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Nicholls Reading Council earns Honor Council status

Nicholls Reading Council, an organization of the Louisiana Reading Association, in affiliation with the Inter-national Literacy Association, was recognized as an Honor Council at the Annual Louisiana Reading Association Awards Banquet in August held in conjunction with the Leadership Training Workshop held in Marksville.
The Louisiana Reading Association Honor Council Program annually recognizes local, student and special interest councils that organize and conduct well-rounded literacy programs.
In order to qualify for Honor Council status, the council must be in good standing according to International Literacy Association Bylaws, and each council vying for Honor Council distinction must complete rigorous requirements in the categories of membership, service to council members, service to local community and partnership with LRA.
The Nicholls Reading Council, under the direction of its President Ronica LaPoint with the support of Secretary Susan Tregle and Treasurer Natalie Duval, earned the designation and was recognized for its many accomplishments.
NRC’s mission is to nurture readers and writers in its communities. With an emphasis on literacy, the organization hosts the annual Young Authors Contest, open to all students in grades K-12.
NRC set up a Literacy Box at Pay It Forward in Morgan City in order to give access to books to a greater amount of local citizens. The Council also supports literacy at birth through their Books and Bibs for Babies project.
Membership in the Nicholls Reading Council is open to all those interested in promoting literacy in our communities.

Park-goers stuck on Disney World’s new aerial cable cars

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Walt Disney World park-goers were stuck for hours aboard the Florida resort’s newly launched aerial cable car system Saturday night, prompting firefighters to lift people from the gondolas to bring them back to the ground. There were no reported injuries.
Riders reported being stuck as long as three hours as rescuers worked their way up to evacuate the Disney Skyliner. Disney officials said in a statement that one of the new cable car system routes “experienced an unexpected downtime.”
“The Skyliner will be closed while we look into the details surrounding this downtime,” the statement said. “We are working with each guest individually regarding impacts to their visit with us.”
It was not immediately clear what caused the incident.
The Skyliner air gondolas opened to visitors last week.
Aaron Murray, who was stuck in a gondola with his girlfriend and six other people, said on Sunday that the long wait and lack of communication was the most frustrating part of the incident.
“They didn’t really say the reason that was causing the delay. The message that just kept coming over again and again is that they were sorry for the delay,” Murray said. “We were getting better information off of Twitter.”
The gondola behind them was assisted first possibly because there was a person that needed help, he said. Murray said he saw a woman being placed on a stretcher.
Murray recently moved to the Orlando area from Missouri and became a Disney pass holder. He was hoping to catch the new “Epcot Forever” nighttime show on Saturday.
“We were trying to celebrate at Epcot, and we ended up seeing ‘Epcot Forever’ but from the sky,” he said. “We could barely see it.”

Widowed mother begins affair with her married brother-in-law

DEAR ABBY: My father died three years ago. My parents were both close to his younger brother and his wife. For the past two years, I have suspected that my mother and my uncle have been having an affair. They live in different states and text back and forth. She has left her phone open when she has gone places with us, and the comments back and forth are very sexually oriented. I became suspicious when my uncle came to visit and they took a trip together and ended up staying overnight somewhere. A couple of months later, my aunt ...

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Radio Logs for October 7

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.

Friday, Oct. 4
7:49 a.m. 7500 block of La. 182; Alarm.
7:59 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Fight.
8:22 a.m. 700 block of Fifth Street; Animal complaint.
8:42 a.m. 300 block of Wren Street; Battery.
11:07 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Drug law violation.
1:03 p.m. 700 block of Terrebonne Street; Complaint.
1:53 p.m. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Suspicious subject.
2:50 p.m. 1100 block of Florence Street; Complaint.
2:54 p.m. 700 block of Hilda Street; Criminal damage to property.
3:06 p.m. 1400 block of Second Street; Suspicious subject.
3:45 p.m. 1900 block of Federal Avenue; Complaint.
5:01 p.m. 500 block of Terrebonne Street; Stand by.
5:54 p.m. 7500 block of La. 182; Harassment.
6:02 p.m. 1400 block of Walnut Street; Fire alarm.
7:32 p.m. 200 block of Belanger Street; Disturbance.
8:35 p.m. 300 block of Oriole Street; Disturbance.
9:29 p.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Drunk person.
9:31 p.m. 500 block of Seventh Street; Standby.
9:44 p.m. Morgan City Police Department; Animal.
10:09 p.m. Fig Street; Reckless driver.
10:14 p.m. 100 block of Everett Street; Suspicious person.
10:19 p.m. 2600 block of Fir Street; Disturbance.
10:38 p.m. 7700 block of La. 182; Complaint.
11:03 p.m. Shaw Drive; Complaint
Saturday, Oct. 5
1:03 a.m. 7300 block of La. 182; Alarm.
2:37 a.m. U.S. 90 East; Traffic blockage.
4:02 a.m. 7300 block of La. 182; Alarm.
7:10 a.m. Glenwood Street; Alarm.
7:24 a.m. Lake End Park; Medical emergency.
8:41 a.m. 200 block of Canary Street; Medical emergency.
9:00 a.m. River Road; Assist.
9:16 a.m. 900 block of Seventh Street; Suspicious subject.
11:15 a.m. 400 block of Belanger Street; Welfare concern.
11:54 a.m. U.S. 90 Bridge west bound; Stalled vehicle.
12:00 p.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Theft.
1:12 p.m. 1500 block of Bernice Street; Fire alarm.
1:23 p.m. 800 block of Railroad Avenue; Juvenile.
1:43 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Warrant.
3:28 p.m. 2300 block of La. 182; Suspicious subject.
3:35 p.m. 6000 block of La. 182; Shoplifter/Sherriff’s Office warrant.
5:03 p.m. 700 block of Cottonwood Street; Alarm.
6:40 p.m. 900 block of Duke Street; Animal.
7:41 p.m. Lake End Park; Fire alarm.
7:43 p.m. U.S. 90 East; Reckless Driver.
7:50 p.m. 100 block of Mallard Street; Burglary.
7:51 p.m. Levee Road and Tupelo Street; Accident.
8:00 p.m. Willard Street Apartments; Fight.
8:22 p.m. Morgan City Police Department; Narcotics activity.
11:42 p.m. 500 block of Barrow Street; Medical.
11:56 p.m. Lake End Park; Fire alarm.
Sunday, Oct. 6
12:16 a.m. Wren and Canary streets; Arrest.
12:51 a.m. U.S. 90 West; Arrest.
1:23 a.m. 7300 block of La. 182; Alarm.
2:42 a.m. 300 block of Wren Street; Medical.
3:42 a.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Medical.
5:27 a.m. 2400 block of Maple Street; Complaint.
9:18 a.m. 100 block of Glenwood Street; Alarm.
9:43 a.m. U.S. 90 East; Traffic incident.
11:16 a.m. 700 block of Aucoin Street; Complaint.
12:00 p.m. 1000 block of Fifth Street; Welfare check.
1:04 p.m. 1000 block of Brashear Avenue; Removal of subject.
2:02 p.m. 100 block of Railroad Avenue; Removal of subject.
2:19 p.m. 1700 block of Victor II Boulevard; Medical.
2:23 p.m. 2400 block of Tupelo Street; Medical.
2:29 p.m. 600 block of Freret Street; Disturbance.
3:32 p.m. 90 block of Glenwood Street; Alarm.
3:52 p.m. Fifth and Greenwood streets; Disturbance.
6:37 p.m. 500 block of Third Street; Theft.
6:39 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Suspicious person.
7:04 p.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Complaint.
7:08 p.m. 900 block of Belanger Street; Removal of subject.
7:41 p.m. 2300 block of Cypress Street; Medical.
8:10 p.m. Morgan City Police Department; Animal.
8:12 p.m. 100 block of Chennault Street; Loud music.
9:11 p.m. Morgan City Bank on La. 182; Suspicious person.
9:23 p.m. 2000 block of Keith Street; Complaint.
Sunday, Oct. 7
12:52 a.m. Morgan City Police Department; Medical.
1:10 a.m. 900 block of Sixth Street; Juvenile problem.
1:14 a.m. 7300 block of La. 182; Alarm.
2:23 a.m. 400 block of Fifth Street; Complaint.
2:33 a.m. Brashear Avenue near Sixth Street; Arrest.
2:54 a.m. 900 block of Martin Luther King Boulevard; Suspicious person.
3:16 a.m. 6500 block of La. 182; Alarm.
3:20 a.m. 500 block of Third Street; Medical.

Morgan City homecoming queen

Mackenley Landry was crowned Morgan City High School’s homecoming queen during halftime festivities Friday at Tiger Stadium in Morgan City. She is joined by her father, Brandon Landry, and her mother, Kimberly Landry. On the field, Morgan City fell to Patterson, 56-23.

The Daily Review/Geoff Stoute

Down on the river in Berwick

It was a big weekend on the Berwick riverfront. Top Photo: People flocked to the annual Lighthouse Festival for music, food, and arts and crafts. Middle Photo: Scottie Trevino, left, and Susan Jordan were among the top finishers in the Tour du Teche 135, a three-day, 135-mile kayak race from Port Barre to Berwick. Bottom Photo: Glenn Broussard of Youngsville paddles his way to a Tour du Teche finish.

The Daily Review/Bill Decker

From the Editor: Winning some, losing some in Morgan City

As St. Mary struggles to find a new place in a changing economy, we’re bound to lose some and win some.
Morgan City experienced both in the last couple of weeks.
The city lost Charlie’s Lanes, the bowling alley that closed its doors Sept. 28. But Morgan City, and the whole parish stand to benefit because Ochsner Health System is now running Teche Regional Medical Center. The hospital has been renamed Ochsner St. Mary.
We’ve seen business come and, too often, go over the course of these last four rocky years. But the closure of Charlie’s Lanes pulled a little harder at the heartstrings for many people.
The bowling alley was an example of two things that all small towns crave and prize.
It was something to do that didn’t require an hour’s drive in one direction or another. And bowling is a pastime for working people, which matches the character of the people here.
You rent some shoes, bowl a couple of lines and have a couple of beers. That, friends, is an All-American night out.
The other thing Charlie’s Lanes represented is something to do for young people. Activities like that always seems to be in short supply, activities that don’t involve video games, badly planned romantic adventures or something you buy in a sandwich bag.
Charlie’s was home field for bowling teams at Morgan City, Central Catholic and Berwick High schools. And the lanes hosted recent Special Olympics bowling competitions.
“Losing the bowling alley for the youth is what bothers me the most,” owner Charlie Bergeron told The Daily Review reporter Jaclyn Breaux. “For those that can’t play baseball, football, basketball, whatever, they can bowl.
“We had a lot of youth that wanted to bowl. We also had Special Olympics coming in October. We are hoping, for the youth, that someone might walk in tomorrow and want to keep the bowling center.”
The decision to close was hard for Bergeron but “you can’t keep putting good money to bad. That’s what I decided because I did put good money to bad, and I can’t do it anymore.”
So the curtain has come down for now on bowling in Morgan City, which has a history going back at least as far as 1875.
It wasn’t that long ago that some local people feared that Teche Regional might go the same way.
Over the last couple of years, there was a lawsuit when a Hospital Service District No. 2 board member tried to get a seat on Teche Regional’s internal board. Longtime management company LifePoint Health announced it was moving out of Louisiana after what appears to have been years of losses totaling in the millions.
Hospital staff members expressed anxiety over the closed-door deliberations on finding a replacement for LifePoint. The district board’s attorney resigned out of dissatisfaction with other aspects of the search.
St. Mary Parish Hospital District No. 2, which owns the hospital, settled on three potential replacements, and only one of them proved viable. It was Ochsner, which, aside from being an economic force in Louisiana, has a record of making small hospitals perform financially.
Rural hospitals are under a lot of economic pressure, partly because the areas they serve are under economic pressure. As jobs become more scarce in rural areas, the proportion of patients who can write a check for their care or have good insurance shrinks, and the number of patients who rely on government health care programs or can’t afford to pay at all grows.
St. Mary’s experience over the last four years is no exception.
The University of North Carolina has counted 113 rural hospitals that have closed since 2010.
But Ochsner has a network of hospitals across the state, and the network is growing with the company’s recently announced merger with Lafayette General Medical Center, one of the two big player’s in that city’s growing health care market.
If a patient has a problem that Teche Regional — now Ochsner St. Mary — lacks the knowhow to handle, doctors can call on colleagues at other Ochsner hospitals.
Ochsner is also promising to invest in the Morgan City hospital and implement an electronic medical records system that will give patients access to more information about their care. As this is written, I’ve just received three text alerts about a doctor’s appointment I didn’t make, so more information sounds pretty good.
Making Ochsner the operator of the local hospital may have been the most positive outcome St. Mary could have hoped for. And it happened at a time when the parish needs good outcomes.
Bill Decker is the managing editor of The Daily Review.

Louisiana Spotlight: President wades into governor's campaign

BATON ROUGE — Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ opponents are hoping President Donald Trump may have given one of them just the edge needed to keep Edwards from an outright primary victory in Saturday’s election.
With a few tweets and a planned visit, Trump is urging Republicans to vote against the Deep South’s only Democratic governor, despite Edwards’ repeated efforts to sidestep criticism of the president and talk of his solid rapport with the White House.
Still, Trump posted: “Don’t be fooled, John Bel Edwards will NEVER be for us,” tying Louisiana’s governor to national Democratic Party leaders.
The race’s two main Republican gubernatorial contenders — Ralph Abraham, a third-term congressman from rural northeast Louisiana, and Eddie Rispone, a Baton Rouge businessman and longtime GOP donor — seized on the tweets, even though neither man got a direct presidential endorsement. Trump called them “both Great.”
Abraham and Rispone heralded the president’s decision to weigh in on the race and claimed long-term support of Trump, even as they’ve clashed with each other over whose backing is more sincere.
The tweets — along with a New Orleans area visit from Vice President Mike Pence at a GOP “unity rally” and Trump’s announcement that he intends to hold an election eve event in Louisiana calling for votes against Edwards — spurred political prognosticators and candidates’ supporters trying to calculate whether White House interest will change the trajectory of the Louisiana governor’s race.
Polls show Edwards well ahead of his competitors, with Abraham and Rispone trying to keep him from winning Saturday without a runoff. In Louisiana, all contenders run on the same ballot regardless of party. If Edwards doesn’t top 50% of the vote Saturday, he’ll face a head-to-head Nov. 16 matchup against the second-place finisher.
Baton Rouge-based pollster Bernie Pinsonat didn’t suggest that the Trump and Pence support for either Abraham or Rispone against Edwards upended the race. But Pinsonat said it could be one more factor that makes it harder for a Democrat to get the cross-party support he needs to win statewide in Louisiana.
The activity, Pinsonat said, is “another reminder to them that they need to stay where they are, they’re Republicans, they’re Trump voters and don’t cross the street and vote for a Democrat.”
Edwards has tried to maneuver in a politically tricky space. He doesn’t focus on his party affiliation. He tries to talk solely about state issues without getting bogged down in national political feuds that could be land mines for him in a Southern state where Trump is popular, particularly amid a U.S. House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry.
The president’s criticism of Edwards wasn’t exactly precise.
Beyond linking Edwards to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, Trump claimed that Second Amendment rights were “at stake” in the Louisiana governor’s race. But Edwards’ pro-gun stances line up with Trump’s positions on the issue, and with the positions espoused by Abraham and Rispone.
Meanwhile, Repub-lican Party leaders haven’t rallied around one specific candidate, keeping the vote splintered and raising questions about whether that keeps the anti-Edwards message fractured.
Pinsonat suggested impeachment is raising Republicans’ attention in Louisiana, just like across the nation, and could drive more GOP voters to lodge a protest against the Democratic Party, by choosing someone who’s not Edwards.
“There’s another threat against the president, and now they’re irritated, they’re agitated. Is it playing a major influence? No, but it’s enough that it’s probably getting them interested in voting more than they would have been,” the pollster said.
After the president’s hit against him on Twitter, Edwards and his campaign team tried to downplay all of it, calling it unsurprising Trump backs members of his own party.
“It was to be expected. The president is tweeting out of Washington. Washington is hyper-partisan. That’s the way they function,” Edwards said after an endorsement event.
Then, the Democratic governor talked of working with lawmakers across the political aisle and his expectation that Louisiana residents “don’t want to go to a situation where everything is strictly partisan.” He noted that he’s been invited to nine meetings at the White House, to discuss infrastructure, opioids and criminal justice. And he wrapped up by saying he intends to “continue to work well” with the president.
Melinda Deslatte has covered Louisiana politics for The Associated Press since 2000. Follow her at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte

Trump to appear in Louisiana

BATON ROUGE — President Donald Trump is heading to Louisiana ahead of Saturday’s election, for a last-minute rally aimed at peeling support from Gov. John Bel Edwards and keeping the Democratic incumbent from a primary win.
Trump tweeted Sunday about the get-out-the-vote event, saying he’s working to elect “a great new Republican Governor!” He hasn’t endorsed between GOP candidates Ralph Abraham and Eddie Rispone.
The president’s event will be held Friday night in Lake Charles.

Medical emergency response results in heroin charge

Police responded to a medical emergency at a residence on Sept. 11 and found drugs, prompting an investigation and arrest of a Morgan City man, Morgan City Police Chief James F. Blair said in a news release.
—Austin Guarisco, 26, of Arenz Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:40 a.m. Thursday on warrants for the charges of possession with the intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance (Alprazolam), possession of a Schedule I controlled dangerous substance (heroin), possession of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance (methamphetamine), possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal use of controlled dangerous substance in presence of a juvenile, possession of a firearm in presence of a controlled dangerous substance, violation of controlled dangerous substance law drug-free zone, and possession of a Schedule III controlled dangerous substance (Subutex).
Guarisco was located at the St. Mary Parish jail and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking on warrants that stemmed from a Sept. 11 investigation of a medical emergency. While at the residence, officers located suspected illegal drugs which led officers to apply for a search warrant of the residence, Blair said.
During the search, warrant officers located other illegal items. Guarisco was jailed.
Blair also reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 46 calls for service and the following arrests were made:
—Stephanie Harvey, 40, of Cane Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:30 a.m. Thursday on warrants for charges of automobile insurance fraud and theft between $5,000 and $25,000. Harvey, who was already incarcerated in the Morgan City Police Department jail, was booked on warrants from the Louisiana State Police. She remains jailed.
—Caleb Givens, 18, of Kidd Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:40 a.m. Thursday on warrants for failure to appear to City Court of Morgan City for trial on the charges of resisting an officer and two counts disturbing the peace and on a warrant for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Givens was located at the St. Mary Parish Jail and transported to the Morgan City Police Department for booking. The warrant for felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile stemmed from an investigation by Morgan City Police detectives into inappropriate contact with a juvenile. He was jailed.
—Dezzie Booty, 40, of Maple Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3 p.m. Thursday on warrants for failure to appear to pay fine to the City Court of Morgan City on the charges of possession of marijuana, open container and contempt of court and a warrant for failure to serve jail time on the charge of contempt of court. Booty was located in City Court of Morgan City and jailed.
—Ronald Abshire, 48, of Douchet Street in Welse, was arrested at 7:27 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for the charge of reckless operation of a vehicle. Abshire turned himself in to officers at the Morgan City Police Department where he was booked on a warrant for reckless operation of a vehicle from Sept. 5. The warrant stemmed from an incident at a local Railroad Avenue business where Abshire was identified as the driver of a vehicle.
—Raven Burise, 28, of Taft Street in Patterson, was arrested at 4:30 a.m. Friday on a charge of first offense possession of marijuana. Burise was arrested after officers were called to a local hotel by employees about illegal drug activity. Officers located Burise and during the investigation found suspected marijuana. She was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith advised that the Sheriff’s Office responded to 45 complaints and the following arrests were made:
—Shamus Michael Dardeau, 44, of Clarke Road in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 7:13 a.m. Thursday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of improper lane usage, driving under suspension and possession of marijuana. A deputy went to a residence on Clarke Road in reference to locating Dardeau, who held an active warrant for his arrest. The deputy made contact with Dardeau and advised him of the active warrant. He was jailed with bail set at $500.
—Dwayne Allen Broussard II, 25, of Faith Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:47 a.m. Thursday on two bench warrants for the charges of aggravated battery and false imprisonment.
—Ryan James Bowman, 24, of Jupiter Street in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 9:18 a.m. Thursday on a bench warrant for the charge of aggravated battery.
—Christopher Patterson, 20, of Southeast Boulevard in Franklin, was arrested at 4:55 p.m. Thursday on a bench warrant for the charge of simple battery.
A deputy was dispatched to a residence on Jupiter Street in Bayou Vista in reference to locating Bowman and Broussard who held active warrants for their arrest. The deputy made contact with Broussard and Bowman and advised them of the warrants. They were transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Patterson came to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center and turned himself in on the active warrant for his arrest and was booked. Patterson was jailed released on a $1,000 bond. Broussard was jailed and released on a $4,000 bond. Bowman was jailed and released on a $3,000 bond.
—Dayton Clark, 22, of Friendship Alley in Amelia, was arrested at 6:15 p.m. Thursday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
—Deondre Richardson, 22, of Friendship Alley in Amelia, was arrested at 6:15 p.m. Thursday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.
A deputy on patrol in the Amelia area received credible information that Richardson and Clark were in possession of drugs. The deputy made contact with Richardson and Clark, and through the investigation drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in their possession, Smith said. They were arrested and released on a summons to appear on Jan. 10.
Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported the following arrest:
—Caleb A. Lipari, 18, of K Street in Patterson, was arrested at 3:33 p.m. Thursday on charges of disturbing the peace by fighting, resisting an officer with force or violence, and resisting an officer by flight. He was jailed with no bond set.
Berwick Police Chief David Leonard Sr. reported the following arrest:
—Aidan Bennett, 18, of Oak Crest Drive in Lafayette, was arrested at 10:10 p.m. Thursday on charges of possession of Schedule II controlled dangerous substance (Ritalin) and improper lane usage.
Officers were on patrol in the area of La. 182 when they observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation. Officers made contact with the driver, identified as Bennett.
Officers gained consent to search her vehicle and located Ritalin which she admitted to not having a prescription for. She was jailed with no bond set.
Franklin Police Chief Morris Beverly reported that the Franklin Police responded to 14 complaints and the following arrest was made:
—Dijon Bell, 25, of James Street in Franklin, was arrested at 6:13 p.m. Thursday on the charge of second degree battery and two warrants dated May 11, 2016 on charges of resisting an officer and disturbing the peace by fighting.
Bell was additionally arrested on warrants for City Court of Morgan City for failure to appear on the charges of probation violation and second offense possession of marijuana; and a warrant for 3rd Ward City Court for failure to appear on the charge of possession of marijuana. He was jailed with no bond set.

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P.O. Box 566, Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-3706
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1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: 985-384-8370
Fax: 985-384-4255