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(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.)
Staff Report
Area law enforcement agencies made 12 drug-related arrests late last week, including three more in a recent string of methamphetamine possession and distribution cases.
Morgan City
Chief James F. Blair reports that over the last 24-hour period the Morgan City Police Department responded to 26 calls for service. The following people were arrested beginning Thursday:
—Troy A. Miller, 56, Aruba Drive, Lafayette, was arrested at 6:59 p.m. Thursday on charges of vehicle license required, possession of an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle and possession of methamphetamine.
—Gerald Wayne Crooks, 59, Fourth Street, Morgan City, was arrested Thursday on a warrant domestic abuse battery (felony).
On Thursday, the Morgan City Police Department received information from the Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office about a missing or endangered person. Officers with the Criminal Patrol Division and investigators with the Detective Division open an investigation to locate the victim. Officers were able to find the victim in Morgan City.
Investigators learned the victim’s dating partner had committed a battery on the victim Wednesday.
During the investigation, investigators documented the victim’s injuries and obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect, Crooks. Officers and detectives located Crooks on Fourth Street and placed him under arrest. He was booked and incarcerated at the Morgan City Police Department.
Berwick
Police Chief David Leonard reported this arrest:
—Mark Broussard Jr., 31, Vivian Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 4:43 a.m. Friday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
About 4:23 a.m. Friday, officers conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle. Officers made contact with Broussard, who was a passenger in the vehicle.
During the course of the stop, a K-9 was deployed, and a search of the vehicle was conducted. Following the search, officers located suspected methamphetamine and items of drug paraphernalia inside Broussard’s bag. Broussard was placed under arrest and transported to the Berwick Police Department where he was booked.
Broussard remains incarcerated where he awaits a bond.
Assumption
Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:
—Matthew Joseph Madere, 32, La. 308, Plattenville, was arrested Thursday on charges of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
—Anita Marie Hoffpauir, 31, Main Project Road, Gray, was arrested Thursday on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, driving under suspension and driving on a roadway laned for traffic, and on a fugitive warrant from Lafourche Parish.
—Bruce J. Knockum, 59, Jones Street, Napoleonville, was arrested on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
The arrests arose from a Thursday evening traffic stop on La. 308 in Plattenville..
An I.C.E.-assigned officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation and initiated a stop of that vehicle.
The driver, identified as Hoffpauir, was not in possession of a valid driver’s license. It was determined that Hoffpauir was driving with a suspended driver’s license. Hoffpauir was evasive and consistently attempted to distract the officer.
At some point, a passenger, Madere, advised that he possessed a quantity of methamphetamine.
During follow-up, assorted drug paraphernalia was seized from Hoffpauir and Knockum.
All three suspects were arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center.
Madere remains incarcerated with his bond set at $12,500. Hoffpauir bonded out of Assumption Parish and was transferred to Lafourche Parish. Knockum posted bond.
St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith advises that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 31 complaints and made these arrests:
—Atlas Joseph White, 29, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:36 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of failure to pay registration fee and duty of offenders to notify law enforcement of change of address, residence, or other required information. No bail has been set.
—-Larry Kyle Jr., 48, Bayou Vista, was arrested at 9:15 p.m. Thursday on charges of turning movements and signals required and driving under suspension. Kyle was released on a summons to appear May 24.
—Shawn Case Lovell, 43, Berwick, was arrested at 11:35 p.m. Thursday on a charge of general speed law. Lovell was released on a summons to appear May 24.
—Dominic G. Henry, 52, Franklin, was arrested at 11:37 p.m. Thursday on charges of improper lane usage and possession of drug paraphernalia. Henry was released on a summons to appear May 24.
—Darnell Henry, 19, Franklin, was arrested at 11:35 p.m. Thursday on a charge of possession of marijuana. Henry was released on a summons to appear May 24.
—Earl Carlos, 38, Franklin, was arrested at 3:14 a.m. Friday on a charge of domestic abuse battery.  Bail was set at $2,500.
 —Harry Pierre III, 37, Breaux Bridge, at 6:37 p.m. Thursday by the Narcotics Section on charges of possession of MDMA (ecstasy) and possession of cocaine. No bail has been set.
—Bambie B. Segura, 46, Franklin, was arrested at 9:23 p.m. Thursday by the Narcotics Section on a charge of possession of marijuana. Segura was released on a summons to appear May 24.
Franklin
Police Chief Morris Beverly reported these arrests:
—Zariq Perry, 20, of Pine Street, Franklin, was arrested at 10:57 p.m. Thursday on charges of texting while driving, seat belt, expired motor vehicle inspection sticker, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Perry was booked, processed, and released on a $4,500.00 bond.
—Rebecca Causer, 48, of Robert Street, Franklin, was arrested at 11:31 a.m. Thurday on charges of reckless operation, driver’s license not on person and failure to carry registration on person.
Causer was additionally arrested on a warrant dated Feb. 4 for possession of crack cocaine.
Causer was booked, processed and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.
 —Katyre White, 27, of First St., Franklin, LA, was arrested on February 4, 2021, at 4:33 PM, on a warrant dated November 30, 2020 on the charges of reckless operation of vehicle, aggravated flight from an officer, and stop sign violation.
White was additionally arrested on warrants for the 16th Judicial District Court for failure to appear on the charges of possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to display license plate, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and resisting an officer.
White was booked, processed, and release on a $9,500.00 bond.

For those of you who keep a vegetable garden, it’s time to get those potatoes in the ground. Potatoes are easy to cultivate and provide many essential vitamins such as calcium, iron, vitamins B6 and C, and potassium. They also provide dietary fiber, some protein and prebiotic resistant starch to boot.
Potatoes can be started in Louisiana as early as mid-January in the south and throughout the month of February. The window we like to tell people to work with is Jan. 15 to Feb. 15. North Louisiana should start a few weeks after the rest of the state.
Potatoes originated in South America — not in Ireland like many folks may believe from folk tales. According to Potatoes USA, the earliest known history of the potato dates to 8,000 to 5,000 B.C. with the Inca of Peru. When Spanish conquistadors conquered Peru, they carried potatoes back to Europe, where Sir Walter Raleigh eventually introduced them to Ireland in 1589.
The colonies of early America received their first potatoes in 1621 in Jamestown, Virginia, and the first potato farmers were thought to be Scotch-Irish immigrants.
Fun fact: The first vegetable grown in space was the potato.
Potatoes are the world’s fourth largest food crop following rice, wheat and corn, and they are an important agricultural crop in Louisiana — although maybe not as important as Louisiana sweet potatoes. Potatoes are very easy to grow and have very few problems.
Potatoes are a cool-season vegetable great for growing in late winter into the spring. The edible portion of the plant grows underground and is known as a tuber.
According to AgCenter vegetable specialist Kiki Fontenot, there are several good varieties to choose from that you can typically find in local nurseries. For a good white potato with brown skin, she recommends Kennbec because it is reliable and easy to find. She also recommends red-skinned varieties Red LaSoda and La Rouge, and for yellow potatoes, she says Yukons are the best. There’s also LaChipper, a white-skinned potato.
Be sure to use certified seed potatoes, which are generally more disease resistant and reliable. Before planting, cut the potatoes into smaller portions and allow them to heal over for 24 to 48 hours before planting.
The bigger the piece, the better. Make sure you cut the potatoes to contain at least one eye or bud from which the new plant will grow. Aim for two to four eyes. Plant in full sun in loose, well-drained soils to avoid root rot.
To plant, dig a shallow trench about 4 inches deep, place seed potatoes about 12 inches apart and then cover completely. Plants do not necessarily have to be planted eyes-up, as the shoots will find their way to the surface no matter what. Mulch heavily with leaves or other straw material to prevent weeds. Avoid using herbicides. Plants will grow 2 to 4 feet in height above ground.
Well-drained soils with good organic matter and adequate water is all you need. Use a preplant slow release 13-13-13 general fertilizer followed by another light application after plants bloom. Potatoes prefer more acidic soils with a pH of about 5.5, but will tolerate slightly higher levels up to 7. Organic fertilizers and compost are another great amendment to provide nutrients.
Potatoes also can be seeded in containers. Use 5-gallon or larger containers to allow tubers to form. Use a good potting media for best growth.
Potatoes are susceptible to plant pathogens such as early blight and late blight, the two most common diseases. Both can be controlled with good cultural practices such as avoiding overhead watering and keeping foliage dry. Fungicides containing the active ingredients chlorothalonil, copper and mancozeb also work.
Aphids and a few other insects can be controlled with horticultural oil. The Colorado potato beetle can be controlled with an organic pesticide containing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt).
Tubers begin to form when plants start to flower. A light frost should not hurt the plants, and a hard freeze will only affect the tops of the plants and delay the harvest.
When leaves begin to turn yellow and die — about 90 to 100 days after seeding — the plants have reached maturity and are ready for harvest.
To check for maturity, Fontenot suggests digging a few tubers and rubbing your thumb across the potato to see if its skin slips off easily. If it does, the potato is not ready. Wait several days before digging if possible.
To harvest, dig wide to avoid damaging potatoes in the soil, and use a spade or shovel to dig near the drip line of the plant. Gently pull the plants by their tops and shake soil from the potatoes.
Store potatoes in a cool, dark place (above 40 degrees) with high humidity. Ideal storage conditions are 60 to 65 degrees with 85% relative humidity for 10 days. Store long-term thereafter at 40 to 45 degrees. Properly stored potatoes can be planted again in mid-August through mid-September.

From Louisiana State Police:

Amber Alert - CANCELED
Update – The Amber Alert issued on behalf of the New Iberia Police Department has been canceled. Jalisa Lassalle has been located in St. Martin Parish and is being evaluated by medical personnel. One subject is in custody for her disappearance. The investigation is ongoing and further inquiries should be directed to the New Iberia Police Department.

Ochsner Health has announced community COVID-19 testing in the Bayou region the week of Feb. 8. Testing is available to those age 2 and older who wish to know their COVID-19 status.

Members of the community who wish to be tested should bring an ID and insurance card, if applicable. There are no out-of-pocket costs for those seeking a test and no one will be turned away based on their insurance status. Testing is available at the times listed below or until all test kits have been utilized.

Please find the testing location details below. Testing schedules are subject to change due to weather.

Monday, February 8
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Des Allemands Volunteer Fire Station
4062 Hwy 90 East
Des Allemands, LA 70030
2 – 6 p.m.
Ochsner St. Mary
1151 Marguerite St., Suite 400
Morgan City, LA 70380

Tuesday, February 9
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Beacon Light Baptist Church of Houma
4325 W. Park Ave.
Gray, LA 70359

Thursday, February 11
9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Lafourche Crossing Fire Station
691 Hwy 308
Thibodaux, LA 70301

Community members will receive test results via MyChart patient portal or by phone. Those who test positive will have the opportunity to participate in Ochsner’s 14-day symptom tracker program designed for COVID-19 patients who do not require hospital care. Participants receive daily text messages to monitor symptoms and can be connected to our 24/7 nurse on-call line for additional support.

In addition to offering community testing, Ochsner has the following resources available:

• Call the free Ochsner information line at 844-888-2772 for 24/7 advice and COVID-19 information
• Established Ochsner patients can schedule a video visit with their provider and send secure messages via MyOchsner
• New patients can see a provider over video through www.ochsner.org/virtualvisits or via the Ochsner Anywhere Care app.