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County Record Vol. 52 No. 11
Shelter of Last Resort near complete David Ball
For The Record
With the Shelter of Last Resort now 65 percent completed in the construction process, Orange County Commissioners can start thinking what to do when the project is completed. Jeff Kelley, emergency management KELLEY coordinator, reported on the status of the structure being built on FM 1442 at the Monday afternoon meeting of the Orange County Commissioners’ Court. “It will be important to know what to call the building when its completed. We’re specking for a sign for the building. Maybe we can call it the Orange County Building and Expo Center,” Kelley said. County Judge Carl Thibodeaux said his office has already received phone calls to use the facility. Half of the structure will contain county offices and the other half will be a meeting and convention room. The state’s share for the shelter is $1.1 million while the county’s share is $215,000. COUNTY PAGE 2A
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Case of missing man moves forward tearfully pleading for information for the safe return of her husband. Following the holiday, Jacobs began investigating the case by processing the vehicle and conducting interviews “From the start the investigation was difficult because of
the information given,” Jacobs said. At times there were at least five different avenues the case pointed to, but investigators would make a choice to proceed although they were often met with challenging hurdles. According to Jacobs there
was a lot of deception from a lot of different angles and like almost any other murder case it is nearly impossible to get 100 percent accurate information on the events that have unfolded. One by one they worked to rule out the various avenues
MISSING PERSON PAGE 2A
Joshua Parrott, 22, was reported missing in May 2010.
Orange park amenities to be relocated
Debby Schamber For The Record
For any parent the death of their child is a difficult time in their life, but for the parents of Joshua Parrott they not only struggle to deal with his absence but also seek answers in the case and the location of his body. While most Southeast Texans were planning backyard barbecues during the Memorial Day weekend in 2010, life for the Parrot family was about to change drastically. At about 3 p.m. on May 28th of the fateful weekend, Joshua Parrot, 22, entered the Country Pantry convenience store on Orange Street in Vidor. He asked to use the phone because of problems with his vehicle, but was referred to a pay phone outside the store where he called his wife, Heather. Video from the store captured the events, according to Joey Jacobs with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. “This was the last place he was seen,” Jacobs said. Parrott’s vehicle was around the corner on Sargeant Street and was later impounded to be processed for evidence. Parrott’s sister, Brittany, called her brother’s wife to inform her of the vehicle’s location and she felt Joshua was missing. Heather then called the OCSO to file a missing persons report. At the time the marriage between Heather and Joshua Parrot was “strained” and he was known for leaving for days at a time. Heather Parrott appeared on local television stations
David Ball
For The Record Courtney Burch Arkeen’s, 128th District judge in Orange County, personal e-mail was sabotaged over the weekend. She now plans to change her password and update her e-mail more often and get a better virus protector and firewall. RECORD PHOTO: David Ball
Hacked- District judge’s email compromised
David Ball
For The Record
Courtney Burch Arkeen, 128th District Court judge in Orange County, knew something was amiss when friends and associates began contacting her, concerned for her safety. “People were asking me if I was okay. If I was in London. These were from other lawyers, judges and businesspeople I know,” she said. “It’s nice to know so many care about me. I’ve talked with some people I haven’t spoken with in years because of this.” Arkeen had her personal e-
mail account hacked over the weekend. In the bogus e-mail sent out, it reads: “I’m writing this with tears in my eyes, my family and I came down here to London, United Kingdom for a short vacation. unfortunately, we were mugged at the park of the hotel where we stayed, all cash, and credit card were stolen off us but luckily for us we still have our passports with us. We’ve been to the Embassy and the Police here but they’re not helping issues at all and our flight leaves in few hours from now but we’re having problems setting the hotel bills and the hotel man-
ager won’t let us leave until we settle the bills. Well I really need your financially assistance. Please, let me know if you can help us out? Am freaked out at the moment!! Courtney Arkeen” Arkeen was in Texas the entire time period and not overseas. She added she has no idea who would have hacked her e-mail. On top of that experience, she also lost all of her contacts. A message labled from Yahoo! Mail read: “Due to the JUDGE’S EMAIL PAGE 3A
Emancipation: Juneteenth celebrated Jenny Morgan For The Record
The holiday of Juneteenth, which is an abbreviated form of “June Nineteenth,” marks the day blacks in Texas received word that President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had freed the nation’s slaves. So far, however, only Texas acknowledges June 19 (also called Emancipation Day) as an official state holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the date in 1865 when Union Gen. Gordon Granger arrived with his troops at Galveston Island and read President Lincoln’s proclamation, freeing the state’s 200,000 slaves. The proclamation had originally taken effect on Jan. 1, 1863, but word didn’t reach Texas until two months after Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Union Gen. JUNETEENTH PAGE 3A
with supporting evidence. Polygraphs were given to some of the people related to the case. “Some passed and some failed,” Jacobs said. “Those who failed supported the evidence we had.” Since the investigation began, hundreds of statements have been obtained and about 400 people have been interviewed, according to Jacobs. “We have made significant progress in this case over the
“June Nineteenth,” marks the day blacks in Texas received word that President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had freed the nation’s slaves. So far, however, only Texas acknowledges June 19 (also called Emancipation Day) as an official state holiday.
The playground at Navy Park in Orange on Simmons Drive will soon have an expansion. The Orange City Council approved relocating the playground equipment at Solomon Johnson Park to Navy Park at their regular meeting Tuesday morning. Jimmie Lewis with the planning and zoning department reported the Emma Wallace Center, which once housed the Orange Community Action Center which also operated the Meals on Wheels and the administration of the Southeast Texas Transit System, was recently demolished when the new Meals on Wheels facility opened downtown. There were concerns about the basketball courts being so near the children at the playground at Solomon Johnson and the difference in ages. Lewis added there was very little use of the playground there. There are more families residing in Navy Park. The move there would reduce the parks department expenses since the equipment won’t have to be maintained as often. The basketball and tennis courts will remain at Solomon Johnson Park. Councilwoman Essie Bellfield said restrooms are needed at the new park. During the citizen comments session of the meeting, resident Henry Lowe said “thugs’’ took over Solomon Johnson Park and he favors a police substation be built at the new park at Navy Park so children can play safely. Lowe added a state charter has been granted for an African-American museum for Orange. The council approved an agreement with the Southern Professional Outboard Racing Tour for the 2012 tunnel boat races held in Orange on September 21 through 23. Jay Trahan, director of the Orange Economic Development Corporation, said there will be an additional afternoon of testing this year to increase ORANGE PARK PAGE 3A