Up until a month ago Pearl River, LA was merely an exit sign on the freeway to Slidell. A road sign that passed by in the blink of an eye. The town hit my radar as a result of one of my wife’s friends, a young man was missing, and had been missing for a year. Would we at BNN do what we could to help?
It took less than an eye blink to say yes. I was not sure what help we could provide, but we jumped in and started. Subtlety has never been my forte. And one quick trip to the Pearl River area seemed to create a certain amount of havoc. We were stirring up a story that some people would prefer remain cold. What happened to Zachary Pittman on the night of June/24 2009?
That is a question that we do not yet have an answer to. But, we don’t give up easy.
A name that I keep hearing is Ricky Lavigne, it just so happens that his father is the current mayor of Pearl River, James Lavigne. He has been the mayor for 21 years, and most agree that in the early years he was a hands on person, these days it is a slightly different story. Not only has Pearl River skillfully avoided the computer age, town hall does not even possess an answering machine!
This is an election year, and in October the residents must elect a mayor. Will it be James Lavigne?
I had an opportunity today to talk with Lavigne’s major threat, Clayton Harper. It was to say the least an eye opening adventure!
In a scene straight out of The Dukes Of Hazzard, last Tuesday Boss Lavigne tried to get Clay Harper removed from the ballot. Of course this wild move did not succeed. The only person backing him was Alderman Marie Crowe. I spoke with her two weeks ago, and by her own admission:
I had not heard of the name Zachary Pittman until today, all I do is go to meetings every month or two and vote on land easements. I don’t know anything about the town business
Wow, thats the person I want to vote for!
I am still mulling over the huge amount of information that I received from Clayton Harper today. One thing is clear, Lavigne does indeed think of Pearl River as his own little piece of heaven. We are still investigating, but there are questions about cars, questions about about the Board running the Fire Department, and many questions about the town in general.
In some ways it is the Fire Board that is the most interesting. Some claim that the three FB Ladies are friends, they eat together, they shop together, they attend church together. Even worse, they vote together. The vote being whatever a certain mayor asks for! This is obviously hearsay, but I am beginning to pay attention.
I will have more on this Louisiana version of Peyton Place in my next article.
You can pick up a little info about this story in yesterdays radio program.
Simon Barrett
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36 users commented in " Pearl River, LA – Where Politics Are A full Contact Sport! (part one) "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackMayor for 21 years…. no wonder he feels he can threaten his residents with the kkk.
Is there any way that this disappearance could qualify as a federal civil rights violation? The refusal of local law enforcement to do anything should have some remedy.
Also, please tell TJ Hart that his good work is appreciated. May God bless him for his caring.
Thanks for the updates and insights, Simon. Rather interesting, I must say.
That woman board member sound like she is on a Home owners board more than a city council board. No wonder someone has been missing and no one does anything, it sounds like the Mayor runs the town like its his own little kingdom and everyone goes along with it. MAYBE ITS TIME THEY VOTED HIM OUT. BET IF IT WAS LITTLE RICKY THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SEARCH PARTIES EVERYWHERE FROM DAY ONE. JMO
Tobias you are absolutely right! If this were a reverse situation and it had been Zach that fought with Ricky just a couple days before. They would have already had the hanging.
This Mayor sounds like a shyster! Time to vote him out!!!!
Kudos to you Simon for bringing this Story out and keeping it there! Im more intrigued by every story.
It is amazing that places like this still exist in the USA.
Good Morning all.
Very interesting article Simon. It sounds like this case needed the pot to be stirred from a distance and by someone with your tenacity and voice. I am sure the kingdom is crumbling as we now sit and ponder the audacity of this particular politician.
Is it a new and ongoing trend for the young of the powerful or rich to feel such entitlement and no fear of punishment when they commit a crime? Is it the off springs fault or the powerful parents that have raised their children with this blatant disregard to laws and the legal system?
Lady justice might be blind, but, the system and many within its folds are not.
Jan, PRETTY PLEASE….. reconsider your punishment.
I am having withdrawals and it ain’t a pretty site.
Another great story Simon. Sorry I havent talked to yall lately, my grandson was born last night almost two weeks early. I know Zachary is looking down with love. I have been given permission for the next search so thats one hurdle out the way. I am truly Blessed to have you and Jan in my life and I do appreciate it. Also from the support and prayers from everyone else.
Sight…. see I am experiencing brain fatrs now. LOL I need MY BNN COMMENT SECTION!!!!!!
cchristyra said,in July 20th, 2010 at 9:12 am
((((HUGS)))
cchristyra, I pray that your grandson remains healthy and happy. In the few pictures I have seen of Zachary he appears to be very fond of his children and I am sorry he is not there with his son.
I was not aware that permission is required to search for a missing family member. Good luck with your upcoming search.
James Lavigne’s KKK comment may help his opponent unless the majority of the locals are as bad as he is.
To Jules,
I am sorry I might have mislead that my grandson was Zachs but now he is an uncle again, but he loved all of his nieces and nephew like his own. The permisson i was talking about was permits to go into places where I have to have them. Everything has to be legal and by the book so when I do find my son it cant be said that we did things wrong. I a looking ahead, expecially with the politics going on. Thank you for the prayers and support. I hope justice will be served in more than one way.
I understand now about the permits and I stand corrected for jumping to conclusions about your grandchild.
Since you know your son better any anyone I am taking it that you are sure he would not have left and has met with foul play. I am sorry that you are having to go through this and my prayers and thoughts are with you and your family.
I’m hoping all the publicity here on BNN and at NOLA.com will get this mayor tossed out on his KKK butt! And I’m ALSO hoping that the State LE will come in and take a look at not only Zach’s case but EVERYTHING that is going on in this town. Time for the people of this town to take back their town from what appears to be a VERY crooked administration! And I would think the African Americans AND the whites in this town and surrounding communities would be OUTRAGED at this Mayor’s KKK comment. To me, it sounded a bit like a threat!
And Tex – unfortunately I believe Jan has given us all MORE than enough chances to stop the BS and it hasn’t happened. I don’t blame her one bit for shutting down the comments on the Haleigh articles. It was no longer about Haleigh and instead became a tit for tat, choose sides, knock down drag out, mud slinging, cow patty tossing, hair pulling, fist throwing, nasty crap wagon of bickering. Now I ask you, why would she want to subject herself to THAT again?
Did he say I hope the ku kluxers get you “to” implying they got someone before? Could Peter analyze his whole statement?
shayshay – YES, he said I hope the Ku Kluxers get you TOO! And THAT my dear, implies they HAVE gotten someone else (well, heck, we know they have) and it would also seem to imply he has direct knowledge of the incident. Pretty scary huh? Of all the things to say! I mean, why didn’t he just say – “Oh, sit down and shut up” but to basically wish someone dead at the hands of a racist is pretty frightening!
And not that he had the right to tell the other gentleman to sit down and shut up…I’m not implying that. But you would think if he was going to have an outburst at a meeting, being Mayor, he’d have a little more control. And he never really apologized for saying it either. Nor has he explained what it was he was implying. And to me, THAT speaks volumes.
Simon – is this other gentleman African American? Just curious.
Simon – was the gentleman you interviewed that the mayor insulted African American? Just curious so I know how livid to be! LOL
Also, CAN’T wait for Part Two!
I think someone should call Jesse Jackson. He had nothing better to do than get involved with the Lebron James move to the Miami Heat so he is not too busy.
Even if the person the mayor was speaking to was not African American it is implying that the KKK has the right to any individual the mayor disagrees with. Jesse Jackson can get a lot of attention drawn to this case and if I had been the person he said it to I would be trying to get in touch with him. But from where I sit, it is hearsay.
JB, I fully agree with your 3:04 comment.
Oh well IMO it was worth a pretty please. I am not surprised; she was actually forced to make a point. I and I am sure the vast majority of readers did not enjoy the disruption and arguments either.
cchristyra said,in July 20th, 2010 at 9:12 am Another great story Simon.
I hope this effort on Simon’s and
Jan’s part helps get more people involved in the search for your son. I know your pain and frustration. My step grandson went missing and the local police did not even do one search or investigation to find him. We did form a family and friend search for him. Within 3 hours of the start of the search we did find him, within 100 yards of where he was last seen. I can’t help but thinking if we had had the LE help in the first few hours he would still be with us today. I pray that you find Zach and that you are given the help to find him that any mother deserves when a son or daughter is missing. Prayers to you and your family. May God bless your new grandson.
BarbinOhio,
I am sorry for your loss of your grandson, but I am glad you did find him, your are probably right if the LE was involved it could have been a different ending. Thank you so much for the support and prayers I really do appreciate them. I hope we will have answers soon. I will not stop trying, what ever it takes. Simon is great on putting pressure on these people. I ask all the time why cant they look into the fight with his son(mayors), the LE doesnt think much about it. It rubs me the wrong way, as Simon and everyone else. I am not accusing him of anything I just want it checked out real well, as the girl who was last seen with Zach. She past a polygraph, but I dont put a lot of faith in them. We will see.
cchristyra,
Unfortunately LE does not know our loved ones like we do. In my Grandson’s case his mother begged them after the first 3 hours to look for him, she knew her son. They felt he was just off with a friend. By the next 24 hours she was hysterical and in the ER begging again for help in finding him. She was still ignored. We all knew him very well and knew he did not simply walk away. We never did get any help until after we found him. His name was Ryan and he was 23
LE does not put as much into these situations as we as family members do. We know our children know matter how old they are. Especially when we are close like you are with Zach. I hope someone will do the right thing here for you. People can not hide things like this forever. I know it is painful, I know almost first hand as Ryan was not my son. But you will have answers someday, in my heart I know this. I pray for it to be soon. Again God bless you and keep you strong
Jules – I think Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Oprah need to pay this Mayor a visit!
I think he has some “splaining to do” to ALL of us but I’d REALLY love to watch him “splain” his comment to those three!
JB, glad to read you agree. I was expecting a verbal bashing for that suggestion.
Jules – won’t get a bashing from me….even if I did disagree….but I don’t disagree at all. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton have worn on my nerves a few times but this is one time I wish they’d get their feathers ruffled and head on down to pay this mayor a visit.
I am awaiting part two of this story. I think it is such a tease to put (part one) in the heading.
I don’t think it matters what race the poor man is. The KKK is known for their actions, and sometimes their actions aren’t limited to one race. For that mayor to say what he did was downright vile. No matter the race, it was a terrible thing to say. Unbelievable!
Yeah, Simon, when can we expect to see Part Two!? We’re anxious for more updates!
I keep checking back…hoping….I would LOVE for the next update to be “Zach Found – Mayor Run Out Of Town”. 
JB, I would love for that update to be so true, I pray we find something out this weekend. I appreciate all the support.
mzpoirot, I agree that the KKK is not limited to one race. Any mention of the group means pure hatred to me.
I will continue to check for updates and pray Zach is found and brought home to his family soon.
Just to let you all know Mayor Lavigne was speaking to a pain in everyone’s ass. This man seriously needs help. He causes hell for everyone. This man would get on Jesus’ nerves. And the man is white, and racist, like most of Pearl River.
i heard some people were playing around with ricky and was asking questions about zachary and ricky seemed very nervous. dont know if its because of quilt or because he was one the last people to see zachary. Theres something odd about whole story. and with chasity and ricky. god speed on getting some answers and finding zach my prayers go out to his family
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