Rev. Tyrone Edwards, District Council member from the Eastbank and minister of Zion Travellers Baptist Church in Phoenix, will be the speaker at the Tuesday, February 6, meeting of the Plaquemines Historical Association. “_e History and Role of Black Churches and their Service to Enslaved People from the Earliest Settlement to Present in Plaquemines” will be the topic of the next meeting.

_is year's Pawdi Gras will be held on Sunday, February 18, in the parking lot of Regions Bank located at 8018 Highway 23, Belle Chasse! _ere will be costume and _oat contests at noon and the parade rolls at 12:30 p.m.

_e Louisiana Department of Education recently announced nalists for the state’s Outstanding School Support Employee awards program. _e 10 nalists represent schools across Louisiana and a wide range of professions. Employees eligible for the annual honor serve students and families in roles such as teacher’s aide, bus driver, food service worker, clerical, and custodial.

Belle Chasse Academy is excited to announce its recent awarding of a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). This grant is for Military-Connected Academic and Support Programs (MCASP). This is Belle Chasse Academy’s third Do-DEA award, including project years 2017 (grant completed) and 2021 (active grant).

.

SNAPSHOT By Micheal Jiles, III and Kieshay Davis As we closed off the year of 2023 and went into 2024, we had many events and important milestones in the lives of both teachers and students alike. The focus of each event is to bring our school community together to grow and learn.

On January 10, 2024, the Belle Chasse High School BETA club attended its annual BETA convention at the Cajun Dome in Lafayette. It was a resounding success, showcasing the talent and dedication of its members. The club spent weeks preparing paring for this adventurous event and looks forward to participating every year.

Active Parenting is a six-week support and growth program where participating parents and caregivers discuss the challenges of parenting and focus on specific areas of skill and knowledge development for parents. Topics covered, among others include improving communication with your kids; helping kids build a spirit of cooperation, responsibility, courage, and healthy self-esteem; exploring different techniques of discipline; and understanding and redirecting misbehavior. The program and associated books are provided free to all Plaquemines Parish residents and are offered on an ongoing basis, throughout the year. Call 504.393.5750 or email Christina at cnoble@pcccf.org at the Plaquemines Community CARE Center for more information.

United Way of Southeast Louisiana (UWSELA), in partnership with Entergy Corporation, the Asset Building Coalition and Capital One, is amplifying its commitment to the financial well-being of the community through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites offering free person-to-person and virtual tax preparation services to low- to moderate-income individuals, including persons with disabilities, older adults and limited English-speaking taxpayers. There will be a VITA site at the Plaquemines Parish Community Center located at 115 Keating Drive, Belle Chasse, as well as sites in the other neighboring parishes now through April 15 on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. To view the sites and find more information about this program, visit https://www.unitedwaysela.org/vita

by Garey Forster Key Players to Watch • Kyle Ruckert, Chief of Staff. Primary shot-caller for the Governor.