The Morgan City Oilfield Fishing Rodeo weigh-in is taking place through 4 p.m. Saturday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium.
The public is welcomed to watch the action.
DHD Offshore Services is supplying free fried catfish, shrimp and French fries. Pelican Companies is offering free drinks.
Proceeds from this fundraiser benefit area charities.
Supplies for Patterson senior citizens are being collected by the city to be used in the event of a hurricane.
While the city held its main event Saturday at Family Dollar, supplies were also collected at the Gospel Xplosion Sunday. Supplies also can be brought to One Faith Fellowship Christian Center International at 5314 La. 182 West in Calumet until Wednesday. They can be dropped off at city hall in Patterson, too.
“We are trying to bless at least 200 senior citizens,” city Community Outreach Coordinator/Director Allise Salazar said.
The city is accepting nonperishable goods, water, batteries, flashlights and other items.
“Any type of items like that that could help a senior citizen if they are (confined) to their home for a day to three to four to five days,” Salazar said.
The city is asking for items by Wednesday so that they can deliver them Thursday to senior citizens on a list they have gathered. Anyone who knows of a senior citizen in the city in need of supplies can contact Salazar at 985-992-0630 or city hall at 985-395-5205.
Checks to purchase items also are accepted. They should be made payable to the City of Patterson.
The city will be accepting items and donations to buy items throughout hurricane season.
Salazar said senior citizens were chosen for the supply drive because they don’t always have families available to help them. Plus, while there is plenty of aid available for youth, seniors are on fixed incomes. On top of that, costs are rising, she said.
She was joined at Saturday’s event by members of the Patterson New Age Civic Organization, who helped collect supplies.
Patterson New Age Civic Organization member Kreig Triggs said whatever can be given is helpful.
“The elderly, they need you,” he said. “They need your help.”
Pearly Mae Polidore Navy, 77, a native of St. Mary Parish. Franklin, LA, resident of Houma, LA, passed away peacefully at 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 2, 2021.
A public viewing will be conducted from 9:00 a.m. until funeral time at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at Plymouth Rock Baptist Church, 1000 Wallis Street in Houma, LA. Burial will follow in the Union Benevolent Cemetery.
She is survived by her estranged husband, Demetrius Dickerson; sons, Todd Johnson (Bernetta) and James Johnson, Jr. (Wendy); seven grandchildren; four great grandchildren; sisters, Mrs. Stephen (Hester) Cook and Mrs. Larry (Linda) Curtis; and a host of other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Arrangements entrusted to Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City/Franklin/Jeanerette and Houma. please visit; www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.
Mary Edna Collins Wesley, 76, a resident and native of Charenton, La., passed away peacefully on June 5, 2021 at 9:57 a.m. at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center in Lafayette.
Visitation will be observed on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church 3041 Chitamacha Trail Charenton, La. 70523 from 10 a.m. until a Mass of Christian Burial which will be celebrated at 1 p.m., with Father Christopher Cambre serving as the Celebrant. Inurnment will take place a later time in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Cemetery in Charenton.
Memories of Mary will forever remain in the hearts of her children, Earl Gasper, Jr. of Charenton, La., Michael Gasper Sr. (Tiffany) of Fort Worth, TX. Erick Gasper (Roshandra) of Charenton, La., Marshall Wesley, III (Denise) of Denton, TX and Michael Gasper, Jr. of Baldwin, La.; siblings, John P. Collins of Riverside, CA, Blanche Conway of Riverside, CA, Chester Collins (Tina) of Brandon, FL, Clifford Collins (Pat) of Jeanerette, La., Gerald Collins (Jemenda) of Addison, TX, Elizabeth Haggerty of Carrollton, TX; Magdalene Drexler of Addison, TX, and Monica Prejean (Howard) of Charenton, La., fifteen grandchildren & one great-grandchild and a host of nieces, nephews other relatives and friends.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Marshall Wesley, Jr.; parents, John & Eliza Collins and her siblings. Juanita C. Black, Anthony Collins, William Collins, Jerome Collins and Freddie Collins.
Arrangements entrusted to Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City-Franklin-Jeanerette and Houma. Visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.
Elner “Dut” Randle Butler, 67, a resident of Franklin, La. and native of Charenton, La., passed away peacefully on Thursday June 3, 2021 at 3:20 a.m. at her residence.
Visitation will be observed on Saturday, June 12, 2021 from 12 Noon until funeral services at 2 p.m. at Jones Funeral Home 1101 Main Street Franklin, La. (All visitors are asked to adhere to the CDC-local regulations by wearing masks and practicing social distancing). Pastor Ivory Williams will officiate the services. Elner will be laid to rest in the Mount Pleasant Church Cemetery in Charenton, La.
Memories of “Dut,” as she was known to many, will forever remain in the hearts of her children, Elvina Butler, Catina Butler, Christina Randle, Charles Butler, and Jeremy Randle; siblings, Mrs. Charles (Florida) Dapremont, Barbara Randle, Tammy Lanceslin, James Randle, Jr., Elijah Randle, Steve (Linda) Randle, and Lloyd (Chantel) Randle; aunts, a god-son, seven grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Elner was preceded in death by her parents, two sons, three siblings.
Arrangement entrusted to Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City-Franklin-Jeanerette and Houma. Visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.
CENTERVILLE — Shortages of supplies and employees are making things challenging for the St. Mary Parish School System as it works on summer projects in anticipation for the 2021-22 school year.
Maintenance Supervisor Brad Wiese said that lumber prices have soared, and the school system is struggling to purchase paint.
“Paint’s one of the biggest commodities that we buy in the summertime because we paint so much,” Wiese said. “We bought every paint there is in St. Mary Parish.”
He said the school system is trying to do the best it can to get the projects complete.
“But we’re struggling and our contractors are struggling as well,” Wiese said.
He said that contractors the school system uses are having trouble finding labor, while the price of items and the ability to get them efficiently has been a challenge, holding up some of these projects.
Also, the school system is struggling to find maintenance and custodial staff employees. Currently, seven custodians are needed across the parish as well as four maintenance personnel.
“We run ads constantly, and we’re getting nobody to apply,” Wiese said.
In another maintenance item, he reported that Morgan City High School’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning project is moving along and has all of its supplies.
“The school is completely tore up, but we will put it all back together,” Wiese said.
However, he reported that the chiller at M.D. Shannon Elementary “is on its last leg.” The city government in Morgan City uses the gym for its summer camp. Wiese said the school system is trying to remedy the problem without having to spend a substantial amount of money.
Superintendent Teresa Bagwell said she and Chief Financial Officer Alton Perry met with Morgan City Mayor Lee Dragna a few months ago about Shannon.
“The city does have obviously a significant interest in utilizing the building, so we will be looking to host another meeting with them now that this information has come to light just to talk about the future of the building,” she said.
Wiese also said that the school system has received approval to use federal stimulus fund to replace roofs across the parish, so they are having a roofing survey complete to give them a priority list of how to proceed first.
He will update the board on maintenance issues in July.
In other action during Thursday’s meeting, the board:
—Heard from Perry that sales tax collections for May were $1.447 million, which is ahead of budget due to its audit. Therefore, they are right around what was budgeted. Perry also reported the school system is negotiating for health insurance coverage with United Health Care. If they were to bid out, the only other company able to compete is Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Louisiana, Perry said. He said insurance claims the last couple of months had improved.
—Approved banking resolutions for signatories at multiple schools due to recent appointments.
—Approved a resolution for a position on changes of ACT Index.
—Approved a resolution supporting a waiver of school performance and district performance scores for the 2020-21 school year due to the pandemic’s disruptions.
—Heard from board member Sylvia Lockett, who was absent at the special meeting at the end of May due to medical reasons. Lockett said she supported the $2,000 stipend given to employees due to their efforts during the pandemic, and she said she would have voted for the measure had she been at the meeting.
Board members Ginger Griffin, Marilyn LaSalle, Wayne Deslatte and Joseph Foulcard were absent from Thursday’s meeting.
FRANKLIN — The St. Mary Parish Levee District will give drainage district officials a hand that could speed up flood control improvements in Morgan City.
The Levee District board agreed at Thursday’s regular meeting to extend a line of credit to St. Mary Gravity District No. 2A for added pumping capacity.
Also Thursday, the Levee District board heard that a request for bids on the Yokely Levee Extension near Franklin could go out as early as July.
Pump station
Gravity Drainage District 2A, recently created by consolidating districts serving Morgan City and Amelia, operates pump stations that remove water from inside the Morgan City levees when heavy rain is falling.
The drainage district has plans to improve the system by moving four pumps from a station now near Ochsner St. Mary up La. 70 to a point near Lake Palourde at Lake End Park.
Parish President David Hanagriff, speaking on behalf of the drainage district, told the Levee District board on Thursday that drainage officials would like to add a fifth pump to the new station.
But cash flow is a problem. The project, which also includes building a short levee near the station, is expected to cost about $7.1 million. Most of the money would come from a recent bond issue, and Hanagriff said $1.25 million in parish funds have been committed to the work. The district is also expecting state capital outlay funding.
But not all the money is available now, so there’s no money on hand for the fifth pump.
The Levee District agreed to lend up to $1 million, more than the fifth pump is expected to cost, to be repaid when the money is available.
That allows the drainage district to buy the pump sooner and at the current price.
Yokely Levee
The Levee District is working on an extension of the Yokely Levee from the Franklin-Baldwin area to the area near the Metal Shark and Gulf Craft shipyards and on to the railroad tracks. The $6 million plan is one of a series of projects designed to protect that portion of west St. Mary from storm surge flooding.
The levee extension includes small gates that would maintain the shipbuilders’ access to the canal and could be closed when tropical weather threatens.
About half the funding for the Yokely work would come from the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restor-ation Authority.
The Levee District has already been working on engineering plans for the extension. The district board heard Thursday that the project could go out for bid in mid-July.
Galen Verdun, 47, a native and resident of Verdunville, died Friday, May 28, 2021.
Visitation will be Saturday, 10-11:45 a.m., at St. Jules Catholic Church in Franklin, with a Mass at noon. Military honors will follow.
He is survived by four children, Aja Verdun of Berwick, and Darien Verdun, Azireion Verdun and Genesis Verdun, all of Verdunville; mother, Patricia Verdun of Verdunville; siblings, Hayward Verdun Jr. and Shannon Verdun, both of Verdunville, Deon Coates of Cincinnati, Terrance Verdun of Bakersfield, California, Courtland Verdun of New Orleans and Victoria Provost of Baldwin; two grandchildren; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his father, and paternal and maternal grandparents.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
May 6, 1942 — June 9, 2021
Thomas Elgin McGinnis of Bayou Vista, Louisiana, passed peacefully while surrounded by his loving family on June 9, 2021. Tom was born in Aniston, Alabama, on May 6, 1942, and was raised in the city and suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After a brief time in the Army, Tom became a commercial diver, the career that brought him to south Louisiana in 1970. From commercial diving, Tom moved on to start T-Mc Concrete, which he owned and operated for the next 30 plus years.
Though he was raised in Wisconsin, Tom embraced his new home in Louisiana with the same gusto he embraced all of life. He was an active member of the Moose Lodge, a Dixie Youth League baseball coach, a member of the Krewe of Dionysus, and a very active Rotarian — spending many years engaged in each of these civic activities.
Tom fiercely loved his family and friends and enjoyed travelling with them whenever he had the chance. He was proud of his Irish heritage, and once was lucky enough to travel there with his wife, Kathy, and dear friends. Tom also loved sports and was an avid Saints fan … unless they were playing the Green Bay Packers, to whom he remained forever loyal.
Aside from his many civic activities and integrity as a local businessman, Tom was most known for his contagious sense of humor and zest for life. Everyone who knew him was affected by these qualities, and there are many, many stories to prove it!
Tom is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Kathleen McGinnis; by his daughter, Jamie Huffman; by his son, Thomas E. McGinnis II (aka, Tommy 2) and wife, Connie Herndon; and by his two adored granddaughters, Maya and Maria McGinnis. Tom also leaves behind his four siblings: John McGinnis and wife, Judy; Molly Cherone and husband, Pat; Margie Stauft and husband, Charlie, and Annie Wetzel, as well as sister-in-law Ethyl Carr and husband, Gene, and many nieces, nephews, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents Mac and Mary McGinnis; parents-in-law Edward and Anna Scholler; brother-in-law Warren Wetzel, sister-in-law Geraldine Mutz, sister- and brother-in-law Mary Ann and Danny Nowak, brother-in-law Edward Scholler, and son-in-law Pete Huffman.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and St. Mary Outreach, 608 1st Street, Morgan City, La 70380, in memory of Mr. Thomas.
Visitation will begin June 13, 2021 at 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. A Rosary will begin at 3:30 p.m. until time of service at 4 p.m. at Hargrave Funeral Home. Thomas will be laid to rest at a later date.
On the last day of the 2021 regular session, the Louisiana Senate gave final passage to a complex tax overhaul that supporters hope will make the state more attractive to businesses and residents.
The package now heads to the governor’s desk, though voters will have the final say in October.
“We’ve been working on this for over a year,” said Sen. Bret Allain, who chairs his chamber’s tax committee.
Gov. John Bel Edwards, a Democrat, has endorsed the Republican-led Legislature’s stated goal of broadening the tax base while lowering rates as long as the changes are “revenue neutral” but has not taken a public position on the specific bills.
Louisiana’s tax system is complex, and the high income tax rates can scare off people who might otherwise want to move to and invest in the state, supporters of the overhaul said.
Senate Bill 159 gives voters a chance to eliminate the constitutional guarantee that taxpayers can deduct from their state income taxes the cost of paying their federal income taxes. The unusual tax break ties the state’s tax policy to the federal government’s and could cause budget problems for the state if the federal government raises taxes.
In exchange for giving up the exemption, the maximum state income tax rate would be set in the constitution at 4.75%, compared with the current top rate of 6%. The bill also would take references to the other tax brackets out of the constitution, allowing lawmakers to set those rates in statute.
If voters approve the amendment, House Bill 278 would establish those rates. Current personal income tax rates of 2% on the first $12,500, 4% on the next $37,500 and 6% in excess of $50,000 would be reduced to 1.85%, 3.5% and 4.25%, respectively.
House Bill 292 would collapse the five corporate income tax brackets into three: 3.5% on the first $50,000, 5.5% on the next $100,000 and 7.5% on income in excess of $150,000.
Senate Bill 161 makes permanent an exemption to the state’s corporate franchise tax on the first $300,000 of taxable capital, which would exempt most businesses. The rate would drop from $3 to $2.75 per $1,000 above that level.
As with other bills in the package, rates would decrease more if state revenue growth hits certain triggers and the rainy day fund is roughly two-thirds full.
Sen. Karen Carter Peterson, a New Orleans Democrat, objected to including a top tax rate in the constitution, which would require the Legislature to pass another amendment and hold another public vote if the rate needs to be adjusted.
“I don’t think that is smart public policy,” she said.
Allain argued that since taxpayers would be giving up a constitutionally protected tax break, it’s fair to give the lower top income tax rate constitutional status as well.
The House approved all four items Wednesday. The Senate gave final passage to SB 161 on Wednesday and the other three bills Thursday.
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