One Tidbit! – by Philip R. Klein, Editor
This next week will mark a huge milestone for the City of Beaumont. And many of you in your daily life just don’t get it. A long-time warrior will be hanging up the gunbelt and moving into a part of his life that he will enjoy – being a Grandfather.
I have had a personal friendship with Chief Jimmy Singletary for years. He is, a great man. Hands down when he was selected some 12 years ago now, it may have been one of the best choices ever in employment in the history of Beaumont, Texas. I hate to think what would have happened if he was not chosen.
Over the years I had met Jimmy many times. Most of which while he was over at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office. He always treated me as a friend, rather than like many in Law Enforcement do, a foe. Yes, this website sees over 25 million views a year now. And yes, with that I have a huge responsibility to not only do the right thing, but to make sure that everyone we write about, say things about, or suggest is responsible yet done in a way that is editorial in nature, but fun in some cases.
Singletary understood that blossomed into a friendship that I will cherish for the years I have left in life.
Strangely, as some of you may not know, I have suffered a horrific injury to my ankle that has left me in a wheelchair and on good days in my office with my foot up. I am unable to put pressure on my foot and I have had five surgeries now, and my care has been moved to Houston. As I was going into surgery number 4, I was scheduled to start within 1 hour, when the nurses walked in and said my doctor was called away on an emergency and I would have to wait for the next day.
“My God,” I thought as I lay in bed at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, it must have been bad. And it was. I had just spoken to Jimmy on the phone as he has made a point to check on me, like true friends do, just about four times a week. Then, I learned that the “police chief was involved in a fall and needed emergency surgery for his hip.”
Yep, Jimmy’s doctor was my doctor and we have laughed that he took priority over my operation for his! And frankly, the doctor (s) were right! I would have given my place for him any day of the week. Why? That is what friends are for.
As the events leading up to his retirement were coming closer I wanted to be there for him. From his last day on the speaker podium this week, to the retirement party. Sadly, I cannot, and with a family member in hospice care and my need to travel to West Texas, it was all just a little too much.
This next week, as my friend Jimmy Singletary walks out the front door of BPD, and turns the keys over to what many say will be a 7-0 yes vote for Captian Tim Ocnaschek to lead the department over the next years as chief, Jimmy can walk away with his head held high knowing that not only did he do the right thing, but he saved lives and worked to keep the citizens safe in Beaumont, Texas. The bad guys lost as they say – the good guys won.
For those of us who know Jimmy, we know when politics comes calling that sometimes people’s true colors come out. They say they are your friend to your face, but when the nut cutting comes they are out for themselves. Chief Jimmy Singletary was NOT that guy. His friends are his friends. I hope that I have been a good friend, always given him good advice, and always put friendship over politics. And it is not over yet, as our families know each other deeper now, the hard days that he has faced and I have faced and that phone call – “Hey, checking on you, are you okay?” Well, that will not change.
The only real political thing I will say is this – the city of Beaumont owes a huge thank you to Jimmy Singletary for keeping the lid on what seemingly is a continued racial divide between the black community and all others with a different color skin. Jimmy proved to everyone, it is not the color of your skin, but the common bond we all have between us all.
God, family, and all others, as it is put. Chief, enjoy retirement, God Bless you my friend, and enjoy your grandson and family. If anyone deserves it, you do. Thank you for being my true friend in life and for the good advice you have given me over the years.
And Beaumont, he has some HUGE shoes to cover. We will see what happens next.
Goofball Doesn’t Make It
Well, there you go. He tried to scam the people of Port Arthur again – this time he got caught.
We now deem him Goofball, as he needed 1,500 people to get the city to vote on expanding another term in the Port Arthur City Council. He gave the city over 1,700 signatures, of which around 500 couldn’t even be verified as being alive or living in Port Arthur. Meaning his scam got exposed AGAIN!
Now the good news is he is gone. The bad news is another Goofball that he supports will be waiting in the wings. And we don’t like that.
The citizens of Port Arthur have a decision to make. Should they elect another Goofball like Thurman Bartee? Or should they get serious and look for a real mayor with real political or business experience? Ya, we know – it is Port Arthur.
Watch starting next week for the next round of nuts to fall from the tree. And breathe…..as Bartee is out!
KFDM Still Having Problems
Is it people or equipment? Whatever it is the bugs should have been worked out as now people in the community are laughing at what is being called “high school” problems.
In almost every single introduction of the news, long pauses with open mics have been heard as the two anchors sit there and look like putzs. And what makes it worse, they apologize and it makes the system worse.
“We are having some pretty bad internal problems I have to admit. We have new equipment and they are still learning how to use it. And the floor management has not adapted to the changes. We can and will do better,” said one lower-level management source to the Review this morning.
“It makes us look so bad. We cannot even introduce our people.”
And we agree it is unprofessional and high school-ish. They have to fix it now. Or face a real backlash. It is like lipstick on a pig. Nice new studios – but it is still a pig.
Hamilton Set To Resign
In another stunning set of news to the Port Arthur City Council, Tiffany Hamilton Everfield, a city councilwoman in Port Arthur, is set to resign, according to sources inside the city. Three sources with inside knowledge say that Hamilton-Ever will be formally noticed that her travel records (plane tickets) and statements taken by officials confirm that she is a resident of Virginia. This includes neighbors around her parent’s house.
FLASHBACK: It is discovered that Hamilton Everfield is living in Virginia and that she lied on a government document that says she lives in Port Arthur, Texas. She was recently married to a man who lives in Virginia and in that state, she filled out government forms that stated she lived in Texas. She won the election and voted on many operational and spending issues – and her vote was non-binding. It was reported to the Jefferson County District Attorney’s office who reported it to the Texas Rangers for investigation. When confronted, Hamilton Everfield lied to the public and said she lived in Port Arthur.
With records coming in, our sources tell us that Hamilton Everfield hopes the cases will be dropped and she will not be criminally charged.
We are told that a special prosecutor will be assigned for presentation to a Travis or Jefferson County Grand Jury as soon as August.
“She is going to resign. She finally got a lawyer to give her instruction NOT TO VOTE on any more spending items or for that matter on anything. She needs to resign because they are simply just letting her add up the counts. She figured out she is going to have to do jail time if she does not resign.,” said one city source.
“Wayne Doltrofino is hanging around and he is as well getting her travel records and her voting records. I would not want to be Tiffany right now. Jail will not suit her well,” said our second source.
One legal source told us: “She is done. She is letting her ego run her life. She had better stop,” said one lawyer inside the city government.
Our take?
She is nothing but an arrogant putz who tried to scam (shuck and jive) the citizens of Port Arthur. She got caught – and now she will pay the price. The cops got smart and let her continue to commit crimes. And that is good – more time in the slammer. As the rest of the council, other than one, sit there is cover up for her.
Wait? Isn’t that a crime as well?
Ewwwww…the plot thickens.
Weekend Negotiations For Police Chief
Well, Onfred Tyler, is the newest name thrown into the mix for police chief this weekend. He is a captain with the Beaumont Police Department. And we got the tip from a high-ranking city official.
Tyler is well known through his father who was a homicide detective for many years at Beaumont Police. He is known as a laid-back individual who would rely on his command team.
Currently, he is a Captain in IAD investigating complaints against police officers.
“They seem to think that Tyler is black and from here. That satisfies all the problems that the city council has. Tyler is a good man. Not a problem on his record. They will be approaching him this weekend,” said the source.
Our take? We have no idea now what the hell is going on. Maybe put Plunkett in charge and slow this train down. However, any way you look at it, the city manager has screwed this selection up.
We will have more on this on Monday.
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