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Frigid weather is not as uncommon in south Louisiana as we might think, and nowadays we at least get a bit more warning that they are coming than in the days when digital media and computer-generated forecasts were the stuff of science fiction.
For example, we shivered in the dark as the calendar changed from January to February in 1951. Newspapers called it the worst cold spell in decades. Ice-coated wires fell, leaving towns without power or communication. Firemen battled sleet as well as the blaze when the hospital in Ville Platte burned, just one of the fires attributed to the weather.
The trouble began when a really cold front from the north collided with moist Gulf air moving from the south, providing plenty of moisture to be turned into ice. Adding to it all, a front moving from the west brought a line of thunderstorms that turned into sleet and snow
The headline in the Ville Platte Gazette was in the biggest type available: “Freeze Grips City.” It was typical of those across south Louisiana. The first paragraph of the Gazette story told the tale: “The great North wind blew over the city … this week, bringing with it rain, sleet, snow, the death of one man, a disastrous fire, and a multitude of mishaps and general discomforts.”
As the icy winds blew across town, “a general paralysis settled on Ville Platte … with disruption in telephone communications, fallen electric wires, frozen water pipes, and treacherous freezing of natural gas regulators.”
The volunteer fire department turned out when fire broke out at the Vidrine hospital, but were handicapped by “freezing cold … a treacherous high wind … [and] unbelievably impossible conditions.” They saved the medical records and much of the hospital equipment, but not the building.
The Jennings News used its biggest type to call the frigid weather the “Worst Ice Blast Since 1908.” The Lafayette Advertiser feared that the dip would be the worst since 1889, when the temperature hit 6 degrees there.
It didn’t get that low, but it did reach the low teens in many places.
In Abbeville, “thunder claps punctuated the beginning of the freeze” that brought down Vermilion parish lines and, besides taking a human toll, hit the cattle industry particularly hard. Several fires also were reported in Vermilion Parish. A sound truck had to go through Abbeville telling people to turn off their taps because, in trying to keep pipes from freezing, they were using more water than the town well could supply.
Church Point did not have that problem. The newspaper there reported that “no electricity was available to operate the water pumps at the local power plant.” Residents turned to “candles, lanterns, lamps, and other types of illumination long since discarded for modern electricity.”
The headline in Crowley read: “Acadia Towns Almost Isolated” because telephone and telegraph lines were down and the roads were frozen. The forecast from the Lake Charles weather bureau was delivered to the Acadia sheriff’s office by short wave radio. It promised a days-long freeze. With no telegraph or phone lines, “neither the Crowley Daily Signal nor KSIG had any news service.”
There were several house fires in Kaplan, at least one of them caused, the Kaplan Times reported, when “the gas meter valve froze, allowing too much pressure and causing the flame of the pilot of the gas stove to shoot high … [and] set the kitchen on fire.”
Temperatures began to ease on February 2 in south Louisiana, but the icy weather had not finished it work. It continued moving east as far as West Virginia, prompting one national report to call 1951’s icy blast “the costliest ice storm on record” (until then).
Twenty-five people died and 500 more were injured as the storm moved eastward from Louisiana to the Virginias. The Weather Bureau estimated the storm’s damage at $100 million, which would be over $1 billion today.
You can contact Jim Bradshaw at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

You have dreams, goals, and aspirations. Enthusiastically, you share your plans with your significant other, family, or friends. Instead of sharing in your joy, they give you a lecture on why you won’t succeed. They list all of the things that can and will go wrong.
They know someone who has already tried and failed at the exact thing you are now contemplating. They provide you with a large dose of discouragement. After speaking with them, you question the feasibility of your plans. After all, everyone has advised you to stop dreaming and be realistic.
Yet despite all of the negative advice, you have a desire that keeps gnawing at you. It may subside for a time, but it keeps resurfacing. You start to believe everyone else is right and you are wrong. You wonder if you are viewing your plans with a biased outlook. The people you have spoken with are surely more objective.
In spite of all the dissuasion, you see examples of people who are living their dreams. How do they pull it off while you don’t feel as if you have a chance?
This is what you need to fulfill your dreams: a burning desire along with the willingness to do what it takes. It doesn’t matter how much money you have. Your educational level is irrelevant. Who you know is immaterial.
Don’t listen to people who don’t encourage you. Constructive criticism is one thing. It is designed to help you find a successful path to your destination. A negative onslaught serves no purpose other than to dishearten you. People offering negative advice may not be aware of the damage it will cause you. They are just acting in a manner they have been taught, which is negative.
The staunchest naysayers are invariable those who have not realized their goals. They are experts in uncovering justifications for failure. Their opinions may even be unsolicited. Subconsciously, they are jealous of any possibility you will succeed. They would rather keep you at their level rather than giving you a mental boost.
There are people who you should listen to. They are the ones who have already accomplished what you want to do. They are the ones who can show you, by example, all that is possible. They have overcome obstacles and learned from their mistakes. Your learning from their experience is much less costly and more efficient than reinventing the wheel.
That said, there is always room for innovation. Just because something has been done doesn’t mean there is no opportunity. It’s always possible to improve on what already exists. That is why new products and services hit the market on a daily basis.
You don’t have to personally know people who have succeeded. You can read books they write or books that are written about them. Although most of the stories in newspapers and magazines are negative, there are always articles about people’s accomplishments.
The internet is a great resource for locating biographical information about successful people. The more you fill your mind with examples of what others have done, and how they have done it, the more enthusiastic you will become.
So when someone tells you something is impossible, go find someone else who has already done it. For every critic, there is a trailblazer who is breaking new ground, accomplishing what was thought to be impossible.
And when you have achieved what others said you couldn’t do, you will be told you were lucky or just in the right place at the right time. But you will know it was your tenacity that made the difference.

July 24, 1979 ~ January 17, 2024

KAPLAN — Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, January 19, 2024 at Vincent Funeral Home in Kaplan honoring the life of Ryan Conley Frederick. He will be laid to rest at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Cemetery with Pastor Ejohann Sathre and Deacon Billy Vincent officiating the services.
Ryan’s life was as colorful and vibrant as the window tints and wraps he expertly applied. Ryan departed this world on January 17, 2024 leaving behind a legacy of laughter, mischief, and a love for both the thrill of the hunt and the perfect tint.
Born on July 24, 1979, Ryan was a unique soul who approached life with a twinkle in his eye and a quick wit that could turn any mundane moment into a memorable one. His playful spirit and infectious laughter were a source of joy for all who knew him.
As the proud owner of Real Tint Shop, Ryan was not just a master of transforming glass and wrapping vehicles; he was an artist who brought style and flair to every project. His passion for the craft was only surpassed by his ability to make each customer feel like a valued friend.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Ryan had a deep love for the great outdoors. Hunting was not just a pastime for him; it was a calling that allowed him to connect with nature and revel in the thrill of the chase.
Known for his generous spirit, Ryan was the kind of person who would help anyone out at the drop of a hat. Once you earned a place in his heart as a friend, you were a friend for life. His loyalty and warmth endeared him to many, creating a tight-knit community of friends and loved ones.
Ryan leaves behind a legacy of laughter, camaraderie, kindness, and craftsmanship. His friends and family will forever cherish the memories of his humorous anecdotes and his mischievous grin.
He is survived by his parents, Conley and Myrna Frederick; his siblings, Dawn Frederick Vincent, Shauri Frederick, and Brett Frederick and his wife, Olivia; his paternal grandmother, Zula Hebert Frederick; his godchildren, Noah Richard and Isla Frederick; and numerous uncles, aunts, nieces, and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his beloved hunting dog, Miss Kate; and his maternal grandparents, Jeanne and Noah LaBry; and paternal grandfather, Harry Frederick.
Ryan’s family shares in the grief of his passing but also celebrates the joy he brought into their lives. Let us remember him not with tears, but with laughter, for that is how he would want to be remembered.
The family requests that visiting hours be observed at Vincent Funeral Home - Kaplan, 300 N. Eleazar Ave., on Thursday, January 18, 2024 from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a rosary being led by Ms. Jerry Abshire at 6:00 PM; Friday, January 19, 2024 from 9:00 AM until the services begin at 2:00 PM.
May he find eternal peace, and may we carry the warmth of his spirit in our hearts as we remember the joy and laughter he brought to our lives.
Rest in peace, Ryan. May your next great adventure be filled with endless hunting grounds and abundant fishing spots. You will be dearly missed but forever remembered with a smile.
All funeral arrangements are being conducted by Vincent Funeral Home of Kaplan, (337) 643-7276. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.vincentfuneralhome.net.

Gueydan Drainage Board
Minutes of proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Gueydan Drainage District taken at regular meeting held on January 9, 2024 with the following members:

PRESENT: LUTHER E. HARDEE, III, DAVID SIMON, KEITH HENSGENS and KIRBY HENRY
ABSENT: JEFFREY P. SCANLAN

Motion was made by KIRBY HENRY, seconded by DAVID SIMON, and unanimously carried, that the reading of the minutes of the regular meeting held on December 7, 2023 be dispensed with and that same be adopted as written.

Motion was made by KIRBY HENRY, seconded by DAVID SIMON, and unanimously carried, that all bills approved by the finance committee be paid.

Motion was made by KIRBY HENRY, seconded by DAVID SIMON, and unanimously carried, that the next regular scheduled meeting will be held on February 8, 2024 at 1:30 p.m. The full schedule of dates for the 2024 meetings will be adopted at the February 8, 2024 meeting. A resolution to establish the dates, times and places of the regular meetings of the Board of Commissioners of the Gueydan Drainage District as required by L.R.S. 42:7 will be adopted on February 8, 2024.

It was unanimously agreed that officers of this governing body be elected and are appointed to serve until the first regular meeting in January, 2025.
DAVID SIMON was nominated by KEITH HENSGENS, seconded by KIRBY HENRY, and unanimously elected, to serve as President of this governing body.

KIRBY HENRY was nominated by DAVID SIMON, seconded by KEITH HENSGENS, and unanimously elected, to serve as Vice-President of this governing body.

JEFFREY P. SCANLAN, LUTHER E. HARDEE, III, DAVID SIMON, KIRBY HENRY and KEITH HENSGENS were nominated by KEITH HENSGENS, seconded by KIRBY HENRY, and unanimously elected, to serve as the Finance Committee of this governing body.

Motion was made by KIRBY HENRY, seconded by KEITH HENSGENS, and unanimously carried, that Jeanne Woods be appointed to serve as Secretary-Treasurer of this governing body.

Motion was made by KIRBY HENRY, seconded by KEITH HENSGENS, and unanimously carried, that the BANK OF GUEYDAN is hereby authorized to honor all checks drawn on any of the Bank Accounts for the Gueydan Drainage District when signed by DAVID SIMON, PRESIDENT of this governing body, and that in the absence of the PRESIDENT as aforesaid, the BANK OF GUEYDAN is hereby authorized to honor all checks drawn on any of the Bank Accounts of the Gueydan Drainage District when signed by any two of the following:

KEITH HENSGENS,
KIRBY HENRY or
JEFFREY P. SCANLAN

Motion was made by KEITH HENSGENS, seconded by KIRBY HENRY, and unanimously carried, to ratify the cashing of the Bank of Gueydan Certificate of Deposit No. 4695887, dated February 10, 2023, issued in the name of Gueydan Drainage District, Maintenance Account, in the face amount of $100,000.00 be cashed and deposited to the Gueydan Drainage District Maintenance Account to be used to pay maintenance expenses.

A notice from Hopkins Insurance Agency of Non-Renewal on the Commercial Auto Insurance was received by the Drainage District due to the fact that the carrier is no longer writing coverage for this operation. A quote was received from Farm Bureau Insurance that was submitted to insure all Pickup Trucks owned by the Gueydan Drainage District. The premium of 5,534.00 for six months was presented to the board members for their review. After discussion, motion was made by KIRBY HENRY, seconded by KEITH HENSGENS, and unanimously carried, that the policy premium be paid in full for $5,534.00 every 6 months.

There being no further business to come before the meeting, motion was made by KIRBY HENRY, seconded by DAVID SIMON, and unanimously carried, that the meeting was adjourned.

S/Jeanne Woods S/DAVID SIMON
Secretary President

Minutes Published in The Gueydan Journal
Newspaper:

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024