Dating scam

24 Pages·2013·15.87 MB·English

Vol. 18, No. 8 May 9-15, 2013 50 cents
NECHES RIVER FESTIVAL
Complete
The Independent Voice of Southeast Texas
coverage
of annual
Dating scam festivities
Page 4 B
EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
Beaumont Foundation
honors area educators
Page 7 A
BEAUMONT ISD
‘When people come in our doors, especially in
Beaumont, there are some slow people around
here. ... We don’t know if they’re slow, or dense
or if someone is actually mentally retarded.’
– Javier Luna
New map presented
Matchmaker service cons elderly,
Page 9 A
disabled out of thousands
Page 4 A
2 A May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner
THE EXAMINER
News
THE NEW ESTATE TAX RULES BRING
795 Willow St., • Beaumont, TX, 77701
Excellence in Education Awards ..................7A
CALM AFTER THE STORM
Phone: [phone] • Fax: [phone]
BISD goes back to drawing board ...............9A E-mail: [email protected] • Web: www.theexaminer.com
Some individuals were in a panic late last year as the favor-
New promotional county song .................10A
able estate and gift tax rules were set to expire in 2013. With PUBLISHER / CEO
Congressional action uncertain, no one knew how their Don J. Dodd �����������������������������������������dodd@theexaminer�com, ext� 231
Granger gets death penalty ......................11A
plans might be affected.
CIRCULATION
News Shorts .............................................14A
Kirk Dickey ���������������������������������������������kirk@theexaminer�com, ext� 238
To the relief of taxpayers and planners, most of the estate
Misty Hussey ��������������������������������������misty@theexaminer�com, ext� 242
rules changed only slightly. The
estate and gift tax exemptions will Entertainment BUSINESS / ARCHIVES
be $5,250,000 in 2013, up from Taryn Sykes �����������������������������������������taryn@theexaminer�com, ext� 232
Edna Hetzel ������������������������������������������edna@theexaminer�com, ext� 234
$5,120,000 last year, and adjusted Neches River Festival ..................................4B
for inflation going forward. The top EDITING / GRAPHICS
In the Dark ...............................................26B
tax rate for estates and gifts exceed- Adam Balla ������������������������������������������adam@theexaminer�com, ext� 234
Joshua Cobb ������������������������������������joshua@theexaminer�com, ext� 224
ing these amounts will be 40%, up
Sounds.....................................................30B Justin Rabb ������������������������������������graphics@theexaminer�com, ext� 228
from 35% last year, but better than
the 55% rate that would have been Boys’ Haven Crawfish Festival .................31B
CONTRIBUTORS
the law had Congress not acted. And
Chad Cooper �������������������������������������cooper@theexaminer�com, ext� 227
JANA URIBE, CPA, a surviving spouse will still be able Living Sharon Brooks ����������������������������������sharon@theexaminer�com, ext� 241
IS A PARTNER AT
to access the unused portion of the Brenda Cannon Henley ������������������������brendacannonhenley@yahoo�com
POLLANS & COHEN P.C.
Jennifer Johnson �����������������������������jennifer@theexaminer�com, ext� 231
estate exemption of the deceased Kevin King �������������������������������������������kevin@theexaminer�com, ext� 225
Garden Gate ................................................7C
husband or wife. Clay Thorp ����������������������������������������������clay@theexaminer�com, ext� 222
Crossword...................................................9C
SALES / MARKETING
It’s important to note that the exemption applies to both
Diane King ������������������������������������������diane@theexaminer�com, ext� 240
Fishing with Kids .....................................13C
inheritances and lifetime gifts. The cumulative combined Taryn Sykes �����������������������������������������taryn@theexaminer�com, ext� 245
“transfer” exemption will be $5,250,000 whether the money Dana Craig Moore ��������������������������������dana@theexaminer�com, ext� 237
Felisha Davis ������������������������������������felisha@theexaminer�com, ext� 258
is given away before or after you die. In addition, you can Extras
Bryan LaCroix ���������������������������������������bryan@theexaminer�com, ext� 254
give away up to $14,000 annually to as many recipients as
you like without tapping into your lifetime transfer tax
exemption. WWE returns
to Beaumont
Average folks with estates far under $5 million might won- Any erroneous reflection upon the character,
Page 20 A standing or reputation of any person, firm or
der how any of this applies to them. But the reality is that corporation which may occur in the copy of The
Examiner will be gladly corrected upon being
everyone needs an estate plan. The backbone of your estate brought to the attention of the editor. Published
Thursday, 52 weeks a year. ISSN 1551-9198.
plan, a will, is an essential legal tool intended to ensure that The Examiner is published by The Examiner
Corporation. Copyright 2013 The Examiner
Corporation. All rights reserved.
your final wishes are honored. A will can also indicate who
will take care of your children should you pass away, and
Who Is This?
how the children can access their inheritance. If you want to
include your favorite charity in your estate plans, there are
This week’s “Who is This?” was born in Buffalo, Texas,
strategies available to benefit both family and charity alike.
and raised along with two sisters in Houston. She is an
extremely versatile and skilled person, according to Vel, one
of her closest friends. “That woman can do anything,” Vel
says. “She has been a wedding coordinator; she’s a decorator
and a seamstress; she’s a gourmet cook; she’s the most
POLLANS & talented person I know.” Growing up, she enjoyed playing
softball and studying. After graduating from Milby High
School in Houston, she attended the University of Texas,
where she left with a degree in medical technology and a
COHEN, P.C.
husband. They were married in 1962 and in 1966 moved to
Beaumont, where her husband took a job as a professor with
Lamar University. She worked in medical laboratories for
many years and was even as a product manager for Helena
Certified Public Accountants
Laboratories, Domestic and International Operations. She
also owned an event planning company named Perfectly
470 Orleans Street • Beaumont, TX 77701 Yours. Despite her many skills and work ethic, she would be
become known as a loving and caring volunteer.
[phone]
Answer on page 15 B
May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner 3 A
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4 A May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner
Matchmaker, please give my money back
Dating service provides little more than frustration to clients don’t know what he’s saying ‘yes’ to.”
Although Wesley works part time at the Port
By Clay Thorp price until a client agreed. Neches Independent School District as a janitor, she
Staff Writer Naomie Guidry said she walked out of a training said the majority of Wesley’s income is Social Secu-
session for Matchmaker Matchmaker when she was
rity, which will go to Luna if Wesley is unable to
When Wesley Seelke, a 33-year-old mentally required to memorize scripts with dubious percent- break the contract.
challenged Nederland man, walked into Matchmak- ages and data designed to enroll clients. Kate went on to say one of Luna’s major selling
er Matchmaker, he couldn’t have realized his dream “I was in the training process of becoming what points — his “extensive database of singles” — is a
of finding the love of his life would lead nowhere. they call a ‘female dating councilor,’” she said. “My farce. She said having been open for less than a year,
Matchmaker Matchmaker, a new dating service official job duties would be pressuring these people Luna’s database of singles is not more than 250
nestled in an industrial park on Interstate 10, has when they come through the door and convincing people, compared to the thousands Luna claims to
been making waves since its opening in July 2012. them to sign a contract.” have.
Red and white signs with “Southeast Texas Singles” It seems Guidry got out at the right time. Months “Something needs to be done,” she said.
have popped up across Beaumont and the surround- later, at least two other employees would leave citing A 76-year-old recently widowed woman was also
ing area. But prospective and former employees at Luna’s verbal abuse and unethical business practices. one of Luna’s targets. In April, the woman, who asked
the new dating service said they One former employee of Matchmaker Match- that we identify her only as “Carrie,” said Luna pres-
were tired and disgusted with what maker who who asked that we identify her only as sured her into signing a $6,500 membership after
they viewed as unethical business “Kate” to prevent retaliation, said Luna almost six hours of high-pressure coercion.
practices from the owner, Harvey verbally abused both “By that time I didn’t even know what I was
Luna, who they said verbally employees and cli- doing,” she said. “I’ve never been that stressed out
abused clients, especially when it ents, especially the and confused in my life. I’ve never been pressured
came to money. Luna charges as latter, once it was clear like that.”
much as $10,000 for 24 “refer- they wouldn’t enroll in She and at least three other clients said Luna used
ences” wherein Luna texts or Luna’s service. The references to God and preacher Joel Olsteen to con-
e-mails clients the phone num- final straw for Kate was vince them it was God’s plan for them to have a
ber of a prospective date. Luna’s unethical treat- thousand-dollar date.
Many of Luna’s clients inter- ment of three clients — a “I guess I was just so depressed. He kept me there
viewed by The Examiner recently widowed elderly five hours or more. It was after dark before we got
said dates were rare and woman, a diabetic who out of there. He never ever ever quoted a price,” she
those paired with Harvey’s “match” begged to leave and Wesley said. “He came in in the last 10 minutes and asked
were scarred or disgusted by the experience. Seelke, a mentally chal- for a credit card. He got on his knees and badgered
Clients felt pressured and lied to, and many, most of lenged man from Nederland and badgered, ‘Joel Olsteen said this and Joel Ols-
whom were elderly, disabled women, spent up to six — all who were kept in teen said that,’ until I didn’t know where I was at.”
hours in a small room until they signed Luna’s con- Luna’s office for up to six hours until they signed for Carrie said her only source of income is Social
tract. a membership. Security and a small retirement from her husband
“I did not condone this,” Kate said. “I did not
Former employees, clients speak out who died less than three years ago, adding Luna used
think it was right.”
this to his advantage.
Online complaints from former employees and The Examiner caught up with Wesley Seelke and
“I was so vulnerable,” she said.
clients are extensive. Luna was co-owner of a num- his mother, Judy Seelke, who said her son is on par-
A third client interviewed by The Examiner told
ber of dating services in states across the country, tial Social Security disability for his mental disorder.
the same story.
and may have resulted to changing the service’s “He has a speech problem and he’s mentally chal-
“He was relentless,” said a 65-year-old disabled
name or moving to another city when complaints lenged,” Judy said of her 33-year-old son.
woman who we will identify here only as “Barb.” “I
became too widespread. Judy said she is her son’s legal guardian and was
mean, it was awful. He told me that he was gonna
Complaints go back as far as 2004 and connect shocked by the revelation that Luna had conned her
make sure that I signed the contract.”
Luna to dating services such as The Right One and son into a dating membership for which he has yet to
Luna kept Barb in a small room for hours until she
Two of Us Dating in Pennsylvania, Truly Happy in see a single date.
signed a $4,000 contract.
New Jersey and Together Dating and 2 of a Kind in “I didn’t know people were actually that mean,”
“I stayed with this man for three hours. He kept
Houston, with each company opening and closing she said.
me in there,” she said. “I was so confused, nervous,
within a few years, sometimes sooner. According to Wesley’s contract, Luna received
under duress that I couldn’t hardly see straight. It
His new business in Beaumont might have a dif- some $400 in cash on the day of Wesley’s consulta-
was just intense.”
ferent name — Matchmaker Matchmaker was incor- tion in March. Wesley must also pay some $213 a
Barb and others said they never saw a price or
porated under SageJax Inc. in July 2012 using Har- month for a total of about $4,000 for the member-
amount on their contracts until they got home.
vey’s real name, Javier Luna — but it seems Luna is ship.
“‘I want you to go ahead sign these papers,’” Barb
utilizing some of the same high-pressure, unethical After seeing her son’s contract, Judy said she
said Luna instructed her. “‘You can trust me. I’ll just
techniques to make clients cough up the cash. understood how her son could be duped.
tell you what they say.’ It was like I signed it just to
According to numerous former employees — “He says yes to everything. He don’t argue. He’s
get away.”
most of whom refused to be identified for fear of always saying, ‘yes,’” she said of her mentally chal-
Once Barb actually received a date, however, it
reprisal — Luna’s enrollment was based on income. lenged son. “If there’s a problem he just agrees and
was clear Luna had no interest in making the match
If he couldn’t get thousands, Luna would lower the says ‘yes.’ If someone calls, he’ll say ‘yes’ but he
of a lifetime.
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May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner 5 A
“The one time he sent me
someone, he was kin to my ex
in-law,” she said. “I mean, we
had the same last name! Some-
one kin to my ex-husband. He
was a dog.”
Luna’s hustle didn’t stop
there.
Albert Geisendorff, a
63-year-old disabled veteran,
said he was taken for some
$3,400. After almost four
hours of interrogation, Geisen-
dorff said he signed just to
escape.
“He wouldn’t tell me a price
on anything until I had filled
out all the paperwork and went
through the interview, and
then he came back after about
three hours and laid that piece
of paper showing $3,400, and
I said, ‘Aww, no man. I ain’t
got that kind of money.’”
Joel Olsteen and Jesus were
a familiar selling point for
Geisendorff, he said.
“He’d get between me and
the door and start talking about
Joel Olsteen and asking if I
was a Christian,” he said.
“When he started talking about
that, I thought this was weird.
I just signed the papers to get
the hell outa there.”
According to the BBB of
Southeast Texas, Luna’s
Matchmaker Matchmaker had
an F rating as of February 2013,
based on one unanswered com-
plaint. A call to Dispute Reso-
lution director Jay Sheppard of
the BBB revealed there have
been at least two other com-
plaints prompting Luna’s rating
to change as of Wednesday,
May 8. In an e-mail, Sheppard
said an alert has been posted
on the Matchmaker Matchmak-
er BBB Business Review
Report. Consumers in need of
assistance regarding Match-
maker Matchmaker should
contact the BBB at www.bbb.
org/southeast-texas/business-
reviews/dating-service/match-
maker-matchmaker-in-beau-
mont-tx-90054961.
“Consumers in need of
See MATCH on page 12 A
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6 A May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner
May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner 7 A
Reaud Excellence in Education Award
As part of its ongoing com-
mitment to support education,
The Beaumont Foundation
recently selected 16 teachers
from an impressive collection
of nominations submitted by
schools throughout Southeast
Texas for the Wayne A. Reaud
Excellence in Education
Award. Each award recipient
was honored at an awards gala
and received a crystal obelisk,
a portrait and $10,000.
The awards were created to
celebrate and recognize supe-
rior contributions of teachers
whose leadership and dedica-
tion inspire a spirit of learning
in students of all backgrounds
and abilities. The program
provides public recognition
and financial rewards to edu-
cational professionals who are
furthering excellence in edu-
cation.
Wayne A. Reaud, chairman
of the board, said, “Education
is the key to a better future and
great teachers are the key to
education. Our winners are
outstanding representatives of
excellence in education.”
Also presented were the
2013 Gilbert I. “Buddy” Low
Excellence in Education and
2013 Newton Excellence in Wayne A. Reaud, chairman of the board for The Beaumont Foundation, poses with Excellence in Education award recipients.
Education awards. Photo by Brandon Gouthier
2013 Reaud Excellence in Education recipients
Elementary Middle School
Janet Bland, Bridge City Intermediate School, Bridge City ISD David A. Arena, Central Middle School, Nederland ISD
Rebecca Dougharty, J.F Parnell Elementary School, Jasper ISD Jeffrey Farley, Marshall Middle School, Beaumont ISD
Beth Holder, China Elementary School, Hardin-Jefferson ISD Susie Brooks, Henderson Middle School, Hardin-Jefferson ISD
Michelle Lockwood-Snodgrass, Wheatley School of Early Childhood Programs, Port Arthur ISD Nancy Kiker, Buna Junior High School, Buna ISD
Jennifer L. Wright, Regina Howell Elementary School, Beaumont ISD Michelle Reynolds, Vidor Middle School, Vidor ISD
Lisa Roedahl, Port Neches Middle School, Port Neches-Groves ISD
High School 2013 Gilbert I. “Buddy” Low Excellence in Education recipients
Lorissa Lene-Bailey, Hamshire-Fannett High School, Hamshire-Fannett ISD Angela Haney, Huntington Elementary School, Huntington ISD
Ross A. Boothman, Lumberton High School, Lumberton ISD Shelley C. Fisette, Hemphill Middle School, Hemphill ISD
Fred Cascio, Orangefield High School, Orangefield ISD Rodney McLerran, San Augustine High School, San Augustine ISD
Melanie Pharis, West Brook High School, Beaumont ISD
Deborah Kea Prihoda, Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School, Diocese of Beaumont
2013 Newton Excellence in Education recipients
Elementary High School
Betty Burgoon, Charles L. Waters Elementary School, Lubbock ISD Sam Black, Lubbock High School, Lubbock ISD
Joy Burkhalter, Crestview Elementary School, Frenship ISD Jamie B. Wormsbaker, Roosevelt High School, Roosevelt ISD
2013 Donley Excellence in Education Recipients
Middle School
Lupe Salcido, Lea Elementary School, Lovington Municipal Schools
Cheryl Mosher, Frenship Middle School, Frenship ISD Sally Bland, Tatum Jr/Sr High School, Tatum Municipal Schools
Kara Swindell, Margaret Talkington School for Young Women Leaders, Lubbock ISD Paula J. Seeker, Hobbs High School, Hobbs Municipal Schools
8 A May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner
ENDORSED BY
INTERNATIONAL LONGSHOREMEN’S ASSOCIATION
LOCAL 1316 LOCAL 1924 LOCAL 21
30 YEARS PORT EXPERIENCE
SAM J. SERIO JR.
FOR PORT COMMISSIONER, WARD 2
• BEAUMONT NATIVE
• KELLY HIGH SCHOOL & LAMAR UNIVERSITY GRADUATE Trustees Mike Neil and Tom Neild
• RETIRED FROM PORT OF BEAUMONT 30 YEARS SERVICE
BISD trustees end
POL. ADV. PD. FOR BY THE SAM SERIO JR. CAMPAIGN.
document search
COMPUTERIZED 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT
White Tire Celebrating 75 Years!
By Jennifer Johnson were likewise duped regarding
• Computerized Tuneups & Engine Diagnostics Metro Editor the contents of the final pro-
Supply Inc. • Indicator Light Analysis & Repairs posed agreement they had
• Complete AirConditioning Repair A hearing conducted Tues- approved, and Reece signed
• Fuel Injection Service day morning, May 7, in the on May 1, 2012.
COMPLETE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR • Service Interval Maintenance 136th District Court of Jeffer- “Needless to say, the public
• Vibration Analysis son County essentially ended a reaction was and remains
Dependable Service Since 1938 • Total Brake Service nearly yearlong battle for doc- widespread and negative.”
832-3456 • Steering & Suspension Repairs uments waged by two sitting At the recent May 7 court
• Driveline Repairs Beaumont Independent School hearing, Trustee Neil gave
1000 Liberty - Downtown District trustees against the sworn testimony to the court
Hours:
Mon-Fri entity they serve. BISD trust- that he was informed the infor-
7:30-5:00
ees Tom Neild and Mike Neil mation he sought – specifical-
National Institute for filed the suit against the school ly e-mail exchanges between
AUTOMOTIVE
SERVICE district and, originally, its BISD’s attorney and the attor-
EXCELLENCE
attorney Tanner Hunt after ney representing superinten-
learning they were being dent candidate Chargois – did
www.whitetiresupply.com
denied information requested not exist.
in the wake of new superinten- “They did not deny (giving
dent Dr. Timothy Chargois’ me) the documents; they denied
botched employment contract, the existence of the docu-
which came in the form of an ments,” Neil said. But, accord-
Bryant Champagne automatic pay raise that board ing to him, common sense told
H Fire Chief, Orange County Emergency Services District #1 members expressly wanted him those documents did exist.
excluded. Both plaintiff trust- After filing suit against BISD
H LIT Alumnus ees said they were told no such and Hunt, the documents Neil
“The success rate for LIT graduates is excellent because of the quality of the college’s automatic pay raise provision requested were found to exist
instructors. They really put forth the effort – they assist you, even tutor you – to see that would be approved; however, – and, after deposing Chargois’
you make the grade. LIT puts the tools out there, and if you apply yourself you will be according to Neil and Neild, attorney, the trustee was given
last-minute changes allowed the requested correspondence.
successful. I worked a 53-hour week in firefighting while taking a full load of night classes
such a provision to be signed Hunt released documents the
to get my associate degree. You can do it!”
into contract. The trustees then day after the lawsuit was filed
Bryant Champagne, Class of 1998 sought documentation to against him, and he was
reveal how such a clause was removed from further legal
entertained and ultimately proceedings.
accepted, but as stated in court “I went through the chain of
filings against BISD, they command and requested docu-
were unable to secure all the ments that I felt had to be in
requested information despite existence before I ever filed
being elected officials of the the lawsuit,” Neil said. “The
district’s school board. documents were not provided
According to information and I could tell by the context
855 East Lavaca H Beaumont
filed in court on behalf of Neil of some of the communica-
[phone] H 1-800-950-6989 H www.lit.edu and Neild, “Based on private tions that there had to be other
Register Now For Summer Classes and public published represen- documents out there.”
tations of other BISD trustees, Neil and Neild agree that at
May Mini Session Starts May 13
including (Board President this point in time, all of the
Lamar Institute of Technology is an equal opportunity/affirmative action educational institution and employer. Woodrow) Reece, plaintiffs documents that they requested
believe also other trustees See LAWSUIT on page 9 A
May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner 9 A
District goes back LAWSUIT provided in the first place.”
Vann deCordova, also an attorney for the
from page 8 A plaintiffs, said the lawsuit was necessary to
prove that no one, not even BISD, is above the
to drawing board had “probably” been provided.
law.
“Accordingly, with there being no issue left
“We’ll do this again if (Neil and Neild) are
regarding the trustees’ access to documents to
denied access again,” he said.
litigate, Judge Milton Shuffield dismissed the
David Bernsen, on behalf of BISD, filed a
BISD proposes a ‘new’ new map
case as being ‘moot,’” stated Mike Getz, an
counter argument in the court claiming that
attorney for the plaintiff trustees. “This case
the plaintiffs’ lawsuit was “frivolous,” and
By Jennifer Johnson resentation on this board. Per- was always about a school board trustee’s
seeking reimbursement of approximately
Metro Editor haps a new board would be a inherent right to access documents.
$70,000 in attorney fees paid by the district to
little bit more cooperative than “Our clients knew there were documents
defend the trustees’ allegations.
Number seven may be the this one.” out there that were not being produced, even
According to Getz, the fact that informa-
charm, but an audience gath- Also making a statement on after they were told that they had received
tion was received only after his clients filed a
ered at Beaumont Independent behalf of the Hispanic com- everything. They had to actually file a lawsuit
lawsuit proved that the measure was undoubt-
School District’s West Brook munity was Raul Garcia, who in order to obtain all of the documents that
edly “not frivolous in the least.”
campus Tuesday, May 7, told the board that, “The prob- they requested. They feel vindicated in their
sounded off against BISD’s lem of this board started when belief that they were being lied to. It is a Jennifer Johnson can be reached at (409) 832-
most recent redistricting map, it decided to ignore the will of shame that my clients had to go to such 1400, ext. 231, or by e-mail at jennifer@theexam-
which was only made avail- the people.” According to him, lengths to obtain what they should have been iner.com.
able for review the same day. it was a largely Hispanic vot-
BISD is redistricting as part of ing pool that pushed for chang-
a constitutional mandate that ing trustee districts from seven REGISTER NOW!
requires voting entities to re- single members (7/0) to that of
evaluate their district lines five single members with two
after each census to ensure fair at-large (5/2) representatives.
representation to all the popu- Flores agreed the 5/2 plan
lation. BISD’s map was found was the best way for Hispanics Classes Begin
out of compliance in 2010, and to garner elected representa-
multiple variations of a new tion. “At least then we’d have
map have been shopped an iota of a chance for repre-
around the board of trustees sentation. Now, we have zero June 3rd
and the community since 2011. chance,” he said.
The newest map, Map 7G, Garcia expanded on his
was made by the district’s comments, saying it was the
newest demographer, George trustees’ job to fight for what
J. Korbel. According to those the people voted into order,
opposed to the map, the recent and instead they have spent
edition splits county precinct tens of thousands of dollars of
lines, offers no representation taxpayer money to do the
for the Hispanic community, opposite.
and includes the local prison “The board should fight for
population, although prisoners us, not against us,” Garcia
are not allowed to vote. said. “Basically, you’re hold-
Beaumont LULAC (League ing democracy hostage. You’re
of United Latin American Citi- saying we don’t exist.
zens) president Roberto Flores “Brown people today are
said the BISD Board of Trust- the new blacks.”
ees is ignoring the plight of his Board president Woodrow
community. Reece said he has no problem
“Many on this board do not with his Hispanic constituents
want a Hispanic on this board,”
he said. “We do not have rep- See MAP on page 12 A
BISD Trustee Janice Brassard looks on as demographer
George J. Korbel talks about the new map at West Brook on
Tuesday, May 7.
10 A May 9-15, 2013 The Examiner
Orange County coast?
WWEE PPAAYY CCAASSHH FFOORR HHOOMMEESS!!
* Any Condition
Judge explains storm loss, keeping county in running for coastal grants
* Any Price Range
By Sharon Brooks County has contributed funds a levee study going on. The
Staff Writer to the restoration and installa- levee was actually specific to
tion of protective measures on the coastal counties. They (the
At their special court ses- the coast, so he believes no federal government) left us out
sion scheduled Monday, May additional funds that could be because we are not a ‘coastal
281-910-7286 6, commissioners approved a requested as a match for the county.’ We are not actually on
resolution appointing County grant money should the coast. We are on
Judge Carl Thibodeaux as the be necessary. Howev- Sabine Lake. The
Orange County representative er, if requests for judge found out about
and negotiator with the Gulf matching funds for the meetings, so he
Coast Community Protection any future projects actually went to those
and Recovery District Inc. were made, the meetings and found
“I received a letter from the requests would be out what was going
attorney for the corporation,” brought before the on and told them, ‘I
Thibodeaux said, “and there is commissioners court don’t think you under-
a possibility we may be apply- for approval. Other stand.’ He told them
ing for $4 million in govern- counties potentially that we indeed did
ment grants to protect the coast included in the grant Thibodeaux sustain millions of
from future hurricanes. Basi- request and coastal dollars worth of dam-
cally, what this resolution is construction efforts include age to homes and places like
for is to allow myself — I am Brazoria, Galveston, Cham- that. So they included us in
the Orange County representa- bers and Jefferson counties. that levee study and that levee
tive on the Board of Directors According to Pct. 4 Com- program. We were fortunate
— to authorize the president missioner Jody Crump, with- enough to be extended the
of the board to seek this fund- out the judge’s efforts, Orange right to get into the program,
ing and to apply for this spend- County would have been and that extended actual grant
ing.” excluded from the levee study dollars toward us that they had
He said he provided a letter leading to the grant that could already approved for the pro-
to each of the commissioners provide funds in excess of $4 gram. Kudos to Judge
explaining the necessity of the million to the counties apply- Thibodeaux for seeing what
measure. Thibodeaux said he ing. was going on and getting us
has already asserted to the “Probably last year, Judge involved.”
board in question that Orange Thibodeaux got involved with See ORANGE on page 13 A
Promotional song names
every town in Jefferson Co.
By Sharon Brooks munity Protection and Recovery District Inc. to
Staff Writer take necessary action to seek community devel-
opment block grant disaster recovery funding
Jefferson County Commissioners approved from the Texas General Land Office or any
measures to go forward with the Pleasure other required governmental agency. Orange
Island Revised Breakwater Project and pro- County Commissioners approved a similar
claimed May 4 through 12 “National Travel measure at their May 6 meeting. See related
and Tourism Week” at a May 6 meeting at article on this page.
the Jefferson County Courthouse. Ben J. Rogers Regional Visitors
Under purchasing items, commis- Center director Kathi Hughes
sioners awarded LUHR Brothers accepted a proclamation from com-
Inc. a $2,276,451 contract for the missioners declaring May 4 through
base bid and additive alternate No. 1 May 12 “National Travel and Tour-
related to the Pleasure Island ism Week” in Jefferson County.
Revised Breakwater Project. The Commissioner Everett “Bo”
$619,690 for the additive alternate is Alfred read the proclamation, which
to be paid in full by the city of Port included statistical data regarding tour-
Arthur. Commissioners approved the corre- ism in Texas and Jefferson County. Accord-
sponding interlocal agreement between Port ing to the information presented to commis-
Arthur and Jefferson County for the funds to be sioners, tourism brought 208 million domestic
CARLITO'S LUNCH FAJITA'S contributed to the project, which is meant to travelers and more than $63.2 billion into Texas
$6.99 provide shoreline protection for Pleasure last year, supporting approximately 545,000
A TASTE OF MEXICO FOR THOSE WHO LIKE IT HOT Island. jobs. Jefferson County benefited from $447
LUNCH PLATES
2610 COLLEGE BEAUMONT Commissioners approved a measure allow- million in direct spending from tourism and
409-839-8011 FAX-IN ORDERS 409-839-8299 $5.99 ing Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick to
CLOSED ON SUNDAYS authorize the president of the Gulf Coast Com- See JEFFERSON on page 13 A