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BONNIE MAY DINGER THERIOT

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:40pm

Bonnie May Dinger Theriot, a longtime resident of Berwick, was called to her heavenly home at the age of 71 on Thursday, August 29, 2019, at The Crossing at Clarity Hospice.
Bonnie is survived by her husband of 53 years, Tex Theriot; her four children, Larry Theriot and his wife, Tammy, Peter Theriot and his wife, Julie Chantell, Mark Theriot and his wife, Crissy, and Tanya Theriot and her fiancé, Kevin; 11 grandchildren, Mark Derouen, Donald Eues Jr., Brandon Eues and his fiancé, Elisa Raymond, Catherine Theriot and her fiancé, Kyle Kraemer, Jessica Lagarde and her husband, Jordan, Brittany Boudreaux, Zachary Theriot, Jakobi Theriot, Brynn Theriot, Teagan Theriot, and Ace Adams; five step grandchildren, Keela Willoughby, LaJuan Willoughby, Kelly Willoughby, Kevin Willoughby Jr. and Crystal Willoughby; four great-grandchildren, Aubrey Lagarde, Evan Kraemer, Beverly Lagarde and Emerlynn Eues; five step great-grandchildren, Kaileigh Moore, Kaicen Moore, Makaila McKnight, Makki Proctor and Kaydence Proctor; her siblings, Lenny Dinger and his wife, Annie, Wayne Dinger and his wife, Patty, Kirk Dinger and his wife, Kathy, Rodney Dinger and his wife, Julie, and Denise Gee; and her brother-in-law, Leo Simoneaux.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Joseph and Edna Dinger; and two siblings, Barbara Simoneaux and Lawrence Dinger.
The family requests that a time of visitation and remembrance be observed on Friday, August 30, 2019 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Hargrave Funeral Home. Visitation will continue on Saturday, August 31, 2019 from 8 a.m. until time of services at 11 a.m. at Hargrave Funeral Home. Following services, Bonnie will be laid to rest in the Berwick Mausoleum.
The family would like to express their deep gratitude to nephew, Tommy Domingue and his wife, Kim, and their son, Jake, for their care of Bonnie during her illness.

TINA M. SINGLETON

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:38pm

Tina M. Singleton, 53, a native and resident of Morgan City, passed away on Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019, in Brookhaven, Mississippi.
Jones Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Conrad builds two inland tow vessels

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:35pm

Conrad Shipyard of Morgan City has started production on a second 6000HP inland towboat designed by MiNO Marine of New Orleans, the company said in a news release.
The Subchapter M-compliant vessel measures 166 feet by 49 feet by 12 feet and is powered by Tier IV compliant engines.
Conrad has orders from two customers for the vessels.
Conrad worked closely with MiNO Marine, who developed the design based on regulatory requirements and current needs existing in the market. Conrad’s production line is geared for serial production for multiple customers, and component manufacturing coupled with a modular build strategy results in efficiencies in production, on-time delivery and lower costs to the customer. The vessel has an optimized hull form for improved performance, and the design is intended to be flexible to accommodate different propulsion drive-trains.
The vessels currently under construction each utilize different engines; one vessel will be equipped with GE engines, and the other will have EMD engines.
“This horsepower range is right in our wheelhouse, and we will continue to expand our capabilities to be able to service our customers’ needs," said Johnny Conrad, chairman and CEO. "We are delighted about the opportunity to provide our customers with a quality vessel constructed by our proven and experienced shipbuilding team.”

PAC hopes to put more conservatives in Legislature

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:30pm

By MELINDA DESLATTE, Associated Press

BATON ROUGE — A Louisiana political organization seeking to elect more conservative Republicans to the state House and Senate is focusing on two dozen legislative races this fall and targeting three incumbent lawmakers for ouster, including one GOP member.
The Louisiana Committee for a Conservative Majority — led by Attorney General Jeff Landry and U.S. Sen. John Kennedy — is putting its support behind Republican candidates for 10 Senate and 14 House seats.
The political action committee is working to flip seven seats currently held by white Democrats to Repub-lican control. But the organization also hopes to replace moderate GOP lawmakers with those who will shift the Legislature rightward.
“We’re looking for people who are fiscally conservative, that understand that in order to grow Louisiana you have to grow our private sector,” Landry said. “We’re looking for people who understand the fundamentals of how that works, that understand that taxes are too high and the concept that less government means more economic freedoms.”
The PAC mainly is targeting seats on the Oct. 12 ballot that are open because longtime lawmakers are term-limited and can’t seek reelection. More than 40% of Senate members and nearly 30% of the House were unable to run again for their seats.
But the organization also sees a possible opportunity to unseat three incumbents, investing in GOP opponents against two Democrats — Sen. John Milkovich of Keithville and Rep. Malinda White of Bogalusa — and one Republican, Sen. Ryan Gatti of Bossier Parish.
Gatti is criticized by some Republicans because of his friendship with Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards, who was among his law school classmates.
“Sen. Gatti seems to have proven time and time again to choose the governor’s wishes over the Republican Party’s platform,” Landry said.
In defending his GOP bonafides, Gatti points to his anti-abortion and pro-gun stances and his 2018 vote against a state sales tax backed by Edwards. But he also said it benefits his district to work with people of both parties.
“I’m going to continue to fight for the people of Bossier. I’m not going to tolerate bullying, but especially political bullying,” he said. “I think it’s shameful I’m being attacked for being bipartisan.”
While that’s the only race where the Louisiana Committee for a Conservative Majority is working to oust a Republican, the PAC is choosing among multiple GOP contenders in several races for open seats.
The committee particularly wants to build a new Senate configuration that’s less moderate and less willing to go along with Edwards’ agenda, if the governor wins a second term. Term limits are forcing many longtime Republican Senate moderates to exit the chamber.
“This is generational. That Senate is going to have a monumental change in it,” Landry recently told state Republican Party leaders.
Help from the organization varies.
The PAC has given money directly to Senate candidates such as Cameron Henry of Metairie, Kirk Talbot of River Ridge, Reid Falconer and incumbent Beth Mizell. In other races, the organization spends money on attack mailers, digital ads and radio spots.
The committee has raised more than $1 million this election cycle, with $886,000 in the bank at the end of July, according to the latest campaign finance report.
In two House races, the organization’s favored candidates already won when no one signed up to run against them. Republican legislative newcomers Michael Echols of Monroe and Thomas Pressly of Shreveport will take office in January.
The PAC was started ahead of the 2007 elections by former U.S. Sen. David Vitter as the Louisiana Committee for a Republican Majority. It was instrumental in Republican work to gain majorities in the House and Senate.
Follow Melinda Deslatte on Twitter at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte

Jim Bradshaw: Yellow fever hit steamboat communities hard

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:27pm

By JIM BRADSHAW

On Aug. 13, 1853, Oramel Hinckley, master of the steamer Opelousas, advertised that his boat would not return to Washington from New Orleans because of a yellow fever epidemic there.
He said he would begin his Washington-to-New Orleans runs again when “the epidemic shall cease or the citizens say they are not afraid of her being the means of transmitting the disease.”
Yellow fever epidemics were regular visitors to south Louisiana in those days and they were deadly.
Steamboat towns were particularly vulnerable because of the influx of travelers from New Orleans, where the disease regularly ran rampant.
Washington had seen relatively minor outbreaks in 1837 and 1839, but this one in 1853 would be far different.
During this episode newspapers reported more than 100 people dying each day in New Orleans.
In Washington, the first reaction was to deny that the disease had made its way to the town.
At a public meeting on Aug. 29, a committee of businessmen reported they had “personal interviews with all of the physicians of the town,” and found that “the rumor gone abroad of the numerous cases of yellow fever and deaths in our midst is wholly untrue.”
They were wrong.
By the week of September 10, according to the Opelousas Courier, yellow fever was “raging awfully” at Washington, claiming at least three people a day. On Oct. 1, the Courier reported that the news from Washington was “awful.”
The plague raged for weeks until, finally, the Courier announced on Oct. 29, “We have been visited by a heavy frost on Tuesday [Oct. 25]. … Yellow Fever is gone! gone! gone!.”
adly, by the time the cool weather dealt with the mosquitoes that carried the disease, fully one-third of the people of Washington had been killed by it. So many victims were buried in the old Washington graveyard that to this day it is known as the yellow fever cemetery.
In a lengthy article after the epidemic, the Courier suggested that the fever was brought to Washington by a family “who had lost some of its members in New Orleans from Yellow Fever.” When the family “arrived by the steamer Opelousas … a very practical and well known planter of this Parish then on board … observed that it would be well if their baggage be burnt or done away with.” according to the newspaper.
After their arrival, the Courier said, yellow fever “grasped the whole village in its deathly embrace,” and was carried as far as 50 miles away by people fleeing from the disease.
Tragically, Yellow Jack, as the disease was popularly called, was not through with the town.
There were outbreaks again in each of the next two years, 1854 and 1855, although to a lesser degree. That may have been because there were fewer potential victims. A survivor of the fever is immune for the rest of his or her life.
Unfortunately, any immunity Washington might have enjoyed disappeared by 1867, when there was an epidemic that rivaled the one of 1853.
During September and October of that year more than 500 people got sick in Washington and 73 died.
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.

Fishing rodeo gives to SLCC

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:25pm

Submitted Photo
South Louisiana Community College's Young Memorial campus received a $9,000 donation from the seventh annual Morgan City Oilfield Fishing Rodeo on Wednesday. Pictured from left are Anthony Baham, SLCC Corporate College; Tammie Moore, Young Memorial Campus director; Morgen Landry, SLCC development officer; Lana Fontenot, SLCC vice chancellor for institutional advancement; Sammy Cannata, Morgan City Oilfield Fishing Rodeo; JoAnne Bergeron, Hancock Whitney; Michael Pastore, vice president of Amelia Belle Casino; James Holt, executive host of Amelia Belle Casino.

Supporting the art show

Fri, 08/30/2019 - 12:21pm

Submitted Photo
Steve Domangue of Cannata's Fresh Market is shown making a Purchase Award for the Artists Guild Unlimited Annual Show and Sale, which is open to the public. Held at AGU's Everett Street Gallery, 201 Everett St., downtown Morgan City, the show presents artwork from local and state artists. With Domangue is AGU rep Geri Bourgeois. The gallery will be open during the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival 1-4 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday-Monday. This yearly fundraiser, run by volunteers, will revert to regular hours, 1-4 p.m. Wednesday-Friday and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, after Labor Day.

Lumberjacks looking to bounce back after tough season

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 3:07pm

GEOFF STOUTE

gstoute@daily-review.com

The 2018 football season ended in rare fashion for the Patterson Lumberjacks as the playoff regular missed the postseason and dropped its final nine games of the season after a 1-0 start.
Longtime high school football coach Don Jones, who returns for his second season leading the Lumberjacks, said earlier this month he takes responsibility for last year’s performance.
“Nobody was more embarrassed about last year than me, especially all the years of coaching, that’s only happened to me a couple times, and so it was very awakening for me,” Jones said.
Since that loss, Jones said the Lumberjacks have been working hard in the weight room to improve their strength.
“I think that we’ve definitely accomplished that,” Jones said. “We’ve made leaps and bounds with getting them physically stronger. We’ve had a great summer program. Ninety-eight to 99 percent of them made all their workouts, so we’re very satisfied with that.”
Jones also noted that for the first time in a few years, the team will be playing under the same coach as the prior year.
“I think that’s important for any type of program,” he said.
The Lumberjacks’ coaching staff this year consists of Jones, who will serve as the offensive coordinator and coach the running backs and quarterbacks; Cody Wilson, who will coach the offensive line; Brett Dore’ and Edwin Colbert, who both will coach the wide receivers along with helping to coach the running backs and quarterbacks; Wil Broussard is the defensive coordinator and will coach the linebackers; Mark Johnson and Trone Triggs will coach the defensive line; and Trey Marshall and Kendall Robinson will coach the secondary.
Jones said he has a “pretty solid group” coaching on offense and defense.
All coaches will help with special teams.
Patterson enters this season having to replace all-everything Dajon Richard, a Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 3A All-State honorable mention selection a year ago who earned first-team All-District 8-3A honors at running back and second-team honors at return specialist and punter. The University of South Alabama signee also split time at quarterback.
This year’s Patterson offense returns six starters, while the defense brings back approximately eight starters from 2018.
The Lumberjacks offense and defense this year both will be multiple.
Jones said Patterson is putting “a lot of emphasis” on defense, and he said he thinks it can be a strong point for Patterson this year.
“If you can stop people, get the ball back, you’re going to have more opportunities to score,” Jones said.
Another positive for this year is what Jones says is a solid incoming freshman class that all practiced this spring.
“I think there’s about 15 of them, and it’s one of the best looking groups that we’ve had in a long time,” Jones said. “Not a whole lot of skill people in that group, but a lot of defensive end, linemen-type young men, which we’re very fortunate because that fits our needs.”
Jones said some of these freshmen will see the field this year.
Below is a position-by-position look at the 2019 Patterson Lum-berjacks.
Quarterback
The Lumberjacks will be led at quarterback this year by junior Louis Jones, who is pegged as the starter. He, along with freshman Caylon Davis and sophomore Tylon Walton, all can run and throw the ball, Jones said.
“I think that we have the potential for them to put some pressure on the defense, because anytime you have a quarterback that can run, that gives the defense a lot of fits because they got to key on the running backs, they got to key on the quarterback, and if you can get that quarterback on the corner where he can run or throw, you (could) really put them in a situation to have to do a lot of things to stop that,” Jones said.
Running Back
While Patterson must replace Richard, a first-team All-District 8-3A running back a year ago, Jones said the team has experience at running back with returning starter, senior Allen Langston.
The team also will play sophomore Kyler Paul at running back along with senior Treylon Bennett.
Jones said he thinks Paul “is going to be in the same mold as Dajon (Richard).”
Junior Kylon Griffin also could play in the backfield.
Wide Receiver
The Patterson wide receiving group returns senior starter Kai Schexnayder, who Jones said he thought was of the top wide receivers in the Lumberjacks’ district last year. Jones said he will be one of the top wide receivers in Patterson’s new league this year, too.
Jones called Schexnayder a “tremendous receiver.”
Schexnayder was a second-team All-District 8-3A wide receiver a year ago.
Freshman Josiah Jennings along with Randan Paul and Walton are working at another receiver spot, and senior Elijah Williams or Dylan Fabre will fill a third receiver role.
Griffin also is a receiving option.
Gone from last year’s receiving lineup is tight end Irvin Celestine, a second-team All-District 8-3A tight end.
Offensive Line
Patterson has four returning starters on this year’s offensive line, senior James Gash at tackle, seniors Javin Turner and Gage Stelly at the guard positions and senior Jarvis Jackson at center.
Turner, who has received several college offers this year, was a second-team All-District 8-3A offensive lineman a year ago.
Jones said he had a good feeling about this year’s offense because the Lumberjacks have a good group of linemen returning.
Defensive Line
Patterson also has several starters back on the defensive line this year. Returning are sophomore defensive end Christian Johnson and junior defensive end Nasere Washington and senior defensive tackles James Gash and Javin Turner.
Gash was a second-team All-District 8-3A defensive lineman a year ago.
Linebacker
Bennett will lead the Patterson line backing group this season. He is a returning starter along with Seth Arnold.
Jones said Bennett, a three-time all-district selection who earned second-team honors a year ago, could become an all-state linebacker this year.
Newcomers at linebacker for the Lumberjacks are sophomore Lonnie Kinchen and junior Kadin Dinger.
Secondary
The Lumberjacks return starters Williams and Paul to the defensive backfield this year.
Jones called Williams the team’s “quarterback” of the secondary.
Griffin is a newcomer in the Patterson secondary.
Gone from last year’s secondary is James Butler, who was a second-team All-District 8-3A defensive back in 2018.
Special Teams
Jose Rivera will return as the team’s kicker from a year ago and also will handle punting duties for Patterson this season, replacing Richard, a second-team All-District 8-3A punter a year ago.
“I don’t think he missed any extra points” last season, Jones said of Rivera.
Jones said he likes the team’s kicking game this year. He called the kicking game “one of the most critical aspects of high school football.”
Jones said, “It can change a game in just one kick, one way or the other, and so we’ve put a lot of emphasis on the kicking game.”
In Patterson’s return game, the Lumberjacks must replace Richard, a second-team All-District 8-3A selection at return specialist. Patterson is working Paul, Williams, Fabre, Schexnayder and Griffin in this year’s return game.
Schedule
Patterson’s 2019 schedule features nondistrict contests against West St. Mary, Class 4A Assumption, Class 5A Lafayette, Class 4A South Terrebonne and Class 4A Morgan City to start the season.
The Lumberjacks will play in a new league this year, District 9-3A, which Jones said he thought is “probably the toughest district in 3A football.”
In addition to longtime league foe Berwick, Patterson will welcome back E.D. White, who along with Lutcher moved down from Class 4A this season and will compete in District 9-3A. Also, former district foe Donaldsonville returns to Patterson’s district, and St. James will join the league.
“I think from top to bottom we got one heck of a schedule,” Jones said.
However, he said the Lumberjacks are excited about the competition.
Patterson will compete in the Taco Bell-Morgan City High School Football Jamboree Friday at approximately 7:45 against Morgan City.
Patterson opens its regular season Sept. 6 at home against West St. Mary.

MCHS Tigers prepping for 2019 season

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 3:02pm

Morgan City High School is prepping for its second season this fall under coach Chris Stroud. The Tigers, who finished 2-8 a year ago, return two starters on offense and four on defense. Earlier this month, Stroud said Morgan City has “had some really good practices.” The Tigers will run a spread offense. “We’ve got some weapons on the outside, and our two quarterbacks, Khai Hartley and Kane Sanchez, are doing a good job delivering the ball to them right now,” Stroud said. On the other side of the ball, Morgan City’s base defense will be a 3-3 stack. “We’re going to be really ...

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Taco Bell Jamboree in Centerville moved to Friday

Thu, 08/29/2019 - 2:52pm

The Taco Bell Jamboree in Centerville has been moved to Friday night due to inclement field conditions. While the day may have changed, the schedule remains the same as Hanson Memorial will meet Covenant Christian Academy at 6 p.m., while Central Catholic will face Centerville at about 7:30 p.m. A week ago in a weather-shortened scrimmage, Central Catholic didn’t reach the end zone, and its first-team defense surrendered one touchdown. As for Friday’s opponent, Central Catholic Coach Tommy Minton said the Bulldogs haven’t changed much under Mark Millet, who has been with the program for a while now. He said they run a ...