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LSU, La. Tech team up to create structure integrity program

BATON ROUGE – LSU and Louisiana Tech University are proud to announce the establishment of the Center for Innovations in Structural Integrity Assurance, or CISIA, the first Industry/University Cooperative Research Center, or I/UCRC, for either institution.
CISIA will serve as a trusted source for transformative insights, predictive capabilities, and materials innovations across broad industrial sectors, focusing on structural integrity assurance for small and large structures and mechanical components.
“This is a watershed moment enhancing our efforts to produce eminent engineers of the future, groundbreaking research, and innovative solutions that will significantly further the critical work to address failing and aging infrastructure around the country,” said LSU Interim Executive Vice President & Provost Matt Lee.
We are proud to partner with Louisiana Tech on this cooperative research center, and to better serve our students, the industrial sector, and our nation through the research, training, and collaboration that will be done at the Center for Innovations in Structural Integrity Assurance.”
“Our faculty are excited about the establishment of this I/UCRC,” said Michael Khonsari, center director and professor in the LSU Department of Mechanical Engineering. “It has been one of our long-term strategic goals to form strong and sustainable partnerships with industry, and we are grateful to NSF for making this possible.”
Failure of infrastructure and components can have economic, social and environmental consequences.
In fact, the failure of aging civil infrastructure is projected to result in $4 trillion in losses to the United States GDP and 2.5 million jobs lost over the next 10 years.
No currently active I/UCRC matches CISIA’S research and devel-opment capabilities, hence the importance of its establishment.
By integrating validated diagnostics, machine learning and data-driven decision making, multiscale materials testing/characterization, manufacturing process characterization and parameter optimization, and multiscale physics-based modeling/simulation, CISIA will be well positioned to translate the links between new materials, manufacturing processes, and their collective impact on reliability across all U.S. industrial sectors.
“This Industry-University Cooperative Research Center is a distinct recognition of the excellent research conducted by Louisiana Tech faculty in collaboration with LSU,” said Leslie Guice, president of Louisiana Tech.
“Our industry partners will greatly benefit from these stronger partnerships with the researchers and talented students, and that will be great for Louisiana.”
In addition to research for establishing linkages between material properties, infrastructure performance, and structural integrity — which is beyond the scope of most industrial research and development organizations today — the academic and industrial members of CISIA will collaborate closely to produce engineers who are trained to utilize modern methods of structural health monitoring and analysis.
Students will be trained in state-of-the-art testing and evaluation facilities to become some of the most highly qualified and productive workforce, which will contribute to enhancing the global competitiveness of U.S. industries. Through outreach and education activities that reach a diverse audience of college students at four- and two-year colleges, CISIA will raise awareness of not only the infrastructure problems facing the country, but also the career opportunities and positive impacts on the nation’s economy provided by a multidisciplinary STEM education.
“We believe that CISIA will assist our industry partners in improving safety, improving reliability, and improv-ing workforce development to create the workforce of the future who are better prepared to understand and assure structural integrity in these critical areas of the economy,” said Samuel Bentley, vice president of research and economic development at LSU.

Renters, landlords urged to apply for aid

As the federal moratorium on evictions comes to an end Saturday, Gov. John Bel Edwards is urging residents who are struggling with rent or utility bills due to COVID-19 related financial hardship to apply for millions in federal funds through the Louisiana Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
They may also take part through one of seven locally administered programs in Caddo, Calcasieu, East Baton Rouge, Jefferson, Lafayette, Orleans or St. Tammany parishes.
The federal money is intended to cover rent and utility bills for those who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both renters and landlords may apply. In most cases, the financial assistance is paid directly to the landlord or to the utility company.
To apply to the program or learn more visit LAStateRent.com or call 877-459-6555, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Arrests on heroin, meth charges follow traffic stops

(Editor’s note: The charges listed here and the narratives that go with them are provided by the police agencies that made the arrests. Guilt or innocence has not been determined in court.)
Drugs turned up in two more traffic stops in the region Monday, according to arrest reports. This time the drugs were heroin and methamphetamine.
St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith advised that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 32 complaints and reported this arrest:
—Kyle Austin Baudoin, 29, Duson, was arrested at 8:10 a.m. Monday on charges of reckless operation (no accident), possession of heroin, possession of drug paraphernalia and no proof of insurance.
Bail has not been set.

Assumption
Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:
—Mark Rentrop Jr., 29, La. 663, Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested early Sunday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of paraphernalia.
The arrest resulted from a traffic stop in Bayou L’Ourse.
A uniformed patrol deputy observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation near La. 662 and La. 663. The deputy initiated a stop of the vehicle and made contact with the driver. During the driver interview, the deputy noted behavior on the part of the passenger consistent with illegal drug activity.
The deputy made contact with the passenger, identified as Rentrop, and proceeded to interview him. The deputy conducted a protective pat-down search. At this time, Rentrop was found to be in possession of a quantity of methamphetamine as well as some drug paraphernalia was seized.
Rentrop was arrested and subsequently booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center with a bond set at $35,000.
Rentrop was also charged with failure to appear in Assumption Parish on a charge of disturbing the peace.
–Fabian E. Brown, 33, Blackwell Lane, Belle Rose, was arrested Saturday on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and on Ascension Parish fugitive warrants.
The arrest resulted from a disturbance on Saturday evening on Grisaffi Lane in Belle Rose.
Uniformed patrol deputies were dispatched to the area and made contact with multiple involved parties, including Brown.
Deputies learned that an argument occurred between individuals and at some point, following the confrontation, Brown had fired several gunshots. Deputies located evidence that shots had been fired.
As a result of the investigation, deputies learned that Brown had a prior felony conviction and could not legally possess a firearm.
Brown was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and released on a $100,000 bond.
—Deandre Deleon, 22, Lucky Street, Plattenville, was arrested Sunday on charges of disturbing the peace and two counts of resisting arrest by force or violence.
The arrest followed a disturbance complaint Sunday night in Plattenville.
Deputies were dispatched to a residence and made contact with the complainant.
Investigating deputies were advised that the accused, Deleon, had arrived earlier and created a disturbance domestic in nature.
The complainant wanted to have the suspect removed. Deputies could overhear the accused engaged in a loud verbal argument with a male.
Deputies attempted to speak to Deleon but to no avail. The suspect refused to respond to loud verbal commands. Deputies attempted to detain Deleon but she forcefully resisted.
At some point, Deleon was arrested. She was booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center with a bond set at $17,500.

Franklin
Police Chief Morris Beverly said the Police Department responded to 10 complaints in the 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:
—Hunter Boudreaux, 19, Bigler Street, Franklin, was arrested at 5:06 p.m. Monday on a charge of simple battery of the infirm. Boudreaux was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

Annual crop survey will begin Friday

The Monthly Agricultural Yield Survey conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will survey U.S. farmers beginning Friday.
The topics will be yields of the major row crops and hay, as well as hay stocks throughout the growing season.
The Agricultural Yield Survey captures changes in yield that occur due to weather, pests, disease and other factors. NASS encourages producers to respond via the Internet but also welcomes mail or fax responses and offers the opportunity for a telephone interview to those producers who did not respond by the deadline.
NASS will compile and analyze the survey information and publish the results monthly, August through November, in the Crop Production report and publishes final yield and production data the following January in the Annual Crop Production report.
These and all NASS reports are available online at www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/index.php. For more information call the NASS Delta Regional Office at 800- 327-2970.

Visitors for amateur radio Field Day

Submitted Photos
Morgan City Police Officer Zeke Sampey, top photo, and City Councilman Louis Tamporello, bottom photo, visited the Bayouland Emergency Amateur Radio Service Annual Field Day event across from City Hall on June 26. Both had the opportunity to see contacts being made across the United States and Canada as well as how amateurs can assist in communications during emergencies. Seen are radio operators Tina Galler, Mike Galler, Rudy Duchane and Carl Bundy.

Morgan City police radio logs for July 26-27

The following are the radio dispatch logs from the Morgan City Police Department. To report unlawful or suspicious activity, call the Police Department at 985-380-4605.
Monday, July 26
5:58 a.m. 7100 La. 182; Vehicle burglary.
7:38 a.m. 700 block of General Hodges Street; Suspicious vehicle.
8:51 a.m. 1000 block of General Hodges Street; Complaint.
9:35 a.m. 90 block of Marguerite Street; Animal complaint.
9:58 a.m. 500 block of Garber Street; Complaint.
10:44 a.m. 3200 block of Susan Street; Animal complaint.
10:49 a.m. 3100 block of Roselawn Drive; Line down.
10:56 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Warrant arrest.
11:24 a.m. 3000 block of Lake Palourde Drive; Alarm.
12:37 p.m. 1200 block of Brashear Avenue; Alarm ATM.
1:25 p.m. 200 block of Patton Street; Civil.
2:07 p.m. 400 block of Fourth Street; Medical emergency.
2:22 p.m. 1000 block of Fourth Street; Assist St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office.
2:26 p.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Complaint.
3:36 p.m. 1300 block of Railroad Avenue; Animal complaint.
3:48 p.m. 2900 block of Railroad Avenue; Theft.
4:06 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Warrant arrest.
5:45 p.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Theft.
5:46 p.m. 1000 block of Chestnut Drive; Medical.
6:39 p.m. 3200 block of Vine Drive; Animal.
6:40 p.m. 600 block of General McArthur Street; Medical.
9:11 p.m. 2700 block of Shaw Drive; Disturbance.
10:34 p.m. 300 block of South Railroad Avenue; Assistance.
10:42 p.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Alarm.
11:01 p.m. 400 block of Belanger Street; Suspicious activity.
Tuesday, July 27
1:26 a.m. 3000 block of Roderick Street; Disturbance.
2:06 a.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Suspicious activity.
2:51 a.m. Brownell Homes; Disturbance.
3:29 a.m. 500 block of Railroad Avenue; Suspicious activity.

Jeremy Alford: Big decisions and tough choices are ahead for speaker

Over the coming days and weeks, Speaker Clay Schexnayder is expected to make a number of high-profile committee changes, including swapping out a few chairmen.
How the news is covered by the Capitol Press Corps and digested in conservative political circles will give us a decent indication of what the rest of Schexnayder’s term will look like.
Because right now, it looks uncomfortable.
Members of and representatives from the Republican Party, Family Forum and House Conservative Caucus — to name just a few folks on the right in Louisiana — have asked the speaker to hold accountable those representatives who stood with Gov. John Bel Edwards during last week’s veto override session. That mostly means Democrats.
The problem for Schexnayder is that many of those targeted representatives helped elect him as speaker last year.
“I am confident that Clay remembers the group that stood with him to become Speaker Schexnayder and the other group that called him (and his allies) RINOs,” said Black Caucus Chair Ted James, who also serves as chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee.
“We’ve been more of a family to Clay than the folks trying to call the shots.”
Other House Democrats interviewed for this column echoed James’ trust, but noted any dramatic committee changes that undermine them in a significant way could lead them to reconsider the support they’ve afforded Schexnayder this term.
When the Conservative Caucus learned above the comments above from James and other members of the Black Caucus, the outfit released the following statement:
“Certain individuals have used lies and paranoia to keep mistrust alive; however, this veto session has shown our speaker who he can really rely on and who will back-stab him. The Conservative Caucus has only offered our full support for our speaker.
"Neither our caucus, nor our chairman, has made demands of our speaker with the exception of, ‘call us if you need us.’”
Still, some of the forces conspiring against Schexnayder, like the Republican Party of Louisiana, are no longer shy about admitting they want new leadership in the House.
Former Speaker Taylor Barras experienced similar push-back during his term at the top, but it was always loosely organized and almost entirely behind closed doors.
Barras also enjoyed a better relationship with the press, often meeting with them on the floor after the day’s business was concluded. Schexnayder has shown little patience for such pleasantries.
Schexnayder cut his Baton Rouge Press Club appearance short last Monday after being asked why he didn’t work well with the media.
The following day, on the first day of the veto session, reporters learned that Schexnayder restricted media access to the House, “due to COVID.” While that was happening, of course, the vote counts in the lower chamber were falling apart.
The news coverage of Schexnayder after the conclusion of the veto session showed there might be a bit of tension underneath the surface, with many reporters noting his “100 percent” prediction for an override earlier in the week.
A couple of journalists also worked the media access issue into their stories.
The situation brings to mind the second term of former Gov. Bobby Jindal, when journalists around the state started to share in the frustrations voiced by the Capitol Press Corps over the administration’s media relations.
That sentiment emerged in coverage across the state, and contributed greatly to Jindal’s dismal poll numbers.
To be certain, it’s incredibly difficult to remove a presiding officer from their post in the Legislature.
But when it comes to Schexnayder, his enemies continue to push.
How he reacts in the coming days and weeks will tell us how successful those forces will be in disrupting the remainder of his rule.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www.LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on Twitter @LaPoliticsNow

COVID numbers continue to rise sharply Tuesday

As COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in Louisiana both hit records, the Louisiana Department of Health and Gov. Edwards both urge individuals in Louisiana to take immediate precautions for their own and others’ safety.

The Louisiana Department of Health announces 6,797 new COVID-19 cases reported to the state since July 26, 2021 – the second highest single-day case count reported since Jan. 6, when 6,882 cases were reported.

Also Tuesday, 1,390 people are hospitalized with COVID-19 in Louisiana. That represents an increase of 169 hospitalizations since Monday, the largest single-day increase since March 2020. There were three days in March 2020 where the increase was larger: March 25 (220), March 31 (196) and March 26 (185).

"To see this current rise in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations is becoming increasingly scary,” said Edwards on Tuesday. “We reported nearly 6,800 cases today in addition to the nearly 8,000 that were reported from the weekend. And today, there are close to 1,400 COVID patients hospitalized statewide – approximately 90 percent of whom are unvaccinated. This is the largest single daily increase since March of last year.

"s I said recently, this surge is on us, and that means it is up to each of us to do our part to bring it to an end. It’s within our power. Getting vaccinated is the best way to stay safe and healthy during this pandemic. It is the best way to put it behind us. In addition, I am recommending that everyone, both vaccinated and unvaccinated, wear masks while indoors if six feet of physical distance cannot be maintained. For anyone asking the question when will this end, the answer is simple: when we decide to do what it takes to end it. The most impactful tools to make that happen are free and widely available- the three safe and effective vaccines. I am pleading with everyone who is not vaccinated and is of age to make the decision today to get vaccinated.”

“COVID is surging in Louisiana and it is not slowing down. As the dangerous and dominant Delta variant continues to spread and COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to skyrocket, we urge all individuals in Louisiana to protect themselves and their families,” said Dr. Joseph Kanter, State Health Officer. “Mask while indoors and get tested if you suspect you’ve been exposed to COVID-19. These are public health emergency measures that will limit death and suffering during this fourth surge. To ultimately put this pandemic behind us we need many more Louisianans to go sleeves up, which is why it’s so encouraging to see our weekly vaccination rate climbing.”

Individuals can call the COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline at 1-855-453-0774 to get their questions answered, speak directly with a medical professional, find a vaccine provider near them, and schedule an appointment today.

St. Mary schools assess new COVID guidelines

The St. Mary Parish school system is assessing whether changes will be needed to be in line with new guidance from the Governor’s Office on COVID-19 mitigation, Superintendent Dr. Teresa Bagwell said.
The policy adopted July 8 by the School Board sounds much like Gov. John Bel Edwards’ amended emergency proclamation, announced Friday: Masks will be strongly recommended but not required for students and employees when the public school year begins Aug. 6.
Masks will still be required on school buses, which are covered under a separate federal mandate covering public transportation.
Edwards issued the new guidance as public health officials warned of rising COVID infection rates, low vaccination rates and the rise of the more easily spread Delta variant, which now accounts for eight of every 10 new Louisiana COVID test positives.
As of Friday, Louisiana had the highest per capita rate of COVID spread in the country.
St. Mary’s rate of COVID test positivity and its incidence rate, a seven-day average of cases per 100,000 residents, exceed the rates for the state as a whole.
About 40% of Louisiana’s population is vaccinated. The latest figures from the Louisiana Office of Public Health say St. Mary’s vaccination rate is moving slowly upward, reaching 30.1% after a weeks-long plateau.
Vaccination rates remain just below 30% in nearby St. Martin, Iberia and Terrebonne parishes, according to the Office of Public Health.
Assumption’s rate is slightly higher at 30.7%.
Public Health Officer Dr. Joseph Kanter warned Friday that the Delta variant can cause the viral load, the amount of virus present in the body, to reach levels up to 1,000 times that of earlier COVID variants. That may explain why the disease spreads more easily and why children seem more vulnerable to Delta, Kanter said.
He and Edwards urged to people to get vaccinated to help protect youngsters. No emergency use authorization has been granted by federal authorities for children under 12.
In an email Monday, Bagwell said state Superintendent Cade Brumley has left the mask decision with local districts “and we work with Region III OPH to do so.
“I did email district office staff and school principals [Sunday] to echo the governor’s sentiments that masks should be worn in cases wherein 6 feet of distancing cannot be maintained.
“Our school year begins on August 6th, and based on experience, I anticipate that more information will be provided to school systems to guide any potential changes in the board’s current recommendation for wearing masks.”
Under the governor’s amended proclamation, heads of state government agencies will be authorized to enact masking procedures and mandates indoors when social distancing is not possible.
Executive branch agencies began requiring masks indoors at state buildings when distancing is not possible, for both employees and visitors.
In addition, appointing authorities are directed to review their current operations to accommodate employees in a way that reduces unnecessary contact to avoid the spread of COVID in the workplace.
Statewide, hospitalizations for COVID treatment were up sharply again over the weekend, reaching 1,221, up from 1,008 Friday.
The number of patients on ventilators was at 113 Monday.

Blaze damages Patterson home

Staff Report
The cause of a Patterson fire that took multiple agencies to extinguish Monday afternoon remains unknown, Patterson Volunteer Fire Chief Scott Hutton said Tuesday morning.
While no injuries were reported in the blaze, he said, a dog perished in the fire at 112/114 Enterprise St.
The Patterson Volunteer Fire Department was called to the fire about 2:10 p.m., and when the first unit arrived, heavy smoke and fire were encountered at the home, according to a report on the department’s Facebook page.
Bayou Vista and Centerville volunteer fire departments were called for mutual aid, while Berwick and Morgan City Fire departments later were called to help due to the temperatures Monday afternoon, the report said.
The fire was brought under control by about 4:30 p.m., and the Patterson Volunteer Fire Department was back in service by 5:30 p.m.
About 40 responders and eight apparatus, including an Acadian Ambulance unit, responded.

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Franklin Banner-Tribune
P.O. Box 566, Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-3706
Fax: 337-828-2874

Morgan City Review
1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: 985-384-8370
Fax: 985-384-4255