Avoyelles Pages Past

By Donna Culotta

90 Years Ago

From our May 9, 1936 editions

Narcis Couvillion was appointed registrar by the Avoyelles Parish Police Jury.

Cottonport was preparing for a very competitive election for mayor. The candidates were Dr. A.L. Bordelon and Henry A. Gauthier.

Cottonport High School won four silver cups in the parish rally. The boys won the softball and tennis competitions and the girls were victors in volleyball and relay.

Gil Browning of Marksville celebrated his fourth birthday.

80 Years Ago

From our May 11, 1946 editions

James Guinn, who was born and raised in Bunkie, returned home for a short visit with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.G. Guinn. James had been touring with the Denny Beckner orchestra.

The Southern University Negro Choir performed in Bunkie.

The Marksville Garden Club celebrated its tenth anniversary at the home of W.F. Couvillion.

Presentation Catholic School held its May Festival. Gov. Jimmie Davis promised a new bridge at Moncla. Joseph L. Daigle, parish administrative officer, announced that the price of Irish potatoes would be increased 15 cents per hundred pounds.

70 Years Ago

From our May 12, 1956 editions

Sheriff J.W. Jeansonne accepted the post of state banking commissioner.

Hays Dorgant of Mansura was elected and initiated as a member of the Phi Delta Kappa and the Kappa Delta Phi at LSU.

Larma Robert Marcotte, Jr. of Plaucheville received his commission as a second lieutenant in the ROTC unit at Southwestern La. Institute.

Miss Annie Giglio and members of the Bunkie High School graduating class were honored by Mr. and Mrs. Don Roy with a buffet supper at the Lewis Roy camp.

Col. Henry O. Bordelon was named wing commander at an Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas.

Mrs. Spencer DeCuir and Mrs. Murrell Wellman represented the Avoyelles Home Demonstration Club at the state meet.

First place winners in the 4-H Public Speaking Contest were: - Janelle Ducote - Suzanne Doty - Ronald Chatelain - Maxwell Bordelon

60 Years Ago

From our May 12, 1966 editions

Bunkie High School Girls State delegates were: - Susan Richie - Sheryl Thayer - Mary Williams

Pam Armand of Bordelonville was elected president of the police jury.

Ira Schwartzenburg was honored by the Marksville Knights of Columbus.

Janice Neck was selected as valedictorian of Mansura High School and Anna Dubroc was valedictorian at Fifth Ward High.

Russell Bordelon was elected Bordelonville High FFA president.

Neil Bordelon won first place in geometry at state rally.

Vincent Palermo, 29 of Bunkie, was named athletic director, head football coach and track coach at Jeanerette High School.

50 Years Ago

From our May 13, 1976 editions

Donna Hines from Bunkie High School won first place at the Central Southwestern Area Egg Cooking Contest.

Delores Deloach of Effie and Diane Lena of Bunkie received their degree from NLU.

Doug Newton captured three awards at the Bunkie High School FFA Award Banquet.

Former Marksville resident, Kent Lachney, won the Mr. Future Business Executive Award for 1976.

40 Years Ago

From our May 15, 1986 editions

Baccalaureate services for Bunkie High were on May 18 with guest speakers Rev. L. Sampson of the Salem Baptist Church and Rev. J.B. Huffmeister of Eola.

Charlotte Chatelain of Mansura was elected to the student senate of the USL Student Government Association.

Roxanne St. Romain, Tiffany Ritchie and Danielle Melancon were the winners in the Arts and Humanities Council “Search For Talent Show.”

30 Years Ago

From our May 9, 1996 editions

Funeral services were held for Jules Moreau, Marksville’s oldest active businessman. Moreau was 89 and had operated a cleaning business since the 1920’s.

Bunkie rural residents got a boost in fire protection with the installation of “dry hydrants,” that pulled water from local ponds, bayous and creeks to fight fire.

Ted Normand, a native of Hessmer, and a businessman in San Francisco, provided the Weekly News with photos of Coureival, France, hometown of the Gremillion family.

The Bunkie High golf team placed fourth in the state for the first time in school history. Members were: - Dexter Steele - Perry Welch - Blake Pujol - Nick Lacombe - Lance Reed - Taylor Riche

Chloe Wiley, Ashlyn Loughman, Hannah Farrington, and Kelsey Lemoine participated in the 4-H Egg Cookery Contest at the Alexandria Mall.

20 Years Ago

From our May 11, 2006 editions

Citing differences over Canadaville, Simmesport Mayor James “Boo” Fontenot resigned during the town’s council meeting, which was completed by Mayor Pro Tempore Pete Guillot.

Stacey Gaspard, third baseman for the Bunkie Lady Panthers Softball team, signed a scholarship with LSU-Eunice.

Students at Louisiana College from Bunkie who were awarded at Honors Convocation were: - Amy Morrow - Ben Kojis

Firemen from eight fire departments battled a house blaze for over an hour in Cottonport. Albert and Rose Duplechin were living in the house but not home.

David Holsomback of Evergreen was the winner in the Cochon de Lait festival Poster Contest.

Elizabeth Newton and Kelsey Lee, doubles partners and members of the Bunkie High tennis team, defeated Bolton High School to win the Class-AAA Championship.

10 Years Ago

From our May 12, 2016 editions

Joshua Frank, 19 of Marksville, was pronounced dead at the scene after hitting a school bus head-on. Frank’s vehicle crossed the center line on Hwy 107 for unknown reasons.

A state senate committee was scheduled to hear a bill to change the member structure of the Avoyelles Port Commission sponsored by Rep. Robert Johnson.

The proposed Red River Charter School application for Mansura was nixed for the third time by the school board.