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Sheriff: Traffic stop in Amelia leads to drug arrest of two men
Staff Report
A traffic stop in Amelia led to the arrest of a Thibodaux man and a Gibson man on drug-related charges, St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported in a new release.
—Christopher Michael Prince, 21, of Livas Lane in Thibodaux, was arrested at 3:03 p.m. Saturday on charges of no insurance, obstruction to driver’s view, expired or no inspection sticker, and possession of drug paraphernalia in a drug-free zone.
—Christopher Skinner, 30, of Bayou Black Drive in Gibson, was arrested at 3:03 p.m. Saturday on charges of possession of Schedule II drugs with the intent to distribute (cocaine) and transactions involving drug proceeds.
Deputies were patrolling the area of Amelia when they observed a vehicle westbound exiting the Amelia Bridge with no inspection sticker and a broken mirror. The deputies conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Prince, and a passenger, Skinner. During the investigation, drugs and $529 in cash belonging to Skinner were located, Smith said.
Prince and Skinner were jailed. Bail on Prince has been set at $2,250. Bail on Skinner has been set at $5,000.
Smith also reported that the Sheriff’s Office responded to 127 complaints and the following arrests were made:
—David Tyrone Francois, 47, of Barrow Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 3:26 p.m. Friday on a warrant for failure to appear on the charges of improper parking and failure to honor written promise to appear. Francois turned himself into the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Department on an active warrant for his arrest. He was arrested and released on a summons to appear in court on November 8.
—Jason Everett Hunt, 32, of Field Road in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 5:28 p.m. Friday on charges of simple battery. A deputy was dispatched to Friendship Alley in Amelia in reference to a disturbance. The deputy made contact with the victim and witnesses who stated that Hunt had grabbed the victim during an argument. Hunt was jailed with bail set at $2,500.
—Eddy Pardo Cervantes, 40, of Southwest Boulevard in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 11:23 p.m. Friday on charges of improper lane usage, second-offense driving while intoxicated, and two counts of resisting arrest or officer.
Deputies were near the area of La. 182 and U.S. 90 in Berwick when they observed a vehicle cross over the center line. Deputies conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Cervantes. While the deputies were speaking with Cervantes, they could smell the odor of alcoholic beverage, Smith said.
Deputies conducted a standardized field sobriety test in which Cervantes performed poorly. Cervantes was transported to the Berwick Police Department for chemical testing on the Intoxilyzer 9000, which he refused and became irate with the deputies. He was jailed with bail set at $10,250.
—Tremaine Lightfoot, 25, of South Meyers Street in Lafayette, was arrested at 11:58 p.m. Friday on charges of no headlights, possession of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia. A K-9 deputy was patrolling the area of Park Street near Carmen Street in Patterson when he observed a vehicle with only one operable headlight.
The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Lightfoot. During the investigation, drugs were found. He was jailed and released on a summons to appear in court on Nov. 8.
—Thepsavanh Phong-sayanh, 57, of James Street in Amelia, was arrested at 1:04 p.m. Saturday for charges of no insurance, no license plate, and driving under suspension. A deputy was patrolling the area of U.S. 90 east in Morgan City when he observed a vehicle with no license plate. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Phongsayanh. The deputy learned that Phongsayanh was driving with a suspended driver’s license and had no insurance on the vehicle, Smith said.
Phongsayanh was arrested and released on a summons to appear in court on November 8, 2019.
—Brad David Landry, 38, of Louisa Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11 p.m. Saturday on charges of license plate lights required, possession of marijuana, and possession of THC wax.
A deputy was patrolling the area of La. 182 west near Clark Road in Bayou Vista when he observed a vehicle without an operable license plate light. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Landry. During the investigation, drugs were located. He was arrested and released on a summons to appear in court on Nov. 8.
—James Ronnie McKinley, 69, of Bowen Lane in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 12:46 p.m. Sunday on charges of domestic abuse battery by strangulation and cruelty to the infirmed. A deputy was dispatched to a location on Marguerite Street in Morgan City in reference to a domestic abuse battery complaint that occurred at a residence in Bayou Vista. The deputy made contact with the victim who stated McKinley committed a battery. He was jailed with no bail set.
Morgan City Police Chief James F. Blair reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 143 calls of service and the following arrests were made:
—Areana Candanedo Urbano-Duran, 28, of Freret Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 7:29 a.m. on Friday on charges of driving under suspension and no insurance. An officer on patrol observed Urbano-Duran driving a vehicle on La. 182. Due to past traffic investigations, it was known to the officer that Urbano-Duran’s driver’s license was under suspension, Blair said. A computer check verified her license was still under suspension. A traffic stop was conducted. A computer check revealed the vehicle she was driving was not insured. She was jailed.
—Francis Boudreaux, 34, of Legnon Court in Morgan City, was arrested on Friday at 9:50 a.m. on a warrant for charges of two counts failure to appear. Boudreaux was located at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center and placed under arrest on active warrants held be City Court of Morgan City. She was jailed.
—Aketa Raquel Francis, 26, of Egle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:30 a.m. Friday on charges of simple battery.
—Jessica J. Gollmer, 38, of Oregon Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:30 a.m. Friday on charges of simple battery.
Officers were alerted to a fight in one of the cells in the Morgan City Jail. During the investigation, it was learned Francis and Jessica engaged in a fistic encounter with one another, Blair said.
Both were booked on one count of simple battery.
—Ruth Escort Crachain, 59, of Sixth Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 12:55 p.m. Friday on warrants for charges of remaining after forbidden and simple battery. The warrant stems from a July 5 complaint received by the Morgan City Police Department. The complainant reported Crachain entered onto the property and com-mitted a battery on the victim, Blair said. Crachain turned herself into the Morgan City Police Department. She was jailed.
—Jo Ann Landry, 55, of Seventh Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:41 p.m. Friday on charges of reckless operation of a motor vehicle, driving while intoxicated (first offense), possession of Schedule I CDS (THC wax), and possession of drug paraphernalia.
An officer observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of La. 182 and Florence Street. A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was identified as Landry. The officer suspected driver impairment. Landry submitted to a field sobriety test and did poorly, Blair said. She was placed under arrest. During the arrest, the officer located suspected THC Wax in her possession. She was transported to the Morgan City Police Department. Once at the Morgan City Police Department she was given an intoxilyzer test. She was jailed.
—Myles Anthony Morgan, 31, of Front Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 1:34 p.m. on Saturday on a warrant for a charge of criminal damage to property. The warrant stems from a July 22 complaint received by the Morgan City Police Department.
Officers were called to a Front Street residence about Morgan damaging property valued at $105. A warrant was later issued for his arrest. Officers came into contact with Morgan on Front Street. A warrants check showed an active warrant for his arrest. He was jailed.
—Jennifer C. Jones, 47, of Louisa Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 7:06 p.m. Saturday on charges of second offense possession of marijuana and fugitive. An officer on patrol observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of La. 182 and Third Street. A traffic stop was conducted and identified Jones as a passenger in the vehicle. Suspected marijuana was located in Jones’ possession. A computer check revealed Jones was wanted by Lafayette Sheriff’s Office on an outstanding warrant. She was jailed.
—Haven Wiggins, 18, of Sacred Heart Drive in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:04 p.m. Saturday on a warrant for a charge of failure to appear. An officer came into contact with Wiggins on Sacred Heart Drive. A warrants check revealed the City Court of Morgan City held an active warrant for her arrest. She was jailed.
—Patrick Timothy Bagget, 50, of Baker Boulevard in Baker, was arrested at 3:36 a.m. Sunday on charges of improper lane usage, misuse of a temporary tag, no insurance, possession of crack cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. An officer on patrol observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of Railroad and Ditch avenues.
A traffic stop was conducted and the driver was identified as Baggett, Blair said. A computer check revealed the vehicle being driven was not insured. Baggett was found to be in possession of suspected crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia, the chief said. Baggett was jailed.
—Rayan James Bowman, 24, of Jupiter Street in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 4:27 a.m. Sunday on a warrant for a charge of failure to appear. Officers came into contact with Bowman at a residence on La. 182. A warrants check revealed an active warrant for his arrest. He was jailed.
—April Eike Hocker, 31, of Helena Drive in Houma, was arrested at 11:09 p.m. Sunday on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. An officer on patrol observed a vehicle commit a traffic violation in the area of Brashear Avenue and Fourth Street. A traffic stop was conducted. Hocker was identified as one of the passengers in the vehicle, Blair said. She was found to be in possession of suspected drug paraphernalia during the stop. She was jailed.
Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported the following arrests:
—Chance J. Boudreaux, 24, of Railroad Avenue in Patterson, was arrested at 7:54 p.m. Sunday on charges of improper acceleration (drag racing), no driver’s license on person, no proof of insurance, registration-none, and license plate-none. He was jailed with bond set at $1087.00.
—Dowayne Charlot, 43, of Main Street in Patterson, was arrested at 4:17 p.m. on Saturday for a warrant for failure to appear on charges of open container. Charlot was transferred from the parish jail to the Patterson Police Department jail. He was jailed with bond set at $375.
—Lendell Allen Riles, 29, of Cherry Street in Patterson, was arrested at 5:43 a.m. Monday on charges of stop sign violation and suspended driver’s license. He was jailed with bond set at $654
Berwick Police Chief David Leonard, Sr., reported the following arrests:
—Herman Solone, 27, of Cypress Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:50 p.m. Sunday on charges of two counts aggravated battery. He was jailed with no bond set.
—Kevin Mitchell, Jr., 27, of Sunset Avenue in Morgan City, was arrested at 5:55 p.m. Sunday on charges of disturbing the peace by alarming the public, resisting an officer, resisting and officer by force, and disturbing the peace. He was jailed with a $5,000 bond.
—Myles Morgan, 31, of Front Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 1:30 a.m. Monday on charges of two counts disturbing the peace and violation of a protective order. He was jailed with bond set at $7,500.
Radio Logs for August 6
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, August 5
5:33 a.m. La. 70; Reckless operation.
8:41 a.m. 300 block of Terrebonne Street; Complaint.
8:58 a.m. 200 block of Arizona Street; Juvenile problem.
10:02 a.m. 600 block of Belanger Street; Theft.
10:14 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Arrest.
10:31 a.m. 300 block of Chennault Street; Animal complaint.
10:33 a.m. 600 block of First Street; Theft.
11:01 a.m. 700 block of Fifth Street; Burglary.
11:10 a.m. 100 block of Canary Street; Animal complaint.
11:34 a.m. 200 block of Belanger Street; Theft.
11:44 a.m. 800 block of Railroad Avenue; Animal complaint.
11:47 a.m. 1000 block of Front Street; Alarm.
12:01 p.m. 300 block of Bowman Street; Welfare concern.
12:59 p.m. 600 block of Freret Street; Medical.
1:47 p.m. 200 block of Mallard Street; Complaint.
2:17 p.m. 900 block of Willard Street; Complaint.
2:30 p.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.
2:33 p.m. 1000 block of Hickory Street; Suspicious subject.
3:07 p.m. U.S. 90; Traffic incident.
3:12 p.m. 1300 block of Oil Tank Alley; Complaint.
3:21 p.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Telephone harassment.
3:57 p.m. 1700 block of Elm Street; Burglary.
4:16 p.m. U.S. 90; Traffic incident.
4:24 p.m. 1400 block of North Third Street; Removal of subject.
6:56 p.m. 7100 block of Park Road; Complaint.
9:46 p.m. 800 block of Hilda Street; Alarm.
10:02 p.m. Railroad Avenue and Myrtle Street; Assistance.
Tuesday, August 6
12:16 a.m. 900 block of Duke Street; Medical emergency.
12:25 a.m. La. 182/U.S. 90 Junction; Assistance.
1:52 a.m. 1000 block of Levee Road; Fire.
3:54 a.m. 500 block of Barrow Street; Medical emergency.
Morgan City man threatens dating partner with a knife and is arrested on multiple charges
Staff Report
A Morgan City man was arrested and accused of attacking his dating partner, Morgan City Police Chief James F. Blair reported in a news release.
—Keithen K. Humphrey, 30, of Cardinal Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 9:56 p.m. Thursday on charges of aggravated assault on a dating partner, simple kidnapping, false imprisonment armed with a dangerous weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia, and a warrant for domestic abuse battery by strangulation.
Officers were called to a Belanger Street residence about a disturbance. Officers were met by the victim and Humphrey as they arrived on the scene. Officers learned from the victim she and Humphrey were in a dating relationship. The victim told officers earlier she was in the Brownell Homes area when Humphrey took her vehicle without permission, Blair said.
She advised that while attempting to call for help, Humphrey pulled up to her and threatened her with bodily harm to get in the vehicle with him and Humphrey drove her to the Belanger Street residence, Blair said. The victim said that while inside the residence, he threatened her with a knife. During the investigation, a warrant check revealed the Morgan City Police Department held a warrant for his arrest for domestic abuse battery by strangulation. The warrant stems from a July 21 incident with the same victim. Humphrey was jailed
Blair also reported that the Morgan City Police Department responded to 37 calls of service and the following arrest was made:
—Raul Miguel Navarez, 56, of Roderick Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 2:05 p.m. Thursday on a warrant for sexual battery. The warrant stems from a complaint filed with the Morgan City Police Department on July 25.
Officers were dispatched to an apartment complex on Roderick Street to investigate a sexual battery complaint. Officers learned from the complainant and witness that Navarez had touched the victim inappropriately in a sexual way. Navarez fled the area and officers were unable to locate him. A warrant was later issued for his arrest. On Thursday, Navarez was located in the parking lot of the City Court of Morgan City. He was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported that the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office responded to 34 complaints and the following arrests were made:
—Herman Terrell Solone, 27, of Fifth Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 8:12 p.m. Thursday for charges of domestic abuse battery by strangulation. A deputy was dispatched to a residence in Berwick in reference to a domestic abuse complaint that happened earlier in the evening at a residence in Bayou Vista. With the assistance of the Berwick Police Department, the deputy made contact with the victim and Solone. During the investigation, it was learned that Solone was in an altercation with the victim. Solone was jailed with no bail set.
—Frances Lee Boudreaux, 34, of Lake Palourde Road in Amelia, was arrested at 3:12 a.m. Thursday on two warrants for failure to appear on the charges of improper lane usage and driving under suspension. A deputy was patrolling the area of La. 182 in Amelia when he observed a vehicle without operable license plate lights. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Boudreaux. The deputy learned that Boudreaux held an active warrant for her arrest. She was jailed with bail set at $704.
Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported the following arrests:
—Nicholas Anthony Gamble, 39, of Grace Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 5:13 p.m. Thursday on charges of simple criminal damage to property. He was jailed and released on a $250 bond.
—Adontay Rayshaun Owens, 21, of Railroad Avenue in Patterson, was arrested at 5:13 p.m. Thursday on charges of theft and aggravated battery. He was jailed with no bond set.
Berwick Police Chief David Leonard Sr. reported that there were no arrests.
Radio Logs for August 5
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, August 2
6:01 a.m. 300 block of Leona Street; Missing person.
7:18 a.m. U.S. 90 East; Arrest.
7:44 a.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Complaint.
7:46 a.m. 1300 block of Victor II Boulevard; Alarm.
8:06 a.m. 7800 block of La. 182; Accident.
8:08 a.m. 800 block of Victor II Boulevard; Standby.
8:18 a.m. U.S. 90 West; Traffic blockage.
8:53 a.m. 3200 block of Karen Drive; Removal of subject.
9:01 a.m. 900 block of Marguerite Street; Accident.
9:06 a.m. Teche Regional Medical Center; Complaint.
9:40 a.m. 1000 block of La. 70; Alarm.
9:44 a.m. 2600 block of Sixth Street; Animal complaint.
10:22 a.m. 1100 block of Brashear Avenue; Suspicious person.
11:54 a.m. Morgan City Jail; Fight.
12:41 p.m. 6700 block of La. 182; Accident.
1:12 p.m. First and Union streets; Reckless driver.
1:40 p.m. 900 block of Duke Street; Complaint.
1:58 p.m. 100 block of Mount Street; Domestic disturbance.
2:03 p.m. 800 block of South Everett Street; Medical emergency.
2:08 p.m. Lake End Park; Removal of subject.
2:19 p.m. 800 block of Brashear Avenue; Accident.
2:47 p.m. 700 block of Maryland Street; Medical emergency.
2:49 p.m. 700 block of Myrtle Street; Simple battery.
2:51 p.m. 1000 block of Front Street; Disturbance.
3:17 p.m. Lake End Park; Complaint.
3:37 p.m. La. 182; Escort.
4:02 p.m. 300 block of Bowman Street; Welfare check.
4:21 p.m. 300 block of Wren Street; Fight.
4:43 p.m. U.S. 90 West; Traffic blockage.
4:49 p.m. Teche Regional Medical Center; Escaped patient.
6:22 p.m. 1600 block of Chatsworth Drive; Suspicious person.
6:36 p.m. 1800 block of Dale Street; Officer stand by.
6:41 p.m. 1000 block of La. 70; Theft.
9:05 p.m. 500 block of Terrebonne Street; Alarm.
9:33 p.m. 500 block of Freret Street; Suspicious person.
11:47 p.m. 800 block of South Everett Street; Assistance.
Saturday, August 3
12:28 a.m. 300 block of Second Street; Alarm.
12:43 a.m. 700 block of Greenwood Street; Assistance.
12:48 a.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Frequent patrol.
1:45 a.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Loud music.
1:48 a.m. 1200 block of Victor II Boulevard; Suspicious person.
4:05 a.m. 7100 block of Park Road; Medical.
5:12 a.m. 1000 block of La. 70; Suspicious vehicle.
6:17 a.m. 300 block of Chennault Street; Animal complaint.
10:14 a.m. Mile Marker 177; Stalled vehicle.
10:29 a.m. 2400 Sixth Street; Medical emergency.
11:32 a.m. 1000 block of Victor II Boulevard; Escort.
11:52 a.m. 3000 block of Carol Drive; Suspicious subject.
12:10 p.m. 700 block of Maine Street; Remove a subject.
12:20 p.m. 900 block of Sixth Street; Civil matter.
12:26 p.m. 500 Roderick Street; Medical emergency.
1:20 p.m. 7800 block of La. 182; Medical emergency.
1:24 p.m. 1000 block of Front Street; Disturbance.
1:38 p.m. 1100 block of Chester Bowles Street; Animal complaint.
3:19 p.m. Morgan City Area; Be on look out.
4:33 p.m. 800 block of Walnut Street; Juveniles.
5:55 p.m. 5000 block of Railroad Avenue; Medical.
6:29 p.m. 5000 block of Railroad Avenue; Animal.
7:12 p.m. 800 block of Sacred Heart Drive; Disturbance.
7:20 p.m. 100 block of Glenwood Street; Traffic incident.
7:26 p.m. 7300 block of La. 182; Alarm.
10:07 p.m. 6400 block of La. 182; Suspicious person.
10:08 p.m. 1600 block of North Second; Theft.
10:25 p.m. Elk Street; Suspicious person.
10:31 p.m. 300 block of Patton Street; Suspicious person.
11:41 p.m. 6300 block of La. 182; Assistance.
Sunday, August 4
12:28 a.m. 300 block of Second Street; Alarm.
1:33 a.m. 500 block of Roderick Street; Medical.
2:05 a.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Medical.
4:02 a.m. 7200 block of La. 182; Medical.
6:55 a.m. Morgan City jail; Medical emergency.
8:01 a.m. 500 block of Hilda Street; Unlock vehicle.
8:16 a.m. 200 block of Halsey Street; Medical emergency.
10:05 a.m. 600 block of Greenwood Street; Open line.
10:54 a.m. 1000 block of Greenwood Street; Disturbance.
11:15 a.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Complaint.
11:23 a.m. 500 block of Railroad Avenue; Theft.
11:36 a.m. 200 block of Brashear Avenue; Criminal damage to property.
11:51 a.m. Brashear avenue and U.S. 90; Auto accident.
12:05 p.m. Federal Avenue and Greenwood Street; Auto accident.
12:55 p.m. 500 block of Duke Street; Open line.
12:57 p.m. 400 block of Laurel Street; Medical emergency.
1:01 p.m. 200 block of Glenwood Street; Animal complaint.
1:17 p.m. 5000 block of Railroad Avenue; Suspicious Vehicle.
2:03 p.m. 600 block of Terrebonne Street; Speak to officer.
2:26 p.m. U.S. 90 bridge eastbound; Stalled vehicle.
2:39 p.m. 900 block of Spruce Street; Medical emergency.
4:08 p.m. La. 182 old bridge Morgan City side; A possible intoxicated person
4:15 p.m. 900 block of Florence Street; Medical emergency.
4:25 p.m. 500 block of Garber Street; Disturbance.
6:07 p.m. 600 block of Sixth Street; Theft.
7:01 p.m. 300 block of Second Street; Complaint.
9:01 p.m. 1100 block of Marguerite Street; Assistance.
9:26 p.m. 300 block of Terrebonne Street; Complaint.
10:23 p.m. 600 block of Terrebonne Street; Theft.
10:33 p.m. 100 block of Mallard Street; Medical.
10:39 p.m. 300 block of Wise Street; Medical.
Monday, August 5
1:23 a.m. 500 block of First Street; Disturbance.
Going back to the bridge
Top Photo: Eban Sanders, 4, shows his dad Ronald Sanders interesting sites on the Atchafalaya River as they take part in the community event promoted by the St. Mary Excel group and enacted by the mayors of Morgan City and Berwick. The Long-Allen Bridge between the communities was closed from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. to allow pedestrians to bike, walk and jog. “He talked about it so much,” he had to bring him back again said Ronald Sanders of the good time Eban had when the bridge was closed to vehicles in June. Bottom Photo: Lindsey Pederson, foreground left, and Tricia McAllister, right, of the community exercise group Fearless Fitness, jog down the Long-Allen Bridge over Berwick Bay Saturday morning.
The Daily Review/Diane Miller Fears
School departmentalization raising concerns
St. Mary Parish public schools have extended departmentalization, in which even kindergarten students are moved from teacher to teacher for different classes rather than staying in one room with one teacher.
When classes resume for the new school year Thursday, departmentalization will be extended to children as young as kindergarten, including Wyandotte Elementary, where children only as young second grade were involved in the changes last year.
“The decision to departmentalize grades K-5 was a district decision that was fully implemented in the 2018-2019 school year," According to St. Mary Parish Superintenden Theresa Bagwell. "Prior to that term, several schools had already elected to pilot this type of schedule, however.”
Some teachers and parents want to talk about the new system. A flyer began circulating on social media sites offering those with concerns a chance to meet at 6 p.m. Monday at the Central Office Complex in Centerville.
Departmentalization at an elementary level means that students in kindergarten through fifth grade have at least two separate teachers during the day to teach math, English, science and social studies.
“Primarily, the format offers a student the ability to be instructed by teachers who have a greater depth of knowledge and training in a limited number of content areas,” Bagwell said in an email. “Although it is common for all elementary students to be instructed by 3-4 teachers during a school day as they move through a schedule of content, physical education, library, and possibly art or music, this type of format divides content areas as well.”.
Wyandotte Elementary was the exception to the departmentalization change in the parish last year.
Wyandotte was already departmentalized in third through fifth and when the policy presented itself last year, the teachers and administrators decided it would be best to only add second grade, keeping kindergarten and first grade self-contained.
This year there has been push-back from Wyandotte over whether the principal authority and responsibility for “coordinating and directing ALL activities of the school.”(Louisiana Administrative Code, March 2019 p. 3).
According to an article concerning departmentalization in early grades by Catherine Gewertz on edweek.org, “departmentalization in earlier grades grew in popularity after the 2002 No Child Left Behind Act increased the pressure to raise test scores.” Before, this idea of asking teachers to drop their traditional roles as generalists and serve now as experts in one or two content areas was left more to middle schools and high schools.
The Louisiana school accountability system has become stricter, too.
“Over the last few years, the state has significantly revised learning standards and the assessment measures of English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies,” Bagwell said. “With these changes it has become necessary that children ‘master’ content that requires them to develop a deeper level of understanding and application of knowledge.
“To accomplish this task, the district has invested in new curriculum resources and training for teachers to meet these updated standards at an increased level of proficiency,” Bagwell said.
Departmentalization isn’t the only change for kindergarten students. Recent changes have included the loss of nap time and play centers.
The time that was previous allotted for that is now given to a program called FastForword.
FastForword has already proven itself successful for the parish in later grades. According to an article written by Hallie Smith, who is the director of marketing for Scientific Learning Corp., the makers of FastForword,
“Since 2006, St. Mary Parish students have achieved steady gains on state tests and the district has made significant progress closing achievement gaps for student subgroups, including students from poverty who comprise nearly 80 percent of the student population,” Smith said on the company’s website.
“In 2016, St. Mary Parish came within 0.8 points of receiving the distinction of an ‘A’ district, and it continued to outpace the State Performance Score. The 2006-2007 school year was the year the St. Mary Parish School Board began using the FastForword program.”
In 2017, St. Mary Parish began shifting their focus for the FastForword program, which previously was used district-wide in grades 1-12, to targeting all K-2 students and only struggling learning in grades 3-5.
Daphna Bassok, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia’s Curry School of Education, co-wrote a paper exploring the increasing academic emphasis in kindergarten.
“Kids are capable of a lot, and they’re curious, and more flexible, than we give them credit for,” Bassok said. “But all of it comes down to how it’s done.
“There isn’t a problem with more of an academic focus if it’s handled in a way that keeps in mind what 5-year-olds are like and how they function. You have to be sure to preserve play, exploration, and social interaction.”
The instructional minute breakdown given by Bagwell is: “Kindergarten is divided into segments wherein teachers have time for whole class instruction and tiered interventions.
"It is entirety, the English language arts instructional segment is approximately 120 minutes, math 80 minutes, and science and social studies 40 minutes. These two subjects alternate every 4½ weeks. Beyond the instructional segment, kindergarten students also spend time in English language arts and math tiered interventions for both remediation and advancement based on a child’s unique needs.”
Louisiana Spotlight: Rispone uses different strategy in campaign
BATON ROUGE — As he runs for Louisiana governor, Republican candidate Eddie Rispone is bypassing the conventional gubernatorial campaign approach, skipping the hand-shaking and speech events and focusing almost entirely on TV ads and social media outreach.
If Rispone reaches the Governor’s Mansion, he could upend political strategy in future statewide races, shifting more campaigns to a partisan, presidential race style that largely avoids face-to-face contact with voters and limits state-specific detail on issues.
The wealthy Baton Rouge businessman is one of two major Republican contenders seeking to oust Democratic incumbent John Bel Edwards, along with U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham, of Richland Parish. The full list of candidates on the Oct. 12 ballot will become certain this week, when the three-day election signup period is held.
A hallmark of Louisiana’s races for governor has involved retail politicking: visits with influential groups, appearances at festivals and parades, statewide tours and drop-ins at small town lunch locations. Voters often have been able to see their candidates in person.
Abraham and Edwards are embracing that approach as part of their campaigns, but not Rispone. He’s attended GOP-focused events and appeared before conservative audiences, but other more general appearances have been limited.
Rispone’s TV ads so far focus entirely on his support for President Donald Trump, rather than state-specific issues — and his social media presence largely mimics the approach, focusing on national politics and linking Edwards to national Democratic leaders.
“The personal touch that we think of from an Edwin Edwards or someone who would be really out there, going back to Huey Long, who would go out there and barnstorm and reach people personally, I think that’s a thing of the past,” said Pearson Cross, a political science professor and associate dean at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
“I’m not saying that style of campaigning is dead, but I do think that style of campaigning is less effective in the modern era,” Cross said.
The extent of Rispone’s absence from the traditional campaign trail was obvious Thursday. He skipped two of the higher-profile events gubernatorial candidates typically attend, forums held by the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association and the Louisiana Municipal Association. The groups hold significant political sway, packed with elected officials who are prominent in their communities.
Abraham and Edwards squared off against each other, while Rispone was a no-show. His campaign said the businessman had a scheduling conflict, without explaining further.
“I don’t know how I could say I wanted to be governor and I didn’t want to go talk to the sheriffs, that I want to be governor and I don’t want to go talk to the Louisiana Municipal Association,” Edwards said.
Critics suggest Rispone, a first-time candidate who has donated to conservative causes for years, is trying to buy the governor’s office. He’s largely self-financed his campaign, putting in $10 million of his own money, and he’s committed to spending $5 million on TV ad time.
While Edwards has the money to compete with Rispone, Abraham has far less cash in his campaign account. Abraham didn’t directly criticize Rispone’s absence from the recent forums, but his campaign took a back-handed swipe at the strategy.
“Ralph Abraham will continue taking every opportunity possible to debate John Bel in public forums,” Abraham political consultant Lionel Rainey said in a statement. “But more than that, he wants voters to see him in person, shake his hand and look them in the eye when he asks for their vote. This race is too important to do anything less.”
Of course, with less money, Abraham can’t compete with the advertising Rispone can afford. Abraham hasn’t yet aired a TV ad, so endorsements and face-to-face appearances are essential to his efforts to bypass Rispone and reach a November runoff with Edwards.
In Louisiana, all candidates run against each other on the same ballot. If no one tops 50 percent of the vote, the top two vote-getters advance to the runoff.
One governor’s race tradition in which Rispone appears likely to participate is the statewide TV debate. Three debates are scheduled, starting in mid-September. Rispone spokesman Anthony Ramirez said Rispone anticipates participating in all three.
“We look forward to debating Ralph and John Bel,” Ramirez said.
Melinda Deslatte has covered Louisiana politics for The Associated Press since 2000. Follow her at http://twitter.com/melindadeslatte
Patterson wins award
Submitted Photo
The Patterson city government won a 2019 Louisiana Municipal Association first-place Community Achievement Award in Community Development for cities with populations of 3,001-10,000. Shown from left: Main Street Chair Dawn Rentrop, Councilman John Rentrop, Mayor Rodney Grogan, Councilwoman Sandra Keys Turner, Councilman Lee A. Condolle and Mayor Pro-Tem Travis Darnell.
