Looking back at 2021 through the pages of The Post-Signal

Coronavirus mitigation continued to dominate the news in 2021, but along with that, other “happenings” in and around Crowley were being reported in the pages of The Crowley Post-Signal.
This review is not intended to be a comprehensive record of the past year and we’re sure readers will remember some events that are not outlined here.
We continue our review today with the third quarter of 2020 —July through September..
JULY
July 1: Judging from the attendance, area farmers welcomed the opportunity to see first-hand the work being done at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station during the annual Rice Field Day.
July 2: An estimated 25 percent of the current COVID cases in Louisiana are believed to be the more dangerous Delta variant strain that first emerged in India.
July 4: Madonna Hutchinson of Rosedale was hired as interim Crowley City Clerk.
July 6: A Rayne teenager, Norris Guidry, in the business of doing good deeds garnered the attention of an Alabama non-profit for his work.
July 7: The Vatican said Pope Francis was in “good general condition” a day after undergoing colon surgery.
July 8: The Acadia Parish Police Jury started looking at the establishment of a judicial system to follow up on citations issued for such things as building code, animal control and sewerage violations.
July 9: Roof repair work at the Acadia Parish Library in Crowley was winding down as the fascia panels were installed. The $141,100 repair job began about two months earlier.
July 11: The annual OST Day event in Rayne was scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 11, at The Depot Square and surrounding areas. It would later be canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
July 13: Announcement was made that former Gov. Edwin W. Edwards, who embodied Louisiana’s populist era in the late 20th century — championing the poor and ushering Black people and women into state government — had died at his home in Gonzales.
July 14: With public schools scheduled to open in just over a month, Superintendent Scott Richard said he was satisfied with the system’s readiness.
July 15: Who will be responsible for filling the 500,000-gallon storage tank used for fire protection at the Crowley-Rayne Industrial Park — the City of Rayne or the South Rayne Water District — was the focus of discussion for Acadia Parish Police Jurors.
July 16: In his second week on the job, LSU System president and chancellor William F. Tate IV visited LSU Eunice and provided a glimpse into his thinking.
July 18: 4-H’ers from across Acadia Parish converged on the Acadia Rice Arena for the Camp Grant Walker Traveling Road Show, enjoying such activities as arts and crafts, relay races, archery and throwing foam hatchets, line dancing, team building and various outdoor activities.
July 20: There was a change in personnel when the Acadia Parish Tourist Commission met as Lee Lawrence stepped down to make room for Crowley Tourism Director Valerie Myers.
July 21: Less than two hours into the historic veto override session, Louisiana state senators narrowly voted to overturn Gov. John Bel Edwards’ rejection of a bill prohibiting transgender students from participating in school girls’ sports.
July 22: Ongoing improvement/construction work at Supreme Rice Mill was changing the landscape along Mill Street.
July 23: The Rotary Club of Crowley welcomed Janie Morrison, the new Crowley Main Street Director, as their guest speaker.
July 25: Mayor Tim Monceaux announced the hiring of Shantel Alleman of Cecilia as City Clerk.
July 27: Gov. John Bel Edwards continued to encourage everyone, whether vaccinated or not, to wear masks indoors if they can’t stay distanced from others.
July 28: In anticipation of their upcoming Back to School Giveaway and Seminar, members of the National Association of University Women - Crowley Branch began collecting donations and organizing supplies.
July 29: During ground breaking ceremonies, city officials and members of the Rayne Volunteer Fire Department turned the first spade of dirt for the new fire substation in the 1100 block of The Boulevard.
July 30: A proposed 2022 budget was presented to Crowley Council members and a special meeting held to introduce the document and set a public hearing.
AUGUST
Aug. 1: Individuals with a genuine interest in community leadership, who desire to increase their own level of community involvement, and who wish to broaden their scope of knowledge beyond a particular field of expertise were being encouraged to participate in Leadership EXCEL.
Aug. 3: Gov. John Bel Edwards re-implemented the statewide mask mandate.
Aug. 4: Acadia Parish Registrar of Voters Billie J. Meyer urged voters to be aware that some voting precincts and polling locations had changed.
Aug. 5: Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development’s Division of Historic Preservation and Division of Archaeology awarded the City of Crowley a Historic Preservation Fund grant in the amount of $10,000.
Aug. 6: Rotary Club of Crowley welcomed Valencia Demuchest and Delana Prudhomme of Acadiana Hope and Wellness Center.
Aug. 8: The 84th International Rice Festival chose Sullivan Reese Rue as the Children’s Parade Grand Marshal.
Aug. 10: Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office Career Fair was postponed.
Aug. 11: The 84th International Rice Festival announced it would recognize Ethan Anthony Zaunbrecher as the 2021 Junior Farmer of the Year.
Aug. 12: A “Field of Sunshine” had sprung up along the eastern end of Rice Capital Parkway thanks to efforts of the Acadia Parish Tourist Commission.
Aug. 13: Work is underway by LDOTD to extend high-tension cable barriers along I-10 in Acadiana.
Aug. 15: The 84th International Rice Festival chose Ryan Trahan as the Grand Parade Grand Marshal, according to Gilles Piron, the 84th IRF President.
Aug. 17: Molly Jo Webb was selected as the 2021 Miss Crowley; Madison Claire Manuel was chosen as the 2021 Junior Miss Crowley; and Kendall Lynn Dommert was named the 2021 Teen Miss Crowley.
Aug. 18: The 84th International Rice Festival would recognize Phillip Lamartiniere as the 2021 Farmer of the Year.
Aug. 19: Crowley residents took to social media to express sticker shock over this month’s electricity bills.
Aug. 20: The opening of public schools went smoothly, according to Superintendent Scott Richard.
Aug. 22: The 84th International Rice Festival chose Adrianne Vidrine as the 2021 Honoree.
Aug. 24: Gilles Piron, 84th International Rice Festival president, and Amelia Vidrine Smith, artist, unveiled the official poster for the 2021 festival during ceremonies at the Rice Festival Building.
Aug. 25: Crowley High School English teacher Charlotte Cope was named the 2021-22 Acadia Parish High School Teacher of the Year.
Aug. 26: Officials with the Roberts Cove Germanfest decided to cancel this year’s celebration, traditionally held the first full weekend in October “due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases.”
Aug. 27: The Church Point Police Department was the recipient of 12 body armor vests donated by Bob Giles and the Giles Corporation.
Aug. 29: Plans continued moving forward for the Iota Fall Festival to be held at the Veterans Memorial Pavilion.
Aug. 31: Gov. John Bel Edwards received word that President Joe Biden approved his request for a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration due to the severe impacts of Hurricane Ida.
SEPTEMBER
Sept. 1: With only one amendment, the addition of a part-time secretary for the Crowley Fire Department, the city council unanimously adopted Mayor Tim Monceaux’s 2022 budget during a special meeting.
Sept. 2: Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser received the 2021 Recycling Impact Award during the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) meeting in Point Clear, Alabama.
Sept. 3: The numbers were in and the city’s districts – half of them – were off, forcing reapportionment.
Sept. 5: International Rice Festival Coordinator Shanna Monk told Crowley Rotarians that the 84th IRF, set for Oct. 14-17, is a “go.”
Sept. 7: Long-time Crowley residents likely experienced a feeling of deja vu when work on a new business in the historic downtown area uncovered the former store front of a main street staple — Petry’s Jewelry Store.
Sept. 8: This month at The Gallery, the Crowley Art Association was featuring the work of local artist Claire Doré.
Sept. 9: Announcement was made that Frank Foster, a country singer whose music is influenced by classic outlaw sounds as well as contemporary rock, would close out the musical entertainment at the 84th International Rice Festival.
Sept. 10: Approval of a pair of resolutions, one calling for the sale of $6 million in bonds to fund street repairs and one initiating the redrawing of district lines to reflect population shifts during the last 10 years, highlighted a brief meeting of the Crowley City Council.
Sept. 12: Sales tax and sewer user fee collections were up for 2021 as compared to the previous year, city council members learned during the September meeting.
Sept. 14: In solemn ceremonies held on the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks – four granite monuments were dedicated to the memory of 64 Crowley heroes who died while in active service. The project was spearheaded by Ann Mire.
Sept. 15: Reapportionment and mask mandates dominated discussion at the end of an otherwise brief meeting of the Acadia Parish School Board.
Sept. 16: The weekend Poker Run marked the official start of the “International Rice Festival Season” and events leading up to the Oct. 14-17 celebration in downtown Crowley.
Sept. 17: As part of the observance of National Assisted Living Week, Southwind Senior Living Suites hosted a number of special activities for residents this week, among them Hawaiian Luau Day of Tuesday. Residents were treated to snowballs from Isis Snowballs after a rousing game of balloon volleyball.
Sept. 19: As part of Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice John L. Weimer’s “Judges Imparting Knowledge, Education and Skills Task Force,” three local judges conducted civics classes for Acadia Parish high school students via live stream.
Sept. 21: The second International Rice Festival Rice & Gravy Cook-Off saw more than a dozen teams competing for bragging rights as a preliminary event for the Oct. 14-17 festival.
Sept. 22: There’s a lot more to being a police juror than mosquitoes and trash cans, Chance Henry, president of the Acadia Parish Police Jury, told members of the Crowley Lions Club.
Sept. 23: The Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office displayed equipment; the Crowley Art Association staged an arts-and-crafts area for youth; kids were able to get up close and personal with different animals in a petting zoo; and face painting stations gave kids a different look during Saturday’s Kid’s Day on Main Street event sponsored by the Crowley Main Street Program and the City of Crowley.
Sept. 24: September is National Rice Month, and the City of Crowley acknowledged it with a proclamation by Mayor Tim Monceaux.
Sept. 26: UL Lafayette softball coach Justin Robichaux, son of the late legendary Ragin’ Cajun baseball coach Tony Robichaux spoke to members of the Rotary Club of Crowley recently about finishing the book his dad had started writing.
Sept. 28: This year’s International Rice Festival Queen’s Ball and Honoree Social proved to be a fitting celebration of 83rd International Rice Festival Queen Jimi Joubert and this year’s honorees.
Sept. 29: By unanimous vote, with one absent, the Crowley City Council approved the annexation and rezoning of 4.307 acres of property along VFW Drive for economic development.
Sept. 30: Local attorney Jack Miller showed Crowley Rotarians the gold record his father, J.D. Miller earned for “It Wasn’t God Who Make Honky Tonk Angels” when he spoke to the club.
(Watch upcoming editions of The Post-Signal for highlights of the remaining three months of 2021 as seen through the pages of the newspaper.)