RSS Feed

Radio Logs for August 27

Tue, 08/27/2019 - 2:49pm

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.

Monday, Aug. 26
7:16 a.m. 100 block of Youngs Road; Animal complaint.
7:28 a.m. 500 block of Seventh Street; Animal complaint.
7:47 a.m. 500 block of Sixth Street; Juvenile problems.
10:31 a.m. Morgan City Police Department; Lost/found.
10:45 a.m. 200 block of Glenwood Street; Theft.
10:52 a.m. 800 block of Sacred Heart Drive; Reckless driver.
10:54 a.m. 500 block of Bush Street; Harassment.
11:19 a.m. 800 block of Brashear Avenue; Theft.
12:07 p.m. Morgan City Police Department; Theft.
12:20 p.m. 3200 block of Wytchwood Street; Fire alarm.
12:29 p.m. 1000 block of La. 70; Alarm.
1:06 p.m. 300 block of Wren Street; Threats.
2:11 p.m. Sixth and Egle streets; Accident.
2:26 p.m. 700 block of Sixth Street; Disturbance.
2:48 p.m. 7500 block of La. 182; Possible theft.
4 p.m. 6000 block of La. 182; Medical emergency.
4:27 p.m. 600 block of Sixth Street; Complaint.
4:27 p.m. 400 block of Louisa Street; Disturbance.
4:28 p.m. 100 block of St. Clair Street; Complaint.
4:45 p.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Drunk.
5:38 p.m. U.S. 90 East; Stalled vehicle.
6:42 p.m. 100 block of Montana Street; Theft.
6:53 p.m. 2300 block of Clements Street; Complaint.
6:56 p.m. Patton and Halsey streets; Loud music.
7:53 p.m. Railroad Avenue and Eleventh Street; Frequent patrol.
8:46 p.m. 200 block of Aucoin Street; Disturbance.
9:39 p.m. 600 block of Egle Street; Loud music.
11:17 p.m. 700 block of Everett Street; Medical.

National Weather Service statement on Tropical Storm Dorian

Tue, 08/27/2019 - 1:09pm

The National Weather Service in Lake Charles is monitoring Tropical Storm Dorian in the eastern Caribbean Sea. This system has the potential to become a hurricane before it reaches Puerto Rico on Wednesday and Florida late this weekend. Depending on where Dorian tracks across Florida will determine if it will come in the Gulf of Mexico. If it moves across southern Florida, it could be in the Gulf of Mexico next week. If it moves across northern Florida, it may not enter the Gulf of Mexico at all. Dorian is still worth monitoring for Texas and Louisiana.

In addition, a weak low pressure area is forecast to develop in the southern Gulf of Mexico this weekend. This potential system is currently forecast to slowly move east to west across the southern Gulf of Mexico this weekend into early next week. This system, which has not developed yet, will also be worth monitoring for Texas and Louisiana.

We are entering the peak of the hurricane season. We will provide daily updates on these two systems until the threat diminishes for our region.

Roger Erickson
Warning Coordination Meteorologist

Three sheriff candidates meet at forum

Tue, 08/27/2019 - 12:31pm

By BILL DECKER

bdecker@daily-review.com

PATTERSON — Less than a year later, Blaise Smith and Frank “Boo” Grizzaffi were back on a forum stage Monday in a campaign for sheriff. The stage is less crowded this time, but with a new character.
Retired Louisiana State Police Trooper Todd Pellerin joined Smith, who won last year’s race for St. Mary Parish sheriff, and Morgan City Mayor Grizzaffi on the Patterson Area Civic Center stage for the election cycle’s first Chamber of Commerce candidate forum. The primary for statewide, legislative and parish offices, including sheriff, is Oct. 12.
This time, the election is for a full four-year term. The 2018 primary pitted four candidates, including Smith and Grizzaffi, against incumbent Scott Anslum, who served as interim chief for nearly a year after the resignation of Sheriff Mark Hebert.
Anslum was the top vote-getter in the primary with 34%. Smith, a former sheriff’s deputy and Chitimacha tribal police chief, got 23% of the vote to edge Grizzaffi, who polled 22%. Smith went on to beat Anslum 52-48 after making a campaign issue of a pair of jail escapes during Anslum’s tenure, along with deputy staffing levels and morale.
Those issues came up again Monday.
Smith said that during his eight months in office he has hired uniform deputies, added three new K-9s and secured the jail.
In 2018, a point of contention between Smith and Grizzaffi was Smith’s law enforcement experience vs. Grizzaffi’s administrative experience as Morgan City’s mayor.
This time, Smith pointed to an administrative accomplishment, turning a projected $520,000 deficit into an $85,000 budget surplus.
“Experience matters,” Smith said. “I’ve got the most experience of any person running for this office.”
Grizzaffi pointed to his seven years as Morgan City’s chief executive, managing more than 200 employees and working with Police Chief James F. Blair.
He said buying some used police cars and putting up fences at the jail are “all administrative ideas. That’s what administrators do. ...
“As I look around the parish, I think some professionalism needs to take place, at least as far as the top down.”
Grizzaffi also attributed the improvement in Sheriff’s Office finances to increased property assessment’s rather than budget expertise.
Pellerin’s theme was professionalism. He served in the Sheriff’s Office, and joked that Smith gave him his best job as a deputy when Smith made him the parish Drug Abuse Resistance Education officer.
Pellerin joined the Louisiana State Police in 1995 and retired in 2018.
His emphasis on professionalism came out strongest in response to one of the prepared questions, this one about the Sheriff’s Office use of social media.
Pellerin objected to photos showing deputies training to handle active shooters in front of identifiable buildings. That could tip off people about how deputies would respond, he said.
Grizzaffi chipped in with criticism about what he feels is an inappropriate use of hashtags in descriptions of criminal arrests.
Smith defended the training photos, saying they could serve as a deterrent rather than a tip-off.
Pellerin also promised deputies that he wouldn’t make politics part of the job.
“I believe there are some remnants of old school politics,” Pellerin said.
Also at the forum:
—“I believe the sheriff has to be out in front, working with the men in the trenches, making sure they have what they need,” Grizzaffi said.
—Smith said he’d like to see the Sheriff’s Office once more become a bigger part of local youth programs. He talked about the importance of building relationships with young people as well as with his subordinates.
“You have to be a good listener,” Smith said. “And to be a good listener you have to know how to communicate.”
—“The sheriff’s primary role is to be a leader,” Pellerin said. “The sheriff has to go out where the crime is.”

House candidates stand up for oil and gas

Tue, 08/27/2019 - 12:29pm

By BILL DECKER, bdecker@daily-review.com

PATTERSON — To judge by Monday’s Chamber of Commerce candidate forum, the oil and gas industry will have the ear of the next state representative from Louisiana House District 50.
Four of the candidates who qualified to succeed Democratic state Rep. Sam Jones, who is stepping down because of term limits, appeared on the forum stage at the Patterson Area Civic Center. They were Republicans Chet Howard and Vincent J. St. Blanc, both of Franklin, and Javon Charles of Bayou Vista and Raymond Harris of Franklin, who qualified without a party preference.
The fifth candidate who qualified, Shawn Canty of Berwick, didn’t take part in the forum.
The primary will be Oct. 12.
The four candidates who participated Monday all said the industry is hurting from high taxes and an unfavorable legal climate.
Howard, a manager for a company in the oil and gas sector, went farthest.
“We’re extremely over-regulated. …,” Howard said. “We need to find a way figure out a way to eliminate a lot of those unnecessary regulations.”
He also called the governor’s support of lawsuits against the oil industry over its alleged role in coastal loss “ridiculous.” LeBlanc and Harris congratulated St. Mary officials for refusing to sign onto those lawsuits.
Harris, a former Franklin mayor and chief financial officer, said the lawsuits “have become a thorn in their side. ... The legal climate in Louisiana is such that it deters companies from coming here. With that climate, businesses don’t want to be here.”
Charles pointed to the disparity between severance taxes between Texas, where energy producers are taxed at less than 5%, and Louisiana, where the tax is above 12%.
St. Blanc, a member of the Board of Supervisors for Louisiana’s community and technical college system, said predictability is important for the oil and gas industry.
“They want a predictable tax …,” St. Blanc said. “We can’t be coming in and patching holes in budgets because we run on a yearly budget. All they want to do is have a fair tax they can put in their budgets — predictable, can’t go back on it.”
He also stressed the importance of technical training for a skilled workforce.
All four candidates stressed the need to improve infrastructure — roads, bridges and especially flood control.
Howard said that as a member of the military deployed overseas, he often saw roads that were better than those in St. Mary Parish.
All four candidates expressed support for flood control projects that are underway, including the permanent flood gate in Bayou Chene, an $80 million project, and the Teche work designed to reduce flooding in Franklin, Centerville and Garden City.
Charles, who has five years of experience in law enforcement and is a Community Foundation of Acadiana Role Model of the Year, also said he would look at the possibility of a pump station in Patterson and a levee to protect Stephensville.

Wheel House for Aug. 27

Tue, 08/27/2019 - 12:27pm

LOSS OF SPOUSE
Support Group first meeting after re-organization is 12:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at Atkinson Memorial Presbyterian Church, 212 Fourth St., Morgan City. Light lunch served. Open to anyone, nondenominational, who have lost a spouse to death. Will meet the first Friday of each month. RSVP to Doylene Porter, 985-384-3277 or 985-312-5620, or Harry Porter, 985-518-6060 or email porter doylene@gmail.com.

Blood donors can get ride bracelets

Tue, 08/27/2019 - 12:22pm

Vitalant blood donors will receive a voucher this week for a free ride bracelet for the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival, valued at $20.
Bracelets are distributed on a first come, first serve basis and are while supplies last. The bracelet is redeemable 5-10 p.m. Thursday and 1-8 p.m. Monday.
You can donate at the Vitalant Donation Center, 1234 David Drive, Suite 102 in Morgan City, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday.
Also, people in Morgan City are able to use the feature on Facebook to find nearby opportunities to donate.
More than 30,000 blood donations are needed every day in the United States.
Vitalant is excited to partner with Facebook on bringing this feature to the United States after enormous success in donor engagement in Bangladesh, Brazil, India and Pakistan.
Everyone is encouraged to register as a blood donor by navigating to “Blood Donations” in the “About” section of their Facebook profile to learn about and take action on blood donation opportunities in their area. The feature will be rolled out in other communities in the coming months.
With more than 125 donation centers and more than 30,000 blood drives held annually across the nation, Vitalant provides easy and convenient ways for potential donors to transform lives.
To learn more and sign-up, go to www.facebook.com/donateblood.

S&P Festival Children’s Day royalty crowned

Tue, 08/27/2019 - 10:10am

Jayce Grizzaffi and Ranilie Eve Cheramie were crowned Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival Children’s Day King and Queen Aug. 4 following a random drawing held at the Spray Park in Bayou Vista.
They made their first formal appearance during the Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival Coronation held Saturday.
Grizzaffi, the 9-year-old son of Brittany and Zachary Grizzaffi of Morgan City, is a fourth-grade student at Berwick Elementary. His favorite subject is science. He enjoys baseball, riding scooters, parkour and acting.
Cheramie, the 12-year-old daughter of Kayla and Paul Cheramie of Morgan City, is a seventh-grade student at Morgan City Junior High School. Her favorite subjects are math and physical education. She enjoys creating bracelets, cheerleading, softball, dancing, camping and barbecuing.
The 2019 Children’s Day royalty will reign over the Children’s Day activities that begin at 8:30 a.m. in Lawrence Park in Morgan City on Aug. 31.
Festival officials encourage children to participate in the host of free field games, races and more.
Children’s Day is sponsored by Baker Agri-Forest Properties in honor of the late Dot and Melvin Blanchard.
For more information, contact the festival office at 985-385-0703.

Single mother by choice wants positive support from friends

Tue, 08/27/2019 - 10:00am

DEAR ABBY: I’m a single woman who has always wanted children. As much as I would’ve liked, marriage isn’t in the cards for me yet and maybe not ever, which I’ve accepted. I have decided to not allow my single status to prevent me from becoming a mother. I have spent years hearing my friends and family tell me how great being a parent is and how I’m missing out. In fact, there was a time or two when I felt certain people were trying to make me feel inadequate. After careful consideration, I chose to utilize donor sperm. I am ...

PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news from St. Mary Now. Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today!

Festival royalty

Mon, 08/26/2019 - 1:22pm

Leah Domangue was crowned the 84th Louisiana Shrimp and Petroleum Festival Queen Saturday during the coronation held at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Presented as her king was Morgan City native William A. “Bill” Cefalu. Cefalu, a 1967 graduate of Central Catholic High School in Morgan City, received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) and a master’s in engineering management. The Morgan City utilities director represents the city on the Louisiana Energy and Power Authority and the Louisiana Natural Gas Authority. The former parish councilman and president was appointed by former Gov. Mike Foster to the Ground Water Management Commission. He is married to the 39th festival queen, Anne Gaudet Cefalu, and they have four children and 11 grandchildren. Domangue, 18, is the daughter of Steve and Karen Domangue of Morgan City. The BHS summa cum laude graduate attends the University of Louisiana at Monroe studying occupational therapy.

Peter Bello Photography

Louisiana Spotlight: Medicaid deals are headache for governor

Mon, 08/26/2019 - 1:19pm

By MELINDA DESLATTE, Associated Press

BATON ROUGE — Gov. John Bel Edwards promotes his Medicaid expansion program as a central reelection selling point, but the contracts that provide those health services are becoming an unwanted election-year complication that could mess up his story line.
Losing bidders for the next round of multibillion-dollar contracts to manage health services for Medicaid patients are accusing the Edwards administration of bias and conflicts of interest. Republican and Democratic lawmakers are worrying publicly about whether health care access will be disrupted for half a million Medicaid enrollees, many of whom are in Edwards’ expansion program.
The accusations and criticism come in the middle of an election season when the Democrat Edwards is fighting to win a second term against two major Republican opponents, U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and businessman Eddie Rispone, who are criticizing Edwards’ management of the government-financed Medicaid program.
The contracts pay for private companies to oversee care for about 90% of Louisiana’s Medicaid enrollees, an estimated 1.5 million people — mostly adults covered by Medicaid expansion, pregnant women and children. The contracts are among the largest in state government, accounting for roughly one-quarter of the state’s annual operating budget.
The Edwards administration chose four companies for new managed care deals slated to start in 2020. Five companies currently do the work under contracts expiring at the end of this year. Louisiana Healthcare Connections and Aetna Better Health have Medicaid managed care contracts with the state, but weren’t chosen for new deals. They filed protests , accusing the health department of improprieties.
More than 560,000 Medicaid recipients who receive coverage through Aetna and Louisiana Health Care Connections will have to transfer to new health plans if the contract awards are upheld, and several lawmakers have fretted about the logistics of accomplishing that by January.
In a letter to Edwards, Democratic U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond said Louisiana’s health department has had technology problems that would likely make it difficult to shift patients to new health plans without “at least some of these patients falling through the cracks for a time.”
Several lawmakers asked how Humana Health Benefit Plan of Louisiana, which hasn’t done Medicaid managed care work in the state but won a contract starting in 2020, will quickly ramp up a new health plan with a network of doctors, clinics and hospitals available to Medicaid patients.
The governor and his health department are defending the bid evaluation and contractor selection, saying it followed the detailed requirements laid out in Louisiana procurement law. Edwards told callers to his radio show last week that the process is working as it should.
“We anticipate that we’re going to be able to move forward without any interruption in services,” the governor said.
But his health department undermined that claim in paperwork filed with the state procurement office about the dispute over the contracts.
In a letter to Louisiana’s chief procurement officer , the health department warned that if the ongoing legal challenges cause delays in contract negotiations, that could “disrupt and jeopardize the provision of health care to more than 1 million of Louisiana’s most vulnerable citizens.”
The losing bidders for the new deals are claiming state law wasn’t followed in selecting the winning contractors. Lawyers for Louisiana Healthcare Connections called the process “tainted with conflicts of interest and bias from the start.” Attorneys for Aetna accused the health department of using a “biased and arbitrary scoring methodology.”
The companies argue the bid evaluation was skewed to benefit Humana. Louisiana Health Care Connections claims a health department official that helped in the contract award process even fell asleep during its oral presentation.
Because the Medicaid managed care deals are so lucrative, disputes over new contract awards seemed almost inevitable.
But the Edwards administration could have avoided such a high-profile dispute in the middle of an election cycle if it had sought new bids for the work before the existing contracts were slated to expire in December 2017. Instead, the health department urged lawmakers to extend the current deals for another 23 months, placing decisions about new contracts smack in the middle of campaign season.
Melinda Deslatte has covered Louisiana politics for The Associated Press since 2000. Follow her at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte