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Terrebonne General Health System, in partnership with Gulf Coast Orthopedics, has been recognized by Louisiana Blue with a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement.
This program identifies hospitals and ambulatory care centers that demonstrate expertise in patient safety and deliver better health outcomes. Quality assessments are based on objective measures developed from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association’s partnership with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
This designation is a testament to the rigorous standards met by Terrebonne General and Gulf Coast, the health system said in a press released.
Designated knee and hip replacement facilities deliver high-quality care, with an average of 21% fewer readmissions and 21% fewer complications within 90 days after knee and hip replacement surgery.
“Being recognized nationally is a incredible honor. It reflects the unwavering commitment of our entire team to delivering compassionate, high-quality care that delivers innovation in patient outcomes,” said Phyllis Peoples, president and CEO.
“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized as a Blue Distinction Center for Knee and Hip Replacement,” said Dr. Henry L. Haydel II, orthopedic surgeon at Gulf Coast Orthopedics. “This achievement represents the collective dedication of our entire orthopedic and rehabilitation teams, who work tirelessly to ensure that every patient receives the highest standard of care.
“Our focus has always been on helping individuals regain their mobility and return to the activities they love, and this designation reaffirms that commitment. We are proud to provide the people of our community with nationally recognized, high-quality care right here at home.”
Terrebonne General met the criteria to receive this designation, which include:
--Having full accreditation from at least one national accrediting organization as either a hospital or ambulatory surgery center
--Having low complication, mortality, and unplanned readmission rates within 90 days after elective primary total knee and hip replacements
--Having enhanced recovery after surgery processes and procedures in place for quality perioperative care
--Participating in Louisiana Blue’s BlueCard preferred provider organization network
Since 2005, the Blue Distinction Specialty Care program has helped patients find quality specialty care at lower costs in the areas of bariatric surgery, cancer care, cardiac care, cellular immunotherapy, fertility care, knee and hip replacement, maternity care, spine surgery, substance use treatment and recovery.

John Carmouche, who represents parishes in more than 40 coastal-erosion lawsuits against major oil companies, told the Baton Rouge Press Club on Monday that the litigation is aimed at companies’ permit obligations since 1980, not at World War II–era production.
He walked through a timeline that starts with Congress’ 1972 Coastal Zone Management Act and Louisiana’s decision to build its own program, which culminated in a state permitting regime that took effect Sept. 20, 1980.
From that date forward, he said, oil and gas operators needed coastal use permits when their activities affected the coast, and they were obligated to restore sites when operations ended.
“It’s not like they didn’t make the decision to put them in the position they’re in today. It was their choice, no one else’s choice,” Carmouche said. 
That framing mirrors the parishes’ position in a recent U.S. Supreme Court filing, which says the lawsuits seek relief “solely” for violations of issued permits after Sept. 20, 1980, and for failures to obtain required permits after that date. Pre-1980 conduct matters only to determine whether an activity is “grandfathered” from permitting – activities ended before Sept. 20, 1980 aren’t actionable, the brief notes.
Carmouche argued companies “had choices” once the state program began: Get coastal permits and follow restoration terms, or don’t. He said most parish claims arise from permits that were never obtained for dredging and waste disposal, or from restoration duties that were ignored.
The parishes’ filing likewise emphasizes that operators who lawfully started a use before 1980 didn’t need a new permit, but those that continued non-grandfathered uses after 1980 did – and that’s what the suits target.
Explaining the technical backdrop, Carmouche said “produced water” from drilling contained salts and metals and could have been injected deep underground instead of dumped into unlined pits or marshes.
He argued that parish claims focus on specific fields where activity continued after 1980 and required permits, not on every historic well pad.
He also pushed back on national-security warnings from two former Joint Chiefs chairs about the lawsuits chilling public-private partnerships.
“We can’t ignore the law,” Carmouche said, adding he’s seen “no proof” the cases are driving companies out of Louisiana. “If the price is right, they come.”
Carmouche’s lawsuits are not without widespread criticism.
 A 2019 economic impact report published by the Pelican Institute for Public Policy estimated the litigation has cost Louisiana between $44 million and $113 million annually.
Industry-aligned groups say the Plaquemines verdict exemplifies “lawsuit abuse” that threatens jobs and investment without directly restoring the coast.
They argue the parish cases misuse state law to retroactively punish decades-old, federally regulated operations, ignore that companies followed the rules in place at the time, and try to turn broad climate and coastal challenges into courtroom fights better left to legislatures and regulators. 
“This misguided litigation is built on a dangerous premise – that companies can be punished today for actions that were legal, permitted, and often encouraged by the very governments now seeking massive damages,” Melissa Landry, vice president of the Pelican Institute, said in a statememnt. “There is no doubt that the longer these cases drag on, the more jobs, investments, and opportunities Louisiana will continue to lose.”
“These cases haven’t restored a single mile of coastline, but they’ve done real damage to Louisiana’s economy. It’s time to end the courtroom chaos, welcome back investment, and let Louisiana work,” Landry continued.
Tommy Faucheux, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association, said the state’s energy sector is already investing heavily in coastal health and restoration and warned that parish-led lawsuits threaten jobs and new capital.
“No private entity cares more – or is doing more – about the health and restoration of our coastline than the Louisiana energy industry,” he said, arguing that “trial lawyers are coming in to line their pockets and threaten investment in our state.”
Faucheux urged policymakers to “stop incentivizing these lawsuits” and “support the over 300,000 people in Louisiana who work in and alongside the oil and natural gas industry every day.”
Carmouche also said that the end of the lawsuits would be a boon to Louisiana, to which Pelican Institute CEO Daniel Erspamer responded: 
“It may be one of the very few things on which the plaintiffs’ lawyers and I agree. Unfortunately, ‘end the lawsuits’ should mean withdraw them rather than continuing this aggressive lawfare.”

As the state Legislature finished its special session Wednesday, it requested $150 million to temporarily fund SNAP food benefits in November because the federal government shutdown could cut off benefits beginning Saturday.

The Senate passed a resolution also urging the federal government to refund the state the $150 million it will pay to continue SNAP benefits starting Saturday. Otherwise, there will be no funding for the program, leaving almost 800,000 Louisiana residents without benefits.

The Legislature moved to transfer the money from its Health Department’s budget Wednesday to continue the benefits.

After the Legislature adjourned, Gov. Jeff Landry complimented the House and the Senate and said that a surplus in the state government “gives us the opportunity to act with compassion and reason.” The Republican governor sharply criticized Democratic leadership in Washington for breaking down the social safety net some people need.

“We have to take care of our most vulnerable people,” Landry said.

More than two dozen Democrat attorneys general and governors have sued the federal government in Massachusetts federal court over Washington's withholding of SNAP benefit funding. The case is based on previous government shutdowns, in which SNAP funding was continued with money from an emergency contingency fund in Washington.

“I think that it is outrageous that the federal government is holding food money hostage,” said Sen. Valarie Hodges, R-Livingston.

The only objection to the calls for reimbursement across both chambers was from Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe. Morris disapproved of the Senate’s resolution, saying it was not the state’s responsibility to “bail out” the federal government.

“It’s really pretty ridiculous that we are in some respects being forced to try to bail out the largest source of wealth in the world and that has ever been in the world,” Morris said.

He said the state funding sets a “bad precedent” of the federal government forcing program funding to states.

A hearing on the lawsuit is scheduled for Thursday.

(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 Tuesday after an unattended child in a parked vehicle was reported to the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s office.

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell that over the last 48-hour reporting period, the Sheriff's Office responded to 89 complaints and made these arrests:

--Allie Nicole Williams, 19, Berwick, was arrested at 3:01 a.m. Tuesday on a warrant alleging leaving children unattended and unsupervised in a motor vehicle and simple battery.

On Monday, a deputy was dispatched to a business in Bayou Vista in reference to a welfare concern.

The deputy spoke with a complainant who stated that after arriving at the business, she heard an infant crying in a vehicle. No one was in the vehicle with the infant. The complainant called the SMPSO and reported the incident.

A few moments later, a female exited the business and when contacted by the complainant, became aggressive and began yelling.

Williams allegedly pushed the complainant with the door of the vehicle and subsequently sped out of the parking lot, nearly hitting the complainant with the vehicle.

The deputy arrived and made contact with the complainant and a witness to the incident, and began an investigation. Through the investigation, the deputy identified the driver of the vehicle as Williams, and obtained evidence that confirmed it was her driving the vehicle at the business.

The deputy obtained a warrant for Williams.

At approximately 3:01 a.m. Tuesday, deputies made contact with Williams and transported her to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Sadi Paige Taylor, 25, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:48 p.m. Monday on a warrant alleging disturbing the peace (fighting). Taylor was released on a $1,000 bond.

--Dowayne Charlot, 49, Patterson, was arrested at 12:07 a.m. Tuesday on an Morgan City Police Department warrant. Charlot was transferred to another agency.

--Amber Fendley, 40, Berwick, was arrested by the Narcotics Section at 12:39 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, taking contraband into a penal institution, possession of drug paraphernalia and obstruction of justice

Bail was set at $36,250.

--Anthony Javier Jiron-Marquez, 20, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:37 p.m. Tuesday on charges of driving while intoxicated, reckless operation (no accident), driving on roadway laned for traffic and no insurance.

Bail was set at $7,500.

--Alexis Osiel Ruiz Torres, 29, Jeanerette, was arrested at 5:15 p.m. Tueday on a charge of unlawful production, manufacturing, distribution or possession of fraudulent documents. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Donald Thomas Dupree, 26, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:04 a.m. Tuesday on an IPSO warrant. Dupree has a hold placed by another agency.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 63 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--Zacolby Granger, 33, Leona Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of contempt of court (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Charles Austin, 45, North 16th Street, Glenmore, was arrested at 9:15 p.m. Monday on a charge of disturbing the peace.

Patterson

Chief Garrett Grogan reported this arrest:

--Kelli M. Melton, 38, Frances Street, Patterson, was arrested at 4:09 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of battery on a police officer. Melton was incarcerated at the Patterson PD Jail with no bond set.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported that the Franklin Police Department responded to 10 calls for service over the last 24 hour reporting period and made this arrest:

--Breyonna Verret, 24, Cynthia Street, Franklin, was arrested at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of criminal trespassing. Verret was booked, processed and released on a $500 bond.