W hen-from the Teche News files
100 Years Ago February 6, 1926
Thursday morning employees of the Highway Commission, while getting ready to commence work, lighted a match to light a cigarette near a barrel of gasoline, which ignited and exploded, the noise was heard all over town. Fortunately the barrel was outside and no one was hurt.
February came in with nice cool weather and bright sunshine, the farming interest is in much need of good dry weather to prepare their land, as the early planting season is upon us, and very little fieid work has been done thus far, for lack of favorable weather. With a few days of fair weather the fields will show much activity, as we expect to see more diversification of crops this season than ever before.
Reports were made that shipments of sweet potatoes from this parish jumped from seven cars in 1924 to 100 cars last season.
The Society of the Children of Mary presented a statue of St. Theresa to St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Breaux Bridge during an expressive ceremony.
50 Years Ago
February 4, 1976
Crawfish Queen Leah Barron represented the Crawfish Festival Association at the Louisiana Mardi Gras Ball in Washington, D.C. along with other Louisiana queens and dignitaries. During her three-day stay in the nation’s capital, Miss Barron was presented to President Gerald Ford.
Elton “Bee” Cormier and Father Albert Nunez listened to the newly released album “Cajun Heritage” a Bicentennial project they hoped would help perpetuate not only the language of the Acadians, but their heritage, and their traditional faith in God. The eleven hymns are sung in French by Father Albert Nunez. The front cover featured a precious painting of the Old Our Lady of Scared Heart Church in Church Point as it appeared 50 years ago.
Students with the St. Martin Parish Career Center began working on the renovation of the second floor of the Breaux Bridge City Hall. When the project is completed, the area will be used a judge’s chamber and court room.
Members of the junior varsity squad of the St. Martinville Sr. High basketball team included Paulma James, Anthony Mitchell, David Savoy, Carl Mitchell, Keith Daigle, Michael Francis, Farriel Narcisse, Morris Simon, Donald Normand and Wilbert Woodford.
40 Years Ago
February 5, 1986
The St. Martin Parish Police Jury took under study a proposal by a Slidell firm to install and operate a solid waste incineration plant in St. Martin Parish.
The board of directors of the SMILE Community Action Agency elected Alvin Wiltz of Breaux Bridge as its chairman.
Winter Festival court members at St. Martinville Sr. High were Gina Burkhalter, Darlene Duplantis, Winnie Robertson, Wanda Porter, Karen Robertson, Felicite Leon, Paula Theriot, Cassandra Leon and Deidre Williams.
Jennifer Lancon and Chris Durand reigned as queen and king of the St. Martinville Lioness Club’s Children’s Carnival.
Senior maids on the St. Martinville Rotary Club court were Laura Eisenstein, Darnell Serette, Kim Inzerella and Rita Touchet. Junior maids were Rebecca Stockstill, Sandy Robin and Virginia Mire.
Officials of the state Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced that a proposed solid waste landfill site between Cade and St. Martinville appeared to be an acceptable location and that a full review of the application would continue.
Acadian Ambulance attendants transfered a 39-year-old St. Martinville woman into an AirMed helicopter in the parking lot of Our Lady of Lourdes - St. Martin. It was the first time a patient was airlifted from Lourdes St. Martin and traffic on Main Street was briefly blocked while the helicopter made its landing and takeoff.
25 Years Ago February 7, 2001
St. Martin Parish school board members had six names to consider when selecting a new superintendent. The list of candidates included Eddie Cormier, Valerie Haaga, Charlene LeBlanc, Dianne Olivier and Laura Turpeau.
A new pay plan approved by the St. Martinville city council gave all but four of 25 St. Martinville Police Department employees raises effective with their next paycheck. The raises cost the city about an extra $24,000 per year.
An official with the J. B. Talley Construction Co., a 50 year-old company, announced the rrm was quitting the road construction business.
Bids for the widening of Rees Street in Breaux Bridge were opened. The cost of the project was expected to run more than $5 million and involved the widening of Rees Street/La. 328 from two to vve lanes from I-10 south to Refinery Road/La. 336-2. Construction time was estimated at 18 to 24 months.
