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JACQUELYN LeBLANC AUCOIN

Thu, 10/24/2019 - 9:05am

Jacqueline LeBlanc Aucoin, 80, a native of Morgan City and resident of Amelia, died Monday, Oct. 21, 2019, at her residence.
She is survived by four daughters, Nadine Picou of Morgan City, Jeanie Kennedy of Amelia, Wendy Clayton of Independence and Shelley Cortez of Bayou L’Ourse; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Russell Lajaunie of Plano, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a great-grandson, two sisters and six brothers.
Visitation will be Friday from 9 a.m. until services at 11 a.m. at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Amelia. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Wheel House for Oct. 24

Thu, 10/24/2019 - 9:03am

LITTLE ZION
Baptist Church, 2746 Sixth St., Berwick, celebrating its pastor, the Rev. W.J. Otis’ 37-year anniversary, at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 27.

Hearing from MCHS students

Thu, 10/24/2019 - 8:59am

Submitted Photos
Morgan City Rotary Club members hosted Morgan City High School students Michelle Lam, Hannah Adams and Carson Gagliano at a recent luncheon where the students spoke about their current school activities and their education plans. Pictured are Tim Hebert, Rotarian, Lam, Adams, Gagliano and Jakob Dworaczyk, Rotary president.

Walmart gives $516K to feed the hungry

Thu, 10/24/2019 - 8:58am

Walmart, as part of its efforts, collaborates with Feeding America®, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, year-round to support their network of 200 member food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs nationwide.
This year, through the retailer’s spring “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” campaign, Walmart and Sam’s Club customers and associates raised more than $516,631 for Louisiana food banks, helping them provide healthy, nutritious meals to individuals and families struggling to get enough to eat.
Since 2014, the “Fight Hunger. Spark Change.” campaign has raised more than $1.8 million for Louisiana food banks, helping secure more than 1billion meals for food banks nationwide.
“We can do so much more for our communities when we work together. We’re grateful to our customers, associates and suppliers for their generosity as we take action to fight hunger,” said James Winchester, Walmart regional general manager for Louisiana. “Louisiana food banks are doing a wonderful job bringing food to the people who need it most and we’re honored to be a part of their mission.”
In addition to monetary contributions, retail food donations are also an important part of Feeding America’s strategy for fighting hunger, accounting for the largest single source of meals the organization provided to people facing hunger last year.
In 2018, 1.4 billion meals – 32.5 percent of total meals provided by Feeding America partners—resulted from retail food donations. In Louisiana last year, Walmart stores, Sam’s Clubs and distribution centers donated more than 13.8 million lbs. of food to Louisiana food banks and affiliated pantries, resulting in thousands of meals for Louisiana families and individuals.
“Every day, Feeding America member food banks see the impact that hunger has on children, families, seniors and communities. We encourage everyone to find their local food bank and take action to help end hunger,” said Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America. “Community support is essential to helping our neighbors in need and we are tremendously grateful to Walmart, Sam’s Club and their dedicated suppliers, associates and customers for their commitment to helping people who struggle to put food on their tables.”
Hunger can affect individuals from all walks of life, but some populations are more at risk. In Louisiana, children are one of the most vulnerable groups to food insecurity. According to Feeding America, hungry children are more likely to be hospitalized and face higher risks of health conditions like anemia and asthma. As they grow up, kids struggling to get enough to eat are more likely to have problems in school and other social situations.
As Hunger Action Month comes to a close on September 30, Walmart and Feeding America want to remind everyone that every action counts in the fight against hunger. Individuals can take action today to help fight hunger in their communities by volunteering their time or donating to any of the 200 member food banks or 60,000 food pantries and meal programs that comprise the Feeding America network. Go to www.hungeractionmonth.com to learn more and find a local Feeding America partner near you. Learn more about what Walmart and the Walmart Foundation are doing to help in these efforts at Walmart.org.

Bank gives to Adopt A School

Thu, 10/24/2019 - 8:55am

Adopt-a-School sponsor M C Bank representative Tessie Dubois attended Bayou Vista Elementary’s Principal’s Breakfast. She presented a check from the bank to Kiante Gunner, principal. Also pictured are fifth grade students Ella Billiot and Lane Champagne.

Positive behavior winner

Thu, 10/24/2019 - 8:49am

Submitted Photos
Bayou Vista Elementary held its first nine weeks' drawing for positive behavior. Pictured above is winner first grader Ayson Absher with Kiante Gunner, principal. The school thanked A-Bears Home Improvement for donating the bike.

Morgan City, Berwick, Central Catholic reschedule football games

Wed, 10/23/2019 - 3:11pm

The threat of severe weather Friday has led at least three local schools to reschedule football games for Thursday.

The rescheduled games, each at 7 p.m. Thursday, will be:

--Morgan City High at South Lafourche.

--Berwick High at St. James.

--Covenant Christian at Central Catholic for the CCHS homecoming game.

Central Catholic homecoming game moved up to Thursday; parade canceled

Wed, 10/23/2019 - 2:28pm

Central Catholic High's homecoming game has been moved up to Thursday and the homecoming parade has been canceled, the school said Wednesday.

The threat of severe weather led to the change in date for the game, which was originally scheduled for Friday.

Central Catholic will host Covenant Christian at 7 p.m. Thursday. The presentation of the court will also be at the Thursday game.

The homecoming pep rally will be at 11:40 a.m. Thursday in the new gym.

The homecoming dance (for high school students only) will still be Saturday night.

The annual Red Bean Dinner and Senior Slide Show has been postponed, with a tentative new date of 6 p.m Nov. 7.

Bearbs receive yard recognition

Wed, 10/23/2019 - 12:54pm

Brodie and Jessie Bearb have been presented the October Yard of the Month award by Patterson Garden Club. The neatly landscaped home is shaded by a large oak tree. Front and back beds include azaleas, miniature bottle brush, variegated ginger, gold dust plants, daylilies, agapanthus, Mexican heather, begonias, foxtail fern, pansies and more.

Millennial Money: Vanquish these five financial fears

Wed, 10/23/2019 - 12:53pm

By SEAN PYLES, NerdWallet

Fear can consume you. The anxiety of the unknown can drive you to pull the blanket over your head, whether you’re worried about a rustling sound outside your bedroom window or that you won’t have enough retirement savings.
Financial fears — not wanting to check your credit, confront your debt or even discuss your student loans — can feel especially shameful. But facing those fears can empower you to take action.
1. STUDENT LOAN STRESS
Student loans topped the list of most-feared financial topics among U.S. adults, according to a 2019 survey of 1,006 consumers by TD Ameritrade. Student loan debt, at 36%, outranked even living paycheck to paycheck (26 and credit card debt (20%).
HOW TO CONQUER IT: Understand your loans in detail — that’s key to knowing whether you’re on the best repayment plan. Know each loan’s term, balance, interest rate and whether it’s a federal or private loan.
For unaffordable federal loans, look into income-driven repayment plans. For private loans, you may be able to refinance for a lower monthly payment (but it may cost more overall).
2. RECESSION ANXIETY
Indicators like slowing global economic growth hint that a recession might be coming, raising fears of job loss and asset depletion.
HOW TO CONQUER IT: Shore up your savings and diversify your skills. Build up at least $500 in savings to cover an emergency, advises Boston-based financial coach Kimberly Zimmerman Rand. After that, work toward having a few months’ worth of expenses saved in case of job loss. Make saving easier with direct deposits from your paycheck or automatic transfers from checking to savings.
“On the professional side, since we’re not in a recession right now, see how you can improve your job skills, your network, your resume, so if the unfortunate does happen, you’ve already laid the foundation to transition to a new position,” Zimmerman Rand said.
3. CREDIT CARD DEBT CONCERNS
Paying off credit card debt can feel like a never-ending task, but there are ways to get it done.
“I’ve had clients who come to us for debt counseling that have the fear that they’re the worst situation we’ve ever seen financially, and that’s never the case,” said Maura Attardi, director of financial wellness at Money Management Intern-ational, a nonprofit credit counseling agency.
This fear can be a self-fulfilling prophecy: You’re afraid to check your overall debt because of how high it might be, but while you’re not looking, you keep accruing interest.
HOW TO CONQUER IT: List each account, interest rate and balance. Then choose a payoff strategy. One popular option is the debt snowball, where you pay off your smallest debts first then roll those payments toward your bigger debts.
4. CREDIT CRISIS
Ever been afraid to undergo a credit check or apply for credit because you thought your credit profile wasn’t up to snuff? You’re not alone: 46% of 1,503 U.S. adults surveyed by the financial service company Finicity found themselves in just that situation.
HOW TO CONQUER IT: Check your own credit score at your favorite personal finance website or bank website, and access your credit reports for free by visiting online at AnnualCreditReport.com. Looking at your score and reports will help you understand your options for improving your credit.
“Go through your credit report with a fine-tooth comb and contest any untrue information,” Zimmerman Rand said.
“For bringing up your score, start on positive financial behaviors, like making on-time payments,” she said. If you use credit cards, keeping the percentage of your credit limit you use below 30% on all cards will help too.
5. BROKE RETIREMENT BLUES
“Among my clients, there’s a kind of feeling of hopelessness when it comes to the idea of retiring,” Zimmerman Rand said. But starting early is most important, not waiting until you can put away a lot.
HOW TO CONQUER IT: If you have a workplace retirement plan that offers an employer match, contribute enough to get it. An individual retirement account is a good alternative if you don’t have a workplace plan. Set yourself up for success by automating contributions and bumping up how much you’re saving every time you get a raise.
Avoid withdrawing money from your retirement account to get the maximum benefit from compound interest, where you earn interest on your interest.
“The magic of compound interest is truly magic — and it works,” Zimmerman Rand said. “After you’ve been saving for years, your investment begins to double a lot faster. For millennials, now is the time to start investing.”
—This column was provided to The Associated Press by the personal finance website NerdWallet.