Pace brisk on opening day of qualifying for fall

White Castle Mayor Maurice “Big Moe” Brown and White Castle Police Chief Mario D. Brown both drew opposition as they qualified for re-election Wednesday, the opening day of qualifying for the fall elections, even as a federal grand jury was handing down a 20-count indictment against them.

They were among 32 candidates for 21 local positions to qualify at Iberville Clerk of Court J. G. “Bubbie” Dupont's office. The races will be on the ballot of an October 1 open primary election, with run-offs scheduled, as needed, for November 2.

All but one incumbent Iberville Parish School Board member qualified for re-election on opening day. Incumbent Board Member Stanley Washington of Maringouin had not qualified in District A, but Karen “Kay” Jewell of Maringouin did. (Jewell is the wife of Parish Council Chairman Mathew H. Jewell) Two other  incumbent School Board members drew opposition.

Incumbent Maringouin Mayor John F. Overton, qualifying for re-election, was alone on the ballot on opening day. Incumbent Maringouin Police Chief John E. Simien faces a rematch with Hosea K. Anderson. Only four candidates, including one incumbent, had qualified for the five seats on the Maringouin Board of Aldermen.

Qualifying continues through 5 p.m. Friday.

Clerk of Court Dupont provided this list of first-day qualifyers:

Iindicates the incumbent.

School Board District A

Karen “Kay” Jewell of Maringouin

School Board District B

David “Worm” Daigle of Grosse Tete, I

School Board District C

Glyna M. Kelley of Plaquemine, I

School Board District D

Michael J. Hebert of Plaquemine, I

School Board District E

Paul B. Distefano of Plaquemine, I

School Board District F

Michael “Chief” Barbee of Plaquemine, I

School Board District G

Tom Delahaye of Plaquemine, I

School Board District F

Dorothy R. Sansoni of Plaquemine, I

Yolanda Butler Laws of Plaquemine, I

School Board District J

Brian S. Willis of Plaquemine, I

School Board District K

Nancy T. Broussard of St. Gabriel, I

School Board District L

Irene Delone Dennis of White Castle

Freddie “Sam” Molden III of White Castle, I

School Board District M

Melvin Lodge of St. Gabriel, I

School Board District O

Kenneth Burleigh of White Castle

Darlene M. Ourso of White Castle, I

Mayor, Town of Maringouin

John F. Overton,I

Chief of Police, Town of Maringouin

Hosea K. Anderson

John E. Simien, I

Alderman, Town of Maringouin

Dedric Davenport

Edward James Jr., I

Garrick Scott

Sam W. Watson

Mayor, Town of White Castle

Ernest J. “Bay Boy” Allen Sr.

Maurice “Big Moe” Brown, I

Gerald “Jermarr” Williams

Chief of Police, White Castle

Mario D. Brown, I

Michael Troy Robinson Sr.

Alderman, Town of White Castle

Erick “Duck” Batiste

Kendrick Fleming

Dionne “Bambi” Lewis

Note: With three exceptions, all the candidates are Democrats. School Board Member Nancy Broussard, and alderman candidates Batiste and Fleming are listed as “no party.”