Martinville Chamber of Commerce hosted its 47th Annual Awards Banquet Wednesday night The event was held at the Cade Community Center where standout individuals and organizations were recognized for their impact on the St Among the awards handed out were Business of the Year Honorees were chosen from Chamber members and the greater community based on their leadership and contributions to civic life Governor of Louisiana Jeff Landry served as the evening’s keynote speaker Landry encouraged attendees to remain fearless in the face of challenges “Reject the pitfalls that may attempt to slow us down,” Landry said “I want y’all to help me look the fear that other people tell us about in the eye — and tell fear: not today.”The annual banquet is a long-standing tradition in St Martinville and continues to serve as a way for the Chamber to uplift and recognize those working to make a difference in the region Game Recap: Softball | 4/26/2025 6:42:00 PM Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Saint Martinville has been governed by a special legislative charter approved by the Louisiana Legislature which places the responsibility of managing the city's affairs in both the mayor and the city council Mayor Jason Willis shared that this system has led to confusion among council members regarding who holds authority in certain situations the council voted to allow residents to decide whether to keep the current charter or switch to the Lawrason Act form of government to lead two town halls aimed at educating voters about the differences between the two forms of government The town halls will be held on March 6 at Adam Carlson Park and March 11 at Magnolia Park For more information, click here: https://www.katc.com/st-martin-parish/st-martinvilles-100-year-old-government-structure-faces-potential-overhaul MARTIN PARISH — After Monday’s Saint Martinville City Council meeting residents will have the opportunity to change their local government structure which has been in place for over 100 years Mayor Jason Willis and local government consultant Karen White offered insight into the issue and the potential change that could reshape the city’s governance the City of Saint Martinville has been governed by a special legislative charter approved by the Louisiana Legislature This charter vests the responsibility of managing the city's affairs in both the mayor and the city council Mayor Jason Willis explained that the current system has led to confusion among council members over who holds authority in certain situations “We started getting into a lot of conflicts and not agreeing on anything and what that does is it doesn’t do anything and it hurts the people of Saint Martinville,” he said provided further context regarding the structure of Saint Martinville’s charter “Saint Martinville is one of only 24 municipalities that operate under a legislative charter It doesn't model the separation of powers doctrine that essentially every other government including our federal and state government gives a disproportionate amount of what would be executive authority to the legislative branch,” White noted Mayor Willis emphasized that the Lawrason Act would provide clearer delineation of duties between the mayor and council members “The Lawrason Act shows the mayor what his duties are and if you end up crossing into somebody's lane the mayor would gain more authority in areas such as the hiring process of government workers and the responsibilities of the council would be more clearly defined White acknowledged the advantages of this system having a separation of powers model makes for the most effective form of government.” Residents will have the opportunity to vote on this proposed change in the May 3 election MARTIN PARISH — Mardi Gras season is in full swing throughout parts of Acadiana but one town notably sitting out this year’s festivities is St is not participating in the celebration this year manager of the local business Abathcary’s St After setting up her own Mardi Gras display Jefferson was shocked to learn there would be no parade or festivities this year Martinville area is really rich in culture and Louisiana culture so to hear that we’re not having a Mardi Gras in the area is really shocking,” she said She also reflected on how her family would usually visit St Martinville for the Mardi Gras celebrations especially parades in nearby New Roads and Lafayette we would come this way to go to the New Roads parades or Lafayette parades so it’s surprising that they’re not having anything in St The absence of the Mardi Gras parade this year is due to a combination of factors particularly safety concerns that led to the cancellation of St which had been organized by the Newcomers Club for over 50 years explained that the parade had to be canceled in 2015 due to crowd size and safety issues and the city really thought it was too many people in town at the time,” Jean-Baptiste said believes the parade could return with proper security measures in place “I think with the right security detail and coordination with the city and police the Newcomers Club organized Mardi Gras festivals but they struggled to attract the same level of community support Jean-Baptiste acknowledged that while the festivals were fun they did not carry the same weight as the parade itself “People didn’t want a festival; they wanted a parade,” she said the Newcomers Club decided to save it for a potential parade in 2026 “We’re saving that money so we can put it toward a parade in 2026,” Jean-Baptiste added While she cannot guarantee the return of the parade Jean-Baptiste noted that the Newcomers Club has been in talks with the mayor and local law enforcement to make it happen “If they can say it’s official that we’ll have a Mardi Gras parade it’ll definitely add some positivity to the community.” As the community continues to rally behind the possibility of a Mardi Gras parade in the future some residents say they plan to travel outside of St MARTIN PARISH — Plans to enhance the fairgrounds in St Martinville have been in development for nearly three years This initiative aims to unite the residents of both the north and south sides of the city creating a central gathering place for festivals Mayor Willis emphasized the importance of the project "This grant means so much to us because it allows us to put this money into our fairgrounds and we love that because it’s the middle of our city It brings the north side and the south side of the city together so we can unite the city." Martinville received the Love Louisiana Grant which allowed the city to move forward with the improvements so once that public bidding is open and we receive the bids After the city reached out to the lowest bidder the city council discovered that the company had made numerical errors in their submission the council was obligated to award the contract to the next lowest bidder With the city council’s approval of the bid on Monday Mayor Willis showed a model of the redesigned fairgrounds highlighting the planned inclusivity of the new space "Whenever we do have a festival along this backside We want to put a playground for kids with special disabilities." He also envisions the return of some of the city’s forgotten staples we would love for the farmer’s market to come back and for them to be able to sell out the back of their truck And whenever we have our festival and there’s a rainout maybe we could go inside the warehouse here," he explained "This is going to help bring my vision and the vision of the council to unite the city and bring the people together from the north and the south side," Mayor Willis says He estimates phase one to be completed in 6 months with plans to host a groundbreaking ceremony in the coming weeks — One man was found dead after a shooting in St Martin Parish Sheriff's Office were called to a shooting in a vehicle in the 2400 block of Catahoula Highway around 7 p.m SMPSO said his James' death was the result of a gunshot wound Anyone with information regarding the identity of the person or persons responsible is asked to contact the St Martin Parish Sheriff's Office by calling 337-394-3071 or St You can also make a report using the P3 Tips App a tragic altercation outside the tailgating event at Saint Martin High hosted by the Saint Martinville Alumni Association resulted in the death of Deondre Benjamin and the arrest of 22-year-old Zackyric Gardner on a second-degree murder warrant Saint Martinville Mayor Jason Willis stated that the incident was unrelated to the tailgating event “This would’ve happened anywhere they would’ve seen each other or even the football game without the homecoming festivities,” Mayor Willis remarked He emphasized that the shooting occurred after the event concluded and did not involve the attendees celebrating the occasion The tailgating event was sanctioned by the Saint Martin Parish school board Mayor Willis expressed his concern for the community's perception of safety “I don’t want the people of Saint Martinville to live or think our city is unsafe because this tragedy happened,” Mayor Willis states When asked if the incident would lead to a reevaluation of security measures for future events Mayor Willis acknowledged the importance of awareness but I think this served as a reminder to be more aware and more alert Although the family of the victim declined to comment Mayor Willis says he hopes to continue community gatherings in Saint Martinville and aims to do all he can to ensure the safety of attendees Martin Parish Sheriff's Department and Louisiana State Police are actively investigating the incident Martinville has announced that the annual Christmas Parade will proceed as scheduled this Sunday bringing holiday cheer to residents and visitors City officials have shared important details to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all attendees: The City encourages everyone to come out and enjoy the parade while adhering to these guidelines for a smooth and festive event MARTIN PARISH — Early voting for the November 5th election began on October 18 and will continue until October 29 the Saint Martin Parish Registrar of Voters says the increase in voter participation during this period has been notable and in all of my years of being a registrar I’ve realized this is the only time that some people come out to vote so I encourage everyone to come out,” she stated statistics from the Louisiana Secretary of State’s website indicated that 13% of the parish's eligible voters had already participated in early voting that turnout can differ significantly between locations within the parish “This area(Breaux Bridge location) is more centralized it’s just that area that’ll show up,” she explained Guidry urges residents to vote at one of the three designated locations in the parish: the St.Martinville-Registrar of Voters Office-Courthouse Annex Stephensville-Fire Station-1227 Stephensville Rd and the Breaux Bridge-Council on Aging-391 Cannery Rd To see everything that’ll be on the ballot and to view the full updated list of registered early voting stats for Acadiana Parishes click here: https://www.katc.com/news/covering-louisiana/early-voting-is-underway-here-are-the-numbers-so-far Above are remarks from Lieutenant Andrew Broussard and St.Martinville Mayor Jason Willis on deputy police chief Cody Laperouse at the Oct.18 Council Meeting Scroll down to see the full council meeting Martinville deputy police chief Cody Laperouse was fired Wednesday after allegedly threatening to kill a suspect involved in an investigation In a unanimous vote during a Wednesday meeting Martinville city council terminated deputy police chief Cody Laperouse The police chief and two other officers were asked to testify and they allege Laperouse made the threat during a meeting at the St after the suspect-who they identify only as Pat-- made remarks to kill Laperouse's mother In hopes of resolving the situation Lieutenant Andrew Broussard brought the suspect to the police station to speak with Laperouse where he things quickly got out of hand “Deputy chief Laperouse slammed the door and yelled Broussard said Laperouse then attempted to rush the suspect before he stopped him and held him back for nearly two minutes I'll kill you," Broussard told council members Broussard says he was escorted to Police Chief Ricky Martin's office Laperouse was later demoted and placed on administrative leave Martinville man is fighting a city council order to demolish a property his family has owned for generations the current owner of a home on Labbe Street recently learned of the city's concerns about the property's condition during a City Council meeting on December 8 Beauchamp explained that his brother was informed by a city employee that the property was at risk of being condemned prompting the family to attend the meeting for clarification “my brother was told by a gentleman that worked for the city that we needed to go to the council meeting to see what was going on with our property at that time we were told they were trying to condemn the property” Beauchamp shared that the only significant issue with the home was damage from a longstanding water leak He emphasized that the rest of the property’s issues were cosmetic Martinville City Councilman Mike Fuselier explained that after receiving complaints from neighbors about the state of the house in 2023 the city hired a third-party inspector who deemed the home to be in need of total demolition Beauchamp stated that he has made efforts to maintain the property over the years He explained that he had already addressed issues such as overgrown grass and boarded-up windows Beauchamp questioned Fuselier’s push for demolition "Why is it so important that you're pushing so much for this?" Fuselier responded "There are several issues I push for because neighbors are complaining." Fuselier shared that the city had attempted to reach the Beauchamps to discuss the situation but had difficulty making contact due to an outdated mailing address for the property “We’ve been trying to contact them and serve them notice to come back tell us what you’re doing and we can’t even make contact” Fuselier says Martinville City Council discussed the potential demolition of the home expressed his intention to contest the decision stating that he planned to restore the property and would appeal the condemnation order Beauchamp was granted 90 days to address the issues surrounding the property “We always want the property owner to take care of their properties and give them we’ll give them the time if they want to tear it down themselves A lot of times they don’t and so it becomes the point where we have to bring it back to the city council and we have to get bids and do the demolition ourselves.” Fuselier states Beauchamp remains hopeful that he can keep the property in his family and restore it Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Martinville- A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:00 PM Martin de Tours honoring the life of Coby M A visitation will take place at Pellerin Funeral Home in St Martinville on Saturday from 8:00 AM to 12:30 PM A rosary will be prayed by the Men's Rosary Group at 10:00 AM on Saturday Jude Halphen will officiate at the funeral mass Readers will be Carmen Angelle and Briana Vegas Gift bearers will be Jackie LeBlanc and Millie LeBlanc Coby Martin Champagne was a beloved husband Coby spent his life in the warm embrace of family and friends creating cherished memories in St.Martinville whose journeys on the road took him across the United States where he made countless friends and touched the lives of many Known affectionately as the "Cadillac Kid," Coby had a spirit like no other always embracing life with an adventurous heart He believed that he was "weighed down heavy with the favor of the Lord," reflecting his deep faith and appreciation for life's blessings Coby's honesty was as genuine as his laughter and he had a remarkable ability to make anyone smile every person was an opportunity for connection and joy Coby's legacy will live on in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know him His fun-loving nature and charismatic personality left an everlasting mark on all who crossed his path He will be remembered fondly and missed dearly by his family and friends He is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Honorary pallbearers will be Shane Guilbeau Pellerin Funeral Home (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Martinville - A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1:30 pm on Friday Martin de Tours Catholic Church honoring the life of Paul "Bully" Resweber who passed away from this life and into eternal Heaven with the Lord and his awaiting wife A visitation will take place at the funeral home in St Martinville on Friday from 8:30 am until 1:00 pm.  Readers will be Gabrielle Capritto and Addison Resweber.  "He was the man that taught the man," our legend When we think of Bully and all that he meant to us He lived his 83 years to the absolute fullest He worked several careers from the time he could work is an understatement; he gave everything his best a school bus driver and he will always be a strong Marine Firearms Instructor certified by the Federal Bureau of Investigations He worked for 12 years as Superintendent of Longfellow Evangeline Sate Park He carried his daddy's legacy of Haroil all the way into the 3rd generation a school board member and school board president of St Out of all his many careers and accomplishments he devoted his life to the love of his life they welcomed their 5 children and their spouses then grandchildren and great-grandchildren They loved to celebrate everything in life with their family Quality time with family was very important.  He taught his children to be the best of everything they could and to love their family unconditionally He showed his family how to love and how to lead by example His hugs were the absolute greatest and most sincere of any His family joined together every Saturday night for the 8:00 song "The Old Violin" by Johnny Paycheck So many memories are shared yearly of Grand Isle trips with the entire family Martinville Senior High School football games making sausage or simply loving his family he will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.  Lori Capritto (Chris) and Rachel Resweber-Simon (Kristie); sons Chene Resweber (Tina) and Terry Resweber (Tracie); brothers Don "Tuffy" Resweber (Becky) and Steven "Scooter" Resweber; sister Mary Jude Sonnier (Russell); brother-in-law Addison Resweber and Kassy Resweber; step-grandchildren Kelsie Smith (Jonathan) and Shelby Nettles; and great-grandchildren Harold Resweber and Maurine Bienvenu Resweber; brother Honorary pallbearers will be Kenny "Blue" Broussard Martinville (337-332-2111) is in charge of arrangements Martinville African American History Museum has traditionally spotlighted national Black figures throughout America's history the museum is shifting its focus closer to home aiming to remind the local community that history is not just something from the past but an ongoing influence that shapes the present Museum director Danielle Fontenette emphasizes the importance of family connections in understanding local history what you did—and then we follow the children We were able to do that with each one of these and some others in the museum to find the families that still exist in St The walls of the museum are filled with paintings depicting descendants of Black historical figures from the town reinforcing the idea that history and heritage are not distant but alive in the community today they have the saying a people without a past are a people without a future and that’s strong because if you don’t know where you come from how do you know where you’re going?" Fontenette's deep connection to the town became personal when she discovered that one of her ancestors was one of the first people to settle in St "When I found that my ancestor was one of the first people here in St it gave me a totally different feeling about this place." Museum member Lauren Richard highlights the importance of bridging the gap between past and present pointing out that "we look at these street names and wonder how come that street name is the same as my last name So it’s all recent when you think about it and we do want to bridge that gap." Richard also emphasizes the role of the museum’s events in educating the community and fostering pride "You can actually watch interviews of different people Martinville telling their stories and their families' stories," she shares The museum’s programming this month includes film screenings every Friday at 5 p.m the museum will host children's Black History Storytime followed by open discussions about St Martinville’s Black history and family connections Fontete encourages the community to reflect on their own familial history "We talk about families and let’s talk about yours let's bring your family to the table and have that conversation." MARTIN PARISH — After receiving nearly $10 million in grant funding major infrastructure projects are now underway to improve the sewage system in St has seen firsthand how water and drainage issues have impacted her day-to-day operations “I think in the last six years we’ve had a big problem with the water and them staying on top of it,” Allen said noted that water infrastructure problems are often invisible to the average customer but represent one of the restaurant’s biggest ongoing challenges I’m in my 30th year here at Clambeaugh’s and a lot of people don’t look at the day-to-day activities water is the biggest problem,” she explained Allen emphasized the vital role local businesses play in shaping the city’s reputation.“As a business we represent — and I cannot stress this enough — we represent the town of St The city’s multimillion-dollar wastewater overhaul is being led by McBade and Associates explained that the work is part of a three-phase project funded through the Louisiana Water Sector Grant and remaining funds from the American Rescue Plan Act which involved extensive smoke testing.“We repaired 170 places within the entire city,” Granger said I think we’re looking at 5.36 million [dollars] for the pump stations the project is focused on upgrading the city’s pumping stations “Not only will you not have as many sewer backups a lot of those places—drainage water can enter your sewer system and then it overtaxes your pump station and your sewer system as well,” she added a significant portion of the funding comes from the Louisiana Watershed Initiative—a $4.2 million grant created in response to the 2016 floods.“While the money was drainage related it was also related to flood-proofing any of your other critical infrastructure that can adversely impact your city.” Granger says This next phase includes extending the sewer line down main street Another project involves upgrades to treatment ponds and raising surrounding levees to improve flood resilience “The second major grant is with the Louisiana Watershed Initiative so you have several treatment ponds associated with the City of St and the levees around here need to be raised,” Granger explained Construction on the levee project is expected to begin in just over a year while work on the pumping stations is projected to be completed within the next 18 months Clambeaugh’s employee Mary Martha Pierre echoed Allen’s concerns and encouraged more people to speak up about issues they experience “Don’t sit back and talk about it between yourselves Both Allen and Pierre say they’re optimistic about the future and hope these improvements will bring long-needed relief to the city’s drainage Martin Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating after someone discovered human remains in St Deputies said the person discovered the remains at around 7:30 Sunday night in a wooded area off of Banker Road The sheriff's office said they're working with outside authorities to identify the remains the need for enhanced accessibility to public buildings and spaces has been recognized through the Thriving Communities Program Grant the Cultural Recreation and Tourism Director of Saint Martinville outlines that this project is structured into multiple phases over a three-year period with the first phase focusing on identifying critical transportation issues in the city “The sidewalks are very small; only one person can maybe walk on them,” Fontenet noted where many public buildings and recreational facilities are located the sidewalk is not only narrow but also situated right next to the highway” Fontenet says shared his frustrations with the current state of the sidewalks,“Navigating is tricky; you might hit a bump here and there Fontenet explained that while the grant totals $1.9 million Saint Martinville receives only 30 percent of that funding and not all the money is allocated for construction “One of the other aspects of the grant is that the team identifies community partners and other grant opportunities Part of the grant is to help us apply for additional funding,” Fontenet explains Noel emphasized the urgency of the needed improvements I’d really like them to fix the sidewalk.” Fontenet says that the team is focused on improving accessibility in areas surrounding Saint Martinville Senior High School by adding sidewalks that connect the school to Magnolia City Park We’d like to extend that same accessibility to other areas as well.” Fontenet mentioned that later phases of the project will involve expanding the current sidewalks past the courthouse further enhancing connectivity throughout the community Martinville have raised concerns about the speed enforcement cameras and flashers installed near St questioning their functionality and the accuracy of tickets issued The main issue centers on the failure of the signs to turn on during school zone hours leading to confusion about the appropriate speed limits Drivers have reported receiving speeding tickets even though they believe they were not in a school zone The speed enforcement cameras and flashers were installed in October but issues with the system began shortly thereafter explained that he has received several complaints from constituents about the cameras ticketing drivers outside of designated school zone hours The school zone speed limit is enforced between 7:00 to 9:00 a.m "I have for the last month been bringing my concerns from constituents to the chief of police that the hours were not properly marked or I should say not properly followed," Fuselier said “I brought several personally to the chief Police Chief Martin confirmed that the system's flashers which are supposed to signal when the school zone is in effect This led to drivers believing the school zone was not in session even when it was "I think the battery issue caused the biggest stir because it affects the flashers the school zone is not in session,’ but the time it is," Martin explained the CEO of Blue Line Solutions—the third-party company responsible for installing the cameras and flashers—confirmed that there were issues with the old flashers not being removed after the new ones were installed This led to additional confusion among drivers about when the school zone was in effect there was an old set of flashers that wouldn’t flash at the correct times that weren’t removed after the new ones were installed Chief Martin also confirmed that issues with the system were apparent in the early stages of installation in October Martinville Police Department issued a statement on Tuesday announcing that the school zone cameras would be temporarily shut down until the issues were resolved To read the full statement, click here they're gonna run the power directly to the flashers instead just bypass the solar,” Chief Martin explained "Whether the sign's up and things are working For those who received citations outside of the designated school zone hours Chief Martin stated that the police department is addressing the issue "If they receive a citation outside of the time we send it back to the company and they have to void it out because it's not a correct citation," Martin added Fuselier thanks the chief for addressing the issue and the flashers are expected to be fully operational by Friday The school zone cameras will be reactivated once the system is updated and the solar panels are fixed As residents await the resolution of these issues Chief Martin emphasized that the simplest solution to avoiding tickets is to adhere to speed limits and drive safely “The easiest solution is just not to speed because if nobody’s speeding ST. MARTINVILLE, La. (KPEL News) - One person has died following a Homecoming night shooting at St Martinville High School and a suspect appears to be in custody according to multiple reports out on Friday night which occurred just before the game against Erath was set to start forced authorities to shut down the game and send everyone home KLFY is reporting this evening that St Martinville Police Chief Ricky Martin has confirmed the victim has died. Investigators with the St Martin Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police are helping with the search for the suspect Martinville Police confirm that there was a shooting at the St According to KLFY News 10 one person was injured in the shooting as adults and kids came together to celebrate homecoming on Friday evening According to several posts on social media there was chaos at the stadium as gunshots rang out Police have identified a suspect in the shooting This is a developing story and we'll have more here as more information becomes available So many people who were there or hoping to attend the game voiced their frustrations on the amount of violence sweeping across small communities and at events like high school football games This is a video from the stadium as shots were fired Police confirm that there was a shooting near tailgating activities at the St. Martinville High School football game.\nRead More ST. MARTINVILLE, La. (KPEL News) - One person has died following a Homecoming night shooting at St KLFY is reporting this evening that St An arrest has been made on the homicide that occurred at St According to KLFY News 10 St Martinville Football Game tonight against Erath; shots fired before football game starts but so far everyone is checking in & ok ST.MARTINVILLE — A tragic turn of events at the St.Martinville high school homecoming game…Friday night after a shooting on school grounds leaves one dead and another behind bars but the shooting has also left—parents from the Erath community shaken up and riddled with questions as to how this all happened in the first place "To watch the video of our kids running off the field for his life and I am still in shock," said an Erath parent who was at the homecoming game Friday night to watch her child play in the game versus St.Martinville High School They recall the chilling moments from Friday night when they came to watch their son play I proceeded to walk in front of the school and that's when the shots were fired," said one parent were live streaming the game for family when everything unfolded they are shooting; then the guy announced to seek shelter and people were running everywhere," said Ward "I actually had a St.Martinville Highschool student run up to me for safety and this was her first football game; she was terrified," said the parent 22-year-old Zackyric Gardner is under arrest in connection with the shooting that has left one person dead Martinville Chief Ricky Martin tells me that the shooting occurred just minutes before the homecoming game I also learned that the two men involved in the shooting are former St.Martinville students who attended a tailgate located on school grounds Police also believe both men were involved in beef that stemmed weeks prior but you are an Alumni of this school; you should be grown enough to act right," said another Erath parent The mayor confirms that the St.Martinville Alumni Association put on the tailgate just a few hours before the game "To hear my son's voice when he called me to let everyone know that they were all ok A child should not have to go through that to call us and ask if his family is ok," said the concerned parent these parents have lost confidence in the city of St.Martinville and we do not feel safe there anymore," said the parent And the high school student brought to safety….now has a change of heart and we learned that she returned her homecoming dress because she was too scared to attend the dance," the parent said St.Martinville High School continued with their homecoming dance Saturday night police say that this is an ongoing investigation the recent boil water advisory has raised concerns for some local businesses; Jaylen James assistant manager at The Studio Coffee Bar emphasized the importance of a steady water flow for coffee production "Our entire machine back here requires constant water flowing through it; whenever we don’t have that we can’t really make coffee the way we’re supposed to" James explains James and his team have implemented measures by keeping bottled water on hand "We've started keeping just bottles of water in the back; just in case something does happen The advisory has been attributed to aging infrastructure "the infrastructure of the ground cracking and the pipes shifting" has contributed to the problem highlighting the issue of holes in the water pipes that caused temporary shutdowns for repairs Mayor Willis also pointed to the recent drought as a contributing factor While repairs were completed and water service was restored on Friday morning the boil water advisory remained in effect as of Friday afternoon voiced her concerns about the lack of communication from city officials regarding water issues "I would like the city to give me more notifications This is a community establishment I have here so as long as the community is being served in a way where we can trust our officials local businesses continue to adapt in order to serve their customers effectively Mayor Willis says he hopes to have the boil advisory lifted no later than Monday Martinville City Councilwoman Janise Anthony has come to an end as it failed to meet the necessary requirements KATC first reported on the petition filed against Anthony in August submitted to the Louisiana Secretary of State on August 15 cited claims that Anthony was “unfit for office” and had failed to adequately represent the needs of the community the recall petition required signatures from 40% of District 4 voters within a 90-day window the petition did not meet the November 12 deadline the chairman of the recall effort and Kenrell Francois who supported the petition for comment While Bing was unavailable for an interview he confirmed that the petition failed to gather enough signatures to proceed and Francois declined an interview Janice Anthony still holds her seat on the St KATC also attempted to contact Councilwoman Anthony for a statement but has yet to receive a response To read our previous story on this, click this link:https://www.katc.com/st-martin-parish/two-men-st-martinville-men-file-a-recall-petition-on-council-memeber Martinville have filed a petition to begin a recall of a council member Ernest Bing and Kenrell Francois filed the petition naming Janise Anthony today with the Louisiana Secretary of State SOS officials tell KATC the petition is in proper form the organizers included their reason for wanting to recall Anthony has not represented the needs of the community." Today's filing starts the clock on the recall; in Louisiana to recall an elected official a citizen must file a petition with the Secretary of State and they then have a certain number of days to collect a certain number of signatures (from registered voters) calling for a recall election If they get those signatures before the deadline the petition is sent to the Governor's Office and a recall election is called voters go to the polls to cast their ballot on the issue of a recall their seat is immediately empty and another election is called so voters can select a replacement The official who was recalled cannot run in that election The deadlines and number of signatures required depends on the number of people the elected official represents there are fewer than 1,000 registered voters in the district That means organizers will have to get 40 percent of the registered voters to sign the petition They also have a deadline; according to state law they must obtain those signatures within 90 days of the day the petition was filed We're reaching out to Anthony for comment and we'll update this story as soon as we reach her MARTIN PARISH — A project that was initially set to conclude this month will now carry on for the foreseeable future Martinville Chamber of Commerce in July 2023 was created to spotlight local artists and add a touch of creativity to the city’s streets The project involves local artists designing and painting fire hydrants throughout St with each design reflecting the city’s unique culture and heritage described the significance of the initiative: "We're putting a story out there that directly relates to Saint Martinville Each hydrant was specifically chosen to reflect the culture of Saint Martinville that is just the best thing they could have done—bringing together the beauty of the art and the beauty of the city" The Chamber of Commerce designated 50 fire hydrants within the city limits to be refurbished with new coats of paint 18 of those hydrants proudly display artwork that captures the essence of St Although the project was originally scheduled for completion in November 2023 the Chamber has decided to extend the initiative with plans to continue it for the foreseeable future due to the project’s success and positive community reception MARTIN PARISH — Mary Martha Pierre has dedicated over 30 years to sharing the rich history of Black and Creole culture in St Her commitment to preserving and celebrating her heritage was inspired by her mother the last living person in her family to continue these traditions she imparted a message to Martha: “She told me ‘Are you gonna continue doing what you learned with her connection to art rooted in her early childhood “When my grandparents and my mother made all these things children had to help and the streets were nothing but mud and put on our shoes to go to school” Pierre says She explains that those memories are central to her work which is deeply intertwined with the stories of her upbringing Pierre showcases her art in many forms—hand-stitched quilts and bead mosaic paintings—often dressed in clothing from the early 1900s the history I have is about everybody.” Each piece she creates is a reflection of the broader narrative she is determined to share from family stories to historical moments that shaped the African American experience honors Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad this quilt shows all the spots that Harriet Tubman stopped until they got to the river where they got to the river of freedom,” Martha shares with opportunities to travel to many states and even Africa to share her work.“I’ve gotten to travel to many states I have some of it documented in the Parish library in St.Martinville” Pierre considers these achievements a testament to her dedication to preserving and sharing her heritage One of her proudest accomplishments was being featured in an edition of Lifestyle Magazine Martha Pierre continues to inspire others and educate people about Black history ensuring that her family’s traditions and stories are passed on for future generations to learn from and appreciate A few weeks after a recall letter for Councilwoman Janise Anthony was sent to Districts 1 labeled “Paid for by concerned citizens of District 4,” a recall petition was filed The petition was filed August 15th by Kenrell Francios and Ernest Bing The reasons for the recall petition stated: has not represented the needs of the community.” On Tuesday I spoke with Bing about receiving the letter in the mail Two days later he filed for a recall petition “I had intentions on filling it and I believe what the people need to understand is that the voters have the power and we elect those to represent us as a public servant,” Bing said then we have the right to use of that authority.” Bings said his intent to file came after arguments during the latest council meeting between Anthony and Mayor Jason Willis but the city as a whole is suffering forward with progress,” Bing said “It’s too much opposition against the mayor Francois also feels there's a disconnect between the council and mayor “After watching the city council meeting for several months I see that there is no unity Martinville has so much potential,” Francois said He’d like to see infrastructure projects happen within his district “In District 4 there's a lot of things that are not being done,” Francois said and I think it's up to that district councilmen to help that.” Anthony re-instated her dedication to serve the people of her district “But the fact of the matter is if it is something that is bothering you or something that I want to know I am going to make my phone calls and do my diligence,” Anthony said I reached out to Anthony for comment and have yet to hear back The recall petition requires 40% of District 4 voters within 90 days Martinville Police Department has announced the arrest of 22-year-old Zackyric Gardner in connection with a homicide that occurred at St Martinville Senior High School's homecoming game For more information about the shooting, click here was detained in Texas after an arrest warrant was issued for second-degree murder The arrest follows a coordinated effort by law enforcement agencies along the I-10 corridor leading to Gardner being identified as a passenger in a vehicle stopped by Texas authorities Gardner has since been transported back to St where he was booked into the parish jail with a bond set at an unprecedented $10 million Martinville Police emphasized that this substantial bond serves as a statement from the city and parish against violent acts especially those taking place at community events Martinville and the surrounding community will not tolerate this kind of violence particularly at events where families and young people gather,” a department spokesperson stated The shooting incident at the high school’s homecoming game shocked many in the community raising concerns about safety at school events Martinville Police are urging anyone with additional information including cell phone videos from that night to come forward to assist in the investigation Martinville Police Department detectives directly at (337) 394-3001 This arrest is part of a broader effort by the local police and community leaders to address rising concerns over violence in public spaces and ensure safety at school events The high bond is seen as a deterrent and a message to those who may bring harm into community spaces more details may emerge regarding the circumstances surrounding the incident the community looks to heal from the tragedy with hopes that justice will bring closure to those affected If you have any information or recordings from the night of the incident Martinville Police Department Detectives at 337-394-3001 Martinville Vision Plan is an initiative that aims to enhance everything from the historic Main Street and local neighborhoods in St and faculty from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL) are actively seeking input from residents to shape the future of the community a fourth-year architecture student involved in the Vision Plan emphasizes the importance of community feedback for the project "As architects we really just want to build the community take feedback from everyday people to see what they need in life and also to improve their lives," he stated This collaborative effort is part of a longstanding initiative that connects UL’s Community Design Workshop with LA Louisiane Consulting serve as a platform for the School of Architecture to engage with local residents a professor of architecture at UL and director of the Community Zone Workshop highlighted the workshop's purpose: "We will get their feedback on a variety of projects we’re working on." Current projects under consideration include the addition of sidewalks and improved access to healthy food options has prioritized the need for fresh produce in local neighborhoods "We’ve been focused on bringing fresh produce to the neighborhoods given that there will be new developments in that area," she explained "Through the process of looking through the neighborhoods Sammons further emphasized the importance of community feedback in guiding the workshop's focus and continually adjust our project as we move forward," he says Martinville Vision Plan preview event is contingent upon community involvement Sammons explains "They’re the special sort of ingredient into the recipe to make this have a permanent impact in their community." The public is invited to participate in the Vision Plan preview event which will take place at the Sterling Alexander Building in Adam Carlson Park on Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:30 PM This meeting provides an opportunity for residents to engage in the planning process and contribute their insights toward a shared vision for St Martinville High's field didn't witness the homecoming game against Erath as planned Friday when a shooting outside the stadium resulted in one death Martinville was set to kickoff its homecoming game against Erath on Friday The public address announcer had completed the Erath lineups and was mentioning the St Martinville starters when a series of what many on social media described as eight shots were heard just outside the stadium where a large group of revelers had gathered throughout the afternoon it was confirmed that one died in the shooting Martinville cheerleaders and players on one side of the field frantically raced towards the bleachers as pandemonium erupted Rumors quickly circulated through the bleachers and press box that an adult male was killed More than one helicopter circled the field which straddles Bayou Teche along Louisiana Hwy entered the press box and asked all fans inside the stadium to remain and authorities shut down the stadium's entrance and exit for approximately an hour band and spirit personnel and fans hustled with their gear to their buses - which were lined beyond the end zone but inside the stadium - and remained there until just before 8 p.m when authorities allowed spectators and media to leave the field "District level administration and school officials along with member principals of the district have declared the game a no-contest and it will not be played," Vermilion Parish superintendent Tommy Byler said to The Acadiana Advocate in a text message 1 in the Division III nonselect power ratings 33 in the Division II nonselect power ratings and needs to move up to No There was initial discussion about playing the game without fans at Acadiana High at 3 p.m and an altercation outside the stadium happened," Erath coach Eric LeBlanc said "We followed protocol and did what's needed to keep the kids safe "There are a lot of emotions going on right now Martinville and us not to be able to play." Lane did not respond to a direct message requesting comment A second arrest has been made after the deadly shooting at the St Email notifications are only sent once a day News Tips:newstips@theadvocate.com Other questions:subscriberservices@theadvocate.com Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: ------------------------------------------------------------Stay in touch with us anytime To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News Follow us on Twitter Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to our Youtube channel Martinville Police Department is investigating a homicide that occurred on Washington Street officers were dispatched to a shooting on Washington Street on Saturday Responding officers found Javonte Anthony inside a residence suffering from multiple gunshot wounds Anthony was transported to a local hospital and died from his injuries shortly after arrival The photo below is the possible suspect vehicle that witnesses say drove away from the shooting scene immediately after the shots were heard by neighbors The community is asked to reach out to detectives at 337-394-3001 if they have any information regarding the case The incident remains under investigation by the St Martinville Police Department with the assistance of the St MARTIN PARISH — Update: Victim in Friday night shooting identified as 22-year-old Deiondre Benjamin Update: St. Martinville police arrested 22-year-old Zackyric Gardner in Texas on a second-degree murder warrant in connection with the fatal shootingOriginal: A shooting outside the tailgate area in St has resulted in the death of one individual The incident forced the cancellation of tonight’s high school football game as police and emergency responders secured the scene Martinville Police Department has identified a possible suspect though no further details have been released at this time Law enforcement is actively investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting and officials are working to gather information from witnesses Martinville’s Main Street has recently welcomed two new local businesses Mexican restaurant El Corazon and the bath and body boutique Abathecary These new establishments have been open for nearly a month Martinville Mayor Jason Willis is hopeful that they will contribute to the city's efforts to repair and maintain its aging infrastructure local businesses are crucial in generating the funds necessary for such improvements that goes towards the sales tax and that generates more money for the city to repair sidewalks and acquire the things that we need," Wills explains He emphasizes that without the support of local businesses the city would have to rely on grants and other external funding sources making the success of these businesses even more vital “Cause other than that we have to lean on grants and other ways of getting income so that’s why it’s so important." Mayor Wills also views the opening of El Corazon and Abathecary as part of a broader goal outlined in the St.Martinville Vision Plan to improve the quality of life for St A pillar of the Vision Plan seeks to increase access to resources and amenities making the area more attractive and convenient for both current residents and potential newcomers noting that growth will not only provide financial support for the city's infrastructure but also improve overall convenience for the local community.