~ March 30, 1978

• Lucky 13 for Ricky Sanders who bagged a fine 17-pound gobbler sporting a 9-inch beard. Ricky, 13, and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Roger Dale Sanders, is an avid sportsman.

~March 20 1986

• “Downtown merchants meet to revitalize business area.”

Kentwood’s Main Street merchants gathered last Thursday night for the purpose of making plans to revitalize the Kentwood Business community. Those present were Michael Simmons, Bath Craft, Shelia Broyles, Angie Bourgoyne, Lennie and Karen Losche, Susan Fairburn, Dorothy Monk, Chuck Sanders, Frances Black, Gerald Monteleone, Charles Roy Womack, Steve Bryan, Charlie Morris, Mike Venible, Mary Jo Cutrer, Mike Agnello, and Lynette Davis.

The group stated that there are 47 downtown businesses in Kentwood and 18 sales and services stores, 28 retail businesses, 6 professionals, 3 financial institutions, 2 entertainment centers, 4 eateries, and 6 businesses involved in personal grooming.

A list of projects the group is considering for making the downtown area much more attractive and desirable as a shopping place include the following:

Improve the appearance of buildings on Main Street, as well as the appearance of the street itself.

Provide some kind of entertainment for youth.

Eliminate the U-turn at the end of Main Street with the installation of a traffic light.

Several of those in attendance expresses surprise at the number in attendance and at the co-operative spirit of the group. “This has been a good idea that has been kicked around on the street for a long time. Maybe we are finally going to put some legs under it for the good of all concerned,” said one businessman.

~March 4, 1998

• Mr. and Miss. Sumner High School.

Joe Newman and Macy Wagner

~March 18, 1998

• Kentwood High School student charged with arson and burglary.

Kentwood Police arrested a 16-year-old Kentwood High student last Thursday night and charged him with simple burglary and simple arson in connection with a fire to the in-house detention building on 603 Ninth Street.

Fire officials said that the fire was limited to only the small building, but did several thousand dollars worth of damage.

The suspect’s mother turned him in to authorities a little more than an hour after the fire was reported. The juvenile admitted to setting the fire to the building because he had been placed in the suspension program for tardiness, said Kentwood Police Chief James Rimes.

The juvenile was taken to the Plaquemine Parish Juvenile Detention Center in Port Sulfur and was returned to Tangipahoa Parish and will be remanded to the Florida Parish Detention Center until his arraignment.

~ April 3, 1969

• Not since the colorful fun-filled days of Dairy Day have crowds gathered in such numbers and floats with originality and beauty been seen in Kentwood.

Throngs lined Kentwood streets from LA. 38 at the City Hall to US. 51 Main Street, and US. 51 north to Avenue C.

Fifty-two units were entered and judges decision was a difficult one according to parade officials.

Taking the 1st place were as follows:

Patriotic - Kentwood High School; Most Original - Kentwood Spring Water; Best Historical - Chesbrough High School.

Second places in originality went to Briar Hollow, Spring Creek and McKneely Funeral Home took second in historical.

Third places in originality went to Kentwood Garden Club and in historical to Red Top Covered Wagon. Leading the parade was the KHS band while other units included horseman, buggies and wagons.

• J. Polk Morris & Sons boasted -

Yorkshire bacon - 59¢

8 oz. Ballard and Philsbury Biscuits - 4/ 35¢

1 lb. Community Coffee - 59¢

5 lb. bag Oranges - 39¢

Head of lettuce - 19¢

10 lb. Red Potatoes - 49¢

~ April 4, 1974

Never too busy!

• Don Lewis is a busy man, but never too busy for a kind word or friendly joke or to help out with some worthwhile project that will benefit Kentwood.

Don is a Kentwood businessman who will mark his sixth year in August and as busy as this keeps him, he still finds time for one of his loves which is little league baseball. His wife, Willie says, “Don would rather be in the press box than eat....almost!” But she shares his enthusiasm for the program.

Don, a native of the Sunny Hill community is the son of Mr. and Mrs. W.H. Lewis. He went to school in Franklinton and attended SLU, where met his wife, the former Willie Taylor of Metairie.

Vandy, age 13, and Cindy, age 8 keep their dad “in the know” about things but when he can he manages to “sneak off about once a year for a few days of fishing.”

Don is a member of Lewiston Baptist Church where he is a deacon, works with the Royal Ambassadors. He is also a member of the Kentwood Chamber.