Living Here: Get the most out of life in Terrebonne and Lafourche by The Courier and Daily Comet

2019 Edition Premium Edition $5 â&#x20AC;¢ Thursday, January 31, 2019

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LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

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Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 LIVING HERE: YOUR GUIDE TO TERREBONNE AND LAFOURCHE

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 2018 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. A shrimp boat is silhoutetted by a setting sun along Bayou Grand Caillou in Dulac. Scenes like this make Living Here special. [The If you’re eager for the Courier and Daily Comet/File] spectacle of Mardi Gras,

LIVING HERE STAFF

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. -- Executive Editor Keith Magill

WHAT’S INSIDE 4. How life on the bayou all got started. 6. 7 things bayou residents can treasure.

Editor: Keith Magill Cover design: Shaun Hebert Reporters and Correspondents:Julia Arenstam, Dan Copp, Bill Ellzey, Kelly McElroy, Chris Singleton.

8. Mardi Gras: A schedule of local parades along with a look at the celebration, past and present

Extra copies of Living Here are available at The Courier’s 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.

9. Who we are, by the numbers.

12. Kids have plenty of choices when it comes to recreation. 13. Fun places to take the kids. 16. Business groups you can join. Local attractions offer something for everyone. 17. Museums offer a glimpse into local history and culture.

10. Entertainment events on the horizon. 18. Higher education: Nicholls State Uni11. Where to find versity and Fletcher community theater Community College. and Cajun music.

19. A glimpse into the schools that serve roughly 40,000 children in Terrebonne and Lafourche. 20. Test your skills at a local fishing rodeo. Or drop a line at one of our handpicked roadside fishing spots. 21. Charter guides are ready to make your fishing trip easy and productive. 22. Where to launch your boat. 24. How to connect

with helpful public services. 25. How to contact your parish, city or town council member. 26. Like to play music? A community band has a spot for you. 27. Check out our list of local parks and what they have to offer 28. A collection of photos offers a glimpse into what Living Here is all about.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 FROM THE BEGINNING

Bayous drew early settlers, connected communities 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 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,”

A shrimp boat glides along Bayou Grand Caillou in Dulac. [The Courier and Daily Comet/File]

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 land-use pattern is essential for the region, built from millennia of floodborne 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. Most are on ridges whose bayous gradually filled in and disappeared naturally or, later, through agricultur-

al 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, Pointe-aux-Chenes, and others not usually con-

sidered 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 BourgLarose 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 La-

fourche’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 three-quarters 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.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 LIVING HERE: BORN ON THE BAYOU

Living Here: 5 things bayou residents can treasure 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 34 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.

3. The flora

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.

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.

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.

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.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

5. The bayou Spanish moss hangs from an oak tree Tuesday afternoon near a docked shrimp boat in Pointe-Aux-Chenes.

Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 CARNIVAL TIME

Mardi Gras 2019: 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 40,00050,000 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, March 5. The first major parade, Houma’s Krewe of Hercules, is scheduled to roll at 6 p.m. Feb. 22. 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 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.

Float riders toss beads to the crowds lining the streets as the Krewe of Hercules rolls through Houma during last year’s Mardi Gras celebration. [The Courier and Daily Comet -- File]

Local Parade Schedule Feb. 17: Des Petite Lions children’s parade, 1 p.m., Golden Meadow. Feb. 22: Hercules, 6 p.m., Houma. Feb. 23: Tee Caillou, noon, Chauvin; Aquarius, 6:30 p.m., Houma; Le Krewe of Des T. Cajuns, noon, Larose. Feb. 24: Hyacinthians, noon, Houma, followed by Titans; Versailles, noon, Larose; Shaka, 1:30 p.m., Thibodaux,

followed by Ambrosia, 2 p.m. March 1: Aphrodite, 6:30 p.m., Houma; Athena, 7 p.m., Golden Meadow. March 2: Mardi Gras, 6:30 p.m., Houma; Apollo, noon, Lockport; Bon Temps, 6:30 p.m., Larose; Atlantis, noon, Golden Meadow. March 3: Terreanians, 12:30 p.m., Houma; Montegut Children’s Parade, 2 p.m., Montegut; Cleophas, 12:30

p.m., Thibodaux, followed by Chronos at 1:30 p.m.; Nereids, 6 p.m., Golden Meadow. March 4: Cleopatra, 6:30 p.m., Houma. March 5: Gheens, 11 a.m., Gheens; Houmas, noon, Houma, followed by Kajuns; Choupic, 1 p.m., Chackbay; Ghana, 1 p.m., Thibodaux; Neptune, noon, Golden Meadow; Bonne Terre, 4 p.m., Montegut.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019 BY THE NUMBERS

WHO WE ARE Terrebonne had a population of 112,086 as of July 1, 2017, according to the latest U.S. Census data. That’s down by 1,037 people, less than a percentage point, from the year before. It’s up 537 people, 0.2 percent, from 2010. Lafourche has 98,426 residents, down 191, or 0.2 percent, from the year before. It’s up 1,792, or 1.8 percent, since 2010. Here is a breakdown of some of the parishes’ key demographics. Percentages may not add up to 100 because of rounding.

Average persons per household: 2.78 Median home value: $143,700 Median monthly rent: $876 Percent of homes with a computer: 85 Percent of homes with broadband internet: 69.8 Lafourche Households: 36,153 Average persons per household: 2.66 Median home value: $144,300 Median monthly rent: $764

OUR AGE Terrebonne 65 and older: 14 percent 18-64: 60 percent Under 18: 26 percent Lafourche 65 and older: 15 percent 18-64: 61 percent Under 18: 24 percent

Terrebonne Median household income: $47,650 Per-capita income: $24,017 Percent of population in poverty: 19.7 percent Lafourche Median household income: $52,705 Per-capita income: $26,331 Percent of population in poverty: 15.8

OUR RACE

EDUCATION

Terrebonne White: 71 percent Black: 19 percent American Indian: 6 percent Hispanic: 5 percent Asian: 1 percent Two or more races: 3

Terrebonne Percent of residents 25 and older with a high school diploma: 78.3 Percent of residents 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or greater: 14.4 Lafourche Percent of residents 25 and older with a high school diploma: 76.1 Percent of residents 25 and older with a bachelor’s degree or greater: 16.3

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: 40,177

WHAT WE EARN

HEALTH Terrebonne Percent of residents under 65 with a disability: 11.1 Percent of residents under 65 who lack health insurance: 15.9 Lafourche Percent of residents under 65 with a disability: 12.8 Percent of residents under 65 who lack health insurance: 15.7

Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019

Payton Smith, of Bourg, performs his original songs at the celebration of the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center’s 20th anniversary on Jan. 6, 2019. [File]

ENTERTAINMENT

Plenty of fun coming to Houma, Thibodaux By Scott Yoshonis Staff Writer

Lafourche Roping Club members practice in the Raceland Rodeo Arena. [Abby Tabor/Staff -- dailycomet/ houmatoday]

A LITTLE BIT OF COUNTRY

Saddle up and head to the rodeo By Scott Yoshonis Staff Writer Put on your cowboy boots and ride to a local rodeo or horse show. The Terrebonne Livestock Agricultural Fair Association and Lafourche Roping Club hold rodeos each year at the Houma Airbase Arena on Moffet Road and the

Raceland Rodeo Arena on American Legion Drive. This year’s schedules weren’t available as of mid-January, but check the organizations’ Facebook pages for updates. The Lafourche Roping Club is also planning a barrel-racing series. Both organizations also host horse shows at the arenas.

Shows typically start at 9 a.m. and are free to the public. Concessions are sold. Raceland’s shows will be held Feb. 6, Feb. 20, March 6 and March 20. Events include barrel race, arena race, poles and stakes. There are different age divisions ranging from children who can sit up to adults.

For information on the Terrebonne Livestock Agricultural Fair Association, call Adrian Dufrene at 686-2512. For information on the Lafourche Roping Club, call Veronica Songe at 665-1005, Kena Brumfield at 665-9740 or “Scooter” LeBouef at 2093531.

Looking for something fun to do? No need to leave town. Both the Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd., and the Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium in Thibodaux, 310 N. Canal Blvd., offer funfilled 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. Houma-Terrebonne Civic Center March 16: Craftin’ Cajuns Spring Craft Show. March 23-24: Bayou Home Show. March 30: The Haven Gala. April 2: Houma Louisiana Wedding Expo. April 5-7: The Streetz Dance Convention and Competition.

April 27: Relay for Life Terrebonne Parish. June 14-16: Steubenville on the Bayou. Aug. 10: Moonlight Masquerade. Harang Municipal Auditorium Feb. 16: E.D. White Drummin’ and Spinnin’ On the Bayou Percussion Competition. Feb. 28: Chackbay Elementary School Cajun Carnival. March 16: Bayou Community Academy Annual Building Fund Gala. March 22-26: Biddy Basketball World Tournament. March 30-31: Louisiana Mississippi Color Guard and Percussion Circuit Championship. April 13: Relay for Life of Thibodaux. July 20: Hail Mary Animal Rescue “Who Let the Dogs Out” Fundraiser. Sept. 6-8: Ta Wa Si Antiques and Collectables Show. Sept. 21: South Thibodaux Fire Department Dance. Sept. 26: 2019 Carden Circus. Oct. 19: Bayou Region Public Safety Expo. Dec. 12: Senior Citizen Holiday luncheon.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019 PLAY TIME

CAJUN MUSIC

Local theater groups provide creative outlet

Camille Griffin (left) of the Bayou Playhouse and members of the NOLA Voice Theater perform the Christmas radio play “Nights of Noel” at the Playhouse in December. [Submitted by Bayou Playhouse]

By Scott Yoshonis Staff Writer 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 undergoing interior renovation. 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: www. facebook.com/HoumaLittleTheatre. Coming soon: “Taking Leave,” opening March 15. Information: www.houmalittletheatre.com. Bayou Playhouse The Bayou Playhouse is one of the area’s newest theater groups; it first opened to the public in 2008. Since then, members have performed wellknown plays such as a “Confederacy of Dunces,” “Steel Magnolias” and “A Streetcar Named Desire” at the Lockport venue, 101 Main St. Most 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: www. facebook.com/BayouPlayhouse or email volunteer@bayou-playhouse. com. Coming soon: “The Professor Carl Nivale Show,” opening Feb. 21. Information: www.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 $45 to $75 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 on the group’s Facebook page: www.facebook. com/ThibodauxPlayhouse. Coming soon: “Peter Pan Jr.” opening March 20, “Leading Ladies” opening March 19, “The Wizard of Oz” opening June 18 and “Bonnie and Clyde” opening July 19. Information: www.thibodauxplayhouse.com.

Sing, dance or just listen

It’s not hard to fi nd a local place to enjoy Cajun music, typified by a rhythmic accordian and a lively waltz that is great for dancing the two-step. [Chris Heller/staff -- houmatoday/daily comet]

By Scott Yoshonis Staff Writer 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. 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, and acoustic and regional favorites at Venue 182, 2639 La. 182, Raceland, and rhythm and blues at Big Mike’s BBQ Smokehouse, 120 Laura Drive, Thibodaux. Here are some of the area’s Cajun music venues: 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 Bay-

ou 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. 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 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 JUST FOR KIDS

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 acad-

Terrebonne Parish Recreation’s East Houma Steelers (left) and Bayou Saints JV football teams converge after their 2018 seasons ended this past November. [Submitted by Wren Halford]

emy 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 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 632-7616 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 bay-

ouflagfootball.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 1315 (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/.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

YOUNG AT HEART

5 fun places for the kids By Dan Copp Staff Writer The Houma-Thibodaux area has no shortage of fun-filled destinations for kids of all ages. From beaches to books, families don’t have to travel far to have a good time. Here are five destinations 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 www.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 Summer campers go kayaking at the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium’s DeFelice Marine a night. The park has a 2- to 5-mile na- Center in Cocodrie. [Submitted] ture 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 more 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.

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LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

LIVING HERE 2019

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Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 BUSINESS

Business groups offer development opportunities By Dan Copp Staff Writer Terrebonne and Lafourche have several organizations that provide business professionals and industry executives networking, development, lobbying and other opportunities. 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.

Here is a rundown of local business groups: Bayou Industrial Group Address: 602 Clayton Ave., Houma. Phone: 580-3901. Website: bayouindustrialgroup.com. Members: About 200. President: Monique Crochet, Nicholls State University. Executive vice president: Michael Duplantis, John Deere. 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: Jason Bergeron. Dues: $200 for nonproﬁts, $250 or more for businesses based on number of employees. Lafourche Chamber of Commerce 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. 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: Cory H. Kief, Crosby Tugs. Executive vice president: Paul Danos. Dues: $375 to $199 depending on the month joined.

THINGS TO DO

There’s always something to see or do By Scott Yoshonis Staff Writer 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. GET OUT IN NATURE 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. GO HORSEBACK RIDING Circle P Horse Ranch, 188 Waterplant Road, Schriever: 804-2967. MKL Farms, 4434 Country Drive, Bourg: 594-9544. JOURNEY INTO THE SWAMP 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 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: 6337881. RELIVE A PIECE OF HISTORY Ardoyne Plantation, 2678

La. 311, Schriever: 8042271. E.D. White Historic Site, 2295 St. Mary St., Thibodaux: 447-0915. Laurel Valley Plantation, 595 La. 308, Thibodaux: 446-7456. Southdown Plantation, 1208 Museum Drive, Houma: 851-0154. SHOP FARMERS’ MARKETS 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: 8050400. Open 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays year-round. Rienzi Market, Thibodaux Regional Wellness Center,726 N. Acadia Rd., Thi-

Billy Gaston of A Cajun Man’s Swamp Tours feeds a chicken leg to an alligator during a trip near Gibson. [The Courier and Daily Comet/File]

bodaux: 512-924-0800. Open 3 p.m. to dark Thursdays year-round. South Louisiana Seed Market, 7591 W. Main St., Houma: 872-5916. 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.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

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

BUSINESS

Local museums highlight culture and heritage By Dan Copp Staff Writer Louisiana’s vast cultural history alone can fill entire museums, and several of them can be found in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes. Here are a few places to check out: 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, 873-6406. 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 Folk-

life 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 ar-

tifacts. 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 dis-

plays 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.

Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 HIGHER EDUCATION

Community college boosts offerings

Fletcher Technical Community College is reporting a spring 2019 enrollment of 1,838 students. The college announced plans to begin construction on a new $5.1 million Career Center this year. [File] Nicholls State University celebrated some big wins during the 2018 football season, including the first home playoff win in school history and winning the NSU title and River Bell Classic. [File]

Nicholls State is the region’s university By Julia Arenstam Staff Writer Nicholls State University President Jay Clune says the university is on track to reach its enrollment goal of 7,000 students by next fall. Fall 2018 enrollment of 6,488 is up slightly from the last count at 6,366 students. But Clune has said enrollment should be 10,000 to 12,000 given the region’s size and needs. “We’ve become the first choice for a lot of students on campus,” Clune said in his spring 2019 State of the University address. After winning a bat-

tle for state funding last year, Clune said he plans to continue pursuing private donations. During his first year in office, community donations continued to pile up, sponsoring minor renovation projects throughout the campus. “These projects combine university and community, with community supporting the majority of the cost,” Clune said. The work done in the past year has “created an excitement within the community” that has led to more donors stepping forward, he said. 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 four-year 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 Col-

lege 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 $3,975 per semester in tuition and fees. Outof-state students pay about $4,500. Information about the university can be found at nicholls.edu or 1-877-NICHOLLS

By Julia Arenstam Staff Writer L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College offers local students traditional university classes as well as several vocational training options, including a new 16-week program for those who want to become line workers for electric utility companies. The program, sponsored by Entergy with a $50,000 donation, takes in classes of 15 students and train them in the 16-week program. Upon completion, students receive National Center for Construction Education and Research certification, are qualified for employment as line helpers and receive job placement assistance. All 14 students who completed the program in October landed jobs with starting pay of $40,000 or more per year. Kristine Strickland, a former former executive dean at Delgado Community College’s West Bank Campus in New Orleans, is entering her fourth year as

Fletcher’s chancellor. The school recently announced the beginning of a new, $5.1 million ACT 360 Career Center on the main campus in Schriever. Fletcher was founded in 1951 and is part of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. The two-year college reports spring 2019 enrollment at 1,838, down from 2,063 last fall. Students at Fletcher can study oilfield technology, marine operations, medical programs, office systems and electrical and industrial technologies. Fletcher also offers dual enrollment for high school students looking to earn college credits. A 12-hour course load for instate students costs $2,074 per semester in tuition and fees. Out-of-state students can expect to pay $3,752. There is an additional $40 fee for students enrolling in online classes. Information can be found at fletcher.edu or 448-7900.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019 SCHOOLS

Terrebonne and Lafourche public school systems By Julia Arenstam 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 17,785 students 2018-19 Budget Revenue: $191.3 million State sources: $97.4 million (51 percent) Local: $67.1 million (35 percent) Federal: $26.9 million (14 percent) Spending: $185.5 million Instruction and support: $139.1 million (75 percent) Debt: $1 million School Board members District 1: Michael Lagarde, 381-4777 District 2: Gregory Harding, 876-0393

District 3: Matthew J. Ford, 665-3288 District 4: Debi Benoit, 493-2563 District 5: Stacy Verhagen Solet, 381-4592 District 6: Clyde F. Hamner, 855-6919 District 7: Roger Dale DeHart, 879-1329 District 8: MayBelle N. Trahan, 381-4533 District 9: Dane Voisin, Terrebonne and Lafourche’s public, parochial and private schools enroll roughly 40,000 students combined. [File] 232-4644 Superintendent: Philip Martin, 876-7400 ta, 447-6691 School Board Office: 201 District 5: Mary Breaud, Stadium Drive, Houma 447-1534 LAFOURCHE PARISH District 6: Dennis Guillot, Enrollment 414-0764 13,921 students District 7: Valerie Bour2018-19 Budget geois, 537-3609 2018 Revenue: $155.4 million District 8: Tyler Dufrene, State sources: 68 million 991-5898 (43.7 percent) District 9: Randy Local: $71.4 million (45.9 Schouest, 855-2035 percent) District 10: Barry PlaiFederal: $16 million (10.2 sance, 805-1969 percent) District 11: Clyde DuplanSpending: $157.7 million tis III, 857-9143 Instruction: $65.9 million District 12: Robby GisSupport: $39.4 million clair, 533-6089 Debt Services: $12.1 million District 13: Al Archer, Charter schools: $8.6 million 632-3094 School Board members District 14: Ray Bernard, Museum Hours: District 1: Tina Naquin 632-2312 Monday - Friday Babin, 665-8557 District 15: Troy Dufrene, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM District 2: Brooke Hud- 475-6200 Saturday dleston, 227-0075 Superintendent: Louis 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM District 3: Cheryl Thom- Voiron, 446-5631 1154 Barrow St. • Houma,LA • (985) 873-8200 as, 446-1365 School Board Office: 805 www.regionalmilitarymuseum.com District 4: Marian Fertit- E. Seventh St., Thibodaux L or e

Come see our military objects & artifacts

Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE

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 to choose from: TERREBONNE 25th Annual Houma Oilman’s Fishing Invitational, May 30-31, Harbor Light Marina in Cocodrie. Terrebonne Sportsman League’s

67th Annual Fishing Rodeo. Aug. 2-4, East Park Recreation Center in Houma. Krewe of Hercules Festival on the Bayou Annual Redfish Rodeo, Aug. 9-11, Agricultural Building on the Houma Air Base. Fourth Annual Diva Fishing Rodeo, Oct. 19-20, TradeWinds in Cocodrie. LAFOURCHE 61stth Annual Golden Meadow-Fourchon International Tarpon Rodeo, July 4-6, Moran’s Marina in Fourchon. 2019 Fourchon Oilman’s Associ-

ation Fishing Rodeo, July 11-13, Moran’s Marina in Fourchon. GRAND ISLE Stan Brock’s Black and Gold Classic, Bast and Cast Saints Rodeo, May 17-18, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle. 22st Annual Grand Isle Speckled Trout Rodeo, May 24-26, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle. 35th Annual Creole Classic Fishing Tournament, June 20-22, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle. 91st Annual International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo, July 25-27, Tarpon Rodeo Pavilion in Grand

Isle. 10th Annual “Ride the Bull” Extreme kayak Fishing Tournament, Aug. 24, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle. 58h Annual Grand Isle Original Redfish Rodeo, Aug. 30-Sept. 1, Bridge Side Marina in Grand Isle. STATEWIDE 25th Annual Coastal Conservation Association’s Statewide Tournament and Angler’s Rodeo (STAR) tournament, May 25-Sept. 2, various locations throughout the state. For information, visit www.ccastar.com.

Guy P. Cenac (left) of Houma celebrates with Al and Billy Cenac, both of Houma, after setting a new rodeo record with a 208-pound, 14-ounce tarpon at the 90th Annual International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo over the summer. [Submitted]

ROADSIDE FISHING SPOTS

No boat? No problem By Kelly McElroy Sports Editor Who says you need a boat to catch fish in the Terrebonne and Lafourche parish areas? 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 top shoreline fishing spots in Terrebonne and Lafourche

parishes. TERREBONNE PARISH 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. The Adley Landry Water Reservoir is also a popular

spot for bass fishing. LEEVILLE 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. PORT FOURCHON During the summer

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

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

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 country. 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 nAaron Pierce Charters, (985) 637-9720

nArthur Matherne Charter Fishing, (985) 7585531 nBay Coast Charters, (985) 787-2067 or (985) 475-6598 nBetween the Banks, (504) 458-9451 nBig Dog Bowfishing, (985) 637-6074 nBobby’s Charters, (985) 396-2678 nBobby Lynn’s Marina, (225) 673-4210 nBoneyard Bow Fishing, (985) 637-4471 nCajun Made Charters, (985) 396-2728 nCapt. T-Man’s Charters, (985) 693-6828 nCast and Catch Charters, (985) 637-5760 nCharlie Hardison and Sons, (888) 463-4747 nDon Dee’s Bayou Coastal Guide Service, (985) 632-3336 nFishtales Guide Service, (985) 696-1801 nHawk Eye Fishing Charters, (985) 632-6988 nMarsh Masters Bow Fishing, (985) 285-7332 nMarsh Masters Guide Service, (985) 637-6076 nMarsh Rat Fishing Guide, (985) 637-5058 nMarshland Guide Service, (985) 475-6397 nMoran’s Marina, (985) 369-2728 nNight Time Fishing, (225) 673-4210 nPlaisance Tidewater Charters, (985) 475-7471

nReelin Good Charters, (985) 858-8167 nRippin Lip Guide Service, (985) 632-5846 nSaltwater Guide Service, (985) 696-4621 nSouthern Moon Charters, (985) 870-3315 nSpeck-Tackler Charters, (985) 475-5871 nSpots & Specks Charters, (985) 637-3177 nSteve Tomeny Charters, (985) 396-2613 nTop Water Marina, (985) 396-4620 nTuna Time Charters, (985) 665-3769 nZutie’s Baycoast Charters, (985) 637-3692 TERREBONNE PARISH nAbsolute Fishing Charters, (985) 856-4477 nAirboat Charters, (985) 872-0989 nAvid Angler Fishing Charters, (985) 855-5909 nBayou Black Marina, (985) 575-2315 nBeachcomber Guide Service, (985) 855-6150 nBill Lake Bayou Guide Service and Charters, (985) 851-6015 or (985) 637-3712 nBoudreaux’s Marina, (985) 594-4568 nC&B Charter Fishing, (985) 594-2414 nCajun Fishing and Hunting Charters, (985) 8578552 nCaptain André Boudreaux, (985) 594-4568

nCaptain Cody Esponge, (985) 804-1518 nCaptain Gene Foret, (888) 648-2626 nCoco Marina, (888) 6482626 nCaptain Joe Schouest Charters, (985) 876-4317 nCaptain Lance “Lil Coon” Schouest Jr., (985) 856-7063 nCaptain Lee Schouest, (985) 594-6626 nCaptain Mike Ledet’s Charters, (985) 594-6773 nCaptain Ryan Folse, (888) 648-2626 nCaptain Tanna Persac, (225) 610-7336 nCoastal Charter Service, (985) 856-6494 nCocodrie Anglers, (985) 856-0700 nCocodrie Charters, (985) 594-6200 nCocodrie Inside Charters, (800) 906-5484 nCododrie Fishing Charters, LLC, (985) 991-3152 nCoon Pop, Inc., (985) 688-7633 nCrawdaddy, (985) 2094386 nCustom Charters, (985) 851-3304 nDouble Down Charters, (985) 856-9008 nDowntown Marina, (985) 873-6428 nDulac Charters, (985) 563-2843 nFalgout Canal Landing, (985) 872-1636 nFightin Minnow Fishing Charters, (985) 790-0771

nFour Point Landing, (985) 563-2878 nHarbor Light Marina, (985) 594-7208 nHaydel’s Charter Inc., (985) 226-0113 nImpulse Fishing Charters, (225) 776-9820 nInshore Addiction Guide Service, (225) 278-4189 nJug’s Seafood, (985) 876-1413 nLaid Back Charter, (225) 202-2584 or (225) 7562342 nLil’ Ross Charters, (985) 293-7933 nLite’m Up Bowfishing Charters (985) 991-5483 nLouisiana Livin Adventures, Capt. Tim Ortego nMarsh Madness, (985) 688-4495 nMillertime Fishing Charters, (985) 981-6434 nPac nKayak Rentals, (225) 573-4085 nPointe Aux Chenes Marina, (985) 594-4654 nReelin Good Charters LLC, (985) 856-8167 nSalt Charters, (985) 6482626 nSea Creatures Fishing Charters, (985) 563-2531 nSeeber Charter Service, (985) 804-7637 nShoreline Charter, (985) 688-2772 nSilver Fox Charters, (985) 665-2657 nSouthern Nights Bowfishing Charters, (985) 688-3486 nSportsman’s Paradise,

(985) 594-2414 nT-Irv’s Marina, (985) 563-4295 nTop Waters Charter, (985) 594-9074 nTradewinds Marina, (985) 466-3838 GRAND ISLE nA Day in Paradise, (504) 382-0174 nBent Rod Offshore, (985) 817-0017 nBon Chance Fishing, (985) 637-3979 nBridge Side Marina, (985) 787-2419 nBrooks-Hooks Fishing Charters, (225) 485-7931 nCalmwater Charters and Tours, (225) 921-8459 nCast and Catch, (985) 665-0745 nCapt. John’s Fin-tastic Charters, (985) 665-4586 nDream Catcher Guide Service, (225) 572-8927 nFish-N-Tell, (225) 9382419 nEpic Fishing Charters, (225) 733-6080 nFish Commander Guide Service, (225) 445-1005 nFish on Charters, (318) 623-6500 nFlaming Hooks, (318) 623-2759 nFollow Me Charters, (504) 610-9639 nH&M Fishing Charters, (985) 258-3632 nHard Times Fishing Charters (985) 787-3529 nPair-of-dice Charters of Grand Isle, (985) 860-7855

Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 BOAT LAUNCHES

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 nAlligator Bayou Boat Launch, La. 398 nAttakapas Landing, end of La. 401 nBayou Lafourche Boat Launch, La. 398 nBelle River Boat Launch, La. 1016-2 nHimalaya Canal Boat Launch, La. 1012 nLake Verret Boat Launch, La. 1016-1 nLittle Grand Bayou Boat Launch, end of La. 402 LAFOURCHE PARISH nAmerada Launch to nBayou Lafourche in Raceland nBason’s Marina, La. 3235 in Cut Off nBayou Lafourche Launch at Bayouside Park, La. 1 inThibodaux nBayou Lafourche Launch in Golden Meadow nBayou Lafourche Launch in Raceland nBelle Pass Marina, La. 1 in Golden Meadow nBig Bayou Blue Marina, La. 24 in Larose

nBill Taylor Boat Launch, La. 611 in Chackbay nBoudreaux’s Waterfront Motel in Leeville nBreton Canal Launch. East 73rd St. Galliano nButch Hill Ramp Boat Launch, Bayou Cut Off, La. 652 Raceland nChoctaw Road Boat Launch to Grand Bayou nChris Moran’s Marina in Port Fourchon nCloverlly Farms Boat Launch into Scully Canal, La. 308 in Cut Off nCompany Canal Boat Launch, Bayouside Park, Lockport nCompany Canal Boat Launch, La. 654 near Gheens nEd’s Boat Launch and Trailer Park in Leeville nIntracoastal Waterway Launch, across from VFW Hall in Larose nIntracoastal Waterway Launch, via Delta Farms La. 657 in Larose nIrwin P. Melancon Recreational Boat Launch in Port Fourchon nJosh’s Boat Launch, La. 3235 in Golden Meadow nLafourche Beach Launch in Port Fourchon nLarousse Boat Launch in Kraemer nLeeville Boat Launch and Fishing Pier, under the Gateway to the Gulf Expressway nOakridge Community Boat Launch, La. 3235 in Golden Meadow nPercle’s Camp Launch to Grand Bayou nPort Fourchon Boat Launch, La. 3090 nPort Fourchon Marina in

Leeville nRoadside Launch on La. 1 east of Port Fourchon nRoadside Launch on La. 1 in Leesville nSomme’s Marina at Somme’s Lucky 7 Truck Plaza, U.S. 90 in Des Allemands nTerry’s Live Bait, 24202 La. 1 in Leeville nTexas Gulf Boat Launch, La. 24 Bayou Blue nTheriot Canal Boat Launch, La. 308 in Raceland nTYDs Marina, La. 1 between Golden Meadow and Leeville TERREBONNE PARISH nBayou Petite Caillou Boat Launch, two miles north of Cocodrie off La. 56 nBayou Petite Caillou Boat Launch, eight miles north of Cocodrie off La. 56 nBayou Terrebonne Boat Launch, La. 55 in Montegut nBayou Bait and Tackle in Chauvin nBoat Launch north of Cocodrie Clubhouse on Redfish Street nBoudreaux Canal Boat Launch in Chauvin nBoudreaux’s Marina, at the end of Four Point Road off La. 3011 nBoudreaux’s Landing in Dulac nBob’s Bayou Black Marina, four miles off La. 182 in Gibson nCanal St. Jean Charles Boat Launch nChauvin recreation area, near library and central fire station nCoCo Marina, near the end of La. 56 in Cocodrie

nCocodrie Clubhouse Boat Launch, six miles south of Robinson Canal nDefelice Marina and Seafood Co., 163 Old Bridge Road in Dulac. nDularge Sporting Goods, La. 315 in Bayou Dularge Road nFalgout Canal Landing 1868 Dr. Beatrous Road in Theriot nFalgout Canal Road in Dulac nForrest Cannon Memorial Boat Launch near Waterproof Bridge off Southdown Mandalay Road in Bayou Black nGrand Bayou Unit Public Launch in Pointe-AuxChenes Half-mile east of the U.S. 90 Chacahoula-Thibodaux exit about four ½ miles west of La. 20 and La. 311 intersections nHarbor Light Marina, near the end of La. 56 in Cocodrie nHouma Canal Boat Launch, La. 315 nHouma Navigation Canal, La. 3011 nIsle de Charles Road Boat Launch nIsle de Jean Charles Marina nKozy Kampers in Cocodrie nJammie’s Boat Landing in Dularge nLa. 20 one mile west of U.S. 90 Chacahoula-Thibodaux exit, four miles west of La. 20 and La. 311 intersection nLa. 315, south of Houma to just north of Falgout Canal Road, turn west and cross Bayou Dularge Lapeyrouse Seafood, nRobinson Canal and La. 56 in

Chauvin nLaunch across from Little Caillou Fire Station on La. 56 Chauvin nLaunch at 1017 La. 55 in Montegut nLaunch at end of La. 3197 behind Bayou Black Fire Station nLaunch behind Ashland Landfill, off La. 57 in Houma nLaunch across from Little Caillou Fire Station on La. 56 Chauvin nLizzie’s Landing at Boudreaux Canal and Bayou Petit Caillou nMadison Canal Boat Launch, La. 55 nMarina under Twin Spans in downtown Houma off La. 20 nMarmande Canal in Theriot La. 315 nMontegut Marina in Montegut nOld Spanish Trail off La. 182 in Gibson nPat’s Bayouside Marina, 251 Marina Road in Montegut nPointe-Aux-Chenes Marina, 1650 La. 665 nPointe-Aux-Chenes Wildlife Management Area on Isle de Jean Charles Road Montegut nPoint Barre Road Boat Launch near Point-auxChens nPointe Barre Ramp in Montegut nPointe Cocodrie Inn, guests only nPump 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 Chacahoula-Thibodaux exit.

nSandpiper Inn Bait Shop, 7312 Shoreline Drive in Cocodrie nSea Breeze Marina in Montegut nSharkey’s Boat Landing in Chauvin nSportsman’s Paradise, 6830 La. 56 in Chauvin nSunshine Acres Marina in Dulac nSunshine Marina off Four Point Road nSunshine Trading Post, 113 Sunshine West Street in Dulac nT-Irv’s Marina in Dulac Texas Gulf Road Boat Launch off La. 55 in Bourg on Company Canal nTradeWinds Marina, 7681 La. 56 in Chauvin nWine Island Pass Marina in Cocodrie GRAND ISLE nBridge Side Marina, foot of the Grand Isle Bridge, beach side nCamardelle’s Seafood, ½ mile before Grand Isle bridge on LA. 1, bay side nCheramie’s Landing Coastal Bait, along La. 1 Cypress Cove Marina nGulf Stream Marina, ½ mile from Grand Isle Bridge on La. 1. nHurricane Hole, La. 1 between Carmen Lane and Tahiti Lane. nSand Dollar Marina, end of La. 1 nPirate’s Cove Marina, 122 Smith Lane nRicky’s Fishing Tackle, along La. 1 nSantiny’s Bait, along La. 1 nWake Side Marina, 1615 La. 1

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

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Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019 HELPFUL TIPS

Public Services you’ll find useful By Keith Magill Executive Editor POLICE Terrebonne: nTerrebonne Sheriff’s Office, Courthouse Annex, 7856 Main St., Suite 121, Houma, 876-2500. nHouma Police, 500 Honduras St., Houma, 8736371. nState Police Troop C, 4047 W. Park Ave., Gray, 857-3680. nTerrebonne jail, 3123 Grand Caillou Road, Houma, 857-0361. Lafourche: nLafourche Sheriff’s Office, 200 Canal Blvd. Thibodaux, 532-2808. nSouth Lafourche substation, 102 W. 91st St., Galliano, 632-5843. nLafourche jail, 952 La. 3185, Thibodaux, 4494458. nThibodaux Police, 1309 Canal Blvd., 446-5021. nNicholls State University Police, 906 E. First St., Thibodaux, 448-4746. nGolden Meadow Police, 313 N. Bayou Drive, 4755213. nLockport 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 4465021, 475-5213 and 5329799. 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 are issued at the Office of Motor Vehicles, 108 Capitol Blvd., in Houma. Call 877-3685463. 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. week-

days. 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 868-5660, 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 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-by2-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: nBourg Post Office, 3806 Country Drive, 851-2372. nGray Post Office, 4442 W. Main St., 876-7424. nRaceland Post Office, 109 Raceland St., 5378957. nTerrebonne Clerk of Court’s Office, 7856 Main St., Houma, 868-5660. nLafourche Clerk of Court’s Office, 303 W. nThird St., Thibodaux, 447-4841. nGalliano Post Office, 17599 La. 3235, 325-2652. POST OFFICES Some of the post offices in Terrebonne: nHouma, 425 Lafayette St., 223-1722. nBourg, 3806 Country Drive, 851-2372. nChauvin, 5106 La. 56, 594-9473. nDulac, 7661 Grand Caillou Road, 563-7329. nGibson, 6353 S. Bayou

Terrebonne Parish Animal Shelter Manager Valerie Robinson prepares to take Snow out for some exercise. [The Courier and Daily Comet/File]

Black Drive, 575-3601. nGray, 4442 W. Main St., 872-7424. nMontegut, 1225 La. 55, 594-2216. nSchriever, 201 La. 659, 446-1318. Here are some in Lafourche: nThibodaux, 910 Canal Blvd.,447-3738. nGalliano, 17599 La. 3235, 325-2652. nCut Off, 16130 W. Main St., 632-2353. nGolden Meadow, 300 S. Alex Plaisance Blvd., 4754909. nGrand Isle, 3393 La. 1, 787-2317. nKraemer, 4030 La. 307, 633-2781. nLarose, 123 W. 17th St., 693-3349. nRaceland, 109 Raceland St., 537-8957. POWER OUT? If your power goes out, contact your utility company. Entergy can be reached at 800-368-3749; the South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Associa-

tion is at 800-256-8836 or 876-6880; 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.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

GOVERNMENT

How to contact your elected officials By Julia Arenstam 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 has a consolidated government, which includes the city of Houma. TERREBONNE PARISH Government Tower: 8026 Main St., Houma, 8685050. Parish President Gordon Dove: 873-6401, gdove@ tpcg.org. Parish Council nJohn Navy, District 1: 873-6427, jnavy@tpcg. org. nArlanda Williams, Dis-

trict 2: 873-6433, ajwilliams@tpcg.org. nGerald Michel, District 3: 873-6419, gmichel@ tpcg.org. nScotty Dryden, District 4: 873-6425, sdryden@ tpcg.org. nChrista Duplantis-Prather, District 5: 873-6426, cduplantis@ tpcg.org. nDarrin Guidry, District 6: 873-6412, dwguidry@ tpcg.org. nAl Marmande, District 7: 873-6422, amarmande@ tpcg.org. nDirk Guidry, District 8: 873-6415, djguidry@tpcg. org. nSteve 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., 5377603. Thibodaux Government Complex: 402 Green St., 446-8427. Parish President James “Jimmy” Cantrelle: 4468427, cantrellejb@lafourchegov.org. Parish Council nJerry Jones, District 1: 387-2312, councildist1@ lafourchegov.org. nLuci Sposito, District 2: 438-4112, councildist2@ lafourchegov.org. nMichael Gros, District 3: 805-0196, councildist3@ lafourchegov.org. nAaron “Bo” Melvin, District 4: 805-0024, councildist4@ lafourchegov. org. nCraig Jaccuzzo, District 5: 805-7131, councildist5@lafourchegov.org. nCorey Perrillioux, Dis-

trict 6: 805-0391, councildist6@ lafourchegov. org. nArmand Autin, District 7: 805-0201, councildist7@lafourchegov.org. nJerry LaFont, District 8: 570-3127, councildist8@ lafourchegov.org. nDaniel Lorraine, District 9: 438-4122, councildist9@ lafourchegov.org. THIBODAUX City Hall: 310 W. Second St., 446-7218. Mayor Tommy Eschete: 446-7218, teschete@ ci.thibodaux.la.us. City Council nEric Tabor, District A: 227-8878, councilman@ ericjtabor.com. nGene Richard, District B: 446-1831, ejrich001@ msn.com. nConstance Johnson, District C: 637-3434, mad-

ison1724@charter.net. nMike Naquin, District D: 637-7190, mpnaquin@ charter.net nChad Mire, District E: 446-7200, councilmane@ hotmail.com. LOCKPORT Town Hall: 710 Church St., 532-3117. Mayor Ed Reinhardt: mayoredreinhardt@ townoflockport.com. Town Council nStephen Baudoin, Division A: sbaudoin@townoflockport.com. nSharon Robichaux Guidry, Division B: srguidry@townoﬂockport. com. nBobbie M. Galjour, Division C: bmgaljour@townoflockport.com. nRodney Hartman, Division D: rhartman@townoﬂockport.com.

nWayne Bourgeois Jr., Division E: wbourgeois@ townoflockport.com. GOLDEN MEADOW Town Hall: 107 Jervis Drive, 475-7942. Mayor Joey Bouziga: 4755163, joey@townofgoldenmeadow-la.gov. Town Council nAshton Cheramie, sanitation: 258-0415, ashtonuc@gmail.com. nJody Cheramie, sewerage: 475-4529, jodycheramie@gmail.com. nLaci Latiolais, parks: 637-2407, laci.latiolais@ gmail.com nLindberg Lorraine, drainage: 278-8005, lorrainebap@gmail.com. nWillis Toups, streets: 475-5253, wtoups@viscom.net.

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Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

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The Bayou Community Band has 50-60 members and practices at Nicholls State University every other Friday. [Band photo]

By Scott Yoshonis Staff Writer Houma and Thibodaux’s three community bands are always looking for members. The Bayou Community Band in Thibodaux, the Houma-Terrebonne Community Band in Houma and the South Louisiana Community Orchestra each offer residents a chance to flex their musical muscles. Bayou Community Band The Thibodaux band, comprised of 50-60 volunteer musicians from Lafourche, Terrebonne and surrounding parishes, performs several times a year. The band practices every other Friday at Nichol-

ls State University. Its spring performance is scheduled for 3 p.m. April 28 at Nicholls’ Peltier Auditorium. You can find its calendar at bayoucommunityband.org. Information: 446-8860. Houma-Terrebonne Community Band The band is made up of about 40 members and performs regularly throughout the Houma area. Several of its performances are annual events, like the Patriotic, Spring and Christmas concerts. The group will hold a 35th Anniversary Concert at 2 p.m. April 14 at the Houma Municipal Auditorium, 800 Verret St., Houma. It also has scheduled performances at the Houma Civic Center, June

29, time to be announced, June 30 at 2 p.m. at Houma Christian School, at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Houma Christian School and two Christmas performances. For a full schedule, visit htcb.org. Information: 855-7565 or info@htcb.org. South Louisiana Community Orchestra The South Louisiana Community Orchestra, also based in Houma, performs several times a year. The group was formed in 1997 and became the South Louisiana Community Orchestra in 2003. For information on scheduled performances, visit the group’s website: lncb.tripod.com. To join, call 637-4926.

LIVING HERE 2019 | Thursday, January 31, 2019

PARKS AND RECREATION

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 nAuthement Street Park, 311 Authement St.: walking track, gazebo, picnic tables, softball field. nAndrew Price Gym, 1829 La. 24 Gray. nBourg Gym, 4411 Eldred Street, Bourg: gym, tennis courts, softball fields. nBarrios Park, Willard Avenue Houma: playground equipment nBayou 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. nBayou Country Sports Park, between La. 311 and Valhi Blvd. Ext., Houma (under construction): softball, baseball, soccer fields, tennis courts, dog park, walking and bike trail and community lawn. nCity Park, 201 Moffet Road: gym, walking track, playground equipment, gazebo,

picnic tables, softball field, baseball field. nCoteau Park, 2321 Coteau Road: bathrooms, swings, softball field. nDa Swamp Trampoline Park, 2764 Coteau Road: Open daily for play and working out, prices vary. nDarcey Street Park, 8379 Tupelo St.: walking track, playground equipment, swings, softball fields. nDonner Gym, 381 Azalea Drive: gym, golf course. nDularge Gym, 1330 Dr. Beatrous Road, Theriot: gym, swimming pool. nDumas Park, 301 Tunnel Blvd., Houma: basketball courts, playground equipment nFriends of Fireman’s Park – Skate and Bike Park, 161 Library Drive: quarter pipe, rails. nGibson Gym, 5575 Bayou Black Drive. nGrand Bois Park, 470 Bourg-Larose Highway: RV hook-ups, bathrooms, picnic tables. nGrand Caillou Gym, 106 Badou Drive. nGray Park, 3289 W. Park Ave in Gray: playground equipment, baseball/softball fields. Jnim Bowie Park, 940 Bayou Black Drive: gazebo, picnic tables. nLee Avenue Park, 1226 Lee Ave.: walking track, gazebo, picnic tables, basketball court. nLisa Park Gym, 6669 Lisa Park Avenue in Houma. nLittle Caillou Gym, 215 Angel St., Chauvin.

nMahler Park, 419 Mahler St.: benches, tables. nMaple Avenue Park, 404 Maple Ave.: walking track, tables, benches, swing set, walking track. nMechanicville Gym, 2814 Senator Circle. nMontegut Gym, 107 Recreation Drive: gym, baseball field. nMulberry Park, 203 Winnfield Blvd.: playground equipment, swings, two softball fields, workout equipment, walking track. nOakshire Gym, 5457 Vicari Drive: gym, baseball field. nPresque Isle Park in Presque Isle subdivision: swings, picnic tables. nRio Vista Park, 704 Rio Vista Ave.: walking track, playground equipment, swings. nRozands Memorial Park, 514 Levron St.: walking track, playground equipment, swings. nShady Oak Park, 877 High St.: playground equipment, gazebo, picnic tables, swings. nSouthdown Bike Trail, Valhi Boulevard: five-and-a-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. nSouthdown West Park in Southdown West subdivision: playground equipment,

tennis courts. nSummerfield Park, 713 San Antonio Blvd.: playground equipment, gazebo, picnic tables. nTwin Span Park, located beneath Houma Twins Spans: walking track, playground equipment. nWest Houma Gym and Parks, 900 Williams Ave: gym, football fields, tennis courts, baseball fields. nGlenn F. Polk Memorial Park Walking Track at Williams Ave (near St. Gregory Church at 1009 Williams Ave in Houma) nSmithridge Gym, 4924 Bayouside Drive, Chauvin. LAFOURCHE PARISH nBayou Blue Gym Recreation District 11, 200 Mazerac St. Houma: gym, walking track, splash park. nChackbay, Choctaw, Kramer and Bayou Boeuf, Recreation District No. 5, 2345 La. 307 in Thibodaux. nChoctaw Walking track: Choctaw Road: baseball fields, walking track. nCut Off Youth Center, 205 West 79th St.: swimming pool, walking track, basketball court. nLarose 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. nGheens Recreation District No. 8, 2121 La. 645 in Gheens: rec center, park. nLockport Bayouside Park,

Canal Street, Lockport: walking track. nLockport Recreation District 1, Lockport, baseball fields, playground equipment, swimming pool. nOakridge Park, Oakridge Drive in Golden Meadow: Oakridge Park, tennis courts, swimming pool, basketball court, baseball fields, playground equipment, picnic tables. nGolden Meadow Recreation District No. 3, rec center, park. nRaceland Community Center, 206 Senior Citizen Drive: Community, recreation and emergency center, walking track, soccer fields, football fields. nRaceland Recreation Center, District No. 2, 241 Recreation Drive, Raceland: Rec Center, baseball, softball and soccer fields. nSchneider Park, Schneider Lane, Chackbay: football field, baseball field, playground equipment, walking trail. nLafourche Parish Tourist Commission, 4484 La. 1 Raceland: Walking Track, football/soccer field. nVacherie-Gheens Community Center, 1783 La. 654, Gheens: walking track,community center. THIBODAUX nAdley 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.

nAndolsek 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. nCaptain Wayne Daigle Memorial Park, 310 N. Canal Blvd.: covered pavilion, playground equipment, tennis courts, basketball court, softball fields, restroom area. nEagle Drive Park: basketball court, walking track. nEdwin H. Chiasson Sr. Memorial Park, 1000 Jackson St.: playground equipment, walking track. nHero’s Park, Veterans Boulevard: baseball/softball fields. nMartin 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. nPeltier Park, 151 Peltier Park Drive: baseball fields, softball fields, basketball court, workout equipment, playground equipment, picnic area, pavilion, tennis courts, walking track. nThibodaux 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

Thursday, January 31, 2019 |

LIVING HERE 2019

Visions of LIVING HERE Here are a few photos that offer a glimpse into what Living Here is all about.

Houma-Thibodaux’s Catholic bishop, Shelton Fabre, greets Louisiana State Police Troop C Commander Frank Besson after Sept. 27’s Blue Mass at St. Joseph Co-Cathedral in Thibodaux. The annual Mass offers blessings and appreciation for first-responders. Catholicism, with its roots in the area’s Cajun French culture, is the area’s dominant religion. [File] Brown pelicans, the state bird, gather around the old Leeville Bridge in southern Lafourche Parish. [File]

Workers handle pipe on BP’s Thunder Horse oil and gas platform in the Gulf of Mexico about 160 miles southeast of the oilfield service hub at Port Fourchon. An estimated one in five residents work directly for oil and gas companies, and officials estimate that 40 percent to 50 percent of all local jobs depend on that industry for their own success. [BP]

Decorated shrimp boats stream down Bayou Little Caillou for the annual Blessing of the Fleet. The Catholic tradition, held along several of the area’s bayous, offers blessings for a safe and prosperous fishing season. The area’s fishing industry has been impacted in recent years by a wave of cheaper imports, but it remains a vibrant part of the local economy and culture. [File]

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Living Here: Get the most out of life in Terrebonne and Lafourche

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