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Louisiana Pearl Harbor vet visits home of 'the boss'

Thu, 05/20/2021 - 11:02am

CLAUDETTE OLIVIER, Louisiana State Newspapers

FREDERICKSBURG, TEXAS — No one wants to get caught kicking back in the boss’s chair with their feet on the desk, especially if that boss is a five-tar admiral in the U.S. Navy. But local U.S. Navy veteran Joe Richard laughs about the time he got caught doing just that.
“He (Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz) had went ashore,” Richard said. “I never heard when he come back, and he had his desk, his hat, his chair (in his office). I told my buddy I was going to sit there, and boy I cocked my feet up and put that hat on and there he (Nimitz) walks in. You know what he told me? ‘Looks good on you. If you take care of yourself and do the right thing, you might have one like that yourself someday.’ Talk about I was ready to get out of there. I know he would have court martialed me.”
“After that, when he would see me, he’d salute me,” Richard said, laughing.
Richard said he was doing work inside Nimitz’s office aboard a ship, likely when it was stationed near Guam during World War II.
Richard, 97, is Louisiana’s last known Pearl Harbor survivor, according to Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Joey Strickland and the National WW II Museum in New Orleans. He is also a member of American Legion Post 225 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9903, both in Church Point.
On April 29, Richard, his daughter Connie Figueron, members of American Legion Post 225 and VFW Post 9903 and several others from the Church Point and Acadiana area made their way west to visit Fredericksburg, Texas, the hometown of Richard’s former boss. In addition to being the birthplace of Nimitz, the town is also home to the National Museum of the Pacific War, originally named the Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Memorial Naval Museum, and a tour of the museum was on the itinerary for Richard’s journey.
Before leaving Church Point, Richard’s caravan, which included escorts from several Legion Riders, the Church Point Police Department and the Church Point Volunteer Fire Department, traveled by all four of the town’s schools, and students waved and wished Richard a safe trip. Once the group reached Interstate 10, it was escorted to the Louisiana-Texas state line by the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office, from the state line to Kerrville, Texas by the Texas State Police and through Fredericksburg by the Fredericksburg Police Department.
During the journey, others joined the caravan on motorcycles and in vehicles, and during a stop at Cowboy Harley-Davidson of Beaumont, Richard was greeted by several veterans and motorcycle riders. Two of those who joined the convoy on the east side of Houston were WW II veterans Bob Cook, a native of Illinois and current resident of Texas, and Joe Rodriguez, of San Benito, Texas. Cook served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and Rodriguez served in the U.S. Army.
In addition to the museum, the trip also included a visit to a joint meeting of Kerrville’s two American Legion posts and two Veterans of Foreign Wars posts, where Richard visited with two other WW II veterans from Texas.
When Richard and those who accompanied him on the journey arrived at the museum on April 30, they were greeted by WW II veteran Tommy Whetstone, of Fredericksburg. Whetstone, who is also 97, served in the U.S. Army, and he and Richard, wearing his American Flag button up shirt, spoke briefly before Richard’s tour of the museum began.
Karen Stevenson, Director of Visitor Services at the museum, said the two most significant Pearl Harbor artifacts at the museum are a Japanese midget submarine and a door from the USS Arizona.
“The Arizona door is an exceptional artifact both for us having it — that it was recovered — but also that story it represents for us,” Stevenson said. “Few things capture people’s imagination, our visitors empathy and imagination, seeing that oil line and knowing that hole was cut by rescuers trying to find somebody behind that door, and they didn’t find them. We have Kleenex stashed all over the museum.”
The submarine was one of five submarines that attacked Pearl Harbor on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, and each submarine had a crew of two and carried two torpedoes. The gyrocompass in this particular submarine, HA-19, malfunctioned, and the vessel ran aground outside the entrance to Pearl Harbor. According to the museum, Ensign Kazuo Sakamaki, the boat’s commander, survived while his crewmate drowned. Sakamaki then became the first Japanese prisoner of war.
Tour Guide Wayne Slaughter led Richard and his group through the museum’s Pearl Harbor, Doolittle Raid, Okinawa and the Atomic Bomb and Iwo Jima exhibits.
“The museum was awesome,” Richard said. “It was beautiful. They really went all the way out. He (Nimitz) deserved it. He was a great admiral.
“They really tried to make us feel at home. It (the museum) was out of this world.”
Richard said his favorite part of the museum was the wall of plaques in the campus’s Memorial Courtyard. The wall bears plaques that recognize the heroic contributions of individuals to the war effort in the Pacific.
Ted Stout, a member of American Legion Post 225, organized the trip. Stout, of Sunset, has already visited the museum twice, and he and Richard had spoken of his previous visits.
“He (Richard) and I had talked about it, and I realized it was very important for him to visit the museum,” Stout said. “We did everything we could to make this trip possible.”
Stout said he enjoyed seeing the expression on Richard’s face as he viewed the museum as well as the reception Richard received on the journey and at the museum.
“To see that there are still a lot of patriotic people in this country, the people that came to shake his hand at the stops we made on the way there — it was very nice to see,” Stout said. “It was an unbelievable trip. Everybody got something out of this trip even though the trip was about Mister Joe. Everyone came away with something good.”
He continued, “Mister Joe, even if he wouldn’t be a Pearl Harbor survivor or veteran, he is still a remarkable person, and I am glad our paths crossed.”
American Legion Post 225 Commander Dennis Hart was also part of the trip, and it was his first time to visit the museum.
“It’s a great museum — very detailed and very well put together with the slide shows and videos,” he said. “There are lots of good artifacts at the museum.”
Hart said he was also pleased about the welcome Richard received.
“The number of people who responded (to be involved with the trip) shows how much he is appreciated,” Hart said. “It was great to show him what he did and remind people of what actually happened.
“Mister Joe felt honored and appreciated. I think that was the best part of the trip.”
Hart said that during the visit with the American Legion and VFW posts in Kerrville, some of the posts’ members commented that Richard may be the last Pearl Harbor survivor between the two states.

Ochsner St. Mary celebrates nurses

Thu, 05/20/2021 - 10:55am

Submitted Photos
Ochsner St. Mary celebrated National Nurses Week last week with gifts and treats for the nursing staff and a blessing of hands. Top Photo: Pastor Mark Gowen blesses the hands of Amanda Eusea, quality/PI coordinator, and Jessica Martin, infection preventionist. Bottom Photo: From left, Monica McDaniel, PCT; Jennifer Wise, CNO; Vanessa Willoughby, RN; and Evyn Adams, RN nurse manager, are shown with some of the treats.

Berwick police will focus on seat belt enforcement

Thu, 05/20/2021 - 10:52am

The Berwick Police Department is participating in the 2021 "Click It or Ticket" Campaign, a high-visibility seat belt enforcement effort.
The department wants to remind motorists to wear seat belts on every trip, day and night.
The campaign will begin Monday and will continue to run till June 6.
Officers will be out in force ticketing motorists who are not wearing their seat belts as well as those in violation of other traffic laws.
Funding for off-duty police personnel will be paid from the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, as part of the “Click It or Ticket” Campaign.
Seat belts are the single most effective safety feature ever invented and have helped save thousands of lives.
Sadly, one in five Americans fail to regularly wear a seat belt when driving or riding in a motor vehicle.
More than 100 Louisiana law enforcement agencies are participating in the "Click It or Ticket"
Campaign.
By maintaining "Click It or Ticket" high visibility enforcement and awareness, the department will continue to reduce seat belt fatalities on Louisiana's roads.
The Berwick Police Department urged drivers to remember to buckle up day and night or you will get a ticket.

Three major SE Louisiana coast projects underway

Thu, 05/20/2021 - 10:49am

Three large scale coastal restoration projects are now under construction to restore more than 2,900 acres of beach, dune, marsh and ridge in four parishes in southeast Louisiana, the Governor's Office announced.
The Spanish Pass marsh restoration near the town of Venice, the West Grand Terre barrier island restoration near Grand Isle, and the Golden Triangle marsh restoration east of New Orleans and Chalmette, will address significant land loss due to erosion and subsidence and restore a combined total of nearly five square miles of coastal land.
“The rebuilding of one of our most important barrier islands in West Grand Terre, along with the restoration of crucial marshland in Spanish Pass and Golden Triangle, are major components in our long-term approach to creating a sustainable coast,” said Gov. John Bel Edwards.
commend CPRA for planning and aggressively advancing these strategic coastal restoration projects to construction. We look forward to watching the continued progress on these projects throughout the year.”
All three projects are being accomplished using $256.6 million in funds resulting from the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Those funds are administered and approved for use by the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council (RESTORE Act), the National Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA), and the Louisiana Trustee Implementation Group (LA TIG).
“Today we’re announcing not one but three major restoration projects advancing to construction in Coastal Louisiana,” said CPRA Chairman Chip Kline. “West Grand Terre is one of the most historically and ecologically significant barrier islands in Louisiana, and the marsh and ridge restorations of Spanish Pass and Golden Triangle are similarly vital. Today marks an important step forward in protecting and preserving our coastline for generations to come.”

FAYE ELAINE VINCENT ROBERSON THOMAS

Thu, 05/20/2021 - 9:36am

Faye Elaine Vincent Roberson Thomas, 65, a resident of Morgan City, La. and native of Patterson, La., passed away Saturday May 15, 2021 at her residence.
A public walk through viewing will be conducted from 5 pm until 6 p.m. on Friday, May 21, 2021 at Jones Funeral Home 715 Sixth Street Morgan City, La. All visitors are asked to adhere to the CDC-local regulations by wearing masks and practicing social distancing with the recommendation of signing the registry book, viewing and exiting.
A private service will be held. Services will be accessible by viewing the Jones Funeral Home, Inc. Facebook Pages at 12 noon on Saturday May 22, 2021.
Memories of Faye will forever remain in the hearts of her children, Charles Keegan Adir Thomas (Fonika Jones Thomas) of Rowlett, TX, Brandi Jade Thomas Moore (Derrick Moor) of Fresno, TX, and Shannon Lea Thomas of Baton Rouge, La.; stepdaughter, Anitra Angil Garrett of Keller, TX; grandchildren: Karis Charles, Zoey Thomas, Darrius Johnson, Kobi Robinson, Adir Thomas, Kole Garrett, Hiram Moor, Amirah Moor and Zariyah Moor; siblings, Connie Fleeks and William Roberson both of Houston, TX and a host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, other relatives and friends.
Faye was preceded in death by her husband, Theophilus Hiram “Plink” Thomas, III; parents, Herbert Charles Roberson and Dolores Althea Vincent-Roberson and siblings, Herbert Charles “Sonny” Roberson, Jr., Shelia Ann Roberson and Herbert Charles, Jr.
Arrangements entrusted to Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City-Franklin-Jeanerette and Houma. Visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.

JA’VANTA SHAVON RIDEAUX

Thu, 05/20/2021 - 9:33am

Ja’Vanta Shavon Rideaux, 19, a resident of Lafayette, La. and native of Franklin, La., passed away peacefully on Sunday May 9, 2021 at 3 a.m.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday May 22, 2021 at Jones Funeral Home 1101 Main Street Franklin, La. at 2 p.m. All visitors are asked to adhere to the CDC-local regulations by wearing masks and practicing social distancing.
Services will be accessible by viewing the Jones Funeral Home, Inc. Facebook Page at 2 p.m. on Saturday May 22, 2021. Ja’Vanta will be interred in the St. John Cemetery - Pecot Street in Franklin, La.
Memories of Ja’Vanta will forever remain in the hearts of his father, Darren Rideaux Sr., of Sioux City, IA; mother, Melva B. Rideaux of Lafayette, La.; siblings, Terrance Brumfield, Tyondria Brumfield, Ronisha Brumfield, Teaireius Brumfield, Darilyn Rideaux and Darren Rideaux, Jr.; paternal grandfather, Lester Rideaux Sr.; a bonus-mom who helped to rear him, Ernestine Gable and her children, Equanna Gable, Graceland Gable, Rickey Gable and Wibray Dauntain and a host of aunts, uncles, other relatives and friends.
Ja’Vanta was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Gwendolyn Brumfield and Melvin Scott Sr. and his paternal grandmother, Treasure Ann Rideaux.
Arrangements entrusted to Jones Funeral Home of Morgan City-Franklin-Jeanerette and Houma. Visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.

For whom the bell grows: A brief history of the Cajun holy trinity

Thu, 05/20/2021 - 8:50am

By V. TODD MILLER, LSU AgCenter

BATON ROUGE — The Cajun “holy trinity” is at the heart of Louisiana cuisine. The union of onions, celery and green bell peppers create the base flavors of gumbo, jambalaya, etouffee and numerous other hearty dishes that have come to define our state.
But from where did the term holy trinity derive, and how does it differ from other regional soup, sauce and stew bases? The key is the bell pepper.
The trinity is similar to the French mirepoix and Italian soffrito — not to be confused with the Spanish sofrito — in that it is a mixture of aromatic vegetables lightly cooked with butter or oil at the onset of various traditional comfort foods before additional ingredients are incorporated. Both the mirepoix and soffrito use carrots in place of bell peppers, with the Italian version often adding garlic, leeks and parsley to the mix.
The term holy trinity is based on the Roman Catholic faith of some of Louisiana’s earliest settlers. It is believed that the term was popularized relatively recently by the Opelousas-born Chef Paul Prudhomme in the early 1980s. Prudhomme died in 2015.
So why did the bell pepper supplant the carrot in Louisiana’s version of this culinary triumvirate? Were they cheaper or easier for earlier settlers to grow? LSU AgCenter plant and soil science expert Kiki Fontenot casts doubt on that theory.
“Carrots are a cool-season crop and grow easily in Louisiana. They do better in sandy soils. Conversely, bell peppers are a warm-season crop. So they are both grown here, just at different times of the year,” Fontenot said. “If anything, I would say carrots are cheaper to grow, but both do well here.”
Another reason to grow carrots in your garden is because they are rich in beta carotene, which human bodies convert to vitamin A, promoting eye health. They are also high in fiber and antioxidants. Bell peppers are also a good source of fiber in addition to vitamin C and folate.
St. James Parish native John Folse, a noted Louisiana chef, has a theory on why bell peppers became part of the trinity and why carrots failed to make the cut.
“The unprecedented exchange of plants and animals between the Old and New Worlds, dubbed ‘the Columbian exchange’ by historian Alfred W. Crosby Jr., suggests that bell peppers originated in the Americas (New World),” Folse said. “However, carrots originated in Persia (Old World) and may have first been cultivated in America by the English settlers in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1609.”
As Louisiana was not settled until the early 1700s, Folse asserts it is likely bell peppers could have been more readily available than carrots at the time. And because much of regional cooking is about tradition, the bell pepper simply maintained its place in the hierarchy over the centuries.
“Louisiana’s original settlers were French and Spanish, so it seems likely that the Cajun holy trinity emerged from that which they knew: onions and celery,” Folse said. “Because carrots were not readily available, bell pepper was a great substitute.”
Today, one can hardly imagine carrots in gumbos or jambalayas any more than one could imagine broccoli or cauliflower. AgCenter extension agent Quincy Vidrine, who specializes in nutrition and studied under Folse at his culinary institute at Nicholls State University, thinks the bell pepper has stood the test of time in the trinity simply because it appeals more to our regional taste buds.
“My education in Louisiana cooking started in my Maw Maw Julia’s kitchen in rural Avoyelles Parish,” Vidrine said. “I think it’s because bell peppers taste better and are more ‘worthy’ of our Louisiana food treasures. But carrots have their place in Louisiana cooking too — in a souffle or as copper pennies.”

Doctor husband is a poor patient for nurse wife

Thu, 05/20/2021 - 8:48am

By Jeanne Phillips, ©United Features Syndicate

DEAR ABBY: My physician husband recently had a total hip replacement. (Orthopedics is not his specialty.) I’m a board-certified registered nurse with 40 years of experience who used to work inpatient orthopedics. He refuses to follow the surgeon’s directions or mine, which are the same. He believes he knows more than all of us combined.
However, when the home health nurse and physical therapist came, he accepted everything they told him. When I told him he doesn’t respect my professional opinion, he didn’t respond. Then I told him he’d insulted my integrity, and he blew up and accused me of being crazy.
History will soon repeat itself because he has to have his other hip done in a few months. I am to the point of letting the chips fall where they may and letting his outcomes (good or bad) be his sole responsibility. However, this is difficult to do as a wife and nurse. Plus, I will have to live with the fallout of any suboptimal outcomes.
Your advice?
HIP SERVICE IN FLORIDA

DEAR HIP SERVICE: Whether caused by a painful recovery or the drugs he has been prescribed, your husband’s behavior is self-defeating. Because he ignores your and his surgeon’s advice, you have no choice but to let the chips fall where they may.
You can suggest and warn until you’re hoarse, and your husband will continue to tune you out. The person who will have to live with the consequences is your noncompliant husband.
Allow me to offer a suggestion: Hire a nurse to tend to him after the second hip replacement and stay safely out of the line of fire.
The peace of mind will be worth the money.

DEAR ABBY: I have a niece who is bipolar. She was put into rehab at the age of 20 and has been clean and sober for the last three years.
We have always been close, but on a family visit, she asked my opinion about a job choice, and I was honest with her. Because it wasn’t what she wanted to hear, she is extremely distant now. I am no longer “Auntie.” She calls me by my first name only. Weekly calls have ceased.
I have championed my niece, supported her emotionally when she had problems and helped her out financially.
Her mother says if you don’t agree with her (even though she solicits your opinion), you are then “against” her.
What’s the best way to reach out to her? Due to extreme drug abuse for many years, she seems emotionally stuck at age 14.
AUNTIE NO MORE IN CALIFORNIA

DEAR AUNTIE: With the clear understanding that I am not a psychotherapist, may I point out that some individuals who suffer from mental illness find it necessary to place people into two categories: friends and enemies.
Disagreeing with your niece has landed you in the latter. Her mother has explained this to you, so try not to take it personally.
I don’t think this troubled young woman will be receptive to a reconciliation until she has found another target.
In the meantime, remain open, stay cordial and fill your life with activities that bring you joy rather than pain. I’m sure her mother will update you on your niece’s progress.
***
For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order “How to Have a Lovely Wedding.” Send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

Driver, toddler killed in U.S. 90 crash

Wed, 05/19/2021 - 6:57pm

State troopers believe rainy weather may have played a role in a Wednesday crash that killed the driver and an improperly restrained toddler on U.S. 90 between Morgan City and Amelia.

State Police Troop I is withholding identification of the victims until family members are notified.

According to Troop I, the troop responded the crash about 8:15 a.m. Wednesday.

The preliminary investigation revealed a passenger car was traveling west on U.S. 90 when the driver lost control and ran off the roadway before striking a tree. It was raining at the time of the crash.

The driver, who was not restrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The toddler, who was improperly restrained in a booster seat, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, state police said.

A toxicology sample was obtained from the driver and will be submitted for analysis, Troop I said. Driving too fast for weather conditions is suspected to be a factor and the crash remains under investigation.

Louisiana state law requires motor vehicle occupants to be properly restrained in all seating posi-tions, day or night. For assistance with proper child seat installation, please vis-it www.facebook.com/BuckleUpLouisiana/ or contact your nearest LSP Public Information Officer. Contact information is available at lsp.org/public.html. State police encourage parents to take advantage of this free service to ensure the safety of your child.

Troop I has investigated 24 fatal crashes resulting in 31 deaths in 2021.

Insurance commissioner wants competition in flood coverage

Wed, 05/19/2021 - 4:06pm

BILL DECKER

bdecker@daily-review.com

Despite hurricanes, floods and the treacherous currents of international finance, Louisiana has managed to build a stable property coverage market over the last five years, Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon told a St. Mary Chamber of Commerce audience Wednesday.

Donelon, speaking at Chamber luncheon at the Petroleum Club of Morgan City, talked about two bills in the current legislative session that he hopes will further improve the state’s insurance market.

One bill, HB 577 by state Rep. Scott McKnight, R-Baton Rouge, would follow Florida’s example and make it easier for insurers to offer private flood insurance as an alternative to the federal coverage offered under the National Flood Insurance Program.

The bill would allow companies offering private insurance to file their premium rates with state authorities and begin writing insurance immediately rather than waiting for state approval of premiums as with other kinds of insurance.

The authority would last until 2027 unless the Legislature extends it.

The idea isn’t to replace NFIP coverage but to give people a competitive alternative, Donelon said.

The second bill, SB29 by state Sen. Mark Abraham, R-Lake Charles, would enact language to clarify a power Donelon has already used five times under three governors. SB29 would give the insurance commissioner emergency power to protect policyholders without a direct delegation of that power by a governor.

The power in question is the ability to suspend insurance cancellations and non-renewals for 90 days during emergencies declared by the governor and in the parishes covered by disaster declarations.

Companies often cancel or decide not to renew policies immediately after disasters because they’ve sustained losses. Donelon said the 90 days can protect property owners and provide stability in the market.

Donelon invoked the power five times: after hurricanes Gustav, Isaac and Laura, and during the 2016 floods and the coronavirus pandemic. His use of the power has twice been challenged legally and has been upheld once in the courts and once in the administrative law system.

The use of the power would be subject to legislative oversight.

“It is, truthfully, very, very important,” Donelon said.

Home insurance premiums have risen an average of only 1% in each of the last five years in Louisiana, he said.

In Lake Charles, which was hammered by hurricanes Laura and Delta last fall, 82% of insurances claims have been closed, and 62% have been closed with a payment, Donelon said. But he believes few of the 82% will actually prove to be settled.

Many will result in secondary claims because of a spike in the cost of lumber and the price of labor needed for repairs, he said.

The first-quarter 2021 increase in homeowner premiums is larger than in recent years, Donelon said. That’s partly because of last year’s record-breaking hurricane season, but also because the international reinsurance market has also been battered by California wildfires, the inland hurricane in the Midwest last year, an earthquake in the Philippines and other disaster.

Reinsurance is a sort of insurance for companies that sell coverage directly to consumers. Reinsurance protects them against losses from unexpectedly large claims, as is often the case after a natural disaster.

“That reinsurance market is vital to us,” Donelon said. “There’s just not enough rest-of-Louisiana to spread the risk.”

Chamber
honorees
The Chamber named Jackie Romero of the Bayou Vista Community Center as the May Administrative Assistant of the Month.
Chairman Raymond Price also recognized Live Saving Equipment Repair Co. of Morgan City, represented at the luncheon by Jerry Gaddis. The company is celebrating 60 years in business in 2021.