Rotary Club seeks top citizen nominees
The Eunice Rotary Club is accepting nominations for the 2019 Citizen of the Year Award. The purpose of the award is to recognize a person who has shown extraordinary community spirit and given outstanding service to the greater Eunice community during 2019, although service for other years may be considered.
John Pucheu, chairman of the Citizen of the Year Committee of the Eunice Rotary Club, said, “Many people spend time and effort trying to make Eunice a better place but we want to honor someone who has done something above and beyond the average, someone who devotes themselves to the good of the community because they love Eunice and not just for financial gain or prestige.”
Nominations must be in writing and must be received on or before 11 a.m. Jan. 29. Nominations may be mailed to John Pucheu, Citizen of the Year Committee, P.O. Box 1109, Eunice, LA 70535 or delivered to his office at 106 Park Ave., Eunice. Nominations by email will not be accepted.
Blood drive for crash survivor
Friends of Wade Berzas, the sole survivor of the recent plane crash in Lafayette, will hold a blood drive to honor Berzas from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 19 in the parking lot of Church Point City Hall.
Berzas, a Mamou native, is a parishioner of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church and a resident of Acadia Parish.
For more information about the blood drive, contact Adam Barousse at 337-258-1241.
ELTL spring signup to begin
The Eunice Ladies Tennis League (ELTL) will hold its spring registration from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday Jan. 24 at the Eunice City Hall at the Mayor’s office.
Registration fee is $25 and includes 12-weeks of tennis every Tuesday evening.
Women, 18 years old and older, are welcomed to join. Players must have tennis knowledge, court etiquette and know how to keep score.
First date of play is set for Feb. 3.
For information, and details: call Debbie at 580-1870, Cheryl at 580-1816 or Rachel at 789-5707.
EPT season tickets makes a great gift
The Eunice Players’ Theatre gift certificates are available. The Players’ Theatre has season tickets for the 2020 season.
Tickets are $30 for single ticket, $100 for Patron tickets which includes 4 tickets, and $150 for Angel ticket holders which includes 6 tickets.
Tickets are available at Beaucoup, located at 114 S. 2nd St.
Any information, details call: 550-4727, or go to Eunice Players’ Theatre’s facebook page.
St. Francis School breakfast fundraiser
St. Francis School in Iota will host a Pancake, Mimosa Bingo fundraiser at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 18 at the school’s gym located at 490 St. Joseph in Iota.
There will be a pancake bar for $5, breakfast sausages, mimosas for $3, coffee, and a bingo games. All proceeds to benefit the school.
There will be child care provided, for a small fee.
For more information, and details, call St. Francis School at 779-2527.
Eunice Area Men’s Retreat set Jan. 30
The Eunice Area Men’s Retreat will be held at Our Lady of Oaks House in Grand Coteau from Jan. 30 until noon Feb. 2.
For room reservations call Don Mayeux at 457-9610 or 457-7624.
Vet organizations seek members
The three veterans organizations in Eunice are looking for new members. American Legion Post 129, VFW Post 8971 and the DAV chapter are welcoming new members.
For more information about joining, call Don Reber, commander of VFW Post 8971 at 337-580-5444; The American Legion Post 129 Commander David Crader at 337-580-4052; and Commander Kenneth Manuel at DAV at 337-305-1801.
Rendez-Vous De Cajuns at Liberty
The Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler Au Rendez-Vous De Cajuns is scheduled at the Liberty every from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday with live entertainment.
January schedule includes:
Jan. 18: Brandon Degataire & Cajun Reflection.
Jan. 25: Al Roger & LA Pride.
The Liberty opens at 4 p.m. the show begins at 6 p.m.
The Liberty performance admission is $5 at the door.
Right to Life March scheduled Jan. 22
The annual Right to Life March in Eunice will be held at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 22 beginning at N. 2nd St. near Picou Drug Store, and the march will conclude at the City Hall parking lot where there will be a guest speaker.
The public is invited to attend.
St. Landry election commissioner classes
A certification classes for any registered voter who would like to become an election commissioner are scheduled in January, according to St. Landry Parish Clerk of Court Charles Jagneaux.
Qualifications for commissioners are:
— Be a qualified voter, not entitled to assistance in voting and does not require use of audio ballot;
— Can be 17 years old in 12th grade;
— Must not be a candidate in the election or a child, child’s spouse, brother, brother’s spouse, sister, sister’s spouse, parent, spouse, or parents of the spouse of candidate in the precinct where you are serving.
— Not have been convicted of an election offense; Chapter 10 of the Louisiana Election Code.
— Not a law enforcement officer;
The classes will be as follows:
— Tuesday at the Old City Market on the Courthouse Square from 4 to 6:30 p.m.
— Thursday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Old City Market on the corner of the St. Landry Parish Courthouse Square.
If you are selected to serve in a Primary Election you also have the right to serve in the General Election. A commissioner will receive $200 for the election they serve in provided they have attended the pre-election class before every election. Commissioners are selected before every Primary Election.
For more information, call DeBra Sostand at the Clerk of Court Office, 337-942-5606 extension 122.
LSUE Continuing Ed summer youth programs
LSU Eunice Continuing Education has announced two new programs for children for the summer of 2020 in addition to its lineup of leisure learning and professional development courses.
Bengal Scholars STEM Camp for students in grades 6 to 8 will be June 15 to 18, 2020. The Science Technology Engineering and Math Camp will introduce students to the world of applied science through the integration of science, technology, engineering, and math around stimulating themes designed to keep middle school students engaged and learning. Registration for the summer camp is $100.
Bengal Scholars Arduino Basics will be June 22 to 24 for students aged 10 to 14. LSU Eunice computer science professor Laurie Seeder teaches the beginnings of wiring and programming an Arduino, a micro-controller that is used to interact with buttons, LEDs, motors, speakers, and much more. Registration for the class is $75.
To register for the Arduino Basics course or the STEM Camp, visit lsue.edu/continuinged and click the Summer Programs link.
LSUE Continuing Education is also offering courses in OSHA-10 Certification, ServSafe Food Safety Management Certification, and Private Investigation Exam Preparation, Water Aerobics, and Yoga.
Minimum weekday stay ended at parks
BATON ROUGE — Louisiana State Parks is giving overnight guests and campers more flexibility to plan a visit to one of the 21 state parks located throughout the state. Effective Dec. 9, Louisiana State Parks will no longer require a 3-night minimum stay for weekdays at campgrounds and cabins.
Reservations for weekday nights can be made online at www.ReserveLaStateParks.com or through the call center at 877-226-7652, up to 48 hours prior to check-in. Reservations less than 48 hours from check-in must be made by calling the park directly. All transactions are subject to a $6 non-refundable fee.
For more information about Louisiana State Parks visit LaStateParks.com
Highland ‘Proud to Be A Bobcat’ yard sign fundraiser set
Highland Elementary is currently having a school-wide fundraiser “Proud to Be a Bobcat” Yard signs.
The cost is $15 per sign, and to purchase, contact any Highland Elementary faculty or student or come by the school.
Mt. Olive Cemetery volunteers needed
Families of the Mount Olive Cemetery, located at 1199 E. Ardoin (on Old Crowley Road), are in dire need of volunteers for lawn maintenance, grass mowing, and up keep of the cemetery. It is a public cemetery, established many years ago.
Family members of families buried at this cemetery are asked to help in the upkeep.
Interested people should contact Tank Minor at 337-466-5035, Ron Whaley at 337-550-9628, or Gerald Melancon at 337-896-3231.
St. Louis Cemetery asking for donations
The St. Louis Cemetery, located at the corner of St. Louis Road and Sittig in Eunice is seeking donations for the upkeep and maintenance of the cemetery. The cemetery strictly operates by donations and volunteers. The cemetery is not a private one.
Families who wish to donate are asked to send to Keith Lavergne, cemetery manager, at St. Louis Cemetery, P.O. Box 325, Eunice, LA 70535.
For details, questions, call: 337-305-0328 or 337-580-0340. Email address is: stlouiscemetery@gmail.com.
AgCenter holding rice producer meetings
CROWLEY — Rice farmers will have the opportunity to get the latest recommendations and advice from LSU AgCenter experts in a series of meetings to be held throughout the state in 2020.
Don Groth, resident coordinator of the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station, said farmers will be able to get advice on choosing varieties, land preparation, controlling pests and the new farm bill.
In addition, farmers will get updated information on new products and technologies.
The meetings will be held on the following dates:
— Tuesday at 9 a.m. in the AgCenter DeWitt Livestock Facility next to the LSUA Campus south of Alexandria.
— Wednesday at 8 a.m. at the Vermilion Parish Extension Office in Abbeville.
— Feb. 4 at 9 a.m. at the Rayville Civic Center in Rayville.
Digital ag conference planned Jan. 23
ALEXANDRIA— The LSU AgCenter will host its second annual conference highlighting applications of digital data in agriculture on Jan. 23, 2020.
The free event will be from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the State Evacuation Shelter on U.S. 71 south of Alexandria. Lunch will be provided.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Practical Applications of Precision Agriculture.”
Presentations from AgCenter experts as well as keynote speaker Wesley Porter, a precision agriculture specialist with the University of Georgia, will focus on how farmers can best use data collected during the production season. Additionally, a panel of Louisiana farmers will speak about how they use digital data in their operations.
People can register for the conference at https://bit.ly/2NvqSIj.
Vendors can contact AgCenter agent Jimmy Flanagan at jflanagan@agcenter.lsu.edu for information on setting up a booth.
LSUE Testing Center offers HiSET exam
The Testing Center on the LSU Eunice campus has expanded its offerings after being named a HiSET (GED) testing site.
The HiSET exam is a test used to measure high school equivalency skills. It is designed for out-of-school youth and adults without a high school diploma.
The LSUE Testing Center added HiSET and CLEP to its lineup of exams that it proctors. LSUE also offers Accuplacer, Peregrine, TEAS, and proctored exams for LSUE and non-LSUE college students.
The Center is open Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and is located on the first floor of the LSUE LeDoux Library.
For additional information contact the LSUE Testing Center at 337-457-6116 or visit lsue.edu/testing-center.
Hour of Prayer at New Zion Baptist Church
The New Zion Missionary Baptist Church invites the public to an Hour of Power Prayer every Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at the J.G. Frank, Senior Christian Life Center, located at 251 Nimitz in Eunice.
On the third Thursday of each month, senior citizens are invited to fellowship with a meal immediately following the prayer service.
Details, information, call: 337-212-8828.
Free hearing aids, amplified phones
Free amplified telephones and hearing aids are available to Louisiana residents. The program is funded by a state agency, Louisiana Commission for the Deaf.
Call Stacy at Affiliated Blind of Louisiana for more information on how to qualify at 337-234-6492.
DAV volunteer drivers needed
The DAV (Disabled American Veterans) is in dire need of volunteer drivers to drive veterans from Eunice to Alexandria.
Those interested, and one does Not have to be a veteran, are asked to call Miguel Pousson at 337-396-6392 for more information and details.
Free child car seat installation
Free installation of child car safety seats is being offered from 4 to 6 p.m. every Monday at Word Ministries, 1960 W. Laurel Ave., Eunice.
The seats will be installed by a nationally certified technicians.
VFW bingo held Thursdays, Sundays
The VFW Post 8971 holds bingo for the public at 7 p.m. every Thursday and Sunday at the VFW Hall located on U.S. 190 East. All proceeds from Bingo games goes back to the community.
Funeral honor guard for vets needs help
A foundation has been set for the St Landry Parish Veteran Funeral Honor Guard and now it needs donations to become a reality, according to Lincoln “Link” Savoie, coordinator.
Donations can be made to American Legion Post 514, In care of Veterans Funeral Honor Guard, P.O. Box 1145, Opelousas, LA, 70571.