In the afternoon of Friday, January 20, the St. Bernard Parish District Attorney’s Office filed a “petition to intervene” against the Port of New Orleans’s proposed container terminal project in Violet on behalf of the St. Bernard Parish Government (SBPG). This petition asks that the SBPG join the lawsuit filed against Port NOLA by the Stop the Destruction of St. Bernard (SOS) group as an additional plaintiff.

The St. Bernard Parish School Board (SBPSB), at their January 24 meeting, held elections to determine who would be the board president and vice president. And though there are a few new faces on the school board (district 2 member Henry Rodriguez, district 8 member Millie Harris, and district 9 member Keisa “Franklin” Rodney) who were recently elected in 2022, the board chose to appoint two returning board members to these leadership positions.

On Saturday, January 21, a fire briefly broke out at the Chalmette Refining facility, affecting one of the company’s “process units.” The fire occurred at around 2 P.M. Chalmette Refining and St. Bernard Parish Fire personnel were quick to respond, securing the area and putting out the fire about 20 minutes later.

The Krewe of Lourdes Queens met for their annual luncheon at the Salmen-Fritchie House to honor the 2023 Queen Denise Gowland Clark. Pictured at the luncheon are Celeste McShane, JoAnn Anderson, Theresa Lauzon, Tracy Petruccelli, Judy Hoffmeister, Katie Tommaseo, Rachael Fox, Cheryl Georgusis, Denise Clark, Lena Nunez, Petrina Meyers, Katherine Lemoine, Adele Faust, Melanie Cannatella, Joan Garofalo, Nora Egan, and Ruth Bertucci. The 2023 Krewe of Lourdes ball and supper dance will be held February 4 at the Frederick Sigur Civic Center. The Krewe of Lourdes donates all profits from the event to support the ministries and development of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Violet. For more information, please contact Lena Nunez at 504.491.5266.

The Board of Commissioners of the St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District held their regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at 12 pm. The meeting was held in the Boardroom, located at 100 Port Boulevard, 3rd Floor. In the meeting, the commissioners discussed Election of Officers. This included nominations for the positions of President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

The St. Bernard Business and Professional Women’s Club held their monthly meeting on January 16. Gail Gowland, Director of the Family Violence Program of St. Bernard, was the guest speaker. She gave an update on the program and shelter. The club members presented her with a check in the amount of $1,274, which represented donations made by the members. Pictured, from left: Lisamarie Brandon (Past President), Cindy Ryckaert (Treasurer), Ms. Gowland, and Claudette Reuther (President).

New Orleans has officially become the Murder Capital of the United States. Such a proud heritage. This is not in total numbers of dead bodies, but it relates to the per capita death rate… 70 murders per 100,000 citizens.

I have enjoyed writing this column for the past 17 years. But I’ve got to tell you, it’s really a challenge writing one each week in this day and age.

St. Bernard Parish has been home to the Roy families since the 18th century.

When I was young, our family would take the journey from uptown New Orleans to my aunt and uncle’s house, Barbara and Johnny Klees on St. Bernard Hwy. for a Sunday afternoon. I would know, we were about to arrive at their house by passing the big pasture with the cows on it. Uncle Johnny taught all of the kids in the big Klees extended family about cattle and horses. We all enjoyed the rides in the sulky pulled by a Shetland pony or a donkey. As, we grew taller he would let us ride saddled Shetland pony. The big day came when Cousin Bobby Klees was put on his big horse. Those days are fond memories I will never forget.