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Sons of Serendip next up on concert calendar
Sons of Serendip, a vocal-instrumental quartet and “America’s Got Talent” semifinalists, will perform at 7 p.m. Feb. 3 at Morgan City Municipal Auditorium.
The performance is the next in this season’s Morgan City Live Concert Association series.
Season subscriptions for the remaining two performances are available for $45 for adults and $10 for students K-12.
Single concert tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students. All tickets, subscription or single concert, are available online at www.morgancitylive.com or at the door.
Most recently seen as finalists on Season 9 of “America’s Got Talent,” Sons of Serendip is an extraordinary quartet featuring harp, piano, cello and vocals, according to promotional material from Live On Stage.
“Their ethereal and emotionally stirring orchestral acoustic interpretations of pop music, arranged with unique instrumentals, captured the hearts of fans and judges alike,” Live On Stage said.
Morgan City Live Community Concert Association of Morgan City Inc., formed in 1947, continues to bring world-class entertainment to the tri-city area of Morgan City, Berwick and Patterson, as well as the rest of St. Mary Parish and surrounding parishes.
CYNTHIA WIGGINS COTHRON
July 30, 1941 — January 13, 2020
Cynthia Wiggins Cothron, 78, a resident of Bayou Vista, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 13, 2020, at Patterson Health Care Center.
Cynthia was born on July 30, 1941, in Berwick, the daughter of Harry Paul Wiggins and Annie Marie Vallet Wiggins.
Cynthia was a long-time member of the St. Bernadette Catholic Ladies Altar Society and was a past president and lifetime member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary Post 4222.
She will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered by her husband of 60 years, Warren Cothron of Bayou Vista; four children, David Cothron of Bayou Vista, Glenn Cothron of Berwick, Rene Cothron of Bayou L’Ourse, and Lydia Young and husband Jim of Lafayette; 10 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; four siblings, Harry Lee Wiggins and wife Ruth of Patterson, Terry Wiggins and wife Agatha of Bayou Vista, Sandra Messenger of Gonzales, and Farryl Wiggins and wife Renee of Bayou Vista.
Cynthia was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Annie Vallet Wiggins and one infant son.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:10 p.m. on Friday, January 17, 2020, at St. Bernadette Catholic Church with Father Thainese Alphonse celebrating Mass. A visitation will be held from 8 a.m. until Mass time in the parish hall with a rosary being prayed at 11:30 a.m. Following Mass, Cynthia will be laid to rest in the Berwick Cemetery.
TIFFANY MARIE GRIFFIN
Tiffany Marie Griffin, 47, a resident and native of Patterson, LA, passed away on Wednesday, January 8, 2020, at 7:32 a.m. at her residence.
Visitation will be observed on Saturday, January 18, 2020, at the St. Luke Baptist Church, 1709 Harry St., Patterson, LA., from noon until funeral services at p.m., with Reverend Keith Verrett, Officiating. Burial will follow funeral services in the Willing Workers Cemetery in Patterson, LA.
Memories of Tiffany will forever remain in the hearts of her companion, Anderson E. Singleton; her four children, Elshaddi Griffin, Treylon Singleton, Aliah Griffin and Tiera Singleton, all of Patterson, LA; her father, Alvin Sidney Griffin Jr. of Orange, TX; three brothers, Alvin (Lorettach) Griffin of Lafayette, LA, I’Lee Griffin of Orange, TX, and Calvin Griffin Sr. of Patterson, LA; one sister, Roberta (Willie) Daniels of Patterson, LA; stepbrother, James Nicholas of Morgan City; four stepsisters, Takesha Jones, Janice Nash and Felica Darby, all of Patterson, and Agnes Prevost of Lafayette; her god-father, Willie Douglas; best friend, LaShawna Leggett of Morgan City, LA; a god-daughter, Mynesha Pitts; and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Tiffany was preceded in death by her mother, Catherine Gant Griffin; her grandparents, Rev. Benjamin Douglas Sr. and Pauline Douglas, and Dora Triggs and Alvin Sidney Griffin Sr.; her great-grandparents, Willie Favors Sr. and Florence Favors; and her godmother, Julie White Wilson.
To send flowers to Tiffany’s family, please visit our floral section.
Please visit www.jones-funeral-home.com to send condolences to family.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
JAMES FOLLINS
James Follins, 67, a native of Baton Rouge and resident of Morgan City, died Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020, at Franklin Health Care Center.
Memorial services will be Saturday at 11 a.m. at Jones Funeral Home Chapel in Morgan City.
He is survived by his wife, Renita Follins of Houston; two daughters, Treasure Bourgeois and Kaylyn Washington, both of Morgan City; a stepdaughter, Joy Smith of Houston; a brother, David Folling Sr. of Evergreen; a sister, Cora Jones of Franklin; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a son, two sisters and two daughters.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Wheel House for Jan. 15
ST. ANNE
Thrift Store, 2710 Second St., Berwick, hosting a 10 cents sale from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 18. Proceeds benefit St. Stephen Catholic Church charities.
CONCERT
Morgan City Community Concert Association presenting America’s Got Talent Season 9 finalists, Sons of Serendip, at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3, at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Season subscription for two remaining concerts is $45, adults; $10, students K-12. Single concert tickets are $25, adults; $5, students. Tickets online at www.morgancitylive.com or at the door.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
St. Mary Parish Public Schools annual Donna Adams Memorial Special Olympics Track and Field Meet is 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14, at Berwick High School stadium. Athletes compete in a variety of running and throwing events. Free admission and public invited to cheer athletes.
DIONYSUS PARADE
Anyone wishing to place a unit in the Krewe of Dionysus parade in Berwick at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, should contact Roddy Richard, 985-498-0118. All units must be registered.
AFTER PARADE
Dance at Berwick Civic Complex sponsored by Krewe of Dionysus following the 2 p.m. Feb. 22 parade. Tickets from any board member. Cost $15. No tickets sold at the door.
IRISH/ITALIAN
Walking Parade at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14, in Morgan City sponsored by Krewe of Dionysus. Anyone wishing to participate should call Walter Shepherd, 985-312-9500. Cost: $10 a person.
Head Start school evacuated twice after reports of smoke
Baby Bear Head Start in Morgan City was evacuated twice Wednesday morning after reports of smoke.
At about 9:05 a.m., the Morgan City Fire Department responded to a report of smoke in the building at Baby Bear, 710 Greenwood St.
All staff members and children were evacuated safely as the Fire Department inspected the building.
Staff members were able to move children back into the building at 9:26 a.m. as the Fire Department deemed the building safe to reenter and located the issue outside of the building.
“They said they heard a pop and then saw smoke in the building,” Fire Chief Alvin Cockerham said. “They have an issue with the electrical pole behind the building and we think that is what may have caused it. We don’t see anything in the building and it seems to be OK.”
Morgan City Fire Department responded with four trucks, including the ladder truck, and Morgan City Police Department had an officer on site.
About 10:35 a.m., a second call was received to respond to Baby Bear, this time for an oven fire.
All children and staff members were evacuated safely from the building as the Fire Department went into the building and extinguished the fire.
“It looks like one of the elements in the stove shorted out,” Cockerham said. “It is probably what the problem was earlier, it just finally went completely out. We cut the power to the stove, but the city will come and check out the electrical.”
Morgan City police joined firefighters at the scene.
Berwick seeks renewal of property tax
BERWICK — The Town Council is asking voters to keep a 6-mill property tax in effect.
The council approved a resolution to put the renewal on the May 9 ballot. The tax is due to expire in 2021.
“We use these funds for just about everything: for law enforcement, fire, streets, drainage, water, and we certainly would appreciate the town in supporting this renewal of this tax,” Mayor Duval Arthur said at the council meeting Tuesday.
Berwick council members questioned Allen McElroy Jr., Berwick’s legal counsel, for more information on the tax.
“It will be up to the people whether or not the 6 mills will or will not be renewed, and that comes up in the May election. This tax pretty much covers everything, and without it I don’t know how the town would be able to pay for all of the services that it has,” McElroy said.
“I think what you need to let the people know is it is not a new tax, it is not an additional amount that they will be paying, it is simply a renewal of what was passed almost 20 years ago and if it is voted in now it will be good for another 20 years,” McElroy said.
The 6 mill tax generates approximately $250,000 per year in revenue for the town of Berwick, McElroy said.
One mill equals 1/1,000th of $1, or $1 of tax for every $1,000 of a property’s assessed valuation. Residential property is assessed on 10% of its market value.
The 6-mill tax adds $60 to the property tax bill for a home with a market value of $100,000. Louisiana’s homestead exemption generally does not apply to property taxes levied by municipalities.
The May election will see other tax propositions on the ballot as well.
Morgan City will have a property tax renewal for the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. And the St. Mary Parish School Board will ask all parish voters for a new half-cent sales tax to increase the teacher and staff salaries.
Berwick's Beacon Shines On award recepients
The Daily Review/Jaclyn Breaux
Berwick Mayor Duval Arthur and Berwick Town Council recognized two individuals for the monthly Beacon Shines Award at Tuesday night’s Berwick Town Council meeting, Luke Orlando and Kady Hewitt.
