Living Here 2020: by The Courier and Daily Comet

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

Thursday, January 30, 2020

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

YO U R G U I D E T O T E R R E B O N N E A N D L A F O U R C H E

Welcome to Living Here Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes are unique and fascinating places to live, whether you’ve grown up here or just moved to the area. Travel the country and the world over, and you’ll never find anywhere quite like this piece of south Louisiana. Welcome to the 2020 edition of Living Here, The Courier and Daily Comet’s guide to local recreation, entertainment, government, schools, industry, culture and food. Are you an outdoors type keen to experience Louisiana’s Sportsman’s Paradise? You’ll find handy guides on where to launch your boat, how to enter one of the area’s numerous fishing rodeos or where to find some of the best roadside fishing spots. If you’re eager for the spectacle of Mardi Gras, the local celebration is widely regarded as the biggest in Louisiana outside New Orleans and one of the more family friendly. Here, you’ll find a parade schedule along with a history of how the local celebration got started. Looking for something fun for the kids to do? You’ll find it here. Helpful public services? We’ve got you covered. Local theater, music and museums? Check. Phone numbers of local government officials? Got those too. Keep this guide handy and use it as a resource. You can also find the information online at houmatoday.com and dailycomet.com. We hope you’ll find Living Here useful as you explore the piece of paradise we call home. A shrimp boat is silhoutetted by a setting sun along Bayou Grand Caillou in Dulac. Scenes like this make Living Here special.

— Executive Editor Keith Magill

[THE COURIER AND DAILY COMET/FILE]

What’s Inside 5............. Where to find Cajun music. 6............. How life on the bayou all got started. 8............. Mardi Gras history and parade schedule. 9............. Top festivals. 10........... Kids have plenty of choices when it comes to recreation. 11........... Fun places to take the kids. 12........... 6 things bayou residents can treasure. 15........... Higher education. 18........... A glimpse into local schools. 20........... 7 places to savor a real Cajun meal. 21........... Who we are, by the numbers. 22........... Connect with helpful public services. 23........... How to contact your parish, city or town council member. 24........... Where to launch your boat. 26........... Charter a great fishing trip. 28........... Test your skills at a fishing rodeo. 29........... Drop a line at one of our handpicked roadside fishing spots. 30........... Museums offer a glimpse into local history and culture.

Living Here Staff Editor: Keith Magill. Cover design: Shaun Hebert. Reporters and correspondents: Dan Copp, Halle Parker, Bill Ellzey, Kelly McElroy, Chris Singleton, Scott Yoshonis. Want extra copies? Extra copies of Living Here are available at The Courier’s news ofﬁce, 3030 Barrow St., Houma, or at the Daily Comet, 1629 St. Mary St. in Thibodaux. If you prefer to have it mailed, send your request to Living Here, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361. Still have questions? Call 857-2200.

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

Thursday, January 30, 2020

CA JUN MUSIC

Sing, dance or just listen

By Scott Yoshonis News Editor

There are plenty of places to cut a rug to Cajun music in Houma and Thibodaux. Several restaurants transform into dance halls at night and provide residents with some old-fashioned fun.

It’s not hard to ﬁnd a local place to enjoy Cajun music, typiﬁed by a rhythmic accordian and a lively waltz that is great for dancing the two-step. [FILE]

JOLLY INN CAJUN DANCE HALL Address: 1507 Barrow St., Houma. Information: 872-6114. A-BEAR'S CAFE Address: 809 Bayou Black Drive, Houma. Information: 872-6306. BAYOU DELIGHT RESTAURANT Address: 4038 Bayou Black Drive, Bayou Black. Information: 876-4879. BAYOU TERREBONNE WATERLIFE MUSEUM Address: 7910 W. Park Ave., Houma. Information: 580-7200. TERREBONNE FOLKLIFE CULTURE CENTER Address: 317 Goode St., Houma. Information: 876-6545.

Call ahead to find out about cover charges and which band will play. Several area bars and clubs feature live music several nights a week; including indie rock at The Boxer and the Barrel, 7817 W. Main St., Houma, 262-0583; various acts at The Brickhouse, 7934 Main St., Houma, 879-2453;

alternative and punk rock at the Intracoastal Club, 8448 Main St, Houma; and rhythm and blues at Big Mike's BBQ Smokehouse, 120 Laura Drive, Thibodaux; or country at the Music Cove, Music Cove, 227 Howard St., Houma. Here are some of the area's Cajun music venues:

JEAN LAFITTE WETLANDS ACADIAN CULTURE CENTER Address: 314 St. Mary St., Thibodaux. Information: 448-1375. GINA'S AT THE LEGION Address: 114 St. Mary St., Thibodaux. Information: 492-2505.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

FROM THE BEGINNING

In Houma-Thibodaux, we’re all about the bayous By Bill Ellzey Correspondent

The Mississippi River’s earliest explorers knew it branched off at present-day Donaldsonville. They called the smaller outlet La Fourche de los Chetimaches, or the fork of the Chitimacha Indians. The natives, early settlers and generations that followed used Bayou Lafourche to access the rich lands along its banks and establish communities and plantations. Road access was virtually impossible except on dirt tracks along the bayou banks or on ridges. The rest of the area was impassably swampy or marshy. Canoes, dugouts, skiffs and flatboats brought in goods and passengers, either from the Mississippi River to the north or from bayous connected with the Gulf of Mexico. Eventually, steamboats made scheduled runs between Thibodaux and New Orleans, but after railroads penetrated the low-lying interior about 1855, Bayou Lafourche was dammed off at Donaldsonville to end the threat of annual flooding. Bayou Terrebonne similarly forked off Bayou Lafourche at Thibodaux, but its connection was allowed to close off naturally because of the expense of keeping it clear of silt and open to navigation. Terrebonne is “good earth” in English, but the bayou was first named “Darbonne,” after an early settler. It was renamed “Terrebonne” by Henry Schuyler Thibodaux when the present parish of the same name was being carved out of the larger Lafourche territory. Bayou Lafourche and the highways that parallel it on either side have long served as a long “main street,” stretching from one end of the parish to the other, with population, business and industry clustered close by. This landuse pattern is essential for the region, built from millennia of flood-borne silt. The highest land is nearest the bayous, which delivered the annual layers of earth. Highways and communities seeming to have no central bayou are deceptive.

A shrimp boat glides along Bayou Grand Caillou in Dulac. [THE COURIER AND DAILY COMET/FILE]

Most are on ridges whose bayous gradually filled in and disappeared naturally or, later, through agricultural practices. Terrebonne had several bayous, smaller than Bayou Lafourche, radiating from a slightly elevated central area on which early settlers built the town of Houma. Five main bayous extend from Houma toward the Gulf, like fingers from a palm. Indian natives and the earliest settlers used these sluggish streams for transportation. Today, modern highways follow the same ancient routes; most construction, residential and business, is along bayou corridors. Bayous give their names to communities clinging to their banks. Someone whose mail is delivered through the Theriot post office is likely to say he lives in Dularge, one of Houma’s five bayous. The others, Terrebonne,

Little Caillou, Grand Caillou, Pointeaux-Chenes, and others not usually considered among the five, like Bayou Blue and Bayou Black, were once distributaries of the silty Mississippi, when it was still permitted to overflow naturally every spring. Like neighboring Lafourche, all of Terrebonne was built, literally, by ages of those soupy annual Mississippi overflows, spilling through Bayou Lafourche into Bayou Terrebonne and farther into smaller bayous, sometimes covering much of the parish with several feet of muddy water. When the waters receded, silt was left behind and the elevation of the land beside the bayou was higher, by fractions of an inch. The largest particles settled nearest the streams, over time building sandy ridges that remain the best foundations for roads and other construction.

Older inland ridges, like Coteau and Chacahoula, have survived long after the bayous that built them largely disappeared naturally. Coteau Road and Bull Run Road, along the Chacahoula ridge, remain important highway routes. The Bourg-Larose Highway follows ancient ridges to connect Terrebonne with Lafourche. In “good earth” Terrebonne, where elevations are rarely more than 6 feet above sea level, a ridge may be evidenced more by its sturdy sandy soil than by discernible elevation. In the 1920s, the annual delivery of silty floodwater was cut off. The Mississippi’s repeated destructive flooding of settlements and agricultural lands spurred the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete the levee systems that still protect south Louisiana from annual overflows. Terrebonne and Lafourche’s bayous remain water routes to the Gulf of Mexico, with roads and and settlements as far down as the elevation permits. But these bayous, their ridges and the human development they support are threatened by coastal erosion, the result of natural forces on wetlands which have not been nourished by natural Mississippi flooding for threequarters of a century. And the vast freshwater marshes have been further debilitated by the entry of salt water through canals cut for oilfield access. Newcomers would do well to arm themselves with local or cellphone maps and take leisurely exploratory drives into remote and threatened sections of the region. That includes places like Donner or Bowie, where cypress sawmills once roared; Chauvin, where “down the bayou” isolation kept Cajun French alive as a spoken language long after French speakers were assimilated elsewhere; and Isle de Jean Charles and Dulac, where remnants of coastal Indian populations have survived for generations. And there is also Cocodrie, Leeville and Fourchon, where the highways give way to docks and boat launches that connect fishermen, commercial and sport, to the tremendous seafood resources the area enjoys. Even locals can learn something by exploring the the place we call home.

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

Thursday, January 30, 2020

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

C A R N I VA L T I M E

Mardi Gras 2020: How we got here By Bill Ellzey Correspondent

Mardi Gras, “the greatest free show on Earth,” is here again, with parades in Terrebonne and Lafourche just around the corner. Newcomers and locals alike will find themselves in the midst of the biggest celebration of Carnival outside greater New Orleans. An estimated 40,000-50,000 people will line the streets for Houma’s biggest parades, clamoring for beads and other trinkets tossed by float riders. Some 30 parades are scheduled to roll through Fat Tuesday, Feb. 25. The first major parade, Houma's Krewe of Hercules, is scheduled to roll at 6 p.m. Feb. 14. The annual celebration originated in the calendar of the predominate Catholic Church. It was the last opportunity among the faithful to dance, party, feast and drink before the restrictions of the 40-day Lenten season that starts Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter. The local Carnival tradition has roots well into the 1800s, when masked balls were common. Parades are mentioned in Houma and Thibodaux newspapers before the 1920s. In 1946, a group of Houma men planned the first parade of the Krewe of Houmas, which rolled on Fat Tuesday 1947. In the years since, a succession of krewes joined the celebration. That 1947 parade featured a convertible bearing farmer Filhuacon “Tecon” Duplantis, whose irregular homemade parades, beginning in the 1920s, were credited with keeping the tradition alive. Tecon’s unofficial assemblies of decorated sugar-cane wagons and farm animals are not well documented, but they reportedly grew from a few people on foot to some 200 floats drawn by

Riders with the Krewe of Hyacinthians toss beads and trinkets to the crowd during last year’s parade in Houma. [THE COURIER AND DAILY COMET/FILE]

oxen and horses. In 1955, the Krewe of Chronos of Thibodaux launched its first modern parade with a nod to the very first Thibodaux parade, reportedly in 1914, though that date

has not been firmly established. One local Mardi Gras tradition is edible. The king cake, a ring of yeasty cinnamon bread iced in purple, gold and green Carnival colors, is available

at bakeries and groceries. Some ship the desert, complete with a plastic baby. Traditionally, the baby was hidden inside the cake, and whoever got that slice bought the next king cake.

followed by Titans; Versailles, noon, Larose; Shaka, 1:30 p.m., Thibodaux, followed by Ambrosia, 2 p.m. Feb. 21: Aphrodite, 6:30 p.m., Houma; Athena, 7 p.m., Golden Meadow. Feb. 22: Mardi Gras, 6:30 p.m., Houma; Apollo, noon, Lockport; Bon Temps, 6:30

p.m., Larose; Atlantis, noon, Golden Meadow, Grand Isle, Grand Isle, 1 p.m. Feb. 23: Terreanians, 12:30 p.m., Houma; Cleophas, 12:30 p.m., followed by Chronos, Thibodaux; Montegut Children’s Parade, 2 p.m.; Nereids, 6 p.m. Golden Meadow.

Feb. 24: Cleopatra, 6:30 p.m., Houma. Feb. 25: Bonne Terre, 11 a.m., Montegut; Gheens, 11 a.m., Gheens; Houmas, 1 p.m., Houma, followed by Kajuns, Choupic, 1 p.m., Chackbay; Ghana, 1 p.m., Thibodaux; Neptune, noon, Golden Meadow.

L O C A L PA R A D E S C H E D U L E Feb. 9: Des Petite Lions children’s parade, 1 p.m., Golden Meadow. Feb. 14: Hercules, 6 p.m., Houma. Feb. 15: Tee Caillou, noon, Chauvin; Le Krewe of Des T. Cajuns, noon, Larose, Aquarius, 6:30 p.m., Houma. Feb. 16: Hyacinthians, noon, Houma,

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

Thursday, January 30, 2020

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Plenty of fun coming to Houma, Thibodaux By Scott Yoshonis News Editor

Looking for something fun to do? No need to leave town. Both the HoumaTerrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd., and the Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium in Thibodaux, 310 N. Canal Blvd., offer fun-filled events year-round. They're also places where the community gathers for Carnival balls, weddings, banquets and other functions. To learn more, call the

Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center at 850-4657 or the Harang Municipal Auditorium at 446-7160. Here's the lineup of events scheduled as of mid-January. Events are added throughout the year.

and Competition. April 25: Relay for Life Terrebonne Parish. May 16: Rougarou Ball. June 19-21: Steubenville on the Bayou. Aug. 22: Junior Auxiliary of Houma's Dancing With the Stars.

Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center March 14-15: Bayou Home Show. March 21: Craftin' Cajuns Spring Craft Show. March 28: The Haven Gala. March 31: Houma Louisiana Wedding Expo. April 3-5: The Streetz Dance Convention

Harang Municipal Auditorium Feb. 20: Chackbay Elementary School Cajun Carnival. March 7: E.D. White Drummin' and Spinnin' On the Bayou Percussion Competition. March 13-17: Biddy Basketball World Tournament. March 21: Bayou Community Academy

Annual Building Fund Gala. March 28-29: Louisiana Mississippi Color Guard and Percussion Circuit Championship. April 18: Relay for Life of Thibodaux. July 11: Hail Mary Animal Rescue "Who Let the Dogs Out" Fundraiser. Aug. 8: South Thibodaux Fire Department Dance. Sept. 10-13: Ta Wa Si Antiques and Collectables Show. Dec. 10: Senior Citizen Holiday luncheon.

F E S T I VA L S

Local culture celebrated in weekend get-togethers By Scott Yoshonis News Editor

Cajuns love to embrace and celebrate their unique heritage, and any excuse to throw a community party will do. From food and music to crafts and culture, there is a festival for every taste in Terrebonne and Lafourche. Here are five examples of annual celebrations of everything Cajun. Unless otherwise noted, these events are free to the public. Unless listed, dates have not been set. Thibodaux Firemen's Fair, late April or early May

One of the area's biggest annual events, and the largest volunteer fire fundraiser in the country, giving locals and visitors an excellent chance to

take in some of the impressive music lineup, dine on mahy delicious food options, sip a drink, play a game or take a spin on some of the thrilling rides. Louisiana Gumbo Festival, Chackbay, early October

A celebration of the Cajun National Dish, 2020 will mark the 49th edition of the festival, with live music, a car show, live and silent auctions and rides for the kids. All the Cajun food favorites are sold, but the center of attention is the gumbo. Volunteers at the festival, the major annual fundraiser for the Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department, will make and serve over 500 gallons of gumbo, with diners enjoying their choice of the seafood or chicken and sausage varieties.

Voice of the Wetlands Festival, Houma, early October

The festival is the brainchild of renowned Louisiana guitarist Tab Benoit, who returns to his hometown of Houma bringing some of the very best musical talent with him to raise funds and awareness for the coastal wetlands of Louisiana. The festival is free, but lots of food, drink and other items are available for sale, with all of the proceeds going toward coastal preservation. Rougarou Festival, Houma, Oct. 24-25

The Rougarou Festival has become one of the biggest events in an area used to big events. Locals celebrate the mythical swamp monster by dressing up in traditional and Halloween garb, enjoying lots of Cajun foods and listening to live music by up to a dozen

different bands. The festival includes a parade through downtown Houma with a spooky Halloween vibe. Starting with the 2020 festival, it will take place at the 2.4-acre site near the Terrebonne Parish’s Main Library and next door to the Courtyard by Marriott. Laurel Valley Spring Festival, Thibodaux, spring and fall

There are a lot of festivals in these parts, and all of them look up to the Laurel Valley Spring Festival, the oldest cultural festival in the area. The festival helps to preserve and display the history of south Louisiana in a unique way, on a still-functioning sugar-cane plantation, and features arts and crafts, food vendors, live music and cultural demonstrations including antique engines and boat building.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

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Recreation programs help keep area youths active By Chris Singleton Staff Writer

Houma-Thibodaux has plenty of recreation options for young athletes looking to score a touchdown, shoot a basketball, deliver a cheer or for those who want to become active in other sports. Recreation programs help keep young athletes busy with programs throughout the year. TERREBONNE

• Terrebonne Recreation, 1192 Barrow Street in Houma, offers football, cheerleading, volleyball, basketball, baseball and softball. Information: 873-6584. • Houma's Bayouland YMCA, 103 Valhi Blvd., offers soccer, flag football, cheerleading, swimming and basketball for children. Call 873-9622. • The Houma-Terrebonne Soccer Association has leagues for kids ages 7-16. Call 868-3897 or visit houmasoccer.com. • James Academy, 308 Venture Blvd., Houma, offers gymnastics for ages 3-18 and cheerleading for ages 5-18. Visit jamesacademy.com. • Jennings Gymnastics, 114 Robin Lane in Schriever, offers gymnastics and cheerleading for ages 2-18. Call 446-0435. • The Bayou Black Recreation Center holds registration for swimming lessons starting in April and other activities for kids of all ages throughout the year. Information: 876-4270. The Bayou Athletic Youth Association offers softball and baseball leagues during the summer and fall for ages 6-18. Call 209-0733. • The Louisiana Baseball Academy, 3007 W. Park Ave. in Gray, offers private instruction in hitting, pitching, arm care and other skills. The academy has travel baseball teams from ages 9-and-under to 14-and-under. Call 876-4494 or visit lbabaseball. com. • The Louisiana Sports Gym, 544 S. Hollywood Road in Houma, offers cheerleading classes. Classes range from all-star cheerleading, elite cheer, tumbling, cheer tryout prep and private lessons. Call 580-9746 or visit lasportsgym.com.

The Terrebonne Parish 8U All-Star Baseball Team was invited to play in the Cal Ripken Regional Tournament in Daphne, Ala., after its performance at the state tournament in Destrehan in July 2019. [SUBMITTED]

• The Extreme MMA & Fitness Gym of Houma, 1226 Lafayette Street in Houma, offers various martial arts and boxing classes every week for kids and adults. For information, call 873-5722. • The Terrebonne Parish Tennis Complex on Southdown West Blvd in Houma is open seven days a week (opening at 8 a.m. for all days but Sunday when it opens at 2 p.m.) with two courts available to be played on for free. For information, visit tprec. org/Facilities LAFOURCHE

• Lafourche Recreation, 1612 La. 182, Raceland, offers softball, baseball, football and basketball. Call 537-7603. • Lafourche Soccer, 4049 La. 1, Raceland, offers leagues for ages 7-16. Call 537-8909 or email lafourchesoccer@ hotmail.com. • Thibodaux Recreation, 151 Peltier Park Drive, offers baseball, basketball, bowling, football, golf, pool,

soccer and volleyball. Call 446-7235. • Central Lafourche Baseball Association is looking for boys and girls ages 3-15 interested in baseball. Registration will be held Feb. 12-19 from 9 a.m. to noon. Cost is $60 for one child and $55 for additional children. For information, contact centrallafourchebaseball@gmail.com • The Cut Off Youth Center, 205 W. 79th St. in Cut Off, offers youth basketball, swimming and other youth-related activities. Call 6327616 or visit cutoffyouthcenter.org. • Nicholls State University's Continuing Education Department offers summer camps, including baseball, basketball, cheerleading, fitness, karate, soccer, tennis, volleyball and more. Call 448-4444. • Bayou Flag Football gives boys and girls ages 5-14 a chance to play on youth flag football leagues. Games are usually held during the fall, starting in September. Call 696-4889 or visit bayouflagfootball.com. • The nonprofit Bayou Titans Youth Organization offers football and boys

and girls basketball. Call 226-0047 or 688-4701. • The Babe Ruth and Cal Ripken Baseball Leagues in Thibodaux are open to players 4-5 (tee-ball), 5-6 (coach pitch), 7-8 (coach pitch), 9-10 (kids pitch), 11-12 (real baseball) and 13-15 (real baseball). The league plays games in Peltier Park in Thibodaux and may play in other areas depending on the number of kids who sign up and teams may play other Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken teams in the area. The league is set on providing a fun learning experience for any player willing to lean and practice with qualified coaches and is aimed at kids and parents looking for another youth baseball option. Practices start in March and leagues will run through sometime in June with several practices set for before the season. All-star teams will be selected starting at age 8. For information, message Thibodaux Babe Ruth/Cal Ripken president Kyle Maggio on Facebook or visit lababeruth.com/.

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

Thursday, January 30, 2020

YO U N G AT H E A R T

5 fun places for the kids

The Bayou Country Children’s Museum is a fun spot for area kids. [THE COURIER AND DAILY COMET/FILE]

By Dan Copp Staff Writer

There’s no shortage of fun in the Houma-Thibodaux area for kids of all ages. From swimming to children’s museums, families have a lot of local options. Here are five places in Terrebonne and Lafourche that are fun for the young and young at heart: 1. The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s marine research center in Cocodrie offers a variety of programs that teach children about the area’s rich marshlands and swamps and the unique wildlife that inhabits them. They include ﬁeld trips, boat rides and a summer camp. Visit LUMCON at 8124 La. 56, call 851-2800 or check its website at cwc.lumcon.edu. 2. The Bayou Country Children’s Museum in Thibodaux offers camps, events and other activities guaranteed to delight. Children can learn as they play on a full-size sugar-cane harvester, spot waterfowl from a duck blind, toss Mardi Gras beads,

experience a severe weather or ﬁ re simulation or climb aboard a shrimp boat or oil derrick. Admission is $8 per person. The museum, 211 Rue Betancourt, hosts special events throughout the year and it’s a great place to have your child’s birthday party. Information: call 446-2200 or visit bayoucountrychildrensmuseum.org. 3. Check out the beaches at Grand Isle, the summer spot for families near and far. Many own or rent camps along the beach, but you don’t need to do that to have fun on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. Grand Isle State Park has beach tent campsites available starting at $18 a night. The park has a 2- to 5-mile nature trail, and it’s a great place to ﬁsh, swim or just relax upon the beach. For information, call 1-888-787-2559 or visit the “parks” section of the state’s tourism website at crt.state.la.us. 4. Not much of an outdoorsman? Local libraries not only house some great works of literature, but they also offer family-friendly events like story times, arts and crafts, computer

lessons, trivia contests and book festivals. The Courier and Daily Comet publish regular columns and calendars that highlight coming library events. Visit the library systems’ websites at mytpl.org or lafourche.org for info. 5. With water all around us, Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes offer plenty of fishing spots. Kids younger than 16 don’t need a license, though the

adult accompanying them does, and there are plenty of places to cast your line even if you don’t have a boat. You’ll ﬁnd a list of great ﬁshing spots in this edition of Living Here. — Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at dan. copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

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LIVING HERE: 6 things bayou residents can treasure 1.

[HOUMA AREA CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU]

[THE COURIER AND DAILY COMET]

By Keith Magill | Executive Editor

Except for a few years working at newspapers elsewhere, I have spent my entire life in south Louisiana. Born and raised in New Orleans, I moved to Houma 35 years ago and have lived and worked in both Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. As we consider what Living Here means, let’s take stock of some of the things that make our place in the world special. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it a ranking. These are simply a few random things I hope will resonate with you. Here’s to Living Here. 1. Each other I didn’t know a single person when I arrived fresh out college, but within a few weeks, someone invited me to a family boucherie in Montegut. I remember how carefree I felt as we danced to Cajun music on their carport, the sun setting in orange, pink and purple over the marsh. This family I hardly knew made me feel at home, which is what I call this place now. You hear it from tourists who come from all over for a taste of the joie de vivre they have only heard about. This way of life — a combination of hard work, strong ties to family and place, and joy despite life’s inevitable ups and downs — is so ubiquitous that it sometimes takes an outsider’s perspective to help us understand how lucky we are.

2. The food The earliest settlers made the best of what they could gather from the land and water around them, and the flavorful cuisine that resulted is now considered some of the tastiest in the world. As children, we learn how to peel shrimp, crabs and crawfish; we know what makes a well-dressed po-boy; and the man of the house is often as good a cook as the woman. We also know that authentic Cajun cooking is less about hot and spicy than it is about the holy trinity — onions, bell pepper and celery.

3. The flora Bald cypress and live oaks draped in Spanish moss. Bayous lined with lavender irises, white lilies or purple hyacinths. Fan-shaped palmetto waving in the swamps. And those stunning, multicolored sunrises and sunsets over the marsh, a lake or the Gulf of Mexico. Anyone can savor the beauty of the bayou free of charge. Just stop and look around.

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[THE COURIER AND DAILY COMET]

[KIRBY LEE/USA TODAY SPORTS]

4. The fauna The variety of wildlife that surrounds us is breathtaking, and you don’t have to take a boat trip to enjoy it. I’ve seen bald eagles soar over the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near my house in Houma and roseate spoonbills (pictured) lounge along the roadside in Cocodrie. While driving, I’ve spotted turtles sunning themselves in Bayou Lafourche, great blue heron flying overhead and those opportunistic egrets walking in procession behind grass-cutters to snatch bugs in the tractors’ wakes. I’ve fed bread to an orange-toothed nutria that emerged from a canal in a friend’s back yard, water-skied among the alligators and waded past snakes and eels covering hurricanes that swamped the community. I don’t recommend that last one, but you get the picture.

5. The bayou Just look at this picture. Or go outside and gaze at the real thing. This is our part of the world. This is the bayou. 6. Coach-O This year, I’ve added a bonus to my list of bayou treasures: LSU head coach Ed Orgeron. Born and raised in Larose, Orgeron led the Tigers to their first national football championship in 12 years Jan. 13. LSU’s 42-25 defeat of Clemson in New Orleans’ Mercedes-Benz Superdome captivated the entire state, but it was extra special for the people who call the bayous of Terrebonne and Lafourche home.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

THINGS TO DO

There’s always something to see or do Southdown Plantation house, 1208 Museum Drive in Houma. [THE

By Scott Yoshonis News Editor

Like wildlife? We’ve got it. History? Got that, too. Fun times with friends? We’ve got you covered. Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes have a variety of attractions, so there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a newcomer or have lived here all your life, you’ll find a place that suits you.

COURIER AND

Museum Drive, Houma: 851-0154. SHOP FARMERS’ MARKETS

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GET OUT IN NATURE

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Hammonds Cajun Air Tours, 194 Aviation Road, Houma: 876-0584. Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, 8124 La. 56, Chauvin: 851-2800. Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge, 3599 Bayou Black Drive: 860-6681. PAC Kayak Rentals, 179 Paw Paw Court, Montegut: 225-244-1547 or 225-573-4085. Pointe-aux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area, 2951 La. 665: 337-373-0032. Wildlife Gardens, 5306 N. Bayou Black Drive, Gibson: 575-3676.

Waterplant Road, Schriever: 804-2967. JOURNEY INTO THE SWAMP

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GO HORSEBACK RIDING

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Circle P Horse Ranch, 188

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A Cajun Man’s Swamp Tours, 251 Marina Drive, Gibson: 868-4625. Annie Miller’s Son’s Swamp and Marsh Tours, pickup at 4038 Bayou Black Drive: 868-4758. Atchafalaya Basin Backwater Tours, 240 Fandal St., Gibson: 804-4543. Bayou Black Airboat Swamp Tours, 251 Marina Drive, Gibson: 665-8571. Greenwood Gator Farm and

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Tours, 125 Gator Court, Gibson: 804-0744. Wetland Tours and Guide Service, pickup at 1868 Dr. Beatrous Road, Theriot: 851-7578. Zam’s Swamp Tours, 141 Kraemer Bayou Road: 633-7881.

•

RELIVE A PIECE OF HISTORY

• • • •

Ardoyne Plantation, 2678 La. 311, Schriever: 804-2271. E.D. White Historic Site, 2295 St. Mary St., Thibodaux: 447-0915. Laurel Valley Plantation, 595 La. 308, Thibodaux: 446-7456. Southdown Plantation, 1208

St. Francis Vegetable Garden Market, 26 Rienzi Dr., Thibodaux: Open 3:30-6 p.m. Mondays year-round. Lafourche Central Market, 4484 La. 1, Raceland: 805-0400. Open 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays year-round. Rienzi Market, Thibodaux Regional Wellness Center,726 N. Acadia Rd., Thibodaux: 512-924-0800. Open 3 p.m. to dark Thursdays year-round. South Louisiana Seed Market, 7591 W. Main St., Houma: 8725916. Open 3-5 p.m. Tuesdays year-round. Thibodaux Main Street Farmers’ Market, 310 W. Second St.: 413-2936. Open 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays year-round. TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT

• •

Breakin’ the Code escape room, 279 Enterprise Drive, Suite 102, Houma: 303-0172. Da Swamp trampoline park, 2764 Coteau Road, Houma: 333-3013.

P L AY T I M E

Local theater groups provide creative outlet By Scott Yoshonis News Editor

Got a flair for the dramatic? There are plenty of opportunities for residents to catch the acting bug. Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes each have community theater groups that are open to everyone and offer parts to fit nearly every age. Help is often needed backstage, as well as with lighting, props and costumes. Here's a look at each group and how you can get involved: LE PETIT THEATRE DE TERREBONNE

Founded in 1938, the theater puts on four plays and one musical each season at its venue in downtown Houma, 7829 Main St. The season begins in the

summer and ends in the spring. Currently awaiting interior renovation, so productions may be canceled or relocated. Le Petit offers season tickets for $55 each. Individual play tickets cost $16. Call the box office at 876-4278 in advance, as shows often sell out. To get involved, attend auditions, which are announced on the group's Facebook page: facebook.com/ HoumaLittleTheatre. Coming soon: "Sex Please, We're Sixty," opening April 24. Information: houmalittletheatre. com. BAYOU PLAYHOUSE

The Bayou Playhouse opened in 2008. Since then, members have performed

well-known plays such as a "Confederacy of Dunces," "Steel Magnolias" and "A Streetcar Named Desire" at the Lockport venue, 101 Main St. Many productions center on Louisiana culture, and its players are mainly locals or Louisiana natives. Ticket prices are $23-$30, and season memberships range from $89$352. To buy tickets in advance, call 888-99-BAYOU. To get involved, stop by for auditions, which are announced on the group's Facebook page: facebook.com/ BayouPlayhouse or email volunteer@ bayou-playhouse.com. Coming soon: "Cupid's Jukebox," Feb. 29. Information: bayouplayhouse.com.

THIBODAUX PLAYHOUSE

Formed in 1960, the Thibodaux Playhouse offers four plays each season and a children's production each summer at its venue, 314 St. Mary St. Season tickets range from $50 to $116 and individual tickets range are $18 for adults or $13 for students. To purchase tickets, call 446-1896. To get involved on stage, stop by one of the playhouse's auditions at 1102 Caroline St. in Thibodaux. Auditions are announced at facebook.com/ ThibodauxPlayhouse. Coming soon: "Southern Hospitality" opening Feb. 7. Information: thibodauxplayhouse. com.

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

Fletcher expands coastal programs By Halle Parker Staff Writer

L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College offers local students traditional university classes as well as several job-training options. Last year, the state school, along La. 311 near U.S. 90 in Schriever, unveiled a new program to prepare students for jobs in coastal restoration. The Institute of Coastal Studies features new options for associate's degrees, including geology, environmental science, drafting and design, as well as drones. Its geology labs have hands-on stations to engage students in learning about what they'll encounter on the job. Through a $95,000 state grant, the community college also began its first drone pilot certification program in the form of a multi-day workshop as more business start using the technology for data collection.Kristine Strickland, a former former executive

Fletcher Technical Community College Chancellor Kristine Strickland cuts a ribbon on a new geology lab during an open house for its Insititute of Coastal Studies in October. [HALLE PARKER/STAFF WRITER]

dean at Delgado Community College's West Bank Campus in New Orleans, is entering her fifth year as Fletcher's

chancellor. The school also partnered with the local food pantry to add one on campus

to assist students who may be struggling with money for meals. Fletcher was founded in 1951 and is part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. The two-year college reported fall 2019 enrollment at 2,295, up from 2,122 last fall or 8%.Students at Fletcher can study oilfield technology, marine operations, medical programs, office systems and electrical and industrial technologies. All of the students in the school's electrical-line worker training program have had jobs waiting for them after successfully completing the classes.Fletcher also offers dual enrollment for high school students looking to earn college credits.A 12- to 15-hour course load for in-state students costs $2,089 per semester in tuition and fees. Out-ofstate students can expect to pay $3,767 for 12 credit hours. There is an additional $40 fee for students enrolling in online classes. Information can be found at fletcher.edu or 448-7900.

H I G H E R E D U C AT I O N

Nicholls State is the region’s university By Halle Parker Staff Writer

Under President Jay Clune, Nicholls State University has several master plans underway to guide the future for the "college closest to the coast." Task forces among faculty and administrators continue to work on an academic master plan, while the university released drafts of its first diversity and inclusion master plan as well as a 25-year campus master plan in 2019. Spring 2019 enrollment of 5,896 was up by 58 students from the last count as the university aims to boost its retention rate. Nicholls saw that spring figure grow for the fourth straight year. The university won numerous accolades over the past year. Nicholls was named the top public regional university in the state by U.S. World News & Report.

Ashley Landry of Napoleonville (right) receives her diploma from Nicholls State University President Jay Clune during the fall commencement. [BERT MILLER/ CORRESPONDENT]

Despite seeing a sharp decrease in its state funding over the past decade, Nicholls has rebuilt its budget around keeping its students and engaging with donors. The administration gave its faculty and staff a 2% raise in January to try to address cuts and salary freezes during lean years. “There’s a lot of talk at the state level about raising faculty and staff salaries. There’s been a lot of talk for the 18 months I’ve been here, but nothing is happening,” said Clune in his fall 2019 address. “We can’t wait for the state.” Nicholls is one of nine that make up the University of Louisiana system. It offers bachelor’s degrees in nursing, criminal justice, education, business administration and several other fields. The school also offers the only fouryear culinary arts bachelor’s program in

the state. For graduate students, Nicholls offers studies in education, biology, business and nursing. Non-degree programs are available, but former two-year programs the university once offered have either been canceled or transferred to L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College in Schriever. Nicholls was started in 1948 as the Francis T. Nicholls Junior College of LSU. In 1956, the state Legislature separated Nicholls from LSU, and May 1958 saw the institution grant its first degree. Full-time students from Louisiana can expect to pay about $3,948 per semester in tuition and fees for 12 credit hours. Out-of-state students pay about $4,500. Information about the university can be found at nicholls.edu or 1-877-NICHOLLS.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

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SCHOOLS

Terrebonne and Lafourche public school systems

St. Charles Elementary Principal Andrea Delcambre wiggles a blue pom-pom at students as they return to their classrooms after celebrating their Nattional Blue Ribbon award. [HALLE PARKER/STAFF WRITER]

By Halle Parker Staff Writer

Terrebonne and Lafourche each operate about 30 public schools, and combined, the two parishes enroll more than 32,000 students. In addition, the Catholic Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux enrolls about 5,500 students at 13 schools, and several other religious and private schools serve students in the area. Here’s a quick look at the two parishes’ public school systems, based on data from local school boards and the state Education Department.

TERREBONNE Enrollment 17,368 students 2019-20 BudgetRevenue: $190.6 millionState sources: $94.2 million (49%) Local: $68.8 million (36%)Federal: $27.5

million (14%) Spending: $186.9 millionInstruction and support: $140.1 million (75%) School Board membersDistrict 1:

Michael Lagarde, 381-4777District 2: Gregory Harding, 876-0393District 3: Matthew J. Ford, 665-3288District 4: Debi Benoit, 493-2563District 5: Stacy Verhagen Solet, 381-4592District 6: Clyde F. Hamner, 855-6919District 7: Roger Dale DeHart, 879-1329District 8: MayBelle N. Trahan, 381-4533District 9:

Dane Voisin, 232-4644Superintendent: Philip Martin, 876-7400School Board Office: 201 Stadium Drive, Houma LAFOURCHE PARISH Enrollment 14,595 students 2019-20 BudgetRevenue: $169 millionState sources: $75.2 million (44%)Local: $75.9 million (45%)Federal: $17.8 million

(11%) Spending: $166.1 million Instruction and support: $123.7 million (74.5%) Debt Services: $11.2 million (6.7%)Charter schools: $9.3 million (5.5%) School Board membersDistrict 1: Tina Naquin Babin, 665-8557District 2: Brooke Huddleston, 227-0075District

3: Cheryl Thomas, 446-1365District 4: Marian Fertitta, 447-6691District 5: Mary Breaud, 447-1534District 6: Dennis Guillot, 414-0764District 7: Valerie Bourgeois, 537-3609District 8: Tyler Dufrene, 991-5898District 9: Randy Schouest, 855-2035District 10: Barry Plaisance, 805-1969District 11: Clyde Duplantis III, 857-9143District 12: Henry Lafont Jr., hlafont@mylpsd. comDistrict 13: Al Archer, 632-3094District 14: Ray Bernard, 632-2312District 15: Troy Dufrene, 475-6200Acting Superintendent: Jarod Martin, 4465631School Board Office: 805 E. Seventh

St., Thibodaux

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

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FOOD

7 places to sample Cajun cuisine By Scott Yoshonis News Editor

Tourists and locals agree, there is nothing like the food culture of south Louisiana. Not only does this area enjoy a variety of distinctive dishes but an abundance of places to find them. From jambalaya to red and white beans to gumbo to catfish and shrimp and crawfish, it's hard to get a bad meal in Cajun country. Here are seven local establishments -- in no particular order -- that serve quality, authentic Cajun food: 1. A-Bear's Cafe, 809 Bayou Black Drive, Houma.

Nestled into a cozy corner near Barrow Street and La. 311, A-Bear's is where the locals go when they want the real stuff. Their gumbo is consistently rated the best in the area, and dishes like their Catfish A-Bear show that truly great food is not only found in high-end places. Open for lunch only. 2. Spahr's Seafood, three locations, 3682 U.S.-90 in Des Allemands, 601 W. 4th St. in Thibodaux and 16816 La. 3235 in Galliano.

Billing itself as "Where Catfish is King," Spahr's serves up Catfish Chips and a blackened catfish fillets covered in crawfish cream sauce, as well as "World Famous" Bloody Marys, Seafood Gumbo and more. A Lafourche Parish institution since 1968 when it opened on the banks of Bayou Des Allemands, Spahr's serves up incredible fried seafood in an unpretentious atmosphere. 3. Big Al's Seafood, 1377 W. Tunnel Blvd., Houma.

A popular spot for both lunch and dinner, Big Al's serves up huge portions of just about every fried seafood this area can produce. It's also one of the most popular spots for boiled mudbugs during crawfish season, and regularly wins local crawfish boil-offs.

crawfish, Boudreau & Thibodeau's goes deep into the swamp for such dishes as Redfish Courtbouillon and Alligator Sauce Piquante that are anything but gimmicks.

4. Boudreau & Thibodeau's Cajun Cooking, 5602 W. Main, Houma.

5. The Shack, 1226 Grand Caillou Road, Houma.

Don't let the kitchy decor and corny jokes aimed at tourists fool you, this place features one of the best selections of Cajun food anywhere. In addition to the usual fried seafood and boiled

This east side eatery does a brisk business both in its dining room and its often busy drive thru window, with regular specials on raw and chargrilled oysters in addition to outstanding takes

Blackened catﬁsh covered in crawﬁsh cream sauce from Spahr’s Seafood in Des Allemands. [FILE]

on the usual Cajun favorites like Seafood Gumbo and Crawfish Etouffee.

7. C. Moran's, 27900 La. 1, Golden Meadow.

6. Cher-Amie's, 15628 W. Main St., Cut Off.

You can't get much closer to the Gulf of Mexico than this place, and it shows on the menu. Also a marina, seafood comes fresh off the boat at this spot serving everything from fried seafood dishes to poboys and homemade favorites. And if you happen to take one of the abundant fishing charters, they will cook your catch for you.

It doesn't get much more Cajun in either menu or location than this downthe-bayou gem. Their soft-shell crab with crawfish etouffee stands up to any restaurant dish of any kind, anywhere. In the best Cajun tradition, they take local ingredients and prepare them simply into something spectacular.

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

DOING BUSINESS

Get involved in one of these groups By Dan Copp Staff Writer

If you’re a business professional, there are plenty of networking and development opportunities in the Houma-Thibodaux area. The Bayou Industrial Group advocates for improving local roads and bridges, coastal restoration, education, economic development and public health initiatives. The organization's members include businesses, nonprofits and public officials from Terrebonne, Lafourche, Assumption and St. Mary parishes. The South Central Industrial Association’s membership includes mostly oil and gas companies, the industry that supplies an estimated 40 percent of local jobs. It also includes public

officials from Terrebonne, Lafourche and St. Mary parishes. Professional networking and government lobbying on local issues regarding health, infrastructure and the environment are the group's key focus areas. Small and large businesses have three chambers of commerce in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes providing them with professional networking, training, and lobbying opportunities. The chambers are also involved with community development initiatives. Bayou Industrial Group

Arceneaux, LaPorte CPAs. Membership: $275 to $440 based on number of employees. Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce

Address: 6133 La. 311, Houma. Phone: 876-5600. Website: houmachamber.com. Members: 638. Chairman: Chad Hebert. Dues: $200 for nonproﬁts, $250 or more for businesses based on number of employees. Lafourche Chamber of Commerce

Address: 602 Clayton Ave., Houma. Phone: 580-3901. Website: bayouindustrialgroup.com. Members: About 200. President: Henri Boulet, LA 1 Coalition. Executive vice president: Jodie

Address: 107 W. 26th St., Larose. Phone: 693-6700. Website: lafourchechamber.com. Members: About 730. Chairman: Deanna Lafont. Dues: $185 to $1,200 depending on number of employees.

OUR RACE

Median home value: $148,800 Median monthly rent: $884 Percent of homes with a computer: 86 Percent of homes with broadband internet: 72

Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce

Address: 318 E. Bayou Road, Thibodaux. Phone: 446-1187. Website: thibodauxchamber.com. Members: 620. Chairman: Donald Barrilleaux. Dues: $165 to $795 depending on number of employees. South Central Industrial Association

Address: 1300 W. Tunnel Blvd., Suite 500B, Houma. Phone: 851-2201. Website: sciaonline.net. Members: 250. President: Chett Chiasson. Executive vice president: Stuart Faucheux. Dues: $375 to $199 depending on the month joined.

BY THE NUMBERS

Who we are Terrebonne had a population of 111,021 as of July 1, 2018, according to the latest U.S. Census data. That's down by 1,065 people, just under a percentage point, from the year before. It's up 839 people, less than 1 percent, from 2010. Lafourche has 98,115 residents, down 311, or 0.3 percent, from the year before. It's up 1,797, or 1.9 percent, since 2010. Here is a breakdown of some of the parishes' key demographics. Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding. OUR AGE Terrebonne 65 and older: 14 percent 18-64: 61 percent Under 18: 25 percent Lafourche 65 and older: 16 percent 18-64: 61 percent Under 18: 23 percent

Terrebonne White: 71 percent Black: 19 percent American Indian: 6 percent Hispanic: 5 percent Asian: 1 percent Two or more races: 3 Lafourche White: 80 percent Black: 14 percent American Indian: 3 percent Hispanic: 5 percent Asian: 1 percent Two or more races: 2 GENDER Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes' populations are almost equally divided between male and female.

OUR HOMES Terrebonne Households: 40,014 Average persons per household: 2.78

EDUCATION

Lafourche Households: 36,449 Average persons per household: 2.64 Median home value: $151,600 Median monthly rent: $794

Terrebonne Percent of residents 25 and older with a high school diploma: 78 Percent of residents 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or greater: 16 Lafourche Percent of residents 25 and older with a high school diploma: 77 Percent of residents 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or greater: 17

WHAT WE EARN

HEALTH

Terrebonne Median household income: $48,866 Per-capita income: $24,921 Percent of population in poverty: 17.3 percent Lafourche Median household income: $53,089 Per-capita income: $27,375 Percent of population in poverty: 16.6

Terrebonne Percent of residents under 65 with a disability: 12.5 Percent of residents under 65 who lack health insurance: 12 Lafourche Percent of residents under 65 with a disability: 12.3 Percent of residents under 65 who lack health insurance: 11.9

Thursday, January 30, 2020

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HELPFUL TIPS

Public services you’ll find useful By Keith Magill

passport. You can also apply online at usps.com/passport. You’ll need to bring identification that proves you are a U.S. citizen and verifies your identity, like a driver’s license or Social Security card. You’ll also have to provide two 2-inch-by-2-inch photos depicting your current appearance. If you’re 16 or older, passport fees are usually $135. If you’re younger than 16, passport fees are usually $105. If you want to renew your passport, it will cost $110. Here are a few places where you can apply for a passport: Bourg Post Office, 3806 Country Drive, 851-2372. Gray Post Office, 4442 W. Main St., 876-7424. Raceland Post Office, 109 Raceland St., 537-8957. Terrebonne Clerk of Court’s Office, 7856 Main St., Houma, 868-5660. Lafourche Clerk of Court’s Office, 303 W. Third St., Thibodaux, 447-4841. Galliano Post Office, 17599 La. 3235, 325-2652.

Executive Editor

POLICE Terrebonne: Terrebonne Sheriff’s

Office, Courthouse Annex, 7856 Main St., Suite 121, Houma, 876-2500. Houma Police, 500 Honduras St., Houma, 873-6371. State Police Troop C, 4047 W. Park Ave., Gray, 857-3680. Terrebonne jail, 3123 Grand Caillou Road, Houma, 857-0361. Lafourche: Lafourche Sheriff’s Office, 200 Canal Blvd. Thibodaux, 532-2808. South Lafourche substation, 102 W. 91st St., Galliano, 632-5843. Lafourche jail, 952 La. 3185, Thibodaux, 449-4458. Thibodaux Police, 1309 Canal Blvd., 446-5021. Nicholls State University Police, 906 E. First St., Thibodaux, 448-4746. Golden Meadow Police, 313 N. Bayou Drive, 475-5213. Lockport Police, 710 Church St., 532-9799. ANIMAL CONTROL Terrebonne: If you find a stray dog or

cat, contact the Terrebonne Animal Shelter at 873-6709. Stray or unwanted pets can be taken to the shelter, 100 Government St. in Gray, at no cost. Learn more about the shelter, and view photos of adopted pets, by visiting its Facebook page. Lafourche: Lafourche’s animal shelter houses dogs and cats. The shelter, 934 La. 3185, is next to the Lafourche jail, 952 La. 3185, Thibodaux. Call 446-3532. Stray dogs and cats are handled by the Lafourche Sheriff’s Office, 449-2255. In Thibodaux, Golden Meadow and Lockport, call the local police department. The numbers are 446-5021, 475-5213 and 532-9799. DRIVER’S LICENSES

New state residents should obtain a Louisiana driver’s license within 30 days of establishing residency. Two forms of ID, such as a birth certificate or a Social Security card, are required. To renew a license online, visit www. express-lane.org. Terrebonne: New licenses and permits

POWER OUT?

Entergy is the largest provider of electric service locally, with about 60,000 customers combined in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. [ENTERGY]

are issued at the Office of Motor Vehicles, 108 Capitol Blvd., in Houma. Call 877-368-5463. The office is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Lafourche: Offices are in Golden Meadow, 500 N. Alex Plaisance Blvd., 877-368-5463, and in Thibodaux, 1424 Tiger Drive, 447-0911. Both are open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. PUBLIC TRANSIT

Good Earth Transit offers bus rides for $1 a person. A day pass costs $2.50. Children under 4 ride free. The system’s routes cut across Houma and make multiple trips into Thibodaux daily. The buses start running at 6 a.m. on weekdays and stop by 7 p.m. The service is operated by Terrebonne Parish government. For detailed routes

or information, visit tpcg.org, click on “visitors” at the top of the page, then select “public transportation.” MARRIAGE LICENSES

Licenses can be obtained from the clerk of court’s office in your respective parish. Offices are open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Terrebonne: The office is in the Houma Courthouse, 7856 Main St. Call 8685660, ext. 56. A marriage license costs $40 in Terrebonne. Lafourche: The office is in the courthouse annex, 309 W. Third St., in Thibodaux. The number is 447-4841. The cost is $35. PASSPORTS

There are a number of places in both parishes where you can apply for a

If your power goes out, contact your utility company. Entergy can be reached at 800-368-3749; the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Association is at 800-256-8836 or 8766880; and Terrebonne Parish utilities, which serves the city of Houma, is at 873-6465. STREET LIGHTS OUT?

To report a broken street light in Terrebonne, fill out the form at tpcg. org and search “street light” in the search bar in the upper right corner of the screen. In Lafourche, call parish government at 446-8427. WATER PROBLEMS?

If you need to have your water service turned on, contact your local waterworks district. Terrebonne Waterworks District No. 1, 8814 Main St., is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The number is 879-2495. To report an emergency, such as a waterline break, the number is 879-2497 or 446-5541. Lafourche Water District No. 1 can be reached at 800-344-1580.

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

L O C A L G OV E R N M E N T

How to contact your elected officials By Halle Parker Staff Writer

Here's how you can contact representatives of the Terrebonne and Lafourche parish governments.Also included is information for the city of Thibodaux and towns of Lockport and Golden Meadow. TERREBONNE PARISH Government Tower: 8026 Main St., Houma, 868-5050. Parish President Gordon Dove: 873-6401, gdove@ tpcg.org. Parish Council • John Navy, District 1: 873-6427, jnavy@tpcg.org. • Carl Harding, District 2: 873-6433, charding@tpcg.org. • Gerald Michel, District 3: 873-6419, gmichel@tpcg.org. • John Amedee, District 4: 873-6425, jamedee@tpcg.org. • Jessica Domangue, District 5: 873-6426, jdomangue@tpcg.org. • Darrin Guidry, District 6:

873-6412, dwguidry@tpcg.org. • Danny Babin, District 7: 873-6422, dbabin2010@gmail.com. • Dirk Guidry, District 8: 873-6415, djguidry@tpcg.org. • Steve Trosclair, District 9: 873-6424, strosclair@tpcg.org. LAFOURCHE PARISH Galliano Government Complex: 16241 E. Main St., Suite B, 632-4666. Mathews Government Complex: 4876 La. 1., 537-7603. Thibodaux Government Complex: 402 Green St., 446-8427. Parish President Archie Chaisson III: 446-8427. Parish Council • Jerry Jones, District 1: 387-2312, councildist1@lafourchegov.org. • William Adams, District 2: 446-8427, councildist2@ lafourchegov.org. • Michael Gros, District 3: 805-0196, councildist3@ lafourchegov.org. • Aaron "Bo" Melvin, District 4: 805-0024, councildist4@ lafourchegov.org. • James Wendell, District 5: 446-8427, councildist5@lafourchegov.org. • Corey Perrillioux, District 6: 805-0391, councildist6@ lafourchegov.org.

• Armand Autin, District 7: 805-0201, councildist7@lafourchegov.org. • D'Lynn Boudreaux, District 8: 446-8427, councildist8@ lafourchegov.org. • Daniel Lorraine, District 9: 438-4122, councildist9@ lafourchegov.org. THIBODAUX City Hall: 310 W. Second St., 446-7200. Mayor Tommy Eschete: 446-7218, teschete@ ci.thibodaux.la.us. City Council • Eric Tabor, District A: 227-8878, councilman@ericjtabor.com. • Gene Richard, District B: 446-1831, ejrich001@msn.com. • Constance Johnson, District C: 637-3434, madison1724@charter.net. • Mike Naquin, District D: 637-7190, mpnaquin@charter.net • Chad Mire, District E: 446-7200, councilmane@hotmail.com. LOCKPORT Town Hall: 710 Church St., 532-3117. Mayor Ed Reinhardt: mayoredreinhardt@townoﬂockport.com.

Town Council • Stephen Baudoin, Division A: sbaudoin@townoflockport.com. • Sharon Robichaux Guidry, Division B: srguidry@townoflockport.com. • Bobbie M. Galjour, Division C: bmgaljour@townoflockport.com. • Rodney Hartman, Division D: rhartman@townoflockport.com. • Wayne Bourgeois Jr., Division E: wbourgeois@townoflockport.com. GOLDEN MEADOW Town Hall: 107 Jervis Drive, 475-7942. Mayor Joey Bouziga: 475-5163, joey@townofgoldenmeadow-la.gov. Town Council • Ashton Cheramie, sanitation: 258-0415, ashtonuc@gmail.com. • Jody Cheramie, sewerage: 475-4529, jodycheramie@gmail.com. • Laci Latiolais, parks: 637-2407, laci.latiolais@gmail.com • Lindberg Lorraine, drainage: 278-8005, lorrainebap@gmail.com. • Willis Toups, streets: 475-5253, wtoups@viscom.net.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

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B O AT L A U N C H E S / M A R I N A S

You’ll find plenty of places to hit the water By Kelly McElroy Sports Editor

Many people in south Louisiana love fishing or just being out on the water and the area is flush with places to launch boats or to just enjoy some food and beverages near the coast. Here is a list of boat launches and marinas in Assumption, Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes and Grand Isle. Launching fees may apply, and availability is subject to change. ASSUMPTION PARISH • • • • • • •

Alligator Bayou Boat Launch, La. 398 Attakapas Landing, end of La. 401 Bayou Lafourche Boat Launch, La. 398 Belle River Boat Launch, La. 1016-2 Himalaya Canal Boat Launch, La. 1012 Lake Verret Boat Launch, La. 1016-1 Little Grand Bayou Boat Launch, end of La. 402

LAFOURCHE PARISH • Amerada Launch to Bayou Lafourche in Raceland • Bason’s Marina, La. 3235 in Cut Off • Bayou Lafourche Launch at Bayouside Park, La. 1 inThibodaux • Bayou Lafourche Launch in Golden Meadow • Bayou Lafourche Launch in Raceland • Belle Pass Marina, La. 1 in Golden Meadow • Big Bayou Blue Marina, La. 24 in Larose • Bill Taylor Boat Launch, La. 611 in Chackbay • Boudreaux’s Waterfront Motel in Leeville • Breton Canal Launch. East 73rd St. Galliano • Butch Hill Ramp Boat Launch, Bayou Cut Off, La. 652 Raceland • Choctaw Road Boat Launch to Grand Bayou • Chris Moran’s Marina in Port Fourchon • Cloverlly Farms Boat Launch into Scully Canal, La. 308 in Cut Off • Company Canal Boat Launch, Bayouside Park, Lockport • Company Canal Boat Launch, La. 654 near Gheens • Ed’s Boat Launch and Trailer Park in Leeville • Intracoastal Waterway Launch, across from VFW Hall in Larose

These anglers racked up after a trip out of Moran’s Marina in Fourchon. [SUBMITTED] • Intracoastal Waterway Launch, via Delta Farms La. 657 in Larose • Irwin P. Melancon Recreational Boat Launch in Port Fourchon • Josh’s Boat Launch, La. 3235 in Golden Meadow • Lafourche Beach Launch in Port Fourchon • Larousse Boat Launch in Kraemer • Leeville Boat Launch and Fishing Pier, under the Gateway to the Gulf Expressway • Oakridge Community Boat Launch, La. 3235 in Golden Meadow • Percle’s Camp Launch to Grand Bayou • Port Fourchon Boat Launch, La. 3090 • Port Fourchon Marina in Leeville • Roadside Launch on La. 1 east of Port Fourchon • Roadside Launch on La. 1 in Leesville • Somme’s Marina at Somme’s Lucky 7 Truck Plaza, U.S. 90 in Des Allemands • Terry’s Live Bait, 24202 La. 1 in Leeville • Texas Gulf Boat Launch, La. 24 Bayou Blue • Theriot Canal Boat Launch, La. 308 in Raceland • TYDs Marina, La. 1 between Golden Meadow and Leeville

TERREBONNE PARISH • Bayou Petite Caillou Boat Launch, two miles north of Cocodrie off La. 56 • Bayou Petite Caillou Boat Launch, eight miles north of Cocodrie off La. 56 • Bayou Terrebonne Boat Launch, La. 55 in Montegut • Bayou Bait and Tackle in Chauvin • Boat Launch north of Cocodrie Clubhouse on Redﬁsh Street • Boudreaux Canal Boat Launch in Chauvin • Boudreaux’s Marina, at the end of Four Point Road off La. 3011

• Boudreaux’s Landing in Dulac • Bob’s Bayou Black Marina, four miles off La. 182 in Gibson • Canal St. Jean Charles Boat Launch • Chauvin recreation area, near library and central ﬁre station • CoCo Marina, near the end of La. 56 in Cocodrie • Cocodrie Clubhouse Boat Launch, six miles south of Robinson Canal • Defelice Marina and Seafood Co., 163 Old Bridge Road in Dulac. • Dularge Sporting Goods, La. 315 in Bayou Dularge Road • Falgout Canal Landing 1868 Dr. Beatrous Road in Theriot • Falgout Canal Road in Dulac • Forrest Cannon Memorial Boat Launch near Waterproof Bridge off Southdown Mandalay Road in Bayou Black • Grand Bayou Unit Public Launch in Pointe-Aux-Chenes • Half-mile east of the U.S. 90 ChacahoulaThibodaux exit about four ½ miles west of La. 20 and La. 311 intersections • Harbor Light Marina, near the end of La. 56 in Cocodrie • Houma Canal Boat Launch, La. 315 • Houma Navigation Canal, La. 3011 • Isle de Charles Road Boat Launch • Isle de Jean Charles Marina • Kozy Kampers in Cocodrie • Jammie’s Boat Landing in Dularge • La. 20 one mile west of U.S. 90 Chacahoula-Thibodaux exit, four miles west of La. 20 and La. 311 intersection • La. 315, south of Houma to just north of Falgout Canal Road, turn west and cross Bayou Dularge • Lapeyrouse Seafood, Robinson Canal and La. 56 in Chauvin • Launch across from Little Caillou Fire Station on La. 56 Chauvin • Launch at 1017 La. 55 in Montegut • Launch at end of La. 3197 behind Bayou Black Fire Station • Launch behind Ashland Landﬁll, off La. 57 in Houma • Launch across from Little Caillou Fire Station on La. 56 Chauvin • Lizzie’s Landing at Boudreaux Canal and Bayou Petit Caillou • Madison Canal Boat Launch, La. 55 • Marina under Twin Spans in downtown Houma off La. 20 • Marmande Canal in Theriot La. 315 • Montegut Marina in Montegut

• Old Spanish Trail off La. 182 in Gibson • Pat’s Bayouside Marina, 251 Marina Road in Montegut • Pointe-Aux-Chenes Marina, 1650 La. 665 • Pointe-Aux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area on Isle de Jean Charles Road Montegut • Point Barre Road Boat Launch near Point-aux-Chens • Pointe Barre Ramp in Montegut • Pointe Cocodrie Inn, guests only • Pump station off La. 20, 11 ½ miles west of La. 20 and La. 311 intersection or 3 ½ miles east of U.S. 90 and ChacahoulaThibodaux exit. • Sandpiper Inn Bait Shop, 7312 Shoreline Drive in Cocodrie • Sea Breeze Marina in Montegut • Sharkey’s Boat Landing in Chauvin • Sportsman’s Paradise, 6830 La. 56 in Chauvin • Sunshine Acres Marina in Dulac • Sunshine Marina off Four Point Road • Sunshine Trading Post, 113 Sunshine West Street in Dulac • T-Irv’s Marina in Dulac • Texas Gulf Road Boat Launch off La. 55 in Bourg on Company Canal • TradeWinds Marina, 7681 La. 56 in Chauvin • Wine Island Pass Marina in Cocodrie

GRAND ISLE • Bridge Side Marina, foot of the Grand Isle Bridge, beach side • Camardelle’s Seafood, ½ mile before Grand Isle bridge on LA. 1, bay side • Cheramie’s Landing • Coastal Bait, along La. 1 • Cypress Cove Marina • Gulf Stream Marina, ½ mile from Grand Isle Bridge on La. 1. • Hurricane Hole, La. 1 between Carmen Lane and Tahiti Lane. • Sand Dollar Marina, end of La. 1 • Pirate’s Cove Marina, 122 Smith Lane • Ricky’s Fishing Tackle, along La. 1 • Santiny’s Bait, along La. 1 • Wake Side Marina, 1615 La. 1

Notice anything missing or has anything changed? To have a local boat launch or marina added to the list or to help us update changes email sports editor kelly.mcelroy@houmatoday. com or call 985-857-2211.

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

Thursday, January 30, 2020

L O C A L PA R K S

Here’s where you can enjoy a day in the park By Kelly McElroy Sports Editor

If you’re looking for any variety of outdoor or indoor activities, the area offers numerous parks and gyms for residents to use. From splash parks to dog parks to bike trails to ole-fashioned swing sets, Terrebonne and Lafourche have their share of outdoor activities for residents. Here is a look at area parks and recreation centers that area residents can enjoy: TERREBONNE PARISH • Authement Street Park, 311 Authement St.: walking track, gazebo, picnic tables, softball field. • Andrew Price Gym, 1829 La. 24 Gray. • Bourg Gym, 4411 Eldred Street, Bourg: gym, tennis courts, softball fields. • Barrios Park, Willard Avenue Houma: playground equipment • Bayou Black Gym, 3888, Southdown Mandalay Road: gym, basketball courts, playground equipment, football, baseball, softball and soccer fields, walking track, splash park in summer, gazebo, picnic tables. • Bayou Country Sports Park, between La. 311 and Valhi Blvd. Ext., Houma (partially complete): softball, baseball, soccer fields, tennis courts, dog park, walking and bike trail and community lawn. • City Park, 201 Moffet Road: gym, walking track, playground equipment, gazebo, picnic tables, softball field, baseball field. • Coteau Park, 2321 Coteau Road: bathrooms, swings, softball field. • Da Swamp Trampoline Park, 2764 Coteau Road: Open daily for play and working out, prices vary. • Darcey Street Park, 8379 Tupelo St.: walking track, playground equipment, swings, softball fields. • Donner Gym, 381 Azalea Drive: gym, golf course. • Dularge Gym, 1330 Dr. Beatrous Road, Theriot: gym, swimming pool. • Dumas Park, 301 Tunnel Blvd., Houma: basketball courts, playground equipment • Friends of Fireman’s Park – Skate and Bike Park, 161 Library Drive: quarter pipe, rails. • Gibson Gym, 5575 Bayou Black Drive. • Grand Bois Park, 470 Bourg-Larose Highway: RV hook-ups, bathrooms, picnic tables. • Grand Caillou Gym, 106 Badou Drive. • Gray Park, 3289 W. Park Ave in Gray: playground equipment, baseball/softball fields. • Jim Bowie Park, 940 Bayou Black Drive: gazebo, picnic tables. • Lee Avenue Park, 1226 Lee Ave.: walking track, gazebo, picnic tables, basketball court. • Lisa Park Gym, 6669 Lisa Park Avenue in Houma. • Little Caillou Gym, 215 Angel St., Chauvin. • Mahler Park, 419 Mahler St.: benches, tables. • Maple Avenue Park, 404 Maple Ave.: walking track, tables, benches, swing set, walking track.

• Mechanicville Gym, 2814 Senator Circle. • Montegut Gym, 107 Recreation Drive: gym, baseball field. • Mulberry Park, 203 Winnfield Blvd.: playground equipment, swings, two softball fields, workout equipment, walking track. • Oakshire Gym, 5457 Vicari Drive: gym, baseball field. • Presque Isle Park in Presque Isle subdivision: swings, picnic tables. • Rio Vista Park, 704 Rio Vista Ave.: walking track, playground equipment, swings. • Rozands Memorial Park, 514 Levron St.: walking track, playground equipment, swings. • Shady Oak Park, 877 High St.: playground equipment, gazebo, picnic tables, swings. • Southdown Bike Trail, Valhi Boulevard: five-anda-half mile Southdown On-Road Loop, two-mile Blackwater Outer Loop and one-mile Leland Robichaux Inner Loop. The trail starts on Valhi Boulevard between the Summerfield and Mandalay Wood subdivisions. It serves as the entrance point for the three trails and includes a parking lot, bike racks and concrete pads for picnic tables. • Southdown West Park in Southdown West subdivision: playground equipment, tennis courts. • Summerfield Park, 713 San Antonio Blvd.: playground equipment, gazebo, picnic tables. • Twin Span Park, located beneath Houma Twins Spans: walking track, playground equipment. • West Houma Gym and Parks, 900 Williams Ave: gym, football fields, tennis courts, baseball fields. • Glenn F. Polk Memorial Park Walking Track at Williams Ave (near St. Gregory Church at 1009 Williams Ave in Houma) • Smithridge Gym, 4924 Bayouside Drive, Chauvin.

LAFOURCHE PARISH • Bayou Blue Gym Recreation District 11, 200 Mazerac St. Houma: gym, walking track, splash park. • Chackbay, Choctaw, Kramer and Bayou Boeuf, Recreation District No. 5, 2345 La. 307 in Thibodaux. • Choctaw Walking track: Choctaw Road: baseball fields, walking track. • Cut Off Youth Center, 205 West 79th St.: swimming pool, walking track, basketball court. • Larose Regional Park and Civic Center, 307 E. Fifth St.walking track, baseball fields, football field, basketball courts, tennis courts, swimming pool, walking track, picnic tables, gazebo, playground equipment. • Gheens Recreation District No. 8, 2121 La. 645 in Gheens: rec center, park. • Lockport Bayouside Park, Canal Street, Lockport: walking track. • Lockport Recreation District 1, Lockport, baseball fields, playground equipment, swimming pool. • Oakridge Park, Oakridge Drive in Golden Meadow: Oakridge Park, tennis courts, swimming pool, basketball court, baseball fields, playground equipment, picnic tables.

• Golden Meadow Recreation District No. 3, rec center, park. • Raceland Community Center, 206 Senior Citizen Drive: Community, recreation and emergency center, walking track, soccer fields, football fields. • Raceland Recreation Center, District No. 2, 241 Recreation Drive, Raceland: Rec Center, baseball, softball and soccer fields. • Schneider Park, Schneider Lane, Chackbay: football field, baseball field, playground equipment, walking trail. • Lafourche Parish Tourist Commission, 4484 La. 1 Raceland: Walking Track, football/soccer field. • Vacherie-Gheens Community Center, 1783 La. 654, Gheens: walking track,community center.

THIBODAUX • Adley Landry Water Reservoir, 310 N. Canal Blvd.: walking path, park benches, picnic tables, covered pavilions, life trail, restroom. No pets, skateboards or skates are allowed at the water reservoir. • Andolsek Park, 1200 N. Canal Blvd.: soccer fields. • Thibodaux Civic Center, 310 North Canal Blvd.: baseball fields, softball fields, basketball courts, picnic area, playground equipment, pavilion, tennis court, walking track.

• Captain Wayne Daigle Memorial Park, 310 N. Canal Blvd.: covered pavilion, playground equipment, tennis courts, basketball court, softball fields, restroom area. • Eagle Drive Park: basketball court, walking track. • Edwin H. Chiasson Sr. Memorial Park, 1000 Jackson St.: playground equipment, walking track. • Hero’s Park, Veterans Boulevard: baseball/softball fields. • Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 1445 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.: baseball field, softball field, basketball court, multipurpose fields, playground equipment, pavilion, soccer field, walking track. • Midland Park, Midland Drive: playground equipment, walking track. • Peltier Park, 151 Peltier Park Drive: baseball fields, softball fields, basketball court, workout equipment, playground equipment, picnic area, pavilion, tennis courts, walking track. • Thibodaux Municipal Pool, 700 Goode St. • Norman Swanner Dog Park, adjacent to Thibodaux Civic Center: fencing, water and waste stations for dogs, park benches and a concrete sidewalk • Notice something missing? If your favorite park is not on this list email sports editor Kelly McElroy at Kelly.mcelroy@houmatoday.com to add it.

Thursday, January 30, 2020

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

GO FISH

Area has wealth of fishing charters for weekend warriors • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

By Kelly McElroy Sports Editor

Louisiana has some of the best recreational fishing in the world. But for those without a boat, getting to those spots could pose a problem. Luckily, there are some people who are available to take you right in the heart of it. If you are just visiting or are new to the area, one of the easiest ways to enjoy the great fishing in Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes and the Grand Isle area is to book a charter trip. A number of charter fishermen will take you into the area’s bayous, canals and lakes, where your catch might include speckled trout, redfish, bass and sac-a-lait. For those looking for some bigger catches, there are several deep-sea fishing charters that will take you into the Gulf of Mexico. Those fishermen are typically looking for red snapper (when in season), cobia, yellowfin tuna, marlin and the “silver king” tarpon. Here is a list of area fishing charters:

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

LAFOURCHE PARISH • Aaron Pierce Charters, (985) 637-9720 • Arthur Matherne Charter Fishing, (985) 758-5531 • Bay Coast Charters, (985) 787-2067 or (985) 475-6598 • Between the Banks, (504) 458-9451 • Big Dog Bowﬁshing, (985) 637-6074 • Bobby's Charters, (985) 396-2678 • Bobby Lynn’s Marina, (225) 673-4210 • Boneyard Bow Fishing, (985) 637-4471 • Cajun Made Charters, (985) 396-2728 • Capt. T-Man's Charters, (985) 693-6828 • Cast and Catch Charters, (985) 637-5760 • Charlie Hardison and Sons, (888) 463-4747 • Don Dee's Bayou Coastal Guide Service, (985) 632-3336 • Fishtales Guide Service, (985) 696-1801 • Hawk Eye Fishing Charters, (985) 632-6988 • Marsh Masters Bow Fishing, (985) 285-7332 • Marsh Masters Guide Service, (985) 637-6076 • Marsh Rat Fishing Guide, (985) 637-5058 • Marshland Guide Service, (985) 475-6397 • Moran’s Marina, (985) 369-2728 • Night Time Fishing, (225) 673-4210 • Plaisance Tidewater Charters, (985) 475-7471 • Reelin Good Charters, (985) 858-8167 • Rippin Lip Guide Service, (985) 632-5846 • Saltwater Guide Service, (985) 696-4621 • Southern Moon Charters, (985) 870-3315 • Speck-Tackler Charters, (985) 475-5871 • Spots & Specks Charters, (985) 637-3177 • Steve Tomeny Charters, (985) 396-2613

• • • •

Cocodrie Charters, (985) 594-6200 Cocodrie Inside Charters, (800) 906-5484 Cododrie Fishing Charters, LLC, (985) 991-3152 Coon Pop, Inc., (985) 688-7633 Crawdaddy, (985) 209-4386 Custom Charters, (985) 851-3304 Double Down Charters, (985) 856-9008 Downtown Marina, (985) 873-6428 Dulac Charters, (985) 563-2843 Falgout Canal Landing, (985) 872-1636 Fightin Minnow Fishing Charters, (985) 790-0771 Four Point Landing, (985) 563-2878 Harbor Light Marina, (985) 594-7208 Haydel’s Charter Inc., (985) 226-0113 Impulse Fishing Charters, (225) 776-9820 Inshore Addiction Guide Service, (225) 278-4189 Jug’s Seafood, (985) 876-1413 Laid Back Charter, (225) 202-2584 or (225) 756-2342 Lil’ Ross Charters, (985) 293-7933 Lite’m Up Bowﬁshing Charters (985) 991-5483 Louisiana Livin Adventures, Capt. Tim Ortego Marsh Madness, (985) 688-4495 Millertime Fishing Charters, (985) 981-6434 Pac Kayak Rentals, (225) 573-4085 Pointe Aux Chenes Marina, (985) 594-4654 Reelin Good Charters LLC, (985) 856-8167 Salt Charters, (985) 648-2626 Sea Creatures Fishing Charters, (985) 563-2531 Seeber Charter Service, (985) 804-7637 Shoreline Charter, (985) 688-2772 Silver Fox Charters, (985) 665-2657 Southern Nights Bowﬁshing Charters, (985) 688-3486 Sportsman’s Paradise, (985) 594-2414 T-Irv’s Marina, (985) 563-4295 Top Waters Charter, (985) 594-9074 Tradewinds Marina, (985) 466-3838

GRAND ISLE

Carol Howard (left) and Laura Racop (right) caught these redﬁsh out of Dularge with Capt. Bill Lake of Bayou Guide Service in October. [SUBMITTED BY BILL LAKE WITH BAYOU GUIDE SERVICE]

• Top Water Marina, (985) 396-4620 • Tuna Time Charters, (985) 665-3769 • Zutie's Baycoast Charters, (985) 637-3692

TERREBONNE PARISH • • • • • •

Absolute Fishing Charters, (985) 856-4477 Airboat Charters, (985) 872-0989 Avid Angler Fishing Charters, (985) 855-5909 Bayou Black Marina, (985) 575-2315 Beachcomber Guide Service, (985) 855-6150 Bill Lake Bayou Guide Service and Charters, (985) 851-6015 or (985) 637-3712 • Boudreaux’s Marina, (985) 594-4568 • C&B Charter Fishing, (985) 594-2414

• Cajun Fishing and Hunting Charters, (985) 857-8552 • Captain André Boudreaux, (985) 594-4568 • Captain Cody Esponge, (985) 804-1518 • Captain Gene Foret, (888) 648-2626 • Coco Marina, (888) 648-2626 • Captain Joe Schouest Charters, (985) 876-4317 • Captain Lance “Lil Coon” Schouest Jr., (985) 856-7063 • Captain Lee Schouest, (985) 594-6626 • Captain Mike Ledet’s Charters, (985) 594-6773 • Captain Ryan Folse, (888) 648-2626 • Captain Tanna Persac, (225) 610-7336 • Coastal Charter Service, (985) 856-6494 • Cocodrie Anglers, (985) 856-0700

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

A Day in Paradise, (504) 382-0174 Bent Rod Offshore, (985) 817-0017 Bon Chance Fishing, (985) 637-3979 Bridge Side Marina, (985) 787-2419 Brooks-Hooks Fishing Charters, (225) 485-7931 Calmwater Charters and Tours, (225) 921-8459 Cast and Catch, (985) 665-0745 Capt. John’s Fin-tastic Charters, (985) 665-4586 Dream Catcher Guide Service, (225) 572-8927 Fish-N-Tell, (225) 938-2419 Epic Fishing Charters, (225) 733-6080 Fish Commander Guide Service, (225) 445-1005 Fish on Charters, (318) 623-6500 Flaming Hooks, (318) 623-2759 Follow Me Charters, (504) 610-9639 H&M Fishing Charters, (985) 258-3632 Hard Times Fishing Charters (985) 787-3529 Pair-of-dice Charters of Grand Isle, (985) 860-7855

Notice something missing or something that needs updating? Email sports editor kelly.mcelroy@houmatoday.com with the information.

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

Thursday, January 30, 2020

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

S P O R T S M A N ' S PA R A D I S E

Test your skills at a fishing rodeo By Kelly McElroy Sports Editor

Anglers have plenty of opportunities through the course of the year to see how their skills stack up against others in the area at fishing rodeos. There are numerous fishing contests in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes and in Grand Isle. Here are a few major fishing events to choose from: TERREBONNE • Houma Oilman’s Fishing Invitational, May 28-30, Harbor Light Marina in Cocodrie. • Terrebonne Sportsman League's Annual Fishing Rodeo July 31-Aug 2 East Park Recreation Center in Houma. • Krewe of Hercules Festival on the Bayou Annual Redﬁsh Rodeo Aug. 7-9 at Agricultural Building on the Houma Air Base.

• Fiffth Annual Diva Fishing Rodeo in October at TradeWinds in Cocodrie.

LAFOURCHE • Annual Golden Meadow-Fourchon International Tarpon Rodeo, July 2-4, Moran’s Marina in Fourchon. • Fourchon Oilman’s Association Fishing Rodeo in July at Moran’s Marina in Fourchon.

GRAND ISLE • Stan Brock's Black and Gold Classic, Bast and Cast Saints Rodeo, May 15-16, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle. • Annual Grand Isle Speckled Trout Rodeo, May 21-23, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle. • Annual Creole Classic Fishing Tournament, June 12-14, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle. • Annual International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo, July 23-25, Tarpon Rodeo Pavilion in Grand Isle. • Annual "Ride the Bull" Extreme kayak Fishing Tournament, Aug. 24, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle.

• Annual Grand Isle Original Redﬁsh Rodeo, Sept. 5-6, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle.

STATEWIDE • 25th Annual Coastal Conservation Association’s Statewide Tournament and Angler’s Rodeo (STAR) tournament, May 23-Sept. 7, various locations throughout the state. For information, visit www.ccastar.com.

Doug Borries racked up on big speckled trout at the 2019 International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo. [KELLY MCELROY/ SPORTS EDITOR -- HOUMATODAY/DAILYCOMET]

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

Thursday, January 30, 2020

R OA D S I D E F I S H I N G

No boat? No problem By Kelly McElroy Sports Editor

The Adley Landry Water Reservoir is also a popular spot for bass fishing. LEEVILLE

Who says you need a boat to catch fish in Terrebonne and Lafourche? From canals along area highways to surf fishing at the beach, area fishermen have many fishing opportunities where a boat is not even needed. So if you don’t have a boat or want to leave it at home, there are no worries because the area is filled with many saltwater and fishing spots that local fishermen can just walk to. And with cooler weather on the way, fish will begin stacking up closer to area shores. Here are some of the area's top shoreline fishing spots.

Deep water near the site of the old Leeville lift bridge off La. 1 provides warmth for redfish, sheepshead and black drum during the winter. There are many shell parking spots along the highway for people to access these popular fishing spots. Fishermen have more options now, as the Leeville Boat Launch and Fishing Pier, located under the Gateway to the Gulf Expressway along La. 1, opened in 2017. It includes a handicap-accessible aluminum fishing pier and a pavilion and has lights for nighttime fishing.

TERREBONNE PARISH

During the summer months, nice catches of speckled trout can be found in the surf of area beaches.

DULARGE

Fishing Bayou Dularge Road no farther south than Falgout Canal can produce some nice catches, and Falgout Canal Road between Dularge is also a good spot for redfish. With a pirogue, fishing weirs and dams can also be productive. The pontoon bridge over the Houma Navigation Canal is also a popular spot for redfish and other species of fish. La. 57 between Cocodrie and Dulac also has many fishing spots for anglers, but rubber boots may be needed to reach some of the marshy areas. CHAUVIN-COCODRIE

Without a doubt, the most popular shoreline locations in this region are Boudreaux and Robinson canals. Both are along La. 56 and can get crowded in the winter months. Lake Boudreaux is a hot spot for speckled trout in the winter, and Boudreaux Canal provides a migration route for the fish to and from the lake. Finding areas of moving water in these regions can prove fruitful. LAFOURCHE PARISH THIBODAUX

Freshwater fishing is popular in Bayou Lafourche near Nicholls State University and the Jean Lafitte Historical Park and Preserve Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux.

PORT FOURCHON

GOLDEN MEADOW

Oakridge Park’s levee canal is a prime spot for some freshwater fishing in the south Lafourche area. Sac-a-lait and other perch are traditionally the top catches in the area. SOUTH LAFOURCHE

Roadside fishing along La. 1 is popular for many local saltwater anglers, as Bayou Lafourche can provide an abundance of speckled trout and redfish especially in the winter and fall. Fishing in Bayou Lafourche provides good catches from Larose to Leeville. LOCKPORT

Bayou Side Park is a popular fishing spot for many central Lafourche residents, as people can reel in freshwater catches in Bayou Lafourche and Old Company Canal. JEFFERSON PARISH GRAND ISLE

Anglers are often found fishing off the pier near the Grand Isle Bridge and in other spots off La. 1, especially in the winter months when the fish are stacked up in area canals and marshes. It also includes lights for nighttime fishing. For those looking to a bit more adventurous, surf fishing is popular along the Grand Isle beaches. The most popular catches are traditionally speckled trout, redfish, white trout and flounder.

Landon Carollo of Denham Springs caught this 32-inch, 30-pound off the side of the road in Bayou Terrebonne during a trip in 2018. [SUBMITTED]

Thursday, January 30, 2020

THE COURIER | DAILY COMET

PA S T A N D P R E S E N T

Local museums highlight culture and heritage

Schoolchildren tour the Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building in Lockport. [SUBMITTED]

Dan Copp Staff Writer

Louisiana’s rich history provides fertile ground for learning. There are several museums that highlight and celebrate our area’s dynamic culture. Here are some places you don’t want to miss: 1. Finding Our Roots museum, at 918 Roussell St. in Houma, showcases various periods of black history in Terrebonne, Lafourche and other area parishes including slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, Reconstruction and contemporary times. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Admission is $7 or via a $40 museum membership.

2. Terrebonne Folklife Culture Center, 317 Goode St., Houma, 8736406. Activities, classes, workshops and exhibits about local life, art and culture, past and present. 3. Southdown Plantation House and Terrebonne Museum,1208 Museum Drive, Houma, near La. 311 and St. Charles Street, 851-0154 or southdownmuseum.org. Daily tours, exhibits on Terrebonne Parish history and former plantation owners’ lives. 4. Edward Douglas White Historic Site, 2295 La. 1, Thibodaux, 447-0915. Exhibits on Gov. E.D. White and U.S. Chief Justice E.D. White II are inside the antebellum Creole cottage. 5. Bayou Lafourche Folklife and Heritage Museum, 110 Main St., Lockport,

532-5909. Housed in National Register of Historic Places building. The museum features artifacts of early life along Bayou Lafourche and other rotating exhibits. 6. Laurel Valley Plantation, 595 La. 308, Thibodaux, 446-7456. The oldest standing sugar plantation in the country has a farm with various animals and an old store with various historical artifacts. 7. Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building, 202 Main St., Lockport, displays and works to preserve some of the boats that are intrinsic to our way of life in the swamps, marshes and bayous of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. It’s open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call 532-5106 or visit the center’s Facebook page.

8. Bayou Terrebonne Waterlife Museum offers displays and interactive panels to introduce visitors to the industries, traditions and personal stories that collectively comprise the area’s unique culture. The museum, 7910 West Park Ave. in downtown Houma, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays. Admission is $3 for adults, $1 for kids ages 2-12 and $2.50 for seniors. Group rates are available. Call 580-7200 or visit the museum’s Facebook page.

—Staff Writer Dan Copp can be reached at 448-7639 or at dan. copp@houmatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter @DanVCopp.

Living Here 2020:

Articles inside

Museums offer a glimpse into local history and culture

Drop a line at one of our handpicked roadside fi shing spots

Test your skills at a fi shing rodeo

How to contact your parish, city or town council member

Where to launch your boat

Charter a great fi shing trip

Who we are, by the numbers

Connect with helpful public services

7 places to savor a real Cajun meal

Higher education

Kids have plenty of choices when it comes to recreation

A glimpse into local schools

Fun places to take the kids

How life on the bayou all got started

Top festivals

Where to fi nd Cajun music

6 things bayou residents can treasure