Thibodaux Chamber Of Commerce Blog

Football season is near again and everyone loves that.  William Taylor knows more about Saints football than anyone and he told me just today that Pete Rozelle decided to have two NFL games on one Saturday night at Tulane Stadium which seated 83,000.  It started at 7 PM and around 10 a tremendous rainfall happened and the teams went into the locker room.  After the rain passed they continued and the last game ended at 1:30 AM.  That’s really loving football.  That was in July 1973.  This was the FIRST time a football game was played on a Sunday in Louisiana.

I gave a talk to the Rotary Club about the Cajuns and the history of Thibodaux.  It was in 1796 that Henry Thibodaux came to this area.  He was raised by the Schyuler family in the Northeast and thus the middle name.  He bought two lots from a Malbrough and downtown began for Thibodauxville.  Rienzi was being built for Queen Maria of Spain as they were at war with France and she would have to escape but that never happened.  Thibodaux lived there for awhile but had settled in Terrebonne Parish and is considered the founder of that parish and is buried there in the half way cemetery before you get to the Highway 90 and I 45 crossing.

Woody Falgout (Falgoux) wrote a magnificent history of St. Genevieve Parish and it is now available at CHERRY BOOKS on Canal Blvd.   It goes back 50 years when Fr. Newfield started it in an old lumber yard building on St. Mary St.

Over the years many pastors were there and Carolyn Cappell was the principal of the elementary school for 40 years and is now retired.  The book has great stories of miracles happening all the time and now the refurbished church is a masterpiece of design.  Here are some names of priests you will remember:

Fathers Newfield, Pilola, Danos, Roeten, Naquin, Melancon, Legendre, Todd, and Madden.  Fr. Dean Danos has returned and is the present pastor of this historical church.

Remember DIPLOMAT WAY.  In research found an article from the Times Picayune from August, 1966 about Harvey Peltier, Sr. and his horse winning the Futurity.  He said it was the biggest thrill of his life.  The trainer was J.O.Meaux and the jockey was Willie Shoemaker.  He paid $67,000 for the horse and that one race won him $195,000.

Remember City Bakery?  Watch for a story soon on this remarkable memory.  When they closed in December 1985 right before Christmas, they sold 500 dozen do nuts in one day.

Believe it.  Watch for TIDBITS next month.

TIDBITS QUOTE OF THE MONTH:  “  I would rather think of life as a good book.  The further you get into it, the more it begins to come together and make sense.”  (Kushner)

Another school year has come and gone and that the long hot days of summer are right around the corner.

Congratulations to all high school and college graduates.  Best wishes to you all as you enter the workforce or continue your education.

If you are looking for something to do with your family during the summer school break, don’t forget to look into our own back yard for all of the fun and educational experiences that surround us.  It is easy for us to take for granted what others find so intriguing.

I recently had the opportunity to drive a videographer from New York around town. He was amazed by our culture, history and the beauty that we are able to enjoy every day.

Next time you are out and about, take a second look at what surrounds us from the eye of a visitor.

At the top of the list is Nicholls State University.  A visit to the Ameen Art Gallery features outstanding student and local art.  You can find the gallery on the second floor of Talbot Hall.  The university also offers a number of camps for students, check them out at:  www.nicholls.edu.

Laurel Valley Village located right outside of the City Limits on Hwy 308 offers a great afternoon of history for the entire family.  The country store will take you back in time, and the display of antique farm equipment will amaze you.  You can call to arrange for a personal historical tour or you can take the tour on your own.

If you haven’t been to the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in a while you may want to spend an afternoon there.  The museum tells the story of the Acadians’ settlement in the Bayou Region.

In addition, art exhibits are often on display that the entire family can enjoy.  Bring your picnic basket and plan to have lunch on the beautiful deck over Bayou Lafourche or at least bring some stale bread to feed the ducks that will enjoy your company.

You might want to take a day to visit the historic churches and cemeteries in our area.  St. John’s is the oldest Episcopal Church west of the Mississippi River.  The cemetery is the burial place of many of Thibodaux’s founding fathers.

St. Joseph’s Co-Cathedral’s impressive architectural design features designs common to churches found in Paris and Rome.  The First United Presbyterian Church is also of historical significance and pleasant to visit.

The Edward Douglas White Historic Site, also located right outside of the city limits, offers a trip through history.  The site is the home of the only U.S. Supreme Court Justice from Louisiana, Edward Douglas White.  The site is operated by the Louisiana State Museum.

Just a short drive from Thibodaux you may want to spend an afternoon visiting one of the many beautiful historic plantation homes in the area.  Madewood is one of the largest plantation homes in Louisiana.  It is a National Historic Landmark and is located on Hwy 308 in Napoleonville.

Take another short drive to Vacherie and see world renowned Oak Alley, built in 1839.  You may want to pack a picnic basket and a blanket and enjoy a relaxing lunch on the levee overlooking the Mississippi River.

Well, I’m out of space, and I haven’t even talked about the swamp tours, the fishing and boating opportunities and the….  Give our office a call and we will be happy to give you more information on how to enjoy a vacation at home!

Happy Summer!

In local government, we are constantly planning projects, managing projects under construction, or enjoying completed projects, so I want to give you a quick update on recent developments. There are quite a few projects that we recently completed including:

1. Upgrades to the Municipal Pool
2. Senior Citizen Parking Lot Expansion
3. Daigle Park Pavilion

Upgrading the Municipal Pool involved changing the expansion joints and installing a new pump and pump seal. We also added a new awning to the Municipal Pool House and added additional exterior lights to the building, which illuminates the parking lot. Those using the Municipal Pool include participants of TREC programs, such as Water Aerobics, Swimming Lessons, and Lap Swimming. The Municipal Pool is also open for general swimming, Monday – Saturday, 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm ($3.00 per person). Family Pool Memberships are also available and you can contact Thibodaux Recreation Department at 985-446-7235 for more information.

The Senior Citizen Parking Lot Expansion Project was also recently completed. Center participants can now exit onto President Street instead of exiting onto Canal Boulevard. The project was funded, in part, with a $130,000 grant from the Lorio Foundation and the expansion created about twenty five additional parking spaces for center participants.

The 20’ X 25’ Daigle Park Pavilion cost was approximately $24,000. It is handicap accessible and contains two handicap accessible picnic tables.

A big step toward making Thibodaux a more pedestrian friendly city is the soon to be completed, Acadia Pedestrian Walkway Project, located in front of Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. The project stretches down the abandoned railroad corridor from Audubon Avenue to Percy Brown Road. Phase One of the 6-foot, concrete, lighted walkway will not only aesthetically enhance the developing area near the hospital, but will create a safe pedestrian walkway and bicycle path for residents. Best of all, the $205,000 project was funded with federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.

When additional funds are available, Phase Two of the Acadia Pedestrian Walkway Project will continue the walkway from Audubon Avenue to Bayou Lane and connect to the walking path on the Nicholls State University Campus.

The Tiger Drive Extension/Thibodaux Road Overlay Project is currently under construction.  The total cost is $1,340,433. The project is being funded, in part, with ARRA federal stimulus funds of approximately $755,000 from the city and $400,000 from Lafourche Parish for the Tiger Drive Extension overlay portion. The balance of the project is being funded with local street improvement funds. The project will be accomplished in phases and is expected to be completed within 85 days of the start date, which was May 26, 2010. The following Thibodaux streets are receiving improvements:

1. Tiger Drive (LA 1 to Parish Road)
2. Tiger Drive Extension (Talbot Ave. to LA 3185)
3. Ridgefield Road
4. Menard Street (Goode Street to Audubon Ave.)
5. Audubon Drive (Acadia Rd. to LA648)

By the time this article goes to print, the East Thibodaux Water Line Distribution Project will have begun and I will have received more information on the expected start date of the Left-Turn Lane Project, which will add left-turn lanes to Thibodaux bridges. Of course, I will update you accordingly. Until then, I hope you are enjoying the progress. As always, there’s so much more on the way!

On Thursday May 6^th and Friday May 7^th, Thibodaux hosted the Spring Mid Size City Conference (MSCC). The conference is held three times per year and the event consists of mayors, council members, and administrative staff – all members of the Louisiana Municipal Association (LMA) – coming together for networking and round table discussions involving issues associated with cities that are 10,000 – 30,000 in population. In addition to bringing municipal leaders together, the LMA keeps its members abreast of federal and state policies that directly or indirectly impact towns or cities.

The Thibodaux MSCC was very well attended and attracted mayors, and council members from Abbeville, Baker, Covington, Crowley, Gonzales, Gretna, Hammond, Minden, Morgan City, Natchitoches, New Iberia, Pineville, and Sulphur. It was great to show off our beautiful city again (We hosted two past conferences.) and we received positive feedback from many attendees.

Although I never need a reminder of the incredible jewel our Nicholls State University is to the community, I received another shining example of this on Thursday evening. One of the conference’s main attractions is the Thursday evening event. I chose to showcase Nicholls State’s John Folse Culinary Institute (JFCI). Nearly 100 conference attendees and local dignitaries attended an unforgettable meal at the John Folse Culinary Institute Bistro located at the Carmel Inn. The meal was prepared solely by JFCI students. Associate Dean, Chef Randy Cheramie, provided a brief description of the Institute including future plans. The meal was then served by JFCI students led by Student Executive Chef, Johnathan Lynch and Student Sous Chef, Jason Flato. The evening was truly spectacular. I was so very proud of the students who cooked and served. At the end of the evening, the students introduced themselves to all of us and the attendees cheered for them as if they were rock stars. The students were from many different cities, but on Thursday, May 6^th, the JFCI students were great ambassadors of our university and Thibodaux. As mentioned, it was a magnificent evening and one that will not be forgotten by anyone in attendance.

As usual, the conference was very informative. My administrative staff and I have been attending the Mid Size City Conferences for nearly twelve years and we continue to come away with new ideas and a renewed energy. Hosting the conference is always a lot of work, but showcasing our city and the fine citizens who live here is an honor. The improvements to our city were noticed and appreciated by conference attendees. It is a tough and observant group, but conference attendees were pleased and impressed with Thibodaux and I knew they would be.

To all business owners and individuals who helped make our conference a success… many, many thanks. To the Nicholls State University John Folse Culinary Institute Students, you all were extraordinary examples of the university’s commitment to excellence and I knew you would rise to the occasion! I am so very proud of you all!

As you strive to achieve your long-term goals, such as a comfortable retirement, you may, at times, feel frustrated over events you can’t influence, such as the up-and-down movements of the financial markets. Yet there is much you can control — once you determine the answers to just five key questions.

Where am I today? Take stock of all your assets — your IRA, 401(k) and other savings and investment accounts. Then, do the same for your debts, such as your mortgage and any other financial obligations. On your financial journey through life, it’s essential that you know your starting point.

Where would I like to be? Once you’ve established where you are today, you’ll need to identify where you’d like to be tomorrow. How much will you need to pay for the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned? Will you be able to help pay for your children’s or grandchildren’s college education? Will you need to support any other family members? At this stage, you’ll want to write down all your goals and put a price tag on each one.

Can I get there? After you’ve identified your goals, determine if they are, in fact, achievable. By considering a variety of factors — including your likely future income stream and your family situation — you should be able to determine if you can attain your goals or if you need to modify them in some way.

How do I get there? Now it’s time to put a strategy into action. Specifically, you need to choose those investments that can help you pursue the goals you’ve selected. Your ideal portfolio will depend on your risk tolerance and time horizon, but in general, you’ll want a diversified mix of quality investments. While diversification, by itself, cannot guarantee a profit or protect against loss, it can help reduce the effects of volatility. As you put together your holdings, make sure you understand what you can expect from your investments. For example, growth stocks may offer the highest potential returns, but they also carry the greatest risk. On the other hand, investment-grade bonds can offer a steady income stream and, barring the default of the issuer, will repay your principal when they mature.

How can I stay on track? Once you’ve built your investment portfolio, you’ll need to review it regularly — at least once a year — to help ensure it’s still meeting your needs. After all, many things can and will change in your life, such as your family situation, your goals, your employment and your risk tolerance. To address these changes, you’ll need to adjust your portfolio over time.

As you can see, answering all these questions will take both work and expertise. That’s why you may want to work with a professional financial advisor to help you identify your goals and create a strategy for pursuing them.

In any case, though, start asking — and answering — these five key questions as soon as you can. It’s easier to reach your financial goals if you put time on your side.

AFFORDABLE ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY

Advertising space is now available for only $25 per week on the Chamber’s weekly electronic newsletter, ChamberGram (minimum of four consecutive weeks).  There is limited availability each week.  Ads will be “clickable” and will directly link to advertiser’s website.  Of course, only Chamber members can advertise on the ChamberGram.  Call today to get your space reserved!  985-446-1187 or write to:  Martha@ThibodauxChamber.com

Also available…advertising on the Chamber’s website.  www.thibodauxchamber.com receives more than 50,000 hits per month.  Let your ad reach a global audience for only $100 per month.  Ads will be highly visible and will also contain a click through to your website.  Get your space today by calling the office, 985-446-1187 or write to:  Martha@ThibodauxChamber.com

Signed contracts will be required for both of these advertising opportunities.

Byline: June Shaw

“What would I do if I retire?” many people approaching retirement age ask.

“You’ve got to be kidding,” two active women in Thibodaux respond. They find countless events to fill their time.

For many years Jeannette Nannie was a Registered Nurse working with dialysis patients. Since she retired, her calendar remains full. Jeannette helped with scouting for over twenty years and now, during Boy Scouts of America’s one hundredth year, she participates in many scouting activities with her grandchildren.

She enjoys weekly exercise classes at the Thibodaux Senior Center and in warm weather, walks and takes part in water aerobics classes. She enjoys dancing and has taken line dance classes at the Civic Center. Jeannette is on a committee that counts money for her church and is also a member of the Thibodaux Playhouse and Lockport’s Bayou Playhouse.

She attends year-round concerts at Nicholls State and takes advantage of many of its Jubilee programs.

Adding even more variety to her days, she is part of a discussion group on banned books at the Thibodaux library and always learns something new at Chef Nino’s monthly classes sponsored by Rouse’s.

Jeannette enjoys tours and short bus trips to a number of locations. For longer trips this year, she will join friends for a visit to Georgia and then cruises in Alaska and the Mediterranean.

She learns about events available from other people, an area AARP group, and local media: The Nicholls Worth, KTIB radio, Gumbo, and The Daily Comet.  Although Jeanette loves her travels and activities, her friends, family, and faith always come first.

Another lady who doesn’t stay put for long since she retired is Lois Naquin. Having worked for State Farm for five years and the state at the Driver’s License office for over twenty, Lois loves to dance and cook, often having family members come over to eat. She counts money at her church. Watching movies is a special treat. Every night she views an old TV favorite, Golden Girls. She’s seen them so often, she knows many lines before they’re spoken.  She goes to a theater to see every movie that comes out as soon as it is released. Sometimes she’ll see two in a day, and once she watched three.

Lois enjoys casinos. She plays Pokeno and the card games Damit and Liverpool Rummy with different groups every month. She likes trips and going on cruises with friends, and takes enough of a break from other activities to plant tomatoes and bell peppers at home.

Lois takes great pleasure in photography. She snaps pictures of family and friends and vacation trips and dates each one. She then prepares albums for members of her family. Loving the time spent with her children, grandchildren, and great-grandson, she also adores her cats Patches, Nemo, Milo, Precious, Bobby, and Midnight.

With enthusiasm and great attitudes, both Jeannette and Lois search for events in which to participate.  Whenever anyone tells them, “Let’s go,” they are ready. Neither could imagine anyone in this area not finding enough things to do to fill spare time in retirement.

Reach June Shaw at www.juneshaw.com or jushaw@bellsouth.net. June retired from teaching in public schools. Now, besides having her own days filled with her terrific family, friends, and faith, she is fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a novelist. The first books in her series of highly-praised mysteries with a Cajun flair are RELATIVE DANGER and KILLER COUSIN.

Firstbloom is a program funded by the National Park Foundation.

The Foundation started the program in coordination with Laura Bush.  The program was intended to continue the long time beautification efforts of former First Lady, Lady Bird Johnson.  The program seeks to: connect kids to the outdoors, bond children- particularly underserved to their National Parks, organize native plantings that educate visitors and enhance their experience, and build the next generation of outdoor and National Park enthusiasts.  Check out our blog at :

http://firstbloom.nationalparks.org/31club.php?clubID=21

Also, the kids planned the garden, we sent in a garden plan that will soon be posted on the web for folks to vote on.  The plan with the most votes will win a trip to a crown jewel National Park.  I would love for that trip to go to my kids.  They have been wonderful.  If you could link, or someway let everyone know that would be great!  This program started in September and will run through August, at which time we hope to be funded for yet a second year.  Each month we hold a meeting, and an activity.  Like we have gone canoeing, on a marshwalk, next we go to Grand Isle for the Migratory Bird Celebration, and this summer they will have a special Firstbloom Camp!

It has been great so far!

Angela R Rathle

Supervisory Park Ranger

Lafourche Parish Government has launched a public awareness campaign entitled Keep Lafourche Parish Clean. The campaign is aimed at informing residents of the dangers of littering and pollution, mostly as it pertains to hampering drainage and damaging the environment.

This campaign will feature billboard, newspaper and radio ads as well as several press releases over the next six months with information related to trash, recycling, hazardous materials, stormwater runoff and other issues. The parish will also use its website to help educate the public about these issues and will conduct online surveys to help better understand the pollution problems that plague Lafourche Parish.

A Household Hazardous Materials Collection Day has also been scheduled for April 24th at the Mathews Government Complex. Officials are aiming to educate residents on the fact that litter, aside from being unsightly and damaging to the environment, can also cause serious drainage concerns. Everyday items such as tree limbs, garbage can lids, basketballs and other trash can accumulate and clog ditches and culverts. Also, when trash and litter end up in a ditch, leftover materials like auto fluids, pesticides, and other household hazardous waste pollute stormwater runoff, causing harmful effects to the environment.  Make sure you do your part to Keep Lafourche Parish Clean!

Daily Comet Building Purchased for Future Thibodaux Library

Last month, Lafourche Parish Government purchased the building that formerly served as the office for the Daily Comet newspaper to eventually serve as the future site of the Thibodaux Library. The Parish purchased the building for the amount of $2,268,392 with funding from the millage for library construction.

The Council and Library Board will now seek to renovate the building, located at 705 West Fifth Street in Thibodaux, for Library use.

Until last year, the Lafourche Parish Library Board had been planning for the construction of a new building on an alternate site along LA Highway 308 in Thibodaux. After budget concerns arose with regards to this new construction, inquiries were made about the building eventually being vacated by the newspaper.

On August 25, 2009, the Lafourche Parish Council passed Ordinance No. 4617 authorizing the purchase of the building and property which is located in Downtown Thibodaux. As of yet, no completion date has been set for the renovation project.

Employee of the Month

As part of our monthly article, we would like to begin recognizing Lafourche Parish Government’s Employee of the Month. Each month, one employee is selected by a committee of their peers to be recognized as the Employee of the Month. Also, other nominees not selected for that honor could instead receive the Wonderful Outstanding Worker (W.O.W.) recognition.

For the month of February, Stacey Savoy was selected as the Employee of the Month. Stacey was nominated for her ‘great work in the Office of Community Action.

Since this is the first time we recognize the Employee of Month, we would also like to recognize Jenica Collier, a Finance Department Accountant, who was selected for the honor in the month of January. Also, Community Action’s Executive Director Denise Hughes received a W.O.W. award in January.

MARCH 2010 TIDBITS

Rhonda Dempster at the Chamber office had someone come in to inquire about GRACE’S RESTAURANT.  Here is the story.  Canal Blvd. going to Houma past the former railroad track at the end of Canal was State Highway 69.  A restaurant was put up there by Frank Lafaso in 1947. He called it ‘THE 69′ and was a barber and had his shop as a part of the restaurant.  Joe Giglio was the original owner.  It was also a drive in and had the usual serving tray that attached to the open window of the car.  Eventually it was bought by Paul and Grace Picou in 1963 and the restaurant resumed with the barber shop still there.  The name was changed to GRACE’S RESTAURANT after they bought it.  It was closed in the 80′s. It was where Enterprise is now.  If any of my readers might have a picture or further information contact the Chamber office or e mail me at gibrob1@yahoo.com

Ethel Knoblock, Ms. Jackson St., was telling TIDBITS about the FOUNDRY which has been partially torn down and will become apartments and maybe a restaurant.  The Percy Lobdell Co, Thibodaux Wholesale and Consolidated Foods may have used that building at one time.  And then we have the old Venetian Bar which was sold and will soon be a Steak House.  What TIDBITS likes the most is that SPARHR’S next door is now open at 5 AM for coffee and breakfast like the old Venetian used to have.

THIBODAUX Gumbo is  back in full swing but the end is near.  St. John’s on Jackson St. has served chicken sausage gumbo from 11 AM to 1 PM on Mondays in Lent and St. Joseph’s has served seafood gumbo every Friday from 11 AM to 1 PM in Lent except Good Friday.  Both have a long history of this wonderful treat and have given over $200,000 to the local Food Bank.  Tomorrow is the last gumbo for St. Joseph and Monday the last one for St. John’s.  All volunteers are doing this wonderful charity for our city.

Here is a new CHAMBER member with an unusual name.  About a mile past Nicholls going south you will come to a delightful new restaurant called  THAT PLACE.  Check it out.  Take outs, lunch and dinner and a great atmosphere.  Owner is Jamie Pitre.

The picture below goes back to the last century.  West 2^nd and Green St. It shows the back part of the power plant and the old pavilion where dances were held.  A skating sidewalk circled the front and there were swings and seesaws.  Remember?

TID BITS QUOTE OF THE MONTH: “I would rather think of life as a good book.  The further you get into it, the more it begins to come together and make sense”(Kushner)