W atchman DEMOCRAT
The
THE ST. FRANCISVILLE
ADVOCATE EXTRA THE
SERVING THE PARISHES OF EAST FELICIANA, WEST FELICIANA AND ST. HELENA THEADVOCATE.COM
1st Year, No. 10
THURSDAY
DECEMBER 11, 2014 H $1.00
Advocate staff photo by STEPHANIE WARREN
St. Helena Parish Veterans Affairs Office new service officer Ken Marcantel assists all veterans in St. Helena Parish.
Greensburg gets new veterans service officer BY STEPHANIE WARREN
swarren@theadvocate.com
The St. Helena Parish Veterans Affairs Office in Greensburg recently welcomed new service officer Ken Marcantel. Marcantel, a retired Navy cryptologist, whose military career spanned more than 22 years before his retirement in 2011, served as one of the top cryptologists at the Pentagon. St. Helena Parish has a veteran population of 804, according to the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs. These veterans received $1.5 million in VA compensation and pension benefits, Marcantel said. “With this program that the state’s got, there’s an office in all 64 parishes, which allows more services to the veterans, and I am honored to help them,” he said. “I will help the veterans and their families to identify what evidence is needed to have the best possible chance of having a claim approved.” Marcantel said he monitors each claim through the development process and intercedes if problems arise. He said if a claim is denied by the VA and the veteran disagrees with the VA’s decision, he will help the veteran through the appeal process. Marcantel also serves veterans in Livingston Parish. Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Communications Director Robin Keller said LDVA’s mission is to provide the best comprehensive care and quality service to Louisiana’s veterans and their families. In addition to the comprehensive care and quality services provided, Marcantel said the LDVA has five veterans homes across the state, including one in Jackson. The homes specialize in long-term care, rehabilitative therapies, Alzheimer’s and intermediate care, skilled nursing, mental health services and more, he said. The Veterans Affairs Office in St. Helena Parish, 53 N. Second St., Greensburg, is open from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays. For information call (225) 222-6202 or email ken.marcantel@vetaffairs.la.gov.
INSIDE East Feliciana............3G West Feliciana...........2G St. Helena .................5G Crossword .................2H Sports .......................1H
Advocate photos by HOWARD ARCENEAUX
Members of the St. Francisville United Methodist Church roll through downtown Dec. 7 in the St. Francisville Christmas parade.
Christmas in the Country
BY HOWARD ARCENEAUX
Special to the Advocate
Ava Belle Cathey, 4, of Central, is captivated by a camel in Parker Park at St. Francisville’s Christmas in the Country festival.
Visitors and locals took advantage of uncharacteristically warm weather for the annual Christmas in the Country weekend celebration Dec. 5-7 in St. Francisville. Mayor Billy D’Aquilla lit the town’s Christmas tree and hosted a reception and fireworks display Friday. Later, a Christmas concert and dessert reception featuring the Baton Rouge Symphony was hosted by Hemingbough. The annual Breakfast with St. Nick at Jackson Hall was hosted by the Women’s Service League, beginning Saturday’s full schedule of activities. Among the highlights were the art walk, musical performances and a host of activities in Parker Park including music, food and plenty of homemade arts and crafts. The Friends of the Library showcased its tour of homes, Oakley Plantation featured a colonial Christmas with cooking demonstrations and candlelight tours and First Baptist Church offered a live nativity. Events Sunday culminated with the town’s annual Christmas parade along Ferdinand and Commerce streets with grand marshal J.J. Walker and special guest, gospel singer LaRicka Rayford.
Joe Dardard, of the United Houma Nation, greets, from back, Hallie Hand, 7, Edyn Stilley, 5, Adley Hand, 4, and Rayne Stilley, 21/2.
Voters give School Board president fifth term East Feliciana
Bradford
BY JAMES MINTON
Special to The Advocate CLINTON — East Feliciana Parish School Board President Michael Ray Bradford won his fifth term in office in Saturday’s runoff election, joining seven other incumbent board members re-elected during qualifying or in the Nov. 4 primary. Bradford, who was first elected as one of the Clinton area’s three members in 1998, defeated former board
member Chris Rouchon with 1,287 votes to Rouchon’s 981, according to unofficial tallies announced Saturday night by the Secretary of State’s Office. Although the parish’s school performance scores have improved in the last four years and the district operated with a surplus last school year, the new and returning School Board members may have to make decisions early next year to address declining enrollments and the re-
sulting loss of state funding. In addition to Bradford, the returning incumbents are Melvin Hollins, Broderick Brooks, Mitch Harrell, Beth Dawson, Rhonda Matthews, Richard Terrell and Paul Kent. J. Curtis Jelks, a former board member, also won a term in the Nov. 4 election and will join newcomers Tim Corcoran, Derald Spears and Joyce Kent on the 12-member board.
Bradford said he plans to seek re-election as the board’s president when the new term begins in January. “I’d like to thank God, my wife, Loretta, who was my campaign manager, and all of my supporters,” Bradford said after the polls closed. He said he also thanks the people who voted for his opponent for taking an interest in the school system. äSee SCHOOL BOARD, page 3G
Oil Changes, Brakes, Alignments, Check Engine Lights, A/C Repairs, Shocks, Struts, Tires