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Joe Heintz has been named the new head football coach at North Vermilion High School.
On Thursday afternoon, North Vermilion High Principal Denise Lotief recommending the hiring of Heintz as the head coach.
“All of our top candidates had different strengths and backgrounds,” said Lotief. “The six members of the interview committee were able to discuss plans for both football logistics and strengthening our program. Ultimately, we made a decision to select the Coach with the highest interview score.
Heintz replaces Brett Blakey, who informed his principal last month that he will not return to NorthVermilion next year.
Blakey accepted a teaching and assistant football coaching job at Vermilion Catholic High School in Abbeville.
This will be Heintz’s second head football coaching job.
Last year he was the head coach at Pine Prairie High School and posted an 0-10 season.
Before going to Pine Prairie, he was an assistant football coach at Teurlings High School for 20-plus years.
Lotief selected Heintz out of six other applicants. All six were interviewed for the job.
Here are the five others who applied: James Dartez, the head football coach at Bolton High School in Alexandria, and Justin Jackson, an assistant coach at Bolton High School. The other two coaches are Dustin Nothnagel, an assistant coach at Newman High in New Orleans, and Taylor Latiolais, an assistant coach at Opelousas High School.
Heintz will not be able to arrive at North Vermilion until the end of the school year.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, April 8, 2023 at 11 a.m. in the Chapel of Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home for Melba Roche Broussard, 81, who died Sunday, April 2, 2023 at 11:40 p.m. surrounded by her loving family.
Deacon Bryan Istre will officiate for the services. The family requests visiting hours Friday from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to service time. A rosary will be recited Friday at 6 p.m. by the Ladies Rosary Group of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. The burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Survivors include two daughters, Ann Mire (Steve) of Crowley, Melanie Broussard of Lafayette; one son, Christopher Broussard (Katie) of Greenville, SC; one daughter-in-law, Debbie C. Broussard of Loxley, AL; 13 grandchildren, Justin Mire, David Mire (Martha), Katherine M. Grannemann (Nathan), Mallory M. Kebodeaux (Ethan), Natalie Mire, Matthew Mire (Maddie), Cody Barousse (fiancé, Terryn), Nicholas Broussard (Heather), Chad Broussard (fiancé, Elizabeth), Brandon Broussard (Alli), Brianna B. Tosh (Caleb), Ryan Broussard, and Tyler Broussard; 14 great-granchildren; one brother, Rudy Roche (Stacey) of Lonoke, AR; two brothers-in-law, Dale Broussard (Grace) and Lynn Broussard (Carole Ann) both of Abbeville.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Larry G. Broussard; one son, Gary Broussard; sister-in-law, Lynda Roche.
Pallbearers will be Mrs. Melba’s grandsons.
The family wishes to thank Lamm Hospice, especially Ashley F., Katina B., and Therasa P. for their compassionate care of Mrs. Melba these last few weeks. Also, a thank you to her sitters, Yvonne, Katrina, Kat, Brittney, and Cathy.
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions be made to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Ladies Altar Society, 901 East Elm Street, Crowley, LA 70526.
Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www.geesey-ferguson.com
Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home, 301 North Avenue F, Crowley, LA 70526, 337-783-3313.

JENNINGS — Hannah “Didi” Cade Cassidy was born on January 25, 1933, in Abbeville, Louisiana. She was one of six children born to her parents, Hannah O’Quinn Burks Cade and John Elliott Cade. Didi died on April 4, 2023. She grew up in Abbeville and had happy memories of time spent in Bancker and Forked Island, usually with her best friend, Flo and her cousin, William. She attended Mt. Carmel and graduated from Abbeville High in 1951. Didi received her B.A. degree in education from S.L.I.(ULL); master’s + 30 in education from McNeese University. Her post graduate studies were at Loyola, Tulane, and Centenary. Didi moved to Jennings in 1954 to teach at the newly built Jennings High School. She met and married Allen “Al” Cassidy, Sr in 1956. Together they had four children: Allen “Rusty” Cassidy, Jr., Michael Cade Cassidy (Jan), Ruth Spalding Cassidy (Ramona), and Elizabeth Cassidy Lapoint (Bennett). She and Al raised their children and opened their doors many times to those in need of a place to live. After Al’s death in 1971, this single mother of four young children went back to teaching full time. She had breakfast on the table for her family before heading out to teach each day and demanded that the family all sit down for dinner together each evening (hat’s off, elbows off the table and napkins in your lap). She was loved by many of her students and was always so proud to hear of their successes in life. Didi adored and enjoyed her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Always a true southern lady, Didi was a firm believer in manners, education, hard work, independence, faith and family. She loved taking care of her yard and flower garden and was the only person we know who could work for hours in her yard and never get a spot on her white pants while make-up on her face looked freshly applied. Didi loved baking, reading, learning, traveling, crossword puzzles and gardening, but her greatest joy was her family. She will be remembered for her gracious energy, positive attitude, and her ability to make everyone feel welcome. She was active and held office in a variety of civic, educational and church related organizations where she truly enjoyed her many friendships. She attended annual state and national educational conventions, was past president of ADK, CDA Court Mother Cabrini organist, performed in Little Theatre and Block Off Broadway, was active in social, political and civic organizations. Until recently, Didi remained active in the Tuesday Rosary group and Revelers; two groups who were very special to her. Didi was an eternal caregiver, who had a deep love for people, animals, travel and any activity that kept her mentally and physically on the go.
Hannah “Didi” Cassidy is survived by her four children, her grandchildren: Stacey Naquin (Andy), Allen “Al” Cassidy III (Kristen), Elliott Cassidy (Kelli), Andrew Cassidy (Kristin), Emily Barthelemy (Jeffrey), George Silvertooth (Amanda), Charles Cassidy (Kristi) and Catherine Lapoint (Cole). She is also survived by her ten great grandchildren: Laura, Karen, Ellen, Lucas, Hannah, Barbara, Connor, Jack, Suzanne, Jonah and her three bonus great grandchildren Jacob, Kennedy and Lindsey. Additionally, she is survived by her brother, John Cade (Lambrini), sisters, Mary C. Stockmeyer and Kathryn C. Stratton, sisters in law Heloise M. Cassidy and Janice L. Cassidy, along with many nieces and nephews.
Didi was preceded in death by her husband, Al, her parents, a special sister, Carol Cade, beloved grandson, John Bennett Lapoint and infant brother, John Elliott Cade, Jr.
Visitation will be at Miguel Funeral Home on April 6, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. followed by a funeral service led by Father Keith Pellerin. A rosary will be recited at 11 a.m.
Burial will follow at Cavalry Cemetery.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan signed into law the National Organ Transplant Act. This created a great public-private model in our nation’s organ donation and transplant system that greatly benefits the citizens of Louisiana.
It is easy to point to federal government programs that are characterized by waste, fraud, and abuse. Fortunately, Reagan’s legislation placed a very important healthcare function outside the realm of those who mismanage and exploit government programs.
When he signed the legislation, Reagan declared that “the Government will provide support for the establishment of an Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) in the private sector to maintain a national registry that will be used to match available organs with people who need them.”
He believed the legislation was able to strike “a proper balance between private and public sector efforts to promote organ transplantation, which should encourage families with loved ones who are awaiting a suitable organ.” The nation’s system of organ donation and transplant is one critical non-profit model Congress established, protected, and improved to provide services and access to transplant options.
Reagan labeled the groundbreaking legislation a “humanitarian effort.” The record shows that this vital system has worked very well over the last thirty-nine years, throughout the country and in our state of Louisiana.
According to the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency, Pelican State “donors saved 670 lives in 2022,” breaking the organization’s record for donation and transplantation in the state. Over the years, more Louisianans have volunteered to become organ donors. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services records indicate that in 2022, there were 330 donors of all types, which is a significant increase from 1988 when there were only 82 donors.
Despite the success of this program, crony capitalists and marketing firms are seeking to profit from patients in desperate need of transplants. While claiming the current system is a “monopoly,” these interests are lobbying Congress to select new partners in this system and a new approach.
Of course, President Reagan did not support monopolies, he was a staunch capitalist who believed in reducing the burden of government and allowing the private sector to flourish. Upon signing the National Organ Transplant Act, Reagan said, “I believe this act strikes a proper balance between private and public sector efforts to promote organ transplantation, which should encourage families with loved ones who are awaiting a suitable organ.” According to Reagan, the legislation “should help increase the overall supply of much needed organs and improve our ability to match donor organs with individuals in need of transplants.”
The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a private, non-profit organization that holds the federal contract to operate the OPTN. It is proposing reforms to “improve” the system and “hold all parts of the system accountable to better serve the patients who rely on us every day.”
There is always a need to find better technology, improve services and eliminate transportation bottlenecks for donated organs, but the current system constantly works to solve these issues and improve its network of operations.
Reagan’s vision has been fulfilled since he signed the legislation in 1984. Indeed, our organ donor and transplant system may be an example of the greatest “public-private partnership” in U.S. history.
To gauge the success of the system, it is often best to listen to those who are utilizing it on a regular basis. In the view of Richard N. Formica, the director of transplant medicine and professor of medicine and surgery at Yale University School of Medicine, “Organ donation and transplantation are saving more lives in the United States than ever before, thanks to concerted work by stakeholders from across the country: donor families, organ procurement organizations, transplant centers, the Organ Procurement Transplant Network (OPTN), the hundreds of volunteers who serve on OPTN committees, and others.”
With organ allocation managed on a national basis, patients and physicians are empowered to make the best decisions. The results have been outstanding as every year there are more generous donations, successful transplants, and better outcomes.
In 2022, for example, a record 42,887 organ transplants were performed in America, up 3.7 percent from the previous year. Last September, the U.S. marked its one millionth organ transplant, a remarkable achievement for the donors, doctors, hospitals, and families that made it possible.
Our non-profit organ donation system is a remarkable achievement. In this case, President Reagan and Congress made the right decision that has served our country well.

Jeff Crouere is a native New Orleanian and is a political columnist, the author of America’s Last Chance and provides regular commentaries on the Jeff Crouere YouTube channel and on Crouere.net. For more information, email him at jcrouere@gmail.com.