Year in review

January

National Guard, LPE take road home together For the first time in 16 months, the approximately 800 teachers and students of Lake Pontchartrain Elementary in LaPlace were operating at one location Jan. 7 as a temporary campus, located at the rear of the East St. John Elementary’s campus adjacent to Joe Keller Memorial Stadium, opened.

After 2012’s Hurricane Isaac flooded LPE on U.S. Highway 51 in LaPlace, students and teachers were dispersed to six different sites.

The number of sites was reduced to three in August 2013.

THERE WERE balloons, banners, bouquets, friends and family to welcome soldiers of the Louisiana National Guard’s 1084th Transportation Company home Jan. 9.

Based out of Reserve with a detachment in Slidell,

L‘ OBSERVATEUR Best Along the River Since 1913

St. James overcomes West St. John rally

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VOL. 102, nO. 4

Heroes welcomed home

One-year Afghan tour over

‘Jake brake’ ordinance put on hold for now

By Monique Roth L’Observateur

By Monique Roth

RESERVE – There were balloons, banners and bouquets to welcome the soldiers of the Louisiana National Guard’s 1084th Transportation Company home on Thursday in Reserve. But undoubtedly more important to the soldiers, there were hundreds of friends and family members huddled in excited masses waiting for them to step off of the buses.

When the convoy finally arrived, shouts of jubilation filled the air and as soon as the bus doors opened it was the pandemonium, albeit the best kind imaginable.

Based out of Reserve with a detachment in Slidell, the 1084th deployed more than 155 soldiers during a nearly year-long stay in Afghanistan. The unit utilized their expertise and versatility by providing convoy escort of host-nation vehicles and provided transportation support to friendly forces operating within the assigned area.

During their deployment, the 1084th earned the following distinctions: completed more than 50 escort missions; logged more than 200,000 miles; worked in and around 10 bases in Afghanistan; had 70 individual soldiers

L’Observateur

Spc. Zach Beasley, a member of the 1084th Company of the Louisiana national Guard, is welcomed home by his niece Kylie on thursday at the national Guard Readiness Center in Reserve. the soldiers recently returned from Afghanistan. See page 1B for more photos from the event. (Staff photos by Monique Roth)

receive combat badges; had eight Purple Hearts awarded; and had 12 Bronze Stars, one of the highest awards for valor, awarded.

Staff Sgt. Denis Ricou, who works in media relation for the Louisiana National see HerOes, Page 5a

Spc. James tamplain embraces his brother Cody after James surprised his brothers Cody and tyler at school upon his return from Afghanistan.

Surprise for Ory students

By Monique Roth L’Observateur

Members of American Legion posts 366, 377, 378 and 383 anticipate the arrival of the 1084th Louisiana national Guard, which recently returned from Afghanistan, on thursday in Reserve.

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LAPLACE – It was reading, writing and huge surprises on Thursday for two brothers who attend John L. Ory Communications Magnet Elementary in LaPlace. see surPrIse, Page 5a

CONVENT – All St. James Parish residents are highly encouraged to attend informational meetings on the parish’s proposed comprehensive master plan.

Over the past three years, the Planning Committee has taken measures to prepare a plan for the future growth of St. James Parish. The master plan proposes measures aimed at directing the parish’s growth over the next two decades. Key areas of the plan include economic development, improving infrastructure and minimizing land use conflicts between residents and industry.

The plan is now in its final stages, and the Parish Council has requested that informational meetings be available to residents to give them an opportunity to see the proposed plan and ask questions that they may have about moving St. James forward.

The St. James Council held its first meeting of 2014 on Jan. 8, and discussed in length how the meetings were going so far.

Parish Assistant Director of Operations Blaise Gravois conducts the meetings, and told the Council that so far they had been well attended and that residents had good questions and input.

The remaining informational meetings will take place on Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. at the Belmont Fire Station, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. at the St. James Welcome Senior Center, Jan. 22 at 6 p.m. at the Lutcher Senior Center, Jan. 23 at 2 p.m. at the Convent Courthouse and Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. at the Vacherie Courthouse Annex.

The Council will wait to vote on the plan until all informational meetings take place and all public input is heard.

Prior to the start of the meeting, the Council held a public hearing for and discussed the ordinance introduced late last year that proposed to prohibit the use of unmuffled compression brakes, which can produce loud and screeching noises, on River Road from the Sunshine Bridge to the Union-Convent Fire Station.

In its meeting this week, the Council voted unanimously to see st. James, Page 5a

St. John School Board hears recovery firm complaints

By Monique Roth L’Observateur

RESERVE – There was another bump in the road this week for St. John the Baptist Parish School Board and the efforts to rebuild Lake Pontchartrain Elementary and East St. John High School.

Superintendent Kevin George seemed to have gotten the recovery process finally on track with the selection of firms to handle both the disaster management and architectural aspects of the two projects. In a December 2014 meeting, the School Board approved George’s recommendation of Yeates and Yeates of New Orleans to handle the architectural workload and All South Consulting Engineers see COmPLaINts, Page 5a

M C Y K

50 cents

st. James master plan meetings continue

Brad Guerin, the legal representation for Chasm Fusion Architecture, addresses the St. John Parish School Board and superintendent at its most recent meeting. (Staff photo

by Monique Roth

the 1084th deployed more than 155 soldiers during a nearly year-long stay in Afghanistan. The unit utilized their expertise and

versatility by providing convoy escort of host-nation vehicles and provided transportation support to friendly forces operating within the assigned area.

During their deployment, the 1084th earned the following distinctions: completed more than 50 escort missions; logged more than 200,000 miles; worked in and around 10 bases in Afghanistan; had 70 individual soldiers receive combat badges; had eight Purple Hearts awarded; and had 12 Bronze Stars, one of the highest awards for valor, awarded.

HISTORY WAS made Jan. 22 in St. Charles Parish as ground was broken for the first phase of the St. Charles Parish West Bank Hurricane Protection Levee.

Once complete, the Willowridge Levee will offer five-and-a-half feet of hur-

ricane and tidal flooding protection from the Peterson Canal to an existing berm behind Willowridge Drive.

The flood control project is part of the $500 million St. Charles Parish West Bank Levee Initiative and is the first of four total phases.

The St. Charles Parish West Bank Hurricane Protection Levee is a multiphase project that encompasses 33 miles from the Davis Diversion West Guide Levee in Luling to a ridge at Louisiana Highway 308 in Lafourche Parish.

The long-term project is split into four reaches within St. Charles Parish – Willowridge in Luling, Ellington in Luling and Boutte, Magnolia Ridge in Boutte and Sunset in Paradis, Bayou Gauche and Des Allemands.

LT. GORDON Jeffcoat, a 13-year veteran with St.

John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office, was named Officer of the Year 2013.

Jeffcoat directly oversaw 110 sex offenders, with 67 court-ordered to check in with his office as required.

Jeffcoat also created a system identifying houses where registered sex offenders live so children would not approach those homes for Halloween.

EARLY FORECASTS warned of up to six inches of snow for southern Louisiana the week of Jan. 27, but in the end most River Region residents were left with a sprinkling of freezing rain and sleet rather than a thick blanket of snow. Even so, it seems as though residents took whatever form of precipitation they could get and made the best of it as snowball fight and snow angel pictures started trickling into social media newsfeeds.

River Region, sports mourn loss of Godchaux’s Labat

When Leroy Labat died in, many remembered ‘The Black Stallion’ fondly.

M C Y K

L’OBSERVATEUR remembered Leroy Labat Jan. 29, the former LSU and Leon Godchaux High great tailback, who passed away mid-January.

Labat, nicknamed “The Black Stallion,” led Godchaux, which became East St. John, to its first ever undefeated and untied regular season. He scored 31 touchdowns that season. ESJ retired his jersey in 2009.

“It seemed like every time he had that ball, it ended up being a touchdown,” said Emile Hotard, who attended LSU with Labat.

• Riverside edged a game University High squad for a 57-54 victory in the championship game of the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic.

The reigning 2A state champions successfully defended their Sugar Bowl tournament championship after the school earned the honor for the first time the season before.

The Sugar Bowl tournament annually boasts a slate of the state’s, and some of the nation’s, best teams.

“It seemed of our top seven guys or so, each made a big play that resulted in this win,” said Riverside coach Timmy Byrd. “It was a great high school basketball game.’

Riverside’s Jordan Andrews was named the tourney’s Most

Riverside’s Jordan Andrews was the MVP of the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic basketball tournament.

Valuable Player after scoring a game-high 17 points in the championship game.

• St. Charles Catholic began to turn heads on the soccer field, where the boys team bested highly ranked Parkview Baptist and Dunham in back-toback games.

Nathaniel Weinert, Albert Hane and Mason Roussel were among those factoring large in

the victories.

“We’ve got tough kids,” said LeBlanc.

“They’re able to respond to adversity.

That’s why we scheduled the Jesuits, the Holy Crosses … we were going to take our licks early, but those matches help make you mentally strong.

We’re earning respect, but with that comes a bigger target on your back.”

| year in review |

Page 2

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

February

Youth voices find audience; crimes rocks area The St. James Youth Commission, the brainchild of Lutcher High School student Rache’l Oatis, was created Feb. 5 at the St. James Parish Council meeting.

Parish President Timmy Roussel said Oatis, a senior and the Student Council president at LHS, approached him about establishing the commission, which would allow St. James Parish youth to learn about civil and governmental procedures with a hands-on approach.

Oatis said the youth commission had three goals: to bridge the gap between youth and parish government; to plan community outreach activities for youth of the parish and to allow youth to job shadow parish government officials.

ST. JOHN the Baptist Parish residents got a crash course in everything homerelated when parish administration, together with Family Resources of New Orleans, hosted a Housing Fair in hopes of educating local families about the pos-

L‘ OBSERVATEUR

sibilities of home ownership.

The four-hour event included multiple educational sessions, including buying a home, credit repair, mortgage programs for firsttime buyers and selling your property.

ST. JOHN the Baptist Parish Housing Authority met Feb. 17 and authorized Trina Henderson, executive director of the Authority, to contract with MMR Communications for the installation of video surveillance cameras for the parish’s public housing complexes.

Henderson said the proposed systems would be bought and monitored by the Housing Authority, but in a unique collaboration, the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office would also have full access to the surveillance videos to assist them in gathering information about crimes that occur in the housing complexes.

FAMILY MEMBERS of Reserve couple Kenneth Joseph, 34, and Lakeitha Joseph, 29, reported to the

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St. John schools funding up for vote May 3

By Monique Roth L’Observateur

RESERVE – The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board met Thursday night and approved calling a special election on

May 3 for parish voters to decide on renewing two existing taxes and to determine whether or not the school district will be approved to borrow $10 million to assist with repairs to hurricane-damaged

Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School.

Felix Boughton, director of finance and business for the school district, said there would be no raising of the two taxes proposed and the votes would simply be

to renew current rates.

One of the existing taxes on the ballot would authorize a 10-year renewal of a 4.33 mill property tax, which generates about $2 million a year.

The other tax vote

would authorize the renewal and rededication of a quarter-cent sales tax that is used for teachers’ benefits and salaries. Proposed rewording would allow the district’s noncerti fied employees

to receive any excess from the tax. Boughton said he didn’t know how much non-certified employees would receive if the rededicated tax were to pass. see VOtE, Page 5a

Celebrating progress Students stars of Black History Month program at East St. John

St. James School Board members Carol Lambert (right) and Patricia Schexnayder hand out science fair awards. (Staff photo

by David Vitrano)

By Monique Roth L’Observateur

RESERVE – More than 50 East St. John High School students, not including members of the band, presented a Black History Month program at the school yesterday.

The program was made up of 14 short skits depicting African American inventors, actors/actresses and other well-known figures. Dominique Gray, a student at ESJHS, recited her original poem titled “Moving Forward.”

The program was directed by Gregory Chatman and La Tyree Davis and produced by J. Butler, C. Rodriguez and the school’s theater two class. The program was held twice in the school gymnasium on the morning of Feb. 21.

Eden Keller and Jaron Williams introduced each act, and Amber Nora ended the program with the Black National Anthem.

couple missing to the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office Feb. 19 after they said they had not heard from the couple since Feb. 18 at 6:30 p.m.

More than a week after the couple was reported as

Propane buses put on hold for now missing, a new break in

Meeting held27 in St. James the case came Feb. when to hand out science awards Sheriff’s Office detectives received information from the Fulton County Sheriff Office in Georgia that the van the couple were known to be driving was located in

Above, Leonard harris, a senior at east St. John high School, performs as Michael Jackson at the school’s Black history Month program held yesterday. Below, student performers from east St. John’s Black history Month program take a bow at the conclusion of the event. (Staff photos by Monique Roth)

By DAViD VitRAno L’Observateur

ST. JAMES – An expected vote on whether the St. James Parish School Board should purchase propane-fueled buses for its fleet did not materialize as some members wanted a bit more information before making the leap.

The concerns stemmed from uncertainty over the long-term price of propane as well as the still-unknown cost of building fueling stations to service the propane buses.

First Student, the company that has been contracted to manage district transportation, provided the School Board with a study estimating the move to diesel would save about $80,000 annually.

Board member Patricia Schexnayder

good condition at an apartment complex parking lot in College Park, Ga. A VIOLENT crime committed Feb. 25 at a local mom and pop store stunned the LaPlace community when Steve and Constance Finckbeiner, married owners of LaPlace Feed and Supply, were the victims of a robbery-turned-homicide after two men entered their store and opened fire before fleeing with the store’s cash register.

Dracier Dewey, 22, and Charles McQuarter III, 22, both of Homewood Place in Reserve, were arrested for their participation in the crime that left Steve dead and Connie seriously wounded.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff Mike Tregre said Dewey provided investigators with a full confession of his role in the robbery and indicated that another man, McQuarter, was the shooter in the crime.

The homicide marked the first murder in St. John the Baptist Parish in 2014.

see BusEs, Page 5a

WHO WE ARE: RALPH ROMAGUERA JR.

TODAY Just like old times at the war veterans home residents receive a special treat.

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Photographer gets national attention

By Monique Roth L’Observateur

LAPLACE – January was an exciting month for the Romaguera family of LaPlace, with national awards won and two master’s degrees earned.

Ralph Romaguera Jr. of Romaguera Photography Inc. recently represented team USA. in the inaugural World Photographic Cup global photography competition.

Ralph Jr. was named one of 10 finalists in the portrait division for his

captivating image titled, “Tea Time.” The photograph depicts a “unique person” encountered at the Renaissance Festival, Ralph Jr. said.

The WPC is the first ever photography competition launched globally, with national photographic teams represented.

“I was thrilled to represent team U.S.A. at the World Photographic Cup representing one of 22 other nations who competed for the first ever world photography competition,” said Ralph Jr.

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

| year in review |

Carnival season, HFIAA welcomed locally The month of March was kicked off with carnival fun as a line-up of Mardi Gras parades rolled in St. John the Baptist Parish.

Parade goers enjoyed clear skies and sunshine March 1 when the Krewe of Tohwahpasah rolled in Reserve, as well as March 2 when Krewe du Monde, the largest parade in the River Parishes, held its parade in LaPlace.

The king and queen of Tohwahpasah are always announced the day of the parade, and in 2014 Queen Myra Weber and King Kent Terrio served as royalty of the festivities.

Krewe du Monde, a fundraiser for the local chapter of the Lion’s Club, was presided over by William Ironside and Kelsey Tatje as King and Queen du Monde XXXV. GOV. BOBBY Jindal and Nucor Corp.

Chairman, President and CEO John Ferriola dedicated Nucor’s com-

Ralph Jr.’s image was showcased during the awards ceremony of see rOMaGuEra, Page 5a

the photograph “tea time” earned local photographer Ralph Romaguera national recognition.

Signing day dots successful stretch

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19 games and built a reputation of being one of the most explosive teams in the state.

• The West St. John Lady Rams made another postseason run in 2014, this time reaching the state quarterfinals.

WSJ fell at Merryville, 64-57, one game shy of reaching the Top 28 tournament for a third consecutive season. The Rams finished 25-5 behind a sharpshooting backcourt led by Maya Trench and JuJuan Nicholas.

• Hahnville tabbed former East Jefferson coach Nick Saltaformaggio as its new head football coach. Saltaformaggio was the hottest name on HHS’ list of candidates after he led East Jefferson to its first state championship in the program’s history, guiding the Warriors to a perfect 15-0 season and Class 4A championship.

He was named the national high school coach of the year by NationalHSfootball. com.

JuJuan Nicholas helped lead West St. John on another playoff run in 2014.

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Affordability Act into law March 21, which included an amendment co-authored by Louisiana U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy.

HFIAA was the first meaningful legislation to undo the potentially devastating premium increases outlined in the Biggert-Waters Act. The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 reformed the National Flood Insurance Program to reduce its dependency on taxpayer funding and address a $24 billion program deficit. New flood insurance rate maps under the measure would have led to increases in premiums.

River Region residents and elected officials took action in 2013 in the push to correct key provisions in Biggert Waters, which did away with grandfathering of properties and allowed the NFIP to raise rates in excess of $28,000 per year depending on flood risk zone remapping.

RESUMPTION OF ferry service connecting Edgard to Reserve appeared to be in jeopardy in late March after no bids were received to manage the operation.

St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom told Council members March 25 she was continuing to meet with officials from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and the River Parishes Transit Authority to determine the next step.

Budget cuts forced the DOTD to shut down service in July 2013, although it initially appeared an agreement had been reached to retain service until September 2013. In November 2013, parish officials said service could be resumed by Christmas.

Officials estimated the cost to operate the ferry at $2 million annually, with $1 million coming from a state grant.

Riverside clinches 2nd consecutive state basketball championship

East St. John saw 15 athletes sign college scholarships on National Signing Day.

Lafourche.

ESJ split with the Tarpons during the regular season and had a chance in the postseason to settle things, which ESJ did en route to a 71-58 regional round victory and a trip to the quarterfinals. Tre’Von Jasmine’s game-high 28 points led the way for East St. John.

ESJ went on to fall in the quarterfinals with a loss to East Ascension, finishing its season with a 24-6 record.

Prior to the quarterfinal loss, ESJ won 17 of

pleted direct-reduced iron plant in St. James Parish March 3.

Officials said the $750 million plant, located in Convent, is the first of a potential five-phase project in the parish.

Should all five phases be developed, officials said Nucor’s total investment would reach $3.4 billion and total direct employment would reach 1,250, with an average annual salary of more than $75,000 per year, plus benefits.

THE BODY of LaKeitha Joseph, reported missing with her husband Kenneth Feb. 19, was discovered March 10 the Intracoastal Waterway in eastern New Orleans. Kenneth’s body was found in the same waterway later in the month (March 22).

Investigators said the cause of death for Kenneth and Lakeitha was drowning.

PRESIDENT BARACK Obama signed the Homeowner Flood Insurance

ROMAGUERA

M C Y K

National Signing Day proved excellent for local schools.

East St. John sent 15 student-athletes to the next level, and West St. John saw seven ink on the dotted line to lead St. John teams. Hahnville and Destrehan combined to send 16 to the next level.

• East St. John lost just one district game en route to securing the 2013-14 District 7-5A basketball championship in dominating fashion. That lone loss came to Central

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Von Julien lays the ball in during Riverside’s championship game victory over Lakeview (Photo by Carrie Turnbull).

Riverside clinched its second consecutive state basketball championship and its 4th crown in five years, outscoring Lakeview 25-14 in the fourth quarter to seal up an 88-75 victory in the Class 2A state title game.

Title game MVP Malik Crowfield finished with 35 points to go along with 12 rebounds, three steals and four assists.

“That was a heavyweight fight,” said Riverside coach Timmy Byrd, who captured his 11th state basketball championship as a head coach. “Our kids played their hearts and guts out.”

Riverside finished the season with a record of 34-3.

• The St. James basketball team finished as a Class 2A semifinalist at the top 28, one game shy of a district rematch with Riverside after falling to Lakeview 81-58.

• L’OBSERVATEUR presented a feature on former West St. John great Tyson Jackson, who signed with the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons during the NFL free agency period.

Tyson Jackson speaks at his West St. John jersey retirement ceremony. Jackson signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2014.

Jackson was a leader on the West St. John championship football teams of 2003 and 2004, as well as LSU’s BCS National Championship effort in 2008.

Jackson entered the season with an ongoing personal undefeated streak in the MercedesBenz Superdome, where he won each of those state championships and helped the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Saints in 2012.

He kept that streak alive in 2014.

• Destrehan finished as Class 5A girls basketball runner-up,

falling in Lake Charles against Mount Carmel, 69-60, in the Class 5A state championship game. Destrehan finished the season 31-2.

DHS freshman Cara Ursin led the Wildcats with 23 points and 12 rebounds, capping a strong debut campaign.

Ursin scored a career-high 32 points in Destrehan’s semifinal victory over Helen Cox. “I guarantee you’re going to see us again,” said Destrehan coach Angi Butler. “We’re going to be back, and next time it’s going to be a totally different ending. I guarantee it.”

| year in review |

Page 4

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

| year in review |

PAGE 5

May

New ownership drives region’s newspaper LaPlace Newsmedia LLC, a new Louisiana entity wholly owned by Carpenter Newsmedia LLC, purchased L’Observateur of LaPlace and related publications April 1 from Wick Communications Co. of Sierra Vista, Ariz.

CNL is an affiliate of Boone Newspapers Inc., with offices in Natchez, Miss., and Tuscaloosa, Ala. The sale ended nearly three decades of operation of the newspaper by Wick Communications.

EIGHTEEN STUDENTS from across the state, including fifth-grader Kevell Byrd from St. Charles Parish, were named regional finalists for the Louisiana Student of the Year award. Byrd, a student at Luling Elementary School, is the daughter of Kevin and Shantrell Byrd of Luling.

THE ST. James Parish Council voted April 2 to adopt the parish’s land use plan ordinance, which includes a generalized map to guide the future development of St. James Parish in conjunction with the par-

ish’s comprehensive master plan. The land use plan divides the parish into categories, including residential/ future industrial, residential growth, commercial, commercial/ residential mixed, industrial, agricultural, recreation, schools, fire department, water and wetlands.

GOV. BOBBY Jindal, St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom and Air Products and Chemicals Senior Vice President Steve Jones, along with other local officials, announced the completion of $1 billion in project investments in Louisiana that have tripled the production capacity of the largest hydrogen pipeline network system in the world.

Air Products operates 19 facilities in Louisiana, including the four steam methane reformer plants constructed in Baton Rouge, Garyville, Norco and Luling.

METAIRIE RESIDENT Connor Dennies, 18, was arrested April 16 and charged with first-degree mur-

der in connection with the December 2012 death of 21-year-old Norco resident Jay Bertucci.

RIVER PARISHES Hospital nurse Kathy Lugo was honored with the hospital’s 2014 Mercy Award.

Nominees for the annual award were selected from peer recommendations.

Other River Parishes Hospital 2014 Mercy Award nominees were Suzanne Schexnayder, Carissima Torres, Theresa Gommel, Celeste Stein and Michelle Zaidain.

THE HOMICIDE investigation into who killed Reserve married couple Kenneth and Lakeitha Joseph gained momentum April 22 as Frank Mike Jr. became the first person arrested in the case.

FBI spokesperson Mary Beth RomigHaskins said Mike was arrested on a charge of interstate transportation of stolen property for driving the vehicle the Josephs were known to be driving from Louisiana to Georgia.

Mike’s arrest marked the first

Etimine looks at region; killing arrests mount News nearly 800 new jobs could be coming to St. John the Baptist Parish was announced May 1 when Gov. Bobby Jindal and Etimine USA President and CEO Gokhan Yazici announced Etimine was studying the feasibility of building a $200 million boron manufacturing facility in Edgard on the west bank of the Mississippi River in St. John Parish.

Officials said the project would lead to the creation of 200 new direct jobs, with an average annual salary of $50,000, plus benefits.

Etimine officials said a final investment decision on going forward with the project would be made in the first quarter of 2015.

A ST. John the Baptist Parish Grand Jury indicted Charles McQuarter III and Dracier Dewey May 5 for their alleged involvement in the LaPlace Feed Store burglary-turned-homicide.

Steven and Connie Finckbeiner, married owners of LaPlace Feed and Supply, were the victims of an attack in February when authorities said McQuarter and Dewey entered their store and opened fire before fleeing with the store’s cash register. Steven died at the scene, and Connie

public break in the more than two-month multi-jurisdictional investigation that involved the efforts of the New Orleans Police Department, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Secret Service, Louisiana State Police, Harbor Police, the St. John the Baptist and St. Bernard Parishes Sheriff’s Offices and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

AN ARREST in the murder of Calvin Edmond, a 17-yearold teenager who was shot in the head in Cambridge subdivision April 22, was made April 24 when St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested a 16-year-old juvenile living on Williamsburg Drive in LaPlace and booked him with second-degree murder, aggravated criminal damage to property and three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm.

Edmond’s homicide marked the second homicide in St. John the Baptist Parish for 2014.

Jessica Mire, above, and the St. Charles Comets had another strong season in 2014. The Comets saw their run of nine straight Sulphur appearances end. It was one of the longest streaks in the state, Mire a part of the previous three tournament teams. Below, Toni Hebert and Riverside finished as state quarterfinalists.

LAPLACE RESIDENTS Brittany Martin and Horatio Johnson became the second and third people arrested in the case of who murdered Reserve married couple Kenneth and Lakeitha Joseph.

In a May 8 press conference, New Orleans police said Martin and Johnson purchased several items, including blue nylon rope

and kettlebells, at a Kenner Walmart on Feb. 19, the day the couple disappeared.

The items, used to tie up and weigh down the couple, were purchased with a credit card.

Because a credit card, versus cash, was used in the transaction, authorities were able to trace the purchases back to the duo.

Martin and Johnson sur-

Local athletes complete baseball, track seasons

St. Charles misses Sulphur, Riverside heads that way One of the most impressive streaks in the state came to an end, as St. Charles Catholic’s run of nine consecutive trips to Sulphur for the state softball tournament came to an end by a single run, SCC falling at Notre Dame 6-5 in the regional round of the postseason.

The loss came after one of the wildest games in Comets history, a dramatic 11-10 first round victory over E.D. White.

“If you’d have told me we’d go 21-9 and have the tying run at third in the seventh inning at Notre Dame in the second round of the playoffs, I think we’d have all taken that before the season,” said St. Charles Catholic coach Ty Monica. “This team accomplished a lot this year, even if it doesn’t end with a trip to Sulphur.”

• Riverside made a return to Sulphur for the state softball tournament on the back of a victory over

was treated for her gunshot wounds.

The grand jury charged McQuarter, 22, of Reserve with the first-degree murder of Steven Finckbeiner and attempted first-degree murder of Connie Finckbeiner.

Dewey, 22, was charged with being a principal to second-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

rendered to authorities May 7 in St. John the Baptist Parish and were later transported to Orleans Parish, where they were each booked with two counts of second-degree murder.

DESTREHAN RESIDENT Devon Walker graduated from Tulane University May 17 with a bachelor’s degree in cell and molecular biology a little less than two years after the Tulane safety, then in his senior year, attempted a tackle that rendered him paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair.

“All odds were faced against me, and I overcome a big hurdle,” Walker said of not only returning to school, but of graduating. “I was blessed to have a second chance, and I might as well make it count.”

RESERVE’S SOUTH Central Louisiana Technical College Campus Dean Cindy Poskey announced expansion and new construction plans for the campus that include a new 20,000-square foot Center for Advance Technology building, a 9,000-square foot addition to the process technology building and a 3,400-square foot addition onto the medical wing for the school’s medical programs.

Hannan in a matchup of state runner-ups in the previous season, the Rebels taking an 11-3 victory over the Hawks. Briley Becker and Toni Perrin each delivered key two-run singles in the win. RA went on to finish as a state quarterfinalist, finishing 16-12.

• The Comets baseball team rolled to a 24-10 record in the baseball season, cementing an impressive start for coach Wayne Stein in his first year as head coach after succeeding Paul Waguespack.

The Comets went on to advance to the state quarterfinals before falling to Evangel, 2-0.

• Destrehan baseball coach Marty Luquet guided Destrehan to a 24-10 mark in his final season as head coach.

Luquet announced his retirement at the end of the 2013 school year.

He finished his coaching career with 447 victories and guided DHS to finishes as 5A runner-up in 2003 and 2005.

Freshman Mason Vicknair was a big part of Riverside’s late-season baseball playoff run.

RIVER PARISHES CAMPUS 181 Regala Park Road Reserve, LA 70084 985-536-4418 www.SCL.edu

M C Y K

A wild season for Riverside’s baseball team fittingly ended with a wild game.

The Rebels playoff run came to an end in the Class 2A semifinals, No. 2 seeded Kinder besting No. 3 seed Riverside 8-5 at McMurry Park.

Kinder scored five first-inning runs before Riverside responded by tying the game with a five-run second inning.

The Yellow Jackets scored three more runs in the bottom of the second inning, then both teams went scoreless the rest of the way.

The Rebels finished the season 20-11, ending the year with their second Class 2A state tournament appearance in the last three years (the state baseball tournament is the semifinals and finals of Class 2A). RA began the season with a record of 3-9.

• Later in the month, Riverside and baseball coach Matt White parted ways, with the RA hiring former Rummel coach Frank Cazeaux after electing not to renew White’s contract.

White moved quickly, accepting the vacant baseball coaching position at East St. John.

“I put my heart and soul into the program,” White said. “We’d play anyone in the state, in any class and had a chance to win. It was disheartening to not have my contract renewed, but it’s a chance to open a new chapter.”

• Local athletes reached the winner’s podium in 14 events at the 2014 high school state track and field championships on a rainy weekend at LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium.

Lutcher’s Tahrike Jones won the Class 4A boys 400 meter dash, Lutcher won the 4A 4x200 meter relay and Hahnville’s Brandon Singleton won the 5A 300 meter hurdles state championship to pace the roster of local winners.

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Wednesday, January 14, 2015

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June

July

LPE reunion pushed to ’17, I-10 help sought The June St. John the Baptist Parish School Board meeting brought news Lake Pontchartrain Elementary School students and teachers wouldn’t be in their new school building until August 2017.

Z. Ames Yeates and Cynthia Miller Yeates of Yeates and Yeates Architects, the designing firm for the project, told the Board they “tried to represent a realistic schedule.”

Cynthia Yeates tried to assure the board it was “not a luxurious schedule” for any of the contractors, and hard work would go into making sure everything was done on time and budget.

ST. JOHN the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom spoke on the importance of Interstate 10 access at the River Region Chamber of Commerce’s 2014 Parish Presidents Forum in June.

Robottom said the Port of South Louisiana, local industry and South Central Louisiana Technical College could all benefit from direct access to Reserve, and such a route would have positive impact by reducing the amount of truck traffic passing through

residential areas and down Airline Highway.

Robottom said a new I-10 access point would provide, among other benefits, an additional evacuation route to parish residents. She said the route is essential considering both parish Interstate ramps flooded during 2012’s Hurricane Isaac, and access to St. James and St. Charles Parishes was also not an option because of flooding.

ALL PAVING work associated with St. John the Baptist Parish’s 2014 Road Improvement Project was completed midJune. Many aging streets around the parish got facelifts as the parish worked to complete the project, which included a total of 34 streets and carries a $4 million price tag.

Parish President Natalie Robottom said roads were selected for the project based on condition and need across the parish. She said input was gathered from administration, Public Works staff, council members and residents in selecting the targeted roads.

ALMOST 10 months of investigation led to two arrests in June for the second-degree murder of gun violence victim Meshach Mason, who was found dead

Robottom named tops by American City & County

in August 2013 on East 16th Street near the train tracks in Reserve.

St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested DeQuan Brown, 19, of Mercury Lane in Reserve June 20 and booked him with second-degree murder and arrested Detrick Labranch, 21, of Houma Drive in LaPlace June 26 and booked him with second-degree murder in connection with Mason’s murder.

THE LONGEST serving director of the St. John the Baptist Parish Library system, Randy A. De Soto, retired in June after serving as director of the parish’s libraries for the past 27 years. Associate State Librarian Meg Placke said De Soto has been a “shining example to all directors” across the state.

De Soto, a native of De Soto Parish, began his tenure with the St. John the Baptist Library as the assistant director in 1985.

When De Soto assumed leadership in St. John Parish in 1986, there were only two library branches in LaPlace and Edgard. Under his tutelage, the Garyville and Reserve branches were added.

Robert August was announced as De Soto’s successor.

When it came time to officially name Natalie Robottom County Leader of the Year, Erin Greer said it was a comparatively simple decision.

Greer, managing editor for American City & County, was part of the team that recognized Robottom, the St. John the Baptist Parish president, in the magazine’s summer edition.

“She definitely stood out,” Greer said of Robottom.

TALAIJA DORSEY, a St. James Parish 12-year-old, was found dead July 6 in a cane field. She had been missing since July 1.

Sheriff Willy Martin Jr. said Talaija’s body was found at 10:20 a.m. on Louisiana 3127.

Authorities were focusing on Louisiana 3127 because it was believed to be the route John D. Celestine took from the home he shared with Talaija and her mother to his work. Celestine was charged with firstdegree murder. He was engaged to Talaija’s mother.

LOUISIANA STATE Police began investigating the death of a LaPlace man who died while in custody of St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies early July 5.

St. John Sheriff Mike Tregre said although the result of the case is tragic, deputies acted in accordance with protocol during the struggle.

“I feel my officers acted appropriately, but once an officer is involved, I bring in another agency to investigate independently,” Tregre said.

Lionel Washington paces Hall of Fame month regionally Lutcher native and LaPlace resident Lionel Washington was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame June 21 in recognition of his long, successful career in the NFL and in NCAA football as a player and coach.

Inducted officially

by St. Charles Catholic football coach Frank Monica, who coached Washington at Lutcher, Washington spent 27 years in the NFL as a player and coach.

He played with three teams — the Broncos, Cardinals and Raiders — and intercepted 37 passes, including a career-high eight pickoffs in his rookie season of 1985 with the Cardinals.

He intercepted multiple passes in 13 of his 15 NFL seasons.

“In this case, it is the Louisiana State Police.”

Trooper Evan Harrell of the Louisiana State Police said Ennis Labaux, 37, continued to struggle with deputies after being handcuffed and would not follow deputies’ commands. Deputies tried to secure Labaux’s legs when he stopped breathing, Harrell said, adding deputies immediately started performing CPR before EMS personnel arrived.

HAHNVILLE HIGH School Principal Ken Oertling was named the 2015 Louisiana Principal of the Year July 13 by the State Department of Education.

“It was a unique and very rewarding experience,” Oertling said.

“It’s a reflection of everything we do as a community for the students of the parish.”

Nominated by his peers for the honor, Oertling submitted a packet of accomplishments and other information before sitting before a panel of state officials, teachers, principals and elected representatives for an interview.

YUHUANG CHEMICAL Inc. announced July 17 it would make a $1.85 billion capital investment in a “world-scale” methanol-manufacturing complex at the Port of South Louisiana in St. James Parish.

State and international officials are touting the creation of 400 new jobs with an average annual salary of

Parish President Natalie Robottom, left, was named County Leader of the Year.

$85,000 for the River Region.

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Stephen Moret said LED estimates the project will result in 2,365 new indirect jobs.

ST. JOHN the

Baptist Parish School Superintendent Kevin George announced July 24 the district hired three music teachers to work in the remaining district schools that did not have music programs.

“Now, every school

in St. John the Baptist will have music education,” George said.

East St. John High School, West St. John High School and Emily C. Watkins were the only three schools that had music programs previously. George

said the new teachers would rotate throughout the schools.

George said the addition of the music programs enhances the district’s schools and gives the parish’s children a better education.

Vacherie’s ‘T.C.’ Bazile comes up gold at Special Olympics SCC football coach Frank Monica, right, inducted former NFL great Lionel Washington, left, into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.

“People don’t realize that as relentless as he was on the field, that’s how relentless he was, and is, off the field,” said Monica, who pointed out Washington is just one of five cornerbacks to ever play 15 seasons or more in the NFL. • For the second straight summer, the ESJ football team made an impact in 7-on-7

competition, taking a third place finish overall at the Drew Brees Passing Academy 7-on-7 tournament in Orlando, Fla. East St. John finished fourth at the event in 2013. This year, the Wildcats lost just two games in Orlando, a six-point loss to eventual champion Cocoa Beach in the semifinals and a four-point loss in

LARAYO and Ben Schiff defended their River Parish Swim League crown.

pool play.

25 teams from around the country competed at the event.

• LARAYO continued its longstanding hold over the River

Parish Swim League championship, going undefeated in the regular season to defend its crown via six wins in six meets.

Piranha Swim Team

finished third, the longtime Belle Terre-based club making a sizeable improvement from previous seasons — PST had finished sixth of seven teams in 2013.

Theodore “T.C.” Bazile

2015 W. Airline Hwy LaPlace LA 70068 Office: 985-359-9954 Fax: 985-359-9989 Email: eliza@elizaeugene.com www.elizaeugene.com

M C Y K

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M C Y K

A three-Gold Medal showing by Vacherie’s Theodore “T.C.” Bazile paced an amazing performance by River Region athletes at this summer’s 2014 Special Olympics USA Games in New Jersey.

Bazile clocked first place showings in the shot put, 4x100-meter relay and 400meter run. He also won fourth place in the running long jump.

River Region athletes included Kanesha Ratcliff of Destrehan, Jerome Devare and Sean Adams of LaPlace, Kurt Theriot of Luling, Jerrod Turner of Lutcher, Denise Louque of Paulina, Dwight Johnson and Theotis Ursin of Reserve and Theodore Bazile of Vacherie.

• The Hahnville-based Otto Candies

American Legion baseball team finished third at the Legion state tournament, falling to Shaw-based Refuel, 8-2, in an elimination game.

Otto Candies capped a season of finishing in the state’s top three teams in each of its past three seasons.

• It was a LaPlace swim sweep at the River Parish Swim League Invitational, as LARAYO once again defended its Invitational crown while host Riverlands and Piranha Swim Team took second and third place respectively.

LARAYO scored 3,463 points to win the meet comfortably. Riverlands finished with 2,334 points while PST’s mark of 1,980 edged out fourth place LaVacherie’s 1,850.

LARAYO’s Aliyah Manson and Emily Schexnayder each took three first place finishes to lead all local swimmers.

“All of our swimmers, be it in the Invitational or not, swam personal bests by the end of the season,” LARAYO coach Michelle Jensen said.

“That’s what I’m most pleased with. I thought we performed really well this weekend.”

For Riverlands, the second place finish made for an extremely positive end to the summer after what was a disappointing regular season finish.

Piranha Swim Team also jumped from fourth in the invitational last season to third this season, matching the team’s regular season finish.

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PAGE 9

August

Guilty verdict ends emotional murder trial Guilty. With just one word Aug. 1, a drama spanning over six years concluded as a jury handed down guilty verdicts to Errol Victor Sr. and Tonya Victor, both charged in the 2008 death of 8-yearold M.L. Lloyd III, Tonya’s son and Errol’s stepson.

Errol was convicted of second-degree murder, while his wife Tonya was convicted of manslaughter in the brutal homicide.

M.L. was pronounced dead April 1, 2008, after authorities said he was severely whipped and beaten for taking ice cream without permission. The Victors, who were arrested shortly after M.L. was brought to the hospital, vehemently denied abuse and homicide accusations for years, maintaining their innocence and saying the child died as the result of a severe asthma attack.

Julie Cullen, a rep-

resentative from the state attorney general’s office, prosecuted the case. District Attorney Tom Daley recused his

office from the case because an assistant district attorney had represented Errol in a civil matter.

ONE ST. CHARLES Catholic High student spent the last few weeks of summer completing one project and gearing up for another one.

An active Boys Scout, Matthew Templet decided to build picnic benches for the school’s outside lunch area and complete a beautification effort of the school’s prayer garden.

SAIGE ANGELLE Brady was crowned the 66th St. John the Baptist Parish Sugar Queen Aug. 9.

Brady is the daughter of Jamie and Shantelle Brady of LaPlace and a graduate of Lutcher High School.

“I did this pageant because it was always a dream of mine,” Brady said. “Ever since I could remember, I would go to the parish pageant, sit in the audience and watch the new queen be crowned … my dream finally

became a reality.”

Ani Hart Boudreaux was awarded Most Photogenic and Madeline Ruiz won the Fashion Award and Second Runner Up. Brooke Stein was awarded People’s Choice and First Runner Up. The pageant, with a theme of “A Girl For All Seasons,” kept the audience entertained with several musical performances highlighting the South’s many seasonal traditions and celebrations, including football and bonfires.

FORMER SAINTS quarterback Archie Manning showed he still commands a crowd, as he was the guest speaker at SCC’s first Quarterbacks Club meeting Aug. 19.

His talk highlighted an enjoyable night for all, Manning giving his thoughts on LSU, the Saints, the state of football today … and

perhaps most memorably, a slew of humorous anecdotes from his life.

LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT of Health and Hospitals announced the presence of the Naegleria fowleri ameba in the St. John Water District 1 system Aug. 27.

Water taken from a sample two weeks prior tested positive.

Parish President Natalie Robottom said any potential threats associated with the ameba could occur only when the water enters deep enough into the nasal passage to cause a burning sensation.

The impacted water system serves 12,577 people in Reserve, Garyville, Mt. Airy and a small portion of LaPlace on West 5th from Acorn Street to Apricot Street.

The water system was tested as part of DHH’s surveillance program that launched in August.

Hebert leaves Riverside; Williams stars at Auburn After guiding Riverside’s softball, girls basketball and volleyball teams to success at varying times in her sevenyear run at the school, Kristy Hebert resigned from her post as head softball coach and assistant athletic director, returning to John Curtis to accept the assistant athletic director job — Hebert led multiple state championship softball teams at Curtis before moving on to Riverside.

She cited a desire to scale back her duties and concentrate on family responsibilities as the catalyst for the move.

“It was a decision I felt I had to make,” Hebert said. “It’s totally based on my three daughters and what’s best for our family.

“Even though coaching has been my life over the past 20 years, I didn’t feel I could pass up the chance to step back from coaching and be an athletic director (only). It’s a chance to sit back and enjoy seeing (my daughters).”

• Former East St. John superstar receiver D’haquille Williams debuted as a member of the Auburn Tigers.

Williams, who was a two-time AllState selection in his only two seasons as a prep football player, set a new all-time mark for debuting receivers, hauling in nine receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas Aug. 30.

• The River Region got football season under way with a weekend of jamboree action.

In St. John Parish, East St. John bested West St. John 24-6, while Riverside defeated St. Charles Catholic 17-13. In St. Charles and St. James parishes, Hahnville bested Southern Lab and Destrehan topped Lutcher, while St. James toppled Donaldsonville.

M C Y K

Kristy Hebert departed Riverside in August after a successful seven-year run at the school.

Former East St. John star D’haquille Williams had a spectacular debut for the Auburn Tigers.

West St. John success earns national attention In an article titled “Beating The Odds 2014 — Top Schools For Low-Income Students,” Newsweek recognized “schools that beat the odds, performing better than statistically expected for their level of poverty.”

West St. John was ranked 50 out of 500 schools recognized for their efforts, and received special recognition for low-income students scoring at or above average on state assessments.

Newsweek said WSJ was one of the top schools in the country working to “narrow the achievement gap.”

With a college readiness score 96.6, a college-bound student percentage of 79.82, a graduation rate of 75.2 and a poverty percentage of 95.28, WSJ’s rank is extra impressive, St. John Schools Superintendent Kevin George said, taking into account the school has no selective admis-

sions process.

SOME RIVER Parishes Hospital employees were told Sept. 9 their final shift would Oct. 31 following an announcement

the hospital was being sold to Ochsner Health System.

David Gaines, senior vice president of public affairs for Ochsner, said at the time

Ochsner officials were in the process of meeting with various River Parishes Hospital departments and doctors to finalize what services may be kept and or expanded under Ochsner.

“If we can grow services, we will do it,” Gaines said.

TWO DESTREHAN High School teachers were arrested and accused by authorities of having inappropriate sexual contact with a 16-year-old male student at the school.

Authorities arrested Shelley S. Dufresne of Montz and Rachel Respess of Kenner for their roles in the allegations.

TONYA VICTOR, convicted of manslaughter Aug. 1 in the death of her 8-year-old son, was sentenced Sept. 15 by Judge Mary Becnel to 21 years. Her husband Errol received a non-discretionary life without the possibility

of parole sentence the same day at the courthouse in Edgard.

TWO PEOPLE died Sept. 21 when a gyrocopter crashed at St. John Airport, killing its passengers.

The St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office announced the victims’ names the next morning, identifying them as Darren Mahler, 47, and a family friend, Payton Wilt, 13, both of Metairie.

The plane rose to an altitude above 200 feet after takeoff as it crossed the end of the runway. The blades began to malfunction, causing the aircraft to descend rapidly before crashing into a drainage ditch.

ST. JOHN the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office Lt. Nolan Anderson died Sept.

24 in a blue house on Pine Street after fellow deputies, who were responding to a domestic disturbance call

involving Anderson, shot him. Anderson died at River Parishes Hospital.

Authorities said Anderson, who was on call and in uniform at the time of the shooting, fired several shots into the air and at responding deputies before he was shot.

Anderson’s wife, who was being held hostage, was never shot and suffered “superficial wounds,” according to state police.

DESTREHAN HIGH School senior Courtney Pfalzgraf helped organize 44 volunteers, mostly students representing five schools, and collected 15 huge bags of litter at Wetland Watchers Park in Norco.

Volunteers in Pfalzgraf’s effort, dubbed “Save the Wetlands,” were also responsible for planting over 100 cypress trees grown through the LSU Coastal Roots Seedlings Project.

River Parishes football grips region as month continues West St. John and St. James kicked off the 2014 football season with a wild Thursday night season opening game, the first ever played at St. James’ new, freshly built home stadium.

The Rams held off a ferocious St. James comeback after dominating the first half, WSJ taking a 29-0 lead before St. James roared to a 30-point third quarter to take a 30-29 lead.

The Rams went back ahead for good after a 28-yard field goal by Anfernee Lumar and an 8-yard touchdown run by Bradley Borne. St. James’ quarterback Lowell Narcisse threw for 320 yards and three scores. Morell Bartholomew hauled in three first-half scores for West St. John.

• St. Charles Catholic, meanwhile, served notice the Comets were going to be a factor when it ended reigning Class 4A champion East Jefferson’s 16-game win streak with a dominating 49-14 victory in LaPlace.

Erron Lewis scored four times and Justin Loupe twice to lead a powerful rushing effort for the Comets.

“I knew we had to run the ball at them, to negate their speed somewhat. Our guys took control of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball,” St. Charles coach Frank Monica said.

• Staying on the gridiron, Riverside Academy won back-to-back games for local bragging rights, defeating West St. John 44-23 and then St. James 62-32, both wins coming on the road.

• Former Lutcher wide receiver Jarvis Landry made his NFL debut with the Miami Dolphins. Landry went without a catch in limited playing time against the New England Patriots in the NFL’s opening week, but he caught 12 passes over the next three games to close September.

Landry went on to have a highly productive rookie campaign, earning a featured role and garnering 84 receptions for 758 yards and five touchdowns.

Riverside’s Brandon Hymel, No. 25, Jacob Venus, No. 3, and JuJuan Bell, No. 24, wrap up a Loranger ballcarrier.

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November

Joseph killed; D.A. Tom Daley steps down

Parents, students turn in strong showings As parents started filling the former Leon Godchaux cafeteria during an October meeting, Paula Henderson knew something exciting was happening.

It was the third meeting this school year of the East St. John High School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).

“We started the meetings off in a classroom laboratory,” Henderson said. “We had about 40 or 50 people at the very first one (in August), and that filled out the classroom. We had people standing. (Principal Patricia) Triche said, ‘Wow, this is awesome.

We’ll move the next one to the cafeteria.’

“The second meeting we had around 120.

Then last week, we were just blown out.

They were standing in the cafeteria. It’s a grand accomplishment for East St. John, because we haven’t had a PTO meeting in two years (before this school year).”

Henderson is serving as PTO president and — with the help of a committed board of parents and involved school staff — leading a resurgence in parent

Kailynn Millet, 2, gets her ride on during the 41st annual Andouille Festival. Kailynn and her mother Marcie of Garyville especially enjoyed the Disney characters.

involvement.

ST. JOHN the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office launched an app for Apple and Android devices and nearly 400 residents downloaded the free tool in four days.

Available through a device’s app store by searching “St. John Sheriff,” the app allows

users to submit tips to investigators through several mediums, including audio recordings, photographs and videos. The app also allows users to receive push notifications regarding important alerts, including breaking parish traffic news.

THE NEWS was mostly positive

in October as the Louisiana Department of Education released district school report cards.

St. John the Baptist Parish Public Schools continued to improve its District Performance Score, raising it nearly three points and maintaining a “C” score, even as the

state instituted more rigorous testing standards for students.

St. Charles Parish Public Schools maintained its “A” District Performance Score and was one of 10 districts in the state receiving the score.

St. James Parish Public Schools maintained its “B” District

The greater West St. John High School family and extended River Parishes community lost one their brightest stars, friends say, when Juan Joseph was killed in the early a.m. hours Nov. 16 in Baton Rouge.

Joseph, 27, was fatally shot at approximately 2 a.m. on a Sunday outside Allure Nightclub.

Police quickly arrested two people believed to be involved in the killing, adding the victim was trying to defuse what turned into a fatal shooting.

Joseph taught with the school district from 2011 to May of 2014 and was also helping guide 2014’s playoff football team as a CECP coach, St. John the Baptist Parish Schools Superintendent Kevin George said.

Veteran WSJ head football coach Robert Valdez described Joseph best as a role model.

“Every time he walked into a room, he brightened it up,” Valdez said. “He found a way to make everyone feel comfortable, found a way to listen to everyone and commu-

Performance Score in 2014, with a score of 88.1.

RIDES, FOOD and lots of festival fun were available to River Region residents as St. John the Baptist Parish hosted its 41st annual Andouille Festival.

New was Friday’s $1 night, which granted patrons $1 entry, food and rides with the donation of a canned food item. St. John Parish President Natalie Robottom said the $1 offerings boosted attendance and brought in hundreds of canned goods for St. John Ministry of Care and the Second Harvest Food Bank. She said the parish would definitely bring the $1 night back next year.

THE ST. John the Baptist Parish Housing Authority partnered with screening company First Advantage to complete background checks on all public housing program participants and individuals 18 and up.

The agency now also has a system in place to complete background checks with new moveins for individuals 18 and up, as well as residents who turn 18.

nicate with everyone on all levels.”

Joseph played defense on West St. John’s 2003 state championship team as a junior and quarterbacked the Rams’ 2004 state championship team as a senior.

At Division III Millsaps, Joseph was a three-time Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

Former West St. John football coach and athletic director Laury Dupont remembers when the boy showed up as an eighth grader.

“His mom and dad, they brought up he and Dray the right way,” Dupont said. “He was always happy, always smiling. He made the right choices in life. He always did the right thing. He was a great asset to the community, a role model type of person.”

TOM DALEY said his neurosurgeon was emphatic when delivering news in late November that his cancer had returned, telling the St. John the Baptist Parish District Attorney, “take your

tie off, put your blue jeans on and go spend some time with your wife.”

Daley made things official, filing withdrawal papers with the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office, officially ending the runoff election set for December that would have pitted him against one of his former assistant district attorneys, Bridget Dinvaut.

A runoff between Daley and Dinvaut was scheduled Dec. 6 after they were the top two vote getters Nov. 4, Daley securing 46.26 percent of the turnout, compared to Dinvaut’s 34.31 percent. “(My election withdrawal) is based on very, very direct advice of my neurosurgeon, who told me my cancer is reactivated and that the stress and anxiety of the campaign is not helping it,” Daley said.

“Between now and Jan. 7, I am still the district attorney. Things will go along as status quo. When (Dinvaut) and I agree on any adjustments that need to be made, they will be made.

“After she is in charge, she will do what she wants to do.”

AMERICAN LEGION Post 383 in St. John the Baptist Parish, led by Commander Dave Gatt, has grown from 64 to just over 350 members in four years.

Veterans benefit from joining the American Legion in national-level representation for the continuation of benefits such as TRICARE insurance and the GI Bill — which provides educational assistance to service members, veterans and their dependents — among other things, officials said.

Post 383 meets monthly in LaPlace, and at November’s meeting held a solemn Gold Star Banner Presentation to the family of Thomas Cornman, who entered the U.S. Air Force in June 2010 and was assigned to 159th Civil Engineering Squadron.

He died while serving on active duty.

Thomas’ parents and brothers were presented with a Gold Star Banner.

Gridiron battles continue, volleyball ends in playoffs St. Charles Catholic came up just short of pulling off a sizeable upset at home over powerhouse district foe John Curtis, the Patriots holding off a SCC rally to secure a 26-21 victory.

It stands as the closest district game Curtis has played since its previous visit to LaPlace to face St. Charles, a 19-18 Patriots win in 2009.

“We wanted to come out and take it,” SCC safety Eric Lewis said. “The crowd, our sideline, they had us fired up.”

SCC quarterback Austin Weber completed 13 of 20 pass attempts for 130 yards,

three touchdowns and one interception.

He also was SCC’s leading rusher, gaining 95 hardfought yards.

Weber accounted for 225 of SCC’s 277 total yards.

• Riverside scored one of the area’s high-profile wins of the season via a dominating 55-14 victory over district rival Newman. Von Julien hauled in four touchdown passes in that game as the Rebels moved to 7-0 on the season.

• St. John Parish was wellrepresented in the volleyball postseason, as Riverside, West St. John and St.

Charles Catholic all reached the playoffs.

Riverside and St. Charles went on to reach round two of the playoffs before bowing out, while West St. John fell in round one to wrap up a 12-7 season.

For SCC, the first round win was the second season in a row the Comets won a playoff game, after snapping a postseason-winning drought one year earlier.

As for the Rebels, a streak of two consecutive semifinal appearances came to an end, as youth was served on a RA team comprised of mostly new faces.

Haylee Eldridge and Riverside returned to the postseason and won a playoff game.

Morell Bartholomew kneels over the initials of fallen coach Juan Joseph painted on West St. John’s home field. (Photo by Chris Cox)

River Region’s prep football teams head to playoffs The shooting of West St. John High School assistant football coach Juan Joseph sent shockwaves throughout a River Region that mourned the loss of one of its brightest young men.

The Rams football team rallied in memory of their fallen coach, winning their next

The St. Charles defense came up big at many points this season, and in October it was needed to step up against Curtis.

(Photo by Eddie Hitt)

M C Y K

three games — all in the postseason, and all by double figures — en route to a berth in the Class 1A semifinals.

Riverside and St. Charles Catholic each wrapped up tremendous football runs; the Rebels and Comets each cemented semifinal runs as well.

Riverside fell at

Calvary Baptist and St. Charles at Parkview Baptist one game short of the finals of Division III and II, respectively.

But the Rebels went 13-1 and the Comets 9-3, giving their fanbases plenty to cheer about this season.

• East St. John football coach and athletic

director Phillip Banko was dismissed after the Wildcats ended a 6-6 season with a 68-14 loss to then-unbeaten Destrehan in the regional round of the Class 5A postseason.

Banko spent four years at East St. John, going 26-20 with three postseason wins and four playoff appear-

ances.

The coach oversaw the Wildcats program through the Hurricane Isaac aftermath, but Banko said St. John School Board Superintendent Kevin George informed him during a one-on-one meeting the Board would be moving “in a different direction.”

It was a highprofile playoff draw for Destrehan and Hahnville, as the rivals drew one another in the Class 5A quarterfinals.

Destrehan High bested the Tigers for the second time, winning 24-12, behind Will Matthews’ 172 rushing yards.

| year in review |

Page 12

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

December

Farmers’ Market blooms, Naegleria fowleri gone December water samples taken in St. John the Baptist Parish’s Water District 1 tested negative for the presence of Naegleria fowleri ameba, Department of Heath and Hospitals officials announced.

Residents across the parish welcomed the news Dec. 19.

Water District 1 serves six parish schools and more than 12,500 people in Reserve, Garyville, Mt. Airy and a small portion of LaPlace.

DHH ruled St. John Parish successfully completed its required chlorine burn for St. John Water District 1 on Nov. 20, and on Dec. 3 a follow-up water sample was taken.

DHH Chief Deputy Engineer Caryn Benjamin said the news is only one step in St. John Parish being taken off of the Emergency Order, and impacted residents should continue to exercise caution in water use.

“The Emergency Order is still in place, and will be in place for at least 12 months after completion of all action items,” Benjamin said.

While the water in Water District 1 remains safe to drink, Benjamin said residents should continue to adhere to safety protocol, including avoiding water entering deep into nasal passages and running bath and

The St. John the Baptist Parish’s Creole Farmers’ Market got off to a strong start when nearly 300 people showed up to the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony Dec. 13 in Wallace.

shower taps and hoses for five minutes before use to flush out the pipes.

Those precautions should continue until the Emergency Order is lifted, Benjamin said.

ORGANIZERS HOPE the St. John the Baptist Parish’s Creole Farmers’ Market increases access to fresh, locally harvested produce while building a strong vendor/consumer relations.

That dream got off to a strong start when nearly 300 people

showed up to the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony Dec. 13 in Wallace.

“Welcome to the future,” Parish Economic Development Committee Chairman Rodney Nicholas told the crowd.

“The future is now.

This is the start of something big on the West Bank.”

Parish leaders said the $170,000 venture of establishing the market was funded by the St. John Parish Economic Development

Department.

The Creole Farmers’ Market is located at 5793 River Road in Wallace, at the foot of the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Regular operating hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every Saturday.

For information on the market or how to become a vendor, call the parish Economic Development Department at 985-6529569.

A FEDERAL report outlining levee protection for greater St.

John the Baptist Parish is expected to be ready for Congressional approval by April, parish officials announced Dec. 19.

The action by Congress is the next step in protecting more than 7,000 structures from Montz to Garyville through levee construction — a process that began in late 2013.

The Army Corps of Engineer Civil Works Review Board unanimously approved the release

of the West Shore Lake Pontchartrain final integrated feasibility report in December.

The environmental impact statement is now up for state and agency review.

The approval means the proposed $718 million project, designed to protect the River Region, is one step closer to a reality, as it needed the board’s final approval before it could be sent to Congress for funding.

OPENED TO the public on Dec. 8 for the first time in its 262-year history, the Whitney Plantation on the west bank of St. John the Baptist Parish is the only plantation museum in Louisiana focused on telling the story of slavery.

Visitors can expect to experience the world of an antebellum sugar plantation through the testimonies of the slaves who built and worked on plantation properties, with seven slave cabins, the last surviving French Creole barn in the United States, the oldest detached kitchen in Louisiana and firstperson slave narratives during Whitney’s hour and a half tour.

Located at 5099 River Road in Wallace, guided tours are offered from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with the grounds only closed on Tuesday. For more information, call 225-265-3300.

Football ends locally, but basketball starts strong

East St. John and Tre’Von Jasmine got off to a hot start to the 2014-15 basketball season, winning the CYO tournament.

We are honored to spend time with our Senior Citizens.

M C Y K

West St. John’s inspired postseason run finally came to an end in the Class 1A semifinals, as the Rams fell short against 1A rival and defending state champion Haynesville.

WSJ, which had split games with Haynesville in two of the previous three postseasons, led 7-0 at halftime, but couldn’t overcome a powerful Haynesville attack.

2014 marked the fourth consecutive season the Rams have reached at least the state semifinal round.

“They’re the defending state champs, and they’re very good,” West St. John coach Robert Valdez said. “Sometimes, you just line up across from a better team on Friday night. Our kids did a tremendous job of competing. We were just beat by a better team.”

• Destrehan came up one victory short of securing the third state championship in the Stephen Robicheaux era, falling to Acadiana in the Superdome in the Class 5A championship game, 23-7.

• Riverside Academy began its quest to win a third consecutive Class 2A state basketball championship in convincing fashion, besting perennial 5A contender Scotlandville, 64-53.

It is thought the game was the first time two schools that had competed in their respective classification’s championship game in each of the previous five seasons had faced off.

Malik Crowfield scored 19 points, and Herb McGee added 11 in the victory.

• Likewise, the East St. John Wildcats got off to a strong start on the hardwood. ESJ won the New Orleans CYO Tournament for the first time in school history.

Led by Tre’Von Jasmine’s 18 points and six rebounds, the Wildcats captured the championship via a 52-44 victory over host Brother Martin, ESJ’s fourth victory in four days.

ESJ defeated De La Salle, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine en route to the crown.