RSS Feed

Staff Report
A Franklin woman was arrested Sunday and accused in a stabbing at a Barrow Street home, Morgan City Police Chief James F. Blair said.
—Jasmiera Sade Jack, 20, Pickett Lane, Franklin, was arrested at 3:14 a.m. Sunday on a charge of aggravated second-degree battery.
Officers were called to a Barrow Street residence after a report of a stabbing.
The victim suffered a non-life threatening knife wound to the leg. Jack was identified as the suspect. Jack later returned to the residence and was placed under arrest. She was transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.
Blair also reported these arrests:
—Lance Cordell Carbins, 44, Mallard Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 9 a.m. Thursday on a warrant for four counts of failure to appear.
Officers were called to a Mallard Street residence for a disturbance. Upon officer’s arrival, they came into contact with Carbins. A warrant check revealed the City Court of Morgan City held active warrants for his arrest. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.
—Jeremie Martin Paul Jr., 29 Mallard Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:10 p.m. Saturday on charges of disturbing the peace and simple assault.
Officers were called to Wren Street. for a disturbance. Paul was identified as the person causing the disturbance and attempting to assault an individual. He was placed under arrest and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking and incarceration.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported these arrests:
—Varice Kevin Richardson, 26, Friendship Alley, Amelia, was arrested at 4:58 p.m. Saturday on charges of disturbing the peace by fighting and resisting arrest or officer. Richardson was released on a summons to appear June 29.
—Jarred Adam Gros, 31, Bayou Vista, was arrested at 11:53 p.m. Sunday on a charge of domestic abuse battery. Bail was set at $2,500.

LSU biomedical engineering senior Meagan Moore is never one to back down from a challenge, especially if it means helping others. She created a cancer model to help personalize treatment last year.
So, why would the coronavirus pandemic be any different?
Working alongside LSU Medical Physics and Health Physics Director Wayne Newhauser, emergency room physician Tom Fox, two LSU physics students, and members of the community, Moore is once again helping those in need by creating face masks, ventilators, and face shields for nurses and doctors working with COVID-19 patients at LSU Health in New Orleans.
Before Moore got the call to help create a ventilator prototype less than a week ago, she and her mother, Kathryn Moore, were knee deep in looking at patterns and sewing face masks for the nurses and doctors in New Orleans who are treating patients with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. Moore and Kathryn, who has two degrees in the fashion and textile merchandise field, followed a mask pattern they found online that was designed by a hospital chain. They, along with other experienced seamstresses, found the pattern difficult to follow, so tey improvised.
Their mask consists of two layers of tightly woven cotton sewn together with elastic bands that go over the ears. Once elastic became hard to come by, Kathryn got creative and used elastic bands from old Mardi Gras ball masks.
“Ideally, the mask is going over an N-95 mask to provide additional protection so the N-95 can continue being used,” Moore said. “Our masks can be sterilized appropriately at the hospitals because most people aren’t going to use or don’t have the level of disinfectant needed at their house.”
So far, Kathryn has sewn more than 130 masks, with each one taking 30 to 45 minutes to sew.
“My mom has been very meticulous with the details,” Moore said, to ensure they are effective and comfortable. Each mask is individually packaged and were delivered to Ochsner Hospital in Kenner on Saturday.
In the midst of her mask endeavor, Moore received a call from Newhauser asking if she could help him create a ventilator part for COVID-19 patients in New Orleans. Seeing the dire need for more ventilators should the number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase, Moore said yes without hesitation.
Moore and Newhauser, who is also a professor in LSU’s Department of Physics & Astronomy, are working directly with local respiratory specialists, medical physicists, and engineers to fabricate ventilator parts and a variety of personal protective equipment for healthcare personnel in Louisiana.
“We’re doing a lot of telecommunicating with doctors,” Moore said. “We’re currently doing 3D prints with base stock because the hospitals have gotten to the point where they are desperate and we’re trying to push things through. Certain companies have done copper printing but it’s extremely slow and expensive. Our 3D-printer material is PLA (polylactic acid) but we could possibly move up to another type of material.”
An LSU resident emergency room physician picked up prototype ventilator pieces from the LSU team on Saturday for inspection and evaluation. LSU Physics student Maxwell Cole and LSU Renewable Natural Resources alumna Cathlin Disotell are assisting Newhauser and Moore; all are working in Newhauser’s garage while practicing social distancing.
“We’ve contacted multiple filter companies to ask questions like, ‘Where can we get this filter right now?,’” Moore said, “and realize, ‘Oh, it’s made in China.’ One thing I read is that one single country cannot produce a ventilator on its own. All of the different parts come from different countries. That was eye-opening. We’re seeing a stopgap like never before. You don’t have time to do full-on testing and hit it with everything a lab could do.”
While the team is working on prototyping ventilator parts, it is also prototyping field-expedient face shields with help from LSU Chemical Engineering Research Specialist Nick Lombardo.
“I was using a laser cutter to make an acrylic template for people to make their own face shield using cardboard that would go on their head and a clear plastic document protector to staple onto it to protect against initial droplet exposure,” Moore said.
A local surgeon, Dr. John Faust of Baton Rouge Orthopedic Clinic and Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Hospital, is assisting the team in prototyping protective gowns, which are in short supply. The LSU COVID-19 response team is exploring production and other business logistics, including collaboration with local industry and possible public private partnerships.
“Our goal for today is to figure out how to make gowns of reasonable quality from materials and tools that are readily available,” Newhauser said. “Soon, we will hand off to other teams to scale up training of workers and production of the gown.”
Additionally, the team is coordinating with LSU personnel on the COVID response to explore scaling of the instruction and materials to create a community effort.
Though the team has not yet been asked to create a ventilator splitter, which would allow more than one patient to use a ventilator at the same time, Moore has unsurprisingly started creating one because, “it seems like that’s the direction things are going to go,” she said.
Though being under quarantine may cause many people boredom and stress, Moore seizes every free moment of it to make a difference.
“I really don’t get exhausted from doing this kind of stuff,” she said. “It can wear a lot of people down. I like helping people and this is unlike any other scale of being able to help, other than [Hurricane] Katrina, which was the most horrible thing I can think of. I’m happy to show up and throw whatever I have at it. We have a lot of brilliant people on our project and we’re really fortunate to have the opportunity to help others.”
“In the war on COVID-19, our modern-day equivalent of Rosie the Riveter is ‘Meagan the Maker,’” Newhauser said. “She exemplifies the spirit and engagement of LSU’s students.”
Newhauser also noted the outstanding support and leadership of the LSU administration in deploying its arsenal of academic resources to help healthcare workers.

August 30, 1932 – March 27, 2020
Evelyn Snellgrove Pontiff, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend passed away on March 27, 2020 at Oschner St. Mary Hospital in Morgan City after a lengthy illness.
Evelyn was born on August 30, 1932 in the settlement of Bayou Chene in the Atchafalaya Basin. She was extremely proud of her heritage and loved to tell stories about her early childhood at the Chene.
She loved to read, work crossword puzzles, play pokeno, and follow LSU baseball. Her daily ritual was to “check in with the family” on the telephone. Evelyn was an amazingly talented cook and was known for her delicious Sunday dinners. You never left her home hungry and without a take home plate. During the week, there was always a fresh pot of coffee and dessert for her visiting friends.
Her greatest accomplishment in life was rearing an extremely happy and amazingly successful family. As a mother, she was strongly supportive and never faltering. Her love was never ending. The home was always open to take care of the needs of her family. As a grandmother and great grandmother, she was an award. Grammy leaves a treasure chest of memories for them. They were first and foremost to her, showering them with her love and undivided attention. If they were performing, she was there.
Evelyn is survived by her husband of 66 beautiful years, Donovan, three children, Sandra Clarke and her husband Dr. Jimmy, Kirk and his wife Roye, and Craig and his companion Andrea Ibert. Also surviving are her eight grandchildren, Dr. Jessica Leger and her husband Lance, Michelle Payne and her husband Nick, Dr. Mattie Guido and her husband John, Evelyn Pontiff, Blake Pontiff, Sarah Romero and her husband Cole, John Pontiff, Cacey Avet and her husband Timmy, nine great grandchildren; one step great grandchild; sister, Juanita Colletta and husband Francis; brother, Gary Snellgrove and wife Betty Jo; brother, Johnnie “Bud” Snellgrove and NormaJean ; and brother, Carlos Snellgrove and wide Judy.
Evelyn was preceded in death by her parents John Snellgrove and Goldie Curry Snellgrove.
The family would like to extend sincere thanks to Dr. Roland Degeyter for his above and beyond compassionate care, Franklin Foundation Hospital and special thanks to the wonderful nurses in ICU. A big thanks goes out to Rev. Sue Pugh for her many visits and guidance through these difficult times.
Due to the recent health concerns and advised limited attendance at gatherings, the immediate family will hold a private graveside service. The family would like to thank everyone for their understanding. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to First United Methodist Church, 920 Main Street, Franklin, LA 70538.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Ibert’s Mortuary, Inc., 1007 Main St., Franklin, LA 70538. Friends and family may view the obituary and express their condolences online at iberts.com.

DEAR ABBY: This is an open letter to all those women who write to you knowing their men cheated on them and then ask, “Should I marry him?” In their hearts they already know the answer; they just want YOU to tell them “NO!”
My mother saw my fiancé’s car around town, parked at various churches and parking lots. He parked there so I wouldn’t see his car at “the other woman’s” house. Well, I showed up unexpectedly at his place one night and saw them both asleep in his bed. In a way, I felt relieved.
I knew I had to do something. I immediately canceled everything, but had the wedding invitations printed and gave them to his mom and sister to send out “right away.” When the big day arrived, I sat across the street in Dad’s car with my mom, watching as only HIS side of the family showed up at the vacant church. The note on the door read: “Stay with ‘Jazmine.’ You two deserve each other! Now tell your family what you did.”
I explained everything to my parents an hour later over dinner at the restaurant where we were supposed to have had our reception. We were all relieved the wedding was canceled. We laughed so much, and we reviewed all the signs that my mom tried to show me that I had ignored.
So don’t get mad, ladies. Do what I did — dry your tears and get even.
NEVER LOOKED BACK

DEAR NEVER: Love is blind, and you should have listened to your mother. You’re lucky you found out in time and didn’t marry your faithless fiancé.
While I don’t normally recommend revenge, I think in this case, the man had it coming.

DEAR ABBY: I am 52 years old and have experienced chronic fatigue (from Lyme and Epstein-Barr) most of my adult life. Four years ago, I discovered a wonderful medical practitioner and, by adhering to her protocol, regained such improved health that I began volunteering with a local organization. Due to a recent setback, however, fatigue has prevented me from volunteering, and my absence has been noticed.
Although I am usually a private person, I decided to divulge my health issues to the leader so he wouldn’t think I was unhappy with my duties. He then began asking if I had tried various health products and remedies to the point where I felt I was on trial and defending myself. In the past, before I received an accurate diagnosis, some family members and physicians doubted the validity of my illness, so I am sensitive to being questioned.
Over the years, I have sought treatment from various sources, from local health stores to nationally recognized hospitals, and I don’t appreciate advice from healthy armchair experts. I also don’t like being questioned or doubted.
Did I set myself up by disclosing my health issues, or should I have remained polite but vague?
SURVIVOR IN THE EAST

DEAR SURVIVOR: In a sense, yes, you did set yourself up by disclosing the reason for your absence. The medical conditions from which you suffer were poorly understood years ago, and many people — medical personnel included — were under the impression that their patients’ problems were all in their heads.
Please try to be less defensive where this person is concerned. From my perspective, he was only trying to be helpful.
***
To receive a collection of Abby’s most memorable — and most frequently requested — poems and essays, send your name and mailing address, plus check or money order for $8 to: Dear Abby — Keepers Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447.