Winter wonderland
With the artic blast swooping into Southeast Texas over the holidays, municipalities across the Golden Triangle kept residents informed of hazards and water woes via the STAN (Southeast Texas Alerting Network) system.
Among the issues presented, power outages were reported with the days leading up to Christmas particularly volatile. Entergy Texas crews continued to restore power to communities across Southeast Texas after winter weather with strong winds and gusts impacted the region Dec. 23.
Approximately 46,000 of the 54,500 total impacted customers had been restored of lost electrical service that began at 2 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22. As of 9 p.m. on Dec. 23, approximately 8,000 customers were without power – down from a peak of approximately 19,000 at 6 a.m. the same day. Remaining customers without service were expected to be operational by the end of the same day.
The city of Nederland informed water utility customers that, on Dec. 24, “The water system has been taxed by leaks and a home fire response.”
Residents were urged to conserve water “as much as possible” leading into Christmas day.
“All steps are being taken to avoid a boil water notice,” the city advised. “We need your assistance and cooperation.”
Tuesday morning, Dec. 26, Nederland officials reported that the water system had returned to normal operating capacity.
Report stunned sea turtle spottings
With freezing temperatures along the Texas coast this month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local partners are urging citizens to report any sea turtles seen on shorelines so that the turtles can be rescued, transported and cared for by service-permitted rehabilitation facilities.
According to information from the service department, sea turtles cannot regulate their body temperature and, at water temperatures below 50°F, the water creatures become immobilized. These “cold-stunned” turtles are found primarily along the inshore areas of canals, bays, estuaries and passes, floating to the surface and often washing ashore due to strong prevailing northwest winds. ‘If not found and rescued quickly, stunned sea turtles typically succumb due to exposure, predation or boat collision injuries. In contrast, most found alive and brought to rehabilitation ultimately survive and are released.
“Cold stunned turtles do not all wash ashore at the same time, so searches of our vast Texas inshore waters must be searched repeatedly, and help from the public is critical,” said Texas Coordinator of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network Dr. Donna Shaver. “The longer cold-stunned turtles lay helpless on our shorelines, the less likely they will be alive when found or they will be strong enough to survive through rehabilitation to ultimate release.”
Anyone finding a cold-stunned sea turtle, even if it is suspected dead, is asked to immediately report it to the Texas Sea Turtle Hotline number at 1-866-TURTLE-5 (1-866-887-8535). For more information, visit http://www.fws/gov.
City operates warming stations
Shaqueena Nobles, Beaumont Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator issued word in advance of the Arctic Outbreak expected the weekend of Christmas, urging all residents to take the necessary precautions to protect the “4 Ps:” people, pets, plants and pipes.
With the support of the Red Cross, warming shelters in Beaumont were available at The Salvation Army “Home Sweet Home” and Henry’s Place/Some Other Place, and mobile warming stations were manned via transit buses catering to the homeless population.
Maritime memorial
The Stella Maris-Diocese of Beaumont and the Port Arthur International Seafarers' Center held a Maritime Memorial Service “for those friends from our local maritime community who have died in 2022.”
The 2022 Maritime Memorial Service was held at the Port Arthur International Seafarers’ Center Seafarers Chapel on Dec. 27. Among the fallen maritimers honored at the event were: Captain Jerry McNeil (Sabine Pilots), Captain Sean McNeice (T/S Kenney - Texas Maritime Academy), Deacon Glenn Teske (Stella Maris Maritime Deacon), Kevin Hoffpauir (Bob Hoffpauir’s son), and Captain Glenn Dupree (Moran Towing).
Diocese remembers ‘Father Sam’
The Catholic Diocese of Beaumont reported that Father Osigbheme “Sam” Igbafe, MSP, died on Sunday, Dec. 25, at 9 p.m. at Village Creek Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Lumberton.
“Father Sam” had been pastor of Our Mother of Mercy in Beaumont when he suffered a medical emergency in November 2021.
Igbafe was born on June 9, 1967, in Delta, Nigeria, and was ordained on June 28, 1997, for the Missionary Society of St. Paul (M.S.P.). After years of ministry in Africa, Igbafe went to Ireland in 2006 and served as a missionary in the Archdiocese of Armagh; he arrived the Diocese of Beaumont in 2019.
Funeral arrangements were not announced as of press time.
Hardin County approves application to GLO
The Hardin County Commissioners Court approved a resolution request from Emergency Management Coordinator Aaron Tupper authorizing the submission of an application to the Texas General Land Office for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – Mitigation (MIT) Regional Method of Distribution program on Dec. 27 during their final meeting of 2022.
The CDBG-MIT application request amount will be filed for $23.894 million.
Six projects detailed within the application will make flood and drainage improvements throughout Hardin County, which were identified as a risk due to hurricanes/tropical storms/tropical depressions and riverine flooding, placing undue and certain health and safety risks on residents.
The total project cost will include construction, engineering and administration services.
It also authorizes County Judge Wayne McDaniel to act as the county’s executive officer and authorized representative in all matters pertaining to the county’s participation in the CBDG – Mitigation program.
Happy anniversary
Sgt. Carlos Montalvo of the Silsbee Police Department celebrated 25 years of service last week. Montalvo began in career with the department in June 1997 and currently serves in the Criminal Investigation Division.
Drone show
Horseshoe Lake Charles, 100 Westlake Ave. in Westlake, Louisiana, will celebrate New Year’s Eve weekend with a drone show over the lake at 9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30. The show will be the first-of-its-kind in the market and will showcase 200 drones over the lake. The holiday weekend will also feature lion dance celebrations, three vehicle giveaways, special promotions and more.
Drone light shows are performed by illuminated, synchronized and choreographed groups of drones that arrange themselves into various aerial formations. Almost any image can be recreated in the sky by a computer program that turns graphics into flight commands and communicates them to the drones.