RSS Feed

St. Mary Council on Aging adapts to pandemic

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:34am

BILL DECKER

FRANKLIN — The St. Mary Council on Aging scrambled to adapt to pandemic rules but still managed to provide thousands of meals to homebound seniors, Executive Director Beverly Domengeaux told the Parish Council on Wednesday.
The council is short of staffers for meal delivery, Domengeaux said, and Councilman James Bennett offered to get in touch with Morgan City officials to provide some help.
The council’s 2020 fiscal year ran from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020. And for the first seven months, the council performed its mission of running senior centers and delivering meals on weekdays.
Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, Domengeaux said. Gov. John Bel Edwards’ mitigation measures closed the senior centers but classified the home meal deliveries as an essential service that could continue.
That meant the council had to find masks, gloves and gowns for drivers and change procedures to prevent direct contact with the senior clients.
Despite the challenges, the council delivered 50,897 hot meals during the fiscal year and 6,215 holiday and weekend meals. Domengeaux praised council employees.
“Not one of them has missed a day,” she said, drawing a round of applause from the council.
But “we still have a waiting list,” Domengeaux said. “I’m short of staff. I need drivers.”
The parish government and other local governments support the council financially. For the 2019-20 year, the council has received its 16th straight positive audit, Domengeaux said. The council had revenue of more than $618,000 and expenses of more than $570,000 for the fiscal year.
“I’m proud to say I still have money in the bank,” Domengeaux said.
The council also delivered 100 donated heaters and blankets to local seniors, she said.

M.E. Norman Student of the Year

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:26am

Submitted Photo
Whitley Berry has been named Student of the Year at M.E. Norman Elementary for 2020-21. Whitley is the daughter of Jason and Emily Berry. She's a fifth-grader in teacher Shannon Duplantis' class.

ARTHUR JAMES THOMPSON III

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:24am

Arthur James Thompson III, 69, a native and resident of Terrebonne Parish, died Friday, Jan. 8, 2021.
Visitation was Friday from 8 a.m. until services at 10 a.m. at Jones Funeral Home in Houma. Burial followed in Combon Cemetery.
He is survived by his sons, David Thompson of Patterson, Arthur Thompson IV, Troy Thompson and Derrion Moore; daughters, Neka Thompson of Patterson and Sierra Thompson; 15 grandchildren; brothers, Peter Thompson and Ray Thompson; sisters, Jeanette Small, Ann Jackson, Malissa Wolfe and Rosalie Little; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers, son, and paternal and maternal grandparents.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

RUBY LEE BROWN COLLINS

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:22am

Ruby Lee Brown Collins, 85, a native and resident of Morgan City, died Monday, Jan. 25, 2021, at The Carpenter House of St. Joseph Hospice - Lafayette.
Visitation will be Saturday from 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church in Morgan City. Masks and social distancing required. Services accessible on funeral home Facebook page. Burial will follow in Morgan City Cemetery.
She is survived by three children, Oscar Living Jr. of Morgan City, Melba Morse of Lafayette and Gerald Collins Sr. of New Iberia; a brother, Lionel Brown of Thibodaux; 10 grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, a brother and grandmother.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

HOWARD RAY PARSON

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:16am

Howard Ray Parson, 68, a native of Bastrop and resident of Patterson, died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, at Ochsner Medical Center - Jefferson Campus.
Visitation will be Monday from 11 a.m. until services at noon at Jones Funeral Home in Morgan City. Masks and social distancing required. Burial will follow in New Salem Cemetery in Patterson.
He is survived by two sons, Anthony Variet of Patterson and Levar Variet of Opelousas; two daughters, Sharon Variet of Rayne and Brittany Variet of New Iberia; three brothers, Mack Parson and Charles Parson, both of Bastrop, and Henry Parson of Kansas City, Missouri; two sisters, Rosie Kingyon of Kansas City, Missouri and Queen Lewis of Bastrop; 12 grandchildren; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

HERBERT ANTHONY ESTAY SR.

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:11am

July 15, 1947 — January 21, 2021
Herbert Anthony Estay Sr. passed away at the age of 73 on Thursday, January 21, 2021, at Ochsner St. Mary in Morgan City.
Herbert was born on July 15, 1947, in Morgan City and was a longtime resident of Patterson. He was one of six children born to Lloyd Estay Sr. and Doris Hebert Estay. Herbert proudly served his country in the United States Navy having served during the Vietnam War.
He is survived by his son, Herbert A. Estay Jr. and his wife Kathryn; his grandchildren, Estelle, Audrey, Abigail, Hannah, Eleanor and Kate Estay; his sister, Sandra Estay Diringer; his sisters-in-law, Emma Leger Estay and Evelyn Rockenbaugh Estay; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd Estay Sr. and Doris Hebert Estay; four brothers, John L. Estay, Ronald L. Estay, Lloyd F. Estay Jr. and Floyd J. Estay Sr.; his paternal grandparents, Gilbert Estay and Marguerite Legendre Estay; his maternal grandparents, Herbert Hebert and Celezie LaGrange Hebert; and his brother-in-law, Tom Diringer.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, February 2, 2021, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Patterson during a 9 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial, with Father Herb Bennerfield officiating. He will be laid to rest with Military Honors in the St. Joseph Cemetery.
A gathering of family and friends will be held Monday, February 1, 2021 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at Ibert’s Mortuary in Patterson, with the Holy Rosary being prayed at 7 p.m.
Family and friends may view the obituary online by visiting www.iberts.com and are encouraged to share their condolences, cherished memories, love, and support for the family.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert’s Mortuary, Inc., 1111 Lia Street, Patterson, LA 70392, (985) 395-7873.

More of new COVID strain turns up in Louisiana

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:10am

DAVID JACOBS, The Center Square

Three cases of a new, more contagious variant of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Louisiana, state officials said Thursday.
Two of the cases are from the New Orleans region and one is from southwest Louisiana.
Another 14 suspected cases of the new variant have been identified but not yet confirmed.
The new strain was first identified in the United Kingdom and could be the dominant version in the United States by March.
Pfizer and Moderna say their COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the new strain, but it’s unclear whether this new version carries a higher risk of serious complications.
For now, federal health experts have not recommended that state officials change any of their coronavirus mitigation restrictions in response to new strains, Gov. John Bel Edwards said.
Recent spikes in case growth, hospitalizations and the proportion of tests coming back positive have leveled off though the numbers remain too high, officials said.
“The cases are coming down a little bit,” Dr. Joseph Kanter with the Louisiana Department of Health said.
“The trajectory is encouraging, but we’re awfully high.”
The federal government plans to send 67,350 COVID-19 vaccine doses to Louisiana next week, up from 58,150 doses this week.
Edwards said he expected the state to continue to receive the higher number for at least the next few weeks.
Almost 400,000 vaccine doses have been administered in Louisiana so far, and almost 2,000 vaccine providers have been enrolled in the state program, according to the health department.
No more than a few hundred providers have gotten new vaccines to distribute at any one time because of the limited supply.
Federal officials say they will begin giving states three weeks of data about how many doses they can expect to get, which should help with distribution planning, Edwards said.
Officials previously were only telling states how many doses they could expect to get the next week.
Kanter spent part of Edwards’ weekly COVID-19 response emphasizing basic facts about the vaccines, such as:
The mRNA technology behind the vaccines is not new.
While these are the first mRNA vaccines, the basic technology has been used to treat many diseases including cancer.
The vaccines cannot give the recipient COVID-19. There is no live coronavirus in the vaccines.
The vaccines cannot alter a recipient’s DNA. In fact, it never even enters the nucleus of a recipient’s cell.
There is no evidence the vaccines can affect a woman’s fertility, and there is no plausible

IRS has tips to follow before you file your taxes

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:08am

Following an unpredictable year with many changes and challenges, the Internal Revenue Service shared reminders for taxpayers who are about to file their 2020 federal tax returns.
Choose direct deposit
The safest, most accurate and fastest way to get a refund is to electronically file and choose direct deposit. Direct deposit means any tax refund is electronically deposited for free into a taxpayer’s financial account.
Eight out of 10 taxpayers get their refunds by using direct deposit. It is simple, safe and secure. This is the same electronic transfer system used to deposit nearly 98% of all Social Security and Veterans Affairs benefits into millions of accounts.
Earned Income Credit
The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) can give qualifying workers with low-to-moderate income a substantial financial boost. EITC not only reduces the amount of tax someone owes but may give them a refund even if they don’t owe any taxes or aren’t required to file a return.
People must meet certain requirements and file a federal tax return in order to receive this credit. The EITC assistant on IRS.gov can help people determine if they qualify.
The IRS reminds taxpayers that they may elect to use their 2019 earned income to figure the EITC if their 2019 earned income is more than their 2020 earned income.
Unemployment
Millions of Americans received unemployment compensation in 2020, many of them for the first time. This compensation is taxable and must be included as gross income on their tax return.
Taxpayers can elect to have federal taxes withheld from their unemployment benefits or make estimated tax payments, but many do not take these options. In that case, taxes on those benefits will be paid when the 2020 tax return is filed. Taxes can be paid throughout the year. For safe and secure ways to pay taxes electronically go to IRS.gov/payments.
Taxpayers can find more details on taxable unemployment compensation in Tax Topic 418, Unemployment Compensation, or in Publication 525, Taxable and Nontaxable Income, on IRS.gov.
Taxable interest
Many individual taxpayers who received a refund on their 2019 tax returns also received interest from the IRS. The interest payments were largely the result of the postponed filing deadline of July 15 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2019 refund interest payments are taxable, and taxpayers must report the interest on their 2020 federal income tax return.
The IRS will send a Form 1099-INT to anyone who receives interest totaling at least $10. The average refund interest amount is $18, but the amount for each taxpayer varies based on the tax refund that the taxpayer received.
Home office
The home office deduction is available to qualifying self-employed taxpayers, independent contractors and those working in the gig economy.
However, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act suspended the business-use-of-home deduction from 2018 through 2025 for employees. Employees who receive a paycheck or a W-2 exclusively from an employer are not eligible for the deduction, even if they are currently working from home.
Gig economy
Many people found different employment in 2020, including jobs in the gig economy. Taxpayers must report income earned in the gig economy on their tax return. The IRS encourages people earning income in the gig economy to consider making quarterly estimated tax payments to stay current with their federal tax obligations.
Charity
Individuals who take the standard deduction generally cannot claim a deduction for their charitable contributions. However, the CARES Act permits these individuals to claim a limited deduction on their 2020 federal income tax returns for cash contributions made to certain qualifying charitable organizations and still claim the standard deduction.
Before making a donation, the IRS reminds people they can check the special Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) tool on IRS.gov to make sure the organization is eligible for tax-deductible donations.
Under this change, individuals can claim a deduction of up to $300 for cash contributions made to qualifying charities during 2020. This deduction does not apply to donated property. The maximum deduction is $150 for married individuals filing separate returns. More information is available in Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, on IRS.gov.
Disasters such as wildfires, flooding or hurricanes
Special tax law provisions may help taxpayers and businesses recover financially from the impact of a disaster, especially when the federal government declares their location to be a major disaster area. Some 2020 tax deadlines in certain counties have been extended into 2021 due to recent wildfires, hurricanes or flooding.

High and dry

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 11:05am

The Daily Review/Bill Decker
A solitary gull has no trouble keeping his feet dry Monday as he looks over Berwick Bay. Recent forecasts said high water in the Red and Ouachita rivers would work its way into the lower Atchafalaya, ending a prolonged period of low water. But early Thursday afternoon, the river at Morgan City was at 2.08 feet, or nearly 4 feet below the nominal flood stage. The forecast into early next week is for nothing higher than 2.5 feet.

Sheriff: Patterson man arrested after 111 mph trip near Amelia

Fri, 01/29/2021 - 10:59am

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 Patterson man is accused of battery against Assumption Parish deputies, even in a hospital, after his vehicle was clocked at 111 mph zone near Amelia, according to police reports.
Assumption
Sheriff Leland Falcon reported this arrest:
—Jeremy Lynn Windam, 35, U.S. 90 West, Patterson, was arrested Wednesday on charges of reckless operation of a motor vehicle, speeding, obstructing public passages, possession of alcoholic beverages in a motor vehicle, two counts of battery of a police officer and simple assault.
A uniformed patrol deputy clocked a vehicle at 111 mph in a 70 mph zone on U.S. 90 near Amelia.
The deputy was able to stop the vehicle. As the deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Windam, the suspect immediately became confrontational and appeared to be impaired.
The suspect was arrested and later transferred to a hospital, and he again became irate and non-compliant. Windam was again subdued but in the process committed multiple batteries upon deputies.
At the conclusion of the investigation, Windam was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center pending a bond hearing.
St. Mary
Sheriff Blaise Smith advises that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff’s Office responded to 23 complaints and made this arrest:
—Emoen James Poole, 20, Morgan City, was arrested at 8:02 a.m. Wednesday on charges of reckless operation with accident and no insurance. Poole was released on a summons to appear April 27.
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:
—Dylan Joshua Houck, 22, La. 182, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:08 a.m. Wednesday on a domestic abuse battery charge and on a warrant for domestic abuse battery.
Officers were called to an address on La. 182 for a domestic disturbance. They learned Houck had committed a battery on a domestic partner.
A warrant check revealed the Morgan City Police Department held an active warrant from Jan. 8 complaint filed with the Morgan City Police Department. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarcerated.
Franklin
Police Chief Morris Beverly reported that his department responded to five complaints in 24 hours and made the following arrest:
—Jarmontay Roberson, 26, James Street, Franklin, was arrested at 9:04 a.m. Wednesday, on a warrant for the 16th Judicial District Court for failure to appear on the charge of simple criminal damage to property and on a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court for failure to appear on the charges of disturbing the peace (language) and resisting an officer.
Roberson was additionally arrested on a warrant for the Baldwin Police Department for criminal damage to property. Roberson was booked, processed and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center.
St. Martin
Sheriff Becket Breaux reported these arrests:
—Travis Angelle, 47, Bernard Street, Breaux Bridge, was arrested Tuesday by the Henderson Police Department on a charge of simple battery of the infirm.
—Tanya Buxton, 28, Lindsey Street, Breaux Bridge, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for failure to appear.
—Kerry Oppenheimer, 51, Emery Lewis, New Iberia, was arrested Tuesday on a hold for a probation violation.
—Blaze Weatherly, 27, Nina Highway, Breaux Bridge, was arrested Tuesday on charges of violation of a protective order. on a warrant for failure to appear.