Plans Begin For Swamp
Pop Fund Raiser
VILLE PLATTE - A committee of representatives from this area met January 20, to discuss funding for the city’s proposed Swamp Pop Museum.
At this time, the old depot, which was donated to the City of Ville Platte by the Town of Elton, has been repaired and brought here through grants and donations. Now, the committee is attempting to raise funds and awareness for the Swamp Pop Museum. After discussing options and other possible funding sources, the committee decided it would begin its fund raising process with a dance during Mardi Gras weekend.
Sharon Fontenot, grant writer for the city, said she and Marc Layne, KVPI, have been discussing the possibilities of a dance, and both agreed to set the date of the fund raiser on Monday, February 27.

Erath Parents Educated On Schools
ERATH - The Vermilion Parish School Board’s Maintenance Director explained to Erath parents what is being done to get their children back to their own schools as soon as possible.
Parents from Erath were encouraged to attend the meeting by a parent of two students at Dozier who wants her children to return to their school as soon as possible, and by teachers at Dozier who wrote a letter voicing their concerns about returning to the school before it is safe.
The letters from Mica Hollier Toups and “concerned teachers at Dozier Elementary School” were effective as the meeting room was packed. Every chair was taken and a number of parents were seated on the floor while others overflowed into the hall.
Superintendent Joey Hebert said that in order to provide a quality education for all students, it is important that all eight schools on rotating schedules return to a five-day-a-week schedule as soon as possible.

Esther Baptist Church Building
Restoration Making Progress
ESTHER - Hurricane Rita flooded Esther Baptist Church knocking down its front doors, blasting out the windows and depositing, hay, marsh grass and water moccasins in the sanctuary. The pews, pulpit and piano were overturned and resting in black smelly water and the hymn books were destroyed as well. At first glance it appeared the building was a total loss.
After the flood waters receded and the snakes which had taken up residence in the building were destroyed, a contractor took a closer look and determined the building can be restored.

Mhire House Withstands Rita
MHIRE - Like Daniel in the lion’s den, C.A. and Sheila Mhire’s home remained standing when Hurricane Rita hit.
Photos show their home before and after the storm. Their house is located directly across the road from Rockefeller Refuge 5429 Grand Chenier Hwy. The buildings at the Wildlife and Fisheries were flooded and rendered uninhabitable.
The flood waters caused extensive damage to their property and ripped two sets of steps off of the house. However, not a single window was broken on the house and not a drop of water entered the home.
The house was constructed from a log kit purchased from Heritage Log Company located in Serverville, TN. The company told the couple the house could withstand a category 5 hurricane, with up to 150 mile per hour winds. Mr. Mhire and one of his brothers built the foundation themselves and contracted out the building of the house itself.
“When they called for an evacuation, we packed our things and then we placed a wooden cross, wall plaque, on the floor in the den, with the top of the cross facing the Gulf, we prayed and then we left,” Mrs. Mhire said.
Mr. Mhire waited until the storm passed and he and a couple of his brothers took a boat and entered the water in Lake Arthur and made their way by boat to Grand Chenier to survey the damages for themselves. The devastation they saw along the way was heartbreaking. They found home after home washed away, destroyed and in the case of their mom’s trailer, she used as a camp, it was no where in sight.

Lake Arthur Mardi Gras Ball Set For
Feb. 11th At New Community Center
LAKE ARTHUR - Grab your Mardi Gras beads, put on your fanciest costume, grab a hot date, and get ready to dance to some mardi Gras mambo music at the second annual Lake Arthur Mardi Gras Ball on February 11, 2006 at 7:00 p.m. at the brand new Lake Arthur community Center on Eighth Street.
The Wade Richard Band will be there to provide the music from 7:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Semi-formal dress is the order of the day, with donations of $50.00 per couple. A delicious brisket supper will be served, and BYOB.
The 2006 Lake Arthur Mardi Gras King and Queen will be determined by who gets the “baby” hidden in the King Cake that will be served to all. The lucky winner and his/her date will reign as royalty for this special night.
All proceeds from the Mardi Gras Ball will be donated to the American Cancer Society to battle that dreaded disease.
The Mardi Gras Ball is sponsored by the Krewe de Couvillion Duhon.

Abbeville Man Arrested
For Drugs At Home
ABBEVILLE - An Abbeville man was arrested over the weekend after drugs and cash were found at his home.
According to Sheriff Mike Couvillion and Chief Drew David, the Abbeville-Vermilion Parish Metro Narcotics Task Force arrested Russell Saddler Sr., 54, of 612 South Guegnon Street, on charges of possession of powdered cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of crack cocaine with intent to distribute, and possession of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of juveniles.
Bond was set at $60,000 on the current charges and a “hold” was placed on the suspect by the Louisiana Department of Probation and Parole.

Hospital Board
Opposes Assessor’s Plan
KINDER - The Allen Parish Hospital board went on record at the police jury meeting in opposition to Tax Assessor Richard “Tootie” Karam’s plan to raise funds for his office.
“I hate to raise an issue that hasn’t been raised, but the tax assessor is interested in taking a millage from the hospital board,” said Ron Craiger, chairman of the hospital board.
Craiger said he nor any other member of the board, nor the hospital administrator, had been notified of Karam’s plan.
“I think that was a mistake,” Craiger said.
Craiger said the hospital board passed a resolution opposing the issue that will be sent to Representative Herman Ray Hill and Senator Don Hines.
Representatives of the Library Board of Control were also present at the jury meeting. The library board also opposes the millage which would take a portion of each taxing entity’s income, including the library, for the tax assessor’s office.
Heated words were exchanged after the meeting between board members and Karam who was not present during the jury meeting.
Jury members voted to continue meeting at 6:30 p.m. twice a month. Agenda meetings will no longer be considered regular meetings. No votes will be cast unless the matter is an emergency. Agenda meetings will be for discussion of matters that are placed on the regular meeting agenda.
“We want constituents to know what’s going on,” Jury President Andrew Hayes said.
A bill from Grant Parish for $6,800 for housing Allen Parish prisoners prompted Juror Roland Hollins to examine alternatives.

Oberlin Officials Lock In
Lower Natural Gas Price
OBERLIN - Mayor Phil Beard and Councilman Troy Meaux say they are doing everything possible to keep the price for natural gas down in Oberlin.
“We have locked in the gas price though Pelican Gas Management at $11 per thousand MMBTU and that the price in the market was as high as $17,” Councilman Meaux said.
Oberlin’s officials said the locked-in price will reduce home heating costs from $3.70 per cubic foot to $2.90 per cubic foot for the residents of Oberlin.
“We cannot control the market price of natural gas that has tripled since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita,” Mayor Beard said. “Last month was a six-week reading period. This month’s reading will be for two-weeks and we will resume our four-week reading period next month.”