RSS Feed

Here's the latest list of holiday activities

Here’s an updated list of holiday activities in the Tri-City area:
—Moonlight Monday, Nov. 25, 5-8 p.m. Start holiday shopping in downtown Morgan City. Get a card punched at all participating locations and turn it in for a chance to win a prize. Merchants will have their own specials and discounts plus vendors will be in The Green Room at Bay City Bistro as well as some craft items at The Everett Street Gallery. Plugged In will be singing Christmas carols. A Moonlight Meal ticket for ground meat spaghetti over penne pasta with a salad and a dinner roll from Bay City Bistro are available through advanced sales for $10 until Nov. 20. Tickets are available from The Frame Shop, Wildflower Boutique, Southern Roots Salon and Spa, Café JoJo’s, Bay City Bistro, Artists Guild Unlimited Everett Street Gallery, the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium and Main Street board members. Tickets can also be invoiced through Square and tickets will be mailed once the invoice is paid. Email b.price@cityofmc.com for more information.
—Morgan City annual Christmas lighting ceremony, Thursday, Nov. 28, 6 p.m., at the shrimp boat in the median of Brashear Avenue, Morgan City. Free for the public.
—Berwick Christmas under the lights, Thursday, Nov. 28, 6 p.m., at the Berwick Lighthouse located on the riverfront. Meet and greet with Santa at the Lighthouse, cookies and hot chocolate will be served and Christmas music will be played. Free for the public.
—Mistletoe and Moss Holiday Market, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 5-9 p.m., at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Holiday shopping will be available with 46 booths including crafts, boutiques, treats, services and more. Entry is free. Pictures with Santa will be available for purchase.
—Marine Corps. Christmas Concert, Tuesday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m., at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. This is a family-friendly production featuring selections from the Concert and Jazz Bands. The performance is free and open to the public. If able, bring a toy to donate to Toys for Tots to help a child in need.
—Christmas in the Swamp, Sunday, Dec. 8, 5-7 p.m., at Cypress Park, 725 Myrtle Street in Morgan City. Crossing Place Church will be hosting this free event. There will be food, games and sweets as well as a gift for every child. There also will be a movie and pictures with Santa.
—24th Annual Christmas Tree Festival and Open House, Thursday, Dec. 12, 5:30- 7 p.m. at Wedell-Williams Aviation and Cypress Sawmill Museum, 118 Cotton Road in Patterson. The museum invites groups that would like to decorate one of the museum’s lobby trees for the festival. The tree will be provided, the group provides the decorations. Decorations involving themes in aviation, flight, space, cypress industry, local and or state history and culture are encouraged. The team producing the best tree will win a pizza party. The top three teachers or group leaders will be rewarded with gift certificates. Trees must be decorated by Tuesday, Dec. 10. To reserve a tree, call 985-399-1268.
—Berwick’s Second Annual Mistletoe Market, Friday, Dec. 13, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at the Berwick Civic Center. Holiday shopping will be available.
—Patterson Christmas in Morey Park, Lighted Boat parade, Saturday, Dec. 14, 6 p.m. Boat entry, $25. Prizes awarded: first place, $300; second place, $200; and third place, $100. Gumbo will be sold for $5, with sweets, popcorn and hot chocolate costing .50.
—29th annual “Christmas by Candlelight” on Bernice Street, Saturday, Dec. 14, 5:30-9 p.m. (if it rains, event will be postponed to Dec. 21). Santa Clause will be on hand to visit with children. Cornerstone Ministries, under the direction of Herb and Anita Stanley, will provide a puppet show. Other musical entertainment will be available. Refreshment tables will be located at designated homes along the street for those who tour the decorations on foot. Traffic for those wishing to ride through will be one-way, entering at Cottonwood Street and exiting on Redwood Street.
A container will be placed at the Cottonwood Street entrance for donations of canned goods or money that will be donated to St. Mary Outreach for distribution in the community. No parking on the street and no bicycles or skateboards on the sidewalk.
—Christmas Movie Night, Saturday, Dec. 21, 6 p.m., at the Berwick Civic Center. Meet and take pictures with Santa from 6-7 p.m.
The movie, Arthur Christmas, will begin at 7 p.m. Hot dogs, chips, drinks and popcorn will be served. This is a free event for the entire family and pillows and blankets are welcome.
—Plugged In at Lawrence Park, Saturday, Dec. 21, 6:30 p.m. The event will have the retelling of the story of Christmas and the Christian music group Plugged In. Plugged In will be located at the gazebo. The event is free and chairs and blankets are welcome.

Santa Claus is coming

Employees with the city of Morgan City were checking and changing lights on the Spirit of Morgan City shrimp boat located on Brashear Avenue. Preparations are being made for the annual Christmas lighting event that will take place at 6 p.m. Nov. 28.

Radio Logs for November 21

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.
Wednesday, Nov. 20
5:53 a.m. 1200 block of Brashear Avenue; Alarm.
5:58 a.m. U.S. 90 down ramp; Abandoned vehicle.
8:43 a.m. 800 block of Victor II Boulevard; Smoke smell from building.
9:02 a.m. 900 block of Marguerite Street; Fight.
9:36 a.m. 1600 block of Maple Street; Assistance.
10:06 a.m. Terrebonne and Shannon streets; Suspicious person.
10:23 a.m. 6000 block of La. 182; Complaint.
10:42 a.m. 200 block of Headland Street; Medical.
10:47 a.m. 2400 block of Sixth Street; Medical.
11:14 a.m. 700 block of Onstead Street; Warrant check.
11:25 a.m. 1600 block of Front Street; Harassment.
12:27 p.m. 200 block of Franklin Street; Fight.
12:35 p.m. U.S. 90 West; Complaint.
2:19 p.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Hit and run.
3:12 p.m. Old Bridge; Traffic blockage.
3:13 p.m. 1900 block of Federal Avenue; Assistance.
3:46 p.m. 500 block of Fourth Street; Narcotic activity.
3:55 p.m. 2400 block of Tupelo Street; Medical.
4:09 p.m. 800 block of Palm Street; Accident.
4:12 p.m. 1200 block of Railroad Avenue; Accident.
4:14 p.m. Morgan City Police Department; Theft.
6:56 p.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Theft.
7:04 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Warrant.
7:28 p.m. 200 block of Wren Street; Complaint.
7:53 p.m. 400 block of Fourth Street; Frequent patrols.
8:06 p.m. 100 block of South Railroad Avenue; Medical emergency.
8:42 p.m. 7500 block of La. 182; Complaint.
10:51 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Alarm.

Danos using virtual reality to assess employee skills

Danos has launched a virtual reality competency assessment and training program for employees.
Program development began in late 2018, and full implementation will begin in December 2019. Danos is one of the first companies in the oil and gas industry to use VR for training and assessment. With the technology, Danos will drive down costs for customers while increasing safety and minimizing exposure.
“It’s critical that employees be assessed for competency, and the costs and risks of doing this on site are tremendous,” said owner Eric Danos. “By eliminating the need to send employees offshore or to a remote job site, we can provide savings to our customers in time, cost and unnecessary risk.”
The program curricula use VR software and headsets so employees can see a job site and virtually perform tasks. Trainings and assessments can take place at a Danos or customer office rather than involving travel offshore or to a job site.
By utilizing VR to assess and train employees, Danos is improving efficiencies in both land-based and offshore work environments, the company said in a press release.
Employees undergoing assessment are able to demonstrate that he or she can perform a task rather than simply explaining the steps involved.
At the same time, the technology creates an accelerated learning process by allowing employees to see the internal workings of equipment in the program’s animated view.
Danos says that employees are embracing the hands-on, technologically advanced approach to training, and it hopes to appeal to those entering the labor market.
“Millennials are the largest group in our workforce, and they learn differently than previous generations,” says Danos. “We need to attract new employees in a way that resonates with their skills and experience, and VR is one way to do that.”

Get it Growing: What to do with plants after a freeze

We have had our first hard freeze, in fact we broke low temperature records dating back to 1907. The low temperature reached 24 degrees in Baton Rouge, breaking the lowest temperature in recorded history for this time of year.
I got many calls on what to do to prepare plants for freezes. Let’s recap what should be done and also look at how to care for plants that have suffered freeze damage.
To prepare plants for freezing weather conditions, first turn your attention to tropical and subtropical plants that have tender herbaceous foliage. They will be the most susceptible to damage.
If they can be moved, move them indoors or into a garage. You may choose to move them under a patio and cover them with plastic or sheets all the way to the ground. This helps trap heat under the cover and prevents frost from forming on the leaves. Leave the light on to help generate a very small amount of heat.
Additionally, you should water plants, especially container plants. Water is an insulator, and wet soil will be warmer than dry soil. It is best practice in the fall and winter to mulch landscape plants to help insulate the roots. Use straw or pine straw mulch loosely packed around the base of plants.
Next, you should understand the signs of freeze damage. The signs are pretty evident. Plants will not look the same. Most tropical plants will lose turgidity, become droopy or shriveled and resemble a plant that is lacking water. Addi-tionally, foliage will turn from green to brown or purple. Under an extended hard freeze, you may see plant stems splitting and peeling. If you see this, there will likely be no resurrection.
In extended hard freezes, the water in between and within the cells of the plants will freeze, causing the cells to expand and rupture and resulting in damaged plant tissue. This type of damage is typically irreversible. You will see this most often in tropical plants after a freeze. These include plants like hibiscus, cannas, pentas, vinca, angel’s trumpet, banana trees, gingers, succulents and cassia trees. Think leafy plants.
If you did get caught off guard and your plants suffered freeze damage, you can do some things to help them recover. The amount of damage depends on the severity and duration of the freezing temperatures. If you have light freezes for short periods of time, plants can usually recover. After hard, long freezes, there’s no guarantee.
After the freeze, you should be patient. Do not go straight for the pruners and cut everything back. It takes several days for plants to show us just how damaged they are.
If plants are mushy and slimy, remove this material to prevent fungal infection or disease in the days to come. You may cut out the dead material to clean things up. For woody plants, it’s best to wait until spring. You can check for life on woody plants and perennials by scratching the bark of stems and look for green color underneath. If you find green, you’re in luck. Your plant is still alive.
If you covered plants, remove the covers on warm, sunny days but keep them close by. It will likely freeze several times over the winter. Check weather apps and watch the news periodically. If it is going to warm up for several days, plants that were moved into shelter can be moved back out. They will need plenty of sunlight to photosynthesize and stay healthy. Remember, plants make their own food from energy from the sun.
Caring for plants during freezing weather is a labor of love and can be a great deal of good exercise. You can keep tropical and sub-tropical plants going year-round by taking the proper precautions. Or you can look at it on the bright side: Mother Nature takes care of pruning for us in winter. Tropicals and herbaceous perennials that have grown unruly over the summer got a good trimming. They may flush out again next spring, coming back from their roots.

Patron is bruised, battered in altercation with waitress

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I were getting ready to leave after dinner at a restaurant we’ve patronized for 15 years. I went to the ladies’ room and was washing my hands when a waitress I don’t care for came barging in, got in my face and started yelling at me. I tried to leave, but she wouldn’t let me out of the restroom. I asked her several times to let me out, and she kept telling me no. When she finally let me go, I told the man in charge what she did. My husband called him later, but the ...

PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news from St. Mary Now. Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today!

La. motor vehicle offices will be closed Thursday morning

Statewide OMV locations will remain closed on Thursday morning.

This is due to the continued efforts to restore network and online services.

Officials with the Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles and the Office of Technology Services have worked continuously since the beginning of the incident making progress to ensure all public systems are operational and ready for full service.

Individual office openings will be evaluated as electronic services are restored throughout the morning.

'How Money Works' author offers holiday shopping tips

Next week is Black Friday and the official start to the 2019 holiday shopping season. Consumers are expected to spend almost $1,048 on average per person this year, according to the National Retail Federation, up 4% from last year.
How can you be a smart shopper and avoid breaking the bank?
Steve Siebold, author of the book “How Money Works” and a self-made millionaire who has interviewed more than 1,300 of the world’s wealthiest people over the last 35 years, offers this advice:
—Leave your emotions on the shelf: It’s easy to get wrapped up in the spirit of the season, but when it comes to buying gifts this year, leave your emotions on the shelf and let reason be your guide. This is when you must start using logical thinking in the decision-making process. While your spouse might really like that $1,000 necklace, is that really the smartest move if you don’t have the money?
—Plan ahead: Make a list and check it twice. Before you head to the store, make a list of each person you need to buy for, and allocate a certain amount of money for each of them. Don’t overspend by even a dollar. This is important because if you start overspending by five dollars here and 10 dollars there, it adds up quickly and you can easily go into debt.
—Be honest: The last thing your friends and family want is to see you go into debt, or further into debt. Remember, there’s no shame in telling people that this year will be a lean holiday season when it comes to exchanging gifts. People will appreciate your honesty and attention to your finances.
—Don’t get caught up in the moment: If your shopping cart is overflowing, step back, regroup and make sure you can really afford everything you plan to purchase. While there are some good deals to be had, don’t fall for marketing campaigns that make you feel as if you’re getting a great deal when you’re really not (i.e. buy it today – pay for it tomorrow). The key is to be mentally tough to know when enough is enough.
—Don’t pull out the plastic: Don’t even think of using a credit card unless you are 100% sure you can comfortably pay it off at the end of the month. The last thing anyone needs is to get hit with high interest rates and a blemish on their credit score. Ask yourself this critical thinking question: Would I rather have the short-term satisfaction of expensive material possessions, or the long-term results of financial freedom and abundance?
—Learn from the past: Did you overspend last holiday season or some other year in the past? Remember how it set you back financially? Remember how bad it felt when you opened up your credit card statement and realized you couldn’t pay it all? Revisit that pain and how miserable you felt before you start shopping this holiday season.
—Limit charitable giving: Yes, you read that right. Giving a little pocket change to support the homeless this holiday season is one thing. But until you’re financially comfortable yourself, you can’t give what you don’t have. While it’s certainly commendable that you want to help others, those who try and support every cause known to man but can’t afford to are doing more harm than good.
—Make it a teaching moment: Your kids are watching your every move, so play it smart and use the holidays as an opportunity to teach kids how money works. Even parents who have failed to reach their financial dreams can still teach their kids important lessons about money during the holiday season.

Parents are upset over photos posted online

DEAR ABBY: My husband and I have a happy, adorable 18-month-old son. Understandably, he’s the light of our lives. Early in my pregnancy, I decided to not post a pregnancy announcement or pictures of him on social media. I felt my son should have the autonomy to build his own social media presence as he saw fit. During the past year, I have felt comfortable sharing about five pictures of him with my 40-plus close friends and family who follow that social media account. My mother-in-law has been posting pictures of my son to her social media account for a while ...

PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news from St. Mary Now. Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today!

Morgan City Council adopts 2020 budget

The Morgan City Council on Tuesday passed a 2020 budget that looks much like the 2019 budget, got a $1 million check from the parish government for road projects, and took up the burning issue of fire pits. The council unanimously passed the $39.9 million budget, up about 1% from $38.6 million in the amended current budget. The bulk of the budget is in the city’s utility system, expected to spend $21.8 million this year. The general fund, which pays for the day-to-day expenses of government, foresees $6.5 million in revenues, a conservative estimate compared to the amended 2019 figure of $7 ...

PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news from St. Mary Now. Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today!

Pages

ST. MARY NOW

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