TECHE AREA’S TOP STORIES FOR 2018

Published 8:00 am Monday, December 31, 2018

It’s been quite a year in the Teche Area.

Iberia, St. Martin and St. Mary parishes all were hit with a number of interesting stories and developments in politics, business and the communities that comprise the area. We were here to report the good, the bad and the ugly for all of it, and an internal poll taken by The Daily Iberian staff has compiled the most significant stories of the year.

Like neighboring Louisiana areas, the Teche Area was hit with continuing economic decline, but the strength and support of members of the community have shown how adversity can lead to a stronger community.

There also were signs of optimism, such as new business development and changes made by local governments to adapt to the changing times. The Daily Iberian even underwent its own changes for the better.

Before listing the top 10, there were several stories deserving of honorable mentions. A total of 27 stories earned votes from our panel of 10 judges. Here are the ones that fell just short of cracking the Top 10.

Honorable mention: St. Martinville wreck kills three, including a girls hoops player and football player; Catholic High football returns to the Superdome; Iberia Parish Clerk of Court Mike Thibodeaux indicted; New Iberia man saves Magna Carta; Victor White lawsuit settlement remains sealed; Local singer Saasha Small appears on American Idol; NISH Honor Choir sings at Pearl Harbor; Public skatepark returns in New Iberia; Carey Laviolette takes over as IPSB Superintendent; Wildlife and Fisheries office closure in New Iberia; IPSB decides to close Dodson Elementary; Landmark Viator’s Drive-Inn closes its doors; Clementine’s reopens but then closes 8 months later; St. Edward church celebrates centennial; historic Mt. Carmel building put on market; Town of Baldwin issues (fiscal problems, mayor decides not to run); and monkey escapes from the New Iberia Research Center.

10. Plaque in New Iberia

Nov. 3 was an emotional day at Bouligny Plaza in New Iberia, when city officials and members of the Iberia African American Historical Society unveiled a plaque honoring one of New Iberia’s most notable former residents who never got their due.

Dr. Emma Wakefield-Paillet was the first recognized black woman to earn a medical degree not only in New Iberia, but in all of Louisiana.

Recognizing Wakefield and honoring her in the city’s public square took months of hard work from members of the IAAHS, and drivers down New Iberia’s Main Street can see the results easily as they pass in front of the plaza.

“She, like others, made a contribution to our community and we’re trying to bring them in,” IAAHS President Joseph Lockwood said at the event. “This is the first of many sites we hope to show off the contributions of other African-Americans.”

9. Showing Support for Curtis

A tragic vehicle accident that caused an 8-year-old boy to suffer brain damage touched the hearts of many in the Iberia Parish community.

But Curtis Davis’ smile in the face of the adversity, as well as the relentless efforts of his parents Brad and Adrienne Davis to help him through the ordeal also inspired the community.

A fundraising effort took place all throughout the early part of the year to help with Curtis’ rehab expenses, and the story showed how much the Teche Area can come together even in a tough economic climate.

8. Loreauville wins 2A baseball championship

The Loreauville High School baseball team won the first state championship in program history by rolling through the Class 2A playoffs without a loss. It also marked the first state title in any sport in school history.

The fifth-seeded Tigers opened the playoffs with a 17-0, five-inning win over Beekman Charter, then swept best-of-three series against Lake Arthur in the regional round and No. 4 seed DeQuincy in the quarterfinals before upsetting top seed Kinder 12-9 in the semifinals. A 12-5 comeback win over No. 3 Welsh in the championship game at McMurry Park in Sulphur.

7. The Daily Iberian Goes Through Redesign

The latter part of the year brought some significant changes for staff at The Daily Iberian, which included a complete redesign of the newspaper to focus more strongly on a community emphasis.

The effort involved giving the newspaper a modern look, adding more profiles featuring business, religious and cultural leaders in the community and providing more easily accessible ways to find out what’s happening in the Teche Area.

“All of these changes are things we believe you want to see,” Publisher Christina Pierce said at the time. “We know without a doubt that an informed community is a stronger community. Our mission remains the same — to strengthen the Teche Area by informing, connecting, and celebrating the community.  We sincerely hope you enjoy the changes and we are looking forward to any feedback you would like to share with us.”

6. Road Tax Fails

A longstanding problem made worse by a dwindling economy was finally addressed this year by the Iberia Parish Council, but the parish’s voters ultimately decided adding more money to Iberia Parish Government’s coffers wasn’t worth it.

The council passed an item for November’s ballot for a ¾-cent sales tax that would have gone to road repair and maintenance in Iberia Parish. IPG has no dedicated source of revenue to build or maintain roads, and in the past relied on the oil and gas industry to make up the difference when it came to roads.

The tax failed to pass, however. By the end of election night, 63 percent of area voters were against the new tax, and 37 percent voted for it. Dealing with a tight budget will likely be a continuing problem for the council and Parish President Larry Richard going into the new year. 

5. New Business

New Iberia residents had their fair share of optimism about local retail and restaurants in 2018, with several big-name businesses making their way into the city.

One of the most notable examples was in July, when it was finally announced that the site of the old K-Mart on Admiral Doyle Drive would be transformed into a Rouses supermarket and Hobby Lobby.

Also making its way into town was Captain D’s Seafood on Admiral Doyle Drive. Other prospective businesses, like Chick-Fil-A and the return of Kentucky Fried Chicken, have been rumored for months at this point. City officials remain optimistic that business will come and this is only the beginning.

4. St. Martinville Mayor/Council Split

It hasn’t exactly been the smoothest of transitions for newly-elected Mayor Melinda Mitchell.

The St. Martinville mayor was sworn in June 30, and since that time there have been more than a few struggles between Mitchell and the St. Martinville City Council.

Accusations that the mayor has removed agenda items requested by the council have been reported, along with a lack of information coming from the mayor’s office and even a physical threat Mitchell’s husband made to Councilman Craig Prosper.

Many of the tensions don’t seem to be resolved, and many are watching to see what happens with St. Martinville government in 2019.

3. Fremin’s Destroyed/Rebuilt

It was no doubt a hit to Iberia Parish when Fremin’s Food and Furniture was destroyed in a fire on March 9, but the Fremin family and members of the community all came together to preserve and revitalize one of the area’s oldest businesses.

The fire was caused by a would-be burglar who entered the building in September and exited through an industrial-sized exhaust fan in the wall of the furniture warehouse.

During exit or entry, the intruder bent a blade on the fan. On March 9, somebody turned the fan on. The bent blade hit the fan’s frame and stopped the motor from turning, which drew excessive amps and overheated the wires.

The blaze started in and was confined to the warehouse, where every piece of furniture and party rental equipment was destroyed. Water and smoke ruined the rest of the building.

But the Fremin family rebuilt, and with the help of the local community the store was up and running mere months later in September. Co-owner of Fremin’s Rayward Fremin said it best while the family was hard at work rebuilding in June.

“New Iberia’s a community that just takes care of itself,” he said.

2. Jeanerette Fiscal Administration

Years of built up tensions, problems and most importantly finance issues all culminated in Jeanerette on March 13, when a 16th Judicial District judge appointed David Greer as fiscal administrator for the town.

The appointment was put in motion earlier in the year when the Louisiana Audit Advisory Council unanimously passed a resolution for state takeover of Jeanerette finances. Fiscal administration is a seldom-used technique for the state to oversee a municipality’s finances when it determines municipal government is incapable of the task at hand.

Problems initially rose after years of Jeanerette government being unable to issue an audit for the Louisiana Legislative Auditor to review. When three audits were not produced for three years in a row, the advisory council initiated the fiscal administration.

Since then, Greer has been a mainstay at Jeanerette Board of Aldermen meetings, where he has attempted to give the Board of Aldermen an objective assessment of the fiscal problems the town is having.

Greer plans to stay until the job is done, but no one really knows how long that will be. 

1. New Iberia Police Department Back in Action

July 1, 2018 will most likely go down as one of the most historically important days in New Iberia history.

For the first time in 14 years, New Iberia police vehicles could be seen patrolling the streets of the city, and the optimism the NIPD has produced doesn’t seem to be going away.

The New Iberia Police Department was dissolved in 2004 for a variety of concerns, not least which included personnel and budgetary issues. Since then, the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office had taken over law enforcement duties for New Iberia on a contractual basis.

Mayor Freddie DeCourt and the New Iberia City Council put a stop to that however, after a half-cent sales tax was passed in 2017 to fund the re-creation of a city police force.

The department is comprised of Chief Todd D’Albor, a former Jennings police chief, and a staff that has experience that ranges from Louisiana State Police, New Orleans Police and the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office.

DeCourt and D’Albor have set themselves to task undoing the reputation New Iberia has received over the years as a haven for shootings and unsolved homicides. A philosophy of community policing has been the mantra for the NIPD, and how the police force affects crime, business development and community trust is on everyone’s minds going into 2019.