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SAN DIEGO (AP) — A century-old tree with a long trunk and bushy branches that some believe was the inspiration for fictional Truffula trees in Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax” has fallen in a coastal San Diego park.
Officials are investigating why the wind-swept Monterey cypress toppled in Ellen Browning Scripps Park last week, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Monday. “The tree was not dead at the time it fell, and with the exception of some stressing due to termites, was generally in good shape,” said Parks and Recreation spokesman Tim Graham.
According to local legend, the tree inspired the “The Lorax” by Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel, who lived nearby and worked in an office with a sweeping view of the coastline.
But there are no facts to back up the lore. His wife, Audrey Geisel, told the La Jolla Village News in 2012 that the idea for Truffula trees in the 1971 environmental fable came from an Africa trip.
“He looked up at one of the (local) trees, and said, ‘That’s my tree. They’ve stolen my tree.’ So that’s where that came from,” Audrey Geisel said.
Geisel told interviewers over the years that “The Lorax” was inspired by the anger he felt as he watched homes and condominiums being carved into the hillsides below him. He called the book “one of the few things I ever set out to do that was straight propaganda,” according to the Union-Tribune.
In it, the title character tries to stop the Once-ler from chopping down Truffula Trees so that their tufts (“much softer than silk”) can be used to manufacture Thneeds, a classically Seussian word for all manner of worthless merchandise.
“I speak for the trees,” the Lorax says.
Geisel, who died in 1991, would often claim “The Lorax” was his favorite among the 48 books that he wrote, the newspaper said.
Officials plan to salvage some of the wood and repurpose it, and a replacement tree will be planted, Graham said.
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The Morgan City Recreation Department named its all-star baseball teams and recognized the Dixie League's Jimmy McGee Sportsmanship Award winners during closing ceremonies Thursday at the Morgan City Municipal Auditorium. Below are the recipients.
The Morgan City Recreation Department recognized its league champs during youth baseball closing ceremonies Thursday. The Minor League, City League and Dixie League champs are listed below.
A 33-year-old Bayou Vista man was booked on multiple warrants after he fled from authorities in Morgan City before being captured in Berwick, Morgan City Police Chief James Blair said in a news release.
—Brandon Poole, 33, of Arlington Street in Bayou Vista, was arrested at 10:24 a.m. Monday on charges of resisting an officer, aggravated resisting an officer by flight, aggravated obstruction of a highway, driving under suspension, violation of registration, City Court of Morgan City warrants charging him with no driver’s license, three counts of failure to appear for contempt of court, a 16th Judicial District Court warrant charging him with failure to register as a sex offender and a 19th Judicial District Court warrant charging him with failure to appear for illegal use of weapons.
An officer saw Poole operating a vehicle in the area of Veterans Boulevard. The officer knew of warrants on Poole and after checking, he learned that Poole still had outstanding warrants.
Poole was stopped near Bowman Street, and officers attempted to speak with him. When officers approached the car, Poole sped off, Blair said.
Officers then chased the vehicle, which entered Berwick before Poole crashed into a ditch on La. 182 near Patti Drive. During the chase, Poole failed to stop at several stop signs and a red light. Poole was caught after he fled on foot from officers, Blair said.
Poole was arrested and learned he also had warrants from St. Mary Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish. Poole was jailed.
Blair reported that officers responded to 33 calls and reported the following arrests:
—Fred Kenner, 32, of Grace Street in Siracusa, was arrested at 10:12 a.m. Monday on a charge of criminal trespassing.
Officers were called to a Mallard Street address to remove a subject. Officers spoke with the victim who advised that she had asked Kenner to leave the home, but he refused, Blair said. Officers attempted to have Kenner leave the home, but he refused to open the door, Blair said. Officers were able to get Kenner out of the home where he was arrested and taken to jail.
—Edward Giroir, 24, of Egle Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 10:58 a.m. Monday on a warrant charging him with domestic abuse battery.
Giroir turned himself in at the police department on a warrant. The warrant stems from a June 14 incident where Giroir is suspected of striking a woman during an argument. Giroir was jailed.
—Tayla Simoneaux, 33, of Belanger Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 10:50 p.m. Monday on charges of possession of marijuana first offense, possession of drug paraphernalia, illegal use of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of persons under 17 years old and speeding.
An officer in the area of La. 182 and Ditch Avenue clocked a vehicle speeding. The vehicle was stopped and the driver identified as Simoneaux. As the officer was speaking with the driver, he could smell what he believed to be marijuana.
Simoneaux then produced a container with suspected marijuana and admitted to the officer to using marijuana, Blair said. Officers also located other drug paraphernalia inside the container. The officer arrested Simoneaux after learning that a person inside the vehicle was under the age of 17, Blair said. Simoneaux was jailed.
St. Mary Parish Sheriff Blaise Smith reported that deputies responded to 36 complaints in the parish and reported the following arrests:
—Somoa Kenyatta Scott Jr., 22, of Hilda Street in Morgan City, was arrested at 11:10 a.m. Monday on three warrants for failure to appear on charges of obstruction of justice by tampering with evidence, illegal use, consumption, possession, or distribution of a controlled dangerous substance in the presence of persons under age 17, possession of drug paraphernalia, violation of uniform controlled dangerous substance in a drug-free zone, possession of marijuana, possession of synthetic cannabinoids with intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possession of firearm or carrying of concealed weapon by convicted felon and illegal use/possession/ control of weapons.
A booking deputy made contact with Scott when he was transported to St. Mary Parish jail from another jurisdiction. Scott was arrested on the outstanding warrants and jailed with no bail set.
—Jimmy Jackson Jr., 42, of Monarch Drive in Houma, was arrested at 12:17 p.m. Monday on a charge of theft of goods.
A deputy patrolling Bayou Vista responded to a complaint of shoplifting at a business. Upon arrival, the deputy spoke with business personnel who stated that a man entered the business with no merchandise, then selected an item and returned the item to receive a refund, Smith said.
The deputy made contact with the man, identified as Jackson, outside the business. Jackson was released on a summons to appear in court Sept. 26.
—Mary Edwards, 27, of Live Oak Street in Patterson, was arrested at 10:12 p.m. Monday on a charge of driving under suspension.
A deputy patrolling the area of Patterson observed a vehicle make a turn without using a proper signal. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Edwards. Through the stop, the deputy learned that Edwards’ driver’s license was suspended. Edwards was released on a summons to appear in court Sept. 26.
—Elizabeth Businelle Jones, 56, of Felterman Street in Patterson, was arrested at 12:11 a.m. Tuesday on a warrant for failure to appear on a charge of disturbing the peace by appearing in an intoxicated condition.
A deputy patrolling the area of La. 182 near Ricohoc Drive observed a vehicle with an inoperable headlamp. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Jones. Through the stop, the deputy learned that Jones held an active warrant for her arrest. Jones was jailed with no bail set.
Patterson Police Chief Garrett Grogan reported the following arrests:
—Austin M. Ray, 23, of Tiffany Street in Patterson, was arrested at 2:30 p.m. Monday on charges of no seatbelt, no driver’s license, expired motor vehicle inspection, resisting an officer by flight and two counts of failure to signal. Bail was set at $1,256.
—Rick J. McCurtis, 38, of Verdun Lane in Verdunville, was arrested at 9:36 p.m. Monday on a charge of suspended driver’s license. McCurtis paid $360 bail.
—Giovonne G. Nelson, 35, of Genest Street in Jeanerette, was arrested at 9:36 p.m. Monday on a charge of no driver’s license. Nelson paid $237 bail.
Berwick Police Chief David Leonard Sr. reported no arrests.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana’s governor says floodwaters from the Midwest are severely hurting people who make their living from coastal seafood, so he’s asking the federal government to declare a fisheries disaster for the state.
Floodwaters rushing from the Bonnet Carré Spillway north of New Orleans have killed oysters, hurt fish catches and damaged livelihoods, Gov. John Bel Edwards said in a letter to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
The fresh water has driven crabs, shrimp and fish out of bays and marshes and into saltier water where they can survive. But oysters are stuck — glued to the bottom.
“On a scale of 1 to 10, we are 9-and-a-half destroyed,” said Brad Robin, whose family controls about 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) of oyster leases in Louisiana waters.
The full impact won’t be known for some time because the spillway, which protects New Orleans’ levees by directing huge amounts of Mississippi River water into usually brackish Lake Pontchartrain, remains open, Edwards said in a letter sent Thursday and released Monday.
If a long-range forecast of little rain holds up, spillway closing might begin in about four weeks, Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Matt Roe said Monday.
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant asked Ross on May 31 for a fisheries disaster declaration, which would make federal grants, loans and other aid available to affected people. It would open the way for Congress to appropriate money to help fishermen and businesses that rely on them.
For instance, $200 million was provided last June to help fishing communities recover from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria in 2017.
Commercial fishing isn’t the only thing in trouble, Edwards said, because statewide landings of speckled seatrout and redfish are down.
“Such low catches invariably lead to heavy economic impacts to those businesses that support the recreational fishing industry such as marinas and bait shops,” he wrote.
Louisiana’s oyster harvest is 80% below average for this time of year and more oysters are expected to die as temperatures rise, according to a preliminary report on the department’s website. Shrimp landings were down 63% and blue crab landings down 45% in April from the five-year average. There’s been a drop in the fish catch, but it hasn’t reached the statewide average of 35% needed for a federal fisheries disaster declaration, the report says.
“We’ve been dealing with the river since October,” said Acy J. Cooper Jr., president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association “That’s a long time it’s been high.”
The die-offs are as bad in Mississippi. Joe Spraggins, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, said fresh water has killed 80% or more of the state’s oysters. He said crabs are down about 40% and brown shrimp landings are down more than 70% from a five-year average.
Marine animals require certain amounts of salt in the water around them. Oysters can tolerate a wide range of salinity, but a long spell of fresh water coupled with high temperatures can be lethal. Shrimp, crabs and fish simply swim to saltier areas.
Shrimp are now in places only larger boats can reach, Cooper said.
“Some of the big ones are catching a few,” he said. “The smaller boats are just catching hell.”
In addition, nutrients in river water nourish algae blooms so intense that their decomposition on the sea floor consumes oxygen, creating a dead zone every summer for thousands of square miles off the coast. This year’s floods could bring a near-record dead zone, scientists have said.
The Mississippi River watershed drains 41% of the continental United States, and the middle of North America has had an awfully wet year.
The prolonged flooding has raised the Mississippi so high for so long that for the first time ever, the Army Corps of Engineers opened the Bonnet Carré (pronounced “Bonnie Carrie”) twice this year, displacing Lake Pontchartrain’s usually brackish water and flushing out much of the Mississippi Sound. The water is also high to the west, where the Atchafalaya River distributes Mississippi River water through Cajun Country swamps.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Admin istration scientists said Friday that they’re investigating whether the floodwater and lingering effects of the BP oil spill contributed to the deaths of at least 279 bottlenose dolphins from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.triple the usual number for this time of year.
The high water may last “well through the summer,” Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Assistant Secretary Patrick Banks said Thursday.
“The difficulty is,” he said, “when will this even be over?”
Deborah Ann Legleu, 53, a native of Morgan City and resident of Berwick, died Saturday, June 15, 2019.
She is survived by her husband, George Legleu; her mother, Shirley Busby; four children, Samantha Wright, Amanda Comeaux, Ricky Comeaux Jr. and Christa Terry; four siblings, Elizabeth Theriot, Sandra Williams, Robert Williams IV and Rebecca Windham; and 14 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her father.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
Hargrave Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Jessie Adams, 82, a native and resident of Morgan City, died Sunday, June 16, 2019.
He is survived by three sisters, Leola Andrewes, Joyce Lacoste and Cornelia Pellissier; a brother, Frank Adams Sr.; and a host of other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and a brother.
Graveside services were held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Morgan City Cemetery.
Hargrave Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.
Franklin Banner-Tribune
P.O. Box 566, Franklin, LA 70538
Phone: 337-828-3706
Fax: 337-828-2874
Morgan City Review
1014 Front Street, Morgan City, LA 70380
Phone: 985-384-8370
Fax: 985-384-4255