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The North Vermilion Middle School Jr. Dreams has once again in a resounding display of talent, dedication, and unwavering commitment to their team, emerged victorious as State Champions in the recent American All Star State competition held at the Cajundome on Sunday, Jan. 14.
The precision and technique displayed by the Jr. Dreams was nothing short of mesmerizing, showcasing the countless hours of practice, discipline, and collaboration that went into their award-winning performances.
The journey to becoming state champions was a collective effort fueled by teamwork and dedication. The Jr. Dreams, under the guidance of their talented choreographers and coaches, demonstrated a level of cohesion and unity that set them apart. The commitment of every dancer contributed to the seamless execution of their award-winning routines.
As their fans were waiting for them to exit the Cajundome Sunday, it was overwhelming to see the tears of joy from each one of them. The young 6th graders were filled with a strong sense of accomplishment they have never experienced before. The 7th graders, most of them having been in their shoes just a short year ago, were the party animals. All were excited to share the experience with their little sisters and drying the tears of the 8th graders knowing they'd soon be in their shoes. And the 8th graders releasing overwhelming feelings of leadership, commitment, and pride as three years on Jr. Dreams' journey is coming to an end.
This team, with their coaches, and unwavering support of their parents, has taught these girls some important life lessons. Most importantly, "Practice like you've never won, and perform like you've never lost." - Author Unknown
Along with the title of Sweepstakes Champions, the Jr. Dreams were the recipients of the following awards:
• 1st Place Jazz JH Division II and 2nd Place Overall JH Jazz
• 1st Place Pom JH Division II and 1st Place Overall JH Pom
• 1st Place Hip Hop JH Division II and 1st Place Overall JH Hip Hop
Choreography Award for Hip Hop
Technique Award for Hip Hop
Junior High School Sweepstakes Champions

The Gulf Coast Bank Board of Directors voted to make Patrick Patout the new President & CEO after the retirement of his brother, Paul Patout in December 2023.
Patrick Patout has served Gulf Coast Bank for more than 39 years and has been the bank’s Chairman of the Board since 2000. Effective January 1, 2024, Patrick is now President & CEO | Chairman of the Board.
Patrick said he is honored and humbled to continue serving the company his father founded in this new capacity.
“We opened for business in 1971,” Patrick said. “We had my father Charles Patout as our leader, but he had a great board, the founders that started the bank, and today, this generation that’s leading the bank, is standing on the shoulders of those that came before us. I have nothing but trust and faith that the future is very bright for the bank. GCB will continue to remain committed to the communities in which we serve and focused on customer service!”
Gulf Coast Bank is a locally owned and operated full-service financial institution with ten locations in Vermilion and Lafayette parishes. The Bank proudly delivers quality customer service to meet the financial needs of both individuals and businesses.

Since the Vermilion Economic Development Alliance (VEDA) inception, governmental partners have been the primary source of organizational funding, alongside key business investors.
In order to secure long-term sustain-ability for the organization, VEDA will be reintroducing a proposal for a dedicated funding source on the March 23 ballot.
The proposal will reflect a $6.50 fee per parcel of land, which is estimated to result in $224,250 to support VEDA’s small actions and initiatives throughout the parish.
For most landowners, the fee amounts to just two cents a day.
“The proposed parcel fee is less than the cost of a fast-food meal,” notes long-time board member Richard Guilbeaux. The parcel fee will help ensure a path forward for The Alliance, as we work to create a community where our children can live, work, and grow.
The Vermilion Economic Development Alliance said it remains committed to creating a community that embraces its rural and cultural heritage while promoting sustainable growth and development.
VEDA said this funding is essential to maintain its organization, without reliance on third-parties amidst evolving budget changes and changing priorities.
While VEDA works alongside state economic development officials and regional partners, it remains the only organization whose sole focus is Vermilion Parish’s long-term success.
Alliance board members stress that securing a stable funding source will determine the future of the Vermilion Economic Development Alliance and its ability to be a part of state and regional efforts.

VEDA shares highlights of 2023

The Vermilion Economic Development Alliance, (VEDA) recently shared highlights of its 2023 efforts.
For nearly a decade, the Alliance has continually worked as an advocate for businesses and growth in Vermilion Parish.
The Alliance’s work is driven by four priorities: Business Retention & Expansion, Workforce Development, Attracting New Business, and Community Development.
According to VEDA, President, Patrick Duhon, “We’re often asked, ‘What is economic development?’ For us it’s a series of small actions and initiatives that include policies, programs, and activities that prepare our community for growth. It’s about preparing and improving the economic climate and quality of life in Vermilion Parish.”
Among key metrics for 2023, VEDA conducted 35 business retention and expansion visits.
VEDA worked with 10 prospects and new business start-ups who have aspirations of doing business in our parish.
VEDA featured 19 businesses as part of VEDA’s annual holiday and Small Business Saturday campaign, and 7
businesses were sponsored to participate in the Louisiana Small Business Summit. Workforce development became an important area of focus for The Alliance with a newly formed Workforce Committee that focused on linkages between education and the business community.
VEDA launched a collaboration with the Vermilion Parish School System to better leverage their JumpStart and ProStart Programs.
VEDA also co-hosted the parish’s fifth annual Parishwide Job Fair promoting 36 area employers and assisting 115 job candidates.
It also championed the Development Ready Community Assessment on behalf of the parish in an effort to prepare for growth. Alongside the Vermilion Parish Police Jury, VEDA has identified key projects to leverage $2.1 million in Hometown Revitalization federal grant funds and hope to play an instrumental role in the execution of the identified projects.
VEDA also completed 26 governmental engagements, hosted 10 events, and served in a critical capacity for three community-based projects.

Frigid weather is not as uncommon in south Louisiana as we might think, and nowadays we at least get a bit more warning that they are coming than in the days when digital media and computer-generated forecasts were the stuff of science fiction.
For example, we shivered in the dark as the calendar changed from January to February in 1951. Newspapers called it the worst cold spell in decades. Ice-coated wires fell, leaving towns without power or communication. Firemen battled sleet as well as the blaze when the hospital in Ville Platte burned, just one of the fires attributed to the weather.
The trouble began when a really cold front from the north collided with moist Gulf air moving from the south, providing plenty of moisture to be turned into ice. Adding to it all, a front moving from the west brought a line of thunderstorms that turned into sleet and snow
The headline in the Ville Platte Gazette was in the biggest type available: “Freeze Grips City.” It was typical of those across south Louisiana. The first paragraph of the Gazette story told the tale: “The great North wind blew over the city … this week, bringing with it rain, sleet, snow, the death of one man, a disastrous fire, and a multitude of mishaps and general discomforts.”
As the icy winds blew across town, “a general paralysis settled on Ville Platte … with disruption in telephone communications, fallen electric wires, frozen water pipes, and treacherous freezing of natural gas regulators.”
The volunteer fire department turned out when fire broke out at the Vidrine hospital, but were handicapped by “freezing cold … a treacherous high wind … [and] unbelievably impossible conditions.” They saved the medical records and much of the hospital equipment, but not the building.
The Jennings News used its biggest type to call the frigid weather the “Worst Ice Blast Since 1908.” The Lafayette Advertiser feared that the dip would be the worst since 1889, when the temperature hit 6 degrees there.
It didn’t get that low, but it did reach the low teens in many places.
In Abbeville, “thunder claps punctuated the beginning of the freeze” that brought down Vermilion parish lines and, besides taking a human toll, hit the cattle industry particularly hard. Several fires also were reported in Vermilion Parish. A sound truck had to go through Abbeville telling people to turn off their taps because, in trying to keep pipes from freezing, they were using more water than the town well could supply.
Church Point did not have that problem. The newspaper there reported that “no electricity was available to operate the water pumps at the local power plant.” Residents turned to “candles, lanterns, lamps, and other types of illumination long since discarded for modern electricity.”
The headline in Crowley read: “Acadia Towns Almost Isolated” because telephone and telegraph lines were down and the roads were frozen. The forecast from the Lake Charles weather bureau was delivered to the Acadia sheriff’s office by short wave radio. It promised a days-long freeze. With no telegraph or phone lines, “neither the Crowley Daily Signal nor KSIG had any news service.”
There were several house fires in Kaplan, at least one of them caused, the Kaplan Times reported, when “the gas meter valve froze, allowing too much pressure and causing the flame of the pilot of the gas stove to shoot high … [and] set the kitchen on fire.”
Temperatures began to ease on February 2 in south Louisiana, but the icy weather had not finished it work. It continued moving east as far as West Virginia, prompting one national report to call 1951’s icy blast “the costliest ice storm on record” (until then).
Twenty-five people died and 500 more were injured as the storm moved eastward from Louisiana to the Virginias. The Weather Bureau estimated the storm’s damage at $100 million, which would be over $1 billion today.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.