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The , Volume 1

2024

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Greater

P ort A rthur

INSIDE

VOLUME 1, 2024

THE MAGAZINE

Publisher: STEPHEN HEMELT

OPENING LETTER PNG coach explains the practice & planning for school’s championship trick play.............4

Editor: STEPHEN HEMELT

DREAM WEAVER Basket work leads to gratification for craftspersons connecting with art................8

SCENE IT — PORT MOVES Port of Port Arthur upgrade plans shared at Chamber’s Contractors Meeting................12 TITANS BOXING GYM New Port Arthur location opens to better serve youth in the community....................16

Contributors: MARY MEAUX MONIQUE BATSON NIKITA HARRIS KYLIE MUGLESTON PA CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU.

Designer: STEPHEN HEMELT

FIRE DEPARTMENT Volunteers help fuel area’s fire departments with committed personnel.........................30

Photography: MARY MEAUX NATALIE PICAZO BRIAN QUIJADA MONIQUE BATSON Contact Information: PORT ARTHUR NEWSMEDIA, LLC PO BOX 789 PORT ARTHUR, TX 77641 Advertising Inquiries: 409-721-2400

Advertising: CANDACE HEMELT NATALIE PICAZO

FARMHOUSE FROZEN YOGURT Nederland location opens with tasty treats, great service for customers........................22

SABINE PASS A little piece of Cajun paradise is a short drive away with plenty of benefits.............36 ON THE COVER — Clockwise from top left: The team at Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt, PNG state champs and Titans Boxing Gym.

PORT ARTHUR | NEDERLAND | PORT NECHES | GROVES

Subscriptions: 409-721-2400 www.panews.com

MISSION STATEMENT Our driving mission is to present a positive image of the most interesting and intriguing aspects of the characters, locations and quirks in the Greater Port Arthur area that make our community so remarkable. Our success will be measured through the number of coffee tables on which this magazine proudly lives and the number of conversations its pages spark.

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Port Neches-Groves High football coach Jeff Joseph is all smiles while getting a hug after the state championship game at AT&T Stadium.

ONSIDE KICK LEADS TO STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Inside story behind the most famous special teams play in PNG history

“G

oing into it, we were going to have either a fake punt or an onside kick, a way to try and get something on special teams, whatever it may be.” That’s how Port Neches-Groves High School football coach Jeff Joseph described the Indians coaching staff mindset going into Dec. 16’s state championship game battle with the South Oak Cliff Bears at AT&T Stadium. The 5A Division 2 championship was on the line, and Joseph knew his squad could benefit greatly from an extra possession. While reviewing 2023 game film of the Bears, PNG coaches noticed South Oak Cliff was pretty cautious on punt return, rarely pursuing an aggressive block. That made an Indians punt fake improbable; however, Port Neches-Groves coaches did remember video from previous scouting that featured a nifty onside kickoff attempt. It’s something linebackers coach and special teams coordinator Cory Parsons thought his student-athletes could pull off. Parsons and Joseph talked about it early in the game week. Practice began Tuesday and continued Wednesday, Thursday and again on Friday when the Indians were up in the Dallas Metroplex for practice the day before the state championship game. COACHING BUILD-UP “Special teams is going to be a difference in close games and in big games,” Joseph said. “Our kids know that. Our coaches know that, and it is not something we take for granted.”

Brian Quijada/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Indians coach Jeff Joseph embraces senior lineman Mario Miguel after their victory.

Parsons is known as a tireless Indians staff member who is always planning and breaking down tape. Joseph said Parsons knows what to expect and knows what to tell the players. However, the onside kick’s origin in practice didn’t start off great. “It was pretty ugly at first, just because the timing of that is hard with the way you are running toward the sideline, having to time up a kick,” Joseph remembers. “For our kicker, he was taking a twostep approach, for him to have to watch (his teammates), look back to the football and being able to time that stuff up was difficult. Will Poole, who was on the right side of the kickoff team, was able to watch the timing, and he called the timing of the kicker. We told the kicker, once Will calls it, you go be aggressive, kick the ball hard. Will did a great job of timing it, the kicker went and kicked the ball really well and we made a play.” The kicker on the play is junior Luis Blanco. Practice was a key part in

the process. The play calls for the Indians kick off team to start in a bunch formation near the kicker. The players then start to spread out in unison, which normally alerts the receiving team that the kicking team is going wide before setting off on a traditional kickoff. However, the Indians’ onside kickoff called for quick kick while the team was still flattening out and catching the Bears unaware. Then, it’s just a race to the football with PNG getting a head start. “Our kids felt confident in it, we thought we could execute it. We were planning on kicking it in the game, but just didn’t know when,” Joseph said. “While we were breaking the huddle, being able to attack on the run and not letting them adjust, we had a good chance to set up and move forward to field the kick. That is what we liked about it. We thought we could spread the field really well. That was a

kick Luis (Blanco) was pretty comfortable with.” The Indians had to work on the timing on their high school field, which has differently spaced field numbers. The numbers at AT&T Stadium are a little closer to the middle of the field than the high school numbers. “We marked out on the middle of the field in practice and ran through it a few times on when we would attack the line and when the kicker would take off,” Joseph said. “It was something we thought we could execute and were able to. We kicked it toward their sideline because that was the way our kicker was most comfortable. That is the way we worked kicking it to our left all week.” THE PLAY CALL Indians coaches talked about using the onside kick coming out after halftime, which was part of the halftime discussion. “We decided we would wait until our first score of the second half,” Joseph said. “We didn’t end up scoring in the second half until there was about seven and a half minutes in the game. We scored, and (the coaches) asked on the headset, ‘are we still kicking the onside kick?’ I told them ‘yeah, let’s kick it and see what happens.’” PNG was trailing 17-12 with 7:39 seconds left in the game right after scoring a field goal (23 yards from Gio Oceguera, his fourth of the day). Then came the onside kick that saw Maxwell Scroggs make the recovery with 7:37 left in the game. “Our kids made a play,” Joseph said. “Travis (Cobb) was running toward the kick marks out there on the sideline. Max was really going to trail him and time it off of Travis. Max ended up being the guy the ball rolled to, and he made a play for us. I thought we got it from where I was standing. I saw the way our kids reacted, then I was pretty sure we got it. They came off the field fired up.” According to Joseph, the PNG crowd was awesome but that usually gets blocked out, “but they got extremely loud during

Brian Quijada/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Port Neches-Groves High School football players and coaches celebrate with the state championship trophy in December at AT&T Stadium.

Brian Quijada/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Indians players erupt on the sideline during championship game action.

that moment and extremely excited. You could feel the energy on the sideline and in the crowd pick up.” Four minutes and five seconds of game time later, Shea Adams scored from 2 yards out on a quarterback keeper. Isaiah Nguyen added a 2-point conversion run, putting the Indians up 20-17, which ended up being the final score, securing Port Neches-Groves its first state title in nearly 50 years. The Indians finished the season at 15-1. Final thought “We thought we had it, thought we had a chance. We needed the momentum, so we went ahead a did it and got lucky. We worked on it pretty hard. We were fortunate our kids were able to execute it as well as they did,” Joseph said. Stephen Hemelt is the president of Port Arthur Newsmedia, which publishes panews.com, The Port Arthur News and Greater Port Arthur The Magazine. He can be reached at stephen.hemelt@panews.com or 409-721-2445.

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Emma Hughes helps a student with a basket. Mary Meaux/ Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

DREAM WEAVER Basket work leads to instant gratification for craftsperson connecting with classic art Emma Hughes isn’t a history buff, but she’s keeping alive a craft that’s been around for thousands of years each time she intertwines dampened reeds to form a basket. Her own knowledge of technique and style comes from decades of work and traveling. There’s the New England Nantucket Basket originally used by workers on lightships more than a hundred years ago. These baskets use a mold to create. There’s the South Carolina Sweet Grass Baskets that use pine needle coiling, and there’s a Coushatta Basket. “Every region in

the U.S. has it’s own type basket,” Hughes said while admitting she’s not up on the history of the baskets like she should. MATERIALS, SHAPES Basket weaving materials vary by the type of basket being made. White oak, pine needle, philodendron, leather, day lily leaves, honeysuckle; basically any type of pliable vine. Baskets can be woven in a variety of shapes. “Cradles,” she said of a type of basket she creates that resembles a baby cradle. “Market Basket, which is a simple beginner basket.”

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HUGHES Hughes, 80, is a Sulfur, Louisiana, resident who worked for Camp Fire years ago. She always had an interest in basket weaving but never pursued the craft. One summer she ordered some kits for a simple basket for the youth but none of the counselors knew how to put it together. She figured it out. Later on, a friend brought her a basket of cookies and she marveled at the basket and found out who were the people who taught the craft. She would use her lunch breaks to learn. “It was like an instant love,” she said. “It comes real natural to me.” After leaving Camp Fire she mulled her next step in life and ended up teaching basket weaving classes at McNeese State University in a leisure-learning course open to the community. Her interest in the craft led her to visit basket-weaving conventions in North Carolina, where she got her first real exposure to people who really knew how to weave. As her thirst for knowledge grew so did her skills. She’s teaching several classes at the Texas Basket Weavers Association conference in Houston. She also teaches classes at The Cottage Quilting + Embroidery in Nederland and at St. Paul Episcopal Church in Orange. THOUGHTS Hughes uses a variety of materials and even dyes them herself, which is cost effective, she said. As for the baskets, a “normal” basket can take three to four hours to weave. “I used to blow it out in an hour or two but I’ve slowed down so much with the aging process,” she said. “I love it. It gives an instant form of gratification.” — By Mary Meaux

Mary Meaux/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

ABOVE: Katie Folwell works on her basket during a class at The Cottage Quilting + Embroidery in Nederland. BELOW: Emma Hughes, left, gives instruction to Suzanne Reeves at The Cottage Quilting + Embroidery in Nederland.

Photo by Emma Hughes/basket by Emma Hughes

Nantucket Basket is a New England style basket, woven with cherry spokes and cane, cherry lid and handle, usually woven in nested sets, they are woven over a mold.

Photo by Emma Hughes/basket by Emma Hughes

Antler basket is woven with rib spokes in a free form eye basket style using reed and natural fibers.

Photo by Emma Hughes/basket by Emma Hughes

Cherokee twill, the pattern reverses from outside to inside, made of natural and dyed reed.

Photo by Emma Hughes/basket by Emma Hughes Photo by Emma Hughes/basket by Emma Hughes

Double wall, the inside wall is woven separate from the outside wall it is joined in the bottom at the rim. The walls are woven separate.

Small Cradle is woven on a wooden base with round reed spokes and flat oval and flat reed for sides and finished off with a braided rim.

Greater

Port Arthur T

Business Expansion

he Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce helped host Contractors Business Development Group meeting in January. Held at Carl A. Parker Multipurpose Center on the campus of Lamar State College Port Arthur, the guest speaker was Port of Port Arthur Director and CEO Larry Kelley. He spoke about upcoming projects in quarter 1 and 2 of 2024 and encouraged local contractors to get on the bid lists. Kelley said the port is in the SHIP business: friendships, relationships and partnerships. The Port of Port Arthur has a total of $19.6 million in Seaport Connectivity Program and Maritime Infrastructure Program grants. The next step is developing an agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation then design, bid and construction, which should take place 2024.

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The Port has held community engagement sessions with residents of the West Side of the city to discuss the project. The project, he said, allows access in and out of the port. “Today, the port is bounded by a flood protection levee and a rail area and at least three times a day our access is limited in and out of the port,” Kelley previously said. In the future, the flood protection levee around the city will be elevated and the realignment of those gate structures would further limit our access in and out of the port. — Natalie Picazo

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Nikita Harris/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

A students gets in some heavy bag work at Titans Boxing Gym, which recently celebrated the opening of its new location on Gulfway Drive.

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PACK A PUNCH Titans Boxing Gym opens with new location, drive better youth There is plenty to celebrate at Titans Boxing Gym, which began promoting its new, larger Port Arthur location in early November. Located at 3932 Gulfway Drive in Port Arthur, the gym promises to give clients a positive path to beating down adversity and molding future champions. Previously located on 25th Street, the new home has more space and equipment to better serve the community, according to Ernesto Flores, assistant coach and president of the gym’s nonprofit organization. The Titans Boxing Club and Youth Orga-

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nization is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays for those 7 years of age and older. According to the organization’s Facebook page, those who are interested in learning more can call Mario Flores at 409-617-2572, Ernesto Flores at 409-229-6449 or Hector Flores at 409-229-6447. Organizers said those reaching out on behalf of his or herself or a loved one be 18 years old or older. “Looking ahead, we see a future filled with even more champions, not just in the ring, but in life. Our mission remains steadfast — to

Nikita Harris/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Two young fighters get in some ring work recently at Titans Boxing Gym in Port Arthur. Organizers said the new facility offers more options to local youth and boxing enthusiasts.

guide the youth towards the right path, using the sport of boxing as a vessel for discipline, respect and self-improvement,” a Flores Family statement read. Titans Boxing Gym was established in 2012 and has served the Greater Port Arthur community by providing a space for individuals to develop mental and physical conditioning. The gym has improved the lives of some of Port Arthur’s promising youth who would have been termed as at-risk youth, Flores said. By attending classes regularly and conditioning minds with discipline, children and teens are given an alternative to street life. Some of the students have Courtesy photo

Esteban Peña Olvera is a former professional boxer with ties to Titans Boxing Gym and Port Arthur who still cares for kids.

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Titans Boxing Gym displays numerous trophies and belts earned by Port Arthur and local fighters through the past ten years.

been saved through the art of boxing from the drugs and violence that permeate today’s culture, according to Flores. “There are a lot of people in this generation who care about children, because without the children there is no future,” Flores recently told Greater Port Arthur The Magazine. “This gym is here to help them become leaders of tomorrow.” Through physical and mental conditioning, students can transform into skilled fighters and productive citizens ready to handle

day-to-day tasks with proficiency. After regularly attending classes at Titans Boxing Gym, Flores said some students have seen improvements in school grades, because training improved their focus and discipline to help better study and retain instruction in the school setting. However, instruction is not just available for young people and teens, as there are new clients in their 60s taking advantage of what the gym offers, organizers said. Some classes are also a mix-

ture of male and female fighters with options open for youth and adults. Private lessons are also available. Instruction includes the basics of boxing techniques, self-defense and motivational speeches to keep a clear focus for success in boxing and beyond. Organizers said the gym’s new location makes it more accessible to the surrounding community. PAST SUCCESS One noteworthy prior Titans coach whose involvement in the gym has been a great asset

Nikita Harris/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

A Titans Boxing Gym coach watches as two young fighters get in some work at the new facility on Gulfway Drive in Port Arthur.

is Esteban Peña Olvera, also known as “the Beatle.” Olvera is a former professional boxer of Mexican American heritage born Jan. 12, 1944. Olvera fought as a featherweight until his 30s in international professional fights. He was inspired by his trainer, the late Dick Menchaca, two-time Golden Gloves Champion and Port Arthur resident, to move from Houston to Port Arthur. Since making Port Arthur his home, Olvera contributed to the community by training many others.

He recently celebrated his 80th birthday and stays involved in the gym through special events, workshops and referring new students to improve their well being through fitness. Titans Boxing Gym displays two walls worth of belts and medals to prove they are conditioning future champions. THE FUTURE An early August Port Arthur tournament is being planned, and organizers said Titans Boxing Gym is planning to participate in the Mexican Heritage

Fiesta in September. To help continue improving the lives of future Port Arthur boxers and support the organization, Flores asks those in the community to consider donating. Titans Boxing Club & Youth Organization is a 501(c)(3) organization. Contact information for donations can be found on the Titan Boxing Gyms Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Titansboxing/. — By Nikita Harris

ith three children under the age of 10, Jonathan and Tia McCoy know the importance of having a place to go as a family. “We definitely wanted to cater more towards family friendly,” Tia said. “Especially with young kids, we know how being cooped up all day long in a house — even on a Saturday, it’s like, ‘we need to get out and do something.’ If it’s raining or if it’s extreme weather conditions, we want somewhere that it can be, ‘let’s just go to Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt for 30 minutes to an hour’ and have an environment where we always play Christian music. We always have games. It’s just somewhere where families can go that’s family friendly.” The couple opened Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt in December. In just a couple of months, their bright, lively eatery with a selfie station and table games has become a hangout place for children and families from all over Nederland, Port Arthur and beyond. “I’ve seen a lot of comments on Facebook saying, ‘this is a great locally owned business,’” Tia said. “The community support has been outstanding. It makes you feel loved and makes you feel like the people in Nederland really care about the people in Nederland. And not just Nederland - Port Arthur, Groves, Port Neches.” The idea for the frozen

Monique Batson/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Paisley McCoy fills a waffle cone at Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt, which recently opened in Nederland.

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Jonathan and Tia McCoy are pictured with their children, from left, Paisley, Wyatt and Liam at Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt.

yogurt shop came after family members opened a Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt in Lufkin, where Tia grew up. “And right after (Tia’s sister) started up, COVID hit,” Jonathan said. But the business thrived. “They did curbside, and they stayed busy and did well. It’s been a hit ever since then. I’ve been looking for the right spot in Nederland for probably two years. Something just didn’t work out every time. Finally we got to this, and I thought, ‘This

place is amazing.’ So we reached out to the owner and I said, ‘I want to lease this place.’” Jonathan, a Nederland native, grew up in the area while attending United Christian Academy in Port Arthur. His grandparents were the pastors at Port Acres United Pentecostal Church, where his parents became pastors and continue to serve as such today. Jonathan and Tia met as children, attending the same church and summer camps.

In addition to owning the frozen yogurt shop, the two venture in real estate, and Tia works as a registered nurse at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont. But a busy schedule doesn’t keep the couple away from their store, where they work to promote a great experience for customers. “If our lights are on and we’re still cleaning at 9 p.m., we’ll say, ‘hey, we’re

Monique Batson/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Tia McCoy plays with one of the many table games at the Nederland eatery.

open.’ We had the same thing,” Jonathan said. “We’ve gone places with them, we get them dressed, and we get there and they’re closed. Then you have to deal with all of the disappointment.” Inside, they offer a variety of different flavors, such as cake batter, Creamsicle and Cookie Monster. They also have sugar-free options as well as flavors for those with dairy allergies. “We did want something for everybody,” he said. “We have a no-sugar-added (strawberry), and we have an entire nutritional guide. So if you have any kind of question, everything about everything is in there.”

Monique Batson/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Cookie Monster, a bright blue frozen yogurt, is one of the store’s top sellers at the Nederland shop.

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Monique Batson/Greater Port Arthur The Magazine

Wyatt McCoy enjoys a treat at Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt, which is the new family friendly location that opened in Mid County.

Patrons can pick between waffle cones or cups, and there are dividers to keep flavors separate for those that want it. But there’s no room for disappointment, as free tastings are always an option. “We tell them, ‘Sample every flavor if you’d like to. We want to make sure you like it,’” Tia said. Currently they’re working on new creations, such as frozen yogurt

sandwiches. “We are constantly looking at new ways to incorporate yogurt,” Jonathan said. “We just have a lot of ideas. It’s fun.” Farmhouse Frozen Yogurt is located at 202 N. 27th Street in the Market Basket shopping center. It is open from noon to 9 p.m. daily. For more information, call 409-237-5025. — Monique Batson

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Volunteers help fuel area’s fire departments With the popularity of the “Thin Red Line” showing respect for firemen injured or killed during service, it can be easy to forget many of those firemen signed up for no other reason than to serve their community. Without the volunteer aid of dedicated men and women working fire and EMS calls, many places (including ones right here in Southeast Texas) would not have basic fire and

medical services. In fact, the Pinehurst Fire Department relies entirely on volunteer firemen, while many other departments in the area rely heavily on volunteer services.

Marshall Braus, 18, is a volunteer with Pinehurst. He began his commitment to the community early on, having participated in the Juniors Firefighting program for four years. He provided details on the training the volunteers for the Pinehurst department go through in order to help their community. Volunteers learn basic firefighting skills, such as forcible entries, how to properly wield

Courtesy photo

Pictured, from left, are Orange County Emergency Services District 4 team members Ryan Pevey, Wes Journeay, Bruce McCormick, Amber McCormick, Lee Anne Brown, Justin Journeay, Naomie Journeay, James Journeay, Sara Moore, Kelley Moore and Sharon Patton.

and roll a firehose, driving the fire engine and other skills. While there are no physical requirements, the department trains volunteers with the hands-on knowledge they would need to succeed in aiding others. “All I’ve ever wanted to, since I was younger, is give back to my community,” Braus said. When addressing any firefight, the first thought that goes through his head is a verse from the Bible, Isaiah 6:8-13 — “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send? And I said, ‘Here I am, send me!’” A deep compassion for others is critical for any firemen or EMS — but for those interested in becoming one, many local

Courtesy photo

A Pinehurst Fire Department fire engine is pictured.

Tips for making safer homes Over a five-year period beginning in 2015 and 2019, fire departments across the United States responded to roughly 347,000 home structure fires per year. That data, courtesy of the National Fire Protection Association, underscores the significance of home fire protection measures. Smoke detectors are a key component of fire protection, but there’s much more homeowners can do to protect themselves, their families, their belongings, and their homes from structure fires. • Routinely inspect smoke detectors. Smoke detectors can only alert residents to a fire if they’re working properly. Battery-powered smoke detectors won’t work if the batteries die. Routine smoke detector check-ups can ensure the batteries still have juice and that the devices themselves are still functioning properly. Test alarms to make sure the devices are functioning and audible in nearby rooms. Install additional detectors as necessary so alarms and warnings can be heard in every room of the house.

• Hire an electrician to audit your home. Electricians can inspect a home and identify any issues that could make the home more vulnerable to fires. Ask electricians to look over every part of the house, including attics and crawl spaces. Oft-overlooked areas like attics and crawl spaces pose a potentially significant fire safety threat, as data from the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) indicates that 13 percent of electrical fires begin in such spaces. • Audit the laundry room. The laundry room is another potential source of home structure fires. NFPA data indicates around 3 percent of home structure fires begin in laundry rooms each year. Strategies to reduce the risk of laundry room fires include leaving room for laundry to tumble in washers and dryers; routinely cleaning lint screens to avoid the buildup of dust, fiber and lint, which the NFPA notes are often the first items to ignite in fires linked to dryers; and ensuring the outlets washing machines and

dryers are plugged into can handle the voltage such appliances require. It’s also a good idea to clean dryer exhaust vents and ducts every year. • Look outward as well. Though the majority of home fires begin inside, the NFPA reports that 4 percent of such fires begin outside the home. Homeowners can reduce the risk of such fires by ensuring all items that utilize fire, including grills and firepits, are always used at least 10 feet away from the home. Never operate a grill beneath eaves, and do not use grills on decks. Never leave children unattended around firepits, as all it takes is a single mistake and a moment for a fire to become unwieldy. • Sweat the small stuff. Hair dryers, hair straighteners, scented candles, clothes irons, and holiday decorations are some additional home fire safety hazards. Never leave candles burning in empty rooms and make sure beauty and grooming items like dryers, straighteners and irons are unplugged and placed in a safe place to cool down when not in use.

departments welcome volunteers. assist in disaster aid services. Kelley Moore, the Chief for ESD4 and As“We need ‘em,” Moore said. “If you want to sistant Chief of the Groves Fire Department, help your community, here’s a place to start.” says “the greatest asset to any department is Importantly, volunteering with your local its people.” fire department can play Acknowledging that some a major role in deciding if might feel discouraged by you’d like to pursue a career “If you want to the prospect of fighting fires in firefighting. help your community, but still feel the desire to It will give you handsserve their communities, he here’s a place to on, valuable training that assures “there’s a place for transfers over to any destart.” everyone.” partment, and offers a great Whether it’s driving the foundation for anyone who engine, maintaining equip— Kelley Moore, may want to pursue the ment, assisting on EMS full time. Assistant Chief of the duties calls or simply helping out If you’re interested in Groves Fire Department volunteering for the Groves around the firehouse, the help is valued and appreciFire department, you can ated, according to Moore. head by the fire departEmphasizing the “ground up” style of train- ment on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. and get more ing, Moore says “training determines safety, details. it’s the most important — especially as a We’d like to thank all emergency respondvolunteer.” ers for their service, and recognize the risks In recent years, volunteer firemen and that volunteers take to be apart of those EMS workers have dropped in numbers — in efforts. fact, even the Red Cross reached out to local firemen seeking volunteers from them to — By Kylie Mugleston

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Greater

Port Arthur

THE SCENE

Rotary Club of Port Arthur

resident-Elect Dr. Jesus Acosta opened the first meeting of 2024 for the Rotary Club of Port Arthur. The guest speaker was Doreen Badeaux, who is the secretary general at Apostleship of the Sea of the United States of America and the facilitator of the Cruise Ship Priest Program. She spoke about the international seamen who visit our community and spend money in our community. She also thanked Judith Smith, director of health services for Port Arthur, for spearheading the effort to vaccinate the seamen that began during COVID crisis.

1. Doreen Badeaux and Dr. Jesus Acosta 2. Attendees at the Rotary Club of Port Arthur meeting 3. Rotarians Carolyn Brown, Lawanda Finney and Delilah Francis 4. Elizabeth Cravens listens intently to Russel Buss 5. Dr. Jesus Acosta reveals the winning ticket for a chance to win a $50 gift card

— Natalie Picazo

SABINE PASS ................................................

A little piece of Cajun paradise As Port Arthur celebrates our designation as the official Cajun Capital of Texas, we’re sharing some area history. Sabine Pass is a coastal area of Port Arthur on the west Bank of the Sabine Neches Waterway. This water border between Texas and Louisiana and is often referred to as a Sportsman’s Paradise. Incorporated in 1861, Port Arthur formally annexed the area in 1978. Sabine Pass has its own school district, post office and Port Authority. Here’s a little more about the history, community and how you can experience a piece of the paradise for yourself. A Little Bit Cajun Sabine Pass is spittin’ close to the Louisiana border and Cameron Parish. It’s no wonder they’re “a little Cajun.” Make that “a lot Cajun.” In addition to a fierce independent nature, not to mention a love of seafood gleaned from local waters, Sabine Pass residents are known for helping neighbors and family ties. They’re described as “determined.” Here’s a part of why: Hurricanes, Again and Again Sabine Pass residents have survived. They’ve

been hit and built back strong. They’re not going anywhere. The infamous Hurricane Rita dealt a devastating blow on Sept. 24, 2005. Just three years later, on Sept. 12-13 of 2008, Hurricane Ike struck Sabine Pass and Galveston, generating a surge of 22 feet. That’s the highest surge recorded at Sabine Pass. Previously, the Texas-Louisiana Hurricane of 1886 nearly wiped out Sabine Pass and Johnson Bayou in Cameron Parish, with at least 196 deaths in the wake.

Jocelyn Augustino/FEMA

Sabine Pass is seen Sept. 14, 2008, as FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Indiana Task Force 1 conducts searches in neighborhoods impacted by Hurricane Ike.

Birthplace of Barbecued Crabs Barbecued crabs? What’s that? It’s the saucy seasoning flavors cooked into whole, fresh crabs. Taste the garlic and pepper as you crack open their legs. It’s messy. We don’t care. You’ll love ’em too. Just make sure your servers leave the roll of paper towels on the table. Juicy but good. Some credit Granger’s Seafood as the very first presentation. Some credit Sartin’s. Both were in Sabine Pass and are no longer around. But you can get the legendary barbecue crabs at other Port Arthur area restaurants. A local says Mr. Sartin himself would have told you it was Granger’s, which burned down long before Sartin’s started their take-out stand a block or so north of the Granger’s site. Where to get BBQ crabs in the Port Arthur area? See if they’re in season at these restaurants. Judice’s 1927 The Schooner Restaurant Reel Cajun Seafood Restaurant & Bar But remember there’s gumbo, crawfish and boudain to try as well. Check out our other area Cajun listings here. Fishing is a Way of Life Sabine Lake is a 90,000-acre saltwater estuary on the Texas-Louisiana border. The lake, some 14 miles long and 7 miles wide, is formed by the confluence of the Neches and Sabine rivers. The lake

borders Jefferson County, Texas, Orange County, Texas, Cameron Parish, Louisiana, and the city of Port Arthur, Texas. Keith Lake, on Highway 87 between Port Arthur and Sabine Pass, is a chain of lakes boasting some of the best redfishing opportunities on the Gulf Coast. Keith Lake is one of the few locations on the upper coast where fishermen can sight and cast to tailing redfish. Working the birds during spring and fall months is often exceptional. Sabine Pass Lighthouse U.S. Coast Guard called this Sabine Pass Light and it’s actually in Louisiana. First lighted in 1857, this was one of three U.S.-built buttress houses of similar design. Meant to stand tall on marshy ground, it has survived Civil War battle, storms, floods, marsh fire, vandalism and neglect. The structure protected a keeper and his wife in an 1886 hurricane that destroyed their dwelling. It was a Civil War look-out post. Louisiana school children used to get on a boat each morning where the Sabine, and later Sabine Pass, school bus would pick them up. Learn more about Sabine Pass Lighthouse. How to get a view of this legendary lighthouse: Once you pass that 4-Way Stop in Sabine Pass, head toward the water and go right at South First Avenue. It’s across the water and the Texas-Louisiana border will be between you and this historic structure.

Cities of the Dead Sabine Pass Cemetery has graves for veterans from every war, except the Revolutionary War. Many unmarked graves from the Civil War are commemorated by a marker area. A Texas Historical Marker there notes burial of Kate Dorman, dubbed “The Heroine of Sabine Pass” and an unmarked grave of a man born into slavery who died at age 108. The earliest documented grave is for a 12-year-old boy who died in 1847. Stomping Ground in Austin Sabine Pass is recognized at the Texas State Capitol building. The words are inlaid in the floor at the main entrance. Thousands of visitors walk this way daily to conduct business in the Lone Star State. World Class Birding Sites Positioned on two migratory flyways and a protected resting place for migratory birds, Sabine Pass is home to world-famous Sabine Woods. This oak mott is the first land many birds see as they fly in from South America. They land and dine and rest. And let birders admire them. Scan the code at the entrance for admission to this site. Texas Point offers a stroll through a canopy of trees that draws colorful migrants in spring. Sea Rim State Park and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge Sabine Pass is on the way to Sea Rim State Park and McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge. The natural beach offers 5 plus miles of scenic beauty. Look for shells, stroll the Gambusia boardwalk and consider the paddling trails in the Marsh Unit. Feeling extra ambitious? Your Sabine Pass adventure could include paddling out and spending the night at Sea Rim’s floating campsite. Now that’s a memory. Thousands of ducks are said to visit this Texas Chenier Plain Refuge Complex. Drive through the refuge for 5 miles of interior roads provide wildlife viewing and access to boat ramps, fishing piers and observation platforms. Visit the adjacent Gulf side park, McFaddin Beach Sabine Pass Port Authority and Marina The Sabine Pass Port Authority is photogenic marina close to Sabine Lake and just 6 miles from the Gulf of Mexico jetties. With 87 slips, there is live aboard availability. Dock here and you’ll get to visit us in Port Arthur all the time.

Cajun Lifestyle Do it yourself, help others and

Dana Nelson/Greater Port Arthur Magazine

Cedar Waxwings rest and refresh on Sabine Woods Drip in Sabine Pass.

let the good times roll. Dance a lot and eat well. These are some aspects to living a good Cajun lifestyle. Jim LaBove has written several books and creates artwork of pelicans, crabs, boats, etc. that reflect his childhood in Sabine Pass. To experience LaBove’s Cajun culture, read here. Presented by the Port Arthur Convention & Visitors Bureau. More information is available at visitportarthurtx.com.

Now Taking Reservations For Spring Parties, Receptions and Weddings

Rosedale Manor is the most recent historic restoration in Port Arthur, Texas. The home was constructed in 1925 by industrialist and shipping tycoon, Munger T. Ball. Rosedale Manor has now been lovingly restored by the Flanagan family. It is available on an exclusive basis for weddings, corporate and civic events.

• Weddings • Political Events • Business Events • Ballroom

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