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Thursday, June 6, 1985--4th Year, Number 36
THE PON CHA TO ULA TIMES
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and get home delivery
See coupon - Page Two
Hammond alligator beats Ole Hardhide !
,Staff Report
& fleet-pawed Hammond alligator
Ued Hoss Cartwright beat Ole Hard-
• ,,R and two other large alligators in a
=ee race held Saturday at the
ue Festival.
over four foot loving cup was
_,,ted to members of Shorty Rogers
whh fielded the gator to repre-
lent Rocmrs new Bonanza Restaurant.
It will be a full year before Ponchatoula
has the chance to win back the award.
With over 1,000 spectators turning
out for the alligator races alone, this
year's Antique Festival broke all at-
tendance records over its two day life.
The following alligators in the two-
three foot long "wallet size" category
were sponsored by members of the
media, by politicians and service
groups.
Uut of four separate heats winners
came from The Country Market,
Tangipahoa Port Commission, WFPR
Radio, and Alligator Campground.
John Scott's "Swamp Bisquit" fielded
by WFPR took the top honors in a
run-off race.
A list of the contestants, their spon-
sors and their coaches follows:
Kajun 103
Al E. Gator
wes the scene Saturday that won
,=mond the loving cup.uoplw =Igl-
,qor k Louklana. Horn Camudght
kUed here crosg the flnbh line)
The winning gator
of Shorty Rogers Bonanza Restaurant.
Poncoui whoae champion Ole
Hm4hlde mlrumsl In race fn pmleet
over his rongh hav. (see My Port.
chamula column this issue) must now
wa a year uni it can to
bedk lhe cup.
(Times Photo by Eddie Ponds)
Antique Festival a huge success
! EDDIE PONDS
Times Reporter
t0tl;h temperature in the mid-90's,
ntis of antique lovers journeyed
onchatoula to the largest antique
Ctton house in the South Saturday
Sunday, June 1-2, for the Third
nual Antique Festival
highlight ot tn= festival activities
day morning was the alligator
race.
With odds 10 to 1 in favor of Ole
Hardhide, the city's number one tourist
attraction, all bets were on the star.
Antique festival buffs waited in line
and sweltering weather for Hardhide to
ppear after the "wallet size" alligators
finished their heats, sponsored by var-
ious civic organizations and businesses.
What they saw was a Ponchatoula
disaster. A Hammond alligator beat
Ole Hardhide by a mile.
"l knew something was wrong with
Hardhide Jr. when we were getting
him out of his cage. He broke police
officer James McKnighfs finger,"
Mayor Charles Gideon said after the
race was run.
"It took us about an hour to get
Hardhide out of his pond to get him
SEE PAGE THREE
Eagle Scout
finds graves of old soldiers
By BRYAN T. McMAHON
lUlany a forgotten soldier who gave
life up long ago on some lonely
vn-over battlefield will be remem-
red thanks to the efforts of Eagle
out Dale Brian Kugler of Poncha-
da Troop 101.
,cl on July 4, 1985 the names ot
ai men who served in the Spanish-
erican War and the Civil War will
names of those who served the
tates in this century. All will be
in a capsule and cemented into
base of the new flagpole.
The memorial to all those local citi-
zens who served w include the new
flagpole being erected by the Poncha-
toula Jaycees in front of the Country
Market and what is believed to be the
nation's largest pole-displayed Ameri-
can 1"1 F
Mrs. Cindy Newton gets most of the
credit for compiling the over 3,000
names of local veterans, using archives
kept by the local American Legion
post, of which she is a member. She
and Brian Kugler are currently com-
bining their lists on a computer in
anticipation of the July 4th ceremony.
Dale Brian is the son of Dale and
Sheila Kugler, both of whom are active
in the scouting movement. Brian (as he
is known to his friends), 17, is currently
on the staff of the BOy Scout Camp
Avondale and will be out of town until
late July.
With his mother's help, the assistance
of fellow Troop 101 scout Mike Zitz-
mann and two other scouting friends,
Brian conducted a systematic search
through the graveyards of southern
Tangtpahoa Parish, especially in the
Top Gospel group to cut record here
SEE PAGE THREI--
I I .ladffReport owner Stanley Cowen confirmed this
week that he has been approached by
the
Benson
li | 1 €'re famous Klngsman Quartet, one Recording Company which
[] ! me top six groups in the nation, is is interested in using his auction building
1 1 'ning to tape a live record album in for the concert.
BB I "_chatoula. _ Cowen said that the recording com-
BlPonchatoula Auction (.;ompany pany representative he talked with said
BB I Ik'
[] i "<elusive Times Series
that the auction's 2,000 seat capacity
would be ideal for the recording. He
said that an earlier recording at a large
concert facility did not work out well be-
cause of the large size of the crowd
SEE PAGE FIC.HT
[ Local !udge cites juvenile law problems
By W.F. BILL CHAPMAN speaer, should have much more individual
Times Correspondent Judge Kopfler, says sacrifice, discretion as concerns the parents of the
children who got in trouble for various
SEE PAGE FOUR
responsibility, and obligation are the
keys to the raising of children" and he
feels quite strongly that the courts
Chamber ready for big party
s=aReport
day the road building crews finally fin-
ish main street.
There will be dancing in the sfi'eet"
when the street is finally finished, she
SEE PAGE FOUR
m = a"About 95% of our kids are good. Of
i | e 5% that 1 see before me in court,
[] | --. are there either because of
[] | Ums with themselves or as a result
| .tiir environment. If we could spend
[] | a small portion of all the money that
[] | L =Pent on the arrest, prosecution, and
! := c+ eration of adults for prevention
, .education as concerns juvenile
"nms such as delinquency, abuse,
neglect, we could lust about wipe
"n out."
Llge Kopfler, who handles most.o(
" rea's Juvenile court cases was the
Chamber of Commerce President
Jeanne Zaleski said that the merchants
of Ponchatoula are planning one of the
biggest celebrations in memory for the
Sheriff's Dept.
Whitey - Bill Hawkins
Countr 9 Market
and Freight Train - Jeanne Zaleski
Chamber of Commerce
Commerce Kid - Sherry Harris
City Council
Hardheads - Julian Dufreche
Tangipahoa Port Commission
AI E. No. 2
Phil Alexander
WFPR Swamp Bisquit
John Scott
Acadian Ambulance
Red Alert - Duane Meche
The Ponchatoula Times
Swampbreath - Eddie Ponds
'Ponchatoula Lons Club
Lion Gator - Anna McMahon
Ready for the pole
Jaycee Ronnle Perrin (right)
supervises thepourtng of cement into
a 16 foot deep hole dug in front of the
Country Market on Friday to
accomodate the cement anchor and
flagpole stand designed by Perrtn and
built by the local Jaycees, marldhg
another success in a four year project
that won't be completed until the
nation's largest American Flag is
flying and the memorial pole and flag
are dedicated July 4th.
(Times Photo)
Jaycees
bore huge
flagpole hole
Stall Report
The Ponchatoula Jaycees got into
quite a hole in the club's efforts to erect
a giant flagpole to fly the nation's largest
flag-a 16 foot deep hole to be exact.
Members of the coed club were on
hand Friday morning to take project
chairman Ronnie Perrin's plans for the
flagpole off the drafting board and turn
them into reality with the assistance of
A.A. Sollay Corporation's drilling rig.
In only about fifteen minutes from
beginning to end, the Lake Charles
Corporation hired by the Jaycees
augered out a hole near the Mall Car
Art Gallery in front of the Country
Market.
Following Perrin's design, Jaycees
sledge hammered 11 reinforcement
rods into the clay at the bottom of the
16 foot hole and then lowered two
metal hoops to keep the rods in place
and accommodate the massive metal
cement anchor platform.
Eight feet from top to bottom, the
anchor assembly with its huge anchor
bolts was lowered into the hole after
John Traylor's Southern Pride Concrete
crew filled it with the first eight feet of
concrete donated for the cause by the
local company.
Perrin explained that the top of the
anchor assembly had an adjustable base
so that it could be made level, so the
flagpole can be bolted on without tilting
in any direction. He praised Jaycee
Donald Disher for his work welding the
the anchor base.
As club president Timmy Chauff and
several members includtna David
Womer, vin Kirby, Doyle Hoover,
and Perrtn packed more concrete
around the anchor's base, Jaycee
Richard Stilley placed a sealed plastic
tube into the still-wet cement, with one
end sticking out of the flagpole base.
That tube will contain the names of
those who have served their country in
the armed forces from this area and is
intended as a memorial tribute to them,
the names to be added at dedication
ceremonies scheduled for July 4.
A citywide celebration is also being
scheduled the Fourth of July, headed
SEE PAGE THREE
Tucker Elementary
Virgil - Adam O'Bannon
Channel 8
Ron Hunter - Ken Berthelot
SEE PAGE EIGHT
Child molester at large
Sheriff's Report
A 14-year-old resident of the
Ponchatoula area told his parents
and deputies May 30 that he was
approached by a man in his 40's
who wanted to offer him a ride.
According to the young male,
the man stopped near him on La.
22 west of Ponchatoula and tried
to talk him into the vehicle. The
14-year-old said that the man
made some sexual suggestions to
him before the teenager said he
had to return home because he
was expected soon, and left.
Deputies are looking for the car
driven by the suspect today.
MY PONCHATOULA
By OLE HARDHIDE
The Alligator
Dear Editor Pinchpenny and co-conspirator Stanley Cowen: Hear This.
if next year you would like to hold another Antique Festival i have the
dandiest idea for a real crowd drawer. A Human Race.
And this easygoing reptile just wants one little favor, to be appointed gator-
in-charge of transporting the racers to the racetrack.
We could use the same Tate Fence Official Gator Track set up for the
reptiles this year, next year when the humans run. And to give you some idea
of how we will get humans to track just imagine this scene from 1985, except
instead of the gator cage think of City Hall and the offices of Street
Superintendent and Mayor:
There I was, waiting like a lovely girl expecting her first date, for a throng of
admirers led by the city officials to escort me at the head of a parade, perhaps
riding in a rickshaw, or some fancy surrey.
This was to be my day, a chance to once again defend my undeniable
position as chief top alligator in all this great green watery mushy world.
I figured Doc would personally hold my tail, a city councilman to each leg,
with Doc urging the Councilman-at-large to take the head, a pleasant hoist
above shoulders (and perhaps a snack) on the way to the arena and certain
victory.
But Nooooooo! They had to come with lassoes. They had to come with
ropes!
Any regular reader could have told them that Ole Hardhide is definitely not.
into bondage.
And then there was that truly unfortunate incident with Officer James
McKntght, recently declared Officer of the Year. Me, l would tell them to
keep the Officer of the Year and just add a couple of strategic zeros to the
paycheck if anybody asked me to go truss up a huge human with an
unbelievable set of sharpened molars and a scaled tail of pure muscle, toned
since the days of prehistory (when you humans were pollywogs and gators
ran a cool sensible world).
Oh, but they got met They roped Hardhtde when he wasn't looking, after
an hour's battle that gave me nothing more than a bloodied nose, and
anybody who saw their hero trussed up like a rodeo steer in the back of a
pickup truck could only wonder if Secretariat got this treatment before his big
race.
Anyway, if they had only taken the time to read last week's column they
would have known rye been training for the race for two weeps now, was
anxious to run for the honor of My Ponchatoula, saw the inevitability of
having to defend my crown, and was ready only for a proper delegation of
gentlemen and ladies to escort me to the races.
Imagine the look on the faces of Doc Gideon, Doug O'Bannon, and BOb
Troyer when the alligators under my direction come to City Hall to collect
them and other members of the Mayors Committee for a Better Ponchatoula
to join in the Human Race at next year's Antique Festival (pray for a muddy
track).
I hope, Pinchpenny and Stanley, that you can gleen from these comments
some useful ideas for next year's festival, and I know that you don't have to
ask why Ole Hardhide, by far the fastest, noblest,, most intelligent, prettiest
and most passionate reptile in creation, did not win the Loving Cup top prize
at the Gator Race.
Up in Hammond they know how to treat a gator. They build a park in his
honor, set up a huge luxury hotel next door and build a Bonanza Restaurant
in case the gator gets hungry. I figure they deserved the trophy this year. And
I was glad the Klieberts got second place. Why, they built an entire alligator
resort! Me, I get manhandled!
So you will pardon me (you had best) for refusing to run this year. I don't
want much. A new cage; zoo-style, my pick of Joe Ebrecht's chickens, and
oh, just let's say a few other amenities I'!! save for future columns to reveal.
Produce, and next year you can bolt the trophy to the wall at the
Ponchatoula City Hall, because it won't be going anywhere so long as this
great green gator is here to defend it.
I think i know where my training camp is going to be too. Loranger
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