RSS Feed

The National Hurricane Center has upgraded the chance to 90% of the disturbance in the southern Gulf of Mexico experiencing tropical development in the next five days, while there is a 70% chance in the next two days, the National Weather Service’s Lake Charles office reported during a Facebook Live weather briefing Wednesday afternoon.
The system, National Weather Service meteorologist Donald Jones said, likely is expected to begin to move northward at a maximum speed of 10 mph, beginning Thursday.
“So it’s going to take a couple days for it to lift across the Gulf Coast,” he said.
It could become a tropical depression Thursday or Friday and potentially later develop into a tropical storm, Jones said.
“Relatively weak” was how he described the disturbance’s impacts.
“We’re not talking about a major hurricane at this point,” Jones said. “This is mainly going to be a heavy rainmaker. It will be gusty out there, but we’re not looking at anything on the order of (Hurricane) Laura or anything like that.”
Locally, those impacts will be felt here Saturday and Sunday, but could begin early Friday from outer bands bringing scattered showers.
While Wednesday afternoon’s forecast predicted rainfall totals of 3-4 inches in the Morgan City area, those are lower than what were anticipated Tuesday. The area also is predicted to experience wind gusts reaching 26 mph.
“Based on the current tracks and kind of where we expect it to go, it looks like those higher wind gusts are going to be south central Louisiana, so say New Iberia, Morgan City, over into the parts of southeast Louisiana maybe towards Houma, Thibodaux, right along the coastline,” Jones said.
Tides also are expected to be above average by a foot or two, which could mean flooding in coastal areas, including St. Mary Parish.
Many of the National Weather Service models had the storm hitting near the Texas/Louisiana line Tuesday afternoon, but that has shifted to potentially Vermilion Bay as of Wednesday afternoon. However, it’s further to the east of the storm where the heaviest rain is anticipated to be felt.
“It still kind of remains to be seen,” Jones said of the landfall. “There’s going to be some fluctuation there over the next day or two, but that’s kind of the idea behind these rainfall totals at this point.”
St. Mary Parish government announced in a Facebook post that sand and sand bags are available in the Tri-City area at the public works facility at 2717 La. 182 East in Bayou Vista and under the La. 182 bridge in Amelia.
In Patterson, the city announced on its Facebook page that sand and sand bags are being offered, beginning Thursday afternoon at the city’s Public Works Plant (water tower) on Taft Street for the city’s residents in vulnerable areas. Residents will need to bring their own shovel.
Meanwhile, St. Martin Parish Government said in a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon it has been monitoring the storm and will continue to do so. As of now, the parish government said it would open sand bagging operations Friday at 7 a.m., if necessary, but that could be moved up, if need be. The parish said it would provide the public another update Thursday after its National Weather Service briefing.

FRANKLIN — St. Mary Parish Libraries added a new exercise element to summer programming this year thanks to a partnership with the LSU AgCenter.
Visitors can now find painted play stencils in front of the Franklin, Baldwin, Centerville, Patterson and Amelia library branches.
“We are super excited to have our colorful activities stenciled in the front of the Iberia Street entrance,” said Connie Durocher, St. Mary Parish Library Franklin and Centerville Branch manager. “I anticipate many busy feet as families come this summer to pick up books to read for our virtual summer reading program, ‘Tails & Tales.”
The group chose nature themed stencils for the outdoor play spaces to mirror the ‘Tails & Tales’ summer reading program theme.
Despite deciding not to resume in-person programming this summer, the library still wanted to engage the community. They decided to use the painted stencils to provide a safe physical activity option for all members of the community.
The LSU AgCenter also provided the Baldwin Branch with Play Streets equipment to encourage kids to get outside and get active this summer. Visitors in the month of June are invited to play soccer, kickball, draw with chalk and enjoy the bubble machine.
“Everyone who stops in tells us how great the stencils look. We really enjoyed creating them and would love to see lots of kids hopping into our libraries to check out some great books,” said Debbie Box, St. Mary Parish Library Baldwin Branch manager. “We invite everyone to stop at our libraries and have some fun with the new stencils.”
This project is part of the LSU AgCenter Healthy Communities initiative, which aims to improve the physical and social environments that influence health using a community-driven approach. The Healthy Communities initiative in St. Mary Parish is facilitated by LSU AgCenter assistant extension agent Jessica Randazzo.
For more information about this project, contact Randazzo at jrandazzo@agcenter.lsu.edu or 337-828-4100.

Patterson High School had two athletes named honorable mention on the Louisiana Football Coaches Association Class 3A All-State team earlier this year.
Senior Randan Paul and junior Kyler Paul earned recognition.
Randan Paul finished his senior season with 47 total tackles (33 solo and 14 assists), three interceptions that he returned for 30 yards and one pass defended.
On special teams, Paul returned 15 kickoffs for 348 yards. He also had three punt returns for 86 yards and one touchdown.
“Undoubtedly my field general,” is how Patterson coach Zach Lochard described Randan Paul earlier this year.
“He is a student of the game,” Lochard added. “He is so passionate about his preparation, not only to football but basketball as well. When you need a guy to step up in a crucial moment, it is going to be him 100% of the time. I can’t say enough about his character and work ethic. He’s just a guy who brings it 100% every single day. He never takes a play or a day off.”
In February, Paul signed with Louisiana College to continue his football career.
Kyler Paul had 47 receptions for 578 yards and four touchdowns as a junior. He scored a rushing touchdown, too.
Among his defensive stats were one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
On special teams, he had three returns totaling 48 yards.
“He’s just flat out one of the most dynamic players that I’ve ever had the privilege of coaching,” Lochard said earlier this year.”
Lochard said Kyler Paul is an “explosive skill player that can play on both sides of the ball.”
Zeon Chriss of state champion Madison Prep was named the 3A Offensive Most Valuable Player, while Saivion Jones of St. James was named Defensive Most Valuable Player. Madison Prep’s Landry Williams is the Coach of the Year.
District 9-3A, which Patterson competes in, had several selections on the first and second teams as well as honorable mention.
First-team selections from St. James were junior tight end-wide receiver Shazz Preston; senior offensive lineman Jaquon Jones; the first-team’s kicker and punter, junior Alec Mahler; senior return specialist Ke’Shawn Coleman; senior defensive lineman Saivion Jones; senior linebacker Kaleb Brown; and senior defensive back Joel Cooper.
Lutcher had one first-team selection, junior offensive lineman Donald Fleming.
Second-team selections from St. James were tight end-wide receiver Jonathan Wilson, running back Daniel Jupiter, linebacker Tyrese Bartholomew and defensive back J’Kory Ester.
Donaldsonville had two second-team selections, offensive lineman Christian Howard and Joshua Collier, who was selected for the Flex position. Lutcher running back Ra’Suan Storks and E.D. White Catholic linebacker Holden Tabor also were second-team selections.
Joining Patterson’s two honorable mention selections were E.D. White Catholic junior Ethan Lee and St. James junior Marquell Bergeron.

Edward Earl Holden, 63, a native of Picayune, Mississippi and resident of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, died Monday, June 14, 2021, in Franklin.
He is survived by two daughters, Melissa Holden of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and Samantha Holden of Richland, Mississippi; wife, Belinda Cantrelle Holden of Richland, Mississippi; two stepchildren, Savannah Bazzelle and Sabastian Alford; five grandchildren; one step granddaughter; one great-grandson; and three sisters, Evelyn Petree of Ricohoc, Linda Vining of Patterson and Patricia Howard of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and two sisters.
Graveside services will be held at a later date in the Holden Cemetery in Kiln, Mississippi.
Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.