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Morgan City native Lee Romaire accepted an observation from his brother about his year-two additions in 2019 to the City of Morgan City’s Christmas display as a challenge.
Now, in 2020, he hopes to deliver, literally.
Romaire owns Romaire Studios in Los Angeles, where he makes props and characters, among other things, for such companies as Disney and Universal Studios. He has donated items to the city’s Christmas display at the Spirit of Morgan City shrimp boat during the last two years.
The new work will be unveiled at the annual lighting event at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Spirit of Morgan City shrimp boat.
Two years ago, he came with “reingators,” Santa Claus and elves along with wrapped foam presents for a Cajun-themed Christmas look.
Last year, a long-term solution for the presents that would survive the outdoor elements was added as 34 presents made of fiberglass replaced the presents from the first year.
While the first two years of additions were part of what Romaire envisioned as about a five-year project, he received some motivation for his next contribution when his brother, Ricky Romaire, told him that the stacks of presents didn’t look as big in year two as they had been in year one.
“So I took that as a challenge,” Lee said, “and I decided to really go over the top this year.”
His finished product, which will arrive in Morgan City by Wednesday morning via flatbed truck and will be assembled Wednesday, will be unveiled to the public Thursday evening during the city’s annual lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.
The newest additions include a “live” cypress tree named “Mother Christmas,” which Romaire said is symbolic of the lumber industry present in the area many years ago.
“She was sculpted traditionally very quick,” Romaire said. “I think we did it in three weeks, and she is going to be sitting on the back of the boat.”
Other new additions will be 52 more fiberglass presents and toys. Large stacks of presents will be on top of the shrimp boat and in the back.
“So it should be much more elaborate than it was last year,” he said.
Romaire said Mother Christmas is made from foam and a touch of fiber glass and has an epoxy coating.
“We made every single branch by hand,” he said. “We tied the individual cypress leaves on the trees. Everything is fake except for the moss that’s going to be on her.”
Some of the moss came from the area, while some also was obtained from Los Angeles craft stores.
Romaire said the additions were completed in recent months. He said it took about a month to construct the presents.
“Mother Christmas is an amazing addition to this unique Cajun Christmas display, which we look forward to seeing every year,” Morgan City Mayor Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi said in a Romaire Studios news release about the project. “We’re very grateful to Lee Romaire and Romaire Studios for what has quickly become an iconic symbol of Morgan City. People come to visit from all over to take pictures, make memories and feel the spirit of Christmas —Louisiana style — at the Spirit of Morgan City.”
Romaire said “it’s really awesome” to see children excited about this display, explaining that when he was a child, he was excited about seeing Santa Claus and the reindeer displayed on the shrimp boat.
“I love seeing the kids enjoy it and adults also,” he said. “It brings out the kid in adults as well, so that’s fun to see. Everybody gets excited about it. Everybody’s proud of it, and people come from all over the place to come see it, so I love it. I think it’s fun.”
Next, Romaire said he is working on lighting for the display. He said he has contracted a Los Angeles design company who does themed lighting to assemble a package for the display. Fundraising will ensue to pay for it.
Interactive lighting where lights will move when children approach the display is being designed.
“So it’ll be pretty neat,” Romaire said.

Dawn Michelle Bernard Price, 53, a resident of Berwick, passed away on Monday, November 23, 2020 at her home.
Dawn was born on April 8, 1967 in Morgan City, the daughter of Burnice 'Shane' Bernard and Christine Aucoin.
Dawn was a wonderful cook and enjoyed cooking for her family. She loved the time she was able to spend with her
family, and cherished the moments she was able to spend with her grandchildren.
She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by two children, Daniel 'Drew' Sheffield and wife Sheri Rae of
Ocean Springs, Mississippi and Austin D. Price of Berwick; her mother, Christine Aucoin Bourgeois and husband
Mike of Berwick; her father, Burnice 'Shane' Bernard of Lafayette; five grandchildren, Aubreigh Claire Sheffield, twins
Beaux and Drew Sheffield, Wyatt Shepardson and Anna Shepardson; grandmother Ruby Deslatte Aucoin of Patterson;
God Parents Kenny and Judy Alfred; aunt Iris LeBlanc; two uncles, Eric Aucoin wife Bonnie of Lake Charles, Kerry
Aucoin wife Dianne of Donner, numerous cousins and friends.
Dawn was preceded in death by her maternal grandfather August Aucoin and paternal grandparents.
Funeral services will be held at 1:00PM on Saturday, November 28, 2020 at Twin City Funeral Home with Monsignor
J. Douglas Courville officiating.  A visitation will be held from 11:00 AM until the time of service.  Following services,
Dawn will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Cemetery.

Bollinger Shipyards LLC on Monday delivered the Bayou Teche flood gate to St. Mary Parish Levee District.
The steel flood gate, measuring 84 feet long, 40 feert wide and 19 feet high, is designed for a 25-year rain event and to provide flood risk reduction for a 10-foot storm surge.
The Bollinger-built gate is the heart of the Bayou Teche Flood Control Structure project announced in January of this year.
“Bollinger is proud to play a role in helping to protect the homes, businesses and communities along Bayou Teche,” said Ben Bordelon, president and CEO of Bollinger Shipyards. “After what has been a particularly tough 2020 storm season for south Louisiana, it’s important to get projects like this completed before next season so folks can have peace of mind.”
The Bayou Teche Flood Control Structure is designed to reduce the risk of heavy rain event and hurricane storm surge flooding when water comes through the Charenton Canal into Bayou Teche.
It is located where the Charenton Canal meets Bayou Teche and will consist of a levee section from the northward high ground across the old Bayou Teche through Victory Island and across to the east side of the Bayou Teche.
The structure will protect an area containing 6,500 properties and the 13,500 people that reside there.
The Bayou Teche Flood Control Structure is the first of two projects Bollinger is contracted to build for the St. Mary Parish Levee District and the fifth overall flood control structure built by Bollinger Shipyards.
“I’m proud of our team at Bollinger Shipyards’ Amelia facility,"Bordelon said. "With six named hurricanes impacting the Gulf region and the COVID-19 global pandemic, they remained steady and were able to safely deliver a high-quality product despite facing some serious adversity. I’m also thankful for our partnership with Sealevel Construction and St. Mary Parish Levee District.”
The project is being funded partially by a grant from the Louisiana Department of Transportation “Louisiana State Wide Flood Control Program” and the St. Mary Parish Levee District.
Bollinger Shipyards LLC (www.bollingershipyards.com) is a designer and builder of high performance military patrol boats, ocean-going double hull barges, offshore oil field support vessels, tugboats, rigs, lift boats, inland waterways push boats, barges, and other steel and aluminum products from its new construction shipyards as part of the U. S. industrial base.
Bollinger has 10 shipyards, all strategically located throughout Louisiana.

Marijuana discovered after a traffic stop, a Henderson man arrested on gun and marijuana charges, and a Berwick woman arrested after ignoring a police warning topped the list of the region’s arrests Monday and Tuesday, local authorities said.

St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported these arrests:

—Javondalous Barnes, 24, New Iberia, was arrested at 9:30 a.m. Monday on charges of possession of mariju-and improper lane usage.
Barnes was released on a summons to appear in court Feb. 23.

—Earl Michael Simmons, 51, Morgan City, was arrested at 9:17 p.m. Monday on charges of domestic abuse battery (misdemeanor) and resisting arrest/officer.

Simmons was booked into St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. Bond is set at $5,000.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Becket Breaux reported this arrest:

—Dayloud Lee, 21, Huval Street, Henderson, was arrested by the Henderson Police Department on charges of illegal carrying of a weapon, possession of a firearm while committing or attempting a crime, and possession of marijuana.

Berwick Police Chief David Leonard reported this arrest:

Jada L. Williams, 19, Texas Street, Berwick, was at 10:30 p.m. Monday on a charge of disturbing the peace.

About 9:49 p.m. Monday, officers responded to a residence on Texas Street in reference to a disturbance. Williams was identified as one of the subjects involved.

Williams was warned that if she created another disturbance, she would be subject to arrest. At 10:18 p.m.officers were called back to the residence in reference to Williams causing another disturbance.

Officers learned that she was yelling profanities and was punching a wall inside of the home. Williams was placed under arrest and booked into the Berwick Jail, where she remains in lieu of a $176 bond.

Franklin Police Chief Morris Beverly reported this arrest:

—Dereke Guilbeau, 23, of Hamm Street, Franklin, was arrested at 1 a.m. Tuesday on the charge of interfering with a law enforcement investigation. Guilbeau was booked, processed and released on a $500 bond.