Avoyelles Pages Past

By Donna Culotta & Abi Guillot

90 Years Ago

From our March 7, 1936 editions
G. Vic Saucier of Marksville was elected Avoyelles Parish Sheriff.
Miss Doris Smith, Avoyelles Home Demonstration Agent, announced that handsewn children’s clothing would be on display.
Bennett Edwards, Albert Gremillion and A.A. Janet were all elected as Justices of the Peace.
Five oil wells were scheduled to be drilled in Marksville.
Avoyelles County Agent F.A. Swan was in attendance at the Alexandria Soy Bean Conference.

80 Years Ago

From our March 9, 1946 editions
Joe Panichella and Herman Mayeux opened a veteran’s clothing store.
Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Saucier announced the arrival of their daughter, Sarah Louise.
Ray Villemarette was elected treasurer of the Tulane Veteran’s Association.

70 Years Ago

From our March 10, 1956 editions
Bordelonville 4-H member P.J. Laborde won Reserve Grand Champion at the State Livestock Show.
Charles M. Keller of Bunkie and B. Clyde Bennett Jr. of Marksville were elected to the Avoyelles Democratic Executive Committee as chairman and secretary respectively.
George Alice Cayer of Marksville was one of the five girls nominated for Queen of the College of Engineering at LSU.
Avoyelles County Agent Kermit Ducote declared that using heavier fertilizer and closer spacing were two practices that would help a higher corn yield.
Charlotte Edwards was selected as the first place winner in the Marksville American Legion Essay Contest.

Nine members of Bunkie Chapter, Future Farmers of America, spoke in an elimination contest in the Bunkie Elementary School auditorium when six were chosen as a team to represent Bunkie Chapter in a parish-wide parliamentary law contest to be held in Marksville.
The team chosen includes:
- Danny Harvey
- Don McCann
- Dickie Mantiply
- Ralph Newman Jr.
- Bruce Stagg
- Mickie Hunt

Alternates:
- Skipper Luke
- W.A. Quirk
- Pa McCoy

60 Years Ago

From our March 10, 1966 editions
Peter Abate of Hessmer served as king of a New Orleans Mardi Gras float.
Foster J. Bordelon announced his candidacy for Marksville alderman.
Mansura Mayor Kirby Roy announced the Mansura Streets would be repaired and blacktopped.
The Bordelonville High School Longhorns posted a remarkable basketball season.
Mavor Warren Constant met with the nuns of St. Anthony Catholic School, Sister Ida, Sister Protasis, Sister Rita Margaret and the principal of the school, Sister Rita Marie, who were honored "Sisters of Divine Providence Day."

50 Years Ago

From our March 11, 1976 editions
The police jury was concerned with the rising ambulance costs.
Marksville Mayor Andre Coco and the town council authorized the digging of a new water well.
Mrs. Warren Laborde of Hessmer, a representative of the D.A.V. Chapter had a chance to shake hands with President Gerald Ford.
Michael Callegari, Ray Dauzat and Herman Guillory were all accepted into the Spring Bayou Bass Club.
Billy Masling of Marksville was appointed to a committee of the Louisiana Teachers Association.
Eighty percent of the 120 members of the Bunk Chamber of Commerce answered a poll concerning their wishes as to location of a north/south highway and 90 percent of those want the road as close to Bunk as possible.

40 Years Ago

From our March 13, 1986 editions
Ksenija Gagic, of Marksville and the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Predrag Gagic, placed among the finalists in an essay contest sponsored by the Louisiana Historical Society.
Dr. F. P. Bordelon was named Avoyellean of the Year.
Mr. and Mrs. Edison Moreau of Cottonport celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Noelle Moreau won the regional Free Throw Contest and advanced to the state competition.
Sue Eakin's Louisiana history was published in January. "Louisiana: The Land and Its People" the result of 20 years of research has been adopted by the Avoyelles School Board for use in the parish's eighth grade classrooms. The book was co-authored by Mrs. Eakin and her sister, Manie Culbertson of Shreveport.

30 Years Ago

From our March 7, 1996 editions
Alisha Nilsen and Brian Brouillette, students at Marksville High School, were selected to attend the Freedom Foundation Seminar at Valley Forge, Pa.
Leslie Kaylo, a senior at St. Joseph High School, was selected as a Community Hero Torchbearer for the 1996 Olympic Torch Relay that began in Los Angeles and would end in Atlanta, the site of the 1996 Olympics.
Raymond Laborde, former Commissioner of Administration, was presented a plaque from the Avoyelles Parish Mayors Association, for his many years of service to the communities of Avoyelles.
Joe Price was crowned Mardi Gras king and Velma Chesne was named Mardi Gras queen at Bayou Chateau Nursing Home in Simmesport.

20 Years Ago

From our March 9, 2006 editions
A new Bunkie company could create hundreds of jobs over the years, it was announced by USI Industrial of Kansas City, Missouri. The public utility company was getting into the oil and gas business by doing turnaround work at refineries.
Christine Williams, Victor Mose and Barbara Perry, all classmates and grads of Marksville High, were promoted to Army Master Sergeants.
Seen at the Simmesport Mardi Gras parade were:
- Bill and Margie Maddie
- Sandra Price
- Patty Navarre
- Lula Couvillion
- John Olinde
- Ethel Bordelon

10 Years Ago

From our March 10, 2016 editions
Farmers pumping water out of Spring Bayou have created a problem for homeowners and sportsman because the water has reached an extremely low level.
Ronald Coco of Moreauville was presented The Todd Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award by the La. Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries in recognition of his work with youth in Hunter Education.
Kindergarten students at Sacred Heart School portrayed bishops, priests and sisters in the processional of the Mass celebrating the opening of Catholic School Week.