The Campaign for One Acadiana, a five-year initia-tive focused on a long-term vision of making Acadiana one of the most high quality, sought after regions in the South for business and tal-ent, announced today that it has achieved its fundraising goal. With the participation of a diverse group of more than 120 investors, includ-ing businesses and individu-als from across the region, The Campaign has secured more than $3 million per year for the next five years. Investments are anticipated to increase in the coming months as more businesses become involved.

Investors in The Campaign for One Acadiana include businesses of all sizes, repre-senting a number of different industry sectors. Collectively, investors have a pres-ence in each of the region’s nine parishes comprised of Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion par-

ishes. Coordinated by the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, The Campaign was designed with input from business leaders and other regional stakeholders, includ-ing local economic develop-ment groups and Chambers of Commerce.

The Campaign aims to deliver a new, highly profes-sional, nationally competitive economic development pro-gram for the region, which will help manage Acadiana’s current and long-term growth, retain and grow cur-

rent business, and diversify the economic base by attract-ing new emerging growth industries and professional talent.

Jim Prince, retired CFO of Stone Energy and Fundraising Chairman of The Campaign, expressed his gratitude to all those involved, “I want to commend and thank the members of our regional business community who are seizing the initiative to build a more competitive Acadiana. We are witnessing something new for this area. Our region has never pulled together like this before, and it is a very exciting time. I encourage businesses and individuals not yet involved to join us as we help shape the future of our economy.”

David Callecod, President & CEO of Lafayette General Health and Chairman of The Campaign’s CEO Advisory Council, stressed the strength and the diversity of the inves-tors, “This campaign brings together an exceptional group of leaders. Whether an inves-

tor is a small business or one of the region’s larger employ-ers, it’s clear that all of us care deeply about the direc-tion of our regional commu-nity.”

Sue Soileau Brignac, President & CEO and Chairman of the Board of Washington State Bank, shared excitement about being invested in The Campaign, “I believe the One Acadiana initiative is one of the most important things we can do as a region. The strat-egy set forth by this program is transformative and results-driven, and I am certain that we will see unlimited econom-ic development opportunities as a result of coming together as nine parishes with one vision and voice.”

Joseph Zanco, CFO of Home Bank and Chairman of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, high-lighted the importance of marketing the region as a whole, “The resources provid-

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The Kaplan

50th Year #6 February 11, 2015 TEN PAGES • $1.00HOME OF THE CHIC-A-LA-PIE MARDI GRAS

By Judy T. MireManaging editor

Hey Mardi Gras!Hey Mardi Gras!

Having fun at the Krewe Chic-A-la-Pie Mardi Gras ball last weekend were the “Mardi Gras Mimes”. The mimes include Ruby Buchanan, Bob Buchanan, Elaine Lopez, Dale Begnaud, Della Norris, Loretta Istre, Becky Prejean, and Mandy Gaspard. The krewe wants to remind everyone their annual parade will be held Tuesday, February 17. Parade begins to roll at 2 p.m. downtown Kaplan.

Campaign for One Acadiana achieves its fundraising goalUnprecedented regional initiative brings together diverse group of investors

Kaplan renews SLEMCO contract

The Kaplan City Council and the utility committee mem-bers all unanimously agreed to renew the city’s contract with SLEMCO.

SLEMCO provides the city with all its electricity.

The contract will extend till the year 2025.

“Our success in renewing this contract is a direct result of teamwork between Francis Delhomme, the government affairs director at SLEMCO, and the city of Kaplan,” said Kaplan Mayor Kirk Champagne. “His company worked hard to give us a good, fair price for their services and it was approved wholeheart-edly by everyone involved.”

It was under former mayor Levi Schexnider who first bought utility services with SLEMCO. That contract was for seven years, then renewed for another two years.

Part of the agreement with SLEMCO is they be notified a year in advance if the contract will be renewed or bids will go out for other companies.

“What makes this company’s bid hard to beat is they own the substation located near the Kaplan Police Station,” said Champagne. “If another com-pany came in, they would have to purchase the substation, and that cost would be passed on to the consumer. The sub-station is worth approximately $500,000.”

Champagne added this renewal gives an exact amount the city will be charged for electricity.

“By knowing the amount,” said the mayor, “helps with planning for the future of the city.”

New contract to extend till the

year 2025

ed by this campaign will finally enable Acadiana to compete for jobs and talent as a region of nearly 700,000 people with a vibrant culture and unique entrepre-neurial spirit.”

Jason El Koubi, President & CEO of the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, said, “The One Acadiana initiative provides an unmatched opportunity for our business com-munity to help set the vision and priorities for our region’s future. As we celebrate this mile-stone, we are now turn-ing our full attention to implementing this bold, new economic develop-ment program under a diverse group of leaders. We have the planning, leadership, and financial resources in place to take our region to the next level for our businesses and families.”

For more informa-tion on how to become involved with The Campaign for One Acadiana, contact Missy Bienvenu Andrade at missy@oneacadiana.org or (337) 408-3652.

List of Investors

CEO ADVISORY COUNCIL

Lafayette Economic Development Authority

Lafayette General Health

The Lemoine Company

LHC GroupJim MoncusPHI, Inc.Reneé and Herbie

SchillingSouth Louisiana

Community CollegeStullerUniversity of

Louisiana at Lafayette

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

Acadian CompaniesCGICoxThe Daily AdvertiserDwight Andrus

CompaniesEntergyFENSTERMAKERIBERIABANKThe Moody Company/

Louisiana State Newspapers

NeunerPateOur Lady of Lourdes

Regional Medical CenterThe Perret Group,

L.L.C.Townsquare Media Washington State

BankWomen’s & Children’s

Hospital/The Regional Medical Center of Acadiana

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

Acadiana Bottling Company, Inc.

AMG Specialty Hospitals

Atmos EnergyBell HelicopterBETA Land ServicesBilleaud CompaniesBroussard Brothers/

Acadian Contractors, Inc.

Capital One BankChase BankClecoCLM EquipmentC o m m u n i t y

Foundation of AcadianaDupré LogisticsHaynie & Associates

Home BankIND MediaJones WalkerKATC Comm.Knight Oil ToolsLafayette Coca Cola

Bottling CompanyLafayette Convention

and Visitors CommissionLiskow & LewisM&M InternationalMcDonald’s of

AcadianaMcIlhenny CompanyMidSouth BankThe Picard GroupRayne State BankSchumacher GroupShop RiteSLEMCOTownsend Addiction

Recovery Centers/Hedge Media Group

Young’s Industries, LLC

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE

The Acadiana Advocate

Baldwin Redi-MixButcher Air

ConditioningChevronJim Doyle, Coastal

Chemical Co., LLCGRS Property

ManagementGulf Coast BankHeymann Family

FoundationJD BankLafayette Surgical

Specialty HospitalLamar AdvertisingPark Place Surgical

HospitalRUSSOStirling PropertiesVidoxWhitney Bank

AMBASSADOR’S CIRCLE

AT&T

Angelle Architects, LLC

Architects SouthwestArdent Services LLCBadger Oil

CorporationBBR CreativeBeau Box Real EstateB E G N E A U D

ManufacturingDon and Andy

BegneaudCabot Corporation -

Franklin, LACabot Corporation -

Ville Platte, LACalzone and

Associates, Inc.Cane River Pecan

CompanyCitizens BankClem L DevelopmentColdwell Banker

Pelican Real EstateCommunity First

BankCompass HealthCopper CrowneDarnall, Sikes,

Gardes & FrederickDiocese of LafayetteDoug Ashy Building

MaterialsDrake Pothier Allstate

Insurance AgencyDunn’s Furniture &

InteriorsEYThe Evangeline Bank

and Trust CompanyFarmers Merchants

Bank & Trust Company

First National BankGolfballs.comGrand Isle Shipyard,

Inc.HalliburtonInvestar BankJ. Ronald Landreneau

& Associates, Inc.Landry Harris & Co.Jimmy MalliaManuel Builders, LLCMoncla CompaniesNoble PlasticsOnebane Law FirmPAR RealtyPecoraro LawPellerin Energy

Group, LLCPinnacle GroupPizza HutPlace de LafayettePostlethwaite &

NettervillePrejean CreativeJim & Nancy Prince

R E A L T O R Association of Acadiana

Regions BankRegions InsuranceSIDES & AssociatesThe Southwest GroupSouthwest Insurance

ServicesSt. Martin Bank &

Trust Co.David TrahanTri-Parish BankTruston Technologies,

Inc.Uniglobe Associated

TravelVan Eaton & Romero

Emma H. Savoy1921 ~ 2015

Kaplan—Funera l

services were held Saturday, January 31, 2015 at a 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Mission Chapel honor-ing the life of Emma Hebert Savoy, 93, who died Thursday, January 29, 2015 at Kaplan Healthcare Center.

She was laid to rest at Kaplan Cemetery with Reverend Matthew Barzare officiating the services.

She is survived by her two sons, Derwin

D. Savoy and his wife, Rhena of Lafayette and Thad Savoy and his wife, Sheila of Liberty, MS; two daughters, Sandra Segura and Judy Guidry, both of Kaplan; one sister, Alice and her husband, Jim Rigsby of Baton Rouge; four grandchildren, Gina Romero of Kaplan, Heath Segura of Kaplan, Zeke Guidry of Denham Springs, and Therese Sonnier of Kaplan; eight great grandchildren; and two great-great grand-children.

She was preceded in death by her hus-band, Obey Savoy; one son, Luther Savoy; her parents, Raphael Hebert and the former Laura Bourque; two grandchil-dren, Angela Hebert and Job Guidry; and eight brothers and sisters.

All funeral arrange-ments are being conduct-ed by Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan, (337) 643-7276 [Service Information 225-5276]. Condolences may be sent to the Savoy family at www.vincentfuneral-home.net.

Mary Abshire LeMaire1967 ~ 2015

Kaplan—Funeral ser-

vices were held Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at a 1 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church honoring the life of Mary Jane LeMaire, 47, who died Saturday, January 31, 2015 at Kaplan Healthcare Center.

She was laid to rest at Kaplan Cemetery with Reverend Cedric Sonnier officiating the services. Serving as pallbearers will be Wayne Fabre, Sr., Wayne Fabre, Jr., Angel

Fabre, Jeffery LeMaire, Lucas LeMaire, Kevin LeMaire, and C.J. Abshire. Honorary pall-bearers will be Mitchel, Chance, Kade, Abygail, and Madeleine.

She is survived by her two sons, Kevin LeMaire and his wife, Misty of Crowley and Lucas LeMaire of New Iberia; one sister, Sally and her husband, Wayne Fabre, Sr. of Kaplan; two brothers, Jamie Abshire and his wife, Geralyn of Kaplan and Curtis Abshire of Kaplan; three grandchildren, Mitchel LeMaire, Abygail LeMaire, and Steven Kade Gary; three neph-ews, Wayne Jr., C.J., and Kendal; three niec-es, Angel, Madeleine, and Sara; and a special child dear to her heart, Chance.

She was preced-ed in death by her son, Zackary LeMaire whose cremains will be laid to rest with her; and her parents, Iris Abshire and the former Genelle Istre.

All funeral arrange-ments are being conduct-ed by Vincent Funeral

Home of Kaplan, (337) 643-7276 [Service Information 225-5276]. Condolences may be sent to the LeMaire family at www.vincentfuneral-home.net.

Ella Mae Gaspard Broussard1938 ~ 2015

Kaplan—Funeral ser-vices was held Saturday, February 7, 2015 at a 1 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Roman Catholic Church honoring the life of Ella Mae Gaspard Broussard, 76, who died Thursday, February 5, 2015 at her residence. She

will be laid to rest at Kaplan Cemetery with Reverend Keith Landry officiating the services.

She is survived by her son, John W. Akin; five daughters, Carolyn Suire, Stephanie Ramos, Dena Romero, Naomie Gaspard, and Barbara Guidry; eight grandchil-dren; and sixteen great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Norman Broussard; one son, John Harold Akin; one sister, Mary Lou Gaspard; her parents, Jacques Gaspard and the former Noemie Roy; her step-father, Rodolph Lege; and one grandson, Jared Akin.

All funeral arrange-ments were being con-ducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan, (337) 643-7276 [Service Information 225-5276]. Condolences may be sent to the Broussard family at www.vincentfuneral-home.net.

Obituaries:

Campaign, from page 1

The Kaplan Herald Page 2 Wednesday, February 11, 2015

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Wednesday, February 11, 2015 The Kaplan Herald Page 3

Chief Boyd Adams advises officers investi-gated the following:

January 29Three burglary on the

200 block of N. Guidry.Burglary on the 700

block of N. Faye.Loose dog on the 400

block of Montogmery.

January 30Suspicious person

on the 400 block of Frederick.

Disturbance on the 1000 block of N. Hebert

Loose dog on the 100 block of Pelican.

Traffic accident on the 1300 block of W. Veterans Memorial Drive.

Noise complaint on the 700 block of Frederick.

Joshua D. Hebert, 28, 1206 Graceland, Abbeville, was arrested and booked with pos-session of drug para-phernlia; possession of Schedule II and disturb-ing the peace by drunke-ness.

Larry Meche Jr., 35, 206 Bourque, Kaplan, was arrested and booked with simple battery; FTA/arraignment-pub-lic intoxication; FTA/arraignment-resisting an officer; FTA/arraign-ment-flight from an offi-cer; FTA/arraignment-disturbing the peace by public intoxication; FTA/arraignment-resisting an officer and FTA/arraignment-distubing the peace by fighing.

January 31Disturbance on the

400 block of W. Veterans Memorial Drive.

Harassment on the 700 block of Deshotel.

Loose dogs on the 300 block of Montogmery.

Traffic account on the 300 block of Cushing.

Disturbance on the 1000 block of W. Fifth.

Disturbance on the 300 block of N. Frederick.

Troy E. Michelle, 31, 407 Wayne St., New Iberia, was cited with speeding 43mph on a 25mph speed zone.

February 1Disturbance on the

300 block of LeMaire.Traffic accident on the

300 block of E. Veterans Memorial Drive.

Alarm on the 200 block of W. Veterans Memorial Drive.

Rhonda Langlinais, 40, 300 block of N. Frederick, Kaplan, was arrested and booked with cruelty to animals.

February 2Alarm on the 300

block of S, Cushing.Traffic complaint

on the 500 block of E. Veterans Memorial Drive.

Alarm on the 100 block of Hazel.

Disturbance on the 500 block of N. Boudreaux.

Alarm on the 300 block of E. Eleazar

Alarm on the 600 block of E. Eighth.

Jennifer N. Mitchell, 32, 2753 N. Day Drive, Baker, was cited with illegal U-turn and no proof of insurance.

February 3Disturbance on the

800 block of N. Frederick.Alarm on the 300

block of N. Cushing.Noise complaint on

the 600 block of Jackson.Justin Broussard,

21, 501 S. Bert, Kaplan, was cited with speed-ing; expired MVI and no proof of insurance.

February 4Noise complaint on

the 900 block of Jackson.Hunter Harringotn,

17, 700 N. Hebert, Kaplan, was cited with speeding 34mph in a 25mph speed zone and no proof of insurance.

Kaplan Police Report

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ROTARY SPEAKER - Kaplan Rotary Club welcomed, Ann Falgout, Direc-tor of the Vermilion Parish Economic Development District to their monthly meeting last Thursday. Falgout discussed her views and plans to help bring businesses to Vermilion Parish.

You don’t always have to be loud to make a lot of noise.Last week, the Louisiana Associa-

tion of Business and Industry (LABI) kicked off our 40th Anniversary with our 2015 annual meeting in Baton Rouge. Joining us to focus on our meeting’s theme of “Sustainable Growth in a Global Economy” were over 1,000 Louisiana business and political leaders.In the morning, our panel of ex-

perts included Calvin “Cal” Dooley, president of the American Chemistry Council (ACC); Ross Eisenberg, vice president of Energy and Resources Policy for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) and Stephen Moret, secretary of Louisiana Eco-nomic Development Department (LED). All ef-fectively broke down the critical federal and state issues that impact Louisiana’s economic growth potential. This wide-ranging discussion was infor-mative and quite relevant, considering the chemi-cal and manufacturing boom taking hold here in Louisiana.The demeanor of Cal Dooley was quite interest-

ing. As president of one of the largest trade as-sociations in the country, Cal is a strategic and substantive speaker who is highly regarded in Washington, D.C. and revered for his ability to ef-fectively represent the chemical industry. Prior to taking over ACC, he was a Democratic Congress-man in the 90s and early 2000s, and was well known in those days for his down-home, folksy leadership style.He was part of a group known then as the “Blue

Dogs,” a collection of moderate Democrats who would often side with Republicans to support conservative policies in Congress. The group was not usually loud and boisterous, but would often provide the critical fi nal votes to advance much of the agenda passed by the Republican-controlled Congress of that time. These days, most of those members have been replaced with much more ide-ological policymakers, leaving the quiet but infl u-ential role of the Blue Dogs much less impactful in today’s Congress.Next, after our panel of experts wrapped up their

discussion, Dr. Ben Carson spoke to our crowd. If you have not yet heard Dr. Carson’s personal story, it is one worth knowing. Growing up poor to a single mom in inner-city Detroit, Dr. Carson fought through trouble and adversity to excel at Yale and then the University of Michigan Medical School on his way to becoming director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Institu-tion at age 33. From there, he led the team that fi rst successfully separated twins conjoined at the head.

Upon his retirement from medicine, he made national headlines a few years ago for giving a strong speech critical of Obamacare, while standing next to the President at the National Prayer Breakfast. Dr. Carson is a smart and compelling fi gure, especially for the paradox in that he is known for being both soft spoken and bold, and at times even politically incorrect. His voice is soft and his mannerisms are gentle, even though when asked his position on political correctness his response was, “It’s a bunch of crap.”In addition to taking a tough line on

many of the issues of the day, he also speaks openly to the importance faith has played in his life. He says one of the most important things we can do is

“bring God back into our society” and credits God, rather than bureaucratic assistance, for giving his mother the strength and wisdom she needed to raise her two children as a single mom.Speaking of a bold and soft-spoken speaker em-

bracing his faith, one of the strongest and most in-spiring voices I have ever heard passed away qui-etly this week. The Reverend Than N. Vu passed away at the age of 56 after a long battle with can-cer. Father Than was born in Saigon, Vietnam, and eventually made his way to Baton Rouge in 1975. By the early 80s, he was ordained and went on to preach throughout the Capital Region his entire career.He was a devout man of faith who opened every

sermon with a joke and preached in a way that spoke to adults and children alike. He took a light-hearted approach to deliver inspiring messages to many serious subjects through the years. His powerful messages would capture the hearts of his congregation while his quick wit would make them all smile. A small man in stature with a qui-et tone, his impact will leave a lasting legacy.Father Than’s mission statement ends with

the following message: “I will approach life with a spirit of openness, speaking less and listening more, taking the risk of being changed by new par-adigms. In all ways, I strive to live with honesty, integrity, simplicity and humility.” More than just words on a paper, this was how he lived his life.Different leaders use different tactics to make

their presence felt. Some leaders loudly bark to make a lot of noise to draw attention to their mes-sage, while others rely on a folksy charm, gentle tone, endearing story or quick wit to make their point. Regardless of the method used, never forget that those who employ a more subtle approach to message delivery are more than capable of deliv-ering a loud message and a booming impact.

EEDITORIALDITORIALPage 4 The Kaplan Herald Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Copyright 2013, LSN Publishing Company, LLC.All printed material is protected, and no portion of the content may be reproduced in any form, or by any means,

without prior written permission from LSN Publishing Company, LLC.

StephenWaguespack

Quiet Noise

Stormy Weather And Politics

Thomas Sowell

The sports media has been in a tizzy covering the scandal known as “defl ate gate.” After it was discovered that 11 of the 12 footballs used by the New England Patriots in their playoff game against the Colts were defl ated, the media speculation has been intense about whether the Patriots altered the footballs to gain an advantage. It is amazing that with our immense problems, the media is fi xated on such a trivial issue. Instead, a related topic is more important, why do Republi-can Party leaders suffer from defl ated balls, politically speaking? The GOP won a landslide mid-term election, but they have been acting ever since like they lost to the Democrats.

Right after the election, Republican leaders in Congress passed the 1774 page “cromnibus” bill which cost $1.1 trillion and funded the President’s executive amnesty for 5 million illegal aliens and the unpopular Obamacare legislation. This was in direct opposi-tion to the wishes of voters who gave Republicans control of both houses of Congress. The anger was so intense that conservatives swamped congres-sional offi ces with demands that John Boehner be replaced as Speaker of the House. Again, due to a lack of courage, only 25 House Republicans voted against Boehner. It seems GOP congressmen do not have the appetite for real change either within their party or throughout the nation.

While the President has been ag-gressively building his liberal legacy

and acting like he won the Novem-ber election, the real winners have been acting like losers and capitu-lating to Obama.

After the Boehner revolt, the House fi nally passed a bill to prevent the De-

partment of Homeland Security from funding executive amnesty, but the bill is now headed to the Senate where it faces an “uncertain” future. Senate leaders say they will “try” to pass the bill but no conservative should ever trust Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. In the offi cial response to the President’s State of the Union ad-dress, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) did not mention executive amnesty, even though the majority of Americans strongly disapprove.

Lack of Republican courage as was also evident in a border security bill that Republican House leaders were advocating. Fortunately, a revolt by conservatives postponed a vote on the inadequate measure. The initial bill did not contain enough border security measures to please the newly formed House Freedom Caucus, composed of nine courageous conservatives.

According to U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the bill is fl awed for a variety of reasons including the fact that it “...it does not cut-off access to

federal welfare; and it does not require completion of the border fence.” While congrats are due to the conservatives who killed the bill, the episode high-lighted how GOP leadership is more comfortable tinkering with a problem than solving it. They want to pursue half measures instead of forceful ac-tion.

While Americans overwhelmingly support enhanced border security with more border patrol agents and addi-tional fencing, GOP leaders lack the “cojones” to pass a tough bill. They are afraid of criticism from the media, Hispanic groups and Democratic colleagues. They are scared of being called racists, so, as a result, they are unwilling to pass meaningful legisla-tion.

In the meantime, the 2016 presiden-tial race is starting and conservative Republicans are desperately looking for a nominee who is courageous and will not be intimidated by the media or special interest groups. They want a nominee who is unafraid of criticism and a confi dent conservative who will move this country in the right direc-tion. Such leaders are in short supply and they stand in stunning contrast to what has been displayed by the GOP’s dynamic duo of defl ation: John Boeh-ner and Mitch McConnell.

Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans and is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics.”

Defl ated balls are a problem for both the NFL and the GOP

JeffCrouere

It was refreshing to see meteorologists apologize for their dire -- and wrong -- predictions of an un-precedented snow storm that they had said would devastate the northeast. It was a big storm, but the northeast has seen lots of big snow storms before and will probably see lots of big snow storms again. That's called winter.

Unfortunately, we are not likely to hear any sim-

ilar apologies from those who have been promoting "global warming" hysteria for years, in defi ance of data that fail to fi t their climate models. What is at issue is not whether there is "climate change" -- which nobody has ever denied -- but whether the specifi c predictions of the "global warming" crowd as to the direction and magnitude of worldwide temperature changes are holding up over the years.

The ultimate test of any theoretical model is not how loudly it is proclaimed but how well it fi ts the facts. Climate models that have an unimpressive record of fi tting the facts of the past or the present are hardly a reason for us to rely on them for the future.

Putting together a successful model -- of any-thing -- is a lot more complicated than identifying which factors affect which outcomes. When many factors are involved, which is common, the chal-lenge is to determine precisely how those factors interact with each other. That is a lot easier said than done when it comes to climate.

Everyone can agree, for example, that the heat of the sunlight is greater in the tropics than in the temperate zones or near the poles. But, the highest temperatures ever recorded in Asia, Africa, North America or South America were all recorded out-side -- repeat, OUTSIDE -- the tropics.

No part of Europe is in the tropics, but record temperatures in European cities like Athens and Seville have been higher than the highest tempera-tures ever recorded in cities virtually right on the equator, such as Singapore in Asia or Nairobi in Africa.

None of this disproves the scientifi c fact that sunlight is hotter in the tropics. But it does indicate that there are other factors which go into tempera-tures on earth.

It is not only the heat of the sunlight, but its du-ration, that determines how much heat builds up. The sun shines on the equator about 12 hours a day all year long. But, in the temperate zones, the sun shines more hours during the summer -- almost 15 hours a day at the latitude of Seville or Athens.

It is also not just a question of how much sun-light there is falling on the planet but also a ques-tion of how much of that sunlight is blocked by clouds and refl ected back out into space. At any giv-en time, about half the earth is shielded by clouds, but cloudiness varies greatly from place to place and from time to time.

The Mediterranean region is famous for its cloudless summer days. The annual hours of sun-light in Athens is nearly double that in London -- and in Alexandria, Egypt, there are more than twice as many annual hours of sunlight as in Lon-don.

How surprised should we be that cities around the Mediterranean -- Alexandria, Seville, and Tripoli -- have had temperatures of 110 degrees or more, while many tropical cities have not? Clouds and rain are common in the tropics.

American cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas often hit summer temperatures of 110 degrees or more, because they are located where there are not nearly as many clouds during the summer as are common in most other places, including most places in the tropics. The highest temperatures on earth have been reached in Death Valley, Califor-nia, for the same reason, even though it is not in the tropics.

Putting clouds into climate models is not simple, because the more the temperature rises, the more water evaporates, creating more clouds that refl ect more sunlight back out into space. Such facts are well known, but reducing them to a specifi c and re-liable formula that will predict global temperatures is something else.

Meteorology has many facts and many scientif-ic principles but, at this stage of its development, weather forecasts just a week ahead are still iffy. Why then should we let ourselves be stampeded into crippling the American economy with unend-ing restrictions created by bureaucrats who pay no price for being wrong?

Certainly neither China nor India will do that, and the amount of greenhouse gasses they put into the air will overwhelm any reductions we might achieve, even with draconian restrictions at astro-nomical costs.

CommunityCommunityWednesday, February 11, 2015 Kaplan Herald Page 5

February 11Gavin McGee

Cy PerrinJackie ManuelLandon Meaux

February 12Bailey Broussard

Linda “Da Da” LeonardCaleb Mire

David MoorePaul Thomas LaPointe

February 13Denny Gaspard

Anna Lee MarceauxAgnes Touchet

Fr. David BroussardStephanie Thayer

February 14Leverda Callahan

Laurel Camel

Doug HebertMary Lee Taylor

John & Alex SilvaAnthony Fitch

February 15Tobby LeBeoufGage MarceauxBeulah SonnierEdward & Joyce

Freeland

Ciji PerrinGerard Lege

Jenna VincentWalter Wainwright

February 16J. Donald Greene

Adam HebertIsaiah Silva

Donna FrederickBrianna Campbell

February 17Bryan LarriviereAbbey BroussardShyann VincentBonnie LaBordeUmae GaspardTiffany Guidry

Birthdays & anniversaries

Gilbert P. Pellerin, JrPP ., M.D.rr Obstetrics & Gynecology

Mandy L. Boudreaux, M.D. Obstetrics & Gynecology

Women’s Health of Vermilion337-893-6294

Licensed, Certified, and Joint Commission Accredited

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Financial assistance available for Medical Care & Medication with sliding fee discount

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Services Include:Prenatal Care, Gynecological Exams, Birth Control Methods, Pregnancy Testing and

Counseling, Testing and Treatment for sexually transmitted infections, referrals for infertility

treatment, Fertility awareness, and lab as well as diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic

gynecological problems and common obstetrical health care.

You Take Care of Them.

We Take Care of You.

At Women’s Health of Vermilion, we pride ourselves on providing the finest in primary and specialty healthcare for women of our

community. We’re committed to addressing your personal concerns, questions and needs.

With a full range of services, our caring physicians and staff are here to support the

happiest, healthiest woman you can be.

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Blair Romero & Scotty Harrington 02/28/15

Come by and check out our beautiful selection of nice gifts for that special couple.607 E. Veterans Memorial Drive in Kaplan Mon.-Fri. 8:00-5:00 • Sat 8 a.m. to 12 noon

Cajun Hardware Wedding Registry

REGIONAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE, INC.337-232-7471

1-800-309-6999“This institution is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer”

IF YOU CARE FOR CHILDREN OF WORKING PARENTS...RECEIVE

MONEY TO PAY FOR FEEDING THE CHILDREN

ATTENTION BABY SITTERS

Do a good deed and

rescue a pet today!

QUEEN’S TEA - In celebration of the upcomimg Mardi Gras festivities, a Chic-A-la-Pie’s queen’s tea was held at the home of Nancy Matthews-- to honor all the past queens of the krewe. Attending were (seated) Karen Price, Karen Price, Rose Broussard (standing) Linda Duhon, Nancy Matthews, Renella Har-grave, Patricia Mire, Marlene Romero, Marian Landry, Donna Zaunbrecher and Helen Meaux.

Honoring past Chic-A-la-Pie queens

Kaplan High has ex-perienced college foot-ball coaches recruiting players in the past but nothing like what they went through with se-nior Jalen Bates.

Bates, a 6-foot-5, 235 pound defensive end, became one of the most sought out football players in Louisiana over the last year.

This school year, coaches from Alabama, Texas A&M, Arizona State, LSU, Miami, Mississippi State, Michigan, Oregon State, TCU, Southern Mississippi, Tulane, Louisiana Tech, UL-La-fayette, Kansas State, Louisville, Memphis State, and Texas Tech were all in the hunt for the Kaplan product.

On Oct. 7, 2014 Bates surprised many by committing to the Arizona State Sun Dev-ils, a team from the Pac. 12.

Wednesday morn-ing at 7:30, he made it offi cial by signing his scholarship papers to attend Arizona State and faxed it to the school.

On Thursday, Bates seemed a little more relaxed because he

was not being called to the front offi ce to be looked at by college football coaches who were unable to speak to a recruit during a dead period.

“I am glad it is over with,” said Bates Thursday morning. Bates has experienced what many athletes would love to experi-ence. The 3-Star rated football player was be-ing sought out by Top 20 Division I football teams for the last six months.

They called, they texted, they visited and they also sent him plen-ty of mail. He received hundreds of letters that fi lled up large trash.

Before he committed, he visited the campuses of Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and LSU.

Helping him sort out the recruiting war were Kaplan assistant coach Tim Gabor and Kaplan athletic director Craig Blanchard.

Both coaches brought him to football camps and tried to keep the recruiting coaches in-line.

It (big time recruit-ing) was new to every-one at Kaplan High,” said Blanchard. “It was an eye-opening experi-ence.”

Blanchard remem-

bers a day at school when there were assis-tant coaches from LSU, Alabama, Texas Tech, Kansas State, Univer-sity of Michigan, and Ole Miss all in the front offi ce wanting to speak about Bates, check his grades and watch him practice.

“I remember sitting in LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles’ of-fi ce with Jaylen,” said Craig. “It was a neat experience for me, so I can imagine what Jalen

was going through.”Blanchard praised

how Bates handled re-cruiting and how ma-ture he was the entire time.

One of the best ad-vice Blanchard gave to Bates was telling him the day he is 100 per-cent sure he wants to attend a certain univer-sity, honor his commit-ment by not changing his mind.

“I told him do not commit if you are not 100 percent sure,”

Blanchard added. “Don’t be the guy who changes his mind.”

Bates said he thought about visiting Michigan and Louis-ville but remembered what he promised Blanchard and never made arrangements.

Bates visited Ari-zona State by himself and said he fell in love with the campus and scenery.

“It was paradise,” Bates said about Ari-zona State.

Not a bad way to end his four years at Kaplan High School. He will be going from Cajun Coun-try to “paradise.”

The crazy thing is that when he was a freshman at Kaplan, he planned to quit football because he thought his future was in the NBA.

Blanchard and Ga-bor convinced him to stay, which turned out to be a great decision for Bates.

SportsSportsThe Kaplan Herald Page 6 Wednesday, February 11, 2015

ACREAGE

PRICEREDUCTION,MOTIVATED

OWNER,MAKE OFFER!

HORSEPROPERTYLocated in

Abbeville onHwy 338.

$275,000. Approx.30 acres, large

metal barn,fencing,

2 paddocks,small apartment,good water well.

Offered bySpectrum Real

Estate.Call Frank at

288-1108

FOR RENT

1BD COTTAGE ONvermilion river

$600/MO$600/DP

337-288-1041NO PETS!

NO SMOKING!

FOR SALE

1 CEMETARYPLOT

St. Mary MagdelineLast one$1,000

898-9262

DUNCAN PHYFEDOUBLE

pedestal table60”x40” + 12” leaf,49” glass bow frontchina cab, 62” bow

frontbuffet, 5 shield backside, 1 shield back

arm,$1,500/set

for pics emailvlabry@cox.net337-254-2299

after 5

GARAGE SALES

MOVING SALESAT. FEB. 21st

7am-noon406 N. Wilson

furniture, exercisemachine, deco

items, dinning roomset, house holditems, stroller,

swing, high chair,bassinet, smockeddresses and lots

more!

HELP WANTED

GUEYDANMEMORIAL

GUEST Homehas an opening forthe following posi-tions: CNAs, FullTime & part time.

All shifts available.CNAs starting pay$8.25/ hr. $8.50after 90 days.

ContactSheri Gaspard @337-536-6584 or

Apply at 1201 ThirdSt., Gueydan, LA

70542 Fax:337-536-9611

DIRECT SERVICEWORKERS

Assist Clients withdaily livingShifts Vary

Must have reliabletransportation &Valid Driver’s

LicenseMust be able to

pass a backgroundcheck

Apply in person at1417 Center

Street, New Iberia,LA 70560

337.256.8567Fax: 337.256.8600

EASTRIDGEASSISTED LIVINGis in need of a cook.

6am-2pmExperiencepreferred.

Apply in person at2309 Richard St.or call if needed

Mona337-892-1233

NOW ACCEPTINGAPPLICATIONS for

Direct CareWorkers at a

community home inAbbeville.

Qualificationsinclude a high

school diploma orits equivalent andClass D license.

For moreinofrmation, please

call Dora @337-308-2133

HELP WANTED

THEDEPARTMENT OF

Wildlife andFisheries is

reviewing resumesfor part-time (35-38hours per week)

Wildlife Techniciansfor March through

November toconduct alligator

program field work;a willingness

to work long hours,travel in state anddo manual labor inhot, humid, nasty

conditions isrequired.

Email resumes tojlinscombe@wlf.la.gov

no calls.

VERMILIONHEALTHCARE

CENTER~Nunez~

______________Is currently hiring

RN’S&

CNA’sall shifts

with sign onbonus

Recently had anincrease inbase pay

Apply in person.14008

Cheneau Rd.Kaplan

or call 643-1949ask for

Florida Pilletteor Raven Roy

HOMES FOR SALE

ACADIAN STYLEHOUSE for SaleTO BE MOVED!Move in ready: 3bedroom 2 bath

split floorplan home(1167 square feet)with attached rear

deck, lots of cabinetspace in kitchenwith island! Utilityroom with built itcabinets. Solid

walls throughout.Open kitchen andliving room withrecess lighting.

Master has walk incloset and master

bath with jet tub anddual vanities.

Central air/heat, allappliances included

in the sale price.House was built in

1998.Asking$50,000.serious inquiriesonly please. Call337-652-6242 foran appointment!

FOR SALE BYOwner

“Godchaux Park”1,702 Living, 3bed,

2 bath, beautifulhardwood, walk-in

303 Third StAbbeville, LA

70510closets, double

carport, must see!$158,000

Contact ChristieTrahan

(337) 652-9900By appointment

only!

TO BE MOVED1400 Sq.Ft.3 bedrooms

bath and a half,Kitchen, dinningroom, CA/CH,

Vinyl siding, metalroof,

dishwasher,& stove

13918 Elm St.Hwy 82 Across

Perry Bridge fromAbbeville$45,500Call for

appointment337-893-7871337-254-0525ask for David

HOUSES FORSALE!!!

ALL HOUSES AREIN ABBEVILLE, LA

SOLD TOGETHER701 and 705Alphonse inAbbeville, La

701 is a 3 bedroom1 bath home about1200 sqf it is set

back off the streetabout 50ft and hasa good size yard.

705 Alphonse is a2bedroom 1 bath

home about 900 sqfit has a fence

started around thehouse, shed behindhouse for storage

and on a goodsized lot. Both

homes together foronly

$40,000!!!

SOLD TOGETHER600 North Bailey isa 3 bedroom 1 bathhome that rents at

the moment for$550 month,

805 Edwards is a 2bedroom 1 bath

home that rents for$375 a month,

807 Edwards is a 2bedroom 1 bath

home that rents for$375 a month

All three housesand land is beingsold together for

$60,000.!!!GREAT START UP

INVESTMENTCALL US AT337-898-0822

WOW! YOU WILLnot believe youreyes when youdrive up to this

beauty. Located inone of the

top school districtsin the state, DozierElementary, Erath

Middle &Erath High School.

This home hasbeen

meticulously caredfor by both previous

and currenthomeowners. When

you pull into thedriveway you will

notice the wroughtiron fence andbeautiful frontporch. Upon

entering this 2468square foot gem,you will walk intoan open kitchen,dining and livingarea, perfect for

entertaining.Gorgeous laminateflooring has recently

been added byprevious

homeowner to allbedrooms as well

as granitecountertops in both

bathrooms. Thelarge masterbedroom andbathroom are

fabulous and haverecently been

upgraded with awalk- in shower,

ceramic tilesurround on

master bathtub,new light fixturesand faucets. The

carport has recentlybeen closed in and

converted into alarge bonus room.

Head outside to theback patio and relax

on over 500square feet of

covered deck area.The gunite

swimming pool issurrounded by

lovelylandscaping as well

as decorativecement. All

Appliances inkitchen will remain

with thehouse. Do not

waste time, hurryand schedule your

showing!!

3 Bedroom

2 Bath

$210,000609 E. Putnam St.

Erath, LAcall Aaron

337-354-5795

JOB WANTED

I’M LOOKING FORa job to sit with

elderly.337-522-4832

MOBILE HOMES FOR RENT

16X803BD/2BA

in trailer park$600/mo$600/DP

FMI Call Shane893-7244

PETS

FREE TO GOODhome.

calico cattext or call652-5057

HOMES FOR SALEHOMES FOR SALE

Need to sell something.

Call Kayla for more info @

337-893-4223

By Chris RosaManaging Editor

Kaplan’s Bates is the most recruited athlete in Vermilion in years

Jalen Bates is joined by Kaplan football teammates Thursday as he signed his letter of intent to play football for Arizona State University. In honor of the moment, the group displays ASU’s famous “Pitchfork” hand gesture.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015 The Kaplan Herald Page 7

Insured & Licensed with the LA State Contractors • Licensing Board

Call Scott at (337)893-6336

Call KAYLA at 893-4223

We Now Offer:• Gutter Installation• Gutter Repair and Cleaning• Patio and Garage Cover Installation• Screen Room Enclosures• Insulated Rooms

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DUTIL FENCE & CONSTRUCTION

Wood, chainlink and Aluminum FencesRoofi ng-New and Repairs

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Preventative Maintenance Agreements Available

Custom BuiltUsing galvanized posts & purlins

Carports • Patio CoversR.V. and Boat Covers • Storage ShedsPole Barns • Hay Barns • Metal Roofs

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• Metal Bui ld ings-any size/any sty le • Al l bui ld ing components, screws & pur l ins.

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• Metal Roofs • Metal Carports• Tr im • Red Iron • Galvanized• 26 & 29 Gauge, color & galvanized metal

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Moving to New Location • 3 1/2 miles West of Abbevil le13572 Veteran’s Memorial Dr. • Abbevil le, LA 70510

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Metal Buildings, Metal Carports, Roofi ng,Remodeling, Addditions

& Concrete Work

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3011 Th eodore Rd • Erath

Residential & Commercial • Insured & Licensed

John Thibeaux - Owner337-523-3066 • 337-359-7344

Now hiring workers with at least 2 years of experience

Residential & Commercial • Insured & Licensed

John Thibeaux - Owner337-523-3066 • 337-359-7344

Now hiring workers with at least 2 years of experience

For a Great Deal on a New or Used Vehicle, Call

BAY CITYMOTORS, INC.

Top Salesman20 Months in a Row

Phone: 337-893-3124 • Cellular: 337-652-61892205 Veterans • Abbeville, LA

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Diesel Engines Parts & Service24 Hour on Call Service

Generator Sales & Service

The Kaplan Herald Page 8 Wednesday, February 11, 2015

HOPE FOR THE FAMILY

This coming Saturday, Feb. 14, is Valentine’s Day, the day that is set aside to promote and honor love. I know that much is spent on flowers, cards and candy and that is okay. But, if that is the only time you treat your wife as special, then you need to understand a few things. Remember, that is part of the reason she fell for you in

the first place was that you made her feel special. But if you are a jerk all year, don’t think that one day and a little candy can make up for a whole year. Treating our wives as special is not just a one day event, but should be our goal all year long. It is not the big things we do, but the small things that we do. Things like helping around the house and doing some of those honey-do jobs that you have been putting off. Our goal should be to try our best to make the lady of the house happy. Because you know the old saying, “If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”

Happy Valentine’s Day

Your Friend Pastor, Farley Painter, Faith Christian Church

realcajunrecipes.comBABY SYRUP COOKIES

1 cup shortening 2 cups sugar2 cups syrup ( cane syrup)2 cups raisins (optional)4 eggs 7 cups of flour1 cup boiling water with 1 tsp. baking soda dissolved in hot water (cool before adding)

Mix in order given: Shortening, sugar, syr-up, boiling water, raisins, eggs and flour.Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until brown around edges. Do not over bake or the cookies will be tough.

CABBAGE WITH VINEGAR

1 fresh head of cabbage, small1/2 cup low-acidic white vinegar1/4 cup waterSalt and pepper to taste

Using a large, sharp knife, finely slice the cabbage. It will look like straw when done.Combine the vinegar and water. I find the least expensive off-brand vinegar tastes the best. Pour over the cabbage in a large bowl. Depending on the yield of the cab-bage, you can adjust the liquid. You want the cabbage coated but not swimming in liquid. Add black pepper and salt to taste and mix all ingredients thoroughly.

What’s cooking in the Sauce Piquante?

BBQ dinnerMaltrait Memorial

will host the annualb-Barbecue dinner on Sunday, February 22, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Drive through ser-vice at Cabrini Hall. Barbecue pork steak, rice dressing & trimmings. Sweets will be available for purchase. Donation - $8. Tickets are available at the School Office (643-7765) or Church Office (643-6472)

SUPPORT GROUPA Heartbreak to

Healing survivors of sui-cide support froup for family and friends who have lost loved ones to suicide begins March 9, 2015, 6 - 8 p.m. at Vermilion Parish Public Library 405 E. St. Victor, Abbeville, La 70510. The support group will meet the 2nd Monday of month. Contact Alisha Trahan for more infor-mation 337/523-2505

VFW meetingsThe Guidry-Hebert

VFW Post 3793 in Kaplan holds their meet-ings the first Thursday

of each month beginning at 6 p.m. All veterans are invited to attend. A meal is always served. We are now on Facebook.

KC MeetingsThe Kaplan Knights

of Columbus meeting are held the third Monday of each month at the KC Hall in Kaplan.

Lions ClubThe Kaplan Lions

Club monthly meet-ing is held every second Thursday of the month at 6 p.m. at the KC Hall.

BingoThe American Legion

in Kaplan is sponsor-ing Bingo held every Thursday at 6 P.M. Refreshments are avail-able. FMI call 337- 643-7991.

Farmer’s marketA farmer’s market

is held every second Saturday of the month at Turnley Park. Vendor booths are open to pub-lic.

XNLV191608

24 Hour Locations in New Iberia & Abbeville

Present coupon when ordering. Plus tax if applicable. Not valid in conjunction with any other coupon or offer. Limit one coupon per customer visit. One free item per coupon. Current prices and participation based on independent operator decision. Prices may vary. ©2009 McDonald’s Corporation value 1/20th of one cent.

These locations only: New Iberia, St. Martinville, Abbeville, Franklin & Kaplan.

Buy Any Quarter PounderGet One FREE Medium Drink

& FREE Medium Fry

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These locations only: New Iberia, St. Martinville, Abbeville, Franklin, Kaplan & Broussard (Wal-mart)

Card Of ThanksIt is with gratefulness that we acknowledge and express our sincere appreciation for the heartfelt thoughts, prayers and enormous acts of kindness expressed to our family during

the HOMEGOING CELEBRATION of our dear father, REV. HOLLINS MEAUX.

If you sent food or a lovely card or sat quietly in a chair, if you sent a oral piece, if so, we saw it there. Perhaps you spoke the kindest words as any friend, family or ministers

could say, Perhaps you were not there at all, just thought of us that day! WHATEVER you did to console our hearts, we

humbly THANK YOU SO MUCH, whatever the part!!.Rev Meaux would be so proud of the presence of his church

family, friends and ministers of the gospel. As family, we know the source of our strength and we do realize that Weeping endures for the night but JOY comes in the morning. Psalms 30:05

Humbly Submitted,The entire MEAUX FAMILY

By Jeremy Alford LaPolitics.com

While proposals to increase taxes may be dead on arrival when reaching Gov. Bobby Jindal’s desk, the admin-istration seems willing to at least review fee chang-es this session, based on a request for comment by LaPolitics.

But how lawmakers package them will deter-mine how Jindal comes down on the issue. That is, the governor is nei-ther opening the door for fees, nor is he shutting down related talks.

“We will review any fee increase proposal to determine if they are

truly fees to pay for services rendered and not taxes by a differ-ent name,” said Jindal spokesperson Shannon Bates Dirmann.

This could be a very small -- maybe tiny -- opening for state depart-ments and agencies that are facing at least 15 percent reductions across the board next fis-cal year.

The latest multi-year revenue forecast has many thinking longterm. The 2015-2016 fiscal year will face a $1.6 bil-lion shortfall, at the very least, with the following three fiscal years seeing budget shortfalls rang-ing between $1.4 billion and $1.8 billion each, based on no changes in the economy and incom-ing revenue streams.

Back to closed prima-ries?

Converting Louisiana back to a closed primary election system has been an issue that has been on and off the political radar over the past year. But a group of high-ranking Republicans are hoping to keep it on and are quietly touring the state to build support.

Sources tell LaPolitics that the state’s Republican National Committeeman Ross Little is working with other members of the GOP central commit-tee to gauge support of lawmakers and donors. Meetings are actively taking place, guided by a supportive resolution from the central commit-tee.

While there’s a chance the issue could surface in legislation during the spring session, the only consensus among those involved so far is that the conversion shouldn’t happen until after 2016.

Whether state and federal races should both be included is still a point

of contention, as is what to do with independent voters.

The effort could face opposition from Secretary of State Tom Schedler, who said in an earlier interview, “There’s a divided sea on that

particular issue. I personally like the open primary system. I think it works well for Louisiana.”

He added that the temporary switch back to closed primaries in 2010 was confusing for voters.

Still, there’s an undeniable appeal for Louisiana Republicans.

Reverting back to closed primaries would certainly force more white voters to the GOP side. Currently, most have no incentive to change their party reg-istration, even if they’re voting Republican.

There’s definitely an existing trend to build on, with 225,000 white Democrats defecting over the past 10 years.

BESE election PAC may return With eight seats on the fall ballot for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and a pro-reform majority to pro-tect, it looks like the group that helped elect the board in 2011 will be back at it this fall.

The Alliance for Better Classrooms, headed up by Baton Rouge busi-nessman Lane Grigsby, is putting the band back together. Playing point on the ground will be Dan Juneau, the for-mer president of the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.

It’s still unknown if the group will use its old political action commit-tee, or PAC, but it’s defi-nitely on the table.

“We want to protect our gains in education,” Grigsby said. “We were very involved in the last cycle, which led to the super majority and the appointment of John White as superinten-dent. We anticipate that this fall those same elect-ed members will face

some good opposition from people with hidden agendas.”

Pro-Dardenne super PAC emerges The Fund for Louisiana’s Future, a super PAC created to back the gubernatorial campaign of U.S. Sen. David Vitter, is no lon-ger the lone wolf in the Bayou State.

Another super PAC, called “Now or Never - Louisiana PAC,” has been created to support Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne to the tune of no-limit contributions. It was reg-istered on the state level in October by individu-als affiliated with Axiom Strategies, which has offices in Kansas City and Washington.

The pro-Dardenne super PAC is headed by Axiom’s Travis Smith, a former McCain-Palin staffer and former chief of staff to Congressman Kevin Yoder of Kansas.

“There’s a difference between the candidates in this race,” Smith told LaPolitics, “and we plan to actively demonstrate the differences to voters.”

There’s no word yet on when the Now or Never PAC will file its first report, or whether it has any major pledges or donations. But the firm behind the super PAC is an up and comer. Principal partner Jeff Roe was recently hired to work on the political organization of Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. Roe’s bio claims credit for the elec-tion of 31 congressmen and four U.S. senators.

It could be an early indication that Dardenne’s supporters plan to try to compete for national money against Vitter’s team -- the super PACs are prohibited from coordinating with the campaigns.

There have also been rumblings in recent months of a biparti-san, anti-Vitter super PAC, but sources with knowledge of the effort contend the difficulty of attracting nation-al money for this race against a sitting senator has been one of the hur-dles. They Said It “It’s a bunch of crap is all it is.” --Presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson speak-ing about political cor-rectness at the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry’s annual meeting last week For more Louisiana politi-cal news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow

Jeremy Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015 The Kaplan Herald Page 9

Jindal: No taxes, maybe on fees

Jeremy Alford

Eight in 10 Americans say that travel makes them feel more alive. Find out

for yourself and explore Louisiana.

©2014 Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism

NOTICE***NOTICE***NOTICE***NOTICE

THE KAPLAN CIVIL SERVICE BOARD WILL BE AC-CEPTING RESUMES FOR THE POSITION OF: PART-TIME KAPLAN CIVIL SERVICE BOARD DIRECTOR.AT A SALARY OF $600.00 PER MONTH

REQUIREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1 Must be not less than twenty-one (21) years of age.2 Must be a registered voter.3 Must be a citizen of Kaplan, Louisiana.4 Must be a high school graduate or possess a valid cer-tificate of equivalency issued by a state department of education.5 Must not have been convicted of a felony.6 Must have a valid Louisiana driver’s license.7 Must have the ability to operate most businesses ma-chines including but not limited to telephone, fax ma-chine, copy machine, computer and printer.8 Ability to organize and express ideas effectively in both oral and/or written communications.

PROOF OF REQUIREMENTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH RESUMES

Anyone wishing to apply should submit a resume to Ka-plan City Hall or any Kaplan Civil Service Board Mem-ber. Resumes will be accepted until February 27, 2015.

Jim Bradshaw The St. Landry

Preservationist Society recognized the importance of the two-centuries-old Prudhomme house in the 1970s, when the nonprof-it group scraped up the wherewithal to acquire it. The old treasure is even more important today, but it’s in trouble.

It is almost certainly the oldest building in St. Landry Parish still on its original location, and that makes it one of the oldest in all Acadiana.

When it was built, probably in the late 1790s, it was the center of a prosperous plantation. Today, it is hidden away on a half-acre of land, sur-rounded by the Opelousas General medical complex. Nobody’s lived in it for decades.

Over the years, dona-tions and membership dues have allowed the preservationist society to make essential repairs — but that hasn’t been easy, and it isn’t getting any easier. Today, the house and the society that sup-ports it are facing some major issues. The needed repairs are no longer cos-metic; they’re structural, and costly.

Its recent inclusion in the Opelousas historic dis-trict will make the house — also known as Ringrose — eligible for some federal and state grants, but those are not as easy to get as they once were, take time for approval and funding, and often require match-ing money or in-kind con-tributions.

The biggest problem right now appears to be with a crumbling cypress column that helps to support the roof, though there are other big issues as well. The price tag to repair that one column is in the $5,000 range. When it goes, at least part of the roof could also tumble.

The money is worth spending on this old house. Besides being what the National Register of Historic Places calls “an excellent example of 18th century French-influenced building,” it is a monu-ment to much of the his-tory of the Opelousas Post and the area around it.

Most researchers think Michel Prudhomme, a young blacksmith from Strausbourg, in the Alsace

region of eastern France, came to Louisiana about 1759, stopping first on the so-called German Coast (the area around des Allemands) before coming to the Opelousas area.

In 1774 he paid 70 piasters to Antoine Pilette for a big piece of land, 120 arpents of which he later gave to the St. Landry Church, along with enough lumber from a cypress swamp border-ing his property to build a church and rectory as well as a jail.

I tried to figure out how much 70 piastres would be in today’s money; suffice it to say I’m better with words than with figures. It was probably a substan-tial sum.

When Prudhomme built his house, about 100 families were living at Opelousas, a military post established about 1720. It is interesting to note that this was one of the few early settlements that was not on a navigable body of water. Almost all of Louisiana’s early com-munities were on water-ways because boats were the best way to get around.

Opelousas, according to most histories, was estab-lished at the intersection of two Indian trails. The post became a stopping point for travelers going to and from Louisiana’s first two towns, Natchitoches and New Orleans.

There apparently had not been even a chapel at the old Opelousas fort until Prudhomme made his donation for a church. According to an old record, “At the fort there was … no place where [the visit-ing priest] could offer the holy sacrifice but a room open to all, even to poul-try, so that a hen once flew on the altar, just as he was finishing Mass.”

Union officers used the Prudhomme home during the occupation of Opelousas in 1863. Civil War records recount how they “stood on the second-story balcony and used it as an observation post,” from which they could “see the numerous troops that were camped out on the grounds around

the house and the new church.”

The Ringrose family bought the house in 1894 and gave the plantation and manor the family name. The house stayed in that family until 1945, when Ruth Fontenot bought it.

In many ways, she and the house belonged together. She was born Ruth Alexander Robertson, daughter of William Alexander “Alex” Robertson and Marie Céleste “Lelle” Dupré, and was a direct decedent of Gov. Jacques Dupré of Opelousas and of Gabriel Fuselier de la Claire, the fourth commandant of Poste des Opelousas.

After acquiring the plantation home, she became known as the “gracious Châtelaine of Ringrose Plantation.” She was a noted histo-rian of the region and an accomplished artist, and was known to ring the old plantation bell from time to time to summon neigh-bors and family to her his-toric home for a gathering that invariably included stories of days gone by.

Mrs. Fontenot lived at Ringrose until 1975, when the preservation society acquired it and placed it on the National Register. Documents associated with that placement note: “This house is represen-tative of a type which is becoming increasingly rare in Louisiana, and as such should be recognized and preserved.”

Those words are even truer today than when they were first written 40 years ago.

If you’d like to help pre-serve this important piece of Acadiana history, you can contact the Opelousas Tourism Commission, 948-6263, or James Douget, president of the preservationist society, 942-8011.

You can contact Jim

Bradshaw at jimbrad-shaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121 Washington LA 70589

JimBradshaw

An old home worth saving

The Kaplan Herald Page 10 Wednesday, February 11, 2015

BUSINESS. CULTURE. INNOVATION. OPPORTUNITY.

To learn more about the Campaign and join our team of investors, contact Campaign Investor Relations Director, Missy Bienvenu Andrade | 804 East St. Mary Boulevard, Lafayette, La. 70503 | missy@oneacadiana.org | 337.408.3652

The Campaign for One Acadiana is a five-year initiative designed to position our region for the business and employment future that we have been called to develop in the 21st Century. Join us as we pursue the long-term vision of becoming the most sought after region in the South for enjoying a prosperous career in an idyllic family environment.

THANK YOU FOR INVESTING IN OUR REGION'S FUTURE

TOTAL NUMBER OF ANNUAL COMMITMENTS: $3 MILLION PER YEAR

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