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Sheriff Gary Driskell and members of the Sheriff's Office staff broke ground Thursday for the new Central Office Branch in Centerville. The building will bring together, for the first time, the Criminal, Patrol and Investigations Divisions, the motor pool and Dispatch-Communications. The branch will also have an evidence processing area and administrative offices.

"The main building at the branch will have 15,000 square feet. It was designed by Angelle Architects of Breaux Bridge and will be built by ARL Construction of Franklin.

"Today we are breaking ground on something far greater than bricks, mortar and steel," Driskell said. "We are breaking ground on a new era of service to the people of St. Mary Parish."

In an opening prayer, Lt. Oscar West asked God to make the new branch "a beacon of trust between the Sheriff's Office and the community they are called to protect."

The Review/Bill Decker

(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.)

An Assumption Parish grand jury has indicted a Bayou L’Ourse man on a charge of distributing marijuana, the Sheriff’s Office said.

Assumption

Sheriff Leland Falcon reported this arrest:

--George Boutwell III, 19, Vivian Street, Bayou L’Ourse, was arrested Saturday on a charge of distribution of marijuana.
Assumption Parish Sheriff’s Office narcotics investigators developed information indicating that Boutwell was engaged in the sale of marijuana.

On Sept. 2, an Assumption Parish grand jury returned indictments against numerous individuals, including Boutwell.

The grand jury charged Boutwell with distribution of marijuana.

Boutwell was arrested Saturday and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Center
with bond set at $50,000.

An indictment is a grand jury finding that evidence of a crime, in the absence of a defense, is sufficient to warrant a criminal trial.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 58 calls for service over the last 48-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--James Williams, 58, Woodstone Drive, Prairieville, was arrested at 10:19 a.m. Monday on a charge of sexual battery.

--Clint Adams, 42, Susan Court, Morgan City, was arrested 9:02 a.m. Tuesday on a charge of failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Namus Curtis Rhine Jr., 35, Railroad Avenue, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:15 p.m. Tuesday on charges of possession of methamphetamine, improper lighting and introduction of contraband into a penal facility.

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell reported that over the last 24-hour reporting period, the Sheriff's Office responded to 35 complaints and made these arrests:

--John Emile Haydel, 62, Franklin, was arrested at 9:01 a.m. Monday on charges of criminal trespass, theft, possession of stolen things, attempted criminal damage to property, proper equipment required on vehicles and motor vehicle theft.

Bail has not been set at this time.

--Reese Michael Richter, 22, Jeanerette, was arrested at 1:09 p.m. Monday on charges of criminal trespass, possession of Schedule II drugs, simple burglary, drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a drug-free zone and theft.

Bail has not been set at this time.

--Anthony Jennings, 24, Slidell, was arrested at 2 p.m. Monday on a warrant alleging failure to appear on charges of simple burglary, attempted simple burglary, possession of stolen things and possession of a stolen firearm.

Bail has not been set at this time.

--Dakota Breeze Keimann, 32, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:23 p.m. Monday on a Morgan City Police Department warrant alleging battery of emergency room personnel. Kleimann is being held for another agency.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy said the Franklin Police Department responded to 17 calls for service over the last 24-hour reporting period and made these arrests:

--Juvenile was arrested 5:08 p.m. Tuesday as an ungovernable juvenile.

--Jeffrey Davis, 65, Iberia Street, Franklin, was arrested at 6:51 p.m. Tuesday on a charge of remaining where forbidden. Davis was booked, processed and held on a $500 bond.

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.
Tuesday, Sept. 9
7:07 a.m. Roderick/Glenwood streets; Lost and found.
7:09 a.m. Fourth/Everett streets; Crash.
8:56 a.m. 1500 block of Front Street; Medical.
8:57 a.m. 200 block of Patton Street; Animal complaint.
8:58 a.m. 2300 block of La. 70; Animal complaint.
9 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
9:20 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Alarm.
9:42 a.m. 900 block of Everett Street; Patrol.
9:47 a.m. 1400 block of Victor II Boulevard; Medical.
10 a.m. 8000 block of La. 182; Theft.
10:45 a.m. Federal Avenue/Freret Street; Traffic incident.
1:11 p.m. 900 block of Marguerite Street; Crash.
1:20 p.m. 900 block of Short Street; Complaint.
2:24 p.m. U.S. 90 Bridge; Traffic incident.
2:30 p.m. 1500 block of Filmore Street; Theft.
2:51 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
2:59 p.m. Federal Avenue/Onstead Street; Suspicious vehicle.
3:57 a.m. 5000 block of Railroad; Alarm.
5:40 a.m. 300 block of Laurel Street; Animal complaint.
6:22 p.m. 1400 block of North Third Street; Theft.
6:33 p.m. 1400 block of North Third Street; Complaint.
10:09 p.m. Sixth/Pine streets; Suspicious subject.
11:06 p.m. Sixth/Onstead streets; Arrest.
Wednesday, Sept. 10
1:32 a.m. 300 block of Brashear Avenue; Animal complaint.
2:42 a.m. 7100 block of Park Street; Medical.

Dogs and cats rely on their eyesight for everyday adventures — from chasing toys to navigating their homes and greeting their favorite people. But when vision problems creep in, the signs can be subtle, and owners may not know how to help.
Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences ophthalmology resident Dr. Laura Donohue discusses the causes of blindness in pets, how to recognize early warning signs and how to support pets’ quality of life through the transition.
Sniffing out
the culprit
Some pets are born blind, while others lose vision later in life. Vision loss in pets can result from a wide range of issues, from surface-level damage to deeper retinal conditions.
“When I think about the causes of blindness, I consider anything that could prevent light from reaching the back of the eye,” Donohue said. “That’s where the retina lives, and it’s responsible for converting light into electrical signals that travel to the brain.”
Common causes of blindness, typically associated with aging, genetics, or how the body changes over time, include:
•Corneal disease, which occurs when scarring, pigments, or blood vessels cloud the cornea
•Cataracts, which occur when the lens becomes cloudy
•Retinal disease from age-related degeneration or detachment of the retina
•Optic nerve damage that blocks signals to the brain
•Congenital issues, such as underdeveloped or nonfunctional eyes at birth
“If the cause of blindness is painful, sometimes the only treatment option is to surgically remove a pet’s eye(s),” Donohue said. “It sounds dramatic, but removal of the pain often enables the animal to return to a better quality of life than they had before.”
Tell-tail signs
Because dogs and cats rely heavily on smell and hearing, owners may not notice their pet’s vision loss right away — especially if the loss happens gradually.
Many pets compensate so well that blindness may only be discovered during a veterinary exam.
“If a dog or a cat is born blind, you might actually never know,” Donohue said. “Dogs and cats adapt so well to their environment and find ways to get done what they need to get done — like having fun, eating, drinking and walking around the house.”
Sudden blindness, however, is usually more noticeable. Pets may appear confused or hesitant as they lose their visual map of the world.
“Signs of acute vision loss — meaning really quick loss of vision — are things like not being able to navigate the house, getting lost outside, not being able to catch treats, being really hesitant, standing very close to the owner’s leg during walks, and being overly cautious on stairs,” Donohue said. “A common early sign of retinal degeneration in dogs is being hesitant in dim or dark lighting.”
Recognizing these changes early can help owners seek veterinary care sooner, giving pets the best chance at treatment or supportive adjustments.
‘Paw’-sitive
adjustments
Although vision loss can be distressing, most pets adapt quickly with support from their owners, including simple changes in the home environment.
“You could get pieces of carpet, like carpet runners, and put them in places near stairs or different rooms to help give the pet tactile feedback,” Donohue said. “Or you could use subtle, pet-safe scent cues in different rooms to give them a scent indication that they are in a new place. If owners note any changes to breathing, etc., after incorporating a new scent, they should discontinue its use and seek veterinary guidance.”
Maintaining a consistent layout is also important.
“Don’t move around your furniture much, because your pet will make a mental map and be able to navigate through things very well once they get adjusted,” Donohue said.
If your pet has suffered vision loss, it is important to make noise when you approach them so that they can hear you coming, especially if they are sleeping.
With or without these adjustments, pets who have impaired vision can still enjoy their favorite activities, including playtime.
“Even if a pet goes blind, I would still keep up all their favorite activities and just adjust them,” Donohue said, adding that with patience and routine, most pets adapt within a few months and resume normal activities. 
Vision loss may change how pets experience the world, but with a few thoughtful adjustments and plenty of support, blind dogs and cats can continue to live full, happy lives.
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed.tamu.edu/news/pet-talk.
Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbs-editor@tamu.edu.