Local Roundup

As hurricane season approaches, Southeast Texas is on high alert, keeping a watchful eye on the Gulf of Mexico for any signs of developing storms.

“It’s not if another hurricane occurs, it’s simply a matter of when we get another hurricane,” said Congressman Randy Weber.

Officials are predicting an especially active hurricane season, prompting Southeast Texas leaders to take significant measures to mitigate potential damage.

“So the Galveston district has two coastal storm risk management projects that we’re currently working on the Texas coast. The first one we’ve been active in for several years, and that’s called the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay project. That project has three separable elements. One is in Port Arthur, one is in Orange, and one is in Freeport, Texas,” explained Rhett Blackmon, District Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Orange County has allocated $2.39 billion towards its portion of the project. Over the past two decades, the Gulf Coast has been repeatedly struck by hurricanes, prompting Congressman Randy Weber to support a separate project aimed at protecting the coast.

“This actually is the first federal dollars being allocated to the ‘Ike dike’ or coastal barrier protection, meaning that they can get started,” Weber said.

The Coastal Project, informally known as the “Ike Dike,” aims to protect hundreds of miles of the Texas Gulf Coast. Equally significant is the project targeting Orange and Jefferson County, officially named the “Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay Project.”

“The Orange project is going to include some flood walls, it’ll include some levees, both of those are intended to prevent the coastal storm surge from inundating inland areas,” Blackmon noted.

These projects are expected to significantly bolster Texas’ infrastructure against hurricanes.

“There’s a lot going on. And what we’re really doing is setting the conditions to make sure that we’re building the right project,” Blackmon added.

With these extensive initiatives, Texas aims to better manage the impact of destructive storms and enhance safety during hurricane season.

The Vidor Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting on May 30, 2024, for Vidor Nutrition by Angie Lane, located at 3085 TX-12, Suite 2, in Vidor, which is in the parking lot next to Secondhand Consignment and Benoit’s Louis Dance Hall.

They offer a variety of loaded teas, shakes, nutritional snacks, protein bowls, and feature to-go meals by Chef Jason Scott.

Hours of operation are as follows:

• Monday 0 Friday  6 AM-5 PM
• Saturday 8 AM-2 PM
• Sunday Closed

For more info, call them at (409) 679-5068 or visit their Facebook page.

The Orange Public Library is hosting a variety of summer reading programs.

The Summer Reading Program for high schoolers entering 9th—12th grades will be held on Thursdays from June 6 to July 2, 2024, from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. at the Orange Public Library. Readers will hang out in the library with a different activity each week, including video and board games, a murder mystery, and an escape room.

The Summer Reading Program for middle schoolers entering 6th—8th grades will be held on Tuesdays from June 4 to July 23, 2024, from 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm at the Orange Public Library. Readers will spend time in the library participating in different activities each week, including game night, a scavenger hunt, and an escape room.

The Summer Reading Program for children in 1st—5th grades will be held on Wednesdays from June 5 to July 24, 2024, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Readers will participate in a different program each week featuring art, agriculture, science, and wildlife.

The Preschool Read-to-Me Summer Reading Program will be held on Wednesdays from June 5 to July 24, 2024, from 10:45 to 11:15 a.m. Each week, a different member of the community will read to children and their guardians in the library’s Children’s Room.

The Adult Summer Reading Bingo Challenge begins on June 1, 2024, when adult readers ages 17+ will enjoy some fun in the sun while reading! Bingo squares feature specific reading prompts and activities, and participants earn entry into a prize drawing for each Bingo they complete!

• Blackout – 15 entries
• Straight – 1 entry
• Four Corners – 1 entry

Return the initialed Reading Bingo Card to the Circulation Desk at the library by August 1, 2024, to be entered in the drawing. You do not have to be a member of the library to participate. Reading Bingo Cards can be picked up from the Library Circulation Desk or printed here on the Orange Public Library website.

For more info on any of these programs, visit their website.

Orange County Judge John Gothia has announced a proactive response to a significant mosquito infestation affecting all of Southeast Texas.

“It’s been one of our worst years in the past several years that we’ve had. We’ve been talking to other county judges, and they’re having the same issues,” Gothia stated.

To tackle the issue, the county has allocated $101,000 for increased mosquito spraying, essential for combating the growing insect population. Without this additional funding, the county would have exhausted its insecticide supply before year-end.

“$101,000 is what we approved in court. We’re into next year’s budget of allocated mosquito spray. We’ve already spent our entire budget for mosquito spray this year, and we still have five months to go,” Gothia explained.

The county employs mosquito control insecticide  Fyfanon for ground and aerial spraying after dark, concentrating efforts near waterways and high-water areas. Over the past three years, the county has averaged slightly over 3,000 gallons of insecticide annually for aerial use. However, the recent request included an additional 1,300 gallons.

Since October, over 4,400 gallons of insecticide have been utilized, surpassing the average coverage area with only half the fiscal year completed.

“We’re staying on top of it as best we can. We make every opportunity to fly when we can fly and drive when we can drive,” said Gothia.

Residents are advised to eliminate standing water around their homes to reduce mosquito breeding grounds.

For more information on protecting yourself from the mosquito surge, go to the Orange County Emergency Management website.

Low Tides restaurant opened on May 24, 2024, in Bridge City at 3096 Texas Ave.

They are a boil house that offers burgers, alcoholic beverages, and fuel. Dine-in, outdoor seating, curbside pickup, and live entertainment are available.

Their business hours are as follows:

• Monday – Wednesday Closed
• Thursday 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Friday 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Saturday 11:00 AM – 10:00 PM
• Sunday 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

For more info, visit their Facebook page.