Autrey, Hidalgo will reign at Shrimp and Petroleum Festival

Staff Report
Jeanne Marie Hidalgo of Berwick and Ray Autrey of Morgan City were crowned the 2016 Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival king and queen during the festival’s coronation ball held Saturday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium.
Hidalgo, 19, is the daughter of Judith and William Hidalgo Jr. of Berwick and a graduate of Berwick High.
She attends LSU studying digital advertising. At LSU, she is a member of Delta Zeta where she serves as Panhellenic Council chair, Turtle Captain and Empower attendee. She has served as a counselor for Louisiana Girls’ State for two years. Her interests are photography, art, dance and pursuing leadership opportunities.
Autrey and his wife, Pat, are the parents of four children, Brennan Autrey, Samuel Autrey, Alanna Sloane and Grant Autrey. They have eight grandchildren.
He is vice president of Major Equipment and Remediation where he has been employed since 1996. He has 55 years of oil industry experience starting with United Geophysical in college and also working for Brown and Root, Texaco and Leevac. The Patterson High School graduate earned a bachelor’s degree from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux and served for six years with the Louisiana National Guard.
The king has been active in the community at different levels of various organizations. He is currently Atchafalaya American Petroleum Institute’s program chairman, St. Mary Industrial Group chaplain and is a Boy Scout Troop 41 scouting committee member.
He has also worked with Little League, Pop Warner and Junior Achievement. Besides community service, he also serves on the Holy Cross Catholic Church finance committee and is active with Central Catholic High School’s annual fund drive.
The royal couple will preside over the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival in Morgan City that begins Thursday at 5 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony near the carnival rides under the U.S. 90 bridge at Second Street. The festival will continue through Labor Day Monday.
Featured during the festival will be free live bands in Lawrence Park, arts and crafts under the U.S. 90 bridge, the Blessing of the Fleet on Sunday at 10 a.m., a Fellowship of Love Gospel Stage at M.D. Shannon gym, fireworks on the river at 9 p.m. Sunday and much more.

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