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WANDA BRADFORD FIRMIN

Tue, 07/29/2025 - 10:07am

Wanda Bradford Firmin, 74, a native of Morgan City and resident of Lafayette, died Monday, July 14, 2025, at her residence.
Services were Saturday at Jones Funeral Home Chapel in Morgan City, with burial in Morgan City Cemetery.
She is survived by brothers, Jessie Bradford of Lafayette, Floyd Bradford of Morgan City and Carl Bradford of Patterson.
She was preceded in death by parents, three brothers, sister, and maternal and paternal grandparents.
Jones Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

AGNA JOSEPH HEBERT JR.

Tue, 07/29/2025 - 10:05am

Agna Joseph Hebert Jr. died Friday, July 25, 2025.
He is survived by his wife, Lisa Dupuy Hebert; children, A.J. Hebert III, Jessica Hebert and Edmond Hodges; six grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and siblings, Timmy Hebert, Joy McCartney and Jason Hebert.
He was preceded in death by his parents and stepfather.
Visitation will be Friday, 6-9 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. until services at noon at Twin City Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Morgan City Cemetery.
Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

BRENDA DELCO

Tue, 07/29/2025 - 10:05am

Brenda Delco, 67, of Patterson, died Monday, July 21, 2025.
Visitation will be Saturday from 10 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at The Mission Church in Patterson. Burial will follow in Morgan City Cemetery.
She is survived by a daughter, Tangela Scott of Patterson; brothers, Craig Gash and Willie Garrett; and four grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, a brother, a sister and a grandchild.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Lawmaker: La. is prepared for Medicaid changes

Tue, 07/29/2025 - 10:02am
NOLAN McKENDRY, The Center Square

Rep. Stephanie Berault, R-Slidell, who sits on the House Health and Welfare Committee, says the state is well prepared to manage upcoming changes with Medicaid — although concerns remain about the burden of new work requirements and a looming loss of federal dollars. 
“I don’t think it’s going to be as bad as all the panic seems to be,” Berault told The Center Square in an interview. “We’re going to have to make some adjustments and plan over time. I think it’s going to force us to speed up some technological improvements that we were going to make anyway.”
Roughly 400,000 people have lost Medicaid coverage in Louisiana since July 2023, when the state resumed eligibility checks that had been paused during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
That reduced Medicaid enrollment to about 1.6 million as of June — a 21% drop from the 2023 peak of 2 million, according to a report from the Louisiana Public Affairs Research Council, citing data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Much of the concern, Berault said, stems from fears that people could lose coverage due to administrative hurdles rather than ineligibility.
“It seems to me that a lot of the panic is around the fear that people will lose coverage because of paperwork issues, not necessarily because they lost eligibility,” Berault said. “We have the technology that we can implement... we’re just going to have to find a way to do it more quickly.”
Under recently passed federal legislation dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Medicaid eligibility rules will tighten further.
Most adult recipients will be required to work or participate in certain activities at least 80 hours per month by the end of 2026.
The law also mandates income verification every six months — a compliance challenge for lower-income residents, Berault noted.
“A lot of times, people who are already having low-income challenges, resource challenges — it’s compliance with having to deal with checking in and work requirements that is more difficult,” she said.
Berault expects that her “One Door” law will aid the state transition away from federal dependency.
The law aims to streamline benefit access through a centralized system that connects the Louisiana Department of Health and Louisiana Workforce Commission.
“That has put us a little bit ahead of the game... the collaboration between workforce and LDH is already happening here,” Berault said. “There will be a dashboard... they will have a case manager through Louisiana Works who is going to be helping them manage all of their benefits.”
Under Berault’s law, Louisiana Department of Health will handle SNAP and Medicaid eligibility, “but it’s all going to be going through a centralized from the perspective of Louisiana residents needing services,” Berault said.
The federal Medicaid overhaul is also expected to impact the state’s budget in coming years, as Louisiana will be required to shoulder a greater share of costs currently covered through provider taxes — a financing mechanism that draws down additional federal matching dollars.
“That is a concern that we’re going to have to address during the budgeting process,” Berault said. “As the provider tax piece drops down, the state will be required to put up more... so we’re going to have to figure out where that money comes from.”
Of Louisiana’s $21.2 billion Medicaid budget, about $16 billion — or 75% — is currently funded by the federal government.
That reliance is partly due to Louisiana’s high poverty rate and its decision to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. As of 2025, about 32.8% of Louisiana residents are enrolled in the program, one of the highest rates in the country, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.
Despite the disenrollment trend, Louisiana’s Medicaid budget continues to grow — driven by medical inflation and rate increases for providers — even as fewer people are covered.
Still, Berault remains optimistic that Louisiana’s proactive efforts to modernize its eligibility systems and coordinate agencies will help soften the blow of upcoming federal mandates.
“My hope is, and my expectation is, that fewer people will be missed than maybe the expectation is going to be — that there’s going to be a lot of people that lose their Medicaid just because they didn’t click the box, they didn’t get in and verify their income,” she said. “But if workforce is already communicating with LDH, then hopefully there’ll be a lot less of that.”

ZACK BATISTE III

Tue, 07/29/2025 - 8:27am

Zack Batiste III, 51, a resident of Dallas, died Thursday, July 17, 2025.
Visitation is Tuesday, 3-8 p.m., at Singing Hills Funeral Home in Dallas. Visitation will also be Saturday from 9 a.m. until services at noon at Jones Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Berwick Cemetery.
He is survived by his mother, Cynthia Sidney of The Colony, Texas; son, Zack Batiste IV of Garland, Texas; daughter, Alexis Batiste of Dallas; stepsons, Brandon Bailey and Cornell Bailey of Dallas; sisters, Nevelyn Batiste-Ward of Red Oak, Texas, Tanisha Batiste of The Colony, Texas and Marquetta Batiste of Hawthorne, California; and six grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his father.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

RICHARD LEON NORRELL

Tue, 07/29/2025 - 8:23am

Richard Leon Norrell, 78, formerly of Morgan City, will have graveside services at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Bistineau Baptist Church in Heflin.
He is survived by his wife, Linda Norrell; son, Clayton Norrell; sister, Brenda Norrell; five grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, parents and brother.
Rocket Funeral Home in Ringgold is in charge of arrangements.

Bayou BBQ Bash big trophy winners

Mon, 07/28/2025 - 7:01pm

Here are the Grand Champion, Reserve Champion, Local Cooks and Corporate Team winners from the 2025 Bayou BBQ Bash on Friday and Saturday in Morgan City. Winners are shown with Virginia Sutton of the Marine Corps League St. Mary Detachment, which ran the competition.

The Review/Bill Decker

Bayou BBQ Bash winners: Mata Tellman Dessert, Cannata's Kids Q events

Mon, 07/28/2025 - 6:44pm

Here the winners in the 2025 Bayou BBQ Bash Mata Tellman Dessert and Cannata's Kids Q competitions Friday and Saturday in Morgan City. Unless noted, winners are shown with Virginia Sutton of the Marine Corps League St. Mary Detachment, which ran the competition.

The Review/Bill Decker

Bayou BBQ Bash winners: Brisket, rib, chicken competition winners

Mon, 07/28/2025 - 6:32pm

Here are the winners in the 2025 Bayou Barbecue Bash chicken, rib and brisket competitions. The evemt is sanctioned by the Barbecue Competitors Alliance. The winners are shown with Virginia Sutton of the Marine Corps League St. Mary Detachment, which ran the competition Friday and Saturday in Morgan City.

The Review/Bill Decker

Drug- and alcohol-related offenses occupy local agencies

Mon, 07/28/2025 - 2:21pm
Staff Report

(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.)

Offenses related to drugs or alcohol kept local law enforcement agencies busy in the last week.

Morgan City and Franklin police reported arrests on theft or burglary charges.

Morgan City

Chief Chad M. Adams reported these arrests:

--Mandi Hatfield, 38, Florence Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 3:27 p.m. Friday on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and littering public places.

--Jennifer Johnson, 50, Broadway Avenue, Millersville, Tennessee, was arrested at 3:40 p.m. Saturday on charges of aggravated flight from an officer, reckless operation of a motor vehicle, open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle and no driver’s license.

--Donna Davidson, 65, Franklin Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:17 a.m. Saturday on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Nicole Percle, 49, Leona Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:47 p.m. Saturday on a charge of burglary of an inhabited dwelling.

--Myron Hatch, 52, Leona Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:47 p.m. Saturday on a charge of burglary of an inhabited dwelling and failure to appear for trial (6th Ward Morgan City Court).’

--Lynzie Taylor, 32 years of age, Address: Freret Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:28 p.m. Saturday on charges of possession of marijuana (first offense) and expired motor vehicle inspection. (Released on summons.)
Jorge Escalante-Moncada, 28, Fifth Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 12:23 a.m. Sunday on charges of driving while intoxicated (first offense), reckless operation of a motor vehicle, no driver’s license and improper lane usage.

--Richard Ruelas, 33, La. 182, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:09 a.m. Thursday on charges of possession of marijuana (first offense) and improper lane usage. (Released on summons.)

--Damian Calderon, 20, Lennys Lane, Amelia, was arrested at 10:49 p.m. July 23 on charges of reckless operation of a motor vehicle, possession of alcohol by a person under 21, improper lane usage, criminal damage to property and no driver’s license.

--Jeffery Lambert, 27, River Road, Berwick, was arrested at 8:45 a.m. Friday on a charge of remaining where forbidden.

--Stephanie Manjarrez, 31, Belanger Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 11:28 a.m. Friday on a charge of contributing to the delinquency of juveniles.

--Dylan Houck, 27, Sixth Street, Morgan City, was arrested at 7:23 a.m. Thursday on a charge of remaining where forbidden.

--Don Fryou, 37, Bayou Black Drive, Gibson, was arrested at 12:49 p.m. Thursday on charges of failure to yield and failure to appear to pay fine (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

--Luis Garcilazo, 22, Todd Lane, Bayou Vista, was arrested at 1:52 p.m. Thursday on charges failure to pay fine and failure to appear for trial (6th Ward Morgan City Court).

St. Mary

Sheriff Gary Driskell reported these arrests:

--Caleb Austin Lipari, 23, Gibson, was arrested at 12:40 a.m. Saturday on charges of disturbing the peace (intoxicated) and simple battery. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Rebecca Ann Michel, 60, Morgan City, was arrested at 1:40 a.m. Friday on charges of stop signs and yield signs, possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Michel was released on a $4,500 bond.

--Jessica Jamie Gollmer, 44, Morgan City, was arrested at 2:35 a.m. Thursday on a charge of possession of Schedule II drugs and on a Berwick Police Department warrant alleging possession of Schedule II drugs. Bail has not been set at this time.

--Florian Metrejean, 54, Morgan City, was arrested at 10:16 a.m. Thursday on two warrants alleging failure to appear on charges of driving under suspension and theft. Metrejean was released on a $2,000 bond.

--Danny Michael Fulks, 39, Franklin, was arrested by the Narcotics Section at 4:22 p.m. July 23 on charges of resisting an officer, obstruction of justice, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal trespass, and on a Sheriff’s Office warrant alleging unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling.

--Corey James Williams, 41, New Iberia, was arrested at 11:08 a.m. Friday on a failure to appear warrant on a charge of criminal neglect of family. Bail was set at $500.

Bail was set at $32,000.

Patterson

Chief Garrett Grogan reported these arrests:

--Trevis D. Ruffin, 32, Oneal Chube Drive, Franklin, was arrested at 12:53 a.m. Saturday on charges of possession of Schedule I drugs, possession of a firearm by a felon, headlights required and expired driver’s license. Ruffin is incarcerated at the

Patterson PD Jail with no bond set.

-- Johnell Dyer II, 49, N Street, Patterson, was arrested at 7:34 p.m. Friday on a charge of violation of protective orders. Dyer is incarcerated at the Patterson PD Jail with no bond set.

Franklin

Chief Cedric Handy reported these arrests:

--Sarakeisha Dugar, 32, L Street, Patterson, was arrested, at 4:50 a.m. Saturday on a warrant for the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office alleging simple criminal damage to property and aggravated burglary. Dugar was booked, processed and held on a $40,000.00 bond.

--Clayton Helaire, 39, Edison Street, Lafayette, was arrested at 2:56 p.m. Sunday on charges of theft and illegal possession of stolen things. Helaire was booked, processed and held on a $3,500 bond.

--Tioni Prejean, 28, Goldman Street, Lafayette, was arrested at 2:56 p.m. Friday on charges of theft and illegal possession of stolen things. Prejean was booked, processed and held on a $3,500.00 bond.

--Brittany Noel, 35, Short Street, Lafayette, was arrested at 2:57 p.m. Sunday on charges of theft, three counts of resisting an officer by failure to identify and obstruction of justice. Noel was additionally arrested on warrants for 15th Judicial District Court alleging failure to appear on a charge of theft. Noel was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

--Donna Jones, 44, Brianna Drive, New Iberia, was arrested at 2:57 p.m. Sunday on charges of theft and receiving stolen property. Jones was booked, processed and held on a $3,500 bond.

--Joseph Nedd, 60, Tabor Street, Franklin, was arrested at 7:23 p.m. Friday on a charge of simple assault. Nedd was booked, processed and held on a $2,500 bond.

--James Otis, 71, Robertson Street, Franklin, was arrested at 5:53 a.m. Saturday on a charge of violation of protective orders. Otis was booked, processed and released on a $2,500 bond.

--Areeb Ahmad, 31, Lake Woodbridge Court, Sugarland, Texas, was arrested at 9:44 a.m. Sunday on charges of speeding and careless operation. Ahmad was booked, processed and released on a $523 bond.

--Catina Butler, 49, Iberia Street, Franklin, was arrested at 6:30 p.m. Sunday on a charge of hit and run. Butler was booked, processed and released on a $1,000. bond.

--James Otis, 71, Robertson Street, Franklin, was arrested at 11:19 a.m. July 23 on a charge of domestic abuse battery. Otis was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

--Zaharolin Byers, 25, Liner Street, Franklin, was arrested at 12:30 Thursday on a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court alleging failure to appear on charges of license plate light and driving under suspension, and on a warrant for 16th Judicial District Court alleging failure to appear on charges of following too closely and operating a vehicle while license is suspended.

Byers was booked, processed and held with no bond set at the time of press release.

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