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Berwick High Homecoming Week proclaimed

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 11:53am

Submitted Photo
Berwick Mayor Duval Arthur signs a proclamation declaring Sept. 30-Oct. 4 as Berwick High's Homecoming Week. The week will be capped by the Oct. 4 football game with Cohen. The members of the homecoming court are Madeline Bourgeois, Abbie Cantrell, Kate Hicks, Zoe Johnson, Natalie Kinchen, Shalyn Leonard, Kennedi Look, Emily Lousteau, Katie Grace Navarro, Claire Rentrop, Paige Steel
and Maliyah Williams

LARRY LEE WATSON

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 11:51am

Larry Lee Watson, 84, a native of Morgan City and resident of Breaux Bridge, died Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2019, at Lafayette General.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

STEVEN DOUGLAS HEBERT SR.

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 11:49am

Steven D. Hebert Sr., 66, a resident of Bayou Vista, died Sunday, Sept. 15, 2019, at his residence.
He is survived by his father, Charles Hebert Sr. of Morgan City; two children, Steven Hebert II of Lafayette and Shelly Bougere of Bayou L’Ourse; four grandchildren; and six siblings, John Hebert Sr. of Magnolia, Texas, Janelle Yurosky and Charles Hebert Jr., both of Morgan City, Jean Hebert of Patterson, Carol Carroll of Youngsville and Jennifer Dreher of Broussard.
He was preceded in death by his mother.
His body was donated for the study of cancer. A private memorial will be held at a later date.
Twin City Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

POW Week proclaimed

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 11:47am

Submitted Photo
Morgan City Mayor Frank "Boo" Grizzaffi proclaims Sept 16-22 as POW/MIA Recognition Week. This is to remember that there are thousand of American soldiers, sailors and airman who are still listed as POW or MIA. On hand for the proclamation signing are Daisy Lodrigue, VFW Post 4222 Auxiliary president, and Sherman Whiting, commander of VFW Post 4222.

Schexnayder Scholarship recipients

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 11:44am

Submitted Photos
Robert and Michelle Schexnayder, founders of the Joan Faye Perry Schexnayder Memorial College Scholarships, awarded $500 scholarship to three Patterson High graduates recently.

Jim Bradshaw: Prohibition was in the air after G-men smashed the stash

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 11:38am

By JIM BRADSHAW

Gueydan smelled like booze for days after thousands of bottles of illegal liquor were smashed on a railroad siding there in 1929. Some of the citizenry kept a faint odor and a happy smile for months after they rescued bottles that didn’t get smashed.
Prohibition was in full effect in June 1929, when, according to the Abbeville Meridional, “considerable excitement was occasioned when it became known that a car containing about 1,000 cases of liquor [had been discovered] in the S. P. freight yard” in the Vermilion Parish community.
The excitement began when a man calling himself R. L. Kellogg showed up at the Southern Pacific depot to see about getting a box car that was supposedly filled with sacks of rice chaff to a company in New Jersey. When railroad clerk John Beauxis went to see about it, he found that the sacks had been loaded into a car that was not supposed to carry rice chaff.
He became suspicious about the deal when Kellogg offered him $1,000 to let the car go anyway. The clerk refused the offer and got in touch with a regional supervisor to ask what should be done. The supervisor said to take a closer look at the sacks.
When Mr. Kellogg heard that news, he fainted dead away. That made Beauxis even more suspicious. While he inspected the box car the second time, Kellogg recovered from his swoon and, the Meridional said, “quietly departed, leaving Gueydan by the Abbeville road.”
The closer examination revealed that each sack, along with some rice chaff, held half a case of illegal hooch — good stuff, too: French champagne, White Satin gin, Haig & Haig and Cutty Sark scotch.
It wasn’t exactly clear how the liquor got to Gueydan, but everyone surmised that it had come from big boats that regularly anchored at a certain spot in international waters off the Vermilion Parish coast and sent loads of bootleg liquor inland in smaller craft.
At any rate, as Patricia S. Heard describes in an essay about the incident, “no time was wasted before [Prohibition agents] in black cars and fedoras pulled up in great numbers at the tiny … railway station.” The agents said the booze had to be destroyed and recruited a gang of local men who used mallets to beat the sacks and throw them out of the box car. It turned out that this was not the most efficient way to do the job.
As Heard found out, “Certainly some of the bottles were broken. The town smelled like whiskey for a couple of days,” but “it is said that at least one-half to three-quarters of the liquor survived.” Some cynics suspect the shoddy work might have been done on purpose.
“Other locals were standing nearby, opening the sacks and pulling out all of the bottles that were still intact. ,,, Enough did in fact survive to keep the local population well supplied for months. There was no need to make homemade wine or beer during the summer of ‘29,” Heard writes.
Another piece of the story came out several weeks later, in early July, when the Meridional reported the arrest of Clarence Arbaugh, who ran a cafe on the wharf at Lake Arthur. It seems that Clarence sometimes used the name of R. L. Kellogg, and when the feds arrested him in Lake Arthur, “he suffered another ‘heart attack’ similar to the one he suffered in Gueydan.”
His feigned attack had helped him to escape from Gueydan, but it didn’t work this time.
He was at first “lodged in the Jeff Davis parish jail as a suspect in a great bootlegging conspiracy,” and was later taken to federal court in Opelousas to face charges of conspiring to violate the National Prohibition Act.
A collection of Jim Bradshaw’s columns, "Cajuns and Other Characters," is now available from Pelican Publishing. You can contact him at jimbradshaw4321@gmail.com or P.O. Box 1121, Washington LA 70589.

Patterson man accused of manufacturing crack

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 10:57am

Staff Report

Narcotic detectives searched a residence in Patterson and found drugs, drug paraphernalia, and cash that led to the arrest of a Patterson man, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith said in a news release.
—Christopher Poole, 51, of Park Street in Patterson, was arrested at 9:35 p.m. Thursday on charges of possession of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance (crack cocaine) with the intent to distribute, manufacturing of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance (crack cocaine), possession of a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance (oxycodone), possession of a Schedule IV controlled dangerous substance (tramadol), transactions involving drug proceeds, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Narcotic detectives with the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Patterson Police Department conducted a search warrant at a Park Street apartment in Patterson and made contact with Poole. During the search of the residence, drugs, drug paraphernalia, and $7,538 in cash were located. He was jailed with no bail set.
Smith also reported that the Sheriff’s Office responded to 33 complaints and the following arrests were made:
—Kerry Absher, 18, of Jordin Lane in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 2:03 p.m. Wednesday on a charge of possession of marijuana. A deputy was patrolling the area of La. 182 near Sun Road. in Bayou Vista when he observed a vehicle traveling over the posted speed. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver and two passengers, one identified as Absher. During the stop, drugs were found. Absher was arrested and released on a summons to appear in court on Dec. 2.
—Ray Vidos, 60, of Westside Boulevard in Houma, was arrested at 2:22 p.m. Wednesday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of violation of a protective order. Vidos was located at the Terrebonne Parish Jail and transported to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center on an active warrant for his arrest. No bail has been set.
—Christopher Trosclair, 46, of Chetta Lane in Morgan City, was arrested at 6:33 p.m. Wednesday on charges of expired or no inspection sticker, expired license plate, and driving under suspension. A deputy was patrolling the area of La. 182 near Progress Lane in Amelia when he observed a vehicle with an expired inspection sticker. The deputy initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Trosclair. The deputy was advised by dispatch that Trosclair was driving with a suspended driver’s license. Trosclair was arrested and released on a summons to appear in court on Dec. 2.
Morgan City Police Chief James Blair reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 38 calls of service and the following arrest was made:
—Anna Lynn Pennison, 49, of Mallard Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:55 a.m. on a warrant for contempt of court. Pennison was located and placed under arrest in the City Court of Morgan City on an active warrant held by City Court of Morgan City. She was jailed.
Berwick Police Chief David Leonard Sr. reported the following arrest:
—Ernest Boudreaux, 44, of Luna Street in Lafayette, was arrested at 5:33 p.m. Wednesday on charges of possession of marijuana over 14 grams, possession of drug paraphernalia, and following too close. Officers were patrolling the area of U.S. 90 East when they observed a vehicle following too close behind another vehicle. Officers conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver identified as Boudreaux. Officers detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Boudreaux admitted he was in possession of several edible items containing THC, a vape pen containing THC oil, and drug paraphernalia. Officers conducted a search of the vehicle and located marijuana edibles and drug paraphernalia. He was jailed and released on a $3,750 bond.
Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported there were no arrests.

Correction

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 10:50am

Wednesday's Page 1 story, "Apple snails creep into area waterways; can bring illness," contained an incorrect phone number. If apple snails or their eggs are seen, you can report them to: Bobby Reed, Aquatic Nuisance Species Coordinator, 225-765-3977 or email at breed@wlf.la.gov

Back to school

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 10:46am

Tanner and Gracie Grizzaffi return Friday morning to Wyandotte Elementary after they and their classmates got a day off Thursday. Administrators canceled Thursday classes after a strong odor turned up in the gym. Inspections led to repair of a component in the lighting system, so school resumed Friday.

Canty-Durapau nuptials set

Fri, 09/20/2019 - 10:18am

Michael Durapau and Terri Kimball of Patterson wish to announce the engagement and approaching marriage of their daughter, Devin Lee-Michelle Durapau, to Shaun Peyton Canty, son of Sherry Canty of Morgan City and the late Patrick Canty. The wedding will take place at 2 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Bayou Vista Community Center.

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