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| March 21, 1985 The Ponchatoula Times |  |
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Thursday, March 21, 1985--4th Year, Number 25
THE PONCHA TO ULI00 TIMES
Millville rezoned for 32 lot subdivision
Subscribers pay less
than half price
for home delivery
386-2877
Staff Report
A section of prime real estate in the
heart of Millville was approved for
re-zoning Tuesday morning, paving the
way for a new subdivision planned by
engineer Bobby Zabbia.
Millville residents had filed letters and
etitions opposing the zoning change
om A-6 to A-7, which allows for
Smaller lot sizes. However, several
Millville property owners said Tuesday
Oming their fears had been quieted by
bbia, who assured them of his
retention to develop a high-quality
Subdivision.
The decision to rezone the area was
made by the Ponchatoula Planning and
Zoning Commission, which met solely
as a Zoning Commission on Tuesday
morning. The commission s
Ommendation must be approved by
, city council before it becomes
binding. That move is expected at the
council's April 4 meeting.
Members present at the zoning
commission hearing were Chairman
Ronnie Perrin and members Often
Perrin, Max Roussel, Andrew Gas-
away, and Joel Smith.
The property being discussed is off of
Piney Woods Road near where it meets
La. 51 on the side of property now
being used as a soccer field. Zabbia has
plans for 32 lots on the 9.6 acres
ranging in size from 7,600 to over
13,000 square feet. He said the new
subdivision would likely be named after
his daughter, Kate.
City zoning laws stipulate that lots in
an A-6 zone be at least 11,250 square
feet, whereas lots in an A-7 zone can be
as small as 7,200 feet.
One of the results of Tuesday's
meeting at City Hall is that Zabbia
agreed to increase the size of his
smallest lots to 7,600 feet and agreed to
St. Patrick's celebrations
a huge, slightly wet, success
Staff Report
pThe First Annual Ponchatoula St.
atricks Day celebrations were so
SUccessful that organizers were actually
relieved that it rained on their parade.
Even with Saturday's typically Irish
mist and rain the parade
judged
was
a
l.uge success, and the
Ponchatoula
"ons Irish Family Party held after the
Parade couldn't have gone better if the
Sun had smiled on the Irish.
Lions Bruce Kinchen and Lion Presi-
nt Travis Edwards indicated that all
plate or two of the 500 traditional
dinners of corned beef, cabbage
and potatoes were sold, as were
numerous kegs of green beer and
COuntless cups of cold drinks.
ha"Had the sun shined today we would •
ve needed four times as much food
and drink and all three of Stanley
Cowen's buildings to handle the
Crowds," said the Lion as he sold out
the last of the corned beef dinners.
Next year well be ready for the
rlshine," he added.
Those who braved the chill and the
rain to march showered parade
Watchers with potatoes, cabbages,
doubloons, green necklaces and 5,000
opence pieces flown in from Ireland
Y next year s grand marshal. Dubliner
avid Hamilton, on behalf of his friend
rand Marshall Fr. Richard MacLeay
Leading the parade was official City
Piper Bob Young, followed by Mayor
Charles Gideon, Councilman Julian
Dufreche, Senator Gerry Hinton,
Slidelrs St. Patrick's Day Queen, and a
host of other d!gnitaries. Councilman
Gramps Fitzmorris sent regrets he had
to work.
Captains, prominent citizens selected
for the post by the grand marshal, were
assigned to the many marching groups
who lined up for the main street march
from St. Joseph Church to the Hayride
Building.
And despite the rain, visitors lined the
maintain a ten foot wooded buffer zone
separating the development from
existing Millville lots fronting Piney
Woods.
Incorporated in Orien Perrin's
motion, seconded by Roussel, was the
provision that Zabbia have at least 74
foot frontages on his lots. The motion to
rezone, with these provisions, passed
unanimously.
Earlier during the meeting Millville
resident Duane Dwyer got Chairman
Perrin to agree that should Zabbia's
subdivision plan fall through the zoning
board would return the A-6 zoning
protection to the property•
Millville property owner Mrs Laura
Jones. who will be an immediate
neighbor of the development, appeared
to voice the opinions of many of her
neighbors when she said. "'Ponchatoula
has grown in a hodge-podge way. If
you're going to build a subdivision then
why not build one with nice homes, not
a $50.000 home that is barely fit to live
in."
Zabbia assured the citizen that
subdivision restrictions on his
rea
Io it
'om da,
Satur<l
of Ta
Day W
the Fil
and lri
s Gidl
)S
t
V
First strawberry fiat sold March 13
Strawberry buyers Louis Despaux, Relan's granddaughter Betsy
Joseph Seibert Jr. and Sambo Relan Simmons, while Threeton's
O.P., M.A.
Reigning over the parade in a horse- (back row) paid $300 for the first flat grandchildren hold the berry fiat. In
drawn surrey followed by a float of Irish of strawberries brought to market in an interview with The Times Threeton
....... ,___ this area on Wednesday, March 13 by said that he ianted in ear
ncesses was lrisn-oorn razn,een .-.... ......... p ly
ount, a araduate of Ponchatoula D tu ,=nreeron cemerj. u n nan a for November on his farm south of
i-h c_t._ __.J ..... kut" b" fx .. _., the mg momem was (ouncilman Snrinafleid.
.... " " tueen am,een Gramps Fitzmorris (middle right), " °-" (Tim. Photo)
• Mrs. Bonnie Sue Relan holding Sam
C.ouncilman fails to kill
Times-St. Jude Chddren s Research Hospital fundrmser
Staff Report the hospital are taking part in the telephones at City Hall went unused Saturday, March 9 to pick up his mail,
researcn laooratories wnere enorts are during the hou,b of the telephone overheard the local citizens hired to
made on a daily basis to save the next campaign and that the charitable nature conduct the telephone drive and,
d The Ponchatoula Times has been
eluged with offers of telephone lines
nd orders for new subscriptions
oilowing reports that a Ponchatoula city
cOUncilman ordered fundraisers for a
Prominent children's hospital out of City
Hall.
S Councilman Danny Pepitone last
aturday halted a telephone drive being
u°unted locally for St. Jude Children's
'esearch Hospital when he came for his
child afflicted with a disease that is
already claiming the life of one of the
hospital's patients.
Having already offered up its
newspaper for the fundraiser, as well as
an advertisement, The Ponchatoula
Times lacked only a bank of phones
callers could use after regular business
hours to call local citizens, since the
newspaper has only one telephone line.
of the drive would make the use of the
phones at City Hall a logical choice.
Mayor Charles Gideon agreed, upon
being asked by the newspaper's
publisher, and he gave his permission
for the fundraisers to use City Hall. The
mayor said he passed this word on to
members of the city council, with the
exception of Pepitone, who was at
Iol ne sick.
according to one, went into a rage when
he learned The Ponchatoula Times was
sponsoring the St. Jude drive and
ordered the St. Jude Children's
Research Hospital fundraisers out of
City Hall.
The ugly scene led to the decision by
the company which had mounted
identical drives in connection with
newspapers all over Louisiana to cease
ailat City Hall and found local citizens The suggestion was made that Pepitone came to City Hall on its involvement in Ponchatoula, saying
°thep h°nes, they had never been treated in the
,. '% part of the fundraising drive The
'°nchatoula Times has donated I EDITORIAL [ manner they were treated here.
Because The Ponchatoula Times is
subscriptions worth eleven dollars each I
I
nd classified ads valued at $375 I totally committed to continue its efforts
Wh pitone.an I to raise funds for this worthy cause, St.
every time a local citizen who is called I d McMahon Children's Research Hospital, the
on the hone a ees to subscribe to the en Pe Jude
P gr l newspaper's owner said he would
paper at eleven dollars, they get the t S I
newspaper delivered for a year, they get I mee amt Peter co°,.o the drive using the same local
.assified ad, and the eleven dollars I citizens who had been ordered out of
I
the Ponchatoula City Hall.
• About s to thefourSt.dollarsJUde Hospitalof tle elevendrivewill be l| By BRYAN T. McMAHON I And it appears by reaction to two
Used to pay the telephone callers and to ] Someday Ponchatoula will be relieved of both newspaper editor Bryan I recent news stories on the uproar in two
,Y the cost of billing those who sign up' | T. McMahon and city councilman Danny Pepitone, and ! like to think | competing newspapers that there will be
, no shortage of telephone lines this time
or the program. , [ these days of what it will be like when we both approach heaven s gates, I around.
_ l lie l-'onchatoula Times makes no I guarded weil by old St. Peter. I
rofit on the transaction whatsoever. In I We will all pass that way someday, and of that we can all be certain, so I PonchatoulaState officeholderS,mayor, Dr.°necharlesPast
ct, whenever someone agrees to I ! can t help but wonder what St. Peter will ask when the Ponchatoula I Gideon, several law firms, and many
articipate in the drive it costs The | newspaperman tries to get through the gates. , I
°nchatoula Times over 15 dollars, [ And I would count myself lucky indeed if the reverend saint s question I private individuals have stepped
forward in support of The Ponchatoula
aCCor st r and ubhsher B an
T ding to ed" o p " ry I nt something like this" " I Times and St. Jude's and have offered
• " McMahon, who added that the I we.is it true that you used Ponchatoula City Hall telephones, at no I the use of their telephones for the drive•
|ntention of the drive was to increase I expense to city taxpayers, and donated your newspaper to the cause of I Any new subscribers who wish their
.bscriptions while benefitting the I dea n's diseases Is it true you worked with St u '
curing , dly childre . . . • J de s I money to go to the St. Jude Children's
PUblishers favorite charity, not to make I Children s Research Hospital to relieve some ot the unimaginable I Research Drive sponsored by this
.o °ni:'ey for the iewspaPeainer I suffering of Innocent kids? _ I newspaper are encouraged to call 386-
unded y •
F! mas, St. Jude Chddren s Research "l I can, and ! do, imagine Danny Pepitone walking up to heaven's gate at [ 2877.
Danny
• Ospital is often the last source of hope | this moment and ! can't help but wonder if St. Peter wouldn t ask him: | As published in last week's edition,
=.or Parents whose infan and children | "Is it true that back in 1985 when you were placed in a position of trust I anyone wishing to donate directly to this
e afflicted with mankind s most deadly | by your city that you used that position to try/to stop a ndraising drive I worthy research hospital without
iszases, especially cancer. [ that was aimed at relieving the suffering of innocent children stricken | claiming the full year's subscription to
t._ treatment for those admitted to the [ with terrible afflictions?" , [ The Ponchatoula Times can do so by
y ital is not based on the ability to [ Given the importance ot answering correctly l m certain the both [ sending their contribution to this
Bryan T. McMahon and Danny Pepitone would come up with good I address:
While the most dramatic scenes can | answers. I St. Jude Children's Research
oe glimpsed in the hospital rooms, | l'm just glad that I don't have Danny Pepitone's question. I Hospital, 505 N. Parkway, P.O. Box
Perhaps the most dramatic benefits of I ........... 3704, Memphis, Tennessee, 38103.
development would make it impossible
for anyone to get even FHA or Veterans
financing for a smaller home. due to the
lot sizes.
Chairman Ronnie Perrin spoke in his
professional capacity as a builder at one
3oint. saying. "The city at this time is
lacking in development. This gives
Ponchatoula a chance at a higher
quality subdivision. This will enhance
the Piney Woods area."
Some Millville residents leaving the
mee|ing indicated they would "monitor"
the development, while others indicated
that some residents still opposed the
project. Others seemed reconciled to
the development following Tuesday's
compromises with the developer.
Next Week:
Ponchatoula's
Great Train Wreck
MY PONCHATOULA
By OLE HARDHIDE
The Alligator
What's green, stays wet and has a body that goes on forever?
No, not Hardhide, sillles. The First Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade,
You ;hould have seen Pinchpenny trade soggy kisses for his soggy green
paper flowers. The parade was different from most this gator has seen
because you could leave it and go home with a complete dinner: potatoes,
cabbage, and plenty of water to cook them in.
! love wet parades, wet paraders, and really, anything at all that is wet
(even John Pevey's new bar over brother Paul's cafe, though I have
suspicious misgivings regarding the name of the place, "Atop The Gator."
Atop the gator, indeed! What might to some tough cowboys sound like a
great gator rodeo ride may well tickle my taste buds as just another great
snack - keep that in mind). John, will you stock pond water?
I've already heard Atop The Gator will boast a Po Boy and fries menu that
hints not a bit of the raging scandal that occurred Friday night at the big
political feed hosted by Jefferson Disposal Company up in the seat of the
parish.
All the pols were up for the shindig, which would only come off as another
routine pagan Louisiana-style thanking-the-politicians feedbag affair were it
not for the sacrifice of my young cousin Swamprabbit The Alligator, who was
cursed from birth with good taste.
Swamprabbit was the only Yuppie alligator in the marshes south of
Ponchatoula and wouldn't be caught dead sunbathing on the bank of some
obscure creek without designer sunglasses; and you would never see him
sauntering along at 25 MPH after some nutria with feathers still sticking out of
his teeth from breakfast (in fact. I think he flossed).
But it was good taste that in the end did in Cousin Swamprabbit.
The chefs scavenging for the big political feed agreed that this upscale gator
is just what they needed for Jefferson Disposal to really Impress the politicos,
so they plugged him.
Of course it can be said to his credit that this entire story did not come out
until he had swallowed some of the better parts of Cousin Swamprabbit,
figuring them to no doubt be of the Bugs Bunny species of rabbit which even 1
relish. But 1 think Doc Get-it-on has some apologies for this gator, and kin.
(And if reports of a second course are true the next big banquet rr)ight still
feature the politicians, but as menu items).
I guess that gruesome feed will have to go on videotape now that Doc has
named (yup, first an official City Piper, now this) an official City Video
Historian, Clifton Trahan 11. He's the one that got the parade on film, and
talked the TV stations out of their alligator funeral tape.
While some businesses close, others bloom. Witness the growth of Juergen
Sellmann's Bavarian empire on Pine Street. Added to his Black Forest
Bakery will be a full German restaurant next door. It's all hush-hush, but work
up an appetite for pig's knuckle by April 5.
If you have enough tiskets and plenty of taskets then for heaven's sake
stock up on baskets at Silk & Such, the new shop near my cage on West Pine,
before the new owner realizes her prices are way too low.
Is it true, you ask, that Sander's Archery is moving? (Yup).
Do you know that every year since 1976 the graduating class at P.H.S. has
been allowed to put their graduation year in the crescent above the main
doorway of the school (ever since a prankster named Wells started the
tradition, and paid deady for his pioneering). Funny; ! see no 1985 up there.
Ken Quigley, Wayne Plauche, Henry Arnold, Travts Edwards, Sonny
Wells, Stanley Cowen, Pinchpenny, Bruce Kinchen, and Bob Troyer
-probably will never even look at a potato again in any form, boiled, fried,
baked or even mashed up against a kitchen wall. It could have something to
do with the 5,387 spuds they peeled Friday night for the big Lions Irtsh
dinner. (If Mrs. Belle Boutte' wasn't standing over them with the cook's own
SIE PAGE TWO
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