By LEONARD GRAY – Managing Editor

HAHNVILLE – A new traffic light was requested of the state highway department by St. Charles Parish Councilman Dickie Duhe, for the intersection of West Harding Street and Airline Drive, the main access road into New Sarpy.

Duhe also saw approved the placement of no hazardous cargo signs in the 800 blocks of Marino Drive and on Clayton Drive in Norco.

Duhe related the story of a recent accident where a gasoline truck tipped into a ditch and nearly released its cargo into the midst of a residential neighborhood.

The Norco area councilman said many times trucks will use the residential streets to bypass the traffic signal at Apple Street.

In another matter, Councilman Barry Minnich saw approved his resolution to allow members of the St. Charles Parish Fireman’s Association to hold a can shake at th e intersection of Airline Drive and Ormond Boulevard and also in front of Wal-Mart in Boutte.

The can shake is to benefit muscular dystrophy. Minnich said $10,000 was raised in last year’s fund raising campaign, one of the highest single contribution in the greater New Orleans area.

Also, the council approved the final changeorder for the East Bank bicycle and pedestrian path, which passes from the Jefferson Parish line to Ormond Boulevard.

The $94,000 change order with Angelo Iafrate Construction sets the final price for that segment of the project at $1.183 million.

The parish is continuing the project to Harding Street in the next segment.

Also, the council approved a contract with Hubbard Enterprises for the installation of three coated steel, 48-inch culverts at River Point and at Ormond Village.

Each are jack-and-bores under the railroad tracks.

The council and Parish President Albert Laque also proclaimed April as “Save a Life – End Underage Drinking” month.

The proclamation noted the prevalance of beginning drinking at younger ages and binge drinking at young ages.

It also noted the relation to sexual assaults and date-rape among teenagers, as a result of drinking.

The council and parish president also proclaimed April 25-May 2 as “Soil and Water Stewardship Week,” recognizing that every person’s well-being depends upon the production of ample food, fiber and other products of the soil and protection of our water from pollution

At the conclusion of the meeting, the parish council chairman, Lance Marino, announced a special fund raiser event in Des Allemands on May 1.

The event, toward building a veterans monument, is set for the Father Mac Community Center of St. Gertrude Catholic Church.

Lunch starts at 11 a.m., and tickets are being sold in advance. The menu includes gumbo or jambalaya, potato salad or cole slaw, dessert, bread and drink.

An auction will being at 1 p.m. in conjection with the fund raiser. For more information, call Eric Folse at 758-2709.