Local Roundup

​Lamar State College Orange proudly celebrated the grand opening and ribbon cutting of its new Student Success Center on April 15, 2025, welcoming local officials, college leadership, community partners, and students to a milestone event in the college’s growth and service to students.

The Student Success Center, located at 602 Green Avenue, represents the transformation of a historic community landmark. Originally constructed in 1914 as the First Baptist Church of Orange, the building was donated to LSCO by the Stark Foundation in 2021. With funding secured during the 88th Texas Legislative Session, the facility has been restored and repurposed to serve as a centralized hub for key student services.

The new space now houses Admissions, Advising, Financial Aid, Recruiting, Cashiering, and the Dean of Student Success, bringing these departments together under one roof to streamline the student experience.

“This building stood for over a century as a gathering place for the community, and today it enters a new chapter as a gathering space for learners, dreamers, and future leaders,” said LSCO President Dr. Tom Johnson during the ceremony. “Its purpose may be new, but its commitment to the people of Orange remains the same. We are proud to honor its history while transforming it into a space that will serve generations of Gators to come.”

Guests in attendance included Texas State University System Chancellor Dr. Brian McCall, elected officials, and representatives from the Stark Foundation, Hill International, and G&G Enterprises. The event concluded with a ceremonial ribbon cutting and invitation to tour the space. Guests also had the opportunity to participate in a time capsule project, curated by LSCO students and organizations, to commemorate the opening.

The Student Success Center arrives during a time of record growth for the college. This spring, LSCO reported its highest-ever spring enrollment with 3,543 students, a 20% increase over Spring 2024. The college also experienced a 21% increase in contact hours, driven by its commitment to accessible, high-quality education and its expansion of programs and support services.

The opening of the Student Success Center underscores LSCO’s continued mission to serve students and strengthen the future of Southeast Texas through education, innovation, and community partnerships.

Orange County voters will soon head to the polls as early voting for the May 3 election begins on April 22-25, 2025, and continues on April 28-29, 2025. Residents are encouraged to participate in local elections that will shape leadership across multiple cities and districts.

Early voting polling locations and hours are as follows:

• April 22-25: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

• April 28-29: 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Polling sites include:

• Orange Public Library, Ira Williamson Meeting Room, 220 N Fifth Street, Orange, Texas 77630

• Orange County Expo Center, Dupont Room, 11475 FM 1442, Orange, TX 77630

• Orange County Airport, Conference Room, 2640 Hwy 87, Orange, Texas 77630

• Raymond Gould Community Center, Main Room, 385 Claiborne, Vidor, Texas 77662

The last day to apply for a mail-in ballot is April 22. Applications should be mailed to:

Donna Alford, Early Voting Clerk
Orange County Elections Administration
123 South Sixth Street
Orange, Texas 77630

Candidates on the ballot include:

City of Orange:

• District 4: Mary McKenna and Alan Mesecher

• At Large: George Mortimer and Reginald Broussard

Bridge City:

• Place 5/At Large: Chris Bouley and Lucy Fields

Vidor:

• Mayor: Misty Songe Hart, Trevor Daughtry, Ashley Hall, Kenneth Luce, Nicole McGowan, and Shawn Volkman

• Ward 1: Kelly Carder and Jerrod Nash

• Ward 6: Kathryn Weldon and Deborah Gatlin

For more information about the upcoming election, early voting, or mail-in ballots, please contact the Orange County Elections Administration Office.

In a bold step toward improving flood preparedness and community resilience, the City of Orange has partnered with Lamar University’s Center for Resiliency to launch Texas’s first flood monitoring program using QR-coded water gauges. This innovative initiative is the first of its kind in the state and draws inspiration from a successful model in Folly Beach, South Carolina.

The project will install 20 “staff gages”—marked rulers equipped with QR codes—at strategic flood-prone locations throughout Orange. During heavy rain or flooding events, residents will be encouraged to take photos of the water levels and upload them via the QR code. These time-stamped images will feed into a centralized, real-time database that will support emergency response, infrastructure planning, and scientific research.

“This will help us continue to gather data to help us rebuild, monitor, and ensure that we’re prepared for whatever may happen in the future,” said Mayor Larry Spears Jr. “We know that the east and southeast sides of our community are close to the water and definitely in a floodplain area.”

Lamar University graduate students will GPS-locate each gage to ensure precise elevation data, which will be referenced to sea level. This geospatial information will enhance the accuracy of flood modeling for agencies such as the National Weather Service and the Texas Water Development Board.

“This is a community-supported Flood Watch program,” said Lamar University Professor Liv Haselbach. “We’re very excited because I believe this program is the first in Texas. The city is working with our students and staff to make it happen.”

The City’s Public Works Department has identified the initial installation sites, focusing on areas vulnerable to tidal flooding, storm surge, riverine overflow from the Sabine River, and street flooding due to heavy rainfall. The program empowers residents and improves immediate disaster response and long-term flood mitigation efforts.

“This is going to help us mitigate and prevent loss of property and, hopefully, lives,” added Mayor Spears. “We’ve been talking about flood mitigation for years, and now our residents will not only hear about what we’re doing—they’ll be able to see it in action and take part.”

While a specific installation date has not yet been set, the city confirmed the project is being expedited.

“We’ll have them done as soon as possible,” said Mayor Spears. “Once I get the final update from staff, we’ll share it with the community.”

Mayor Spears also expressed appreciation for the collaboration, stating, “On behalf of the City of Orange, we sincerely thank Dr. Jaime Taylor and everyone involved. This is a true example of partnership and progress.”

The Lutcher Theater is taking audiences on a haunting and hopeful journey to the underworld and back with the acclaimed Broadway musical Hadestown. Winner of eight 2019 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, “Hadestown” is a spellbinding experience that has captivated theatergoers across the country—and now it’s coming to Southeast Texas for two performances on April 21 and 22, 2025.

Intertwining two mythic love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone, Hadestown is a place where a song can change your fate. Featuring the soul-stirring music and lyrics of celebrated singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell and the visionary direction of Rachel Chavkin (“Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”), the production blends folk, jazz, and New Orleans Preservation Hall-inspired rhythms into a genre-defying theatrical event.

“From the moment the first note hits, ‘Hadestown’ pulls you into a world of unforgettable music, breathtaking storytelling, and the timeless themes of love, loss, and hope,” said Lynae Sanford, executive director of the Lutcher Theater. “This is a show that will stay with you long after the curtain falls.”

A vibrant ensemble of actors, dancers, and musicians brings this gripping tale to life. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. Whether you’re new to the myths or know the stories by heart, “Hadestown” is a bold and beautiful reminder of the power of love and the price of dreams.

Tickets for “Hadestown” range in price from $45 to $100 and are available at lutcher.org or by calling the Lutcher Theater Box Office at 409.886.5535.

The Lutcher Theater is located at 707 Main Avenue in downtown Orange, TX.

Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) is celebrating unprecedented growth this Spring 2025 semester, setting new enrollment records across the board. The college has reached a headcount of 3,543 students, a 20% increase compared to Spring 2024’s enrollment of 2,945. Contact hours have risen to 604,976, a 21% increase from last spring’s 497,936.

This significant growth reflects LSCO’s continued dedication to providing accessible, high-quality education and robust support services that help students succeed. Over the past few years, LSCO has introduced innovative programs aligned with regional workforce needs, expanded partnerships with local businesses and industries, and prioritized resources for first-generation students. These efforts, combined with flexible course options, online learning, and financial aid support, have helped position LSCO as a growth leader in two-year higher education across the state.

In addition to record enrollment, LSCO is gearing up to unveil its newest investment in student success. The college will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new Student Success Center on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. This newly renovated, historic space, once home to the First Baptist Church of Orange, has been reimagined as a central hub where students can access tutoring, advising, career coaching, financial aid support, and mentoring all in one location. The Student Success Center is the latest symbol of LSCO’s mission to provide comprehensive wraparound support that empowers students to stay on track and reach their goals.

“Our record-breaking enrollment this spring reflects the trust our community places in us and the incredible work of our faculty and staff,” said LSCO President Dr. Thomas Johnson. “The opening of the Student Success Center represents our ongoing commitment to every student who walks through our doors. This is more than just a building; it’s a promise that LSCO will support our students every step of the way.”

The community is invited to attend the April 15 ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10:00 a.m. and tour the new Student Success Center. The event will celebrate not only the physical transformation of a historic local building but also the college’s broader transformation into a thriving, student-centered institution.