INDReporter

Field widens for school board

by Walter Pierce

By late morning Friday, the final day for qualifying, six candidates had registered to run in the October election for school board. By late morning Friday, the final day for qualifying, six candidates had registered to run in the October election for school board. Five of the six are seeking seats in three districts where the incumbents elected not to seek re-election. At this point only District 6 incumbent Greg Awbry is facing a re-election challenge - from 38-year-old financial planner and political rookie Dudley LaBauve III. The five other incumbents seeking re-election - Mark Babineaux (District 1), Shelton Cobb (3), Mark Cockerham (7), Hunter Beasley (8) and Rae Trahan (9) - are currently unopposed.

In the District 2 seat being vacated by current school board President Carl LaCombe, it's shaping up to be a race between a two well-known public figures: Cajundome Director Greg Davis and former six-term Carencro Mayor Tommy Angelle. Over in District 4, where veteran Ed Sam is retiring, Tehmi Chassion, a pharmacist and son of the late former school board rep Tony Chassion is pitted against retired Lafayette teacher and administrator Gwen Harris. District 5, where four-term incumbent Mike Hefner is calling it quits, remained an open seat until Friday morning when retired teacher and current funeral director Kermit Bouillon qualified Friday morning. Bouillon ran unsuccessfully against Hefner in 1998.