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Two bills would change bail system

Mon, 05/17/2021 - 11:22am

RYAN NELSON LSU, Manship School News Service

BATON ROUGE -- Two bills dealing with the release of incarcerated individuals were heard in a House committee Wednesday, with one passing and the other being deferred in the face of opposition.
HB83, by Rep. Bryan Fontenot, R-Thibodaux, advanced through the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice. The bill expedites bail procedure by ending a requirement that an arrested individual must be transported to the parish where the warrants were originally registered before being released.
HB603, written by Rep. Wilford Carter, D-Lake Charles, did not pass, as he tried to adjust the amount of time that the Department of Corrections takes to complete paperwork dealing with a detainee’s release.
A complication for Carter’s bill is that Louisiana is under a statewide civil investigation by the Department of Justice for its prisoner release practices.
“The United States Constitution requires that a person must be released within, at most, two days of their legal release date,” said Rebecca Ramaswamy, staff attorney of the Promise of Justice Initiative. “HB603 tries to give the DOC 40 days, or 10 days, or even three days. Anything more than two days past their legal release date, the state is violating that person’s rights.”
Ramaswamy told the committee that the bill “is trying to get the legislators blessing to continue to waste millions of dollars a year on unnecessary and unconstitutional over detention.”
Rep. Carter was not present at the meeting.
Another member of the Promise of Justice Initiative, Michael Calhoun, told the committee just how much over-detaining costs the state.
“In 2019, DOC found in one month, 231 people were affected,” Calhoun said. “Those people waited an average of 44 days to be released after a judge ordered them free.”
He said the agency concluded that this pattern was costing the state $2.8 million a year in housing costs alone.
Megan Garvey, who spoke in opposition to the bill on behalf of the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, told the committee that the Corrections Department uses a van to physically transport paperwork rather than using communications technology.
A defense lawyer on the committee, Rep. Nicholas Muscarello, R-Hammond, did not object to Carter’s bill being voluntarily deferred but spoke enviously of HB83 by Fontenot.
“I’m kind of disappointed I couldn’t think of it,” said Muscarello.
That bill proposes that people with warrants taken into custody outside of the jurisdiction where the warrant was issued can make bail in the parish they were detained. Currently, law-enforcement officers are required to transport the individual to the parish that issued the warrant, causing delay and transportation costs.
Sheriff Craig Webre of Lafourche Parish spoke in favor of Fontenot’s bill and said it “legitimizes and recognizes the right to bail, that all persons who are arrested have.”
“It also assists in expediting the process in a way that allows jails and people incarcerated not to have to be transported all across the state of Louisiana when not necessary,” said Webre.

Ochsner lists this week's vaccination sites

Mon, 05/17/2021 - 11:13am

Ochsner Health System has announced vaccination sites for this week:

Tuesday, May 18

4 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Ochsner St Anne
4608 Highway 1
Raceland, LA 70394

Thursday, May 20

9 a.m. – noon
Ochsner St. Mary
1151 Marguerite St.
Medical Office Building, Suite 500
Morgan City, LA 70380

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Leonard Chabert Medical Center
1978 Industrial Blvd.
Houma. LA 70363

Friday, May 21

9 a.m.-noon
St. John Community Center
2900 US-51
Laplace, LA 70068

9 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.Ochsner St Anne
4608 Highway 1
Raceland, LA 70394

To schedule your appointment, please call 844-888-2772 or visit My.Ochsner.org.

Robert Marin named CEO at Patterson State Bank

Mon, 05/17/2021 - 11:02am

Board Chairman of Bill Marin of Patterson State Bank has announced that his son, Robert Marin, has recently been elected to the CEO position of both Patterson State Bank and Patterson BancShares, the holding company of PSB. The election took place at the recent annual stockholder meeting.

Robert Marin has been on the Board of Directors at Patterson State Bank since 2000 and has been the chief lending officer since 2007. Before becoming a fourth generation PSB banker, he practiced law in the federal courts of Lafayette, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, Alexandria and Fort Polk. He graduated from Patterson High School in 1985, received his bachelor’s degree from LSU in 1993, and his law degree from Southern in 1997. He passed the bar exam in 1997 and continues to hold an active law license. Robert Marin has accumulated over 120 hours of bank counsel continuing legal education since 2007.

“I’m honored and humbled that the stockholders, board and employees of PSB have continued to entrust me with these responsibilities, and that I am a part of my family’s PSB history," Marin said. "I’ve now had two separate and distinct careers, but the basic concept of helping others has always been the common thread for me. Getting together with our customers and helping them find solutions to their business needs — to me, that’s the best. I find that to be truly rewarding.”

Robert Marin has been an active volunteer in community youth sports, having coached teams in Dixie Youth Baseball, AYSO Soccer, Babe Ruth Softball and Berwick youth softball recreational leagues. He proudly served his alma mater as assistant coach for the PHS Lumberjill softball team from 2016 through 2019, and was then named head coach for the Jills’ 2020 season. He has also served as the board secretary for the Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum Foundation since 2010.

Former Gov. Buddy Roemer dies at age 77

Mon, 05/17/2021 - 10:22am

Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, whose term at the end of the Eighties oil crunch was marked by attempts at good-government reforms, died Monday in Baton Rouge.

Roemer, who also represented the Shreveport area in the U.S. House of Representatives, served as governor 1988-92.

Roemer took office after Edwin Edwards, who both preceded and succeeded Roemer as governor, withdrew from the 1987 gubernatorial runoff. In 1991, Roemer finished third in the gubernatorial primary before Edwards beat David Duke in the general election.

Roemer won election as governor as a Democrat but became a Republican before the 1991 election.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., released the following statement on the passing of Roemer:

“Buddy’s election as governor signaled a turning point in Louisiana’s history. He loved Louisiana, contributing to it through the public and private sector. He leaves a great legacy. My condolences to his family.”

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., released this statement:

“Louisiana weeps. Buddy was one of the most interesting people I have ever met. He was immeasurably talented. All he ever wanted to do was make Louisiana better, and he did. That meant making the right people mad, but he understood that. When I count my blessings, I count Buddy twice.

“More than anything, Buddy loved his family. Becky and I are honored to count his family and loved ones as our friends. We are so sad to lose this Louisiana warrior, and we are praying for everyone who was blessed to know and love him.”

Gov. John Bel Edwards released this statement:

“From the fields of Scopena to the halls of Congress and then the Governor’s Mansion, Buddy Roemer proudly represented the state he so dearly loved. His astute intellect led him to enter Harvard at the young age of 16, but he still returned to Louisiana, driven by a desire to serve. I am especially grateful for the balanced, pragmatic approach he took as governor during a turbulent time for our state’s budget. I hope that we will all carry on his legacy by espousing his positive, passionate approach to public service. Donna and I ask that you join your prayers to ours in praying for Gov. Roemer’s family and friends during this difficult time.”

Edwards has ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Gov. Roemer’s life and legacy on May 17.

Family member wants flow of unwanted junk to stop

Mon, 05/17/2021 - 9:00am

By Jeanne Phillips, ©United Features Syndicate

DEAR ABBY: Like many people in this country, my family has an aversion to throwing things out that might still be useful. Rather than load up the van and head to Goodwill, they give the stuff to me — partially used bottles of shampoo, a half-used pack of wipes, hair conditioner that smells too awful for them to use but they’re sure I’ll like, unwanted change purses and jewelry I would never wear, even puzzles with missing or dog-chewed pieces. They have also tried to offload old sewing machines, DVDs they won’t watch and craft supplies for projects I don’t enjoy.
Once, a sister tried to give me an old toaster oven filled with burnt breadcrumbs. (I have celiac disease.) Another time, Dad gave me a gift certificate for an oil change my mother won in a raffle after telling me he and another sister won’t go to that auto shop because they damaged my sister’s engine and did a lousy job working on my parents’ car!
It’s not like I’m so poor I can’t afford my own toaster oven or wipes, but if I turn down their unwanted items, as politely as I can, they become defensive with me. So I usually just say thanks and either toss the stuff in the trash or load it into my van and take it to Goodwill myself. But I’m tired of feeling like the family dump, and wish I could find a way to get it through their lovingly muddled heads that I’d rather not be “gifted” with their junk. Any thoughts?
THANKS BUT NO THANKS IN MISSISSIPPI

DEAR T.B.N.T.: The next time your parents and siblings call to tell you they’re coming over with more discards, tell them you know they mean well, but NO. And keep repeating it until they finally get through their lovingly muddled heads that you mean it.

DEAR ABBY: I am writing because I’m in a tough situation and not sure what to do. I was recently told by a family member that my 24-year-old son is gay. (He hasn’t given me any indication that he is, other than not dating anyone for several years.) He had a bad experience with a girl in his teens and I assumed that was why he hasn’t dated.
My question for you is, should I confront him about it or wait until he tells me? I have come to terms with the possibility and will stand by him no matter what. I am also concerned that his father (we are divorced) will disown him if he finds out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
MOM IN OHIO

DEAR MOM: It would be interesting to know why this relative thinks your son is gay. Did your son tell the relative? I don’t think you should “confront” your son. In time his sexual orientation will become apparent whether he’s gay, straight, bi, asexual, etc. It should be his choice to reveal it — or not.
P.S. If he is gay, your ex-husband’s inability to accept his son, regardless of his sexual orientation, may be the reason he hasn’t spoken up.
***
Good advice for everyone — teens to seniors — is in “The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It.” To order, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.

4-H summer camp hits the road in 2021

Mon, 05/17/2021 - 9:00am

By OLIVIA MCCLURE, LSU AgCenter

POLLOCK — Typically at this time of year, the LSU AgCenter 4-H staff is busy preparing for one of the youth development program’s most popular events: summer camp at the Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center in Pollock.
The campgrounds are unusually quiet, however, as they have been for months. Because several buildings sustained damage from hurricanes in August and October, there will be no summer camp at the facility for the second year in a row. Last year’s camp sessions were shifted to a virtual format amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Pine trees fell during Hurricane Laura, smashing into a bunkhouse, a log cabin, two outdoor pavilions and an arts and crafts building. Structures that managed to escape Laura unscathed were flooded a few weeks later when Hurricane Delta brought heavy rains.
“It’s a little sad,” said camp director Christine Bergeron. “This place is very busy, not only during the summer with 4-H camp, but also during the fall and spring because we’re a rental facility. We have groups out here almost every weekend. We haven’t had that. It’s been quiet. It’s been different.”
She and her staff are patiently waiting for the rebuilding process to begin. In the meantime, they’re making plans to travel around Louisiana this summer to conduct one-day events with educational and recreational opportunities for individual parishes.
For information on the Camp Grant Walker Traveling Road Show, contact Adriana Drusini, St. Mary Parish 4-H Youth Development 4-H agent at 337-828-4100, extension 170, or 4-H program coordinator Adam O’Malley at aomalley@agcenter.lsu.edu.
A fundraising effort also is underway to help fund repair projects. Donations can be made through the LSU Foundation by visiting https://bit.ly/3fhwMtj.
A group of 4-H agents from the Central Region recently did their part to get Camp Grant Walker ready to welcome kids again, too. They painted a new backdrop for campers to use in photos and put up new designs on bulletin boards in classrooms.
“Camp is near and dear to our hearts,” said Esther Boe, 4-H coordinator for the Central Region. “All of the agents were very excited to plan the activities and to come out here, and just to be at camp together. We hope one day to be back here with our kids.”
Attending camp and being away from home offers a chance to grow, said Evangeline Parish 4-H agent Kim Deville. Campers have responsibilities in their cabins and have to choose what “tracks,” or activities, they participate in.
For many, “it’s the first time they get to actually make choices and do things that they know they picked for themselves,” Deville said.
Camp also provides unique experiences that create lifelong memories, such as swimming in a creek and attending nightly dances with new friends from across the state.
“Camp is something we can’t really replicate somewhere else,” Boe said. “Camp is a special place.”

Berwick woman arrested in theft investigation

Sun, 05/16/2021 - 2:53pm

Staff Report

(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.)

A Berwick woman was arrested by town police Thursday after officers searched her home and found items believed to have been stolen, arrest reports say.
Berwick
Police Chief David Leonard reported this arrest:
—Nicole Fisher, 48, Berwick, was arrested at 4:48 p.m. Thursday on two counts of theft and on a 16th Judicial District Court warrant.
About 4:24 p.m. Thursday, officers with the Berwick Police Department executed a search warrant at a Trevino Street residence in reference to a recent theft investigation.
Items that had been recently reported stolen were located inside the residence and seized as evidence. During the course of the investigation, Fisher was located inside and placed under arrest on active warrants that Berwick Police Department held for her arrest, which stemmed from this investigation.
Fisher was later transported to Berwick Police Department, where she was booked on the theft charges and additionally booked on a 16th JDC warrant for failure to appear.
She posted bond of $8,000 and was released.

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:
—Shannon Gail Wright, 30, Patterson, was arrested at 11:59 a.m. Thursday on a charge of entry or remaining on premises after being forbidden. Bail was set at $500.

Morgan City
Police Chief James F. Blair reported that over the last 24-hour period, the Morgan City Police Department responded to 43 calls for service and made this arrest:
—Gary J. Johnson, 46, Egle Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:10 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for illegal use of a movable.

Franklin
Police Chief Morris Beverly reported that the Police Department responded to 16 complaints over a 24-hour period ending Thursday and made these arrests:
—Latricia Marquez, 37, Judy Lane, Patterson, was arrested at 11:19 a.m. Thursday on a warrant dated May 12 for the charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of Vyvanse, possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of a controlled dangerous substance in presence of persons under age 17.
Marquez was booked, processed and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.
—Christopher Marquez, 35, Judy Lane, Patterson, was arrested at 12:39 p.m. Thursday on a warrant dated May 12 for the charges of possession of marijuana (second offense), possession of drug paraphernalia (second offense) and illegal use of s controlled dangerous substance in the presence of persons under age 17.
Marquez was booked, processed and held with no bond set.

St. Martin
Sheriff Becket Breaux reported these arrests:
—Bryalon Dugas, 27, Valsin Street, was arrested Thursday by the Breaux Bridge Police Department on charges of simple battery, aggravated assault with a firearm and possession of a firearm in a firearm-free zone.
—Matias Francisco Juan, 23, Huval Street, Henderson, was arrested Thursday by the Henderson Police Department on a charge of child endangerment/domestic abuse simple battery.
—Copper Cormier, 43, St. Peter Street, was arrested Thursday on an extradition warrant.
—Jimmy Lafleur, 44, Angelwood Road, Breaux Bridge, was arrested Thursday on a charge of aggravated domestic abuse battery (aggravated).
—Jorge Medrano Del Toro, 19. Quonset, Sacramento, California, was arrested Thursday on charges of criminal conspiracy and manufacture, distribution or possession with intent to distribute Schedule II drugs.
—Johnella Sam, 37, Sugar Creek Road, St. Martinville, was arrested Thursday on a charge of obstruction of justice.
—Derrick Zachery, 45, Dogwood Lane, Beaumont, Texas, was arrested Thursday by the Breaux Bridge Police Department on charges of vehicular negligent injury, careless operation and drivers must be licensed.

Morgan City police radio logs for May 13-14

Sun, 05/16/2021 - 2:51pm

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.
Thursday, May 13
6:18 a.m. 700 block of Belanger Street; Animal complaint.
6:44 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.
7:34 a.m. Sixth Street; Complaint.
7:40 a.m. 1900 block of Federal Avenue; Complaint.
8:42 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.
9 a.m. 800 block of Victor II Boulevard; Complaint.
9:30 a.m. 1800 block of Victor II Boulevard; Animal complaint.
10:19 a.m. Levee Road; Complaint.
10:31 a.m. 1200 block of David Drive; Medical.
10:54 a.m. 2600 block of Elm Street; Complaint.
11:42 a.m. 800 block of Brashear Avenue; Complaint.
12:03 p.m. 500 block of Egle Street; Complaint.
2:53 p.m. 1100 block of Seventh Street; Complaint.
2:59 p.m. La. 182 Bridge; Stalled vehicle.
3:04 p.m. 1500 block of North First Street; Complaint.
3:24 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Complaint.
3:36 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Complaint.
4:51 p.m. 100 block of Eleventh Street; Complaint.
6:14 p.m. 300 block of Fifth Street; Medical emergency.
6:34 p.m. 600 block of Shannon Street; Complaint.
7:04 p.m. 400 block of Garber Street; Remove subject.
7:15 p.m. Mallard Street area; Threats.
7:23 p.m. Justa and Catherine streets area; Complaint.
7:28 p.m. 200 block of Youngs Road; Animal complaint.
7:45 p.m. 2300 block of Clements Street; Criminal damage to property.
8:30 p.m. 300 block of Federal Avenue; Disturbance.
8:39 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Disturbance.
8:59 p.m. U.S. 90 bridge westbound crest; Stalled vehicle.
9:03 p.m. 2400 block of Sixth Street; Loud music.
9:13 p.m. 100 block of Glenwood Street; Suspicious subject.
10:36 p.m. 2600 block of Sixth Street Berwick; Assistance.
Friday, May 14
12:12 a.m. 3200 block of Vine Drive; Battery.
12:51 a.m. 400 block of Brashear Avenue; Stalled vehicle.
4:11 a.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Traffic stop/arrest.

Graduation day for Central Catholic

Sat, 05/15/2021 - 3:00pm

The masks hid their smiles, but you know they were there. Saturday was graduation day for Central Catholic High School's Class of 2021 in a 1 p.m. ceremony at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Morgan City. It wasn't quite a return to normal, because the graduates, many members of the audience, and clergymen and altar attendants wore masks at the urging of Houma-Thibodaux Diocese Bishop Shelton Fabre, who presided at Saturday's graduation. Otherwise, mitigation measures have been relaxed enough to allow a mostly traditional commencement. Five valedictorians and one salutatorian led the graduates into the church. Click on this text to find more about them.

Kid's hooked on fishing at Kiwanis event

Sat, 05/15/2021 - 1:39pm

The Kiwanis Club of East St. Mary saw an outstanding turnout for its 12th annual Kid’s Fishing Rodeo Saturday at Lake End Park in Morgan City. The free fishing contest was open to ages 3-15.
Trophies were presented for the top weight in select categories. Participants also were provided with free hot dogs and refreshments. Participants also had the chance to win door prizes.