Beausoleil opened up the Orange Riverfront Boardwalk & Pavilion celebration Friday.

Two people from Orange are hospitalized in Beaumont in stable condition after a wreck on FM 365 in Jefferson County Friday that involved five vehicles. A 47-year-old Beaumont man, Robert Edward Dewees, died in the accident. The two people from Orange, Sharon Milligan and Donald Nolan, are at Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital. Two of Milligan's grandchildren, a 2-year-old and a 3-year-old, were not injured because they were in child protective seats, reports Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Stephanie Davis. The accident was at 11:20 a.m. at Hillebrandt Bayou. Davis said no vehicles ended up in the water. She said Dewees was driving his Ford pickup truck eastbound on FM 365 when it veered into traffic. Milligan was driving a Kia SUV and swerved to avoid the pickup. An SUV behind her collided with Dewees' truck. Dewees was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected. Then a Toyota truck hit Dewees. A fifth vehicle came and hit Milligan's SUV. The drivers of the three other vehicles were also taken to St. Elizabeth Hospital in stable condition. Those vehicles didn't have passengers. The wreck closed traffic on the road for more than two hours.

No serious injuries were reported in a three-vehicle accident on Highway 87 North near about 7:30 Friday morning. A pickup truck traveling north and an SUV traveling south hit each other. The collision knocked a wheel off the SUV. The pickup truck landed in a ditch along the southbound lane and the SUV was on the side of the road on the northbound lane. Another pickup truck traveling south landed in a ditch trying to avoid the debris. The speed limit on the two-lane highway is 65 mph at the site.

A decomposed body was found in the Neches River Thursday about 8 p.m. near the Purple Heart Bridge at Interstate 10. A fisherman found the body and called 911. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office is handling the investigation because of the location on that side. Another decomposed body was found May 5 on the Orange County side near the same location. That body has not been identified though authorities believe it belongs to a male because of the size 12 Adidas tennis shoes. An autopsy could not determine the cause of death because of the decomposition. The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said the remains found Thursday have been sent to the medical examiner's office. At this time, the race, sex or age of the person cannot be determined. It is too early to tell if the bodies have any connection.

The two city parks in West Orange now have a night-time curfew and other new rules. The West Orange City Council Tuesday night agreed to the rules because of recent problems in the parks. Council members Shirley Bonnin and Mike Trahan served on the committee that set the rules, along with Public Works Director Mike Stelly and City Secretary Theresa Van Meter. The rules apply to Seale-Alford Plaza next to City Hall on Western Avenue and Caffey Park on Burnett and Lansing streets by Wesco Field. The park hours will be 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Other rules are: No powered inflatable devices unless at a city-sponsored event, No generators, No skates, rollerblades, skateboards, bicycles or motorized vehicles; No glass battles, No alcohol, No weapons or firearms, No loud music or excessive noise, Animals must be on a leash, All trash must be placed in trash receptacles, No tobacco products. In other business Tuesday, council members Mike Trahan and Chuck Winter, plus Mayor Roy McDonald, took their oaths of office for new terms. Councilwoman Shirley Bonnin, who has been on the council since 1998, was chosen once again to serve as mayor pro tem. The council also approved a new plan for a fund-raising 5-K run sponsored by the West Orange-Stark High Alumni organization. Last month the council rejected the request because of concerns that it would block traffic in the city. An adjusted plan got approval. A date has not been set for the benefit run.

Thursday afternoon a load of logs headed to the mill overturned as the driver was turning south on Hwy. 87 from Hwy. 12.

Bridge City Intermediate has "Got Some Talent!! The Bridge City Intermediate had there annual "Talent Show" on Thursday, May 16th. There was a broad spectrum of talent; singing, dancing, playing electric guitar, piano playing, gymnastics, hip-hop dance, modern dance, acting skits, and more! It was a true delight to see all the local talent at Bridge City Intermediate.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s Law Enforcement Division has formed a new Marine Investigations Unit made up of Texas game wardens who will work to combat boat theft, personal watercraft theft and related fraud. The new unit, part of the Law Enforcement Division’s Special Operations section, will operate on a statewide basis. The nine game wardens assigned to the new unit met together for the first time earlier this week for initial training and equipment issuance. “While all 532 Texas game wardens handle boat and personal watercraft theft as part of their routine duties, we believe this new unit will help TPWD better focus on these high dollar crimes,” said Chief of Special Operations Grahame Jones. “Not only are we interested in apprehending thieves and recovering stolen boats, we think the new unit will be able to proactively prevent some offenses.” The wardens assigned to the new unit will be the regional contacts for all marine theft, tax fraud, and title fraud investigations, said Capt. Greg Williford, who will supervise the new unit along with Sgt. Ned Nichols. Williford said all wardens will continue working these types of investigations, but will be passing on intelligence to the new unit and otherwise working with the wardens assigned to the unit. “TPWD handles $47 million a year in boat registration fees,” Williford said. “Unfortunately, it’s pretty tempting for boat owners or thieves to try to dodge registration fees or otherwise commit fraud. And when it comes to boat theft, Texas always ranks in the top three states nation-wide. There is only a 10 percent recovery rate compared with roughly 70 percent in vehicle theft. With this new unit, we want to get that boat recovery percentage heading upward in Texas.”

West Orange Police Department calls April 25-May 15

Throughout the school year, 7th through 10th grade members of Community Christian School’s Robotics Club met weekly to design and build robots to perform various activities. The club members ended the year by dividing into two teams for a friendly competition at school. The competition included having the robots play soccer and golf, and complete an obstacle course. Members of the CCS Robotics Club are: (kneeling) Josh Howard, Marcus Delarosa, Justin Meaux, Marissa Gray; (standing): Anna Marie Anderson - sponsor, Jordan Humble, Marlaina Delarosa, Skylar Menard, Nathan Rose, Alayna Bergeron, Nathaniel Willett.

This 2007 gray Dodge Ram truck was damaged in the Kroger parking lot Tuesday evening, May 14 between 6:30 and 7 pm. If you saw something or someone suspicious around the truck at anytime between 3 - 7:30 pm, please send an email to krogerwreck@yahoo.com. There is a $300 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction. The Orange Police Department is treating this as a criminal mischief case.

The Stark Museum of Art, located at 712 Green Avenue in Orange, Texas, will host a Book Discussion of Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2013. Organized in relation to the Museum's exhibition Wild Beauty: The New Mexico Setting and to the Southeast Texas Big Read program, this event offers the public an opportunity to discuss the novel while looking at the paintings by Southwestern artists that feature New Mexico as the subject matter. The Book Discussion program is included with regular admission to the Museum.  For more information, call 409.886.ARTS (2787) or visit www.starkmuseum.org.

Orange County Unit of the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA), installed new officers recently. From Left to Right: Linda Renfro ,Treasurer; Kay Kline, First-Vice President; Carolyn Williams, Outgoing President; Harvey Wilson, Incoming President; Doris Wilson, Secretary; Miekle Hoffman, Second Vice- President. Founded in 1953 the Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) is the largest association for retired public school and higher education employees and now ranks number one in membership in the nation. Orange County has over 180 members. If you are a retired public school employee, you are invited to become an active member of the Orange County Retired Teachers Association and the TRTA. If you are a person who is interested in educational issues, such as a friend or a spouse of a member, you may join as an associate member. For more information contact Harvey Wilson at 886-4804.

	The LCM Battlin Bear Band Colorguard is proud to announce their officers for the 2013-2014 school year. Senior Captain Laura Daleo (left) and Lieutenant Hannah Hodges, a sophomore, are both excited to lead the guard of 19 members. Under the direction of Shannon Autry, the 2013-14 LCM Colorguard has grown from 7 members during the 2012-2013 school year to the current 19 members.

Orange Deputy Fire Chief Jerry Ziller said the fire Tuesday morning on Pacific Street is suspicious and the fire marshal is asking for help identifying anyone who might have been at the vacant house. The house at 2408 Pacific was gutted by the fire that was reported at 10:15 a.m. Ziller said firefighter Aaron Long suffered second degree burns on his arm while fighting the blaze. Long was treated and released from the Baptist Orange Hospital emergency room. Anita Scott, who lives next door to the house, said she was getting ready for work when she heard popping sounds outside. She looked out and saw smoke coming out of the house and she phoned for help. She and her son got out of their house because they were scared the fire could spread. Smoke blew into their house and they could see flames coming out of the roof of the burning house. The house that burned was scheduled for demolition by the City of Orange. Scott said the house didn't have electricity or natural gas service.

Class of 2013 Valedictorians and Salutatorians

New Orange City Councilwoman Mary McKenna has resigned her appointed position on the Board of Directors for the Housing Authority of Orange. She told KOGT's Glenn Earle that she sent a resignation letter on Monday and the effective date was Monday. McKenna took the oath of office at the council meeting Tuesday morning to become the new representative for single-member District 4. Tommy Ferguson took the oath for District 2. Both are newcomers to the council and defeated incumbents in Saturday's election. Incumbent Bill Mello took the oath to serve in the at-large Position 5. He had no opponent in the election. All will serve a three-year term, changing from the previous two-year terms. During the business portion, the council re-appointed District 1 Councilwoman Theresa Beauchamp to serve as mayor pro tem. The council also voted to annex less than an acre at 125 Happy Home Drive at the request of the property owner. The tract is off the Interstate 10 west access road and east of Highway 62. The city received a $92,211 grant and will put overlays of 1.5 inch of asphalt on Bluebonnet Street and Zeto Drive. Council also agreed to purchase road materials in advance of Orange County doing any road projects in the city limits.

Buffy McPayne Doiron of Orangefield opened her own Independent Insurance Agency in Mid-county in 2012 and at the annual convention in Las Vegas she received the 2012 "Rookie Branch of the Year" award with TWFG ( The Woodlands Financial group)

The Pinehurst City Council Tuesday set a test area of Nightingale and Camelot streets to get the proposed one-a-week garbage pick-up service from Republic Waste. The company has wanted to distribute large, wheeled garbage cans to Pinehurst customers and cut back from once-a-week service. KOGT’s Glenn Earle reports that some worry that frail and feeble citizens will not be able to handle the garbage cans. Councilman Dan Mohon told Earle that about 60 homes will be in the test area and that certainly a few of the people might not be able to use the large cans. He said help will be provided if someone can’t handle the garbage can. The City Council will use comments from the test group to see if once-a-week service will be implemented throughout the city. Earle said the test group will begin the new garbage schedule in early to mid-June. City Administrator Joe Parkhurst told Earle that council members John Zerko and Dan Mohon will serve with him on a committee to negotiate a new contract with the Pinehurst Police Association. Negotiations will begin in June for the 2013-14 budget year. In addition, council members Dan Barclay and Ron Cowling will serve on the budget committee with Parkhurst.

A 22-year-old woman was cut with a knife during a fight at the City of Orange's Sunset Park Monday evening. Orange Police Officer R.C. Campbell said he was sent to the park on 16th Street about 6:30 p.m. because of a fight. The victim, Domonique Guidry of Beaumont, ended up going to Baptist Orange Hospital Orange emergency room. Campbell reported she was treated and released. Detective Captain Cliff Hargrave said the suspect in the cutting is a woman who has a baby with the man the victim is currently dating.

Orange County Commissioners Court got a timely update Monday from Patrick Beebe, director of the mosquito control department. He said the recent rains could make an increase in mosquito activity. 'By the end of the week things could pick up,' he said. The ground spraying equipment and the county's mosquito spray plane are ready to go if needed. He said mosquitoes haven't been as bad this year as last year. This year, the county has spent $40,000 on chemicals for ground spraying compared to $89,000 this time last year. After the first four months of last year, the county had spend $196,000 on aerial spray chemicals and none this year. In other business, the county accepted a road bond to cover possible damage caused by the use of heavy equipment using county roads. One road leads to the east bank of the Neches River where the U.S. Maritime Service is building a docking facility for large ships. KOGT's Glenn Earle reports that a huge crane will be moved down the road. County Judge Carl Thibodeaux said he thinks one bond is not sufficient. He said the weight of vehicles isn't as important as the number of vehicles using the road. The other road bond is for the Lakeview area where a Houston-based oil and gas company will be drilling.

Look Left and "Cast Your Vote"

Show Off Your Senior! KOGT is now accepting photos from the Class of 2013 to be feature in our Photo Gallery. Email jpeg photos to KOGT.  Only one photo per senior please. Tyler Hodgkinson - BC

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION DATES Community - Thurs. May 30 at 7pm at the School Bridge City - Fri. May 31 at 8pm at Larry Ward Stadium Orangefield - Fri. May 31 at 7:30pm at FL McClain Stadium Deweyville - Fri. May 31 at 7:30pm at the HS Gym LCM - Sat. June 1 at 2pm at LU Montagne Center Vidor - Sat June 1 at 2pm at Beaumont Civic Center West Orange-Stark - Fri. June 7 at 6pm at DRH Stadium

	Collie mix  found on Friday in the Echo area - call 330-1653 if this is your dog Sadie went missing Saturday in Orange off of Harding Circle. She is a 3 year old female pug and she has a pink collar. Contact Casey if you've seen her 409-988-4462

The cities of Pinehurst and West Orange continue to deal with slight declines in sales tax receipts for 2013. The figures from the Texas Comptroller for the first three months of the year show Pinehurst to be behind 3.17 percent from 2012 and West Orange behind 1.58 percent. Bridge City, Orange, Vidor and Orange County have increases. Some of the large decreases and increases in monthly returns have been attributed to adjustments. Sometimes a sales tax from a business in one city is attributed by the state to another city. Later, the mistake gets adjusted.
Local sales tax receipts for March are:
Orange County (0.5 percent tax)
March: $431,203--12.7 percent increase from March 2012
Year to Date: $2,026,604—24.39 percent increase from 2012
Emergency Services District No. 3 (1.5 percent tax)
March: $80,393
Year to Date: $375,988 (The district had large increases earlier this year because of corrected accounting mistakes. Comparisons are not accurate.)
Bridge City (1.5 percent tax)
March: $121,794—2.83 percent increase from March 2012
Year to Date: $512,726—5.02 percent increase from 2012
Orange (1.5 percent tax)
March: $311,375—minus 9.56 percent from March 2012
Year to Date: $1,493,855—4.35 percent increase from 2012
Pinehurst (1.5 percent tax)
March: $65,380—minus 3.83 percent from March 2012
Year to Date: $300,760—minus 3.17 percent from 2012
Vidor (1.5 percent tax)
March: $216,666—minus 3.28 percent from March 2012
Year to Date: $939,439—4.80 percent increase from 2012
West Orange (1.25 percent)
March: $95,732—minus 0.01 percent from March 2012 (an $18 drop)
Year to date: $448,230—minus 1.58 percent from 2012

Beaumont police are looking for a 'person of interest' in connection with the April shooting death of a Bridge City man. On Tuesday, police asked for help in finding 21-year-old Kerry Collier of Beaumont. Last week, 23-year-old Derek Robinson of Beaumont was arrested in connection with the April 4 shooting of 22-year-old Nicholas Rosen. Rosen had been shot in the head while a passenger in a car at a house in the 1000 block of Gage Street in Beaumont. Police said the people in the car had gone to the house to buy drugs. The driver drove Rosen to the hospital after he was shot in the head. Rosen died at the hospital on April 18. Anyone with information leading to Collier should call Beaumont Crime Stoppers at 409-833-TIPS.

Clay mud caked the roadway as a small backhoe dug through layers of history. A narrow trench with straight sides went down more than five feet. At the bottom was an 1800s' casket. Archeologist Dr. Roger Moore of Houston marked the location but left the casket undisturbed. His marking will assure that new work on Cooper's Gully will not cut into any unmarked gravesites in the historic Hollywood Cemetery. more

The old, vacant Pine Grove housing project on Park Avenue will soon be demolished to make way for a new, gated complex for senior citizens of low to moderate income. The Orange Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday agreed to a request from the project's contractor to give up the right-of-way to Pine Grove Street. City Council must approve the measure before it becomes final. Don Ball said the complex with 80 units is being built through the Orange Housing Authority. The housing authority operates under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Pine Grove Street runs off of Park Avenue and makes a semi-circle through the complex and runs to Wickard Drive. Pine Grove apartments have not been used since Hurricane Rita in 2005. A local non-profit group tried for a while to try to purchase the site to demolish the apartments and use the nine acres for something else. The complex is near Adam's Bayou and across the street from the nature area of Shangri-La. Pine Grove has its roots back to World War II. Park Avenue in those days was U.S. Highway 90, also called The Old Spanish Trail. House trailers were set up in the area, which was considered 'out in the country,' for the workers in the wartime shipyards. After the war, the complex was built as public housing with one-story and two-story units across about nine acres. Public housing was segregated and for its first two decades, Pine Grove was for whites only.

Lamar State College-Orange is pleased to announce its 17th year to host College For Kids-Orange (CFKO) managed by the Continuing and Workforce Education office. With a bold look towards our future and the future of our alumni after high school, LSC-O has set a new vision for the CFKO program: "By the end of this decade, 75 percent of the alumni will continue their education beyond high school; 10 percent of the incoming class at LSCO will be alumni of the program; and the majority of alumni will stay in the Golden Triangle region to work and raise families" To accomplish this vision, at least 25 percent of the classes will represent STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators. STEM education fosters the first two pieces of our vision statement, the continuation of learning. We include an emphasis on local culture and history, with classes like Cajun Language and the Contributions of the Community of Color and the Perspective of Native Americans. By introducing diversity in our underlying regional values we hope to increase personal affinity to the Golden Triangle. Classes such as Hunting, Fishing, Martial Arts and Yoga, and the Stark Cultural Venues add insight into what is available in the region when not in school or working. Practical Math and introductions to vocational opportunities help the kids to better understand how school learning is put into practical use when they finish high school, and the need for further education to be successful. "The more our kids know about the region, the more they will appreciate all of the opportunities present here." "We are proud to have hosted these summer programs," said Lisa Cowart, director of Continuing and Workforce Education, "and proud to see how the program's alumni have done so well as they continued into high school." Afternoon classes will take place Monday-Thursday, June 17- June 20, and Monday-Thursday, June 24-27.For more information or to register for the 2013 College for Kids - Orange, go to www.CFKO.OrangeTX.info.

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