Top stories of 2015

There was no shortage of news that occurred throughout Evangeline Parish in 2015.
There were the protests and the eventual shake-up at Sacred Heart School, Mamou’s Chief of Police resigned due to a federal investigation into tasering inmates, the U.S. Department of Justice town held a town hall meeting in Ville Platte, and youth softball teams from across the parish brought home titles this summer.
In fact there was so much that went on that a few notable events didn’t crack the Gazette’s Top Stories of 2015. Those that fell just short of making the list were:
Bayou Chicot native Ashton Dupre competes on NBC’s ‘The Voice,” Uptown Cakes owner Lisa Crane becomes first woman to compete in the Louisiana Tournoi, the manhunt and eventual capture by authorities of Brandon Messer, the first gay couple received their marriage license in the parish and protestors and church leaders hold a vigil at Ville Platte City Hall for Keenan Ardoin.
Below are the stories that did make the list, starting with No. 10
No. 10
Pine Prairie Prison closes
The Pine Prairie Prison, which is privately owned by GEO Group, closed its doors this past summer after being open for 16 years. The shut down of the medium security facility in Evangeline Parish cost people their jobs as well as cost the town money the prison brought in monthly. According to the village’s mayor Terry Savant, the closing of the prison will cause the village “to lose $60,000 per year” approximately.
No. 9
Ville Platte cop arrested for malfeasance
The Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office arrested Ville Platte Police Officer Larry Fontenot back in August after a concerned citizen filed a report with EPSO for misconduct on the officer’s part.
The concerned citizen alleged that on Friday, August 14, Fontenot approached her while she was repairing a flat tire on her vehicle. Fontenot wanted the lady to reveal to him some personal body parts and also allow him to take pictures. Their was another young lady in the car which he also solicited. After threatening to have the Louisiana State Police cite the young ladies with a DWI, the ladies proceeded to allow the officer to take the photos of them.
Officer Fontenot eventually made his way to a local Shell Station (Y-Not Stop), where he showed the pictures to other officers on duty.
Fontenot was arrested and booked in the parish jail on the charges of malfeasance in office (3 counts), extortion, and video voyeurism. His bond was set at $1,000,000.00.
No. 8
Heritage Manor breaks ground
At a the July meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club, Heritage Manor Administrator Trey Prudhomme unveiled an artist rendering and general floor plan to the public for the new multi-million facility at 2020 West Main Street slated to open in the fall of 2016. The new facility will be able to house 117 to 122 residents. Progress by Ratcliff Construction out of Alexandria has gone extremely well and residents are expected to begin relocated later in the year.
No. 7
Youth softball teams win titles
Local softball teams fared well during their all-stars tournaments this summer.
The three teams that brought home World Series titles in the parish were the Ville Platte 8U PONY all-stars team, the Mamou 12U PONY all-stars team, and Pine Prairie’s Dixie Belles. For the Ville Platte team, they made history by becoming the first Ville Platte 8U PONY all-stars team to win a World Series title.
Once returning back home from the tournaments, each team was thrown a parade in their home towns to celebrate the teams’ victories.
No. 6
Dept. of Justice comes to town
More than 150 local residents filled the gymnasium at St. John Baptist Church in Ville Platte in late September for a community meeting held by the U.S. Department of Justice to address allegations against the Ville Platte Police Department and the Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office for patterns of arresting or detaining people without legal cause. In April, the Justice Department announced the investigation into both agencies, and the meeting held at St. John’s was the first public meeting that members of the community could share their personal stories. The investigators’ final report has yet to be released and could take up to two years to complete.
No. 5
DeSelle settles down in parish
After serving 24 years of a 50-year sentence for the 1990 murder of 11-year-old Averie Grace Evans of Natchitoches, Phillip DeSelle finally found an approved residence in Evangeline Parish. Deselle, 65, was arrested by Alexandria authorities on Friday, June 5 for violating his parole due to no longer having an approved living plan. That resulted in Deselle being shipped back to Evangeline Parish, where he first lived after being released from the David Wade Correctional Center in Homer in January. DeSelle though would find a suitable residence in June and was released from police custody. Deselle is under supervised parole until 2040 which also requires him to wear a GPS monitor.
No. 4
Turkey Creek Mayor Election
Turkey Creek held a second mayor election this past year in February after current mayor Heather Cloud learned that she had been defeated in the November 2014 election due to vote buying by her opponent Bert Campbell. After the case was dismissed twice by Allen Parish Judge Joel Davis, Cloud appealed to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals in Lake Charles. The court ruled that a new election should be ordered. On February 21 a new election was held, and resulted in Cloud winning re-election.
No. 3
Mamou Police Chief resigns
Mamou Police Chief Robert McGee resigned his position on Oct. 8, 2015, as a result of federal investigation into the illegal use of excessive force upon inmates at the Mamou jail, during McGee’s time as an officer under former Mamou Police Chief Gregory W. Dupuis. Later that month, Dupuis was sentenced to one year and one day in prison after he had plead guilty to one count of violation of an individual’s civil rights on April 13, 2015. McGee meanwhile pled guilty to one count of the deprivation of rights under color of law for their roles in the tasering. McGee faces up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been set. The town council appointed Allen Noel to serve as interim chief until March 5, 2016’s special election is held to fill McGee’s remaining term.
No. 2
Rendezvous Club Fire case
The Rendezvous Club, better known as The Jungle, fire trials finally came to a close this year.
Former employee Eric Johnson was found guilty of aggravated arson and obstruction of justice last March by an Evangeline Parish Jury.
It wasn’t until December that Johnson found out what his sentence would be. Appearing before District Judge Chuck West, Johnson received for the crime of aggravated arson nine-years of hard labor, with six of those years being suspended and five-years of probation. For the crime of obstruction of justice, Johnson was sentenced to nine years of hard labor, with six years being suspended, as well as five-years of probation and a mandatory 200 hours of community service. Johnson is serving his sentences concurrently (at the same time).
The Rendezvous Club owner John Deville was able to reach a plea bargain deal. Deville pled guilty to simple arson and is currently awaiting sentencing.
No. 1
Sacred Heart School saga
There was no story that was more discussed at length this past year than the very public saga of what occurred at Sacred Heart School in Ville Platte.
Sacred Heart alumni and concerned citizens picketed for days back in May in front of the Catholic school. The protestors had been growing upset with the leadership of principal Diane Fontenot. Enrollment had steadily decreased during her tenure, more than 80 teachers had also come and gone and the tipping point for the group occurred when Fontenot fired athletic director Robert Soileau.
Those protests led to a meeting with Bishop Michael Jarrell. The Diocese of Lafayette decided to form a Blue Ribbon Committee that would consist of five individuals that have no ties to the school. The group held a meeting with citizens in the school’s gym on May 31, with more than a hundred residents attending.
The committee proceeded to hold interview and emailing with all parties involved to help make recommendations on how the school could move forward. In late June, a letter by the Diocese of Lafayette and a report by the Blue Ribbon Committee were released. Based on the committee’s recommendation, Fontenot officially resigned her post.
In July, assistant principals at the high school and elementary schools, Dawn Shipp and Virginia Morein, were promoted to serve as head principals for both. The changes didn’t end there as Jarrell announced that same day in July that Rev. Thomas Voorhies of the Saints Peter and Paul Church in Scott has been appointed as the new pastor at Sacred Heart in Ville Platte, effective Monday, July 6.
Sacred Heart’s former pastor Rev. Jason Vidrine has been appointed to the Office of Pastor of Saint Anthony of Padua Parish in Krotz Springs.