borrowed the term from Mayor Brown Claybar who uses the term in reference to how the city has benefitted from disaster funding from Hurricane Ike. The city, likewise, held a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday for the new building on Fifth Street. The Orange Senior Center was funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through a Hurricane Ike Recovery Grant administered by
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the school year activities such as graduation or final exams. Though still a junior, pitcher Raven Cole has provided leadership for the Lady Bears. Adkins said in her heart, Cole wants to win. “She has to keep her eye on the prize and help the team reach the next step. She’s learning to throw smarter and not only harder. It’s good to have a pitcher who doesn’t have an ego. Cole pitched three straight games in the series against Richmond Fosters — a total of 21 innings. She began to tire LADY BEARS PAGE 3A
New Orange Senior Center opens
• SHERLOCK BREAUX Page..................... 4A
•Dicky Colburn Fishing..................1B
earn a trip to the state tournament in Austin. “I have their minds stay focused,” Adkins said. “Montgomery is a hard adversary and we can’t do anything wrong. Montgomery is working now. Us, too. It will come down to who doesn’t make an error. You can’t look at the win-loss record. You have to get the job done.” Montgomery is a team similar to LCM — they can hit, pitch and play defense. What it comes down to for both teams is about the fundamentals of the game. Adkins said she will be relying on her four seniors on the team to keep the others focused and get business done and not get distracted with the end of
For The Record
ORANGE SENIORS PAGE 3A
The city of Orange celebrated the opening of the new Orange Senior Center on Fifth Street with a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony on May 18. The Orange Senior Center is the first project in the Orange Downtown revitalization program. RECORD PHOTO: David Ball
Changes on the Pinehurst City Council were the major orders of business at the meeting Tuesday May 22. Outgoing mayor T.W. Permenter and outgoing council member Bob Williams elected to not attend, leaving the seat of the mayor and Mayor Pro Tem unoccupied. Sitting council members Dan Barclay, Dan Mohon, and John Zerko conferred among themselves and appointed Mohon to chair the meeting until the new mayor and council members were sworn in. Election Judge Jane Long presented the vote tabulations to the council. Mohon and the council certified the election and then City Judge Derry Dunn presented Mayor-Elect J. L. “Pete” Runnels and Councilmen-Elect Ron Cowling and John Zerko election certificates for their signatures. After the required signatures on the certificates, Judge Dunn then gave the oath of office to the trio. After the council seats were filled action was taken to appoint Dan Barclay Mayor Pro Tem for the current term. Councilman Bill Triggs resigned from his seat on the council, stating “it is just time for me to retire. There are other things I want to do.” Councilman Barclay stated that he had talked with Matt Chandler who had earned the third highest number of votes in the election. Barclay recommended Chandler be appointed to fill the seat vacated by Triggs. The motion was made, seconded, and passed to appoint Chandler to the council. City Attorney Tommy Gunn informed the council that Chandler may be sworn in at the next council meeting after the proper documents have been prepared for Chandler’s signature. The current members of the city’s budget committee, Barclay, Zerko, City Secretary PINEHURST PAGE 3A