Selling an old bridge and buying an old building were two topics of discussion at the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury meeting on April 16.

First up was the sale of the “surplus” South Wayside Bridge, located north of Simmesport near the Yellow Bayou Park.

The structure was sold “as-is/where is” to Ashley Kimble for $1,525.

This is the second timber bridge the jury has sold under a new program designed to get rid of scarcely used old parish bridges that would otherwise either have to be repaired or abandoned and removed by the jury. Either option would cost thousands of dollars for a bridge that serves only a few people.

Under this program, the buyer is responsible for the bridge. They can either repair it for their use or dismantle it for the lumber. Either way, the Police Jury receives money instead of being obligated to spend it.

WANTS TO BUY BUILDING

Unless there is a good-natured, civic-minded property owner willing to donate a vacant building for the public’s use, the Police Jury will be spending a lot more on that item than it received for the old bridge.

The Police Jury authorized advertising for a commercial building near the courthouse to house the parish Permit Office, Veterans Affairs Office and offices for several parish commissions. That ad began running in The Weekly News this week.

The building must be within 500 yards of the courthouse, be at least 4,500 sq. ft. and have a level parking area able to accommodate at least 20 vehicles.

The proposals must be hand-delivered to the Police Jury office on the 2nd Floor of the courthouse by 4 p.m. May 13.

The offers will be opened and read aloud at 5:30 p.m. on May 14.

The Police Jury is expected to accept the lowest sale price of a building meeting its specifications, but reserves the right to reject all proposals if the sale prices are too high or do not fit the parish’s needs.

Police Jury President Charles Jones said the public needs a “one-stop shop” for its Permit Office. There is too much coming and going involved in obtaining a permit, he said. Those seeking permits may need to present a deed form the Clerk of Court’s Office and go to the 911 Center for a permit from that office before the Permit Office can issue a permit.

ELIMINATE TRIPS

The envisioned “Avoyelles Service Center” will eliminate those extra trips “and provide better service to the public.”

Jones said the permit clerks in the new office will be able to get the information and documents from other offices needed to complete the permit process.

The Police Jury will collect any fees charged by the other offices and remit those fees to those agencies.

In a related item, the Police Jury also authorized advertising to hire two permit clerks.

Jones said the requirement for a 20-car parking lot was included because the Police Jury would like to expand the use of the building to include a community room for meetings and events, which would increase the public’s use of the site.

At this time, besides the Permit Office and VA, Jones said there would be offices for the Planning Commission, Spring Bayou Lake Commission and possibly other parish boards.

Police Juror Henry Moreau said he wanted to ensure the jury “has the building inspected to determine what it would cost to bring it up to standards” before the jury buys it.

Jones said there will be a full inspection of the selected building before the parish closes the sale.

OTHER BUSINESS

In another “old building” issue, Jones said parish officials will be meeting with the parish engineer and the architect, contractor and subcontractor involved in constructing the parish-owned LSU AgCenter in Mansura.

“There are a number of serious maintenance issues with the AgCenter,” he said.

He said there was a meeting on issues concerning the building four or five years ago, but there are some things brought up then that have not been resolved.

In another bridge issue, Civil Works Director Kevin Bordelon told the jury at its April 11 agenda-setting committee meeting that the state DOTD has completed its inspection of parish bridges “and we had zero closures.” Bordelon said that is “quite an accomplishment, and a real credit to our bridge crew.”

The parish was struck with several bridge closures in the previous round of state inspections.

Bunkie native Jarius Goudeau Joseph will be making history, of a sort, when he and his spouse star in tonight's (April 25) episode of the “Wife Swap” reality TV show. The episode of the rebooted series will air at 8 p.m. on the Paramount Network -- formerly called Spike TV.

What makes this “Wife Swap” different from all others that have come before it is the fact that one couple is homosexual and black while the other is heterosexual and white.

Jarius, 26, and his husband Terrell, also 26, live in Atlanta, Ga. Jarius is a 2011 graduate of Bunkie High. He is the son of Wykisa Goudeau of Bunkie.

Goudeau said she is blessed to know that her efforts as a single mother were not in vain. She said she is “past proud for my sons and I love my grandkids more than words can say.”

Wykisa runs Security Finance in Bunkie. She makes an appearance on the show. She said the family will gather at the house of her mother, Helen Goudeau, to watch the show.

Jarius said Bunkie will always be his family home, but he has not had an opportunity to visit in some time.

“I talk to my mama multiple times a day,” Jarius said, “but my work on social media keeps me busy.”

Jarius said Atlanta will be his and Terrell’s permanent home.

“There are a lot of good people in Bunkie,” he said. “I enjoyed growing up in Bunkie.”

Jarius earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from Southern University. He met Terrell in 2011 when they were both freshmen, Terrell is from Lake Charles.

They moved to Atlanta, where they married in 2017. Jarius took Terrell’s last name.

“When my husband and I announced we were having kids on social media, it went viral,” Jarius said.

He said the couple has done a Disney commercial. They both work full-time on social media, such as Youtube.

After the “Wife Swap” episode airs, they will appear on national talk shows.

“The main goal of our appearing on ‘Wife Swap’ is to give the world an inside view of what it is like living in a black gay family in 2019,” Jarius said.

The couple’s first attempt at a surrogate pregnancy ended in miscarriage in 2016 after five months.

On their second attempt, they had two surrogate pregnancies resulting in Ashton and Aria. Ashton is about five weeks older than his sister.

The two men are using their public platform to inspire others to never stop reaching for their goals and dreams.

Jarius said he did not “come out” as gay in high school. He was the captain of the basketball team, track team and cross country team. He also competed in academic contests with the school’s Beta Club.

“I knew I was gay,” Jarius said, but he did not want to risk the possible repercussions from his classmates by publicly announcing he was homosexual.

Jarius said he and Terrell are hoping to have their own reality TV show in the future.

As the Avoyelles Journal goes to press this morning, reports are coming in via social media of a wreck on Hwy 107 at the Moncla Bridge.

Posts indicate the accident involved a car and small truck. It is unclear how the accident occurred but it was at sometime during the torrential rains today, April 25.

Heavy rains have caused very poor visibility in areas.

Some posts claim a person has been killed in the accident, however, no official reports have been released.

Avoyelles Parish – Earlier today, a crash involving three vehicles killed a woman from Deville, LA. All three drivers were properly restrained.

Troopers responded to the crash around 8:00 a.m., which occurred on LA Hwy 107, at LA Hwy 1196. The crash involved a 2008 Chevrolet pickup, driven by Joseph Hood (W/M 29 yoa) of Greenbrier, TN, a 2011 Ford Fusion, driven by Chloe Potmesil Bordelon (W/F 29 yoa), and a 2009 Honda SUV, driven by Heidi Patrice Maize (B/F 36 yoa) of Morgan City, LA. The Chevrolet was southbound on LA Hwy 107 when Hood failed to observe the southbound Ford stopped in the roadway, due to northbound traffic, preparing to turn left onto LA Hwy 1196. Hood’s failure to observe the vehicle stopped resulted in the Chevrolet colliding with the rear of the Ford. After the collision, debris from the vehicles struck the Honda.

Hood received minor injuries and was cited for failure to yield. Bordelon was pronounced dead. Maize was not injured.

Routine toxicology tests are pending. The crash remains under investigation.

While not all crashes are survivable, seat belts can greatly decrease the occupant’s chance of death and will greatly reduce the extent of injury.

Troop E Troopers have investigated 14 fatal crashes in 2019, resulting in 16 fatalities.

Four of the parish’s five high school baseball teams made it into the state playoffs. Three teams played their first round playoff games on Monday and two of those advanced in the playoffs and will begin their 2nd round playoff series today.

Only the AAA Marksville Tigers remained home after the regular season ended. No.28 Avoyelles fell to No. 7 Albany, 10-2, in the Class AAA playoffs.

In Class AA baseball, 11th-seeded Bunkie defeated 22nd-ranked Lake Arthur, 4-2, and 7th-seeded Avoyelles Charter shut out 26th-ranked Vinton, 8-0, to advance to a best-of-three series today and Saturday.

The Panthers will travel to play 6th-seeded Many at 6 p.m. Friday and again at 11 a.m. Saturday. A third game, if needed, would be played at 2 p.m. Saturday.

The Vikings host 10th-seed Pine at 6:30 p.m. and will play again at noon Saturday. A third game, if needed, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Saturday.

In Division V, 8th-seeded St. Joseph will play top-ranked Claiborne Christian on May 2. Both of those teams received first-round byes, so it will be the first playoff game for both teams in this tournament.

SOFTBALL SEMI-FINALS

Two Avoyelles Parish softball teams will play in their state semi-final game this Friday.

The 7th-seeded Lady Vikings upset the No. 2 Doyle Lady Tigers on April 17, 4-3. They will face the No. 3-seeded Mangham Lady Dragons in the semi-finals of the Allstate Sugar Bowl state championship tournament at Frasch Park in Sulphur.

The St. Joseph Lady Eagles blasted Runnels High in the Division V quarterfinals, 16-2, to earn a semi-final position against top-ranked Claiborne Christian on Friday.

Avoyelles School Board President Lynn Deloach will appoint two special committees to study specific issues facing the public school district.

One committee will research possible options for alternative education in the parish. The other will review the costs of the School Board’s Section 16 campsite leases and hunting permits.

Both items were brought up by Board Member Robin Moreau during the board’s committee meetings on April 11.

Moreau asked for discussion on the cost of the Avoyelles Virtual Alternative Program (AVAP), housed in the former elementary wing on the old Hessmer High School campus.

The board approved extending the AVAP contract for one year while other options could be considered.

AVAP is primarily for students who have been expelled or placed on long-term suspension. It also accepts students with diagnosed behavioral issues who are not expelled but are sent to the site due to their behavior in school.

AVAP is provided by the private Ombudsman Education Services. It is finishing its fifth year at the Hessmer site.

Since it began, it has conducted two half-day sessions per school day for students in grades 6-12.

The session includes behavior modification programs to help students change the behaviors that led to them being sent to the alternative school.

In 2019-20, AVAP will have a full-day session and follow the new 4-day school week. It will also add an elementary program to serve younger students in need of an alternative school setting and behavior modification therapy.

“It doesn’t make sense that we get $8,100 per student from the state and we spend $15,000 per student on those in alternative education,” Deloach said. “We are trying to trim that cost. We need to put it back in perspective.”

Moreau and Deloach both voted against renewing AVAP’s contract when it came up for board action earlier this year.

Moreau said he wants the board to consider eliminating student transportation to and from the AVAP site. He said parents would be responsible for getting the students to and from AVAP each day.

That would reduce some cost associated with the program.

CAMP LEASES/PERMITS

On the Section 16 issue, Deloach said the committee he appoints will look at the issue of camp leases and the cost of Section 16 hunting permits to determine if those costs can be reduced.

Moreau said he presented the item at the Building & Lands Committee because he wants the board to study the state laws concerning leasing 16th Section property and determine if the board is required to lease property for at least 85 percent of its appraised value.

“I am hoping we can do something different and do not have to go by an appraisal,” he said.

If the campsite lease prices have to be based on an appraisal, he said the board should obtain a new appraisal that would allow cost of the leases to be reduced.

“We have lost a lot of trust from the public, and they have not been supportive of us when we have asked for new taxes,” Moreau said. “If we try to build relationships by such things as making leases and hunting permits more affordable, it will be better for us in the future.”

Moreau said there are many campsites that are going unleased because the price is too high. The board also sells relatively few hunting permits for the Section 16 properties.

Those wishing to contact the Hessmer Police Department have a new phone number to call -- 318-717-8009.

Hessmer Police Chief Kenneth Smith said a “large group of village residents and police officers” have donated funds to enable the police department to acquire new phone service. Verizon cut off the department’s cell phone service on April 1.

Mayor Travis Franks and the three village aldermen have refused to pay the bill for the Verizon phone service Smith secured to replace service he said was not working properly.

Smith said the mayor and council action is in “contradiction of state law” and resulted in the department’s phones being disconnected.

The donations were used to acquire a new phone service and “to make sure that you (village residents) have access to police protection.”

Smith also criticized the budget cuts recommended by Franks and unanimously approved by the council at its April 1 meeting.

‘SLASHED BUDGET’

“The mayor and council have also slashed the police budget, despite paying enormous salaries to friends who work less than 40 hours per week,” Smith said.

When asked to elaborate or be specific, Smith declined, saying, “They know what I’m talking about.”

Franks said all employees in Hessmer are paid on a per-hour basis and earn about the average for municipalities of similar size. There are no “enormous salaries” earned in the village, he said.

Smith also chastised village officials for “helping finance a festival along with other pet projects -- which seems more important to them and their friends who live outside the city limits than police protection for our residents.”

The Cajun Crossroads Festival, set for this Friday and Saturday is sponsored by the Hessmer Sports League.

Proceeds are used for maintenance and improvements to the village-owned Ronald N. Mayeux Recreation Complex on the campus of the former Hessmer High School.

In the past four years, the municipality sponsored a fireworks display and security costs for the event. Franks said the village is not contributing anything toward the festival this year due to budget cutbacks.

‘WOULDN’T BE RIGHT’

“It wouldn’t be right for the council and me to say we need to cut back in some areas due to unexpected costs and a decline in revenue and then spend $5-10,000 on a festival,” Franks said. “We are fortunate that this year the Sports Club is paying for all of the costs of the Crossroads Festival.”

Franks said the festival is worth supporting because it “gives the community an opportunity to come together. It also promotes the town. Let’s face it, there’s not a lot to do in Hessmer for our residents. This festival is a chance for them to come out and have some fun with their families.”

Most of the parish’s municipalities have one or more community events during the year. Those festivals are usually sponsored by civic organizations with some support from the municipalities where they are held.

Franks said the town has spent about $4,000 a year for the four previous Crossroads Festivals out of its budget allocation for public recreation.

The Sports Club has contributed tens of thousands of dollars a year for improvements at the Recreation Complex, Franks noted.

CELL PHONE ISSUE

The police cell phone service has been an issue since last summer.

On July 18, 2018, Village Attorney Brandon Scott sent a letter to Smith’s attorney, Mark Jeansonne, stating the village would provide the Police Department with two cell phones it could “port any lines to, thereby avoiding any alleged disruption in services provided to the people of Hessmer.”

That was never done, allegedly because Smith never took the administration up on its offer.

CAJUN CROSSROADS FESTIVAL IN HESSMER
Hessmer will kick off the summer festival season with its Cajun Crossroads event this Friday and Saturday (May 3-4).

This will be the fifth year for the festival, which began in 2015 to celebrate Hessmer’s 60th year as a municipality.

Activities begin Friday night with the start of the two-day T-ball tournaments for adults and children. Games begin at 6 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Hessmer Sports Club (HSC) and proceeds are used to help the club maintain and improve the Ronald Mayeux Recreation Complex.

The recreational area was created after the Village of Hessmer purchased most of the campus of the former Hessmer High School.

There will be a DJ playing Friday night and all day Saturday, HSC President Cory Juneau said.

There will be no admission charge Friday night, but there will be a $3 admission cost Saturday.

In addition to the T-ball tournaments, the event will include food vendors, bouncy houses for the children and a jambalaya cook-off competition.

On Saturday, judging for the cook-off will be at 4 p.m. and there will be a fireworks display at dark, approximately 8 p.m.

"RIDERS OF THE ORPHAN TRAIN"

A free presentation on the role of Avoyelles in the largest child migration in history -- the “Orphan Train” program from 1854-1929 -- will be held at the Avoyelles Parish Library main branch in Marksville at 6:30 p.m. Monday (May 6).

Seating is limited and registration is required for those planning to attend, Library Director Theresa Thevenote said. Register by calling 253-7559.

Relatives and acquaintances of Orphan Train riders who were raised in Avoyelles are especially invited to attend and share their stories with the audience.

Presenters will be Alison Moore, an author and humanities scholar from Austin, Texas, and Phil Lancaster, a bluegrass/folk musician from Fayetteville, Ark.

SWAMP POP LEGENDS IN BORDELONVILLE

Several stars of the Louisiana “Swamp Pop” era will perform in concert this Saturday (May 4) at the Bordelonville Community Center gym.

Doors will open for the Swamp Pop Legends Show at 6 p.m. with the show expected to run from 7 to 11 p.m. Tickets are $25 each.

Proceeds will go to benefit the Bordelonville Fire Department and its Fire Training/Community Center, which is on the former Bordelonville High School campus.

Those performing include Bert Miller, singer and drummer for the Original Boogie Kings, Warren Storm, Willie “T,” T.K. Hulin, Jivin’ Gene and the Cypress Band, with guest musicians from the Original Boogie Kings and Swing Kings groups.

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
St. Joseph Catholic Church of Marksville will observe the National Day of Prayer at noon on Thursday.

This year’s theme is “Love one another as I have loved you,” from the Gospel of John.

A recitation of the Rosary for the nation will be held during the observation.

LAW DAY MAY 3

The Avoyelles Parish Bar Association will host its annual Law Day ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday in the 12th Judicial District “A” Courtroom in the courthouse in Marksville.

This year’s theme is “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society.”

The event is free and open to the public to learn about the proposed Avoyelles Justice Center to house parish courtrooms and judicial district offices.

For more information call (318) 253-6587.

A request to connect an out-of-town property to the Marksville water system was unanimously approved in a special City Council meeting on April 16 -- almost a week after it was denied on a 3-3 vote.

The request by Edward Hayes to connect his property at the end of Benjamin Drive to the city water and sewer system drew unexpected debate at the council’s monthly meeting on April 10.

Council members Clyde Benson, Mary Sampson and Edward Conway voted against the proposal while Mayor John Lemoine and council members Frank Havard and Michael Gremillion voted in favor.Under Marksville’s city charter, the mayor is a voting member of the council.

The item was revisited in a special meeting on April 16 when it was determined that Sampson should have abstained from the vote because the proposed development of the property is to be financed by her employer, Union Bank.

When the council met to reconsider Hayes’ request, it approved the water connection on a 5-0 vote with Sampson abstaining.

The issue of connecting the property to the sewer system will be decided when Hayes presents a proposed plan on which route he would use to connect the property to the sewer system.

VOTING BREAKDOWN

The discussion at the April 10 meeting ended up breaking down the vote along a black-white-- although nobody mentioned race or skin color while making their comments. The three voting “yes” were white. The three voting “no” were black.

Benson said he objected to the motion because two other subdivisions -- Tricia Park and Richardson Place II -- have issues the city has not addressed.

Those subdivisions’ populations are predominantly black. Hayes is white.

Benson said it is not fair to allow Hayes to connect to the city water and sewer system when the city has refused to allow the Tricia Park subdivision to connect to city sewer.

He also said Richardson Place II has been waiting to be annexed into the city for about two years, but the annexation has not been finalized.

He said he couldn’t vote for Hayes’ request until those neighborhoods’ issues were addressed.

Lemoine said he agreed with Benson’s overall position that all requests from out-of-town property owners should be approved or none should.

“Otherwise we end up in court explaining why we allowed one to connect and not the other,” Lemoine said.

It was noted that the city has allowed several property owners just outside of town to connect to the city water and sewer systems, at their own cost.

Havard said the city has not refused to allow Tricia Park to connect to the city sewer system. The city has agreed to let the subdivision connect to the sewer system once its sewer treatment system meets city standards.

Concerning the Richardson II annexation, City Attorney Derrick Whittington said the council denied his recommendation that the city hire an outside attorney to finish the paperwork to officially annex the subdivision.

He said it was noted at that time that his workload for the city was very heavy and it would be good to contract with an attorney specifically for that annexation paperwork.

Based on councilmen’s comments concerning the two-year delay, Whittington said he “will put some other things on the back burner and get to it.”

He said his workload has not diminished in the past two years, but he will make the annexation a priority.

WILL RETIRE HERE

Hayes lives in Houston but said he is from Marksville and still has family here. He will retire here in a few years and plans to construct about 48 homes on the property -- two per lot on the 24-lot subdivision.

The first two will be for him and his daughter.

His plans call for 800 sq. ft. homes with two bedrooms. However, he said if there is a demand for larger homes, he will revise his development plans to have fewer total homes.

When the motion to approve his request to connect to the water system died on a tie vote, Hayes looked puzzled.

“I don’t know why this happened,” he told the council. “You have done this for others.

He said his understanding of the discussion concerning his request indicates “you have not done something for other subdivisions, but I am being penalized for that.”

Hayes told the council that at this time he is “a customer trying to tie in to your water system.”

He said eventually hopes to connect to the sewer system, but is prepared to install an independent sewer treatment system if he has to.

He also noted at one point that he might want his subdivision to be annexed into the city -- which would create more property tax revenue for City Hall.

OTHER BUSINESS

In other action, the council:

-- Discussed a rash of break-ins around town, despite increased patrols. Most cases are not actually break-ins, but thieves taking advantage of unlocked vehicles and taking items in the car. Citizens are urged to lock their vehicle, even if they intend to be away only away for a short time.

-- Were told that for the month of March, the city received $510 in fines from Ward 2/City Court while the Police Jury received $4,174. The two entities equally share paying operating costs for the court, but the parish receives most of the fines due to cases being prosecuted as violations of state law rather than city ordinances.

-- Discussed the recent purchase of 10 goats to be kept at the sewer treatment ponds to replace animals that escaped when the fence was cut.
Goats are used to maintain the grass due to landscape that is not conducive to lawn maintenance equipment.
In addition to the goats, the city has three donkeys at the site. In addition to grazing on the site, the donkeys also protect the goats from coyotes.

Wednesday, May 01, 2019 9:06 AM
Avoyelles Parish, LA 1
Milepost 212.81, Bridge # 0520500001
Control Section 052-05

The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), advises the public that bridge number 0520500001 (Simmesport Bridge) will be closed to all traffic for intermittent 15 minute periods from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM on Tuesday, May 7, 2019 for aerial bridge inspection. Traffic will be allowed across the bridge between the 15-minute closure periods.

This structure is on LA 1 over the Atchafalaya River at Simmesport, LA and is located at logmile 0.00. Bridge is located 0.18 miles east of the LA 1/LA 105 intersection.

Permit/Detour Section
No detour will be provided since bridge will only be closed to traffic for 15 minute periods intermittently and traffic will be allowed across the bridge between the 15-minute closure periods.

Safety Reminder
DOTD appreciates your patience and reminds you to please drive with caution through the construction site and be on the lookout for work crews and their equipment.

Additional Information
Call (318) 561-5100 or (800) 542-3509 or 511 or visit www.511LA.org for additional information. Motorists may also monitor the LA DOTD website, www.dotd.la.gov, by selecting MYDOTD, the LA DOTD Facebook page, or the LA DOTD Twitter page, @Alex_Traffic for further information.

For the past few years, the main question in the weeks prior to the Cochon de Lait Festival has been “Will they or won’t they?”

Will the Town Council members approve funding for additional security needed for one of Avoyelles’ oldest and largest festivals or will they claim there is no money in the budget for that expense this year? In the past few years, there have been protestations of a lack of money in the budget, but the council has always seen its way to allocate the additional $2,500 for security costs.

At its meeting on April 8, the council unanimously rejected the Mansura Chamber of Commerce’s request for a $2,500 contribution to the festival, which will be held May 9-12.

All indications are that “No” really means “No” this year.

Chamber President Meyhan Chenevert presented the request, which would only pay part of the cost for additional security officers for the festival. Mayor Kenneth Pickett told Chenevert the allocation for additional festival security is not in the budget. The council unanimously voted not to make the contribution to help the festival.

Mansura calls itself the “Cochon de Lait Capital of the World,” primarily due to the annual festival that began back in 1960, when Mansura celebrated its 100th anniversary as an incorporated municipality.

The festival got too big and was discontinued in 1972. It was revived in 1987 and has not missed a year since.

That is why this year’s festival is the 45th Cochon de Lait Festival and not the 59th.

In past years, the council was persuaded to pay the additional security costs because providing police protection is the town’s responsibility -- even during an event that is held within the city limits but not sponsored by the municipality. It has also been noted in the past that Mansura gets a lot of favorable publicity from the festival and, reportedly, additional sales tax revenue from those attending the four-day festival.

In another matter, the council was told the Mansura Branch Library will move from its current site into the Train Depot Museum building in May.

Avoyelles Library Director Theresa Thevenote would like to transfer the books “fire brigade” style, handing each book down a line from the current library building on Cleco Street up the road to the new one to be housed in the recently remodeled depot building. It would take 50-60 participants to form the line for the event.

Those wishing to volunteer should call the main branch in Marksville at 253-7559.

IN OTHER BUSINESS
In other action, the council:

-- Was told by Pickett that he will appoint a committee of aldermen Shawn Wilson and Judy Bazert to review abandoned houses and overgrown lots around town and determine what needs to be done to address the issue.

-- Selected 1st Insurance Marksville as the insurance carrier for the town.

-- Approved sending necessary employee information to Employer Resource Group to obtain a quote on employee benefits offered by that company.

-- Was notified that Pickett has signed the contract for the Mansura polling place to be moved from the Fire Station to the Cochon de Lait Pavilion.

-- Authorized allocating funds to address the condition of Sewer Pond Road.

-- Authorized applying for a Community Development Block Grant to improve the quality of drinking water in the town.

-- Scheduled a public hearing for 5:30 p.m. May 13 to get public input on the proposed July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020 budget.

Although the Avoyelles Public Charter Lady Vikings were able to upset the No. 2 Class AA team in the playoffs, there wasn’t enough of that old Norse magic to slay the Lady Dragons from Mangham.

The No. 3 Mangham squad eliminated APCS, 4-3, on April 26.

The Lady Dragons flew into battle against the No. 4 Kinder Lady Yellowjackets to take a 9-8 victory and claim the state Class AA softball championship in the Allstate Sugar Bowl state softball championships at Frasch Park in Sulphur.

Kinder eliminated the Bunkie Lady Panthers in the quarterfinals, 3-0.

St. Joseph’s Lady Eagles were shot down by the No. 1-seeded Claiborne Christian Lady Crusaders, 16-1. The game was called in the 5th inning under the “mercy rule.”

Claiborne Christian went on to defeat No. 2 Northside Christian, 18-15, to take the Division V championship.

The Lady Eagles beat Runnels High, 16-2, to earn its shot at Claiborne in the semifinal game.

“Our goal for this year was to reach the semi-finals, and we achieved that,” St. Joe Coach Kenny Knight said. “We are a young team. We had a 7th grader, Maddie Dupuis, at pitcher. We improved over the year.”

Knight said his team will lose only one senior, Abbi Gremillion, who was “a great team leader for us this year. She kept the young girls straight.”

The Lady Eagles finished the year with an 11-15 record.

“For our age and experience level, we over-achieved,” Knight added.

BASEBALL PLAYOFFS

In the boys baseball playoffs, No.7-seeded Avoyelles Charter won the first two games in a three-game series with Pine.

The Vikings won the first game on April 26, 7-6. The Charter 9 blasted the Raiders, 21-0, the next day to end the series and advance to the quarterfinals to face the No. 2-ranked Doyle Tigers this Friday and Saturday.

Bunkie, the parish’s other team in the AA playoffs, lost its first two games of a three-game series with Many to end its playoff dreams.

The Tigers won the April 26 game, 15-9, and took an 8-5 win the next day.

St. Joseph plays the No. 1-ranked Claiborne Christian Thursday in the Division V tournament.

The Allstate Sugar Bowl State Baseball Championship Tournament will be held at McMurry Park in Sulphur with the semi-final and final games in all classifications. The semifinal games will be played May 8 and the championships will be played May 10.

A complaint of an elderly woman being mistreated in a Marksville area home led to the arrest of a relative on a charge of cruelty to a person with infirmities, the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office reported.

Thi Thuy Harper, 48, was arrested this past Monday (April 29) after an investigation by APSO and Louisiana Department of Elderly Protective Services officers. As of today (May 2) she was still in the parish detention center under $25,000 bond.

Investigators responded to the complaint and found the elderly woman in a residence on La. Hwy 107. She had apparently been locked in a room without air conditioning or proper ventilation for long periods of time.

There was no running water in the home and there was no food in the residence.

APSO investigators said the victim appeared to be malnourished and also claimed to have been physically assaulted by the caretaker. She was transported to a hospital for medical evaluation.

Investigators also reported finding evidence of recent illicit drug use in the residence.

Three dogs in the house also appeared to be malnourished and suffering from various medical conditions.

APSO contacted the Humane Society of Louisiana (HSL) for assistance. HSL enlisted the aid of St. Landry Animal Control to assist in removing the dogs to receive proper care.

APSO stated the case is still under investigation and additional charges are possible.

MANSURA, La. (Daryl Deshotel) - Avoyelles Parish businessman and community leader Daryl Deshotel officially announced his campaign on Tuesday for the District 28 seat of the Louisiana State House of Representatives.

Deshotel is a lifelong resident of Avoyelles who began working at an early age on his uncle’s sweet potato farm. While in college at Louisiana State University (LSU), he learned how to assemble and program computers, which led him to create Detel Computer Solutions.

Deshotel says he will bring his business-minded approach and experience as a successful job creator to Baton Rouge. There, he says he will prioritize cutting unnecessary spending and enacting policies to grow and protect the economy of Avoyelles and the state as a whole.

“I’m running, because we need more business-minded representatives at the Capitol,” Deshotel said. “I know I can foster strong economic development and truly help our parish and state to succeed. Our community has great potential, and I will work hard every day to encourage the growth of quality jobs and opportunity in Avoyelles. My door will always be open for the people of our parish.”

Aside from economic development, Deshotel is making education a major focus of his campaign.

Deshotel is a pro-life Christian, committed to protecting the rights of the unborn. He is also a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, who will fight to protect the rights and culture of all of Avoyelles.

Deshotel’s campaign is hosting an official kick-off event on Monday, May 6, from noon to 1 p.m. at Detel, located at 2028 HWY 115 in Mansura.

Replacing Simmesport’s aging water meters with modern wireless-read meters will cost $250,000-300,000 -- but there may be a way the town can make the upgrade without writing a hefty check.

Eric Street of Brilliant Efficiencies told the Town Council at its April 8 meeting that the company is willing to allow Simmesport to pay off the cost of the meters on a per meter/per month lease agreement that could be passed on to water customers.

One option would be to charge the town $3.05 per meter per month for an agreement that would not cover the cost of replacing meters once the 15-year warranty period expires.

Another option would have a monthly cost of $4.09 per month per meter for 20 years and $1.81 per meter per month thereafter, but would include full replacement of the meters after the warranty expires.

The town would have the option of paying off the lease-purchase agreement at any time -- possibly with grant funds it might receive for water system improvements at some point in the future.

NO UP-FRONT COST

There is no up-front cost to the town and no bonded indebtedness that might affect its bond rating.

The new meters would be ultrasonic, wireless meters that are read with a laptop or tablet device when the Water Department employee drives by the meter.

It was noted the town’s meters are old and inaccurate.

This raises the probability that customer’s water bills will increase solely due to their monthly water usage being billed accurately.

If the Water Department also adds the meter lease fee to the bill, the monthly water bill will be even higher.

The council authorized Mayor Leslie Draper to pursue negotiations with Brilliant Efficiencies concerning the proposal.

Draper said the matter will be brought back to the Town Council at its May 13 meeting.

Sometimes questions pop up during local discussions that lead to “chasing rabbits” that lead to fields far away.

Sometimes, they were the wrong rabbit after all.

That doesn’t take away the fun of the chase.

This last rabbit led me to a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist far to the north of Avoyelles Parish. It hopped through a story that was so disturbing that there was no upside to it.

Although the local issue ended up having nothing to do with this “rabbit,” it was interesting enough that I thought I should share it with you.

It seems several years ago in a large Northern city a number of police officers were accused by federal prosecutors of framing drug dealers, prostitutes and pimps by planting evidence to secure convictions. It was alleged that if they couldn’t find the evidence to convict the “bad guys,” they would just make sure they did find evidence to convict the "bad guys."

In addition to the evidence tampering, these police officers were also accused of intimidating the drug dealers, pimps and prostitutes -- including subjecting them to unnecessary “body cavity searches.”

These officers were indicted and tried before a jury. There were about 100 witnesses in a 34-day trial. The jury deliberated for 19 hours before acquitting all of the officers.

They found the prosecutors did not prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt and relied too heavily on “unreliable witnesses.” Jurors actually praised the defendants for their dedicated efforts to keep the public safe.

The Pulitzer Prize winner covered that trial. He now works as a federal agency’s public information coordinator. He said he enjoyed going back through the case in our joint attempt to “connect the dots” in my little rabbit hunt.

He also said he does not regret for a minute leaving the role of journalist to assume the role of public information agent.

“I probably help more reporters in this job than I ever did at the newspaper,” he said.

I told him that “connecting the dots” as a journalist is what keeps old newshounds young, even when the dots don’t make the picture you were hoping they would.

So, about the “no win” feeling about this case.

Were these dedicated police officers unfairly accused, suspended, indicted and tried for crimes they did not commit based on unsubstantiated accusations by members of the seedy underbelly of society?

Or did they get away with disregarding American citizens’ constitutional rights solely because of their victims’ lifestyle, “career choice” and past criminal records?

Neither of those options is acceptable to me. I wish I hadn’t gone down that particular rabbit trail.

Now I don’t know if we have over-zealous prosecutors seeking to take down our “blue knights” and protect those who should rightfully be on the other end of their prosecutorial efforts or if we live in a country where a victim’s rights can be swept away just because they weren’t a model citizen all their life.

Then I go back to the fact that this rabbit trail was far north of Avoyelles Parish in a large Northern city many years ago.

Surely we do not have law enforcement officers in this parish who hold a belief that they can treat “scum” like scum just because the “scum” have no political power, no financial power and have a criminal record.

Surely potential jurors in Avoyelles Parish would not be blinded by the glint of a gold badge and so impressed with a stiffly starched dress uniform they would let someone who blatantly violates the U.S. Constitution get a free pass to terrorize, dehumanize, humiliate and intimidate even society’s “scum.”

I would also hope that we don’t have prosecutors who would waste taxpayers’ dollars pursuing a case against dedicated police officers based on the doubtful testimony of known criminals.

What must be remembered is that a man may be a murderer, but that doesn’t mean he’s a liar. A woman may be a prostitute, but that doesn’t mean she was not raped.

So if an inmate says he was abused by a guard, is his complaint to be totally disregarded because, after all, he’s in jail for a reason?

If a police officer “roughs up” a suspect in the course of an arrest, is he to be considered a “rabid mad dog” misusing his badge, gun and position?

The answer to both of the last questions is “Of course not.”

Right?

(Editor’s note: This is an an-nouncement by a candidate in the Oct. 12 election.)

To all citizens of Avoyelles Parish,
I, David L. Dauzat, would like to announce that I will be running for the position of Avoyelles Parish Sheriff in the October 12, 2019 election.
I am a lifelong resident of Avoyelles Parish. I am 47 years old and have been married to my wife, Patricia Lemoine Dauzat, for 26 years.
My wife and I have 3 children: Tucker, 23; Kennedy, 18; and Parker, 8. I was raised in Fifth Ward by my parents, Bert and Sandra Dauzat. I grew up in heavy equipment construction/land clearing and farming.
I have 4 siblings: the late Stephanie Dauzat Pollard and husband, Bret; Lisa Dauzat and husband, Randy; Mark Dauzat and wife, Gwen; and Johnathan Dauzat.
My message is simple. I have a public servant’s heart.
Having been a Louisiana State Trooper since 2001, I’ve been fortunate enough to serve numerous citizens in the state and local parishes.
During my time on the road, I gained much experience and training.
As a parish trooper, I served the citizens of Avoyelles Parish until I was promoted to the position of sergeant in February 2014. I then worked with other Troop E supervisors to manage troopers/operations in 10 parishes in Central Louisiana, including Avoyelles Parish.
My personnel file as a Louisiana State Trooper is flawless. I love Avoyelles Parish, its people and its culture.
I am saddened when I hear or read about people’s misfortunes in Avoyelles -- whether it be a break-in, theft, criminal damage to property, a domestic dispute, a homicide, an overdose, a suicide, incarcerated individual(s). The list goes on.
I want to make a difference in our parish. We can achieve this goal together. The office of Sheriff should be held by someone who can bring proactive solutions that will make Avoyelles Parish a better, safer place to live and raise a family.
What the sheriff does impacts the citizens.
David L. Dauzat

(Editor’s note: This is an announcement by a candidate in the Oct. 12 election.)
Alissa Piazza Tassin is a native of Marksville and an attorney in the Piazza Law Office. She is married to Jason Tassin who is also from Marksville. Together they have two children: Colton (8) and Elizabeth (4).
Alissa is the daughter of Judge Angelo III and Gwen Piazza of Marksville. She is a 1998 graduate of Marksville High School. She received an undergraduate degree from LSU and earned her juris doctorate at Southern University Law Center.
Alissa spent two years working in Rapides Parish before returning to Avoyelles to establish her private practice. She is qualified to practice law in both State and Federal courts. She has represented a broad variety of interests before many different Louisiana District Courts. She has served Avoyelles as a Public Defender, and she is the attorney for the town of Mansura.
Alissa is active in the community and currently serves as the president of the Avoyelles Parish Bar Association. “I have always been focused on doing my part to make Avoyelles a more desirable place for people to live and for businesses to thrive,” she said. “Being Clerk of Court will be a great opportunity for me to utilize my skills and education towards furthering that goal.”
Alissa notes she is a people person and hard worker who is “excited about the opportunity to be the next Clerk or Court. I will bring fresh ideas and a positive outlook to the table, in addition to my legal background and business experience. I will run the office efficiently and welcome the public warmly,” she added.
Alissa hopes to visit with voters during her campaign “so I can hear the public’s thoughts and ideas about how the Clerk’s office could better serve them.”
For more information on her and her campaign, visit www.votealissa.com online and her “Alissa Piazza Tassin for Avoyelles Clerk of Court” Facebook page. She said she hopes to “get people registered to vote, to engage the youth of this parish in the electoral process and to motivate people to get excited about what the future holds for Avoyelles Parish.”

Francis Keller is no stranger to the role of antagonist to Bunkie city officials. He and Mayor Bruce Coulon have crossed swords and crossed words on the city’s neglected property ordinances and other issues. Keller was also a frequent critic of the past administration.

Now he is taking aim at Coulon over the mayor’s “verbal agreement” with Lagniappe Theatre Company for the use of Haas Auditorium last year for a production of the children’s play Jungle Book.

RECORDS REQUEST

Keller had sought several public records related to the Lagniappe Theatre agreement. In a letter to Keller, Coulon admitted “No contract was done. This was a verbal agreement.”

During the Bunkie City Council’s meeting on April 11, Coulon conceded he may have erred in the way he handled the matter. He said he was new in office and was responding to citizens’ requests that the city provide activities for youth.

About 40 children were involved in the play.

Keller said Lagniappe charged $250 per child to participate in the production and charged $10 per ticket for those attending the play.

Lagniappe was charged $2,000 -- $537.50 for hours used for practice, $1,200 rental for the night performance and $262 rental for activities the next day.

The city received a $1,700 check from Lagniappe dated “12/31/19” that should have been dated 12/31/18. The check was deposited Jan. 29.

It was noted during council discussion that the bank should have refused to deposit the check since it was post-dated by almost a year from the date it was presented for deposit.

In the council meeting, Keller also noted the first invoice he received in his public records request was dated Nov. 19, 2018 and the invoice number was 200.

The next invoice, which showed the $1,700 payment, was dated March 20, 2019 -- the day Coulon’s letter is dated, which was two days after Keller’s request for the records. The number on that page is 201.

Keller quipped that he finds it unlikely the city had no invoices between Nov. 19 and March 20.

It is also unusual that an invoice for a check received Dec. 31 and deposited Jan. 29 would not have been created until it was needed to answer a public records request.

Keller said he will be looking into the possibility of asking the parish district attorney and/or state attorney general to consider malfeasance charges in connection with the issue.

The final two Avoyelles Parish teams were eliminated from the state baseball playoffs this week.

St. Joseph High School in Plaucheville fell to Claiborne Christian, 14-0, in the quarterfinals of the Division V playoffs on Thursday.

Avoyelles Public Charter School was shutout 2-0 by No. 2-ranked Doyle in the first game of the Class-AA quarterfinals series. The Tigers beat the Vikings Friday afternoon, 3-2, to advance to the semi-finals in Sulphur.