VP Rotary Club welcomes recent guests

By: HEATHER
BOGARD
Lifestyles Editor

April 12, Meeting
Rotarian Jimmy LeBlanc invited Judge Chuck West (13th Judicial District Court Division B) to address the April 12 meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club. West gave a brief overview of his unusual experience as a new judge, saying that “2016 started out with a bang,” with him hearing three first degree murder trials in two months, with all three ending in guilty verdicts. West also noted that the DA’s office declined the death penalty in all three cases.
He shared that due to the three major trials within such a short time span, 475-500 potential jurors were subpoenaed in order to select a jury for each case. He added that by the last trial, it took over nine hours (from 12 noon to 9:30 p.m.) to select the 14-person jury for that case.
West continued, noting that the last trial took eight solid days, with 30 witnesses testifying. He added that a special DNA expert from Pennsylvania was brought in for one of the trials. As a result of the three cases, West said that security at the courthouse was increased with extra officers from the sheriff’s office, and officers from around the parish in other municipalities. He said, “It is a big endeavor in time and money and it puts a strain on the parish on manpower and resources.”
In other rotary news, President Mitch Fontenot noted that the annual Rotary installation banquet was set for June 14 and reminded members of the Shots for Tots event planned for Thursday, April 28, from 8 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the Evangeline Parish Health Unit.
April 19, Meeting
Rotarian Bob Manuel invited Mark Layne, general manager of KVPI, along with station owners John and Dr. Rhonda Fink Pucheu, to give a brief history of the station during the April 19 meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club. Rhonda is the president of KVPI’s parent company, Ville Platte Broadcasting, and John is the vice president.
Before introducing the Pucheus, Layne announced that KVPI received the honor of being named small market “Radio Station of the Year” by the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters for the sixth year in a row. He also shared a few vintage photographs of from KVPI’s rich history, including photos of original announcer and sportscaster DJ Bootsie Cappell sitting at the control board in the 1950’s; Jim Soileau, Charlie Manuel and another DJ at the Tournoi in the 1960’s; and promotional photo of Jim Soileau and the late Dan Andrus, original hosts of the long-running and popular program La Tasse de Café. Layne recalled that Capell would have to carry around a huge tape recorder to tape boxing matches and games to be played back over the air the following day. Layne added that rock and roll was just beginning and the DJs played ‘78s, as 45s were just coming out at the time. After a while, reel-to-reel machines and then cart machines were utilized. Of course, now everything is on computer.
KVPI is very community oriented, Layne said, and hosts the “Let’s Talk About It” show to discuss current issues. The station also covers many area events throughout the parish through its remote broadcasts at events such as festivals, Tournoi, political rallies, food drive, Relay for Life and election night results coverage, among many others. The station also covered more than 150 local sporting events.
KVPI’s call letters stand for “Keeping Ville Platte Informed,” and Layne said it is a team effort between the station and local business owners and thanked them for the years of continuous support.
Layne then called on Dr. Rhonda Pucheu and John Pucheu to share a few words about KVPI. John noted that the original stockholders included Dr. Roland Fink (Rhonda’ father), Lionel DeVille and two sets of brothers, Joe and Vincent Riel and Tom and Paul DeClouet. He said KVPI AM originally went on the air in 1953, with KVPI FM following in 1966. John said that his father-in-law was the last of the original investors, and at 84 years old, he mortgaged his house to buy out the shares from the descendants of his original co-investors. Now Rhonda and her sister, who have been involved in radio over the years, own the station.
Pucheu said it a main goal to try and keep KVPI as truly local as possible and shared Mayor Jennifer Vidrine’s famous quote, “If you don’t hear about someone’s death on KVPI, they aren’t really dead.”
In closing, John Pucheu, said he is the current president of the Eunice Rotary Club and invited the Ville Platte members to attend and participate in the second annual Experience Louisiana festival in Eunice in October. The “folk life” event is sponsored by the Eunice Rotary Club.