Submitted Photo
Morgan City Rotary Club members heard recently from J.T. Terrell, Nicholls State athletic director, at a recent luncheon. Pictured are members of the Atchafalaya Colonels, Morgan City Rotary, area high schools, football coach Tim Rebowe and Terrell.
In addition to Cleco personnel, the company has secured additional distribution line mechanics and distribution vegetation specialists ahead of Hurricane Zeta’s expected landfall. Zeta remains on track to make landfall as a Category 1 Hurricane in southeast Louisiana on tomorrow, according to the latest weather forecast.
“As of today, we have secured over 200 contractors to help us restore power if needed, and we’re currently working to secure additional resources. We look at the intensity and path of a storm to estimate the number of workers we need,” said James Lass, director of distribution operations and emergency management. “Our customers in St. Tammany and Washington parishes should be prepared for heavy rainfall, damaging winds, isolated tornadoes and power outages.”
Hurricane Zeta threatens to be the fifth named storm to make landfall in Louisiana this hurricane season, joining Cristobal, Laura, Marco and Delta.
“This has been a record-setting hurricane season. If Hurricane Zeta continues on its current path, it will be the third hurricane to hit Cleco’s service area in less than two months,” said Lass. “However, we’re prepared. We prepare year-round because experience has taught us that preparation can save lives and lessen damage. We encourage customers to make their final preparations today.”
To prepare for the storm:
Cleco activated its storm teams on Monday.
In addition to Cleco personnel, the company has secured over 200 additional workers to help restore power after Hurricane Zeta passes.
Cleco also has secured lodging for out-of-town workers and planned for fuel and specialized equipment like drones, off-road and high-water vehicles.
To help keep employees and customers safe, some Cleco customer service offices will be closed Wednesday.
Covington, Mandeville and Slidell customer service offices will be closed Wednesday, Oct. 28.
Cleco has 13 customer service offices across the state.
Customers are encouraged to:
Prepare a storm kit. Gather supplies you might need during a power outage, including a flashlight, batteries, canned food, manual can opener, bottled water, medication and a first aid kit.
Clear patio furniture and other objects that could move during high winds and cause damage or injury.
Charge cell phones, tablets and laptops.
Test run portable generators. Do not connect portable generators to your electrical wiring and never operate a generator in an enclosed space like a garage.
If water is getting close to your home or business, turn off individual breakers and then turn off the electricity at the main breaker.
Remember to call 911 and Cleco at 1-800-622-6537 to report an unsafe situation involving electricity.
For additional storm preparation and safety tips, visit cleco.com and follow us on Facebook at @ClecoPower.
The VFW Post 4222 has been going in our neighborhoods and presented a “Certificate of Thanks” to the neighbors that are flying our flag. "As veterans we are very thankful and proud to see these Flag being flown," members of the post said. "We will continue present them for the rest of the year."
Submitted Photos
John Blank Sports-man Park
Welsh
Oct. 24
Class A
First place, Tim Gil-more, Bayou Vista, 5 wins-1 loss, 62.1 ringer percentage; second place, 2nd Place, Ron Smith, Lake Charles, 4-2, 36.3; and third place, Mary Begnaud, Lacassine, 3-2, 33.5.
After a tie in regulation play, Gilmore defeated Smith in a 40-shoe playoff game to claim Class and Tournament Champion-ship.
Class B
First, Danny Navarre, Carlyss, 4-1, 32.5; second, Larry Pertuit, Marrero, 3-2, 19.5; and third, Sharla Fontenot, Lacassine, 3-2, 36.5.
Class C
First, Benita Williams, Lake Charles, 5-1, 7.5; second, Joseph Thomas IV, Erwinville, 4-2, 13.0; and third, Ruby Navarre, Carlyss, 3-2, 8.1.
After a tie in regular play, Williams defeated Thomas in a 40-shoe playoff game to claim class title.
M C Bank employees donated Hurricane Delta relief supplies to Creole. The employees thanked the Clements Family for delivering the goods.
Bollinger Shipyards LLC has delivered the USCGC Charles Moulthrope to the U.S. Coast Guard in Key West, Florida. This is the 164th vessel Bollinger has delivered to the U.S. Coast Guard over a 35-year period and the 41st Fast Response Cutter (“FRC”) delivered under the current program.
The USCGC Charles Moulthrope is the first of six FRCs to be home-ported in Manama, Bahrain, which will replace the aging 110’ Island Class Patrol Boats, built by Bollinger Shipyards 30 years ago, supporting the Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA), the U.S. Coast Guard’s largest overseas presence outside the United States.
“Bollinger is proud to continue enhancing and supporting the U.S. Coast Guard’s operational presence around the world by delivering the UUSCGC Charles Moulthrope,” said Bollinger President & C.E.O. Ben Bordelon. “It is our top priority to ensure that the brave men and women of the Coast Guard stationed in PATFORSWA have the most state-of-the-art, advanced vessels as they work to build and maintain the necessary regional alliances to ensure maritime security in the region. Building ships for the Coast Guard provides critical assets to bolster our national security and advance America’s interests, both at home and abroad.”
At a PATFORSWA change of command ceremony earlier in the summer, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Commander Vice Adm. Steven D. Poulin emphasized the importance of the unit, saying, “During these historical times it is important, now more than ever, that we maintain maritime security operations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. [PATFORSWA is] pushing forward into the unknown to protect American interests in the region.”
PATFORSWA Commander Capt. Willie L. Carmichael echoed Poulin’s comments, saying PATFORSWA “plays a key role in maritime security, maritime infrastructure protection, theater security cooperation, and counter-smuggling opera-=tions.”
PATFORSWA is composed of six cutters, shoreside support personnel, and the Maritime Engagement Team. The unit’s mission is to train, organize, equip, support and deploy combat-ready Coast Guard Forces in support of U.S. Central Command and national security objectives. PATFORSWA works with Naval Forces Central Command in furthering their goals to conduct persistent maritime operations to forward U.S. interests, deter and counter disruptive countries, defeat violent extremism and strengthen partner nations’ maritime capabilities in order to promote a secure maritime environment.
Bordelon continued, “The FRC hot production line continues to produce and provide stability in the industrial base for the U.S. Government and our Bollinger workforce, assuring economic benefit for our region, our vendor partners in the 40-plus states that support the FRC program, and our country.”
The last 20 weeks of the USCGC Charles Moulthrope build occurred despite the COVID-19 global pandemic and six named storms impacting the Gulf region, all of which affected Louisiana and two of which made landfall in the state as hurricanes, including Hurricane Laura – a Category 4 storm and the strongest to hit the state since the Great Storm of 1856. Bollinger undertook precautions to ensure the health and safety of employees and maintain its delivery schedule. For the COVID-19 pandemic, Bollinger increased and enhanced sanitization practices across the shipyard, and enacted more liberal leave and remote work policies as well as altered shift schedules to promote social distancing.
Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished himself or herself in the line of duty. Born in Massachusetts in 1873, Charles Moulthrope was a member of the crew of Revenue Cutter Commodore Perry. Seaman Moulthrope gave his life in the performance of duties in 1896. Moulthrope had previously performed a heroic deed while serving on the Perry. Moulthrope rescued four of his shipmates who had fallen into the sea from the cutter’s launch after they had gone to rescue another crewman, Boatswain Alfred Halfell who had fallen overboard. He grabbed a line and leaped over the side into the freezing water to rescue the four who were rapidly succumbing to hypothermia. Moulthrope worked the line around all four of the sailors and those on board the cutter then pulled the men aboard the Perry.
U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien recently announced plans to conduct a feasibility study on whether to base U.S. Coast Guard Sentinel Class Fast Response Cutters (FRCs) in American Samoa to counter “destabilizing and malign actions” by China in the Indo-Pacific region. Together with the FRCs currently based in Apra Harbor, Guam, these Cutters will help the United States challenge Chinese aggression, maintain the United States’ commitment to peace and prosperity, and ensure that America remains the partner of choice in the region.
“As the Coast Guard continues to evolve to meet the most pressing maritime and national security threats of the day—be it IUU fishing, piracy, drug or human trafficking—a larger fleet and expanded presence of American-made white hulls with red racing stripes around the globe will help further the regional partnerships and alliances necessary to curb the creeping influence of America’s strategic competitors and adversaries and reaffirm its continued leadership and commitment to rules-based order and maritime governance around the world,” said Ben Bordelon, President & C.E.O of Bollinger Shipyards and Chairman of the Shipbuilders Council of America. “Should the proposed feasibility study demonstrate a need for additional FRCs, Bollinger Shipyards and the maritime defense industrial base stand ready to construct and deliver the high-quality and high-endurance vessels necessary to carry out and perform the mission at hand.”
Col. Kevin Reeves has announced his retirement from the Louisiana State Police, after 30 years of service. Reeves has been planning his retirement since last year and it will be effective Friday. A replacement will be named in the coming days, Gov. John Bel Edwards said.
“I am deeply grateful to Col. Reeves for his decades of dedicated service as the consummate law enforcement professional committed to serving and protecting the people of Louisiana. Public safety has always been his highest priority,” Edwards said. “I have appreciated his partnership and counsel for the past several years as Superintendent, especially as Louisiana has navigated cybersecurity incidents, natural disasters, peaceful pro-tests and the COVID pandemic. Throughout his career with Louisiana State Police, from his early time on mo-torcycle patrols to his promotion to Superintendent, Col. Reeves has been a model of professionalism. His expe-rience made him a steady and strong leader in trying times, and I personally thank him and, on behalf of the state of Louisiana, I wish him and his family well in his much-deserved retirement.”
“It has truly been an honor to serve as Superintendent of the Louisiana State Police and Deputy Secretary of the Department of Public Safety,” Col. Reeves said. “I am forever grateful to Governor Edwards for having the faith and confidence in me and, more importantly, for the support he provides the men and women of the Loui-siana State Police. As humbling as this opportunity has been, my greatest professional accomplishment remains the title of Trooper, a title I have the honor of sharing with the over 1,100 men and women who wear our badge. Throughout my career, I have advocated for the men and women of the Louisiana State Police and the heroic work they do each and every day. They will always be family. As I reflect on my career, one thing is for certain, none of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of my family and I look forward to heading back to north Louisiana and spending more time with them.”
Reeves was appointed the 25th Superintendent of the Louisiana State Police in March 2017. Reeves’ career with LSP started in 1990 as a trooper on motorcycle patrols for Troop A in Baton Rouge. His career in the State Police brought him to Troop F in Monroe in 1993, where he served as a squad leader for the mobile field force and as a case agent and undercover agent on many narcotics investigations and operations for the Bureau of Investigations. In 2008, he was promoted to Troop Commander of Troop F before assuming the role of Com-mand Inspector of Patrol Operations and Commander of Statewide Mobile Field Force Team in 2013.
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.
Monday, Oct. 26
6:04 a.m. 700 block of Fifth Street; Suspicious subject.
6:30 a.m. La. 70/U.S. 90; Stalled vehicle.
7:02 a.m. 100 block of Eleventh Street; Medical.
7:22 a.m. 3200 block of Jennie Drive; Alarm.
7:54 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Assistance.
8:29 a.m. 1100 block of Brashear Avenue; 911 hang up.
9:04 a.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Animal complaint.
9:15 a.m. 2000 block of Maple Street; Assistance.
10:09 a.m. 200 block of Union Street; Animal complaint.
10:09 a.m. Brashear Avenue; Animal com-plaint.
10:27 a.m. 2300 block of Cypress Street; Medical.
10:40 a.m. 400 block of Garber Street; Animal complaint.
10:39 a.m. 2400 block of Cypress Street; Dis-turbance.
11:21 a.m. 500 block of Barrow Street; Disturbance.
12:21 p.m. Fifth Street; Assistance.
12:33 p.m. 1000 block of Front Street; Removal of subject.
12:50 p.m. 1000 block of Front Street; Arrest.
1:51 p.m. 200 block of Federal Avenue; Animal complaint.
2:36 p.m. 600 block of First Street; Complaint.
3:02 p.m. 1500 block of Sandra Street; Traffic incident.
3:05 p.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Complaint.
3:13 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Complaint.
3:35 p.m. 900 block of Spruce Street; Juvenile problem.
4:24 p.m. U.S. 90 East; Stalled vehicle.
4:35 p.m. 400 block of Myrtle Street; Complaint.
5:06 p.m. 2400 block of Tiger Drive; Animal complaint.
5:51 p.m. Morgan City Police Department; Complaint.
6:18 p.m. Levee Road; Suspicious vehicle.
6:24 p.m. 1400 block of Sandra Street; Alarm.
6:28 p.m. Federal Avenue and Wise Street; Suspicious person.
6:52 p.m. 400 block of Fourth Street; Juvenile problem.
7:17 p.m. Tiger Stadium; Complaint.
7:47 p.m. La. 182; Complaint.
7:54 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Disturbance.
8:16 p.m. 1400 block of Second Street; Animal.
9:32 p.m. 7400 block of La. 182; Removal of subjects.
9:49 p.m. 3000 block of Carrol Drive; 911 hang up.
10:01 p.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Complaint.
Tuesday, Oct. 27
12:16 a.m. 1400 block of Railroad Avenue; Disturbance.
2:04 a.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Arrest.
4:27 a.m. Front Street and Levee Road; Animal.
The St. Mary Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Section arrested a Patterson man Monday on charges of possession of four different drugs, Sheriff Blaise Smith said.
—Dedrick Gant, 35, Live Oak Street, Patterson, was arrested at 12:23 p.m. Monday on charges of resisting an officer and possession of Xanax and on warrants for criminal neglect of family, possession of methampheta-mine, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of Xanax, possession of Oxyco-done, possession of Hydrocodone, two counts of resisting an officer, obstruction of justice, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a drug-free zone, and illegal use, consumption, possession or distribute of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of a person under 17.
No bail has been set.
Smith also reported these arrests:
—Jodie Guidry Aucoin, 36, Russo Street, Berwick, was arrested at 2:01 a.m. Tuesday on charges of aggravated flight from an officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, improper lane usage and littering.
Aucoin was also arrested on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of operating a vehicle while intoxi-cated. No bail has been set.
—Brian Henry Henderson, 37, Utah Street, Berwick, was arrested at 2:01 a.m. Tuesday on charges of aggra-vated obstruction of justice, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of heroin with intent to distribute, littering, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of cocaine with intent to distribute.
No bail has been set.
Morgan City Police Chief James F. Blair reported these arrests:
—Miles Morgan, 33, Front Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:03 p.m. Monday on a charge of criminal dam-age to property.
Officers were called to a residence after it was discovered that Morgan damaged some property at the residence. Morgan was located and arrested for criminal damage to property. Morgan was transported to Morgan City Police Department.
—Charlotte Bracamontes, 32, Tiffany Street, Patterson, was arrested at 7:59 p.m. Monday on charges of disturbing the peace, resisting an officer and battery on an officer, and on warrants for failure to appear in City Court in connection with charges of possession of synthetic cannabinoids, disturbing the peace-intoxicated and four counts of contempt of court.
Officers were called to an La. 182 address due to a female causing a disturbance. Officers arrived and found Bracamontes yelling outside of the address.
Officers learned that Bracamontes had several outstanding warrants from City Court of Morgan City. Bracamontes when she began to resist officers and during that time she kicked one officer. Bracamontes was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking.
Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon reported these arrests:
—Tristan Lendell Ratcliff, 38, Coleman Johnson Street, Napoleonville on a warrant monetary instrument abuse.
A uniformed patrol deputy stopped a violator vehicle Saturday in the Napoleonville area for a speeding viola-tion. The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Ratcliff.
At some point during the stop, the deputy determined that Ratcliff had an outstanding warrant for monetary instrument abuse.
Ratcliff was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and released on a $2,500 bond.
—Adam Joseph Lancon, 35, Juliet Street, New Iberia, was arrested Thursday on charges of driving while intox-icated and resisting an officer and as a fugitive from a felony charge in Texas.
Deputies were called in reference to a vehicle in a ditch near La. 1 and La. 70. Deputies identified the driver as Lancon and noted him to appear disoriented and smelled of alcoholic beverages.
Upon conducting a national computer check, deputies determined that Lancon was wanted on a felony fugitive warrant out of Texas.
At some point, Lancon became unruly and had to be restrained.
Lancon was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention pending bond proceedings and extradi-tion to the State of Texas.
—Brandon O. Watts, 30, Blackwell Lane, Belle Rose, was arrested Friday on charges of possession of marijua-na with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and illegal window tint.
An I.C.E. assigned deputy observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation on Friday evening near Plattenville and proceeded to stop the vehicle.
The deputy made contact with the driver, identified as Watts. The suspect was interviewed and acknowledged that there was a quantity of marijuana in the vehicle.
A subsequent search of the vehicle resulted in the seizures of additional marijuana, assorted paraphernalia as well as an amount of U.S. currency.
Watts was arrested and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center and released on a $7500 bond.
St. Martin Sheriff Becket Breaux announced seven additional arrests in a racketeering operation at the St. Martin Correctional Center.
Each faces charge of racketeering encompassing charges of manufacture or distribution of Schedule I controlled dangerous substances, manufacture of Schedule IV controlled dangerous substances, money laundering, activities regarding contraband in a penal institution and transactions involving proceeds from controlled dangerous substance activity.
—Brisen Jones, 28, Broussard, the seventh and final suspect, was arrested Monday morning.
Also charged were:
—Bailey Williams, 20, Breaux Bridge.
—Martha Lavergne, 46, Breaux Bridge.
—Juanita Batiste-, 65, Breaux Bridge.
—Demetris Jackson, 29, Breaux Bridge.
—Trey Lavergne, 27, Breaux Bridge.
—Jacob Joseph, 29, Breaux Bridge.
Jackson and Lavergne were already incarcerated. Following their arrests, they were booked into the St. Martin Parish Correctional Center and their bonds were set at $55,000.00.
Breaux thanked the Broussard Police Department and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in reference to this investigation.
The most recent special session of the Louisiana Legislature was adjourned last week, although it feels like the policymaking gather-ing never ended. Perhaps that's because a lawsuit filed by Gov. John Bel Edwards has kept part of the session alive and kicking. But more than likely, it's just session fatigue.
Unlike our tax code, no one is exempt from session fatigue. Voters and citizens are sick of hearing about special sessions, lawmakers are (one would think) tired of being stuck in Baton Rouge, lobbyists couldn't possibly read another bill and reporters are suffering from gavel shock.
Over the past five years, from 2016 to October 2020, the Louisiana Legislature has been called into nine special sessions. During the previous five years, from 2011 through 2015, only one special session was called.
Have you had enough? That’s too bad. There will be at least — At least! — one more special session this term within the next 12 months or so. That extraordinary session, as it’s referred to in Louisiana law, will be required for lawmakers to draw new election lines based on the latest decennial U.S. Census findings.
Special sessions aren’t cheap. They cost taxpayers about $60,000 per day. The special session that just wrapped up commenced on Sept. 28 and was adjourned on Oct. 23. Each and every day money leaked out of the state treasury to cover the expenses related to hosting debates on proposed legislation, even if most of those bills led to few policy accomplishments.
Due to the very nature of state laws, constitutional amendments and legislative sentiments expressed through resolutions, the drama and uncertainties connected to any Baton Rouge-based session are slow to fade, if they ever do in our lifetimes. Sessions produce lasting effects.
The second special session of 2020, however, will have an afterglow like few of its predecessors. That’s because Gov. John Bel Ed-wards has filed a lawsuit over one of the session’s centerpiece issues against House Speaker Clay Schexnayder and the entire Louisiana Legislature.
The lawsuit’s real target is the House of Representatives, which is where a majority of conservative members signed a petition to temporarily overturn the governor’s coronavirus order for a period of seven days.
The petition was delivered to the governor last Friday, which led to a weekend standoff where opponents claimed the petition should be ignored and supporters argued the governor’s emergency declaration was officially over. By Monday, the governor had filed suit in the 19th Judicial District Court.
The petition, of course, could have been signed whether lawmakers were in a special session or not. But lawmakers clearly thought the legislative route wasn’t going to be as bumpy as it was.
After weeks of hair-pulling and battling anxious conservatives in their districts who wanted an immediate end to restrictions, lawmak-ers barely managed to pass a bill by Senate President Page Cortez to create a legislative review process for future executive order renewals. Edwards will soon veto that bill, possibly this week.
Other efforts to water down various enforcement powers of the Executive Branch passed the House during the special session, but met opposition in the Senate. The upper chamber hasn’t been as supportive of the governor as last term, but Edwards can clearly still find some cover in the Senate.
There were other issues that were supposed to take centerstage during the special session as well. On the unemployment dilemma, lawmakers can take credit for helping businesses avoid new taxes due to a bankrupt system, but there were no longterm funding solutions forged. On hurricane recovery, a handful of critical educated-related needs were addressed, but none of those policies were front-page news.
In an unintended and unexpected twist, the biggest winner of the pandemic special session was probably those folks who advocate for criminal justice reforms. Lawmakers somehow passed a package of bills that will make criminal expungements more accessible, inject $3 million into the public defender system and offer the parole and pardon board more flexibility in how it can meet.
The runner-up would definitely be business and industry, which will benefit from a group of tax breaks intended to help with cashflow and operations during this extended economic downturn. On the flip side of this analysis, most lawmakers did not make it into the winner’s category — and this past weekend’s editorial pages and social media engagement gave a preview of what’s to come.
In particular, a debate over a budget bill’s $22 million in proposed earmarks left a lasting mark on this Legislature. Some House members still blame the Senate and the governor, who has line item veto authority in this case, is skeptical at best of the projects that members from both chambers want to take home. It’s not difficult to see a future where that budget vote is replayed in paid media or direct mail.
Yes, the second special session of 2020 was technically adjourned, but that doesn’t mean the session is finished with us — or our Legislature.
For more Louisiana political news, visit www. LaPolitics.com or follow Alford on Twitter@ LaPoliticsNow
Franklin Banner-Tribune
P.O. Box 566, Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-3706
Fax: 337-828-2874
Morgan City Review
1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: 985-384-8370
Fax: 985-384-4255