Cooks Van Nguyen and Phuong Pham in the kitchen with Rocky.

Have you ever tasted Vietnamese cuisine? Well, I hadn’t either until a few days ago. I’d heard from several sources that Rocky’s Noodle House in Seadrift was the place to go for a quick and tasty bite to eat, so I thought I’d give it a try.

Walking into the little building at 424 S. Main, we were pleasantly greeted by Rocky, himself, who quickly rushed to the kitchen to help complete the orders that were in process. My granddaughter, Autumn, spotted the Spring Rolls on the counter right away and had to have some before we even looked at the menu.

The dining area is small, only six tables, but very clean and bright. The menu featured a lot of dishes starting with the word “”: tai, chin, bo vien, etc. I understand that this is a traditional Vietnamese broth and is served with noodles and various meats. Although I heard it was quite delicious, I’m not an adventurous eater, so I chose something more familiar: Stir Fried Noodle with Chicken and Vegetables.

My friend Rose, who had worked up an appetite delivering papers with us, is not much of a gourmet either, so she decided to have the same. Autumn ordered Fried Rice and Egg Roll. We shared our meals so we could get a taste of everything. I liked the fried rice and egg roll best.

Rocky Thach Le, who has lived in Seadrift for 14 years, opened his Noodle House on December 6 and has seen his business grow as more and more Seadrifters and folks from Port Lavaca and Port O’Connor try it out, return again and again, and tell their friends.

I had heard that Rocky sometimes plays guitar and sings for his customers, but he was a little too busy cooking and serving while we were there to serenade us. Maybe next time.

On the way out, I purchased a few more Spring Rolls to enjoy later. Our dining experience at Rocky’s Noodle House was outstanding and I highly recommend you check it out.

Rocky’s Noodle House is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The phone number is 361-237-6005.

-Joyce Rhyne

Raquel Martinez and Kenny Garza enjoy lunch at Rocky’s Noodle House. Raquel drives from Port Lavaca to have Pho at Rocky’s at least once a week.

Sponsored by the Seadrift Lions

On Saturday, February 18, 2012, the Seadrift Lions presented a donation of $7,500 from Seadrift Coke to Calhoun County Habitat for Humanity. Instrumental in the securing of this donation were Mr. John Earle and Lions Debra Dugan and Mike Mueller, who are also employees of Seadrift Coke. This donation will help complete the Habitat home currently under construction at 1009 West Broadway in Seadrift.

A homeowner has not yet been chosen for this home. To get more information about this home and the application process, please contact Calhoun County Habitat for Humanity at (361) 552-5005.

The Seadrift Lions Club has 23 members and meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday at 6:30 at First National Bank in Seadrift. Lions clubs are a group of men and women who identify needs within the community and work together to fulfill those needs. For more information or to get involved with the Seadrift Lions Club, please contact Peggy Gaines at (361) 920-1743 or visit the club website at www.seadriftlions.org.

Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world. For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the Web site at www.lionsclubs.org.

Seadrift Coke Donation - From left to right: Lion Eldon Gaines, Lion VP Lynn Reeves, Jim Richter, Troy Baxter, Lion Mike Mueller, Lion Debra Dugan, Lion Jack LaBarge, and Lion VP Joann Mueller. -Photo by Lion President Peggy Gaines

Daniel Braman Miller, 73, of Victoria and Port O’Connor and formerly of Refugio, died at Citizens Memorial Medical Center, February 14, 2012, after a hard fought battle with heart failure.

He was born in Victoria on December 7, 1938, to the late Jack O. Miller and Ellen Braman Miller. Danny graduated from Patti Welder High School in 1957 and attended TCU in Ft. Worth and Andrew College in Cuthbert, Ga. He was retired from D. H. Braman, Jr. Interests and served as a Texas Parks and Wildlife Deputy Game Warden. He was an avid saltwater sportsman and a connoisseur of good food.

A celebration of a good life and visitation was held on Thursday, February 16, 2012, at the Port O’Connor Community Center.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 18, 2012, at Trinity Episcopal Church, Victoria, where Danny was baptized and confirmed.

He is survived by his loving wife of 19 years, Teek Miller; daughters Deborah Anne Rhodes (Robert) of Victoria and Paula Elizabeth “Lisa” Miller of Austin; stepdaughters Mary Anne Pryor of The Woodlands and Rachel Caraway Berte (Larry) of Houston; son Daniel Braman Miller, Jr. (Melissa) of Liberty Hill; stepsons William Evans Pryor, Jr. and Edmund Randolph Pryor (Kendall) of Austin; and Ben Caraway of Victoria; and four grandsons and three granddaughters.

He is also survived by his twin brother, Jack O. Miller, Jr. and wife Zia of Matagorda; his brother Stephen Miller and partner Norman of Chicago; two devoted nephews, Jack O. Miller III of Cleburne and Daniel C. Miller of Bay City; and many longtime, dear friends, including Michael Lieberman, Don Duncan and Shelby Stocks.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to the Dorothy H. O’Connor Pet Adoption Center in Victoria.

Left-right: Bob McCarn, Silver-Haired Legislator Russell Cain, Calhoun County Precinct #1 Justice of the Peace, Hope D. Kurtz

On February 21, 2012, Calhoun County JP Kurtz swore in Bob McCarn as a Texas Silver-Haired Legislator. Mr. McCarn will join Mr. Mannon Mints in representing the Golden Crescent Area on Aging at the next session, scheduled to begin April 3, in Austin.

The Texas Silver-Haired Legislature (TSHL) provides a nonpartisan forum for discussion and debate of senior issues, advocacy training, and an avenue through which older citizens may serve as a resource to both public and private sectors. It is composed of 116 representatives elected to two-year terms by Texans over 60 years of age. It strives to promote good government for all Texans by directly involving senior citizens in the legislative process. The TSHL has helped to pass a great number of bills in the Texas Legislature since its incarnation in 1985. It selects top-priority resolutions each session and puts all efforts towards incorporating them into legislative acts.

Bob and his wife, former Bobbye Clark, both graduated from Port Lavaca High School in 1952. Bob went on to graduate from Texas A&M in 1956, and began his career as a labor relations representative for International Harvester in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Later, after serving as an officer in the U.S. Army, Bob and Bobbye returned to Calhoun County to farm rice for a couple of years, then returned to A&M for a Masters in Business. After 13 years in industry, Bob again returned to school, this time at St Mary’s Law School. He immediately was recruited back into industry, negotiating labor agreements in 3 foreign countries and 5 US states.

The McCarns retired and returned to Texas in 1992 where Bob became active in Politics. You can spot Bob and Hillary (his blue heeler/border collie) riding around Port Lavaca or Goliad (where Bob is now experimenting with truck crops) in his old pickup. Hillary is a permanent fixture in the pickup.

If you have issues you would like to discuss with Bob, feel free to write him at Bob McCarn, PO Box 51, Goliad, TX 77963.