By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – A trio of St. John the Baptist Parish residents have officially announced their candidacies for the Louisiana House of Representatives 57th District seat in the Oct. 22 general election.

LaPlace attorney Randal Gaines, business owner O.J. Breech and longtime St. John Parish School Board member Russ Wise said this week they will vie for the representative seat, which includes a part of LaPlace, all of the west bank of St. John Parish, and a large section of the west bank of St. Charles Parish. Nickie Monica, R – LaPlace, currently holds the seat but has said he is not seeking re-election.

Gaines said one of his first priorities as representative would be to introduce legislation and initiatives to enhance economic development and job training efforts.

“I will work tirelessly to attract good-paying jobs to our area to ensure that our workforce is properly trained to fill these positions,” Gaines said. “This in turn will enhance our tax base and allow for the further revitalization of public education, including increases in teacher and support staff pay.”

Gaines also said he would hold regular town hall meetings, actively seek input from people throughout the area on proposed legislation and accept suggestions on how the state can better deliver services.

Gaines has worked as a tax attorney with the Internal Revenue Service, as an assistant city attorney for the City of New Orleans and as an associate professor and director of the Criminal Justice Department at Southern University. He was admitted to the bar in 1986 and currently maintains a private law practice assisting people in the River Parishes with a wide variety of legal issues.

Gaines is a veteran of the United States Army and the Louisiana National Guard and retired as a lieutenant colonel. He was the executive officer of the Louisiana Medical Command and medical support coordinator – Task Force Orleans during Hurricane Katrina rescue and recovery operations.

Wise, a registered independent, said he wants to restore full funding to the state education system from pre-kindergarten through graduate school, with the goal of making the state’s education system “second to none in the country.”

“Nothing is more important than education,” Wise said. “With a strong education system in the state, all of the other issues such as jobs, health care and crime can be addressed.”

Wise has served 11 years on the St. John Parish School Board and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Louisiana School Board Association, which represents school boards all across southeast Louisiana. He is also a retired broadcast journalist who covered state politics for radio and television stations in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Monroe for three decades, a Vietnam War veteran and a Boy Scout leader in St. John Parish for 20 years.

Breech is a small business owner in the community and the coordinator of the 21st Century Learning Program at Garyville/Mt. Airy Magnet, West St. John Elementary and West St. John High School. She is also the executive director of the River Region Multicultural Chamber of Commerce.

Breech said she is best known for her drive and commitment to community service. She said she was inspired to run for state representative after being encouraged by those from the local community and other community leaders that she has served.

“It’s not enough to just talk about economic development, better education, environmental protection and job creation,” Breech said. “We need someone who is going to put big ideas into action. I will fight for real long-term opportunities for every family in the region.”

Breech is currently continuing her education at Winston Salem State University.

She is working toward earning a master’s degree in public administration.