News

By Pam Folse Contributing Writer

A shopping trip to Krauss on Canal Street in New Orleans was a big event for teens in the 70s.

For Patrick Landry of Convent, it was an opportunity that set the course for his life. Before the days of ROTC in St. James Parish, the young Landry noticed a West Point Cadet walking through the department store.

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Congratulations are extended to Nydia Cooper, honor student at Ascension Catholic and 15 year old daughter of Machiavelli and Nadine Nelson Cooper. Cooper participated and completed the Governor’s Program for Gifted Students at McNeese University being on staff of the Newsletter,

“The Thinker” as photographer and Memory book, “Miles to Go” as photo manager. She was also a member of chorus while completing core classes of Psychology 002, English 001 and Comparative Democratization. She also competed at 4-H University at LSU, placing 9th in Photography and gaining 2 year membership to the 4-H Citizenship Board where she was elected at Service Learning Chairperson. This summer Nydia became a member of the LYAC - Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory Council serving as Historian.

By David Reynaud

For the first time since 2009, the St. James Parish School Board has rolled forward millage rates to allow the School District to collect the maximum amount of property taxes allowed by the voters and by law.

During a public hearing held prior to Tuesday’s Board meeting, Finance Director Jim Mitchell told the Board that since 2009, the Board has either rolled back or left millage rates alone, never rolling forward in that time period, which resulted in the Board not collecting $5,747,925 in property taxes that could have been collected by law.

So why roll forward? Due to a variety of reasons, mainly decreasing oil prices, the total assessed value of St. James Parish as a whole has declined since 2015 and therefore less taxes have been collected. In 2015, the Parish’s total assessment was $577 million and in 2016 that number fell to $516 million.

By Pam Folse Contributing Writer

The congregation of St. James Catholic Church, along with former members, family and friends, celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Parish on Sunday, July 30, 2017.

Bishop Robert Muench of the Diocese of Baton Rouge was the main celebrant and Father Matthew McCaughey, pastor, was the homilist.

Both the church and civil parish are named after James, a disciple of Jesus, the patron of Jacques Cantrelle, who donated the land for the creation of the Parish.

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By Pam Folse Contributing Writer

An independent auditor told the St. James Parish Council last Wednesday that Parish finances show a healthy net financial position.

Michael LeBlanc of Postlethwaite & Netterville said Parish assets exceed liabilities and that the net position for 2016 was $147,207,410, as compared to a net position of $138,995,701 for the year before.

LeBlanc said the excess funds are not available as cash, but are invested in infrastructure like bridges, roads and buildings.

In the two-hour meeting held in Vacherie, LeBlanc said the primary government net position has increased by $8,211,709. The governmental activities net position has increased $3,316,901 and business-type activities such as gas, water, the youth detention center, net position has increased $4,894,808.

The Mayor and the Board of Aldermen of the Town of Gramercy, in conjunction with the Gramercy Chief of Police and Police Department, want to remind all area residents of the dangers inherent in the operations of All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) and other “4- Wheelers” on Town and area streets.

Especially during these summer months, the number of young people traveling around Town on ATVs has increased, and so has the threat to the safety of the operators and riders.

Particularly frightening is the speed that young people drive these vehicles, the number of riders that are sometimes piled onto the vehicles, and the disregard for stop signs and on-coming traffic, all of which can so quickly become deadly.

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By Pam Folse

After graduating from Lutcher High School, Derrick Faucheux went on to Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) in Hammond to pursue his interest in Sports Management.

A former kicker and trainer for his hometown Bulldogs, he went on to be an equipment manager for the SLU Lions. He was sure he wanted to work in sports when he got out of college.

Having attended St. Peter Chanel in Paulina for ten years as a child, Derrick grew up with an appreciation for his Catholic faith as instilled by his parents, Glenn and Crystal C. Faucheux, both originally of Vacherie.

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By David Reynaud

It has taken a couple of years to get all their ducks in a row, but Paulina residents Derrick and Nicole Adams will soon make one of their dreams of owning a family entertainment center a reality.

The Adams, joined by family, friends and several elected officials, officially broke ground last Friday morning at the site of their future business Atoms in Motion.

Atoms in Motion, located in Deroche Circle in Gramercy, will be the first Family Entertainment Center (FEC) to open in St. James Parish and Derrick and Nicole look forward to providing St. James and surrounding parish families a fun, kid-friendly safe, clean and very interactive

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By Pam Folse

Rev. Harry Joseph and two members of his congregation at Mount Triumph Baptist Church were praying for help to clean up their church in time for their 130th anniversary when I drove up on Paul Nelson Street in St. James one Monday afternoon.

I had enlisted the help of Rev. Sam Jones at Mount Calvary to help recruit work projects. Rev. Jones and I walked into the church and I offered to have a group of teens and their chaperones paint the entire exterior. His quick response was, “Look at God!” 

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By David Reynaud

Last Friday, twotime NFL Pro-Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry returned to Lutcher High School for his third annual Jarvis Landry Give Back.

Last Friday’s Give Back/camp featured roughly 120 boys (ages 11 through 13) from St. James Parish and they were treated to a morning of mentoring with Landry, Lutcher Bulldogs football coaching staff, and other current and former football stars from St. James Parish such as former St. James Wildcat quarterback Lowell Narcisse (LSU Tigers) and Lutcher Bulldog defensive lineman Sully Laiche (Nicholls State). 

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