Sugar `N Spice preschoolers, staff stroll down

WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7, 2013
Page 1-B
ACADIANA GAZETTE
BUSINESS
We believe in doing business with locally owned companies. Please support our
local merchants, such as those you find in the pages of the Acadiana Gazette
The Chambers of Commerce of
Broussard & Youngsville
BUSINESS of the WEEK
Do
you
h av e
news
to
share?
Send to
info@
acadiana
gazette.
NET
Keisha Charles, teacher of the Carencro unit Sugar ‘N Spice, poses with Ashton Jackson,
Morgan Broson and Lauren Lewis. The students were part of a group attending a red-carpet
summer award ceremony and teacher-appreciation event held at the Celebrity Theatre in
Broussard on August 2.
Sugar ‘N Spice preschoolers,
staff stroll down the red
carpet for annual awards,
teacher appreciation
Story/Photos by Linda Meaux
Acadiana Gazette
BROUSSARD – As part of
Sugar ‘N Spice Preschool’s
summer program, the annual
ceremony and teacher recognition party was held August 2 at
Celebrity Theatre in Broussard.
More than 150 students from
four locations – Broussard,
Carencro, Lafayette and Youngsville – attended.
Darren Johnson, who said
“kids call me Mr. DJ,” led teacher/Lions grades 1-2, and as acting emcee handed out award
certificates to individual classes,
teachers and winners of their recent summer talent show.
Students watched a slide presentation from the talent show
and were served coke and popcorn.
“The children were delighted
to see themselves on the big
screen at Broussard Celeb-
Megan Menard, Sugar ‘N Spice Preschool executive director
for the Lafayette Vacation Station site, poses with Ethan
Laviolette, 10, Breaux Bridge and Mackenzie Landry, 10,
Youngsville, representing Toy Story group, Kaidyn Rhodes,
5, Lafayette, Mickey Mouse group, and Makayla Johnson,
Carencro, Peter Pan group.
rity,” Megan Menard, director
of Lafayette Vacation Station,
said.
Jonathon Pearce, Sugar ‘N
Spice executive director, said his
philosophy is: “A happy and active child is seldom a discipline
problem.”
Flood Protection lawsuit just one
more extortion-attempt, money-grab
By Don Briggs, president
La. Oil and Gas Assn.
Editor’s Note: Last issue (July
31, 2013), the Gazette ran a
front-page story on the lawsuit
filed by the Southeast Louisiana
Flood Protection Authority-East
against dozens of oil companies.
Here, Mr. Briggs wanted to further expound on that issue.
A couple of weeks ago, the
Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East filed suit
against 97 oil and gas companies
seeking payment from them alleging that they are putting the
New Orleans area at a greater
risk of flooding by contributing to coastal erosion.
This suit, like the 300 legacy lawsuits with more than
1,500 companies that have
been going on for 10 years
now against oil and gas, are
simply extortion via the legal
system.
Governor Jindal is to be
commended for calling these
lawsuits what they really are.
He said, “This is nothing
but a windfall for a handful of
trial lawyers. It boils down to
trial lawyers who see dollar
signs in their future and who
are taking advantage of people
who want to restore Louisiana’s
coast. These trial lawyers are
taking this action at the expense
of our coast and thousands of
hardworking Louisianians who
help fuel America by working in
the energy industry.”
This is a real opportunity for
Governor Jindal to heed the calls
he has been receiving for the past
six years to bring transformative
tort reform and an abrupt end
DON
BRIGGS
to the legacy-lawsuit abuse that
has been slowly destroying our
industry since 2003, and now
this absurd suit filed by the flood
board. We do not need one-liners,
talking points and sound bites.
We need substantive tort reform
for the state of Louisiana.
Let us not be deceived. These
are the same trial lawyers that
have been filing legacy lawsuits
If Louisiana wants
to be the state that
we know we can be
and be a champion
of small business
with entrepreneurial
spirit, we must tackle
the change that is so
badly needed.
for years. This suit, filed by the
flood board, is more of the same. It
is a frivolous money-grab on one
of the largest employing industries in the state. As a reminder,
while the rest of the country has
been experiencing the most dramatic economic recession since
the Great Depression, the oil and
gas industry has been providing
Louisiana with good-paying jobs
and a stable economy.
While the trial lawyers face no
penalty for filing frivolous lawsuits that seek to extort money
and destroy an industry, oil and
gas companies are forced to spend
millions upon millions of dollars
defending themselves from court
sanctioned extortion.
And while there is a frivolous
lawsuit statute that is supposed to
protect citizens from these very
types of suits, it is rarely pursued,
and even less often is a judgment
rendered against any attorney. It
is time for real tort reform. You
file junk lawsuits and you get penalized. This is not just an oil and
gas issue, but an issue that impacts every business, municipality and individual in the state.
Texas made tort reform happen. Why not Louisiana?
If we are to be a competitive state that seeks to retain
business as well as bring new
commerce to our state, then
the legal climate must change.
The oil and gas industry is experiencing the lowest drilling
activity ever in south Louisiana because of one simple
reason: Exploration companies are running away from
this state due to the litigious
environment and are choosing to explore and produce
elsewhere, bringing their jobs
and paying their taxes to communities outside of Louisiana.
If Louisiana wants to be the
state that we know we can be
and be a champion of small business with entrepreneurial spirit,
we must tackle the change that
is so badly needed. This change
will only occur once the attitude
changes within our Executive
Branch and Legislative Branch
of Louisiana, and both realize the
severity of the situation.
W E L C O M E TO O U R
We at the Acadiana Gazette
realize that the petroleum industry
is as vital to South Louisiana as our
arts, culture and food. As such, we
have decided to publish a monthly
“Oil & Gas” page. In it, we plan
to offer the latest in rig counts and
other statistics, plus industry-based
articles, calendar information and
pertinent advertising. We will also
still publish veteran petroleum
columnist Don Briggs for the
As part of their Summer Camp program Sugar ‘N Spice preschoolers from Broussard,
latest news and opinion in this everWe at the Acadiana Gazette realize that the petroleum
growing industry. If you or your company would like to be a part of this featured
Youngsville, Carencro and Youngsville sites attended an award/appreciation ceremony
industry is as
vital to South Louisiana as our arts, culture and
page, you can contact us at [email protected] with the tagline Oil &
at the Celebrity Theatre in Broussard. Pictured are: Jessica Bordelon, executive food.
rovingAs such,
we have decided to publish a monthly “Oil
Gas or leave a message at (337) 237-0677.
site director; Megan Menard, director Lafayette’s’ Vacation Station; camp counselors
& Gas” page. In it, we plan to offer the latest in rig counts
Acadiana Gazette Editorial Staff
Mackenzie Romero, Katelyn Musumeche, Morgan Comeaux, Xaviier Leon, Victoria Martin,
Oil Gas
Page
and other statistics, plus industry-based articles, calendar
Lavell Johnson, Christina Abukubie, Darren Johnson, and Courtney Easton; and Sugar ‘N
information and pertinent advertising. We will also still publish
Spice Executive Director Jonathon Pearce.
veteran petroleum columnist Don Briggs for the latest news
and opinion in this ever-growing industry. If you or your
company would like to be a part of this featured page, you
BONELESS STUFFED
can contact us at [email protected]
with the tagline
Oil & Gas or leave a message at (337) 237-0677.
RICE
DRESSING
Acadiana
Gazette Editorial Staff
Weekly
DRESSING
337.856.6470
SHRIMP
DRESSING
AVENUE B
FIRST ST
FLANDERS RIDGE DR
SSO
CHAI
YOUNG ST
FABRE RD
CHURCH ST
DEVILLIER RD
DULA ST
METALS DR
✪
TERREBONNE RD
HWY 90
HWY 89
DR
SCHOOL ST
CANE FIELD DR
CANE DERRICK DR
T
YOUNG ST / HWY 92
JULENIE WAY
ETC.
COPPER MEADOWS BLVD
PV
FOURTH ST
3 LB. BAG ONIONS
1.09 EA.
CRAWFISH
FIFTH ST
Prices good Aug 7-Aug 13, 2013
SHRIMP & CRAB
D DR
S PARKWOO
COUNTRY STYLE RIBS OR
PORK STEAKS
1.59 LB.
FOUNTAIN VIEW DR
BROCCOLI
N CHEESE
LAFAYETTE ST
RUSHMORE LN
732 YOUNG ST • YOUNGSVILLE, LA
CANE WAGON DR
18 PC COMBO
GRILLER
1.29 LB.
CORNBREAD
TJIRDT ST
USDA SELECT RIBEYE STEAKS
7.99 LB.
SUMMERIPE
NECTARINES
& PEACHES
1.29 LB.
SECOND ST
SPECIALS
CHICKENS