YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER LAROSE, LA thelafourchegazette.com
Wednesday, October 18, 2017
Garza named French Food Festival Grand Marshal XL
There have been many men in the community that have held the honor of being named French Food F e s t i v a l Grand Marshal, following in the lines of this great tradition of civic minded, generous and supportive Garza contributors, we are proud to name Mr. Jose Garza as festival Grand Marshal XL. Jose is a native of Texas and long time resident of Bayou Lafourche. He moved with his family to Golden Meadow around the time he began public school, later moving to Larose where he still resides. Jose is the son of the late Jose, Sr. and Rosa Garza. He grew up with many siblings, some of which still help in his festival booth, or by baking cakes or selling tickets as part of French Food Festival’s important volunteer corps. His siblings are Paula Garza, George Garza, Xavier Garza, GG Garza, Rosa Garza, Ragin Dawson and the late Myrna Garza. Jose and Becky are the proud uncle and aunt to many nieces and nephews in their large family. He is a 1976 graduate of South Lafourche High School and has been employed since by Latelco, which is now Vision Communications. Jose has few hobbies but loves them all fiercely…they include hunting, fishing and helping in all things Larose Civic Center. Some of Jose’s many roles at the center included See Garza Page 3-A
MEETINGS WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18 VFW POST 8538 & AUX. 6:30 p.m. VFW Avenue - Larose (Behind LCO) THURSDAY, OCT. 19 SPECIAL ED. DIST. #1 12-Noon 5510 W. 55th St. Cut Off
VETERANS MEMORIAL DISTRICT, WARD 10 5:00 p.m. 16937 Hwy. 3235 - Galliano BAYOU FELLOWSHIP 7:00 p.m. E. 93rd St. - Galliano
INSIDE
Bid Notice...............................8-A Calendar of Events................2-A
Arrest......................................8-A
Classifieds................................7-A Lottery.....................................2-A Legal Advertisement...............8-A
Memorials...............................7-A
News in Brief...........................2-A
Obituaries...............................7-A
CASA of Lafourche proudly presents
SERVING: MATHEWS • GHEENS • LOCKPORT • VALENTINE • LAROSE CUT OFF • GALLIANO • GOLDEN MEADOW • LEEVILLE • GRAND ISLE
VOLUME 52 NUMBER 6
Several Lafourche Parish races decided By BRIDGET MIRE Daily Comet Staff Writer
Photo by Babs
In spite of the recent threat of Hurricane Nate, the “La Fete des Vieux Temps”, or Festival of Old Times, went on as planned on the grounds of the Lafourche Parish Tourist Center in Raceland earlier this month. Glover Chiasson and Francis Plaisance cook up a batch of sugar cane syrup while Julie Sapia and Annette Bourgeois look on.
Voters approve two constitutional amendments By BRIDGET MIRE, Daily Comet Staff Writer
Louisiana voters approved two state constitutional amendments dealing with property tax exemptions and one to dedicate money from any new gasoline tax to transportation and infrastructure. Here are the complete but unofficial results of Saturday’s elections: Amendment 1 — Passed This amendment adds property tax exemption for projects under construction. The exemption applies to commercial and residential sites. According to the nonpartisan Council for a Better Louisiana, new construction has traditionally been exempt from property taxes until
work is completed. However, the state Constitution was previously silent on the issue, the council says. Statewide: Voters cast 266,133 ballots (66 percent) in favor and 139,549 (34 percent) against. Of the state’s almost 3 million voters, 13.6 percent cast ballots on the measure. Lafourche: Parish voters passed the measure 5,920 (71 percent) to 2,449 (29 percent). About 14.3 percent of the parish’s 58,502 voters cast ballots. Amendment 2 — Passed This amendment adds a property tax exemption for surviving spouses of first responders killed in the line of duty.
Voters on Saturday elected a new Lockport police chief and renewed a property tax to benefit the North Lafourche Levee District. They also elected a port commissioner and south Lafourche justice of the peace. For Lockport Police chief, voters elected interim chief David Harrelson Jr. Voters elected Curtis “Tompuss” Pierce, of Galliano, to the Greater Lafourche Port Commission’s Division E seat. They also elected Martin Wade, of Galliano, as justice of the peace for District 4. Here are the complete but unofficial results of Saturday’s elections: Lockport Police Chief Democrat Harrelson received 406 votes (59 percent). He defeated Democrats Ernest Boudreaux Sr., who received 203 votes (30 percent), and Chester Douglas, who received 74 votes (11 percent). Of the town’s 1,564 registered voters, 43.7 percent cast ballots. Former Chief Warren Vedros Sr. resigned in June after an indictment on eight felony charges. Harrelson will complete Vedros’ four-year term, which expires Dec. 31, 2020. Greater Lafourche Port Commission Republican Pierce won with 1,237 votes (53 percent). He beat Republican Jimmy “T-Jim” Lafont, who received 1,102 votes (47 percent). Of 11,938 eligible voters, 19.6 percent cast ballots. The seat was left vacant after Wilbert Collins Sr. died in May. Pierce will complete Collins’ six-year term, which expires Dec. 31, 2018. Justice of the Peace, District 4 Libertarian Wade received 1,377 votes (62 percent). He defeated Democrat Stacy Hernandez, who received 860 votes (38 percent). Of the district’s 11,938 registered voters, 18.7 percent cast ballots. See Results Page 3-A
Pushing Paddles
See Votes Page 3-A
Flight to Freedom- Domestic Violence Vigil to remember victims and honor survivors By HOLLY MCKEON Contributing Writer
Millions of household members fall prey to violence every single day, with many going unreported to authorities. Alarmingly, every minute nearly twenty people endure physical abuse by their partner, which equals out to more than ten million women and men yearly. The National Network to End Domestic Violence reports that on a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide. Violence in the home affects everyone within its confines regardless if the abuser is committing acts of violence towards one person. The National Survey of Children’s Exposure to Violence reflects one in fifteen children exposed to violent acts. Moreover, 90 percent of those children exposed to domestic violence, saw the deviant act, as opposed to hearing it or other indirect forms of exposure. In 2016, the Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office answered 1,335 do-
mestic violence-related calls with 825 protective orders issued to victims of domestic violence who were seeking protection from their perpetrator. To bring awareness to domestic violence, The Pact Place will hold their fifth annual vigil, which will include the release of “butterflies for peace” on Tuesday, October 24th at the Lafourche Central Market in Raceland. Pam Guedry, PACT’s Program Director, said, “The purpose of the Butterflies of Hope, Flight to Freedom event is to honor the memory of those victims who died because of domestic violence. We will also honor victims who are surviving every day in their homes of violence, and celebrate the survivors who have left the abuse and are now living violence free.” Pam went on to explain, “The release of the butterflies is almost symbolic of the struggle survivors of domestic violence go through to break free from their cocoon of violence. It is a symbol of the transformation and hope.” See Vigil Page 3-A
Photo by Babs
Paddlers make their way “down the bayou” Saturday during the Sixth Annual Pushing Paddles for a Cure event benefitting the Muscular Dystrophy Association. The event began at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church and culminated at the Cut Off Youth Center were visitors and paddlers alike enjoyed live music, food, games and a good time. Organizers hope to do more events throughout the year to raise money in the hopes of finding a cure for MDA. Pictured is Owen Gautreaux, age 5, who enjoyed watching the paddles.
October 21, 2017 •
Cut Off Youth Center at 3pm
Categories:
• BEST GRILLED • BEST FRIED • BEST OVER RICE • BEST ON WHITE BREAD • BEST DESSERT
Benefitting CASA of Lafourche, a Nonprofit Organization That Advocates For Children In Foster Care From Lafourche Parish
To register call CASA of Lafourche at 985-446-6600 or visit casaoflafourche.org