Gage Battaglio, at top, was awarded for Champion Bantam Henn during the St. Mary Parish Junior Fair and Livestock Show held Saturday, Jan. 20, at Franklin Senior High School. He is pictured with St. Mary Parish President David Hanagriff. Below, Kaiden Rogers was awarded for Champion Bantam Cockerel.
Incumbent Franklin City Councilman Eugene Foulcard and former councilman Jimmie Daniel II, both candidates for Mayor of Franklin, spoke to the Franklin Rotary Club Tuesday at the Forest restaurant, providing Rotarians with the first glimpse of the candidates’ platforms.
Foulcard gave the first address, saying, “Our city, our voice, and your vote. My name is Eugene Foulcard and I’m running for Franklin. I’m not running against a particular person. I’m running to improve Franklin and move us in a different direction.”
He went on to say that he believes he has plateaued as a councilman in Franklin, as far as having done all he can possibly do from that perspective, and that he feels he has a unique skillset to move Franklin forward.
He said, “I’m hard-working, accomplished and I have been involved in a number of civic activities throughout Franklin for a number of years. I’m a lifelong resident of Franklin. I was born here, raised here, and I am still here.”
Foulcard said he graduated from Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and that his matriculation at SU was the only time he didn’t live in Franklin.
He described his family as “vested in Franklin’s future,” being the owners of a number of businesses here, and added, “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here for the long haul.”
He touted his years of service as chief financial officer for St. Mary Community Action Committee Association, having served in “various capacities” in his family’s businesses, and 13 years as a volunteer board member for Franklin Foundation Hospital, with three years as the chairman of said board.
Foulcard cited “economic development” as one of the concerns he intends to address if elected, saying, “I plan on being very, very aggressive in raising and managing the profile of the city of Franklin to be able to pursue businesses outside of the borders of Franklin, and retain the current businesses that we have in Franklin. I think that is key.”
He said that he believes people can be enticed to come to Franklin through the beautification of the city, as well as via aggressive marketing campaigns.
Foulcard also stated that he would address the city’s infrastructure difficulties by continuing with projects already in place, to fix the city’s roads, drainage and water issues.
He proposed working with the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce to hold job fairs in conjunction with Metal Shark and Gulf Craft, while additionally communicating with those companies to maintain a working knowledge of their needs.
Foulcard closed by saying, “I think we can turn the corner. I plan on having an open government and plan on having City Hall open for anyone to drop in anytime to come in and speak with me about any concerns they may have. I plan on making a difference.”
He yielded the podium to Daniel by calling him a very good friend, and referred to the both of their mothers as, “the nicest mothers in town.”
Daniel began with a synopsized autobiographical history, saying that he graduated from Franklin Senior High in 1988 and went to Mortuary School at Delgado Community College in New Orleans.
He then married his wife, Tiffany Daniel, and has three children with two grandchildren whom he calls, “great grandchildren, because they’re my grandchildren and they’re great.”
He said he has dedicated most of his time in Franklin to coaching baseball for 20-plus years at Caffrey Park, but that as his kids are now past the age for recreational sports at the park, he feels like moving on to other ventures is what he should do, too.
Of his call to run for Mayor, Daniel said, “Someone spoke with me about six months ago about running for mayor of Franklin, and ever since then it’s kind of been tugging on me, and I kept thinking about it, and I hadn’t really done anything about it, and then I dealt with it, and I finally decided to do it.”
Daniel pointed to his experience in service, having served as a Councilman from 2002 to 2006, under three separate mayors, saying he was proud to have done so.
“I always said that I wanted to come back and serve in a higher office,” Daniel said, “and that day is today. So, here I am.
“The worst thing about it is that I’m running against a friend of mine. That’s the only bad thing.”
Daniel told of having publicly served the Franklin community, in some form or fashion, for 28 years, marking in particular, his move from the mortuary business into the granite business in 2010, where he now works with his wife.
Of his professional life, Daniel said, “I had a vision, and I didn’t know it was going to be that prosperous or needed, but it was, and it turned out to be great. So, I’m serving the community in that industry.”
He said that in deciding to run for the office of mayor, he made up his mind that he would only carry through with it contingent on the approval of his wife and kids.
According to Daniel, his wife and daughter assented immediately to the proposition, with his son as the only holdout. He said his son asked him, “What’s wrong? You don’t like things the way they are now?” which, Daniel said, “hit me kind of hard.”
However, he revealed that by the end of the week, on the deadline day for qualifying to run, his son finally relented, and told him to run.
Daniel stated that he spoke with current Mayor Raymond Harris and that he agrees with much of the way Harris feels about the current state of revenue in Franklin.
“So, we understand that we have some hurdles that we have to jump over,” Daniel said, “the mayor, Mr. Foulcard and the rest of the council. And they’ve had to make some tough decisions. Back in 2005 they had to cut all city employees by five percent, and that’s a tough cut to do.
“I’m sure a lot of people in this room, having been in administration before, understand that that affected a lot of families, and that it was hard to get through. But, they did that.”
He said furthermore, that if he agreed with everything that was going on, he wouldn’t be running for mayor, and then named some of his grievances.
“Some other changes that they [the mayor and city council] had to do are—the roadside pickup for trash used to be free. Now, if you have debris, there’s a charge for that,” Daniel said, elaborating that he went over the council meeting’s minutes for the past two years and noticed, “that they increased our water bills, our water rates, our sewer bills, and these aren’t decisions that these guys wanted to make.”
He then pointed to the council’s approval of pay increases for the incoming mayor and council, authorized last year, wherein the mayor receives a purported 25 percent increase in salary, four district councilmen receive a purported 30 percent increase and the mayor pro tempore—a purported 40 percent increase.
“So, I understand that the council has been through some tough times and had to make some changes and increase our bills,” Daniel said, “but I don’t believe that then their wages should be coming up, whether it be mine or Mr. Eugene’s… 25, 30 and 40 percent… I’ve worked my whole life and I never got more than a three percent raise.”
He explained that Mayor Harris, at the time of the vote to increase their wages, told the council that he did not believe that it was the right time for their wage increases. He said of Harris, “He understood that the mayor and the councilmen hadn’t had their pay increased in a long time. But, he also understood that they have other jobs, and that this is supplemental pay for them.
“They should have to stick it out with the rest of the citizens for as long as the hard times last.”
Daniel expressed that not only does the city have to live within its budget, but that the raises in pay for the council and mayor must pull funds from other departments, because of that budget.
“We all have the same things we want out of living in Franklin,” Daniel said. “We all want the same end result—we may have different ways of getting there, but I feel fortunate that we have all these guys out there giving of their time, their lives, and giving of their families.”
Daniel closed by saying, “We can move Franklin forward to a brighter future, and I’ll tell you what… that guy that I talked to, about six months ago, about running… that was Jesus Christ. He told me to do it, and I honestly believe that.”
He said that he believes that through Christ, all things are possible, and thanked Rotarians for their time.
South Louisiana Community College’s WorkReady U Program at Young Memorial in Morgan City has named Orranda Guidry as our December Student of the Month.
The school describes Orranda is one of those quiet, hardworking and cooperative students who make teaching a dream job. He has earned the Student of the Month honor because of his focus and diligence; however, it has not been an easy road for him.
He persists in continuing his education and in achieving his goal of passing the HiSET even through difficult situations.
"We are amazed by his work ethic and determination," the school said. "Participating in class discussions and a willingness to accept instruction are just a few of the wonderful qualities that he possesses. He can always be counted on and attends classes faithfully. As a mature male figure, he is an asset to our program."
The English Language Acquisition December student of the month is Wendy Medina. She is described as an enthusiastic learner who arrives early for class each morning and is fully engaged in learning. She eagerly assists other students and is a joy to teach.
South Louisiana Community College’s WorkReady U Adult Education class in Franklin named Khadijah Butler as December student of the month.
Khadijah enrolled at the end of November and began class very quiet and unsure, the school said.
In only a month of learning, she has already come out of her shell.
She attends class every day and even stays late to take full advantage of asking questions and receiving one on one tutoring. She has made strong progess in improving her scores, and she plans to take the HiSET in January.
Adult Education and English Language Acquisition registration are held at 900 Youngs Road, Morgan City every Monday 8-11a.m. for day classes.
Adult Education night class registration is 5-8 p.m. every Monday.
English Language Acquisition night class registration is held at J. S. Aucoin Elementary, 739 Julia St., Amelia every Monday night 5-8 p.m.
Adult Education registration is also held at 1013 Perret St., Franklin every Monday 8-11 a.m.
Bring a state or federal picture ID, social security card, and plan to stay for testing. Call 985-380-2957 or 337-828-1171 for more information.
Follow the program on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @slccadulted.
The popular springtime Friday music series in Morgan City, Rhythms on the River, will go on as scheduled in 2018 with just a minor change to the stage location, organizers and officials said Tuesday.
Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said at Tuesday’s council meeting that recent comments had circulated on social media with a concern that Rhythms on the River was in jeopardy of being shut down.
But, in fact, there was no discussion by city officials to discontinue the event, Grizzaffi said.
Café JoJo’s, located on Front Street in Morgan City, hosts Rhythms on the River each Friday from the beginning of April to the start of June with bands playing 6:30-9:30 p.m. This year’s series will go from April 6 through June 1. The council gave approval Tuesday for Café JoJo’s to once again hold the series and allow Front Street to be blocked between Everett and Freret streets.
“What happened is we had a concerned citizen who lived nearby who has been working with the city over the last several years trying to find a solution to a noise issue that rears its head around the same time every year,” Grizzaffi said.
The city received a letter from that resident to try to resolve the issue, and the involved parties reached a compromise, the mayor said.
Café JoJo’s owner Brian Blanchard said event officials agreed to turn the stage so that it faces more toward Railroad Avenue to address the noise complaint.
Councilman Louis Tamporello said organizers and officials do a great job to make sure Rhythms on the River ends promptly at 9:30 p.m.
“I think it says a lot about our community,” Blanchard said. “We can all get together, all walks of life. Go out, have a good time. ... We hadn’t had any issues.”
The police presence does a lot to help keep the event running smoothly, too, Blanchard said. Sponsors also ensure the music series continues each year, he said.
“We’re hopefully going to continue to do this, and (have) bigger and better things in the future,” Blanchard said.
The Morgan City Council voted Tuesday to raise residents' utility bill rates so that the city can continue to fund essential services, city leaders said.
City council members adopted three ordinances to increase utility rates beginning March 1, which means the increases will show up on the April utility bills. The monthly increases include $7.50 per month for 1,000 kilowatts of electricity, $7 per month for 10 cubic feet of water, $7 per month for 10 cubic feet for sewer usage, and $1.79 per 16 cubic feet of natural gas. The total average monthly increase residents should see is about $23 for all utilities.
All three ordinances passed by a 4-1 vote with Councilmen Louis Tamporello, Ray Autrey , Mark Stephens and Tim Hymel voting in favor of the increases. Councilman Ron Bias was the lone dissenting vote.
The council added wording in the ordinances to allow the council option to adjust rates by resolution, as needed. Tuesday’s rate increases marked the first time the city has raised utility rates since 2010, officials said.
“We looked at this a lot,” Tamporello said. “It’s a hard thing to swallow for anybody that’s got to do this ... but, if not, you won’t have the services that we’re trying to provide now.”
Hymel said the rate increases are not meant to let the city make money, but to just allow the city to break even on revenues and expenses.
Since 2013, the city has been able to cut expenses from the city budget by reducing Morgan City government’s workforce by over 40 employees, hiring a private company to collect garbage and going to a self-insured health insurance plan for city employees, along with other savings measures, Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said.
“All of those gains have basically gone to continue to subsidize utility rates,” Grizzaffi said.
Morgan City doesn’t have any dedicated taxes to fund the police department, fire department, recreation department and library, he said.
“All of those services that we offer for free with no tax are basically paid for through utilities (revenues),” the mayor said.
In 2017, city officials transferred $3.35 million from the utility fund to subsidize those four departments. Officials plan to do the same in 2018.
Over the years, the utility fund balance has dropped from over $40 million to less than $17 million.
“There’s going to come a time when you’re not going to be able to transfer any money from the utility fund to the general fund because you won’t have a fund balance to sustain it,” Grizzaffi said.
State officials expect the city to at least break even on expenses and revenues within each department’s budget, he said.
“We’ve been basically ignoring that and subsidizing for the benefit of our citizens all these years,” Grizzaffi said.
When the economy was flourishing, the city could use the utility fund to subsidize other departments without any problems, he said.
“When you’ve been on a crunch like we’ve been on, and now you’ve made all the cuts. And you’ve given all the cuts to these subsidies, you can’t do it anymore. You have to be neutral,” Grizzaffi said.
Also during the meeting, the mayor and council commended the city workers for how they handled the aftermath that resulted from hard freezes last week. Workers did well to shut off water and leaks due to busted pipes, Grizzaffi said. Pressure in the city’s water and natural gas lines got unusually low because of the freezes, but officials were able to avoid any major issues, he said.
In other business, the council
—Accepted the appointment of Tamporello as mayor pro tem.
—Accepted the appointment of Marion Collins to the library commission.
—Approved the Krewe of Dionysus to hold its third annual Irish Italian Walking Parade at 1 p.m. March 17.
—Approved organizers to hold the third annual Porch Fest April 21 in the area of Lawrence Park.
—Tabled action on the issuance of revenue anticipation notes.
A 29-year-old Morgan City man was caught Monday discarding ecstasy pills when Morgan City police stopped him on walking on Redwood Street, Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Morris Hatcher, 29, of Apple Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 6:52 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of MDMA and obstruction of justice.
Investigators with the Morgan City Police Department narcotics division observed a person walking in the area of Redwood Street.
When investigators stopped to speak with the person, police saw him discard something from his hand onto the ground, Blair said. Hatcher was identified. The item discovered was suspected MDMA, also known as ecstasy pills, Blair said. Hatcher was jailed.
Blair reported that officers responded to 38 calls and reported the following arrests:
—Ronnie E. Newkirk, 61, of Duke Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 10:26 a.m. Monday on a charge of disturbing the peace intoxicated.
Patrol officers responded to the area of La. 182 in regard to a disturbance. Officers arrived, and Newkirk was identified as one of the people involved, Blair said. Newkirk was in an intoxicated state, Blair said. Newkirk was jailed.
—Shamus M. Dardeau, 42, of Clark Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:06 p.m. Monday on a warrant charging him with three counts of failure to appear to pay a fine. Dardeau was located and arrested at parish jail on Morgan City Court warrants. Dardeau was jailed.
—Edwin Sanchez-Gonzalez, 20, of Fairview Street in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 2:43 p.m. Monday on charges of no driver’s license, switched license plate, no insurance and inspection required.
Patrol officers observed a vehicle being operated in the area of La. 182 without an inspection sticker. A stop was initiated, and Sanchez-Gonzalez was identified as the driver.
Sanchez-Gonzalez did not to possess a valid driver’s license, and the vehicle he was operating was found not to have proper insurance and the license plate that was displayed belonged to another vehicle, Blair said. Sanchez-Gonzalez was jailed.
—Fred Kenner, 31, of Grace Street in Siracusaville, was arrested at 3:47 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
Patrol officers observed a person walking in the area of Chennault Street that disappeared. Officers conducted a search of the area, and Kenner was located hiding underneath a home, Blair said. Kenner was in possession of drug paraphernalia, Blair said. Kenner was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum reported that deputies responded to 37 complaints and reported n arrests.
Berwick Police Chief James Richard reported no arrests.
BATON ROUGE (AP) — Only months away from the expiration of $1 billion in state sales taxes, Gov. John Bel Edwards released his worst-case-scenario budget Monday, a spending plan that would end many of Louisiana’s safety-net health programs and strip 80 percent of the financing for the beloved TOPS program that helps students pay for college.
“I am confident that none of you will want to be sending this budget to my desk for approval,” Edwards told the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. “I don’t think it is possible to pass a budget, in fact, that makes cuts at this level.”
The Democratic governor is required to submit a spending plan for the budget year starting July 1 that only accounts for dollars expected to be available. The proposal doesn’t include temporary sales taxes that expire when the new financial year begins. Edwards wants to replace those with other taxes.
“This is what falling off the cliff looks like,” he said.
Louisiana’s operating budget would fall from $28.1 billion this year to $25.3 billion next year with the loss of federal matching dollars and other revenue sources that would disappear with the state tax cuts proposed. Total expenditures across the package of budget bills would fall from $30.2 billion to $27.4 billion.
The state’s child welfare agency, veterans affairs department, coastal protection agency, highway department and Louisiana National Guard would be shielded from cuts. The K-12 public school financing formula also would be protected.
But higher education and health programs would be on the chopping block because they have the fewest protected financing sources.
About two-thirds of the $1 billion cut — $660 million — would hit health services, ballooning to $2.3 billion with lost federal and other matching cash. Steep reductions would fall on safety-net hospitals and clinics for the poor and programs that help thousands of elderly and disabled people.
TOPS, which cost about $291 million this school year, would lose $233 million of its financing for the next academic year. College campuses would take an additional $26 million reduction, and the Go Grants program that provides needs-based funding for students would be cut in half.
Senior citizens centers would be cut, along with state parks. Sheriffs would receive less money for housing state prisoners.
The governor stressed he has no interest in seeing such a budget become reality, and he blamed lawmakers for having to present it.
Edwards wants to offset expiring taxes with a package of other taxes that could raise or maintain higher taxes on businesses and middle- and upper-income earners. House Republicans have blocked the ideas in previous legislative sessions.
“You chose to temporarily patch up the problem for 27 months. And the day of reckoning is at hand,” Edwards said.
To pass a tax package would require a special session, and Edwards said he would only call one if he can reach an agreement with House GOP leaders.
"So far, they haven’t struck that deal. No one who opposed taxes has offered a detailed proposal for cutting $1 billion, a point Edwards made.
Republicans resisted suggestions they need to replace the entire $1 billion in expiring taxes to keep from enacting devastating cuts.
Rep. Rick Edmonds, a Baton Rouge Republican, said changes to the federal tax code will boost tax collections for the state treasury, because Louisiana has tax deductions tied to federal provisions. Sen. Conrad Appel, a Metairie Republican, suggested state government has grown at an unsustainable rate.
Edwards and Sen. Sharon Hewitt, a Slidell Republican who may run for governor, tangled over Edwards’ claim he’s cut $600 million since taking office. Hewitt doesn’t believe the savings figure is real, and she questioned if the Edwards administration has done enough to dig into state spending.
“I guess maybe my definition of a cut is different than yours,” Hewitt said.
Edwards replied: “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.”
Hewitt shot back: “That is insulting.”
BATON ROUGE (AP) — Only months away from the expiration of $1 billion in state sales taxes, Gov. John Bel Edwards released his worst-case-scenario budget Monday, a spending plan that would end many of Louisiana’s safety-net health programs and strip 80 percent of the financing for the beloved TOPS program that helps students pay for college.
“I am confident that none of you will want to be sending this budget to my desk for approval,” Edwards told the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget. “I don’t think it is possible to pass a budget, in fact, that makes cuts at this level.”
The Democratic governor is required to submit a spending plan for the budget year starting July 1 that only accounts for dollars expected to be available. The proposal doesn’t include temporary sales taxes that expire when the new financial year begins. Edwards wants to replace those with other taxes.
“This is what falling off the cliff looks like,” he said.
Louisiana’s operating budget would fall from $28.1 billion this year to $25.3 billion next year with the loss of federal matching dollars and other revenue sources that would disappear with the state tax cuts proposed. Total expenditures across the package of budget bills would fall from $30.2 billion to $27.4 billion.
The state’s child welfare agency, veterans affairs department, coastal protection agency, highway department and Louisiana National Guard would be shielded from cuts. The K-12 public school financing formula also would be protected.
But higher education and health programs would be on the chopping block because they have the fewest protected financing sources.
About two-thirds of the $1 billion cut — $660 million — would hit health services, ballooning to $2.3 billion with lost federal and other matching cash. Steep reductions would fall on safety-net hospitals and clinics for the poor and programs that help thousands of elderly and disabled people.
TOPS, which cost about $291 million this school year, would lose $233 million of its financing for the next academic year. College campuses would take an additional $26 million reduction, and the Go Grants program that provides needs-based funding for students would be cut in half.
Senior citizens centers would be cut, along with state parks. Sheriffs would receive less money for housing state prisoners.
The governor stressed he has no interest in seeing such a budget become reality, and he blamed lawmakers for having to present it.
Edwards wants to offset expiring taxes with a package of other taxes that could raise or maintain higher taxes on businesses and middle- and upper-income earners. House Republicans have blocked the ideas in previous legislative sessions.
“You chose to temporarily patch up the problem for 27 months. And the day of reckoning is at hand,” Edwards said.
To pass a tax package would require a special session, and Edwards said he would only call one if he can reach an agreement with House GOP leaders.
"So far, they haven’t struck that deal. No one who opposed taxes has offered a detailed proposal for cutting $1 billion, a point Edwards made.
Republicans resisted suggestions they need to replace the entire $1 billion in expiring taxes to keep from enacting devastating cuts.
Rep. Rick Edmonds, a Baton Rouge Republican, said changes to the federal tax code will boost tax collections for the state treasury, because Louisiana has tax deductions tied to federal provisions. Sen. Conrad Appel, a Metairie Republican, suggested state government has grown at an unsustainable rate.
Edwards and Sen. Sharon Hewitt, a Slidell Republican who may run for governor, tangled over Edwards’ claim he’s cut $600 million since taking office. Hewitt doesn’t believe the savings figure is real, and she questioned if the Edwards administration has done enough to dig into state spending.
“I guess maybe my definition of a cut is different than yours,” Hewitt said.
Edwards replied: “I can explain it to you, but I can’t understand it for you.”
Hewitt shot back: “That is insulting.”
The Daily Review/Bill Decker
Workers dig Monday along Front Street in Morgan City by Gaubert Oil on the unprotected side of the floodwall to repair a busted water main line that broke last week during the hard freezes, city officials said. Workers finished repairs to the line Monday and were working Tuesday to return that section of road to its original condition.
NEW YORK, NY — The James Beard Foundation announced the five recipients of its 2018 America’s Classics award, one of which is to a New Orleans establishment.
This year, TABASCO Sauce is the presenting sponsor for the America’s Classics Award. “As a partner of the James Beard Foundation for decades, we have a longstanding appreciation for the role that culinary professionals play in making America’s food culture more vibrant, sustainable and accessible to all,” said Tony Simmons, McIlhenny Company CEO and president. “On the occasion of our 150th Anniversary, we are honored by the love and loyalty that have brought us to this incredible milestone and are thrilled to have the opportunity to recognize these restaurant institutions that have made such a meaningful and lasting impact on their communities.”
The America’s Classics award is given to restaurants that have timeless appeal and are cherished for quality food that reflects the character of their community. This year’s winners will be celebrated at the annual James Beard Foundation Awards Gala on May 7 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
The 2018 James Beard Foundation America’s Classics Award recipients are:
—Dong Phuong Bakery (14207 Chef Menteur Highway, New Orleans: owner: Linh Tran Garza)
The Vietnamese community in New Orleans dates to the end of the Vietnam War, when refugees moved to Louisiana where they relished a climate reminiscent of their home. De Tran and Huong Tran settled in New Orleans East. In 1982, they opened Dong Phuong, one of the area’s first Vietnamese bakeries. They became known for their banh mi, sandwiches variously stuffed with pâté, Chinese sausage, and barbecue chicken, slicked with aioli and topped with pickled vegetables and fresh herbs. Now run by Huong Tran and daughter, Linh Tran Garza, Dong Phuong exemplifies how thoroughly the Vietnamese community has become a vital part of the local culinary landscape. The bakery now supplies dozens of cafes and shops with thin, crackling-crust bread with a pillowy interior, ideal for building the city’s iconic po’boy sandwiches.
—Sun Wah (5039 N. Broadway St., Chicago; owners: Kelly Cheng, Laura Cheng and Michael Cheng)
Eric Cheng began his career in New York City in Chinatown. In 1986, he and his wife, Lynda Cheng, opened a B.Y.O. storefront in Uptown Chicago, then as now the city’s most ethnically diverse neighborhood. In 2008, three out of their four children, Michael Cheng (barbeque chef), Kelly Cheng (general manager), and Laura Cheng (executive chef), took over the business and moved the restaurant to a bigger space around the corner. People travel from across the city for their famed three-course Beijing Duck Feast (so famous the family doesn’t bother listing it on the menu), carved tableside and served with duck fried rice and duck soup.
—Galleria Umberto (289 Hanover St., Boston; owners: Paul Deuterio and Ralph Deuterio)
North End used to be a neighborhood of winding cobblestone streets. Italian immigrants began arriving here in the 1860s from Genoa, then Campania, Sicily, and Abruzzo. Umberto Deuterio founded Galleria Umberto in 1974. Sons Paul Deuterio and Ralph Deuterio run it today. The interior is straightforward, dominated by a counter and a hand-painted wall map of Italy. The Deuterios make arancini and calzones, but the main draw is crisp-edged squares of Sicilian pizza. When the pizza runs out, the shop closes for the day. They also close Galleria Umberto in July to maintain the business and spend time with family.
—Los Hernandez (3706 Main St., Union Gap, Washington; owner: Felipe Hernandez)
Union Gap is the retail hub of rural Yakima County and home of Los Hernandez, where hand-made tamales are the sole menu items. In 1957, Felipe Hernandez immigrated from Piedras Negras in Coahuila, Mexico, to eastern Washington to work in agriculture. Some 40 percent of U.S.-grown asparagus is cropped in Washington, much of it by Hispanic farmworkers in the Yakima Valley. He opened Los Hernandez in 1990, using a recipe adapted from his sister Leocacia Sanchez’s tamales. Today, Hernandez and his wife June, along with daughter Rachel Wilburn and her husband Dion Wilburn, begin by milling dried corn to make masa. Chicken and pork tamales are available year-round. From mid-April to June, production shifts to a pepper jack and asparagus combination that makes the most of the short-lived local crop.
—El Guero Canelo (5201 S 12th Ave., Tucson, Arizona; owner: Daniel Contreras)
The Sonoran hot dog evinces the flow of culinary and cultural influences from the U.S. to Mexico and back. Decades ago, elaborately dressed hot dogs began to appear as novelty imports on the streets of Hermosillo, the Sonoran capital. Today, Tucson is the American epicenter, and Daniel Contreras is the leading hotdoguero. A Sonoran native, Contreras was 33 in 1993 when he opened El Guero Canelo. The original stand is now a destination restaurant, outfitted with picnic tables and serviced by a walk-up order window. Fans converge for bacon-wrapped franks, stuffed into stubby bollilos, smothered with beans, onion, mustard, jalapeno sauce, and a squiggle of mayonnaise. Contreras operates three branches in Tucson, one in Phoenix, and a bakery to supply the split-top buns.
To qualify for the America’s Classics award, establishments must have been in existence at least 10 years and be locally owned. The honorees are selected each year by the James Beard Foundation’s Restaurant & Chef Awards committee, a group composed of restaurant critics, writers, editors and other experts. The selection process begins each fall with a public call for entries, allowing anyone the opportunity to suggest candidates for the awards.
During the James Beard Foundation Awards Gala, which is open to the public, awards for the Restaurant and Chef and Restaurant Design categories will be handed out, along with special achievement awards Humanitarian of the Year, Lifetime Achievement, Design Icon, Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America, and America’s Classics. A gala reception will immediately follow, featuring top chefs and beverage professionals fromacross the country.
On April 27, the James Beard Media Awards, an exclusive event honoring the nation’s top cookbook authors, culinary broadcast producers and hosts and food journalists, will take place at Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City.
Founded in 1986, the James Beard Foundation celebrates, nurtures and honors chefs, and other leaders making America’s food culture more delicious, diverse and sustainable for everyone. A cookbook author and teacher with an encyclopedic knowledge about food, the late James Beard was a champion of American cuisine. He helped educate and mentor generations of professional chefs and food enthusiasts, instilling in them the value of wholesome, healthful, and delicious food. Today JBF continues in the same spirit by administering a number of diverse programs that include educational initiatives, food industry awards, scholarships for culinary students, publications, chef advocacy training, and thought-leader convening. The Foundation also maintains the historic James Beard House in New York City’s Greenwich Village as a “performance space” for visiting chefs. For more information, visit jamesbeard.org.
Franklin Banner-Tribune
P.O. Box 566, Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-3706
Fax: 337-828-2874
Morgan City Review
1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: 985-384-8370
Fax: 985-384-4255