By Bobby Tingle

Progress 2019 Made in Orange is a special publication in today’s edition of The Orange Leader.

The model on the cover has the bottom of her foot imprinted with the title of the publication.

Like many other things, she is ‘Made in Orange’.

As you leaf through, you will find some unique ways area industry and businesses are operating full steam ahead in the 21st century.

Former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton once made popular a phrase related to the raising of children.

“It takes a village” was her way of succinctly describing the necessity of a community coming together for the common cause of raising, educating and equipping our children.

For a community to thrive, the principle remains the same.

As individuals advance, the community advances with it.

Which, if you will, is the theme of this special publication.

Some of the folks featured in Progress 2019 Made in Orange are innovators and progressive.

Some serve their customers in an exemplary manner day by day and are rewarded by your continued confidence in their product or services.

Most of us do not interact with companies like Cloeron Inc., International Paper, Dow, Olson Engineering, Gopher Industrial Inc. or Jefferson Energy Companies as a part of our daily routine.  They provide valuable products and services which benefit us in an indirect way, such as providing the boxes for our packages or transferring raw materials to refiners who producing our gasoline.

They are, nonetheless, an integral part of the health and vitality of our community.

Publicly funded schools such as West Orange-Cove CISD and Lamar State College-Orange benefit from the taxes paid as these companies produce.  They, in turn, provide the education and training necessary for turning young folks into productive adults.

A short filmmaker, Roy Mazzagate III, is pulling in rewards from his creative work designed to give suffering parents a measure of relief while a local air conditioning company, Bell Air Service, continues to be recognized for their excellent work.

The cooks on the river at Blue Birds Fish Camp are famous for their tasty burgers and have added a unique appetizer to the menu.

Safety boots are available in the store and in the plants thanks to a local provider, Safety Wear LTD, adding convenience to the acquisition of steel-toed boots.

Granger RV offers recreational vehicles to fit any budget and the amenities for every taste.

You can find the resources to make your dream home come true from the newest home of First Financial Bank or support the efforts of Kingdom Zoo as they make the dreams of wildlife encounters come true for hurting children.

Steve’s Auto Import is investing in the technology necessary to maintain the latest in safety innovations available in new cars.

Read all about excellence in Orange in today’s special publication of The Orange Leader, Progress 2019 Made in Orange.

 

Washington DC is dysfunctional

 

The Mueller Report is out, the Mueller report is out….with a whimper.

Alas, there was no collusion.

What?

How can there be no collusion?

Our trusted news professionals covering Washington DC have assured us for two years it was so.

But millions of dollars, questions and answers later and still it cannot be proven.

The Democrats aren’t deterred though.  They will continue to fight to prove what they know is true.  Their demand for transparency is loud and clear: ‘shows us the full report’.

The House of Representatives passed a nonbinding resolution unanimously calling for public exposure of the report.

The Senate was poised to do the same.

But one lone senator made one unpalatable request derailing the call for the unveiling.

His amendment called for full disclosure of documents, which could show the allegations of collusion were false to be included with full disclosure of Mueller’s report.

Seems like fair play.  We will show you our hand when you show us yours.

But the dysfunction of Washington DC kicked in and the measure failed.

You’ve got to love it.

 

Bobby Tingle is the publisher of The Orange Leader.  You can reach him at bobby.tingle@orangeleader.com.