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August 12, 1945 — August 12, 2021
Terry Paul LaCoste, 76, a resident of Berwick, passed away on August 12, 2021 at his home.
Terry was born on August 12, 1945 in Morgan City, the son of Herbert Earl LaCoste and Marie Orgeron LaCoste.
Terry served his country proudly in the United States Army serving as a Sergeant during Vietnam.
He will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by one brother, Edward Earl LaCoste of Toledo Bend; godchild, Ronna Leonard and husband Earl Hebert of Prairieville; three nieces, Tansy LeBlanc and husband Chad of Prairieville, Lacey Corripio and husband Bernie of Baton Rouge and Martra Kreig and husband Greg of Crosby, Texas; one nephew, Shane LaCoste of Berwick; special friends, Jan & Angie Fabre, Curtis & Kelly White, Mike Leonard, Gale Driskill, Jill Bross, Jeannie Bergeron, David & Marlene Blanco, Barbara Malik, Justin Fabre, Paula Duval, Cathy Falgout, Brigette Phillips, Lynn Granier and many more of the Y-Not Lounge gang; his faithful kitty companion of 8 years, Dreamie.
Terry was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Marie LaCoste; one sister, Aleda Marie LaCoste; one nephew, Sidney Paul Leonard.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at Twin City Funeral Home with Rev. Steven Porter officiating. A memorial visitation will be held from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service and following the memorial service, Terry will be laid to rest in the Berwick Cemetery Mausoleum with Military Honors. Honors will be rendered by the East St. Mary Veterans Funeral Squad.

Louisiana’s unemployment rate fell in July, but the associated job growth was largely a result of teachers and government employees going back to work.
The observation was noted by Eric Peterson of the New Orleans-based Pelican Institute, who suggested that Louisiana’s economy has a long road to pre-pandemic recovery.
“Over half of the jobs added in July were because of an increase in government employees and teachers going back to school rather than job creation in the private sector,” said Peterson, director of the Pelican Institute’s Center for Opportunity Policy. “The only significant private sector job growth was in leisure and hospitality, which added 3,500 jobs.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Louisiana added 12,700 jobs in July – nearly three times the growth in June. The state’s unemployment rate dropped from 6.9% to 6.6% as a result.
Louisiana lagged behind its neighbors — Texas (6.2%), Mississippi (6.1%) and Arkansas (4.3%) — and is one of only 13 states with an unemployment rate higher than the national rate of 5.4%.
Nevada had the highest unemployment rate in July at 7.7%, closely followed by California, New Mexico and New York. Nebraska and Utah had the lowest jobless rates at 2.3% and 2.6%, respectively.
Data from the Louisiana Workforce Commission shows 186,459 job openings statewide, or more than enough to meet pre-coronavirus employment levels.
Critics have speculated successive congressional trillion-dollar stimulus packages and ongoing government relief programs have eroded work incentives for many would-be employees. Direct payment stimulus checks, the child tax credit expansion, the federal eviction moratorium and generous unemployment benefits are among them.
Gov. John Bel Edwards was the first Democratic governor to end federal unemployment benefits before the September expiration, though he negotiated a modest increase in state unemployment payments with the GOP-led state Legislature.
“With the expanded unemployment benefits ending on July 31st, we have yet to see what impact it will have in the Pelican State,” Peterson said.
Hopefully, with the disincentive to work ended, Louisiana will continue to see job growth above 10,000 per month and more concentrated in the private sector.”

Louisiana restaurant owners are asking Washington for help as they struggle through the COVID pandemic.
The Louisiana Restaurant Association, the National Restaurant Association and 50 other state restaurant association partners on Tuesday sent a letter to congressional leadership sharing new national consumer confidence survey findings and urging swift replenishment of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund.
Louisiana has more than 2,900 pending applications that total more than $600 million in stabilization funding that would be addressed by the $60 billion proposed replenishment bills, the Louisiana association says.
The letter urges Congress to complete the mission of the fund and provide adequate funds to replenish the program and offer relief for the applications still pending.
“There are thousands of Louisiana small business owners stuck in limbo waiting to find out if Congress will act to provide the stability they need to make it through this new pandemic threat and into the future,” said Stan Harris, the president and CEO of the Louisiana association.
“The rise of coronavirus variants like Delta threatens to push these restaurants closer to permanently closing their doors. It’s time for Congress to step in and fulfill the promise of the RRF.”
The National Restaurant Association survey found that nationally a majority of consumers have already changed their dining behavior, which is beginning to put acute pressure back on the restaurant industry.
This faltering consumer confidence comes on top of restaurant labor costs at a 10-year high, increased food and supply prices, continued indoor capacity limits in 11 states, and crushing long-term debt loads for countless restaurant owners.
The survey found:
—Six in 10 adults changed their restaurant use due to the rise in the Delta variant.
—19% of adults have stopped going out to restaurants.
—9% have canceled existing plans to go out to a restaurant in recent weeks.
—37% have ordered takeout or delivery instead of going out to a restaurant.
—19% have chosen to sit outside instead of inside when going out to a restaurant.
“For an industry that requires a ‘full house’ every evening to make a profit, this is a dangerous trend,” said Sean Kennedy, executive vice president of public affairs for the National Restaurant Association. “These changes indicate declining consumer confidence that will make it more difficult for most restaurant owners to maintain their delicate financial stability.”

PSB President Jason Watson presents a donation to St. Mary Soccer League President Shantell Toups for a team sponsorship for the Berwick-Bayou Vista 2021 fall season.