Beaumont to Honor Big Bopper with Historical Marker

Memorializing Chantilly Lace at Forest Lawn

BEAUMONT - Nearly 48 years after his death in rock 'n' roll's first major tragedy, pop star J.P. Richardson - known better as The Big Bopper - will have something more than a headstone to mark his place in Beaumont's history.

Next week, the day before a Port Arthur concert pays tribute to the Beaumont radio deejay who struck gold with the 1959 hit, "Chantilly Lace," a historical marker will be installed at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

But the plaque won't be at Richardson's grave. It will be erected nearby at a specially chosen site where the remains of The Bopper (and possibly his widow Teetsie) will be moved later.

Richardson was only 28 on the snowy night in Clear Lake, Iowa, when a small plane carrying The Bopper, and rockers Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens crashed minutes after take-off. The Feb. 3, 1959, tragedy was later immortalized by singer Don McLean as "the day the music died" in his pop dirge "American Pie."

Read full story in the Beaumont Enterprise

Hurricane Alicia, now only a footnote

Twenty three years ago today Hurricane Alicia crashed through the Texas Coastline. Folks in Galveston, Seabrook, and Baytown remember it well.

21 people lost their lives. Another 3000 were injured or became ill. The Red Cross sheltered or fed 63,000 people. Over 2000 homes were destroyed and another 3,000 suffered major damage. Over 18,000 families suffered some kind of loss. The price tag for the costliest hurricane in Texas History: over $2 billion.

In Baytown, Alicia brought the end to the Brownwood subdivision, which had been slowly subsiding into the bay.

In downtown Houston, shards of glass became deadly missiles when hundreds of window panes were broken out of skyscrapers by gravel blown from nearby rooftops. The windows were designed to withstand hurricane winds but not impact
from debris. The result was huge piles of broken glass in the streets below.

On Galveston's West Beach, Alicia moved the public beach boundary back an average of 150'. The storm surge scoured up to 5' of sand from the beach and left several homes in front of the natural vegetation line and technically on the public beach.

Read more from USA Today

Some photos from Alicia

Hubbard, Texas 125 Years Old

Hill County Town of Hubbard turns 125

The town was once called Slap Out.

Central Texans who have passed through the Hill County town of Hubbard are probably unaware that it was once named for a store whose owner apparently had trouble keeping his shelves stocked.

The community’s moniker stuck until 1881 when a rail depot was opened and the town was officially founded as Hubbard, according to the Handbook of Texas Online. The town was named for former Texas governor Richard B. Hubbard, who was present at the depot dedication.

On Saturday, the 1,500-resident city celebrates its 125th birthday with a daylong party at the city park.

Read full article from the Waco Tribune

Early 1900s street view of Hubbard, Texas from Texas Old Photos

Azle Cemetery Vandals Caught

Teens Arrested for Destruction in Ash Creek Cemetery

Five teenagers have been arrested on suspicion of vandalizing more than 70 graves -- and causing an estimated $100,000 in damages -- at Azle's Ash Creek Cemetery, police said.

"It was damage for damage's sake," Azle police Chief Steve Myers said of the crime spree Wednesday night. "They pushed over headstones, broke others, threw the broken pieces at other headstones and destroyed stone vases meant for flowers."

The cemetery is the oldest in Azle, with graves dating back to the 1870s. The man the town is named after, Azle Stewart, is buried there.

Read full article from the Star Telegram

Angelina County: Looking to Go Wet

Great Grandpa Would be Rolling Over in His Grave

Across South, Push Is On to Make Dry Areas Wet

The issue is now playing out in Lufkin, an old railroad town in the heart of the Texas Bible Belt 115 miles northeast of Houston. On a recent Monday night, 175 citizens gathered at the town’s civic center to voice their opposition to a referendum proposal, scheduled for a vote in November, that would allow sales of beer and wine in stores and drinks in restaurants all across Angelina County. Lufkin is the county’s largest town, with 35,000 people.

Read full article from the New York Times

Palo Duro Canyon - an Awesome Place

Palo Duro Canyon is one awesome hole on the ground

Leon Hale visits Palo Duro Canyon.

PALO DURO CANYON — My guess is that a great many Texans don't know that this great hole in the ground exists.

My guess is that he's right.

Read the article from today's Houston Chronicle.

Visit Leon Hale's blog at: http://blogs.chron.com/leonhale