From Pages Past

By Donna Culotta

90 Years Ago

From our Oct. 12, 1935 edition

Cliff E. Laborde, Avoyelles Parish Superintendent of Education, announced as a candidate for Congress from the Eighth District.
L. P. Morrow, Justice of the Peace for the Second Ward, died of a heart attack.

A grand time was reported at the Tuesday Evening Bridge Club at the residence of Mrs. Germaine Bordelon.
Mrs. Leon P. Escude died at the age of 75 in her home in Mansura.

The J.M. Barham and Cash Bargain Annex in Marksville held a removal sale.
A new department store was under construction.

80 Years Ago

From our Oct. 13, 1945 edition

Mr. Felix Laborde, president of the Mansura State Bank, attended a meeting of the Louisiana Bankers Association.
Wade O. Martin, Public Service Commissioner from the Second District, reported that a reduction in gas rates would be enforced.

Service Men’s Welfare Council of Louisiana made Congressman Jimmie Morrison their first honorary member.

Senator H. Alva Brumfield announced the arrangements for a series of public hearings to be conducted by the Louisiana Revenue Code Commission.

Funeral services were held for Thomas L. Nolin.

70 Years Ago

From our Oct. 15, 1955 edition

Donna Lee Dupuy from Cottonport High School and the state treasurer of the Future Homemakers of America, participated in the state meeting in Alexandria.

Carol Moncla represented Avoyelles Parish in the Annual Cenla Fair Football Court.

Senator Russell Long denounced the sugar cane acreage cuts, which amounted to an average of 12%.

Volunteers met with Boy Scout leaders for a Kick-off Coffee at Marksville High School cafeteria. Douglas Moreau and Raymond Laborde met with the group of volunteers.

Frances and Terry Villemarette of Marksville were recruited by mail to play in the FFA Band at the 28th Annual FFA Convention in Kansas City.

60 Years Ago

From our Oct. 14, 1965 edition

Mrs. Douglas Moreau was appointed to fill the vacancy left by the death of her husband in the Avoyelles Parish Assessor’s Office.
Marksville Mayor Raymond Laborde underwent successful surgery for the removal of gall stones.

Nelson Bordelon, a Junior 4-H member, was elected to represent Louisiana in the National Sweet Potato Marketing and Production Contest.

Employees of the Police Jury received a 10 cent hourly pay increase.

Mrs. Benton Ducote of Cottonport scored the highest in the Central Southwest District for Dress Revue and represented Avoyelles on the state level. She was proclaimed one of the three top dress makers in the state.

50 Years Ago

From our Oct. 12, 1975 edition

Arnold Bordelon, secretary/treasurer of the Police Jury, announced his resignation. He planned to engage in the insurance business in the future.

The Nicholas Jeansonne home in Moreauville was one of the homes featured on the Allons au Avoyelles Home Tour.

Marksville Mayor Andre Coco and the town council recalled the 1% sales tax election.

Matt Bordelon was re-elected Bunkie High FBLA president.

40 Years Ago

From our Oct. 11, 1985 edition

The Avoyelles Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution honored Mrs. Viola Joffrion Porterie.
The school board restored the teachers’ pay cut.
The E.M. Michel home in Marksville was verified as one of the displayed homes on the Avoyelles Tour of Homes.

Dauzat Farms, owned by Dyrel Dauzat of Marksville, became a lifetime member of the American Simmental Association.

30 Years Ago

From our Oct. 12, 1995 edition

Kindergarten and pre-K students at Marksville Elementary School were taught how to escape a fire by Donna Ledet, a member of the Marksville Volunteer Firemen Ladies Auxiliary.

Earl Barbry, Randy DeCuir, and Craig Couvillion were named to the Zachary Taylor Parkway Association.

In district opener games, all three Avoyelles high schools were defeated.

Henry A. Gremillion, DDS, originally of Cottonport, received the Academy of General Dentistry’s prestigious Mastership Award in Baltimore at the National Convention.

20 Years Ago

From our Oct. 13, 2005 edition

Fisheries Biologist Manager Jody David with WLF reported fish kills due to Hurricane Rita in bayous and backwaters.

The Marksville town council voted to purchase two 8-inch self-priming pumps with flow meters for the sewer department to help with over-usage due to hurricane evacuees in Marksville.

Hurricane Rita caused critical water problems in Hessmer due to a power outage reducing pumping power for potable water.

FEMA sent portable housing to Cenla for Hurricane Katrina and Rita survivors staying temporarily in the area.

Deandra Johnson was arrested in Santa Monica, California under suspicion of second degree murder stemming from an incident in Hessmer in 2004.

Fall fairs were abundant with good food and fun games.
Those who were attending or volunteering were:
Amanda Newton, St. Joe School fair; Marsella Turner, Louise Pierre, Cerice Antoine, and Effie James, Our Lady of Prompt Succor Church fair; Lou Buckley, Rayne Ducote, Whitney Joffrion, St. Francis de Sales Church fair.

10 Years Ago

From our Oct. 12, 2015 edition

Stanley Celestine, Jr. of Cottonport and a junior at LaSAS was named one of “Cenla’s Super Youth” by Cenla Focus magazine.

Incumbent Doug Anderson along with John Johnson and Eddie Andrus, candidates for Avoyelles Parish Sheriff, participated in a forum and answered questions concerning the office and its challenges.

Cleco, with its origins in Bunkie, was nearing the final stages for approval to sell to a Canada-based investment company.

Avoyelles native and Marksville High graduate Stacy Lynn Roszell drowned in 20 feet of water at the Woodworth recreational area.