LAPLACE – While some in the banking industry were a little worried by the steep drop in stock prices this week, Dr. Mike Strain, Louisiana’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, was reassuring at Wednesday night’s monthly meeting of the St. John Business Association.

Citing the state’s strong agriculture and the world’s need for what Louisiana has to offer, Strain insisted that Louisiana looks to be in pretty good shape for the foreseeable future.

“Agriculture is big business,” said Strain, who is running for re-election to his office. “We are spending money investing in agricultural infrastructure. Louisiana is in a good position, agriculturally. Agriculture is in a good place.”

Strain cited plans to dredge the lower portion of the Mississippi River as future boons to the industry.

“A deeper river channel eventually will allow larger ocean-going vessels to use the Port of South Louisiana, which will mean we are a rich place,” Strain said. He also said a deeper river would bring more business for the area.

Already the agricultural and forestry industries have grown from $5.9 billion to more than $12.7 billion per year, with more than $8.3 billion per year in exports alone.

Sheriff Mike Tregre pulled off a surprise at the meeting, honoring an unsuspecting Deputy of the Month.

Robenson Thelemaque Sr. thought he was attending the meeting to give a speech until Tregre began to introduce him.

Thelemaque, a native of Jamaica, was in a local grocery store recently when one of the cashiers notified him that a regular customer was acting strangely and implied that he might hurt himself.

On his own accord, Thelemaque obtained the home address of the man and went to the home to conduct a welfare check. The man was in his backyard and told Thelemaque that he had intended to shoot himself the night before, but his dog interrupted him.

Thelemaque encouraged the man to seek treatment and even accompanied him to a local hospital.

“The man told officers that this deputy, the way he was calm with his caring demeanor, comforted him and he is appreciative of everything that this officer did for him,” Tregre said. “He said he is very appreciative of everything the St. John Sheriff’s Office has done for him during this trying time in his life.”

Thelemaque was accompanied to the meeting by his fiancé, Brianca Taylor, to whom he proposed at his graduation from the police academy, and his son Robenson Thelemaque Jr.

“I thought I was coming to give a speech,” Thelemaque said. “I’ve been working with the Sheriff’s Office and I’ve been very grateful to be here. Since day one it’s been nothing but greatness. I can’t explain how grateful I am to be with the Sheriff’s Office.”

Tregre also announced plans to send his deputies into local schools to give CPR classes and blood-loss prevention classes to teachers and staff. He also intends to offer self-defense classes to senior girls at the high schools in the parish.

St. John Parish President Natalie Robottom had good news. Now that the Mississippi River levels have dropped, several local improvement projects are set to resume – including levee work. She also provided information about new incentives for small businesses with funds that have repaid from small business loans taken after Hurricane Isaac. Small businesses and non-profits may apply for the parish’s Place-Based Investment Loan Program, which offers loans with 0 percent interest for targeted redevelopment projects that create a positive visual impact with hopes of accelerating economic development activity. Loan amounts range from $5,000 to $50,000, with up to 40 percent loan forgiveness.

Eligible projects include the replacement of commercial signs, parking lot reductions or repavement with water management features and façade improvements to commercial historic structures. Façade improvements are only eligible in the Historic Districts of LaPlace, Reserve, Garyville and River Road (Edgard, Lucy, and Wallace). Sign replacements and parking reductions/repavement are targeted along the Major Corridor Overlay District but are also eligible in historic districts. For more information, visit sjbparish.com.