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WELCOME SHIPMATES
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C! Council Districts B & D, Ballots Pa e B-2
APRIL 29, 2010 THE NEWSPAPER OF AMERICA'S ANTIQUE CITY 29th YEAR NUMBER 31 FIFTY CENTS
PHS basketball, football
Reoeats victory as PHS senior
LSU's Josh Dominguez
honor Coach Bill Johnson
Times Report
Legendary Ponchatoula High School Coach Bill Johnson was
feted at a celebration held in his honor by former players Saturday
afternoon at Shorty Rogers' restaurant in Hammond, attended by
some of the current greats in Ponchatoula.
Johnson recently turned 85.
He coached football during "The
PHS Golden Years" 1955-60 and
he coached the parish champion
Ponchatoula High School bas-
ketball team of 1964.
Fifty former players and
spouses attended Saturday's
warm-hearted tribute to the
strict disciplinarian who
whipped his teams into champi-
onship fettle.
Active on the state political
stage, Johnson left PHS coach-
ing when called to the campaign
trail by Bill Dodd, onetime state
superintendent of education. Coach Johnson,
PLEASE SEE PAGE A-2 back in the day
Last weekend for Jazz
Feat an opportunity not to
be missed
Times Report
Following long days of perfect weather, Jazz Feat 2010 was wet
and wild on its opening day Friday, defied dire weather predic-
tions for Saturday and Sunday, and charges on like a jazz brass
band into this, the final weekend of the internationally-acclaimed
musical event.
This is the weekend when
Ponchatoula artist Connie Kit-
tok will be in the spotlight in
e|9 v the Contemporary Crafts area,
wins Penn s and she invites all Times read-
.IL qlb4b
era to come and pay her a visit.
Championship Even Times reporters and
others who found themselves
Special to The Times
PHILADELPHIA -- The atmosphere inside historic Franklin
Field on Saturday afternoon was unlike any other in the 116-
year history of the Penn Relays Carnival, and Ponchatoula's Josh
Dominguez, of the LSU Track and Field Team, had the opportu-
nity to capture the pole vault event title in front of a record crowd
of 54,310, on hand to witness one of the great spectacles in all of
Field, was the world's fastest
man, Usain Bolt of Jamaica.
Bolt is a three-time Olympic
gold medalist and world record-
holder in the 100 and 200 me-
ters. Bolt and the Jamaica Gold
PLEASE SEE PAGE A-3
sports.
Dominguez won the event
as a PHS senior in 2005, com-
ing back as an LSU senior to
reprise his role soaring over the
bar. The sport dates back to the
ancient Greeks and Celts.
Also on hand at Franklin
on Friday wading in ankle deep
water through lashing rain,
dashing from performance tent
to performance tent, grabbing
excellent festival food on the
run, had to admit they were
having fun. And when the sun
came out Saturday and Sunday,
the party was on!
Enjoy the photo coverage this
week by Times photographers
Landis McMahon, Brooks and
Chris O'Connor, and Bryan T.
McMahon.
Warming up
at Jazz Fest
The organizers of the New
Orleans Heritage Jazz Festi-
val do not skimp on the her-
itage aspect of this event.
School bands from all over
the parish are encouraged
to show their excellence
and participate in the world
class venue. This gives the
youth of the city a window
of opportunity to hear inter-
nationally respected talents
and to showcase their own
achievements. Inspired by
the spirit of the occasion,
on the first weekend of the
event this year, a second line
of aspiring young musicians
spontaneously broke out in
a hearty rendition of "Ain't
Nothin' But a Party" in front
of one of the many colorful-
ly bedecked food courts dis-
pensing local favorite treats
including andouille gumbo
and roast duck poor boys.
(Times Photo by Brooks
O'Connor)
Your ride to Key West is waiting
The Friday, May 14 AOH Silent Auction to be held at
St. Joseph Gymnasium 6:30-8:30 p.m. features many excel-
lent items, such as round trip air transport to Key West,
Florida aboard this Pierce Aviation plane. A full page ad
in The Ponchatoula Times will also be available for bid in
the charity auction, among many fine items. Tickets to the
event, which includes food and music, are $15 for individu-
als, $25 for couples, available at The Ponchatoula Times,
145 West Pine Street, Suite A.
Jamene Dahmer to file
reports and photos from Argentina
Renewing her role as for-
eign correspondent for The
Ponchatoula Times, Miss
Jamene Dahmer will soon
begin a series highlighting
Argentinh, where she heads
a Rotary cultural exchange
delegation from Louisiana
and Mississippi. Her previ-
ous Times series featured
Ireland and was very well
received. (Photo by Hardy
Richardson)
Theresa Andersson
(Times Photo by Landis
McMahon)
Harold Baptiste
(Times Photo by Bryan T.
McMahon)
Tambourine player with
the Hot 8 Brass Band
(Times Photo by Landis
McMahon)
Dinner waits on the ground floor
(Times Photo by Ashley Herrick)
Life in the Alps
The everyday trials and tribulations of an English
language assistant in France
When the Food Stares
Back...
By ASHLEY HERRICK
' Times Foreign Correspondent
(EDITOR'S NOTE: One of the 25 storied Queens of Erin,
the author is a graduate of Ponchatoula High School and
LSU. She is the daughter of Ponchatoula's Carl and Terry
Herrick.)
The "Need to Know" Background Info
Growing up in South Louisiana, I learned to appreciate deli-
cious food regardless of what it looks like. So in true Cajun tradi-
tion, I always enjoy boiled crawfish, fried alligator, and frog legs.
But Louisiana is still a part
of the U.S.; therefore, I have
also been influenced by Ameri-
can food culture. This culture
typically teaches us to disguise
food so that it resembles little of
what it once was by the time it
ends up on our plates.
The mindset in France, how-
ever, is completely opposite.
The French love seeing the raw
truth of their food - fish head,
bones, tail and all- because this
ensures the quality of the meal.
Walk bya boucherie (meat ape-
PLEASE SEE PAGE A-3
I
Zabbia to seek "at least"
one more term in 2012
Times Report
Asked to comment on rumors that he intends to step
down after his first term in office, Mayor Bob Zabbia fairly
scoffed at the idea.
"I will definitely be running in the 2012 election, for at
least one more term in office," Zabbia this week told a Times
interviewer.
Indeed, the mayor appears to relish his job, especially as
he and his staff succeed in funding major city improvements
with outside grants, his forte' in private practice as the head
of an engineering firm (see related story).
OUR PONCHATOULA
By OLE HARDHIDE
The Alligator
My, my, it certainly is Springtime. Joycelyn Lemons is
said to be returning from a trip to Memphis with something
sparkly on hear hand. "Love and marriage..."
Don't "Miss" Strawberry Festival Queen Emily Bougere,
not after Friday night's big wedding at Chesterton Square.
Queen Emily, don't stay lost on your honeymoon without
bringing us photos and all the glorious details. It is Spring
and our readers are hungry.
This also seems to be the year everyone from the Cham-
ber of Commerce to the Madisonville museum devoted to all
things marine is going for the giant yard sale. The Ancient
Order of Hibernians, not to be let out of all the fun, has the
most super silent auction in Ponchatoula history coming up
May 14 (tickets are available at The Ponchatoula Times).
The Strawberry Capital Coin Club is sponsoring a free
show May 1-2 at the K of C Hall in Hammond. Call 320-4295
for all the details.
Not to be outdone by his famous coach Dad, Bill Johnson,
son John Johnson is now the celebrity chef on Fridays at Ta-
male's Ole where he lovingly prepares his famous "JJ's Jaw
Jackin' Hamburger. Try one!
The Ponchatoula Times - 145 West Pine St. - P.O. Box 743 - Ponchatoula,. LA 70454-0743 - editor@ponchatoula.com
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