River Parishes Magazine Summer 2019
Musician Dave Malone has roots in Edgard Coach Larry Dauterive happy to be back at ESJH Jinx Broussard is top mass communication professor in the country A Special Publication of L’OBSERVATEUR
www.lobservateur.com RIVER PARISHES MAGAZINE ~ 1
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Bienvenue! Welcome Friends! Summertime is finally here and it’s a great time to spend in St. John the Baptist Parish, located in the heart of the River Parishes and South Louisiana. Our pools are open and summer camps are in full operation. We have much to offer this summer for the youth of our parish – regardless the age! We are the home of New Orleans Plantation Country – a unique culture and heritage that can only be experienced right here in the River Parishes. Getting here is easy, leaving here is hard! Our history, cuisine, scenic roadways and culture make us a destination. Our lakes and waterways on both East and West bank provide an abundance of fishing, hunting, boating, even kayaking, opportunities; the history of antebellum homes for tours and stops, in addition to the vibrant Cajun music will provide you with a culture you’ve never experienced. We offer miles of walking or cycling paths atop the Mississippi River levee or on a nature trail in Garyville for exploration. Check out our famous Swamp Tour and get an up-close view of southern wildlife – alligators and all! Are you coming by with kids? Cool them off for some splash fun by visiting one of our spray parks – no charge. Our spray parks are conveniently located on the East and West banks of St. John Parish. Independence Day is quickly approaching and we have just what you need. Each year we kick off our Independence Day celebrations with a Veterans Luncheon to pay tribute to our veterans. All veterans and their families are invited to attend – July 3rd 11am to 1pm in our Regala Gym. Come celebrate our freedom July 3rd with our annual Independence Day Celebration Along the River. This annual event is a salute to our veterans and filled with food, fun, and community spirit. You can enjoy the fun from both our East and West Banks with fireworks starting around 9pm. St. Peter Catholic Church grounds is our East Bank celebration location and St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is our West Bank celebration location. The River Parishes has everything you need for a day trip or a weekend stay. Let us help you rid those summertime blues, rain or shine you will not be idled. We have a wide range of overnight accommodations including Plantation Lodging, Bed & Breakfasts, Hotels and more. Check out the New Orleans Plantation Country Guide for everything you need to plan an unforgettable trip here. St. John the Baptist Parish and the River Region are economic drivers for our nation’s economy. We are home to nearly 45,000 residents and house some of the nation’s largest industrial partners, including the Port of South Louisiana, the largest tonnage port district in the western hemisphere. We are the I-10 connector from New Orleans to Baton Rouge and the entrance to I-55. St. John Parish is a great place to live, work and visit. Check out our website www.sjbparish.com for just a taste. Come discover a truly unique experience with true warm southern hospitality - you’ll never forget it. We’d be glad to have ya!
See you soon, -Michael P. Wright St. John the Baptist Parish
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Table of Contents Jinx Broussard comes out on top ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 5 Musician Dave Malone recounts Edgard upbringing ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 11 Coach Larry Dauterive returns to ESJH ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 15 St. Joseph Plantation has rich history ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 19 Pictorial: In the community ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 22 RAD Class teaches vital self defense ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 25 Local Flavor ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 28
River Parishes Magazine NEWS EDITOR ~ Brooke Robichaux ADVERTISING ~ Christine Browning ~ Candace Hemelt GRAPHIC DESIGNER ~ Design2Pro CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ~ Pam Folse ~ Leroy Triggs III 116 Newspaper Dr., LaPlace, LA 70068 • 985-652-9545
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Top mass communication teacher in the country Jinx Coleman Broussard wins 2018 Scripps Howard Foundation’s Teacher of the Year
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By Leroy Triggs III he has an office filled with awards, family pictures and keepsakes from unforgettable professional moments. “Sometimes it is hard to believe a girl from the plantation made it this far,” said Dr. Jinx Coleman Broussard, mass communication professor at LSU. The 2018 Scripps Howard Foundation’s Teacher of the Year, Broussard has all of those priceless moments in her office. The Scripps Howard Award goes to the best in mass communication education, and Broussard has been recognized as the best mass communication teacher in the United States.
Broussard, a Vacherie native, grew up on Laurel Ridge Plantation and is a 1967 graduate of Magnolia High School. Her dad worked in the sugarcane fields and grew his own crops. He would have Broussard and her siblings work in the family garden with him. He had several gardens on the plantation and was able to hire other children to pick beans.
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“I wasn’t a country girl,� Broussard declared. “I did not like to be in the fields picking crops. When I would be out in the fields I would transport myself into a world where I’m interviewing the president, meeting the pope or going to Buckingham Palace.� By 11, she was reading economics books. Her mother passed away when she was 13, leaving behind six children and a husband.
She went to LSU for her bachelor’s degree in journalism. Her father didn’t drive outside of Vacherie, so in order for her to attend she had to secure a ride with a hometown friend who attended Southern University. She would also have to get rides back home or catch the Greyhound.
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“I didn’t go home often because me and my friends would study for hours every day,” Broussard said. “I prayed that I wasn’t the only African American in my dormitory and in my class.” Broussard lived in Evangeline Hall and met her best friend, Cora Miles, in the elevator while going to her dorm. Cora’s friends quickly became friends of Broussard’s. They made it through LSU with a routine of watching the 5:30 p.m. news on weeknights, heading to the library to study at 6 p.m., taking a snack break at 8 p.m. and going back to their room at 10 p.m. to get rest or study. With that hard work and dedication, Brossard became the first African American to graduate from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. “The journalism school was very progressive; professors were very welcoming and took an interest in me,” she says. “In other classes, professors would skip over me. If sat on one row, the other students would get up and go to another row. But I was OK with that because I knew my purpose for being at LSU and that was to get my degree.” After graduation she went on obtain her master’s and doctorate degrees. She eventually took a director’s position Dillard University, which at the time, did not offer a journalism major. “I asked if we could add a journalism class, and they wondered who would teach it. I offered to teach the course for no extra pay,” Broussard said. Dillard University made the course available and with Broussard’s talent for teaching, journalism grew in popularity. Students she already taught would help her teach other incoming students at Dillard’s grow-
Jinx Broussard is a mass communication professor at Louisiana State University.
ing journalism department. She also taught public relations courses. Broussard went on to serve as press secretary for New Orleans Mayor Sidney Barthelemy and director of information for the city of New Orleans for eight years. She always found time to mentor young people.
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Jinx Broussard, a St. James Parish native, was honored as 2018 Scripps Howard Foundation’s Teacher of the Year.
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Broussard never wanted to leave Dillard, but the president at the time told her to bring pride to the school by working for city officials. In her time as a professional, she has met several U.S Presidents and former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill. Broussard also helped plan the Republican National Convention in 1988. Now, Broussard is a professor at LSU. Outside of her teaching, she partners with organizations outside of LSU. She recently has been working with Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency. As a part of her Public Relations Campaigns class, students form agencies with the ones she’s partnered with and develop creative ideas to help the cause. “I want to bring out a student’s full potential and show them they can do things they didn’t think they were capable of at the beginning of the semester,” said Broussard. She told a story of how a student came to her at the beginning of a semester concerned about not being able to live up to Brossard’s standards. She would calm the young student down, telling her, “If you stick it through this course, you will be able
RIVER PARISHES MAGAZINE ~ 9
Jinx Broussard speaks at commencement. Photos provided by LSU Strategic Communications.
to talk the PR talk and walk the PR walk,� Broussard’s words came true when she heard the young lady on WRKO. She handled the interview so well that Broussard called her after the on-air interview. Broussard has been recognized this year with The Center of Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership 2018-2019 Service Learning Happy Award, the Public Relations Association of Louisiana Lifetime Achievement Award and the Baton Rouge Area of Black Journalist Pioneering Black Journalist Award. “I honestly don’t think about the awards. I think they are a reflection of the passion I have for going the extra mile and making myself necessary and to engage my students in the journey of learning,� she said. In each part of her life, Broussard’s father has remained. “He always made sure, we were never idle and he pushed me to get an education, and that pushed me through life. I also stress that to my children,� said Broussard. According to Broussard, her husband, Robert, is the engine that drives her career. That support from home enables her to be involved with students and community organizations.
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“Another River Rat from Edgard” Musician Dave Malone grateful for River Parishes upbringing
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By Brooke Robichaux
Photo by Scott Vincent.
DGARD — Before taking the country by storm in The Radiators rock band from 1978 to 2011, singer and songwriter Dave Malone grew up in a military family constantly on the move. He was in a different school every year from first to seventh grade, bouncing between Houma, Montgomery, Alabama, and a little Michigan
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Dave Malone left Edgard High School midway through senior year to get a head start on his New Orleans music career.
town 10 miles from the Canadian border. Between all the moves, Malone’s family
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Dave Malone grew up in Edgard near Evergreen Plantation, which his family once owned.
always returned to Edgard, and it’s there he found his passion for music. “When I tell people where I’m from, it’s
Edgard, because that’s where I have the strongest and longest memories from, and that’s how I identify myself,” Malone said.
Working towards the future.
#o u t h e r e , t o u r i s m m a t t e r s . Tourism employs more than 2,100 local citizens. Semi-retired from a long career with The Radiators, Dave Malone still plays in New Orleans with his band, Raw Oyster Cult, and travels throughout the country.
“I’m another river rat from Edgard.” Malone’s mother was born and raised on Evergreen Plantation in Wallace. When her father saw financial struggles looming overhead in the sugarcane industry, he sold the plantation and built a house a mile down the river. That house, address Rural Route Box 240, was the place Malone called home for most of his childhood. Each day, he and his brothers would run out the door and wouldn’t return home till sunset. It was a simple, country boy lifestyle, according to Malone. Summer days were spent rummaging through sugarcane fields, hunting squirrels and rabbits and exploring the river. “As kids, we lived a very much Huck Finn kind of existence,” Malone said. “We were in the river whenever we could be. There was a big bend in the river in front of my parents’ house. Every year when the river would flood, there was a pond right across the levee that got restocked with catfish and perch.” There were four Malone boys in total: Billy, the oldest; then John, Dave and Tommy. Younger brother Tommy went on to establish and active career with New Orleans roots rock band “The Subdudes” as a singer, songwriter and guitar player. However, in those childhood days, Malone looked up to older brothers Billy and John. They knew how to build rafts and work shrimp boxes and catfish lines. Later on, their creativity grew into a love for music. As teenagers, they would draw a crowd of friends to the house and strum acoustic guitars to the tune of folk era music from artists like Peter, Paul and Mary. In 1964, the brothers watched as The Beatles played five songs on the Ed Sullivan Show in the group’s first televised performance. From that point forward, the Malones were determined to start a band and make it big.
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destroyed in Hurricane Katrina in 2005. However, a significant portion of that time was lived in tour buses and hotels. He became singer and songwriter for The Radiators, formed in January of 1978 in New Orleans. “We played all over the United States and Europe a couple of times,” Malone said. “Mostly Maine to Miami and San Diego to Seattle and all points in between.” New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, Austin, North and South Florida, Boulder, Denver and West Coast cities were hot spots that could always be counted on for a warm welcome and a great show. Allowing students to record The Radiators each year at Tulane University during graduation gigs became an “accidentally brilliant” form of grassroots marketing, according to Malone. Graduates would return to their hometowns across the country, records in hand, and share the music with friends and family. The Radiators officially retired in 2011, but Malone still plays with former bandmates Camile Baudoin and Frank Bua Jr., along with Dave Pomerleau and “Papa” Jon Gros in a newer group called Raw Oyster Cult. Malone, who now resides in Prairieville, continues to perform songs in New Orleans. He’s currently working on a River Parishes project with local musicians Kevin Aucoin, drummer, and Joe Tullos, guitarist, singer and songwriter. “We’re going to be doing an album kind of based on our experiences growing up on the river,” Malone said. “Their experiences in LaPlace on the East Bank were really different from mine. My River Road in Edgard was different than their River Road.” In high school, Dave Malone had a band called “The Family Dog.”
“I was drawn to music,” Malone said. “I just kind of knew that was what I wanted to do. I practiced guitar until my fingers bled, literally. It just consumed my life.” The only surefire way to learn songs in the 1960s, according to Malone, was to set up a 45 record player, start it over and over again and try to play along. Malone described his house as the “clubhouse”, a place were children from all over town would flock to. He counted himself lucky to have an open-minded mother who never objected to music instruments overtaking her dining room. “We would set up band equipment and make all the God-awful noise we wanted to, and no one seemed to mind,” Malone said. During Malone’s final year of school, he was voted senior class president and Mr. Edgard High School, ironically. He couldn’t wait to escape those four walls and hit the music scene in New Orleans. With older brother John at Tulane University, Malone saw a glimpse of a lifestyle oriented to the arts. After collecting enough credits to graduate halfway through senior year, Malone walked out the door without a second thought. “I had a high school band called The Family Dog, and there wasn’t really anywhere to play in Edgard and Vacherie except for the KC Hall,” Malone said. “We still played regular gigs, but they were far away. I could not wait to get to New Orleans where all the music was. People there were likeminded as I was, just consumed with music.” Malone lived in New Orleans from mid-1970 until his home was
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Offensive coordinator Larry Dauterive is pictured going over plays with athletes this summer in LaPlace.
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T Larry Dauterive’s offensive vision has guided him to an overall prep coaching mark of 228-85-1 and Hall of Fame status.
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hough he had been out of coaching completely for the past seven years, it was always in Larry Dauterive’s blood. “Every day,” the veteran football coach replied when asked if he missed it. “You can’t do something for 44 years and not miss it when it’s over.” But as fate would have it, it’s anything but over for Dauterive, who has returned to the fold at East St. John High as the Wildcats’ offensive coordinator under second-year head coach Brandon Brown. Dauterive served as East St. John’s head football coach for nine years, from 2002 to 2010, going 65-22 during his time there. Those teams were best known for their powerful offensive attacks, be it channeled via the arm of passer Ryan Perrilloux, the legs of rusher Alex Singleton or the power of offensive line stud Patrick Lewis. The imaginative Dauterive’s offensive vision guided him to an overall prep coaching mark of 228-85-1 and Hall of Fame status. He’ll have autonomy over the Wildcats’ offense, though he’s quick to note “this is Brandon’s show.” Brown approached Dauterive about potentially joining the staff before his first season, though Dauterive initially declined. “I’d see him at the library on weekends when he was at St. Helena and we’d talk ball,” Dauterive said. “When he got the job, he asked … I wasn’t sure. I’d been out for seven years at the time, my mother and father were dealing with some health matters, so I couldn’t really commit.” But the thought stuck in the back of the mind of Dauterive, who had left the football world completely for a career in sales. While he’d catch an East St. John game here and there following his separation
Coach Larry Dauterive poses with East St. John football players during 7-on-7 action in St. John the Baptist Parish.
with the school in 2010, last season he attended five games. What he saw from Brown’s team awakened his desire to be part of that world again.
“I was so impressed with what he did defensively, and how disciplined they were. He’s a real sharp young man,” Dauterive said. When Brown approached Dauterive with the idea a second time,
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Larry Dauterive poses by the sidelines. He returned to East St. John High School in Spring 2019 as offensive coordinator after serving as head football coach from 2002 to 2010.
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Dauterive had a different answer. Brown took things from there, and with the backing of Superintendent Kevin George, it was made official. Dauterive’s first day back was Feb. 1. “I’m just going to do my thing, what I did successfully for nine years here at East St. John. We scored some points,” Dauterive said. The return also provides a measure of closure to what was a stressful departure from a school he called his heart and soul. Dauterive resigned from his head coaching post in 2010 after controversy surrounded remarks he made while speaking at a public event. The Wildcats were unbeaten at the time. He retired from the sport a little over a year later, after spending one year as head coach of Opelousas. “I completely removed myself (from East St. John) when it happened … you can’t put your heart and soul into something, go through what we did following Katrina … and not feel like it’s a part of you,” Dauterive said. “I feel so blessed to get another chance.” He felt back at home when he walked onto campus for his first day. “Like I never left,” he said. “You have many of the same teachers still there. I had so much of myself invested at that school … it’s been fabulous. I get to school early, and when I come home, I feel rested. I still have energy and I can’t wait to get back to school in the morning. It really feels like a new lease on life. I feel rejuvenated.” What Dauterive brings to Brown’s staff is experience — a wealth of it, with stops at every level. The 75-year-old was a veteran of the Canadian Football League coaching ranks as an assistant with the British Columbia Lions and on the college level at Louisiana Tech. As a prep coach, he’s had tenures at East Ascension, Riverside, Winnfield and Fatima (St. Thomas More). His East St. John teams were perennially among the state’s most exciting to watch. Perrilloux made national headlines and ascended to the status of top prospect in the nation after his run in Dauterive’s offense, accounting for a staggering 67 touchdowns and more than 5,000 combined passing and rushing yards. The Wildcats season following Hurricane Katrina, where ESJ took in and successfully incorporated several students and football players displaced from area schools onto their team, was highlighted as the subject of the 2008 documentary “Walking on Dead Fish.” Dauterive says his head coaching days are over, but he’s excited to work with a brand new cast of players. “I think we have two or three running backs that are dynamite,” Dauterive said. “I have two quarterbacks, Sean Shelby and Marcus Jackson, who can throw any pass I want. We have a plethora of wide receivers who can take the top off, so I’m pretty excited. The kids have been really receptive. I think they understand where I came from and the success I’ve had.” Combined with the defensive mind of Brown, who he called the perfect leader of the East St. John program — the alum “bleeds black and gold,” Dauterive said — the hope is the Wildcats program can take the next step … and then more. “We had a lot of success in my time here, but we were never able to get that brass ring,” Dauterive said. “Brandon’s so detail-oriented, and with the people he has in place already, I think this is going to be a great thing.” A great thing Dauterive is thrilled to be a part of. “I was driving 150 miles (for his sales job) before. Now it’s just four,” the LaPlace resident quipped. “I think I was pretty decent at sales, but feel I’m better than decent at this … I feel reborn.”
St. Joseph Plantation has long and rich history
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By Pamela Folse
y first visit to the St. Joseph Plantation house was in the late 1970s when I rode with a friend to pick up some freshly made, piping hot vegetable soup made by Miss Blanche Simon. Just a few years earlier, the school bus that I rode stopped in what was then referred to as the “quarters” there to pick up students of families who were either related to the owners or worked for them. Tante Blanche, as she was called, lived alone in her section of the house. I could tell that she lived very simply, with only the minimal amenities. She made a pot of soup every day and was not stingy about sharing. At one time, two families shared the house and there were enough children to fill the home with life and wonder. Miss Blanche was the last person to live in the house that was initially built about 1830 by the Scioneaux family using slave labor.
One of the nation’s well-known architects, Henry Hobson Richardson, was born at St. Joseph in 1838. Dr. Cazamire Mericq, in 1840, purchased the house from the Scioneaux family and later sold to Alexis Ferry and his wife, Josephine, using her dowry money from her father, Gabriel Valcour Aime. Aime was once proclaimed the Louis XIV of Louisiana. He discovered a way to process sugarcane which he perfected on the grounds of his plantation. At one time, he was thought to be the wealthiest man in the state of Louisiana. Legend holds that he invited friends and businessmen to his mansion and offered them a rolled up fifty-dollar bill to light their cigars. His own Le Petit Versailles plantation was located just downriver. There is a historical marker along Hwy. 18, River Road, in Vacherie to mark the former location of the Aime mansion which burned in 1920. Many say Aime died of a broken heart following the death of his son who never recovered from a bad bout of pneumonia.
Blanche Simon lived alone, with minimal amenities, in her section of the St. Joseph Plantation house. She was known for sharing the pots of soup she prepared daily.
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Old slave cabins sit on the St. Joseph Plantation grounds.
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Gorgeous oaks frame back the facade of St. Joseph Plantation. The plantation is located at 3535 River Road in Vacherie.
After the end of the Civil War and the devastation it caused, Joseph Waguespack purchased the plantation at a sheriff’s sale. The house has been in the family ever since. Located next door is the sister plantation, Felicite’, built in 1850 with the dowry from Josephine’s sister who married Septime Fortier. Fortier bought Felicite’ in 1899, and in 1901 the two plantations were combined to for St. Joseph Planting and Manufacturing Co., Ltd. St. Joseph is still a working sugar cane farm, farming over 2,500 acres of cane each year. The plantation store, although now closed, is located in a deep bend in River Road between the two plantations. St. Joseph remained closed in the 1970s following the death of Miss Blanche until it was reopened for tours in 2005. Felicite’ has been vacant since the death of Stanislaus Waguespack and his wife, the former Irma Hickson Waguespack, who died in 2008. Both plantation houses and grounds have been featured in movies and television for many years. The thriller Skeleton Key was filmed at Felicite’. Other movies set at the Vacherie properties include Twelve Years a Slave, All the King’s Men, Underground and Mudbound. The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) drama Queen Sugar has completed its fourth season of filming at St. Joseph Plantation, Edgard and New Orleans. Each October, St. Joseph offers a Creole Mourning Tour to help tourists learn about the creole customs and superstitions following death. A cast of re-enactors portray the family of Dr. Cazamir Mericq, whose corpse is laid out four mourners to visit. St. Joseph Plantation is open daily. Tours are offered on the hour beginning at 10 a.m. The final for of the day begins at 3 p.m.
Admission is $20 per adult and $13 per student. Group and organization discounts do apply. In addition to touring the 16-room mansion, visitors can learn how sugar cane is grown, harvested and processed. The outside kitchen, implement shed, the plantation bell and some of the remaining slave cabins are all open to tourists. While visiting tourists may be reminded of the smells of Tante Blanche’s homemade soup and the sounds of all the children who once ran up and down the steps or played on the front lawn. The family hopes to open adjacent Felicite’ to the public soon.
The outside kitchen sits near the St. Joseph Plantation house.
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The St. John the Baptist 40th Judicial Court celebrated Law Day. Pictured are (left to right) Judge Madeline Jasmine, Brooke Robichaux of L’OBSERVATEUR, Norelle Frank, the winner of the essay contest, Judge Sterling Snowdy, Pro Tem Judge Kirk Vaughn and Judge Jude Gravois.
The young men at the East St. John High School graduation wait patiently for their turn to be given the documents that symbolize a new chapter in their lives.
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Katherine’s Sweet Shoppe, a retail store that sells a variety of children’s candy, desserts, coffee and gifts, located in Destrehan, recently had a River Region Chamber ribbon cutting. Owner Nikkia Patterson is seen cutting the ribbon with many supporters to cheer her on.
Carin Fernandez and Penelope Shumaker of River Parish Community College in Reserve pose with Denise Burrell of the River Parishes Tourist Commission.
The young ladies at the East St. John High School Graduation are seen in the process of receiving their diplomas. Certifications were given to the young ladies first.
The River Parishes Tourist Commission recently had its ribbon cutting after moving to its new location on Belle Terre.
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Local students attend Law Day and listen to the speakers, learning more about their free society.
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Jude Gravois speaks about the Law Day theme of “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society.”
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Quintin Wilson of Southern Aviators Flight Training and Stacey Scott of the River Region Chamber of Commerce take time for a photo at the ribbon cutting celebration of the River Parishes Tourist Commission.
Women Empowered R.A.D Systems of self-defense teaches vital skills
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APLACE â&#x20AC;&#x201D; For weeks leading up to May, the women in our Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;OBSERVATEUR office asked female friends and family members whether they were interested in a free self-defense class offered through the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office. Nods of affirmation turned to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sorry, but I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;tâ&#x20AC;? when we said the class was from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on a Saturday. It was a tough ask among weekend graduation parties, plans with children and other commitments. There were only three of us by the time the class rolled around â&#x20AC;&#x201D; myself, our former advertising representative, Candace Hemelt, and her 9-year-old daughter, Mallory â&#x20AC;&#x201D; snacking on complimentary doughnuts as we anxiously waited to see if anyone else would show. No one did, but we have no regrets. We left that evening with situational awareness, an arsenal of self-defense tactics and the realization that the Rape Aggression Defense course was so much more than a time commitment on a Saturday.
Since 1989, the R.A.D. Systems of Basic Physical Defense has presented, developed and enhanced self-defense options so they may become viable considerations to a woman under attack. As Susan B. Anthony said in 1871, â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;ŚWoman must not depend on the protection of man but must be taught to defend herself.â&#x20AC;? Every participant, whether she is as young as Mallory or well past retirement age, has the right to choose non-participation at any time, for any reason. Course instructors never push a woman beyond her physical capabilities. However, the beauty of the program is that the techniques shown are applicable to anyone, and they have been proven capable of taking down a perpetrator of any size. Even the elderly ladies at Place du Bourg in LaPlace were able to learn valuable defense during a recent class. The course starts with a PowerPoint discussion that leads into physical training. The physical maneuvers you learn are a well-kept secret among women worldwide. The time, location and details of the R.A.D. class are kept confiden-
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RIVER PARISHES MAGAZINE ~ 25
The L’OBSERVATEUR team learned the RAD self-defense with the help of the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office.
tial to ensure safety for participants. After all, the methods shown are about turning the tables with the element of surprise. Privacy ensures a perpetrator can’t slip into the class unnoticed. I left with a comprehensive booklet to refer to and an invitation to return for future classes. R.A.D. is the only self-defense program with a free lifetime return and practice policy, honored worldwide. I learned of the class shortly after starting with L’OBSERVATEUR in September 2017. I wrote a handful of stories previewing upcoming trainings, but I never considered attending until I learned the St. John Sheriff’s Office travels to local businesses to host R.A.D. training for female employees.
It made me consider the risks I take daily in my career. Arranging meetings by phone doesn’t change the fact that I sometimes travel alone, to unfamiliar locations, to meet unfamiliar people for interviews. I’m not the largest person, and though I’m in my 20s, I can pass for a high school senior. To a perpetrator, I might look young and vulnerable. I could be seen as an easy target. Even when walking to my car at night, I’m always looking over my shoulder, remembering how my cousin was grabbed from behind and held at knife point while unloading groceries from her trunk. Being alone in the dark of night is the only time I feel disadvantaged as a woman, but the truth is, no one needs to feel that way.
News editor Brooke Robichaux practices with Lieutenant Denise Bertrand.
Mallory Hemelt, 9, learns to defend herself.
26 ~ RIVER PARISHES MAGAZINE
I know the power of my voice and my physical capabilities. Our instructors, Ann Taylor, Denise Bertrand and Frank Jackson, did a wonderful job of making us feel comfortable. As an added bonus, our R.A.D. class experience saw participation from SJSO’s newest four-legged employee, trauma support dog Finn. I strongly encourage any women reading this to give the R.A.D. class a chance. A full day of training might sound like a lot, but it’s a very minor time commitment in exchange for peace of mind and the knowhow to defend yourself in case of tragedy. The class is open to women of all ages, though girls under 16 must be accompanied by a parent. Next time you are looking for an activity to do with friends and family, consider calling the St. John Parish R.A.D. line at 985359-8686 or 985-359-8753 to schedule a class. Brooke Robichaux is news editor at L’OBSERVATEUR. She can be reached at brooke.robichaux@lobservateur.com. Former sales representative Candace Hemelt is pictured learning a new defense kick last month in the Rape Aggression Defense course.
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RIVER PARISHES MAGAZINE ~ 27
Local Flavor St. John Parish
360 1338 W Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-618-3353 Bailey’s Andouille 513 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-652-9090 Bec’s At the Lake 105 Gary Rd., LaPlace 985-224-8172 Belle Terre Country Club 111 Fairway Drive, LaPlace 985-652-5000 Best Wok Chinese Restaurant 530 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-652-9989 Buddy B’s 2788 River Road E, Garyville 985-535-3663 Cajun Grill 135 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-359-4745
Da King of Wingz 1721 W Airline Hwy, LaPlace 225-558-1492
Jacob’s Andouille 505 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-652-9080
Raising Cane’s 123 West Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-652-4701
Dragon Garden 140 Belle Terre Blvd., Ste E., LaPlace 985-652-7250
The Jambalaya Shoppe 150 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-359-5747
Rotolo’s Pizzera 3503 W. Airline Hwy., Ste. B, Reserve 985-536-3503
Dunkin Donuts 1334 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-359-9244 Donut Hole 421 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-651-4001
El Paso 1900 US-51 Ste D, LaPlace 985-618-3313 Fatty’s 186 Museum St., Garyville 985-535-5555 Frenier Landing 113 Dottie Lane, LaPlace 985-224-2178 Frisco Deli 1113 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace, LA 70068 (985) 651-7745
Chinese King 1036 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-651-7888
LaPlace Frostop 411 Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-652-6361
Church’s Chicken 1601 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-652-2089
Gator’s Den Old Highway 51 South, Manchac 985-386-7902
Connie’s Grill 1462 LA-44, Reserve 985-536-3256 Clay’s Cafe 975 B Cambridge, LaPlace 985-359-6848
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Guidry Goody’s 3595 W. Airline Hwy., Reserve 504-606-1185 Huddle House 4325 Hwy. 51, LaPlace 985-651-1800 IHOP 220 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-652-4468
Ruby Garden Chinese Restaurant 3101 U.S. 51, LaPlace 985-653-8700 Sam’s Southern Eatery 1173 E. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-359-1677
El Mexicano 1036 W. Airline Hwy # 123, LaPlace, LA 70068 (985) 652-4250
Chili’s Grill & Bar 1820 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-652-1227
Chung’s Heavenly Sweets 607 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-359-7987
Kobe Japanese Steak and Sushi 506 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-652-8880/652-8853
Sicily’s 214 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-652-7010
Ming’s Akari 1400 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-359-3335 Momma Jo’s 2917 Hwy 51, Ste A., LaPlace 985-224-2666 McDonalds 4297 U.S. Hwy. 51, LaPlace 985-652-5171 1608 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-652-2600 5387 W. Airline, Hwy, Garyville 985-535-2710 Petra’s 10363 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-359-8888 Pier 51 Seafood Restaurant & Oyster Bar 3017 U.S. 51, LaPlace 985-651-0300 Pirouge’s Cafe 719 W. 10th St., Reserve 985-479-7800 PJ’s Coffee 1808 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-764-7573 Popeye’s Fried Chicken 1603 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-652-3030
Subway 357 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-652-8700 1616 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-652-4822 2701 W. Airline Hwy., LaPlace 985-479-7827 1900 Hwy. 51, Ste. B, LaPlace 985-652-9699 TNT Seafood 405 Belle Terre Blvd., LaPlace 985-359-6312 Waffle House 4304 Hwy. 51, LaPlace 985-651-6111 Wayne Jacob’s Restaurant 769 W. 5th St., LaPlace 985-652-9990 Zaman Mediterranean Cafe 1502 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-359-5566 Zora Christina 2003 W. Airline Hwy, LaPlace 985-359-3673
St. James Parish
Popeye’s 982 La. Hwy. 3125, Gramercy 225-869-6060
Cajun Kitchen 13322 U.S. 90, Boutte, Ste. Q 985-785-2405
J’aime Le Cafe 12715 Hwy 90, Ste 100, Luling 985-308-0394
Sandwich World Hwy. 3125, Gramercy 225-869-6060
Catahoulas 12713 Hwy 90, Luling 985-308-0013
KrisAl’s Cafe 10326 Airline Dr. Ste B, St. Rose 504-468-2005
Bonnie’s 2827 Hwy 20, Vacherie 225-624-0402
Daddy’s Fried Chicken 15683 River Road, Hahnville 985-783-6743
Café Perique 234 East Main St., Gramercy 225-869-1774
DiCarlo’s Food and Spirits 10 Villere Dr., Destrehan 985-764-6868
China King 849 N. Pine St., Gramercy 225-869-2000 Chuck Lee’s Chinese Kitchen 10560 Hwy. 70 W., St. James 225-473-3050 Creole House Cafe 3409 Hwy 3125, Paulina 225-859-3333 DJ’s Grille 21060 La. Hwy. 20, Vacherie 225-265-7600 Golden Grove Restaurant 935 La. Hwy. 641, Gramercy 225-869-1212 Grand Point Truck Stop Casino 3415 La. Hwy. 3125, Paulina 225-869-6960 Jenny’s Overstuffed Poboy & Chicken Shop 114 N. Airline Hwy., Gramercy 225-869-0899 Nobile’s Restaurant & Bar 2082 W. Main St., Lutcher 225-869-8900
Oak Alley Restaurant 3645 La. Hwy. 18, Vacherie 225-265-2151 Pizza Hut 1665 La. Hwy. 3125, Gramercy 225-869-6151
Spectacular Tubers 1665 Hwy. 3125, Gramercy 225-869-5600 Subway 10850 Hwy. 3125, Gramercy 225-869-6100 Taylor’s Express Truck Stop 964 La. Hwy. 3125, Gramercy 225-869-1734 Tod’s Catering 2180 S. Albert St., Lutcher 225-869-7000
St. Charles Parish
Donut Land 13592 River Rd, Ste 6, Destrehan 985-307-1000 Dot’s Diner 12179 U.S. Hwy. 90, Luling 985-785-6836 El Paso Mexican Grill 12895 U.S. Hwy. 90, Ste. A Luling 985-331-1984 Frostop 3001 Ormond Blvd., Ste. H Destrehan 985-725-1116 Firehouse Bistro 1950 Ormond Blvd., Ste. B, Destrehan 985-725-3223 Fujiyama Japanese 12715 Hwy 90, Ste 150, Luling 985-785-8168
Anita’s Smokin’ Steak Burgers 13145 U.S. 90 Ste. B, Boutte 985-785-2220
Grumpy’s 14984 U.S. 90, Paradis 985-785-2083
Avocados Mexican Grill 12715 Hwy 90, Ste 140. Luling 985-785-7694
Happy Gardens II 15264 U.S. 90, Paradis 985-785-3888
Bamboo Garden 13491 U.S. 90, Ste. 6, Boutte 985-785-9929
Hong Kong 3001 Ormond Blvd., Ste. D, Destrehan 985-725-9099
Bei Jing 12895 U.S. 90, Ste. D, Boutte 985-331-8885
Honeydoux Cafe & Bakery 13100 River Rd, Ste 130, Destrehan 985-305-0050
Bubba’s Bugers & Seafood 613 Paul Mallard Rd, Ste 400 Luling 985-308-0203
IHOP 14099 Hwy. 90, Boutte 985-308-0013
Little Tokyo 13371 U.S. 90, Ste. A, Boutte 985-331-0887 Lovecchio’s Deli 29 Apple St., Norco 985-725-5683 Mariano’s Italian Eatery 12371 Highway 90, Ste. A Luling 985-785-7777 McDonalds 3009 Ormond Blvd., Destrehan 985-725-1021 Mr. Ronnie’s Famous Hot Donuts 13505 Hwy 90, Ste A, Boutte 985-308-0146 Ormond Plantation Restaurant 13786 River Road, Destrehan 985-764-8544 Pam & Dale’s Seafood 14620 River Rd, New Sarpy 985-764-3112 Pizza Hut 12439 Hwy. 90, Luling 985-331-8380 P.J.’s Coffee of New Orleans 150 Ormond Center Court, Ste. T, Destrehan 985-764-7573 Popeye’s Fried Chicken 116 Longivew Drive, Destrehan 985-764-1231 13210 U.S. 90, Boutte 985-785-1377 Portside Restaurant 11698 River Road, St. Rose 504-546-93111 Rotolo’s Pizzeria 150 Ormond Center Court, Destrehan 985-725-2411
RIVER PARISHES MAGAZINE ~ 29
Sailfish Food and Spirits 12287 U.S. 90, Luling 985-308-0712
St. Rose Tavern 14466 River Road, Destrehan 504-469-8864 /985-725-3133
Take Away Donuts 13441 Hwy. 90, Boutte 985-785-6499
Seafood Pot 14386 River Rd., Destrehan 985-725-0053
Sub Express 26 Apple St., Norco 985-764-9922
The Oyster’s Pearl Grill & Cafe 1057 Paul Mailard Rd, Luling 985-785-6242
Southern Latte Cafe 50 Wade St., Ste. 1, Luling 985-308-1472
Taste of Tokyo 1972 Ormond Blvd., Ste. E-2, Destrehan 985-764-1818
Squeal and Moo BBQ 12287 Hwy 90, Luling 985-308-1499
Subway 613 Paul Maillard Road, Ste. 200, Luling 985-331-2257 14130 U.S. 90, Boutte 985-785-9818 (located inside Walmart) 13001 U.S. 90, Boutte 985-331-1786 12715 U.S. 90, Ste. 120, Luling 985-785-3999 12609 Airline Drive, Destrehan 985-725-1108 1955 Ormond Blvd., Destrehan 985-725-9444 15632 River Rd., Norco 504-469-8864
St. Rose Driving Range & Sports Bar 10362 Airline Dr., St. Rose 504-466-0411
Sushi Cafe 13899 River Road, Ste. A, Luling 985-308-1003
Victoria’s Restaurant 13441 Hwy. 90, Boutte 985-785-6499
Sonic Drive In 12557 U.S. 90, Luling 985-331-0099 Sports Pub & Grill 3001 Ormond Blvd., #B Destrehan 985-331-0099
Voodoo Grill 100 James Drive East, St. Rose 504-464-1880 Waffle House 14173 U.S. 90, Boutte 985-758-6499 Waffle House 10384 E. Airline Hwy., St. Rose 504-467-1522
Trey Wah 124 Longview Drive, Destrehan 985-764-1147 Truck Farm Tavern 11760 River Rd, St. Rose 504-699-0099 Uchi Sushi and Hibachi 3001 Ormond Blvd., Destrehan 785-307-1080
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HIGHER ED Region celebrates STEM & Arts openings
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