The 2013 Smoked Meat Festival took place Friday night and all day on Saturday at the city park grounds.  From all indications, it was another successful festival with large crowds enjoying the musical acts. KVPI FM was there covering the festival Saturday including the opening ceremonies. Clerk of Court Randy Deshotel was this year’s emcee. Mable Forman was selected the Viet Nam Veterans Member of the Year. The Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Department and Ville Platte Home Health were honored as Friends of the V.V.A. The new festival management group, Ping Enterprises, presented a special award to the Evangeline Parish Chapter of the Viet Nam Veterans for the 20 years of sponsoring the Smoked Meat Festival.

TEE COTTON BOWL RALLY PLANNED FOR JULY 3

JUNE 25, 2013

    A rally is planned in support of the Tee Cotton Bowl for next Wednesday July 3 at the Rendezvous Dinner Club. This free rally will take place from 6-8pm. KVPI-FM will be there broadcasting live with Sports Director Randy Guillory and Tee Cotton Bowl Founder Tim Fontenot. We’re urging everyone who supports the Tee Cotton Bowl including students, school officials to be there for this special rally.

Ville Platte Police Chief Neal Lartigue asks for assistance from the public to locate a suspect.

 On June 25, 2013, a local business reported a break in that occurred on June 24, 2013 between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.  Upon arrival officers learned that multiple hand guns had been stolen.  Detectives are asking for assistance in locating a suspect described as a male wearing a camouflage jacket with a hood.  This suspect would have been in the area of West Lincoln Rd. and McArthur Dr. between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m.  “If someone tries to sell a hand gun to your or you hear of someone selling hand guns, please call our office immediately.” Chief Lartigue said, “Your call will remain anonymous and it is important to locate this suspect and remove these hand guns from our streets.”  If you have any information you are asked to call the Ville Platte Police Department at 363-1313.  All callers will remain anonymous.

    The Evangeline Parish School Board Wednesday heard from two speakers discuss the Tee Cotton Bowl game in front of a standing room only crowd. The Tee Cotton Bowl game which pits Ville Platte High and Sacred Heart for the city championship has been going on for the past 13 years. The game was due to be played at Ville Platte but a contract was signed to move the game this year to Sacred Heart who needed  another home game. Both school coaches were in agreement of the move. However, the Louisiana High School Athletic Association ruled the contract was null and void because it did not contain the signatures of necessary school officials.

   The Te Cotton Bowl has become one of the biggest events of the year for both schools. The game ‘s founder is Tim Fontenot who has devoted countless hours to the game and its success. The game which promotes sportsmanship,  has been covered by local and national news media included NFL films. A book has been written about the annual game and has even been blessed by the Pope.

    Kendall Ardoin, a senior tight end from Ville Platte High, felt the Tee Cotton Bowl should be played. “We feel it should go on. It’s a big game for the community. I don’t care where we play. We just want the play the game,” Ardoin told board members.

     Arthur Sampson said his name has been mentioned in various accounts on why the game was cancelled. “I just want what is right. The contract became an issue because of the legalities. All we ask for is what is right, “ he said.

    Board Vice President Scott Limoges, who was conducting the meeting said “This is an issue between the schools. The school board cannot take any legal action. We hope the schools can reach an agreement and continue the Tee Cotton Bowl.”

    Contacted after the meeting, Ville Platte High Coach Tracy Jagneaux said “I hope we can resolve this issue and agree to have this game.” He said both he and Sacred Heart still have a hole in their schedule that needs to be filled.

    In other action, the school board:

--approved awarding the official journal to the Basile Weekly next year;

--received news that sales tax collections dropped by $21,791 from the same time last year;

--heard a report from Supt. Toni Hamlin report on a number of maintenance projects that will be going on this summer in schools throughout the parish.

    The Ville Platte Chamber of Commerce met today (Monday) at the Rendezvous  Dinner Club and heard a progress report from Mark Buller on the Sacred Heart Locker Room project.  Buller presented  a architectural design of the project to chamber members. The project includes new restrooms and lockers along with new air conditioning . The 4800 foot area will be entirely gutted out and replaced. The estimated cost is $400,000. The school will be taking bids soon. The school has thus far raised $382,000 or $18,000 short of the projected cost. They are taking pledges. Work is due to begin at the end of November at the end of football season. Buller would like to thank everyone who contributed to the project.

     In other chamber business, Director Camille Fontenot announced:

--the next  chamber meeting on July 15 will be at Ville Platte High where chamber members will be given an escorted tour of the renovated school by Superintendent Toni Hamlin;

--announced that the recent Man and Woman of the Year banquet  showed a profit of $8429;

--reported that 91 members are enrolled in the Chamber.

On June 13, 2013, Detectives with the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s office along with Agents with Wildlife and Fisheries conducted surveillance of a location in the Bayou Chicot area near Highway 106. After conducting the surveillance for a period of time, Wildlife & Fisheries Agents and Detectives with Evangeline Parish went to the area, upon doing so located a Marijuana grow area located in the woods near Stagecoach Road. Upon further searching the area, 3 mature marijuana plants as well as several smaller immature plants were located planted in the woods, a total of 10 plants were located. Detectives along with the Wildlife agents, confiscated the plants valued at $15,000 on the street. Several suspects have been identified, and the case is still under further investigation according to Chief Investigator Mike Perry.

    The Evangeline Parish Police Jury Monday voted to study a proposal by Ville Platte resident Jim Demourelle to grant him a license for a “Game Fowl Harvest “facility to be located in Tate Cove. A standing room only group of supporters were at the jury meeting.

     Demourelle told jurors that he has been in the cock fighting business for more than fifty years and felt the state law to outlaw cock fighting was illegal.

      He said the economic impact to the state amounts to one billion dollars since cock fighting was banned by state officials.  Demourlle announced that such a facility in Evangeline could have tremendous economic impact in Evangeline Parish. He estimated  1000-1500 people would travel to this parish. It would be an economic boon to this parish.

       He reported that cock fighting has been around since Biblical times and yet, not one holy book has ever condemned the sport. Abraham Lincoln was called “Honest Abe” because he was an honest referee for cock fights.

     Demourelle said the ban on cock fighting is unconstitutional and is ready to challenge the law. He said cock fighting is a victimless crime.

     Police jury legal advisor Greg Vidrine advised he jury that the law clearly states, no matter what you name or all it, cock fighting is illegal in Louisiana.

     In other business, the police jury narrowly approved a request by the Evangeline Parish Recreation District Board for the police jury to fund a ne time $6-8,000 in gravel and limestone for parking and cut grass in the undeveloped areas of the facility. Recreation Board member Nick LeBas made the request. The vote was 5-4 with all non Ward One voters voting the request. Those voting no included Eric LaFleur, Lamar Johnson, Ryan Ardoin and Kenny Burgess.

    Some jurors were concerned that by approving this request would open the doors for other recreation districts and non profit groups to come forward and ask for financial assistance. Juror Eric Soileau said some of his constituents are saying that since the parish has money for a recreational district, they should have additional money for roads.

    Police juror Kenny Burgess said “Voters in that recreational district turned down a tax to fund the park and now you’re asking the rest of this parish to spend its general fund money . If we do it for you, we’ll have to do it for every ball park in the parish.”

    Ville Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine told the jury “This park is for everyone in the parish not just Ville Platte. Unlike most parks, the Evangeline Parish Recreational District facility was built without a tax.”

   The Friends of the Library had their drawing this morning on the JC and Randy Show to announce the winners of their fund raiser.  First Prize Winner is Faye Langley, the winner of the $600 weekend getaway at Paragon Resort and Casino; Second Prize Winner- Betsy Duplechain, the winner of the   $350 dollar 14.3 gallon Yeti Cooler; Third Prize Winner- Gus Orlando, the winner of the Cajun Dog Cajun Bateau with a $250 a value. The benefit raised over $5000 toward the purchase of furniture for the new Ville Platte Library.