Looking Back: January 1989, 1999, and 2009

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January 1, 1989
• After 20 years as a flight instructor, Dr. Frank Anders has finally reached the end of the runway, receiving the last flight instructor rating possible. “I’ve been a flight instructor for 20 years now. The last rating that I got was the last one available,” Anders explained.
According to the National Association of Flight Instructors, Anders is one of 12 people who have all possible flight instructor ratings. “In the aviation world, it’s quite an accomplishment for me. I didn’t just go somewhere and get the ratings for the sake of having them. I have owned and operated and taught professionally in those capacities,” Anders continued.
With his final rating, Anders is qualified to teach in single or multi-engine airplanes, land or sea and teach instrument training in single or multi-engine land or sea airplanes and to teach in helicopters, gliders and gyroplanes, and to teach instrument flying in helicopters.

January 5, 1989
• The Chataignier council Monday night approved municipal elections on April 1 for the offices of mayor, councilmen, and chief of police.
Because of an earlier ordinance adopted by the village council to hold this type of election at the same time as that of Senator, those elected in the April 1989 election will serve a term of five and a half years instead of the standard four year term.
• Stipulations seem to be the “name of the game” for the Mamou City Council as members tried to work out a reasonable offer to generate jobs in the town through the opening of Quicknaut, a German assembly plant, whose owner has expressed an interest in relocating here.
The German firm, owned by Terry Larson of Eunice, assembles parts for maritime engines. Larson expressed interest in basing the company in Mamou during a special session last Thursday, Dec. 29, and the council agreed to look into the situation.
Because this endeavor would require the town to purchase a building to house the company, the mayor and council are looking for ways to avoid risking the taxpayers’ money; therefore, setting conditions on the purchase of the building, pending the opening of the company.

January 12, 1989
• Evangeline Parish officials are uncertain when repairs can be made on a bridge which collapsed Saturday morning tumbling a pickup truck and its two passenger approximately 25 feet into Cocodrie Bayou.
Clayton F. McDowell and his son, Tim, of Boyce were treated for multiple cuts and injuries at Humana Hospital-Oakdale. A spokesman there said the father and son were stabilized and released from the hospital on Saturday.
Evangeline Parish officials are investigating whether or not the bridge was weakened by heavy log truck traffic over the wooden bridge in the northwestern corner of Ward 4, approximately 200 yards from the Rapides Parish border on Parish Road 4-21.

January 15, 1989
• From Jan. 17 to 21, Luke Fontenot of Ville Platte will join approximately 500 outstanding high school students from across the country to experience the presidential inauguration of George Bush in both an educational and civic contest through the 1989 Youth Inaugural Conference sponsored by the Congressional Youth Leadership Council.
The senior at Scared Heart High School was selected by Principal Larry Vidrine based on demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and citizenship. He is the son of Buford and Evelyn Fontenot.

January 19, 1989
• At Winne-Dixie, sliced bacon was .99 and Pepsi colas were .97.

January 3, 1999
• Thirteenth Judicial Distirct Judge Preston N. Aucoin administered the oath of office to Turkey Creek Police Chief Kenneth Johnson on Wednesday.
This marks Johnson’s second term as police chief in the Village of Turkey Creek. He was returned to office in the fall election.
Turkey Creek Mayor Blaine Janet and Councilmembers W.L. Chapelle, Kurry Stewart, and W.M. Johnson were sworn into office on Thursday afternoon by Judge Aucoin.
This marks Janet’s third term as mayor and couincilmen’s third terms as well.
• Incumbent Ville Platte Mayor Bennett Baquet took the oath of office to begin his third full term. Baquet began his tenure as mayor one year before his first general election when he completed the unfulfilled term of retiring Mayor Hottell Fontenot. He was serving on the city council at that time.

January 7, 1999
• A disagreement between the Evangeline Parish Police Jury and the Coroner’s Office was discussed by both parties during the jury’s committee meetings on Monday night.
Evangeline Parish Coroner Dr. Roderick Perron said this situation is not his fault nor the police jury’s fault. However he is concerned about the quality of work his office will be doing because of the losses in funding necessary to run the office which affects many other offices in the parish.

January 14, 1999
• Ville Platte Fire Department representative and full-time paid fireman Nathaniel Thomas wants the City Council to reconsider, again, an 8.33 percent salary adjustment he says every other town employee got in 1995 expect the firemen.
The request was made during the Ville Platte City Council’s regular meeting Tuesday night.
Thomas believes that fire department employees were either left out or overlooked when the pay increase was granted.

January 17, 1999
• Champagne’s had red potatoes for .99 and pork strips for $1.19.

January 1, 2009
• At Teet’s, fryer leg quarters were .49 and fresh cabbage was .25.

January 8, 2009
• The Pine Prairie Police Department is warning residents to be on the lookout for counterfeit money.
Chief Todd Ortis said a local merchant realized he had a counterfeit $10 bill over the weekend. The bill had no watermark, was smaller than a legal bill and the quality of the paper was very poor and thin.
“Be careful and please be observant,” Ortis said. “We’re warning merchants to be careful of accepting this type of currency.”

January 15, 2009
• Except for accounting problems with school activity funds, the Evangeline Parish School Board learned the district received an “unqualified report or clean opinion” for its audit of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2008.
Vic Slaven gave board members a quick review of its finances and funds and explained it had a total loss for the year of $748,000. He said in the past few years, the board had a little surplus. He believed the administration did an excellent job in keeping the losses down because of the costs they could not control this year, like the rising cost of gas and oil. He encouraged them to look closely at their upcoming budget because of the expected budget cuts at the state level.
Superintendent Toni Hamlin said she has met with the supervisory and principal staffs in an effort to begin looking at ways to trim their budgets. She said they are considering things they cannot control like the rising costs of utilities.

January 22, 2009
• The Chataignier Village Council, during its meeting Monday, January 19, asked citizens for their help in finding occupants for the Gula Miller elderly apartments.
Village Clerk Wilbur Rozas said the apartments are finished and ready to be occupied, but the village needs help finding people who qualify. He said the current age requirement is 62 years or older. He added that age could be lowered if HUD decides to change the eligibility requirements.
Rozas and the council asked citizens to get involved finding people who could qualify to live in these apartments.