S AT U R D AY– S U N D AY, J U N E 24 - 2 5 , 2 0 2 3
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Traveling show takes interest in Pecan Festival By Monique Batson monique.batson@panews.com
GROVES — With less than four months left before the event, plans for the 2023 Groves Pecan Festival are well underway. “It’ll be a little bigger this year,” said Letha Knaus, executive director of the Groves Chamber of Commerce. “It’s going to be off the chain, and we’re super excited.” Knaus was hired into the position in April, making this her first festival to oversee. She’s found it to be a positive experience. “There’s always challenges, but they’re welcome challenges,” she said. “We are always trying to raise the bar higher and have something to look for.” This year patrons can expect entertainment by Bridge City band Running On Credit Friday and Catalina Wine Mixer on Saturday. Also, organizers have added a gumbo cook-off on the weekend before the festival. The Cooking with Pecans contest returns with a new category — beverages. There will be entries for professional and non-professional, allowing residents and business owners to enter. Knaus said the carnival vendors would return, and all food vendors have rescheduled. Craft vendors have, as well, with a few new additions. “So far everybody is coming back,” she said. Perhaps the largest change could be the presence of YOLO TX, a show that travels to highlight entertainment and other things in the state, according to its website. Knaus said the company approached Groves about featuring the Pecan Festival, and potentially meeting with the Economic Development Corporation to do a segment on Groves. “I think it would be a great platform to get more exposure,” Knaus said. Currently the Chamber, EDC and YOLO TX are in negotiations. This year’s Pecan Festival is Oct. 12-15.
Today’s forecast: 0 percent chance of rain, high of 92, low of 80
DAILY PRAYER Lord Jesus, rekindle in our hearts each day the joy of your resurrection, and help us to share our joy with everyone we meet. Amen.
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Firefighters fight more than flames By Monique Batson monique.batson@panews.com
For some, the desire to help others overshadows the need for self-preservation. That’s how Port Arthur Fire Department Capt. Ian Bryant described the May 20 fire in the 500 block of 19th Street, which included firefighters saving three lives. “It’s something you can turn off or don’t think about,” he said. “The mentality of, ‘am I going to live or die.’ You put it to the side, and the mission at hand is important.” The department re-
ceived the call at 11:49 p.m. and was advised there were victims in the residence. “(Battalion Chief Jay Fountain) showed up first and gave a scene size-up,” Bryant said. “There was a lady in the driveway that told him there were two people left inside, and I think she said they were off to the right when you walk in. The fire was in the back side of the house, so the front part had smoke coming through, but there wasn’t any fire in the front of the building quite yet.” But even without flames, there was no visibility through the smoke.
The first victim to be pulled from the house was a woman who was in cardiac arrest. First responders began CPR in the front yard. But there was a second person in the home. “I heard noise in front of me and I took a couple of steps,” said Capt. Michael Adaway. “I heard a very muffled ‘help.’ It kind of startled me and I took another couple of steps forward and basically fell on top of the victim. He was on a bed that was in the very next room past the front living room, when I See ‘Heroes,’ page A14
Monique Batson/The News
Pictured, from left, are Battalion Chief Jay Fountain and Capt. Ian Bryant.
HOMETOWN HEROES Port Arthur church feeds hundreds each month from donations, volunteers
Courtesy photo
A child receives socks from New Beginnings Ministries during the 2019 back-toschool event.
By Sierra Kondos
Non-profit in need of help to serve kids heading to school
panews@panwews.com
Empowerment Church in Port Arthur feeds more than 300 families by food donations in their parking lot by way of a drivethrough distribution system on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 10 a.m. to noon. All Southeast Texas residents are welcome to pick up food that range from fresh breads and fruits to meats and canned goods. The church is seeking volunteers to assist on distribution days and stocking the pantry on food delivery days. Janice Milo, pastor of Empowerment Church, said the first distribution normally has meats available as well as the non-perishable food items like canned goods. And in the second distribution, they will have things like the tuna fish, canned meats or packet meats like the beef stew or chicken. “We have soups, vegetables and, sometimes, our partnership stores will call us, and they’ll have produce,” Milo said. “(On a recent See ‘Church,’ page A12
By Monique Batson monique.batson@panews.com
Sierra Kondos/Special to The News
Janice Milo, Empowerment Church pastor, assembles a food box at the church’s food pantry.
Prior to the pandemic, New Beginnings Ministries would spend one day every week in July with the children of Port Arthur. The Christian-based nonprofit would host a type of Bible school where children would gather and eat. One day co-founder Beverly Holland was standing in the parking lot when a young girl came up to hug her. Making conversation, Holland asked the child if she was excited for the upcoming school year. The child was not. See ‘Donations,’ page A13
City official is driven by her love for Port Arthur By Mary Meaux mary.meaux@panews.com
It takes only a few minutes of talking with Cheryl Gibbs to know she’s a proud Port Arthuran. This love for the city shows in her work as public information officer for the City of Port Arthur and is part of her being. Memories of growing up in El Vista as one of 10 children and of life in a city that offers so much became a topic of conversation. She noted the joys of going to Pleasure Island, of how her father was one of the carpenters who built Fun Island Depot playground, of the tourist draws such as birding and how Port Arthur was recently declared the Cajun Capital of Texas by Gov. Greg Abbott.
Some background
A product of Port Arthur schools, Gibbs attended Lamar University, got a degree and was certified in French, history and English. She taught school for 12 years and retired in 2002, only to go to work for the city as administrative assistant in the Parks and Recreation Department. She spent five years there, then moved to the Human Resources Department in 2007, where she spent 11 years. Then in 2018 she was asked to serve as the city’s PIO and has been there ever since. All of these jobs have been important to her, but she attaches a certain level of importance to See ‘Gibbs,’ page A14
Mary Meaux/The News
Cheryl Gibbs is the public information officer for the City of Port Arthur.
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